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Who does Maloney Compare to?

Matt Maloney should have been held in higher regard by the Cincinnati Reds.  He should have been held in higher regards around baseball.  In 672.3 minor league innings he struck out 664 batters, with a K/BB of 3.21 a BB/9 of 2.8 and a HR/9 of .7.  Some may say, but Justin perhaps his numbers are inflated by overmatching low minor league hitters, when he was a "polished" college pitcher.  To you I say, he had a K/9 of 8.4 in AAA.  On Maloney's SB player page it says he is supsebtable to the long ball, but even in AAA he only gave up .9 HR/9.

It should also be noted that over the past few seasons Maloney has improved his control.

Maloney has had better minor league numbers than our own Bronson Arroyo, who had a K/9 of 6.9 a K/BB of 2.94 in the minor leagues. 

I've frequantly compared Maloney's minor league numbers to Homer Bailey, but just so you can see them again, in 531 Minor League innings Bailey had a K/9 of 9.1, (only 7.9 in AAA but he was also pitching hurt and that was during his "down period"), a BB/9 of 3.8 and a K/BB of 2.38, and a HR/9 of .6.  So while Bailey has had all the glitz, Maloney has been right there with him, just without the 98MPH fastball.

There are going to be some who think, but Justin we've seen this act before, a "polished lefty who knows how to pitch with good minor league numbers but weak stuff".  So lets look at Sowers who was twice drafted first overall, and was held in high regard by Cleveland.  He like Maloney is stengy with walks with a BB/9 of 2.2, and he allows less HRs at a rate of 0.5/9.  But he only strikes out 6.7/9, and that is inflated by his lower minor league numbers, in AAA his K rate is only 5.7.  So he was a polished pitcher who got by limited stuff by outsmarting raw hitters.  But he doesn't really comp with Maloney.

He actually compares to Aaron Harang's minor leauge numbers.  Harang had a K/9 of 8.1, a BB/9 of 2.4, a K/BB of 3.3, and a HR/9 of .6.  When we got Harang he wasn't exactly a top prospect.  He also gained a little velocity.  In 2002 when Harang was 24 his average fastball was 89.3, and in 2004 it jumped to 90.5.

I wrote this because I honestly think if Maloney stays healthy he could be a mid to top of the staff pitcher.  Tom Glavine prooved that pitching isn't all about throwing a mid-90s fastball.  Most of us are content to think of Maloney as low level pitcher, but I think we have paid more attention to his velocity than his numbers.  Can somebody do a comp of Maloney's minor league numbers, I would like to see who he compares with.  I'm looking at you other Justin.

But as Andro pointed out below Maloney doesn't compare to Glavine either.

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My name isn't Justin, and I haven't done any comps.

But I’d bet that his minor league comps match with a lot of players – some of whom were overmatched by major league hitters and never made it, some of whom became serviceable middle of the rotation guys, a couple great pitchers, but interestingly enough – not Tom Glavine.

Tom Glavine struck out 6/9IP, in all of his minor league career, and not more than that in most of his major league career. Of course, the great thing about minor league numbers is that you can make about any argument with them. My devil’s advocate argument would be that Tom Glavine and Matt Maloney get hitters out in different ways – so the “lefties who don’t throw hard” category is not a useful one. With his BB numbers – Maloney isn’t a control lefty – and if his strikeouts go down, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble.

Do I believe that argument? Meh, not particularly – but my point is…ok, I don’t really have a point – I’m just discussing…are there any websites with minor league go/ao numbers?

IAN! I'm on traain!

by andromache on Sep 26, 2009 11:50 AM EDT reply actions  

i wish i would have checked baseballcube

i completely forgot about it now that baseballreference has minor league numbers, but its numbers on Glavine were incomplete.

The Reds need a new manager, one like Putin.

by justin007000 on Sep 26, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions  

Wild guess - bronson ?

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 26, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions  

Yeah

but does he like boats and play awful music?

Wear something sexy to my funeral.

by Pops Daniels on Sep 26, 2009 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions  

Bronson throws slower but not by much

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 26, 2009 10:07 PM EDT reply actions  

actually no

according to fangraphs Maloney’s average fastball this year is 87.6 and Arroyo’s is 88.5.

