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Meet the Future: U.S. Team pitchers 07/05/2006 2:14 PM ETBy Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
The event is called the Futures Game for good reason. It gives the fans a glimpse into the future, letting them see what the Major League All-Star teams might look like in a few years.
That premise has never been more evident than when viewing this year's U.S. pitching corps. The stud-laden lineup of starters and relievers resembles a who's who in Minor League pitching today. There are first-round picks, fireballers and some interesting stories surrounding this staff. Here's a closer look at what folks will see in Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon.
Nick Adenhart, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Class A, Angels)
The Angels took a flyer on Adenhart after he underwent "Tommy John" surgery just before the 2004 draft, choosing him in the 14th round. They signed him for nearly $750,000, luring him away from the University of North Carolina and getting one of the steals of that draft in the process. Adenhart came back quickly last season from the surgery, much quicker than most expected, and went 3-3 in 14 games between the Arizona and Pioneer Leagues. He's shown why he was considered first-round material before the injury in the Midwest League this season, posting a 10-2 mark with a 1.95 ERA through 16 starts. He leads the league in victories and is third in ERA and strikeouts (99). He's allowed only two homers this season, neither of which were to left-handed hitters. He was 3-0 in his last four June starts, posting a 1.44 ERA and going at least 7 1/3 innings in each of those contests.
Homer Bailey, Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A, Reds)
The former first-rounder (2004) has proven to be everything the Reds hoped he would be and more. He worked on a pitch count last season and still managed to go 8-4 in 28 games (21 starts) in the Midwest League. Bailey hasn't been under any restrictions this year and has blossomed, starting the season in the Florida State League before earning a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga. The big right-hander was 3-5 with a 3.31 ERA in 13 starts for Sarasota before the Reds bumped him up early last month. He didn't dissapoint, winning his first two starts after the promotion, pitching 12 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out 13 and walking two. Like so many of the youngsters in the Futures Game, there is no reason to rush Bailey, who only turned 20 in May. But a strong showing the rest of the way in Double-A may earn him a ticket to Triple-A Louisville or even a September look in Cincinnati.
Gio Gonzalez, Reading Phillies (Double-A, Phillies)
Gonzalez was one of the centerpieces of the Jim Thome/White Sox deal this past winnter. Gonzalez had been one of the hottest young arms in all of baseball last season and was so coveted it took a player of Thome's caliber for Philly to land him. His first season with the Phils has been frenetic but he's making a big jump to the Eastern League from the South Atlantic and Carolina Leagues a year ago. Gonzalez was 4-7 through 15 starts but his ERA was a respectable 3.51 while the opposition is hitting only .219 against him. He's been particularly tough on right-handers, limiting them to a .195 batting average. He's also atop the league with 102 strikeouts in 89 2/3 innings. Gonzalez won't turn 21 until September so there's no need to rush him along. He'll likely see Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before he sees Philadelphia but if the Phillies fall far away enough from the Mets in the East, he may get a September call-up.
Tom Gorzelanny, Pirates
The stable of Pittsburgh pitching prospects runs deep and the big southpaw is atop the list. He got a taste of the Major Leagues last September after an impressive outing in the Eastern League playoffs, setting an Altoona record for strikeouts with 13. He was promoted again last week and started over the weekend for the Pirates in an Interleague match-up with Detroit. Gorzelanny was pitching for Triple-A Indianapolis and while his record (6-5) was just a tic above .500 it's not indicative of how effectively he handled International League hitters. He led the league with 94 strikeouts and was fifth with a 2.35 ERA through 16 games. The opposition managed to hit only .194 against him and he was 2-0 with a 0.45 ERA in his final three June starts. Gorzelanny's fastball steadily registers in the low 90s but will hit 95 or 96 on occasion. His 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame only adds to his imposing appearance on the hill.
