Clayton Schrader's Curveball

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Heard that not one opposing batter managed to record a base hit off a Clayton Schrader curveball.

For those of you that haven't seen it, take a look:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic ... id=8729033

I believe he threw a slider in college as well, but the O's will have him focus on the curve.

[allstar1579]

He'll keep the slider, it's a pretty good pitch, just has to get better at locating it. He throws it out of the zone for K's a lot in the college/low minor range, but as he moves up to AA guys will stop swinging at it. They are having him work on that curve because it's got some real potential, but needs to be fine tuned. It's got great break, but coming in at 85-86 it's not a real hard pitch to hit, especially if he leaves it up a little bit trying to stay in the zone. If he can get it just a little more crisp, he's really got something there, and he'll need it if he's going to do anything besides relieve. I've heard a couple guys pretty much punch his ticket to the pen, and a couple say that he might have some starting potential in Delmarva this year.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

He'll keep the slider, it's a pretty good pitch, just has to get better at locating it. He throws it out of the zone for K's a lot in the college/low minor range, but as he moves up to AA guys will stop swinging at it. They are having him work on that curve because it's got some real potential, but needs to be fine tuned. It's got great break, but coming in at 85-86 it's not a real hard pitch to hit, especially if he leaves it up a little bit trying to stay in the zone. If he can get it just a little more crisp, he's really got something there, and he'll need it if he's going to do anything besides relieve. I've heard a couple guys pretty much punch his ticket to the pen, and a couple say that he might have some starting potential in Delmarva this year.

I've heard differently...the slider is a good pitch but there's no need for it in the pen. I would try him as a starter, definitely, but he's a smaller guy and may not be durable enough. High effort delivery. I think the O's see him a a guy that could be in Baltimore very soon...

[allstar1579]

He'll keep the slider, it's a pretty good pitch, just has to get better at locating it. He throws it out of the zone for K's a lot in the college/low minor range, but as he moves up to AA guys will stop swinging at it. They are having him work on that curve because it's got some real potential, but needs to be fine tuned. It's got great break, but coming in at 85-86 it's not a real hard pitch to hit, especially if he leaves it up a little bit trying to stay in the zone. If he can get it just a little more crisp, he's really got something there, and he'll need it if he's going to do anything besides relieve. I've heard a couple guys pretty much punch his ticket to the pen, and a couple say that he might have some starting potential in Delmarva this year.

I've heard differently...the slider is a good pitch but there's no need for it in the pen. I would try him as a starter, definitely, but he's a smaller guy and may not be durable enough. High effort delivery. I think the O's see him a a guy that could be in Baltimore very soon...

Well give and take, I found out they have no intentions to try him as a SP, they are thinking possibly a CL. They do absolutely think he needs all 3 pitches though because there is such a big difference between the curve and the FB. You can see right out of the release that it is a curve and you have time to adjust and hit it before it gets there, with the slider it's harder to tell because it doesn't have that slow 12-6 break. They'll let him play a season or two before he sees Bmore though. I see him starting as the closer in SAL, and depending on how he does, moving him up accordingly. I could see him in AAA by the end of the year, but I think he's still got some stuff to work on with the control issues and refining the curve.