The Reds need a new manager, one like Putin.

by justin007000 on Sep 26, 2009 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions  

sorry madville

that was a dickish response. Their velocities are similar.

The Reds need a new manager, one like Putin.

by justin007000 on Sep 26, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions  

Bronson thew a 61 MPH pitch last time out

The slowest Maloney was clocked was 66 MPH in his last 2 starts

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 26, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions  

oh i thought you meant fastballs

sorry for being a dick.

The Reds need a new manager, one like Putin.

by justin007000 on Sep 26, 2009 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

No problem...but hey are you being the biggest dick you can be???

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 27, 2009 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions  

Dude, stop it.

This isn’t a political site. Still. Nothing’s changed since the last time you did this.

"We, as for me all seasons you are affected peculiarly in the edge of my seat and are happy concerning the fact that the Adam Dunn fan has been mixed up exactly." - Reynard-san

by BK on Sep 28, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

troll is hungry

don’t feed it

Made from 100% Recycled Awesome,

by 'tHan on Sep 28, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions  

i think if you went for humor nobody would care

like i am a liberal guy but I don’t think Barack is a God and I like to laugh at Barack just as much as I liked to laugh at Bush. I like political comedy. But since you just refer to him as “the current idiot” it makes people upset.

The Reds need a new manager, one like Putin.

by justin007000 on Sep 28, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions  

I concur

To say ‘current idiot’ implies that all Presidents are and have been idiots…
maybe it takes one to know one…Har Har Har Har

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 28, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

interesting....

apparently you’re not concerned with sounding hypocritical by throwing out a comment which could stir up political anger.

This is exactly why I switched to an independent, getting offended by politics bores me. I have a more than a few republican friends that would laugh at this picture, especially in the context that it was used.

by sharks on Sep 29, 2009 3:11 AM EDT up reply actions  

Only decent starting lefty

Just for the mere fact that Maloney is the only decent starting lefty, we should give him time to grow into the pitching rotation. May be his velocity will improve over time, but as the article rightly says pitching isn’t all about throwing a mid 90’s fastball. You need a good catcher who can work with you, move the pitches around, mix your offerings up and let the hitters chase your bad out of the zone pitches. Control is more essential than speed if you want to last in the big league. May be Maloney can add a nasty slider in the summer.

by Richard L on Sep 29, 2009 7:26 AM EDT reply actions  

He's been reasonably effective with his current breaking ball, off speeds and (so-called) fastball

adding a slide (if he could control it) would be a good compliment to his bag of pitches. Can you fly to Sandusky at season’s end and show him how to throw one, Richard? This isn’t the kind of thing you’d want trust Dick Pole with.

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 29, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions  

i'll drive up there over christmas break

shame Cedar Point will be closed, but I have a friend who lives near Sandusky, i’ll stay at her place and teach Maloney a slider. I threw a pretty mean fastball when i was in little league. By mean, I mean slow and all over the place except in the strike zone. I would pitch with a 10 run lead get about 3 batters, walk them, and out came my dad with the hook.

The Reds need a new manager, one like Putin.

by justin007000 on Sep 29, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions  

Nasty slider

If I can throw a decent one, I’d be in the big league. There are lots of coaches around and if learning to throw a nasty slider is tough, try that fluffy knuckleball.

by Richard L on Sep 30, 2009 4:33 AM EDT up reply actions  

You don't have to be a Major league pitcher of good repute to teach a nasty slider or to be MLB pitching coach

I submit my proof:

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 30, 2009 4:41 AM EDT up reply actions  

Hmmmmmm

you say ‘but I have a friend who lives near Sandusky,’ …..does you’re betrothed know aboout (we’re getting closer to Canada) her yet…Justin we are talking a nasty slider here not just your internationally known fastball.

At least mail Maloney one of these if you can’t make it up there

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 29, 2009 3:12 PM EDT reply actions  

well be bethrothed discovered this blog and sometimes likes to "check up on me" via RR

so she does now. hahaha.

Actually my friend who lives near sandusky is a platonic friend from my undergraduate days.

The Reds need a new manager, one like Putin.

by justin007000 on Sep 29, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

Oh, heah sure,, wink wink nod nod

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Sep 29, 2009 4:04 PM EDT reply actions  

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