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2020-21 Offseason Discussion

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Is this Humphreys kid going to join the rotation or be put in the BP? Watching film of him gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. His delivery is easy, clean, and repeated. He doesn't walk many and is adept at missing bats. He might be the next pitcher that makes us wonder how in the hell they got him.
He slots in as an extra rotation guy, with MacKenzie still having durability questions, Cookie too, and the league figuring out Civale they need at least a couple arms ready.
 
Until a Lindor deal goes through we don't have many positions locked in. Jose at 3B, Berto at C, Naylor at 1B or corner OF...that's about it. Mercado seems likely to get another chance and Jones will get a spot somewhere for the majority of 2021. We have more questions than answers.
 
I wouldn't know Humphreys if he walked into my living room, but by going thru his numbers and every scouting report I can find, he is a poster boy for a Tribe SP prospect. He's probably at least two years away, and will run up against the options clock. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Tribe petition to extend the clock, due to TJS.

Good size kid, average fastball with two average to better than average off speed offerings....impeccable command and control to both sides of the plate. Sounds like just about everybody in the present and immediate future rotation.

Just a thought about any comparison to Plutko. Plutko plus a few ticks on his fastball turns into Civale and Bieber...not as an end result, but as a mold.

The kid pre TJS didn't walk many, didn't give up many hits, didn't give up dingers, and had a ridiculous K/BB ratio. Post TJS he was sitting 93 MPH.

He was a lowly 18th rounder out of HS, but a few years of collegiate results similar to what he did in lower level pro ball would have zoomed him up the draft board.

We may never hear his name again, or he may be assigned to the pen at some point, but right now he certainly profiles as a Tribe starter.
When I read up on Humphrey's scouting reports and looked at his stats, all I thought was this is the perfect kind of pitcher that the Indians seem to be able to get so much more out of.
 
As for the newly non-tendered OF's, Dahl has the most talent, but also the biggest question mark on his health. While he has generally raked when healthy, he has also been more injured than not.
 
Safer / more likely to produce at least average ML quality: dahl or rosario?

Even money.. Rosario.. he already knows the AL Central pitchers and has to have a chip on his shoulder w/r to the Twins.. Most importantly, he wouldn't KILL the Indians pitching staff any more...

Thoughts?
 
On Humphrey, remember he has only pitched 2 games at high A plus last year’s alternate site work. So how would I rank our starters in order of chances to be at ML (based on timing of callup)
Bieber, Cookie, Pleasac, McK, Quantril (of course)
Civale, Allen, Moss, Cantillo, Morgan
Hentges, Humphries, Hankins, Oviedo, Gaddis

So about 12th in line for 5 slots. And, if we were not deep, I would give him a better shot. But, Hankins is just below him and would get the nod, if close to ready in 2022/2023. It’s not about him over Civale. It’s about him over Moss, Morgan, Cantillo and Hentges and whoever we get trading Cookie and Lindor.
 
I understand that neither Perez nor Hedges can hit a lick, save for a bomb now and then, but they are both accomplished MLB catchers who do the things the Indians seem to value most at that position. When we trade Lindor we will have absolutely no proven MLB talent at any position outside of 3B, C, DH, and P. If one of the two or three main pieces we bring in for Lindor is a catcher that doesn't really advance the ball at all in terms of putting a legit MLB team on the field in 2021 or '22.

Now, if you can promise me a Johnny Bench clone it might be different, but that ain't happening.
 
He's a command and control guy.. Think Adam Plutko with no more than one or two added ticks on his FB.. He's now fully past TJ surgery and should be coming into his prime... or, more likely...


Time to cross him off the list... We'll see...
He’s got command and control, but he’s not simply a “command and control guy” from what I can tell and his ceiling is a good bit higher than Plutko’s ever was. Your selling him short to be direct.
 
I think the clock is ticking extra loud in regards to Sammy Hentges. Think he is a likely bullpen arm at this point considering his roster status and bum 2019. JC Meija is in a similar boat but believe he already possesses enough stuff to work out of a ML bullpen.
 
He’s got command and control, but he’s not simply a “command and control guy” from what I can tell and his ceiling is a good bit higher than Plutko’s ever was. Your selling him short to be direct.
Good.. then you got / understood the point of the posting.. On the face of this kids profile and scouting reports and small amount of videos out there (I have NOT seen him in person).. he's a AAAA to maybe more of an BOR SP candidate for perhaps as early as 2022.. He's possibly a better candidate for more than 1 inning as a middle reliever.. Until he's actually on the hill with the pill in actual / real competition against AA/AAA and Major League hitters.. he's a "wait and see" guy with little more than a history of command and control...

Thanks...
 
I think the clock is ticking extra loud in regards to Sammy Hentges. Think he is a likely bullpen arm at this point considering his roster status and bum 2019. JC Meija is in a similar boat but believe he already possesses enough stuff to work out of a ML bullpen.
The tribe would love to see Sammy slinging it in close and late situations.. With his starting velo already in the low/mid 90's.. it could play up into the mid 90's and slightly above as an RP... Couple that with his cutter out of the same tunnel and a curve ball that has pretty good shape.. and he could be exactly what the Tribe needs out of a Pen-Port-sider.. We'll see...
 
Safer / more likely to produce at least average ML quality: dahl or rosario?

Even money.. Rosario.. he already knows the AL Central pitchers and has to have a chip on his shoulder w/r to the Twins.. Most importantly, he wouldn't KILL the Indians pitching staff any more...

Thoughts?
I'd assume Rosario is more likely to play over 100 games(assuming we have a 162 game season). I'd have no problem with Rosario if he comes cheaply.

Our collective 2020 OF had a .300 slugging, .194 average, and a total of 62 RBI. Yes, Rosario would indeed be an upgrade. In 45 games in the Jake, he has a career .353/.379/.653/1.031 line.
 
Humphreys highest level was 11 IP in A+ ball in 2017. His highest season IP was 80.2, also in 2017.

To put that into perspective, Cantillo threw 13.2 IP in A+ in 2019, and a total of 111.2 IP.

Humphreys very probably should not be in a conversation regarding the Cleveland rotation competition until 2023.

I still believe that he should not be relegated to a projection of AAAA/Plutko, simply because he is a much better prospect than Plutko...starting with at least a 4 MPH advantage in velocity.
 

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