OK, we were temporarily derailed for a couple of days looking up Aki Iwamura's pedigree. Time to get back to the prospect trail, and today it's RHP Jeff Sues.
Jeff Sues, the Pirates 2008 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, was born on June 8, 1983, in Edison, New Jersey. The 26 year-old is 6-4, 215 pounds, and has an arm to match his size, throwing in the mid-nineties, a classic strike out-fly out pitcher.
Sues started at Red Bank HS, and graduated to Vandy. He worked out of the bullpen for the Commodores, and in an omen of things to come, missed most of his sophomore season with elbow tendinitis.
He threw in the low 90s, touching 97 MPH on a good day, with a slider and curve, but had problems finding the dish consistently. Still, he had enough stuff to draw some attention.
Sues was selected by Cleveland in 14th round of 2004 draft as a junior, but didn't sign, chancing another roll of the dice on a good senior year. He was just 3-5 with a save and 4.10 ERA in his last year, but 60 K in 48 innings raised his stock, at least in Dave Littlefield's eyes.
The Bucs chose Sues in the fifth round of the 2005 draft, though as is usually the case with old suits' high-end draftees, they could have had him further down the road.
But before he could take the mound as a pro, he had labrum surgery in March of 2006. Sues spent over a year in rehab, and at times was ready to give up the game in frustration. Finally, in late May of 2007, he was sent to Hickory to start his career.
Used as a starter there, he pitched eight times. He was, as to be expected after a two year hiatus, clocked. Sues was 3-2, but with a 7.18 ERA and big problems with walks and the long ball. To add injury to insult, he went back on the DL in mid-July and the fork was stuck in him for the year.
But a healthy 2008 led to a breakout season. First, the Pirates decided that Sues wasn't up to the rigors of starting - his velocity dropped as the game wore on, and all the time spent on the DL confirmed his arm strength wasn't where it needed to be - and moved him back to his college spot, working out of the bullpen.
Sues split the season pitching for high-A Lynchburg and AA Altoona. In 64 IP, he had 72 K with a 3.22 ERA, and his heater was clocked in the mid 90s, his slider was sharp, and he came up with what he calls a "power curve," which he was confident enough to use whether ahead or behind in the count. His control, though, was still iffy.
Once again, he couldn't quite make it through an entire season. He was shut down on August 8th because of biceps tendinitis. Sues was sent to Scottsdale to play winter ball, to make up for his lost time.
He returned to reality in the Arizona League, a notorious hitter's paradise. Sues' ERA was 8.38, and in 9-2/3 innings he was tagged for 16 hits (including a pair that left the yard), 4 walks, and 3 beaned batters, to go along with 10K.
It's a pretty small sample, especially after missing several weeks of the regular season, but it shows the two areas he needs the most work in if he's going to join the show - control and the gopher ball.
But it wasn't a lost posting. Sues began working on getting the ball over on both sides of the dish; before he had been loath to work on the inside black, and that may have contributed to his stat line.
The Pirates thought enough of him to add Sues to the 40-man roster - he was Rule 5 eligible at the end of the 2008 season - and started him off with the Curve again. But his star was about to crash.
In 78-2/3 innings, he was 2-6-2 with a 4.46 ERA, hardly the way to impress the suits. Though his line was pretty poor, with the exception of being a wild child (he walked over 4 batters per nine innings pitched), his other peripheries were pretty solid.
Sues gave up 66 hits with 74 K's, and his opponent split wasn't dramatic, as he held batters to a .225 average while his home run rate dropped to an acceptable lost ball served up once every 11 innings. But he did get beat up in a brief stop at Indy, with an ERA of 6.00 in 8 appearances.
So he has some work to do to reestablish his star. Foremost, he has to work on consistency and command. His heater improved in velocity as the season went forward, but he can't wait until July to loosen up his arm. And he has to find the strike zone, a key to gaining a manager's confidence for a guy destined to earn his daily bread from the bullpen.
Now he'll have to sweat out making the forty-man and if he misses that, the Rule 5 draft. But if he clears those obstacles, he'll get a clean slate in Indy for 2010.
