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phins wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 12:56 pm

I'll tell you true:

This is an exciting return and not just for the puns.

Fitts is a ready-made lefty who will probably struggle with long balls against righties, but he has a legit fastball. It's a 60 from him on velocity, but he can really command it. He has a hard, two-plane slider that will be difficult on lefties but needs to command it better to righties and backfoot the pitch more frequently. Doesn't really have a third pitch to my eyes, but I believe FanGraphs liked his changeup, if memory serves. I think he's a fastball heavy, command reliant starter who gets by on two pitches and will be a #4 starter as soon as next year.

Clarke is a good get and continues the overhauling of fastball ability for the Cardinals' farm system. A second lefty arm, he is a legit fastball pitcher again with a 60. I posted on here last year before the draft that the Cardinals might not have a 60 fastball in their entire org. from a starter. I could argue they now have four with Doyle, Tanner Franklin, Fitts, and Clarke.

The issue for Clarke is that he is maybe 50/50 to be a starter. His slider is great- arguably the best pitch in the system along with Doyle's fastball. That gives him a reliever floor that can be very good, but if he ever gets healthy and shows he can handle a full season, you've got the pieces of an All-Star starter. Athletic kid...really clean mover on the mound and a nice frame. His problem as a former Juco arm is he has never developed a third pitch (didn't need to before) nor fastball command (he just relied on arm strength). Can the Cardinals develop those things and keep him healthy? They're the reasons he was available as a top-100 type prospect who is near the majors as a reliever.

Losing Gray stinks. He's good. That said, it is a few years now of underperforming his peripherals in actual results and I kind of like actual results out of my 36 y/o starters. This is a trade that seems good for all parties involved and I'm excited to continue building out more fastballs in the org.

dmarx114 wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 1:10 pm

phins wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 12:56 pm

I'll tell you true:

This is an exciting return and not just for the puns.

Fitts is a ready-made lefty who will probably struggle with long balls against righties, but he has a legit fastball. It's a 60 from him on velocity, but he can really command it. He has a hard, two-plane slider that will be difficult on lefties but needs to command it better to righties and backfoot the pitch more frequently. Doesn't really have a third pitch to my eyes, but I believe FanGraphs liked his changeup, if memory serves. I think he's a fastball heavy, command reliant starter who gets by on two pitches and will be a #4 starter as soon as next year.

Clarke is a good get and continues the overhauling of fastball ability for the Cardinals' farm system. A second lefty arm, he is a legit fastball pitcher again with a 60. I posted on here last year before the draft that the Cardinals might not have a 60 fastball in their entire org. from a starter. I could argue they now have four with Doyle, Tanner Franklin, Fitts, and Clarke.

The issue for Clarke is that he is maybe 50/50 to be a starter. His slider is great- arguably the best pitch in the system along with Doyle's fastball. That gives him a reliever floor that can be very good, but if he ever gets healthy and shows he can handle a full season, you've got the pieces of an All-Star starter. Athletic kid...really clean mover on the mound and a nice frame. His problem as a former Juco arm is he has never developed a third pitch (didn't need to before) nor fastball command (he just relied on arm strength). Can the Cardinals develop those things and keep him healthy? They're the reasons he was available as a top-100 type prospect who is near the majors as a reliever.

Losing Gray stinks. He's good. That said, it is a few years now of underperforming his peripherals in actual results and I kind of like actual results out of my 36 y/o starters. This is a trade that seems good for all parties involved and I'm excited to continue building out more fastballs in the org.

I am seeing Fitts is a righty.

heyzeus wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 1:07 pm

Seems like a good gamble to me. Thanks for your input, @phins , you know more about prospects than ANYONE and I appreciate your insights.

booger71 wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 2:31 pm

So the front office is paying 20 million dollars for 2 players.

booger71 wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 2:31 pm

So the front office is paying 20 million dollars for 2 players.

MrCrowesGarden wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 2:36 pm

booger71 wrote: ↑

November 25 25, 2:31 pm

So the front office is paying 20 million dollars for 2 players.

Kicking in right-now salary to access higher level prospects is exactly what the Cardinals should be doing.