RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

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phins
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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by phins »

He has a great changeup. He has an average fastball with above average velocity but it can get straight. When he uses his height and keeps it on a downward plane, it can be above average.

His secondary offering's are both fringy and not average at the moment.

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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by Fat Strat »

phins wrote:He has a great changeup. He has an average fastball with above average velocity but it can get straight. When he uses his height and keeps it on a downward plane, it can be above average.
Teach the kid a cutter. You can be a very, very good pitcher with an occasionally straight fastball at 93 if you have a great change and a cutter at 89. You'll blow hitters away at that velocity if you can command a hard breaker and a change.

And if that report below is accurate, that he can "spin" a curve, then I think there's potential there. If you've got the arm speed to spin it at a noteworthy level, then you can probably learn to make it an acceptable MLB quality pitch.

He needs some kind of breaking pitch, though. Whether you're going to throw a cutter into that category or a better-than-show-me curve.

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Laodocus8
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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by Laodocus8 »

Could be close to signing? Via his twitter - @MichaelWacha:
flyin to st. Louis on Wednesday for the physical...

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go birds
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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by go birds »

@LangoschMLB: #STLCards have agreed to terms with first-round pick Michael Wacha, pending a physical. Physical scheduled for Thurs: http://t.co/iQUPIldm

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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by fanforever »

Jon Heyman
‏@JonHeymanCBS first rounder Michael Wacha, star rhp from texas a&m, agreed for $1.9M with the ‪#cardinals‬, pending physical.

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AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

1.9M is slot i believe. didn't have to go over to sign him.

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cpebbles
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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by cpebbles »

Didn't see how they would have to go over slot for him. He doesn't really have the upside to improve his stock by returning to school for a year, so if he went any higher next season (In a presumably stronger draft) it would be to someone looking to get a senior who would sign cheaply.

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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by MrCrowesGarden »

I asked Goldstein about it and he's got a blog post now: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... leid=17335

phins
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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by phins »

There's another 100k to spend from my projections...well over $2 million to spare now.

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Re: RHP Michael Wacha Cardinals first pick

Post by phins »

Goldstein explained that well...the slots aren't really slots, but rather slightly inflated pools, which give teams flexibility. In reality, that is an over-normal slot bonus, but at the pool amount for his spot this year. The only pick to sign for his slot amount the Cards have signed (Kelly will go well over his).

The remainder of the bonus pool money will go to guys like Trey Williams and Foody.

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