Sues was ranked the Pirates' #7 prospect by Baseball America going into the 2009 season, so we're not ready to deep-six him yet. If he improves his conditioning this winter so he's ready to go out of the blocks and sharpens his command a bit, he could still be on track for a MLB job as a bridge guy and maybe get his name back into the future closer mix.
(Next - #24 Daniel Moskos)
Showing posts with label jeff sues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jeff sues. Show all posts
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
A Boy Named Sues
Jeff Sues, the Pirates 2008 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, was born on June 8, 1983, in Edison, New Jersey. We assume he was a big baby, because he's 6-4, 215 pounds now, and has a power arm to match his size, something the suits lust for and that's in short supply in the Buc farm system.
He started at Red Bank HS, and moved on to Vandy. Sues worked out of the bullpen for the Commodores, and in an omen of things to come, missed most of his sophomore season with elbow tendinitis.
He threw in the low 90s, touching 97 MPH on a good day, with a slider and curve, but had problems finding the dish consistently. Still, he had enough stuff to draw some attention.
Sues was selected by Cleveland Indians in 14th round of 2004 Draft as a junior, but didn't sign, chancing another roll of the dice on a good senior year. He was just 3-5 with a save and 4.10 ERA in his last year, but 60 K in 48 innings raised his stock beyond those numbers.
The Bucs chose Sues in the fifth round of the 2005 draft, though as is usually the case with Littlefield/Creech era high-end Pirate draftees, they could have had him further down the road. As a senior, he signed without a fuss, always a key to the Pirates' thinking on draft day.
But before he could take the mound as a pro, he had labrum surgery in March of 2006. Sues spent many frustrating months in rehab, and at times was ready to give up the game. Finally, in late May of 2007, he was sent to Hickory to start his career.
Used as a starter there, he pitched 8 times. He was, as to be expected after a two year hiatus, clocked. Sues was 3-2, but with a 7.18 ERA and big problems with walks and the long ball. To add injury to insult, he went back on the DL in mid-July and the fork was stuck in him for the year.
But like Minor League Player of the Year Jim Negrych, a healthy 2008 led to a breakout season. First, the Pirates decided that his fragile arm wasn't up to the rigors of starting - his velocity dropped as the game wore on, and all the time spent on the DL confirmed his arm strength wasn't where it needed to be - and moved him back to his college spot, working out of the bullpen.
He told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com that "When I came to spring training I felt like I had new life in me. My arm was normal, I was able to throw hard again, my confidence came back and the results came with it."
Sues split the season pitching for high-A Lynchburg and AA Altoona. In 64 IP, he had 72 K with a 3.22 ERA, and his heater was clocked in the mid 90s, his slider was sharp, and he came up with what he calls a "power curve," which he was confident enough to use whether ahead or behind in the count. His control, though, was still iffy.
Sues is the classic strike out-fly out pitcher. And, of course, he couldn't quite make it through an entire season. He was shut down on August 8th because of biceps tendinitis, but this time it didn't keep him down. Sues was sent to Scottsdale to play winter ball, and his arm is still in one functional piece as the AFL year winds down.
At Lynchburg, Sues posted a 2.11 ERA over 21-1/3 innings, giving up 11 hits and walking six while striking out 17. He limited Carolina League batters to a .153 average, and was promoted to Altoona on May 17th. With the Curve, Sues' line was a 3.77 ERA in 43 innings, walking 20 and striking out 55 while Eastern League batters hit .219 against him.
He's returned to reality in the Arizona League, a notorious hitter's paradise. Sues' ERA is 8.38, and in 9-2/3 innings he's been tagged for 16 hits (two that left the yard), 4 walks, and 3 beaned batters, to go along with 10K.
It's a pretty small sample, especially after missing several weeks of the regular season, but it shows the two areas he needs the most work in if he's going to join the show - control and the gopher ball.
But he's still learning. Sues may be 25, but he only has two years of professional baseball under his belt, so his upside is still there. And he's already taken to heart one lesson that all too many Pirate pitchers seemed to have missed in the minors.
As he said in his Scottsdale blog "Pitching inside can make or break pitchers' outings and careers. A lot of pitchers are afraid to pitch inside. I mention pitching inside because it looks like the hitters, in general, are too comfortable and therefore are diving to the outer edge of the plate. Pitching inside is paramount in this league and higher levels because if you don't it gives the hitter an advantage."
