WhenItStrikesMe wrote:
I believe Walker was sick during B&G or out for some minor health reason like that... but that's based on recollection and not verified fact.  I do remember that it wasn't a big deal and he definitely has impressed this spring. 

I definitely expect that Pfeif will get key innings this year.  He's got a closer's mentality and a starter's stuff, so he could fit in a lot of places.  I expect a breakout year.

Rav and Nev are tougher to predict. Corbin tends not to put pitchers out there that he can't depend on to not be ineffectively wild.  Up until now, neither Rav or Nev have been pinpoint or effectively wild, so unless things click, don't expect huge inning numbers, despite their tremendous potential.

I hope Rav and Nev have their accuracy under control and we can get some good innings with them this spring.  With these young guys the matter of accuracy can sometimes be solved as simply as having the patience to let them grow into their bones, many are still growing at this point both in length and breadth.  Then again, sometimes its something that no amount of patience or practice will solve.  I hope its just a matter of maturation and they're ready to play this spring.

I'm glad that Walker's absence during the B&G series was the result of a temporary illness and not something long term or serious.  Sounds like Pfeif will either get some good long relief or some closer innings this year.  I like his pluck, he's dedicated and competitive, a little like Sonny.

I think Rav and Nev will put it together at some point.  Note that it's not that they're really, really wild, just that their not effectively wild.  You don't have to be Greg Maddux to be a great pitcher... you can miss your spots, but you can't either lose the zone temporarily or miss in the middle of the plate.  I think both are a bit more pronounced than, say, Ziomek is during his typical one bad inning per game... but that's a good comparison.  Both have golden arms though.

As for Pfeif, I think he's a bit more spitfire than Sonny... but both are darn competitive.  I think Pfeif's mound presence reminds me most of DP in some ways.  He self-motivates through strikeouts, as an example.

WhenItStrikesMe wrote: I think Rav and Nev will put it together at some point.  Note that it's not that they're really, really wild, just that their not effectively wild.  You don't have to be Greg Maddux to be a great pitcher... you can miss your spots, but you can't either lose the zone temporarily or miss in the middle of the plate.  I think both are a bit more pronounced than, say, Ziomek is during his typical one bad inning per game... but that's a good comparison.  Both have golden arms though.

As for Pfeif, I think he's a bit more spitfire than Sonny... but both are darn competitive.  I think Pfeif's mound presence reminds me most of DP in some ways.  He self-motivates through strikeouts, as an example.

Agreed and thank you.  I think last year, more so than in previous years, our whole staff had that kind of trouble.  We had more walks than I've perceived (haven't looked at the stats) from previous years and we certainly had more "misses" over the center of the plate which resulted in a few more long hits against us than in previous years.  The stats are difficult to interpret though because of the change to bbcor bats.  I think there was much more "pitching around the outside of the plate" before bbcor bats because the penalty for a fat spot over the middle of the plate seemed to be 500 feet.

A disclaimer, it should be noted that we've had particularly fine pitching staffs for the last several years that included Mike Minor, David Price and a couple years ago a weekend staff that featured two first-round MLB picks at the end of the season.  While it's hubris to expect this level of pitching in perpetuum, it is certainly something we can hope for. 

I'm hoping that through the summer, fall and early winter, the pitchers have had lots of time and effort in 'finding their spots' reliably. If they have, it will be a brilliant spring season.

WhenItStrikesMe wrote: I think Rav and Nev will put it together at some point.  Note that it's not that they're really, really wild, just that their not effectively wild.  You don't have to be Greg Maddux to be a great pitcher... you can miss your spots, but you can't either lose the zone temporarily or miss in the middle of the plate.  I think both are a bit more pronounced than, say, Ziomek is during his typical one bad inning per game... but that's a good comparison.  Both have golden arms though.

As for Pfeif, I think he's a bit more spitfire than Sonny... but both are darn competitive.  I think Pfeif's mound presence reminds me most of DP in some ways.  He self-motivates through strikeouts, as an example.

It took Selman 2.5 years to put it together, but when he did, he was unbelievable last year.  I'm hoping those guys can harness their command a little earlier in their careers, but I have confidence we'll see them make major contributions soon enough.