Looks like everybody is off celebrating the Niners' win and debating the Montero/Pineda trade. We'll just keep plugging along here with the top prospects rundown, but yeah, I'm happy for the NIners. I haven't paid much attention to football for awhile but I really like this Niner's team. It goes to show how much of a difference good coaching can have on a team, especially at the QB position. Ever wonder what Joe Montana's career would have looked like if Bill Walsh hadn't been his coach?
#20 Hector Correa, RHP. 6'3", 165 lbs. BD: 3/18/1988.
High A: 3-1, 1.93, 42 IP, 12 BB, 37 K.
AA: 4-1, 3.20, 39.1 IP, 12 BB, 32 K.
Hector Correa was acquired on the eve of the 2009 season in one of the stranger trades Brian Sabean has made in his tenure as GM. The Giants had run out of roster room for Jack Taschner at the end of Spring Training so they shipped him to the Phillies for a pretty good reserve catcher in Ronny Paulino, only to immediately flip Paulino to the Florida Marlins for Hector Correa. Given that the Giants backup catcher in 2009, and ever since, was Eli Whiteside, gotta wonder if Sabes overthought that one and should have just kept Paulino.
Correa was a highly regarded prospect in the Marlins lower minors but had missed most of 2008 with shoulder issues. He then proceeded to make the trade look even worse by missing all of 2009 too after surgery. The worm is finally starting to turn on the trade, though, as Correa came back to have a pretty good 2010 season for low A Augusta and then sparkled at two levels in 2011. Baggs did an Organizational Report on him for BA in November and reported that his fastball was in the "mid-90s" and he combined it with a "plus-plus" changeup. The changeup allows him to be effective against LH batters allowing the Giants to stretch him out to 3 and 4 inning stints in Richmond. He could still be stretched all the way out to starter, but I have to say it's more likely he'll end up as a setup man or long reliever in the majors.
The Giants protected him from the Rule 5 draft by adding him to the 40 man MLB roster. I would think he'll start the 2012 season in Fresno, but there appears to be at least one opening in the Giants bullpen which he could challenge for in Spring Training.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
If Correa can make it into the rotation this year or next year then we should give Sabean a thumbs up for this trade. Taschner and Paulino didn't fit in the Giants' future plans but Correa looks like he could if he can stay healthy. He did very well at High A and AA. I think Correa and Hembree will be competing in ST for a roster spot but most likely neither will land with the team on Opening Day.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling this will be Zito's last chance at playing for the Giants. If he can consistently give the Giants an opportunity to win and get a decent amount of quality starts, then maybe he will have a chance to be with the team past 2012. Otherwise, it will be Eric Surkamp's job to lose. I hope we can find one more veteran to be an alternative LHP to Zito and Surkamp. It doesn't hurt to invite LHP's like Zach Duke, Scott Kazmir or Jeff Francis to ST. With AT&T being pitcher-friendly, any one of these guys could do well here with a change of scenery. On the road, we will have to see and hope for the next coming of Vogelsong.
Love the young bullpen arms in waiting. Correa, Hembree, Runzler, Little Head Bochy all could step in as cost controlled studs. This will keep the Giants bullpen stocked and cheap. Looking forward to following their progress.
ReplyDelete