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General Discussion => The Bus Ride Discussion Forum => Topic started by: juliogotay on July 10, 2019, 09:52:07 am

Title: Whitley
Post by: juliogotay on July 10, 2019, 09:52:07 am
I've been unable to open a link or post it but there is a feature in Baseball America about Whitley that is less than flattering. AstrosCounty provides an excerpt:

[i]Beyond the poor results, evaluators have consistently said that Whitley, who began the year as the youngest player in the Pacific Coast League, has displayed an immaturity on the mound so caustic that it has obfuscated his still-bright ceiling.[/i]

If anyone has access to the article I would be interested to see it.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: jbm on July 10, 2019, 10:01:43 am
Not sure what they mean by “immaturity so caustic,” it’s an odd phrase. I saw his last outing and didn’t have that observation at all. After getting shelled, and even with a crucial misplay in the field, he seemed “mature” to me.  He did appear to lose confidence by the end though.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: juliogotay on July 10, 2019, 10:09:52 am
Not sure what they mean by “immaturity so caustic,” it’s an odd phrase. I saw his last outing and didn’t have that observation at all. After getting shelled, and even with a crucial misplay in the field, he seemed “mature” to me.  He did appear to lose confidence by the end though.

Yea, it goes against the grain of everything else I have read about Whitley. Surprising.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: moriartp on July 10, 2019, 10:22:29 am
Not much else of substance in the article. The only other bit worth reading is this quote from a scout backing up the paragraph you posted:

“His stuff was way down. In spring training, I saw a lot of stuff to like,” one scout said. “He looked great and like he was ready, and the kid I saw yesterday was a kid."
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: juliogotay on July 10, 2019, 10:52:20 am
Not much else of substance in the article. The only other bit worth reading is this quote from a scout backing up the paragraph you posted:

“His stuff was way down. In spring training, I saw a lot of stuff to like,” one scout said. “He looked great and like he was ready, and the kid I saw yesterday was a kid."

Thanks.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on July 10, 2019, 12:09:25 pm
If “immaturity means he was not at all ready for AA, it is spot on.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Lefty on July 11, 2019, 01:44:36 am
https://twitter.com/ForrestWhitley/status/1146476871963594752

Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: BUWebguy on July 11, 2019, 11:03:47 am
https://twitter.com/ForrestWhitley/status/1146476871963594752

What is the "back slaps" referring to? Something in his delivery?
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: homer on July 11, 2019, 11:25:19 am
Quote
"It's mostly to keep my posture straight driving down the mound, and mostly my deceleration pattern," [Whitley] said. "Starting from the ground up, you kind of want to have those things in check. I slap my back pretty bad when I pitch [on the follow-through], and that's a pretty big mechanical discrepancy. I've been working with a bunch of guys with the Astros to get that in check and hopefully improve the longevity of my career."

https://www.mlb.com/news/top-prospect-forrest-whitley-ready-for-astros-c302597258

Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: jbm on July 12, 2019, 08:35:34 pm
Whitley back on the mound in the GCL, but didn’t seem like a particularly strong outing.

1.2IP, 1H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 5K
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: BlownRanger on July 15, 2019, 11:12:50 am
Whitley back on the mound in the GCL, but didn’t seem like a particularly strong outing.

1.2IP, 1H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 5K

Strikeout rate was pretty good.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: VirtualBob on July 16, 2019, 08:55:47 pm
Strikeout rate was pretty good.
I do not think he was pitching to contact there.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: jbm on July 19, 2019, 01:07:52 pm
Another bad line in a GCL start:
2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 R, 6 BB, 5 K, 0 HR

I’m assuming what’s going on is a mechanical work over, but that’s just my uneducated guess.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: MusicMan on July 19, 2019, 02:54:03 pm
Another bad line in a GCL start:
2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 R, 6 BB, 5 K, 0 HR

I’m assuming what’s going on is a mechanical work over, but that’s just my uneducated guess.

He needs to start breathing through his eyelids.


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Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: GreatBagwellsBeard on July 29, 2019, 11:46:02 am
Whitley's line in Fayetteville:

3.1 IP, 1 BB, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K.  Retired 8 in a row at one point. 

Good to see the walks going down.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Knoxbanedoodle on July 29, 2019, 12:00:02 pm
Whitley's line in Fayetteville:

3.1 IP, 1 BB, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K.  Retired 8 in a row at one point. 

Good to see the walks going down.

