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Tuesday, May 02, 2006 |
A Few From Sickels
John Sickels has, as promised, his Howie Kendrick crystal ball up today, and anybody telling me he's going to have season averages in excess of .350 is ... well, it's just kind of hard to believe, yes?
For the Dodgers, he's got a word up about Justin Orenduff:
What He Needs To Do This Year: Orenduff actually reached Double-A last year, but his ERA rose to 4.07 (compared to 2.24 in A-ball) and his velocity was down due to a sore shoulder. A first round pick out of Virginia Commonwealth in '04, he has an excellent slider, and has made strides with his changeup. His goal this year is to stay healthy, prove his shoulder is OK, and see if he can dominate hitters the same way he did in A-ball.And finally, there's a prospect retro on the recently deceased Steve Howe.
How Is He Doing?: 4.26 ERA in his first five starts, with a 32/8 K/BB in 25 innings, 27 hits allowed. He has had some poor defensive support and has given up five unearned runs. His fastball is reportedly sitting at 90 MPH according to a report from a reader. The good news is that there has been no recurrence of his shoulder problems from last year, but it remains to be seen if he can truly dominate over an extended period.
Howe ended up having a 17-year career, alternating seven drug-related suspensions (including a "lifetime ban" that was later rescinded) with good pitching performances. He finished with 91 saves and a career ERA of 3.03. In prospect terms, Howe went from college to the majors with only a half-season of Double-A under his belt. Would extra "seasoning" in the minors have helped him deal with his personal issues? Probably not. Howe's problems seemed to me like they were very deep-seated in his personality. I hope that he has some peace now.
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