Music to Joe Kerrigan's ears, no doubt. There's no point in being able to throw the ball 95 MPH if you can't back a guy off the plate and put some fear of the Lord in him. Just ask Bob Gibson or Roger Clemens.
And one last thing. Even though Sues spent four years in college and is a Jersey boy, he's the antithesis of a single-minded jock.
He told MLB.com's Kevin Czerwinski that "I don't follow sports at all. I have no interest (in) football, baseball, basketball. I graduated from Vanderbilt with an English degree. I like to read."
Sues says Sidney Sheldon is his favorite author, with his novel "The Other Side of Midnight" topping his list. He reads a different book every week or two and has stacks of them around the house.
"I don't play video games, either," Sues added. "I like to read. It passes the time and I enjoy it. I might be the exception, but it's what I like to do."
Now if the Pirates can only talk Sidney Sheldon into penning a potboiler on pounding the strike zone...
He started at Red Bank HS, and moved on to Vandy. Sues worked out of the bullpen for the Commodores, and in an omen of things to come, missed most of his sophomore season with elbow tendinitis.
He threw in the low 90s, touching 97 MPH on a good day, with a slider and curve, but had problems finding the dish consistently. Still, he had enough stuff to draw some attention.
Sues was selected by Cleveland Indians in 14th round of 2004 Draft as a junior, but didn't sign, chancing another roll of the dice on a good senior year. He was just 3-5 with a save and 4.10 ERA in his last year, but 60 K in 48 innings raised his stock beyond those numbers.
The Bucs chose Sues in the fifth round of the 2005 draft, though as is usually the case with Littlefield/Creech era high-end Pirate draftees, they could have had him further down the road. As a senior, he signed without a fuss, always a key to the Pirates' thinking on draft day.
But before he could take the mound as a pro, he had labrum surgery in March of 2006. Sues spent many frustrating months in rehab, and at times was ready to give up the game. Finally, in late May of 2007, he was sent to Hickory to start his career.
Used as a starter there, he pitched 8 times. He was, as to be expected after a two year hiatus, clocked. Sues was 3-2, but with a 7.18 ERA and big problems with walks and the long ball. To add injury to insult, he went back on the DL in mid-July and the fork was stuck in him for the year.
But like Minor League Player of the Year Jim Negrych, a healthy 2008 led to a breakout season. First, the Pirates decided that his fragile arm wasn't up to the rigors of starting - his velocity dropped as the game wore on, and all the time spent on the DL confirmed his arm strength wasn't where it needed to be - and moved him back to his college spot, working out of the bullpen.
He told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com that "When I came to spring training I felt like I had new life in me. My arm was normal, I was able to throw hard again, my confidence came back and the results came with it."
Sues split the season pitching for high-A Lynchburg and AA Altoona. In 64 IP, he had 72 K with a 3.22 ERA, and his heater was clocked in the mid 90s, his slider was sharp, and he came up with what he calls a "power curve," which he was confident enough to use whether ahead or behind in the count. His control, though, was still iffy.
Sues is the classic strike out-fly out pitcher. And, of course, he couldn't quite make it through an entire season. He was shut down on August 8th because of biceps tendinitis, but this time it didn't keep him down. Sues was sent to Scottsdale to play winter ball, and his arm is still in one functional piece as the AFL year winds down.
At Lynchburg, Sues posted a 2.11 ERA over 21-1/3 innings, giving up 11 hits and walking six while striking out 17. He limited Carolina League batters to a .153 average, and was promoted to Altoona on May 17th. With the Curve, Sues' line was a 3.77 ERA in 43 innings, walking 20 and striking out 55 while Eastern League batters hit .219 against him.
He's returned to reality in the Arizona League, a notorious hitter's paradise. Sues' ERA is 8.38, and in 9-2/3 innings he's been tagged for 16 hits (two that left the yard), 4 walks, and 3 beaned batters, to go along with 10K.
It's a pretty small sample, especially after missing several weeks of the regular season, but it shows the two areas he needs the most work in if he's going to join the show - control and the gopher ball.
