Ty Blach, LHP. DOB: 10/20/1990. 6'1", 210 lbs.
2013 High A: 12-4, 2.90, 130.1 IP, 1.24 BB/9, 8.08 K/9
2014 AA: 8-8, 3.13, 141.0 IP, 2.49 BB/9, 5.81 K/9
Ty Blach was taken in round 5 of the 2012 draft out of Creighton U. The Giants held him out of pro ball that summer due to his college workload. His first pro assignment in 2013 was with High A San Jose where he dominated the league with pinpoint control and a more than adequate K rate. He continued to pitch well with AA Richmond in 2014, but despite being the best starter on the staff from by ERA, his K rate took an alarming drop. Whether that is something to worry about going forward is open to question. He did seem to turn it up a notch in the EL playoffs allowing just 1 run with 12 K's against 2 BB's in 13.1 IP. He struck out 7 with 0 BB's in his final start against Binghampton.
Blach has a bit of awkwardness to his overhand delivery. Jeremy Affeldt is the guy it reminds me of. That does not seem to affect his control and command, which is very good. He throws both a 4 seam and 2 seam FB with a plus changeup. The breaking ball is coming along. The MLB video that is available from May 2014 has his 4 seam FB topping out at 94. When I saw him pitch for San Jose, he went 90-92 on the stadium gun, which is still not bad.
I would think he will start 2015 in AAA Sacramento where he will be in the mix for a midseason callup should the need arise at the MLB level. His ceiling is #3 SP with 4-5 more likely. The K rate is something to keep an eye on.
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I guess you either love him or hate him. I have heard people make back of the rotation comps or comps for a frontline starter saying he reminds them of Tom Glavine. I will be happy if he was just able to make the rotation and hold down a spot. Crossing my fingers that him or Blackburn can slide in 2016 when Hudson is gone. I think we will see one of them this year at some point. Timmy's leash will be short and if he fails to produce you might see some movement in AAA.
ReplyDeleteI guess anything is possible, but Tom Glavine is a fairly extreme outlier for what a soft-tossing lefty can do.
DeleteHere's a comparison that I don't think I've heard anyone make yet with Blach. How about Noah Lowry? Wasn't Lowry known for an excellent changeup? Blach gets a lot of praise for his offspeed, most notably his changeup.
ReplyDeleteGood point.
DeleteThere's a another tidbit about Blach, he did not allow an HR since mid-June, I do believe.
ReplyDeleteI do fear for his ERA in the PCL though.
Like the ability to fill the strike zone.Should be nice add to the back of the rotation.
ReplyDeleteI like him. I think he's capable of being a decent bottom-of-the-rotation guy who'll eat a lot of innings and won't embarrass you that often.
ReplyDeleteAfter Mad Bum, the last two lefty starters to make it to the majors, Surkamp and Kick Him... errr, Kickham, have not fared well at all. Both had good enough stuff to have decent success in the minors but never dominated, and did not have enough put 'em away stuff to make it in the bigs (at least not with the Giants). I am cautiously optimistic that Blach has a tick better stuff overall than Surkamp and Kickham, but I think he tops out as a #5 starter or ends up as a good bullpen lefty, similar to the pitcher Dr. B compares him to, Affeldt. That would still be considered a good outcome for a fifth round pick out of college in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Adding a cost controlled guy for 4-6 years in the rotation is huge. Vogey was about $6M a year in the back of the rotation. Now we have Lincecum at $18M. All of a sudden $500k for a few years you can see how much savings you can accrue. Of course that is implying he can stay in the rotation but I have always thought either Blach or Blackburn would stick. Very optimistic for one but I wouldn't necessarily be shocked to see both in the rotation at 4 and 5 by 2017. You never know.
ReplyDeleteWell looks l like we may need a pitcher sooner than later. Huddy out eight weeks due to ankle surgery to clean it out. Going to need some additional insurance. Like I have been saying, no way the Giants go into the season with the rotation in its current state.
ReplyDeleteBilly Baseball
Bobby Evans specifically said he does not anticipate adding any starting pitchers this offseason even with the Huddy news.
DeleteI can see the Giants down playing their need for another pitcher. I don't think they would want to sound desperate. Realistically, they now have two pitchers coming back from injuries, one pushing 40, and another one, Timmy, that looked really bad at times last year. That's three significant question marks in a 5 man rotation. I know what they are saying publicly but they have to be sweating it a bit on the starting pitcher front in private. Don't forget, they did make a run at Lester only to settle on Peavy. I just have to believe (hope) that there is help coming on that front.
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The Giants generally do what they say, so don't get your hopes up too high. The payroll math says they probably aren't adding anyone else with a big price tag.
DeleteDoes look like the Giants checked in on Haren before signing Peavy and now may be interested again. My have to get creative with payroll but there might be a fit here
Deletehttp://www.csnbayarea.com/giants/report-giants-inquired-marlins-about-haren?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo
Billy Baseball
I'd be OK with Haren. I'm sure the Giants would ask for the Marlins to forward that $10 M from the Dodgers to cover his salary. Now THAT would be sweet!
DeleteDepending on who we gave up on our end, I bet the Marlins would consider that.They'd want a top tier prospect type but for a year of a "free pitcher", might be worth it to us.
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I don't think it would take a top tier prospect. Haren is not going to play for the Marlins whether they trade him or not.
DeleteI think it would only require top tier if we ask for the $10 M too. Otherwise, as you say, they can let him retire and keep the $10 M I believe. They are going to want something for that $10 M IMO and it may be a top tier guy but all just speculation.
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Well, there are compromise positions like splitting the money $5 M each or something like that.
DeleteI would not want to give up a top prospect for 1 year of a guy who it's not clear how bad he wants to play baseball.
DeleteWell, what Bobby Evans just now is saying differs. He claims Hudson will be ready by Opening Day. The prediction may or may not be accurate, but it suggests that for the moment the Giants don't feel any pressing need to add a starter to sub for Hudson.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry about that too much. It was a non pitching injury and it was just to clean up loose bone fragments. DrB would probably tell you it isn't that big of a deal. It is not like a tendon was torn.
ReplyDeleteThe recovery time is supposed to be eight weeks. Spring training doesn't start for six weeks. If Hudson misses two or three or even four weeks of ST that is not a crisis, considering that he knows what he is doing.
DeleteLast year he ran into problems because of a hip. Now we learn that the ankle was giving him trouble, enough so that he needed cortisone shots. One way of speculating is to be afraid that he is falling apart with multiple problem areas. Another is to guess that if he's playing with a bum ankle, the compensation for it is causing the hip pain. If that is the case, the ankle surgery may help with the hip, which derailed him from a great season after the All-Star break, so that this year he can pitch championship ball from the get-go through to and through the post-season.
Ankles are pretty notorious for slow healing. Blood supply in the ankle area is no bueno. It could be not a big deal or it could be.
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