Good to see, indeed. He's gotta be kicking himself given the opportunities missed this year.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: jbm on July 29, 2019, 12:28:00 pm
Whitley's line in Fayetteville:

3.1 IP, 1 BB, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K.  Retired 8 in a row at one point. 

Good to see the walks going down.

What day was this?
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on July 29, 2019, 12:42:01 pm
Class A. Wow.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Jacksonian on July 29, 2019, 01:16:38 pm
What day was this?

7/24.  He should be due start again any day.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Jacksonian on July 29, 2019, 01:17:40 pm
Class A. Wow.

I wonder how often a player is suspended for as long as he was last year and then comes back seamlessly?
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on July 29, 2019, 05:44:35 pm
I wonder how often a player is suspended for as long as he was last year and then comes back seamlessly?

Suspension plus injuries.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Jacksonian on July 29, 2019, 07:54:49 pm
Suspension plus injuries.

I am wondering if one might have in some way led to the other?
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on July 29, 2019, 08:49:25 pm
I am wondering if one might have in some way led to the other?

Could be but don’t know. My friend on the scene says he was not ready for AAA.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: GreatBagwellsBeard on July 30, 2019, 09:20:30 am
Could be but don’t know. My friend on the scene says he was not ready for AAA.

Which is fine!  He's still super young.  The real question is whether he has the maturity to dust himself off, learn the right lessons from the suspension and the struggles, and get back to developing his talent.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Col. Sphinx Drummond on July 30, 2019, 03:09:59 pm
Which is fine!  He's still super young.  The real question is whether he has the maturity to dust himself off, learn the right lessons from the suspension and the struggles, and get back to developing his talent.
I think that is the plan. A restart, so to speak.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on July 30, 2019, 05:32:10 pm
Which is fine!  He's still super young.  The real question is whether he has the maturity to dust himself off, learn the right lessons from the suspension and the struggles, and get back to developing his talent.

Think what scouts call “makeup” is the $64,000 question.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Jacksonian on July 30, 2019, 06:34:06 pm
Starting tonight.  So far 3IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 6K.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Col. Sphinx Drummond on July 30, 2019, 07:35:18 pm
Starting tonight.  So far 3IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 6K.
Finished line 5 innings. 1H 0R  0BB 9K.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: jbm on July 30, 2019, 08:11:58 pm
Very efficient too: 57 pitches, 39 strikes.

Hope he’s found his groove back.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on July 30, 2019, 09:00:47 pm
Finished line 5 innings. 1H 0R  0BB 9K.

More like a phenom.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: jbm on July 31, 2019, 02:57:48 pm
https://www.milb.com/milb/news/forrest-whitley-rebounds-in-dominant-start-for-fayetteville-woodpeckers/c-309557544 (https://www.milb.com/milb/news/forrest-whitley-rebounds-in-dominant-start-for-fayetteville-woodpeckers/c-309557544)

A write up on his outing and what has been going on.  Seems like a retooling of his delivery, at least according to him.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: MusicMan on August 01, 2019, 12:39:43 pm
Whitley moved up to Corpus


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Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Jacksonian on August 01, 2019, 12:44:52 pm
Whitley moved up to Corpus


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Expected because of his previous performance.  I'd guess he finishes the season there.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: jbm on August 04, 2019, 06:13:52 pm
His first Corpus appearance is complete:

4 IP, 2H, 1ER, 2BB, 5K, 1HR, 1HBP

69 pitches, 43 Strikes


Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Navin R Johnson on August 04, 2019, 08:44:49 pm
Nice
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Jacksonian on August 08, 2019, 12:18:30 pm
Could be but don’t know. My friend on the scene says he was not ready for AAA.

Going back and looking at the context a bit.  Had he gone to FSU instead of signing with Houston Whitley would have been drafted this summer.  He would likely be in short-season A-ball or low-A ball right now.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on August 08, 2019, 12:20:23 pm
Going back and looking at the context a bit.  Had he gone to FSU instead of signing with Houston Whitley would have been drafted this summer.  He would likely be in short-season A-ball or low-A ball right now.

Yes, but he did not, and Luhnow was expecting him in Houston this season.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Jacksonian on August 08, 2019, 01:31:00 pm
Yes, but he did not, and Luhnow was expecting him in Houston this season.

Right. Rushed.
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: JimR on August 08, 2019, 02:18:38 pm
Right. Rushed.

Agreed
Title: Re: Whitley
Post by: Mr. Happy on August 08, 2019, 05:54:47 pm
Yes, but he did not, and Luhnow was expecting him in Houston this season.

A rare Luhnow miscalculation.