microline133

Right. I want to circle back to this because I think this is a great example of how scouts project a player and often times fans don't necessarily understand why they're quick to tag a guy in a certain role or limit their potential in a write-up, instead of just assuming growth where they need it. With a guy like Flores, I'm not going to project the CV to develop much because I don't have any evidence in the current profile of him being able to manipulate the ball in the way he needs to in order for the CV to step forward. Right now the arsenal has a fastball and cutter, which let's be honest is just a variation on the fastball with grip or finger pressure changes. The CV currently doesn't have the type of spin rate to suggest he's got "it" to snap it off down the line. If, let's say, he threw a competent slider or even a changeup (though this would be a tougher leap), then I have evidence that he can spin or manipulate SOMETHING. In that case, I'm going to at least consider projecting advancement of the CV, maybe not much but some. Instead, I'm left with a fastball pitcher that doesn't yet generate the spin necessary for success with the CV. On top of that, even if he shifts to a slider and somehow finds success, he still doesn't have anything with a significant vertical component. Without that, he's generally working in at best just the vicinity of one plane, maybe actually in just one plane, so he has to demonstrate ability to change planes with location consistently. All that combined, a fastball/cutter arm that needs to elevate to change sight lines instead of utilizing pitch movement, and not seeing any substantial ability to spin the ball, leaves him with a relief profile (for me, anyway). If he breaks the expected path he's on and suddenly finds more spin as he develops, then that's a substantial profile change that necessitates revisiting the overall projection. I'd adjust that projection if that happens, but as it stands now it wouldn't be prudent to project anything more than relief in his future.

Sure, anything can be taught, at least in theory. If I'm projecting Flores, I don't see the ability to snap the curveball and generate the spin necessary for a high quality pitch. That's a harder thing to teach....not everyone can do it. Truly, to avoid the reliever tag for me, he'd need to show some evidence of something softer in his arsenal. Until that happens, it's a power reliever profile.

Flores is a reliever... Doesn't spin the CB well enough to hang as a starter.

Now that Notre Dame lost, you might be right.

This is correct.

Kreidler doesn't have the pedigree or projection to force the Tigers to make decisions around him. He won't even be a consideration in their free agent and trade decisions this off-season. If he continues to unexpectedly develop as a viable big league regular throughout next year, then you figure out where to play him at that point. That said, I'm not worried they are going to have that problem on their hands.

Yo