Over at Minor League Ball John Sickels examined the Top 50 pitching prospects, and evaluated their seasons.
Our very own Jordan Lyles was #17, and Sickels had this to say:
Grade B+: 3.61 ERA, 42/17 K/BB in 62 Triple-A innings. Went 2-8, 5.36 in 94 major league innings with 67/26 K/BB and 107 hits allowed. Remains on the Brad Radke career track.
Your first thought was probably similar to mine, in which you thought, "BRAD F&#@(ING RADKE!?" and got all indignant. But before we arbitrarily pass judgment, let's see if it's right:
Lyles' minor-league numbers.
Single-A: 144.2IP, 134H/52ER, 3.24 ERA/1.19 WHIP, 167K:38BB
Double-A: 127.0IP, 133H/44ER, 3.12 ERA/1.32 WHIP, 115K:35BB
Triple-A: 94.0IP, 112H/44ER, 4.21 ERA/1.49 WHIP, 64K:28BB
Houston: 94.0IP, 107H/56ER, 5.36 ERA/1.42 WHIP, 67K:26BB
Alright. How about Radke?
Single-A: 165.2IP, 149H/54ER, 2.93 ERA/1.18 WHIP, 127K:47BB
Double-A: 262.1IP, 248H/94ER, 3.22 ERA/1.14 WHIP, 199K:50BB
Minnesota: 2451.0IP, 2643H/1150ER, 4.22 ERA/1.26 WHIP, 1467K:445BB
Radke posted 9.7 hits/9, 1.6 BB/9, a 3.30 K:BB ratio, and an OPS+ over 100 in 10 of his 12 seasons (averaging 113 OPS+).
I think if Lyles turned into Brad Radke - a guy you could count on for 10+ seasons (Radke was 22 when he came up with the Twins in 1995) to turn in above-average numbers - I would somehow be okay with that.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
