Questions about Mat Latos from an AZ Fan
by C. Wesley Baier on Jan 12, 2010 3:31 PM PST
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PrintHey everyone! I'm currently doing research for an article for the Snakepit that compares the top pitching prospects in the NL West. I figure the best way to get some more information is go ask some padres fans. According to Baseball America, Mat Latos is your number one pitching prospect. I need to know more about him, since I don't know anything about him other than his stats. How hard does he throw? What pitches does he throw? What are his strengths? What are his weaknesses? From an objective standpoint, what do you think his ceiling is? The more information I have, the less bias i'll have in the rankings. And no, I don't think Jarrod Parker is the best pitching prospect in the West. I'd have to say Bumgarner takes the cake right now. thanks in advance everyone, I eagerly await your answers.
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not an expert for sure, but....
Very hard thrower, he sits in the low to mid 90s pretty consistently and can get it up to as high as 97ish. I seemed to observe a fairly sharp 12-6 curveball last year, and he also throws a changeup.
Really though, he should definitely be classified as a power pitcher. He threw a majority of fastballs last year when he joined the Padres, and the pitch has some good movement. It’s good enough that he can generally simply blow it past hitters quite often.
I think the sky is the limit for how good he could be. In terms of weaknesses…..he doesn’t necessarily seem like the brightest bulb in the bunch. To use the cliche of being a pitcher and not a thrower, that is going to be what it will come down to for Latos. His stuff is really second to none, if he can handle the mental side he should be a good one.
His slider is a work in progress, but it's coming along.
His HR/FB ratio is somewhat high, but it was never an issue in the minors, so it’s probably a luck problem more than an actual deficiency in his skills.
"I aim to misbehave." - Mal Reynolds
by Zach (maestro876) on Jan 12, 2010 5:06 PM PST reply actions
Woops I made a mistake
Simon castro is actually your top pitching prospect, since latos has had enough innings where he doesn’t qualify anymore. What can you tell me about him?
by C. Wesley Baier on Jan 13, 2010 7:13 AM PST reply actions
sorry, I've never seen him play
but I hear he’s basically a cross between Pedro Martinez and Walter Johnson. Just put that in your report :-)
by Dugout Dude on Jan 13, 2010 1:28 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
actually
joking aside, I do know he was seriously dominating last season. He threw a 7-inning no hitter. I’m really excited to see him in high A Lake Elsinore next year.
Having seen him pitch a few games here in Fort Wayne...
…he was lights out in the 3 games I saw him pitch. He had some nasty movement on his pitches and if I recall, he was tops (or close) in k’s in the MWL.
Note: Above comment may contain gratuitous amounts of sarcasm.
BOYCOTT HASS AVOCADOS
by vexedtechie on Jan 18, 2010 11:20 PM PST up reply actions
Big like Latos
High strikeouts
Improved at every level
Control can be an issue.
Needs to pitch to contact more often. (only induced 3 GDP)
Big kid tested, mother fucker approved
by CurbEnthusiasm on Jan 13, 2010 1:54 PM PST up reply actions
Simon Castro is our top pitching prospect?
I’ve never even heard of him.
by theodore donald kerabatsos on Jan 13, 2010 3:11 PM PST up reply actions
He was a stud pitcher for the winningest minor league team
I'm the first person to admit that I'm wrong about a lot of things, but I'm going to be the last person to admit I'm wrong about what we're currently talking about.
Nick Schmidt is probably more interesting
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
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by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Jan 13, 2010 5:30 PM PST up reply actions
I'm sure this guy is thrilled he came here to ask for our "expertise".
by theodore donald kerabatsos on Jan 15, 2010 7:26 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah, how about that
Asking someone else to do your homework when you didn’t pick the right subject in the first place doesn’t yield much.
Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you? ◔ヮ◔
Uncommon Sportsman :: Absurdity in play
Bumgarner = overrated
The Giants ruined him by changing his fastball so that its no longer in the high 90s. What a waste.
I'm the first person to admit that I'm wrong about a lot of things, but I'm going to be the last person to admit I'm wrong about what we're currently talking about.
Latos' fastball is hard, but straight as an arrow...
He’ll need his other pitches if he going to succeed in the majors.
I know nothing about castro.
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