Guide to Guys to Know - ViewPoint 10
Written by MadAlan
July 10, 2005

Heading into the All-Star break the early surprises and flashes have now dimmed, leaving behind the flecks of gold on the bottom of our gold pan.

Under “New Guns” we have exposed the newest obvious up and coming gems for the baseball fan. These are players that display the skills and in most cases about 250 at-bats or less, but they have shown the skills-a-plenty - that this will be a good season for their owners.

The “Guys To Know” is a group of players that have spent a little time in the Major’s already and are now becoming the butterflies they were to be. They have figured it out and are becoming players to reckon with. This follows next, please enjoy.

Guys To Know

Rich Harden Oak Age 24 He does not know a losing season and this is since 2003, plus he has never given-up more hits than innings pitched. A Keeper.

Dan Haren Oak Age 24 Just a little time with the Oakland training staff and instantly he is what the Cards wanted and expected. A Keeper.

Aaron Harang Cin Age 27 If he pitched for a team that was an average .500 team, he could win 15-18 games and strikeout at the very least 200 batters. He could lose 10 games this season when he gives up less than 3 runs.

Tadahito Iguchi CWS Age 30 But, this is his first season in America. This is a calculating hitter who produced immediately. At “half-time” the Sox have enjoyed his outstanding range in the field, his strong arm and the 4 out of 5 Fantasy category player he is.

Felipe López Cin Age 25 We don’t get it, it was only a year or two ago when all the Cincinnati people believed López would exactly do what he is doing now. They said he would hit homers, steal bases and knock in his pals – he is doing all of it and everybody acts surprised. He is just 25 years old, and getting better.

Bill Hall Mil Age 25 He neither got bigger nor did he get any extra muscle somewhere but he easily is in the 25-homer area for this year. He is suspect to do all this for the next season but he’s looking at a “Norm Cash 1961 Season” this year!

José Reyes NYM Age 22 Reyes could slap 20 doubles, 20 triples and a dozen homers this season. He is a great deal of fun to watch play the game of baseball.

Grady Sizemore Cle Age 22 The Cleveland Indians don’t think he is ready for the Majors yet, too bad, eh? He is heading into an 18 homer, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored season .. this season.

Alex Rios Tor Age 24 As comfortable as he looks with a bat in his hands and a fastball coming at him is amazing. He has quick wrists similar to Hank Aaron’s style and could hit around .300 for his entire career. He could become another Edgar Martinez.

Adam LaRoche Atl Age 25 Built in the same mould as was Mike Sweeney exception being he does play when hurting. He will be a perennial 25-30 homer, .315 BA and 100-RBI guy for years. This will begin this year.

Jeremy Bonderman Det Age 23 He has won 11 games for a team with 38 wins for the season. Being around the plate 100% of the time he will always give-up home runs. Being smart and wise beyond his electric shaver he knows about the home run issue and has not given-up much when he shouldn’t.

Brett Myers Phi Age 25 The 3.20 ERA is at his highest ERA this year! This man is an ACE. His strikeout to walk ratio is 113x35. Batters are hitting him at just .228.

Derrick Turnbow Mil Age 26 He’s tall and somewhat lanky, not the best fielding pitcher in baseball either. He has a philosophy of “ya gotta hit it first.” In 2003 batters hit him at .140, 2004 they accomplished a BA of .105 and this season they’re at .206. Granted we are not discussing a ton of innings but we also haven’t mentioned the 17 saves either.

Erik Bedard Bal Age 24 He is most likely the best Baltimore pitcher. Day-in-day out he is terrific. Before injury he was 5-1 and an ERA of 2.08 and he had allowed just 14 walks versus 52 strikeouts. When hurting he takes time to get well.

Chris Capuano Mil Age 26 He has won 4 straight games for a team that only won 12 games in the same stretch. He’s a “corner-nicker” type thrower and still walks too many players too. By staying on the plate, corners or otherwise, he will allow homers too, but the tendency has been for the bases to be empty much more often than not on those occurrences. He pitches as if he has studied the great Mr. Maddux. He is a winner.

Bronson Arroyo Bos Age 28 Because he is in the Boston rotation alone means he should win 15-18 games and HE will contend for the WHIP title each year. Hitters must hit him because he will not walk them.

Neal Cotts CWS Age 25 He is another of the Oakland trained pitching talents scattered about the Majors. We will not post his numbers, suffice to say you must know of him by now. Not pitching in the starting rotation and being a known player amongst the “Fantasy-smart” says plenty enough.

John Patterson Was Age 26 His career 47 starts have hitters groping for hits at a .250 clip, he strikes out more hitters than innings pitched and would be a viable young stud that could win 18-20 games for an above .500 team. Any solid fielding team could help him to those numbers as well.

Daniel Cabrera Bal Age 24 Watch him pitch on a good day .. you will see why every Major League team wants him and he still boasts a large ERA. He could become a “monster” All-Star.

Scott Kazmir TB Age 21 He’s already turned around the not-too-terrific start. In his last 7 starts he has given up 34 hits in 41 innings with 37 strikeouts. The bad news is he has a weak – I’m being a good boy here – defense going along with a team without lots of winning opportunities.

Mike Wood KC Age 25 Hitters are hitting him at a mild .242 and he was a starting pitcher before arriving in the “biggies.”

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Madalan.asw@verizon.net