But he's still learning. Sues may be 25, but he only has two years of professional baseball under his belt, so his upside is still there. And he's already taken to heart one lesson that all too many Pirate pitchers seemed to have missed in the minors.
As he said in his Scottsdale blog "Pitching inside can make or break pitchers' outings and careers. A lot of pitchers are afraid to pitch inside. I mention pitching inside because it looks like the hitters, in general, are too comfortable and therefore are diving to the outer edge of the plate. Pitching inside is paramount in this league and higher levels because if you don't it gives the hitter an advantage."
Music to Joe Kerrigan's ears, no doubt. There's no point in being able to throw the ball 95 MPH if you can't back a guy off the plate and put some fear of the Lord in him. Just ask Bob Gibson or Roger Clemens.
And one last thing. Even though Sues spent four years in college and is a Jersey boy, he's the antithesis of a single-minded jock.
He told MLB.com's Kevin Czerwinski that "I don't follow sports at all. I have no interest (in) football, baseball, basketball. I graduated from Vanderbilt with an English degree. I like to read."
Sues says Sidney Sheldon is his favorite author, with his novel "The Other Side of Midnight" topping his list. He reads a different book every week or two and has stacks of them around the house.
"I don't play video games, either," Sues added. "I like to read. It passes the time and I enjoy it. I might be the exception, but it's what I like to do."
Now if the Pirates can only talk Sidney Sheldon into penning a potboiler on pounding the strike zone...
Monday, June 2, 2008
Another salami...
Say this for the Pirates - they don't quit. Down 4-0 in the seventh, a hit and a couple of walks loaded the sacks for Jason Michaels, coming in cold off the bench with two outs. All he did was launch one into the bullpen to tie the game.
First, Luis Rivas, now Jay Michaels. When will the madness end? Michaels' pitch-hit slam was the first for Pittsburgh since Craig Wilson hit one against Milwaukee in 2003, and his third career bases juiced jack.
An inning later, again with two gone, Jay Bay drove in Nate McLouth, who got to second after a leadoff single on a Jack Splat sac bunt, with the game winner. Frankie Osoria, Damaso Marte and Matt Capps shut down the Cards over the final three, and the Bucs earned a split with an unlikely win over St. Louis.
Gorzo pitched an OK game, going 6 innings and giving up 4 runs on 7 hits. The outing actually lowered his ERA, to 7.22. He was spraying the ball some, but did hit his spots often enough to hang in. Still, that 89 MPH heater...
Give some props to the Card fans, among the most knowledgeable in the league. They gave McLouth a prolonged ovation after he made a dazzling, back to the plate catch to take away a possible triple from Aaron Miles in the first inning.
All in all, a sweet way to end a road trip.
And a huge GW high five to the Pens, who stayed alive with a triple overtime win in the Motor City. The kids are all right. Marc Andre Fleury was awesome.
On the Pirate front: Gorzo better rediscover his form in a hurry. During his Sunday radio show, GM Neal Huntington said the minors are an option if he can't find his groove.
Huntington was quoted by the Post Gazette as saying "We have to figure out the best course of action to get him back to his potential. Whether we can do that at the major league level, or that does take going to Indianapolis...we're still a ways away from that, but the reality is that we have to help Tom Gorzelanny."
Of course, the bigger issue isn't whether he deserves sent down or not. The question is whether there's anyone at Indy that can do any better. If the brass think not, then they might as well let him work it out in Pittsburgh.
>Jack Wilson is expected to be back in the Pirates' lineup for the team's final game of it seven-game road trip on Monday night. But as Sunday showed, nothing is certain when it comes to his leg, when he was scratched from the lineup just before game time for the second straight time.
Jack Splat felt a "pinch" behind his knee during the pre-game warmups, and John Russell opted to let Wilson fight another day.
>Russell said he hopes to get Bryan Bullington some work out of the bullpen in the next few days since the RHP hasn't thrown in a game since May 25.
>The MLB scheduling is hard to figure; we suppose it just proves the old adage that it takes a computer to really screw up. Pittsburgh meets Houston, a division rival, for the first time this year tomorrow, in game #58. Then they meet them a half dozen times in July and seven more times in September.
