Expectations for Eleven: Taylor Buchholz

[Edgy MD]

I don't really trust a guy named Taylor very easily. My cousin Katie married a Taylor and he's a big talker and I don't think she's particuarly happy, but... well, the buzzbeard on the cherubic face is kinda cute.


Pos: RHRP
Born: 10/13/1981 (29 in 2011) in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania (definitely Phillie country)
Acquired: Signed last week to contract that guarnatees $600,000, with incentives that could take it to $1,200,000.
2010 Stats:

Tm	Lg	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	BK	WP	BF	ERA+	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
COL	NL	1	0	1.000	4.50	7	0	2	0	0	0	10.0	10	5	5	2	6	0	9	0	0	0	43	106	1.600	9.0	1.8	5.4	8.1	1.5
TOR	AL	0	0	---	0.00	2	0	2	0	0	0	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6		0.000	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total	MLB	1	0	1.000	3.75	9	0	4	0	0	0	12.0	10	5	5	2	6	0	9	0	0	0	49	128	1.333	7.5	1.5	4.5	6.8	1.5
Modesto	CAL (A+)	1	0	1.000	0.00	3	1	0	0	0	0	3.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	9		0.000	0.0	0.0	0.0	12.0
Colorado�Springs	PCL (AAA)	0	1	.000	5.89	18	0	2	0	0	0	18.1	22	12	12	3	9	2	12	1	0	1	84		1.691	10.8	1.5	4.4	5.9	1.3
Total	MiLB	1	1	.500	5.06	21	1	2	0	0	0	21.1	22	12	12	3	9	2	16	1	0	1	93		1.453	9.3	1.3	3.8	6.8	1.8
Total	All	2	1	1.000	4.59	30	1	6	0	0	0	33.1	32	17	17	5	15	2	25	1	0	1	142		1.410	8.6	1.4	4.1	6.8	1.7

Last Word: His dad took him to Reading games but he's totally not a Phillies fan. Totally. He's a distant cousin of Clay Buchholz and he may may or may not have a wife who may or may not be named Ashley.

What do you expect of Taylor Buchholz in 2011?

[metirish]

I expect him to challenge for the coveted role of eight inning guy.

Seriously , I have little expectations...in my minds eye I have never seen him pitch....even though I probably have.

Will he come north even?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think he'll be every bit as good as Elmer Dessens was.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Unless these relief pitcher hopefuls come with a killer knockout pitch, you might as well consult your coffee grind droppings to try and divine their future effectiveness. It's a total crap shoot from what I know, given the small sample size of innings they pitched. Thirty, 40, 50 innings is nothing to go on. Given the right -- or wrong -- 50 innings, Jonathon Niese might appear to be better than Koufax, while Johan Santana might make you wish that Oliver Perez, the bad Ollie, were starting, instead.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Unless these relief pitcher hopefuls come with a killer knockout pitch, you might as well consult your coffee grind droppings to try and divine their future effectiveness. It's a total crap shoot from what I know, given the small sample size of innings they pitched. Thirty, 40, 50 innings is nothing to go on.

Yup.

Elmer Dessens was a results guy, not a process guy. To the extent that even in small samples Bucky here has decent K figures, he's a process kinda candidate.

[Edgy MD]

Well, sure you can't divine much from the sketch I gave you. That's why you have to go beyond. Scour medical reports, interview old teachers, check his GoodReads page.

FWIW, he's got a $400,000 motivation to break camp with the team.

[TransMonk]

The first dude called up to the pen from the minors once one of the regular relievers has to spend time in the rotation due to a starter's injury.

I like the Bucky moniker.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy DC wrote: Well, sure you can't divine much from the sketch I gave you. That's why you have to go beyond. Scour medical reports, interview old teachers, check his GoodReads page. FWIW, he's got a $400,000 motivation to break camp with the team.

So, between the slightly-crazy eyes and this, Parnell and Carrasco should probably keep their heads on swivels in the PSL clubhouse.

He's got climbing K numbers and decent control, and is now two years removed from elbow surgery. IOW, he's kindasorta where, say, Wagner was at the beginning of last year, recovery-wise (minus the borderline-HoF track record)... and he was one hell of a reliever for a year and a half before the injury. I like his prospects for Dessens-like results, ERA-wise, but more Flameboy peripherals.

[Ceetar]

I don't have much expectations for him, much beyond spelling his name correctly, but he's certainly got a chance to stick. Looks like he certainly could be very helpful. In fact, the Mets pitching, particularly the bullpen, is slowly but surely rounding out to look pretty darn decent.

[Guest sharpie]

I predict he'll be the first met with consecutive H's in his last name.

I also predict he'll go 1-1 with a 4.74 ERA in 21.2 innings pitched. He'll also surprise everyone by hitting a double in his only at bat.

[Ceetar]

sharpie wrote: I predict he'll be the first met with consecutive H's in his last name. I also predict he'll go 1-1 with a 4.74 ERA in 21.2 innings pitched. He'll also surprise everyone by hitting a double in his only at bat.

In a twist, will the double be off a Cardinals outfielder?

no wait, we did that already.

[Guest sharpie]

The double will be off of a former Cy Young winner and will drive in a run.

[Vic Sage]

Ceetar wrote: ... In fact, the Mets pitching, particularly the bullpen, is slowly but surely rounding out to look pretty darn decent.

hah hah hah hee hee hee... oh, wait. You were serious?

whatever, dude.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Vic Sage wrote: Ceetar wrote: ... In fact, the Mets pitching, particularly the bullpen, is slowly but surely rounding out to look pretty darn decent. hah hah hah hee hee hee... oh, wait. You were serious? whatever, dude.

Ahem.

Ceetar, the Optimistic Mets Fan

[Edgy MD]

Fifteen scoreless innings this spring put up pretty anonymously by Bucholz.