Nick Pereira, Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A, Giants)
Pereira was a 10th-round pick last season from the University of San Francisco and is doing his best to become a hometown hero. A native of nearby San Jose, Pereira began the season in his hometown, pitching in the Class A California League, where he was a dazzling 7-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 13 games. He had 76 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 78 2/3 innings, limiting right-handed hitters to a .184 average in the process. He's since been promoted to Triple-A Fresno, where he has appeared in three games, going 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA. Pereira went 10-3 last season for USF before going 5-3 with a 3.04 ERA in 14 games (nine starts) for Salem-Keizer of the Northwest League.
Jason Hirsh, Round Rock Express (Triple-A, Astros)
Roger Clemens' warm-up trip through the Houston system hasn't been the only buzz generated by an Astros pitcher this season. Look no further than Hirsh, the former second-rounder who is pushing hard to reach the parent club this summer. He was 8-2 with a 2.56 ERA through 16 starts with Triple-A Round Rock. He hasn't lost since April 27, a stretch of 11 starts through his June 24 outing against Nashville. Hirsh had a breakout year in 2005, going 13-8 for Corpus Christi and lowering his earned run average by more than a run from 2004. There were some who questioned whether the improvement was a one-time thing but he's proven himself this year, pitching with authority in Round Rock. How well Houston plays over the second half will help determine some of his future but it wouldn't be a shock to see Hirsh make an in-state move before year's end.
Phil Hughes, Trenton Thunder (Double-A, Yankees)
Hughes is one of the true legitimate prospects the Yankees have, and they're holding onto him for all he's worth. Every time a trade rumor surfaces involving the Bombers, Hughes' name is mentioned. But he's not going anywhere and with good reason. The former first-round pick (2004) can pitch and will be in New York's rotation before long. He began the season in the Class A Florida State League and was 2-3 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts, earning himself a quick promotion to Double-A Trenton, where he's earned a berth on the All-Star team. He's 5-3 with a 2.94 ERA in 11 starts for the Thunder but is 3-1 with a 0.91 ERA in his last five outings. Overall, he's 16-7 in 36 games (35 starts) in his career with a 2.34 ERA. While Hughes is tearing up Double-A, he likely won't finish the season there. Triple-A Columbus seems as if it will be his final landing point in '06.
Eric Hurley, Bakersfield Blaze (Class A, Rangers)
Another in a bevy of former first-round picks (2004); Hurley has proven he can make the jump to the hitter-friendly California League. He was able to get by with mostly a mid-90s fastball last year in the Midwest League, where he went 12-6 with a 3.77 ERA. He continues to develop a slider and a changeup, but there were some concerns as to whether he would successfully make the leap. But so far, he's shown he can handle what the Cal League has to offer. He was 5-3 through 12 starts, posting a 2.92 ERA. He's also held the opposition to a .203 batting average over that stretch. He's in the top 10 in the league in ERA and strikeouts and he won't turn 21 until September.
Sean Smith, Akron Aeros (Double-A, Indians)
Smith has blossomed this year in Akron after spending just over a season with Class A Kinston of the Carolina League. The big right-hander, a 16th-round pick in 2001, began the season in Kinston, going 1-2 in four starts after spending the entire 2005 season with the Indimidators. Since moving up to Akron, he has dazzled the Eastern League, going 8-1 with a 2.42 ERA in 13 starts.
Matt Lindstron, Binghamton Mets (Double-A, Mets)
The hard-throwing right-hander has three things going for him -- 1, 0 and 0. That's 100, as in miles per hour. Lindstrom can bring it, fast and faster, regularly clocking in the high 90s and frequently hitting the rarest of marks, triple digits. It's the speed that keeps the Mets intrigued and is the main reason the club has moved him to the bullpen. He throws so hard that he fractured a bone in his arm last fall, the second time he's experienced such an injury. While Billy Wagner will be New York's closer for the foreseeable future, the idea that Lindstrom could be an effective setup man isn't far-fetched. He's 26, a bit old to be in Double-A, but developmentally the club views him as younger because he spent two years on a Mormon mission. He has three saves and 15 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings for Binghamton after starting the season in Class A St. Lucie.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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