Couldn't the league have penciled in an Astro series or two instead of the quadzillion Cub games?
On the minor league front: Pitcher Jeff Sues, 24, was promoted to AA Altoona a couple of weeks ago. The right-hander had been one of Lynchburg’s more effective relievers, posting a 2.11 ERA in 13 appearances, with 17 Ks to 6 walks.
This kinda slipped under our radar, but since he's been there, Sues has pitched 9 innings in 5 outings, with a 1-0 record, 2.00 ERA, and 12 K's to 3 walks. The 6'4", 220 pounder was drafted in 2005 from Vandy with a great heater, but has spent considerable time on the DL. Sues is a converted starter and may bear watching.
Altoona, still in a 22-32 funk record-wise, won 6 out of 7 games on its' just concluded road trip. Then they came home and lost. Go figure.
First, Luis Rivas, now Jay Michaels. When will the madness end? Michaels' pitch-hit slam was the first for Pittsburgh since Craig Wilson hit one against Milwaukee in 2003, and his third career bases juiced jack.
An inning later, again with two gone, Jay Bay drove in Nate McLouth, who got to second after a leadoff single on a Jack Splat sac bunt, with the game winner. Frankie Osoria, Damaso Marte and Matt Capps shut down the Cards over the final three, and the Bucs earned a split with an unlikely win over St. Louis.
Gorzo pitched an OK game, going 6 innings and giving up 4 runs on 7 hits. The outing actually lowered his ERA, to 7.22. He was spraying the ball some, but did hit his spots often enough to hang in. Still, that 89 MPH heater...
Give some props to the Card fans, among the most knowledgeable in the league. They gave McLouth a prolonged ovation after he made a dazzling, back to the plate catch to take away a possible triple from Aaron Miles in the first inning.
All in all, a sweet way to end a road trip.
And a huge GW high five to the Pens, who stayed alive with a triple overtime win in the Motor City. The kids are all right. Marc Andre Fleury was awesome.
On the Pirate front: Gorzo better rediscover his form in a hurry. During his Sunday radio show, GM Neal Huntington said the minors are an option if he can't find his groove.
Huntington was quoted by the Post Gazette as saying "We have to figure out the best course of action to get him back to his potential. Whether we can do that at the major league level, or that does take going to Indianapolis...we're still a ways away from that, but the reality is that we have to help Tom Gorzelanny."
Of course, the bigger issue isn't whether he deserves sent down or not. The question is whether there's anyone at Indy that can do any better. If the brass think not, then they might as well let him work it out in Pittsburgh.
>Jack Wilson is expected to be back in the Pirates' lineup for the team's final game of it seven-game road trip on Monday night. But as Sunday showed, nothing is certain when it comes to his leg, when he was scratched from the lineup just before game time for the second straight time.
Jack Splat felt a "pinch" behind his knee during the pre-game warmups, and John Russell opted to let Wilson fight another day.
>Russell said he hopes to get Bryan Bullington some work out of the bullpen in the next few days since the RHP hasn't thrown in a game since May 25.
>The MLB scheduling is hard to figure; we suppose it just proves the old adage that it takes a computer to really screw up. Pittsburgh meets Houston, a division rival, for the first time this year tomorrow, in game #58. Then they meet them a half dozen times in July and seven more times in September.
Couldn't the league have penciled in an Astro series or two instead of the quadzillion Cub games?
On the minor league front: Pitcher Jeff Sues, 24, was promoted to AA Altoona a couple of weeks ago. The right-hander had been one of Lynchburg’s more effective relievers, posting a 2.11 ERA in 13 appearances, with 17 Ks to 6 walks.
This kinda slipped under our radar, but since he's been there, Sues has pitched 9 innings in 5 outings, with a 1-0 record, 2.00 ERA, and 12 K's to 3 walks. The 6'4", 220 pounder was drafted in 2005 from Vandy with a great heater, but has spent considerable time on the DL. Sues is a converted starter and may bear watching.
Altoona, still in a 22-32 funk record-wise, won 6 out of 7 games on its' just concluded road trip. Then they came home and lost. Go figure.
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