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I bid strong and won this week's FAAB on Gausman ($156). I have some trepidation because he does not have much of a minor league history (about 63 innings). Good chance he will be a stud at some point, but will that be this season? I certainly hope so.

Its all a crapshoot. Everyone who paid big money on Cingrani (including myself) thought they were brilliant, but now, who knows if he gets another chance this year. Jose Fernandez came back to earth quickly. This week's big money on Gausman and Odorizzi may prove to be smart, but to me, its all luck.

BK METS wrote:Its all a crapshoot. Everyone who paid big money on Cingrani (including myself) thought they were brilliant, but now, who knows if he gets another chance this year. Jose Fernandez came back to earth quickly. This week's big money on Gausman and Odorizzi may prove to be smart, but to me, its all luck.

We were right on Cingrani despite the risk we knew we were taking on his managing to hold his spot. Unfortunately Dusty doesn't always see things the way we do (and the way he should).

I'm a big believer in Gausman and backed it up with my bids. I grabbed him on six teams and wish I had gotten him on more.

I put in low bids and got him no where. His schedule is brutal for the next month. He gets Wash, Detroit twice, at TB and the Angels. That's a tough road for a young pitcher.

I bid hard (apparently too hard) to get Gausman. However, it was also part of a desperation move. My team is solid, but weak in wins and K's thanks to guys like Morrow, Medlen, Kennedy, Vogelsong and even Haren underperforming. I needed to roll the dice on someone who could miss bats at a high level. I question how many other power arms are going to come available before it is too late to catch up.

I obviously like his velocity. But what made me bid aggressively was his motion and what I read about his poise. Hopefully he sticks in the rotation. Wish he wasn't facing Detroit this week!

Driver Love wrote:I bid hard (apparently too hard) to get Gausman. However, it was also part of a desperation move. My team is solid, but weak in wins and K's thanks to guys like Morrow, Medlen, Kennedy, Vogelsong and even Haren underperforming. I needed to roll the dice on someone who could miss bats at a high level. I question how many other power arms are going to come available before it is too late to catch up.

I obviously like his velocity. But what made me bid aggressively was his motion and what I read about his poise. Hopefully he sticks in the rotation. Wish he wasn't facing Detroit this week!

Maybe a rain out this week and a 2 start vs. hou / tb next week. Whatever the case...I think he stays up for the rest of the year and performs well.

Money wrote:I put in low bids and got him no where. His schedule is brutal for the next month. He gets Wash, Detroit twice, at TB and the Angels. That's a tough road for a young pitcher.

Washington's been one of the better teams to stream pitching against in recent weeks and TB is far from an offensive juggernaut. Detroit's obviously scary and the Angels can be dangerous, but I think Gausman's got the stuff and command that can play against any team.

Make no mistake, this kid's got top of rotation talent. Of course, he can flame out like any young pitcher can. However, he won't be facing the same obstacles as Fernandez and Cingrani did. Baltimore will provide much greater support than the Marlins and Freddie Garcia's not quite the roadblock to a permanent rotation spot that Mike Leake was to Cingrani.

Top of rotation arm, available playing time, good team. If I'm speculating big FAAB bucks on a pitcher, that's the recipe I look for.

Well put Glenn. He went from from 36 - 288 in my 5 leagues. I was second twice with bids in the low 30's. I let his first start over influence me.

Not sure about how successful he will be in 2013 but he was worth the price compared to what Fernandez and Cingrani went for. Got him for 136,150,165 in 12 Team Leagues and 202 and 238 in 15 Team Leagues. Think the ROI might be better!

Glenneration X wrote:

BK METS wrote:Its all a crapshoot. Everyone who paid big money on Cingrani (including myself) thought they were brilliant, but now, who knows if he gets another chance this year. Jose Fernandez came back to earth quickly. This week's big money on Gausman and Odorizzi may prove to be smart, but to me, its all luck.

We were right on Cingrani despite the risk we knew we were taking on his managing to hold his spot. Unfortunately Dusty doesn't always see things the way we do (and the way he should).

I'm a big believer in Gausman and backed it up with my bids. I grabbed him on six teams and wish I had gotten him on more.

I'm curious. Where does your "big belief" in Gausman come from? Appears he has good stuff but just like Fernandez he has little to no minor league success, hasn't pitched above AA and gave up 4 runs in 5 innings in his first start. It's all hype because he was drafted early. It's all guessing as far as I'm concerned. And I would much rather have a guy who isn't pitching most of his games against the AL east. But it appears a lot of the big guys put big money on this guy. Must be something I am missing. Good luck.

BK METS wrote:

Glenneration X wrote:

BK METS wrote:Its all a crapshoot. Everyone who paid big money on Cingrani (including myself) thought they were brilliant, but now, who knows if he gets another chance this year. Jose Fernandez came back to earth quickly. This week's big money on Gausman and Odorizzi may prove to be smart, but to me, its all luck.

We were right on Cingrani despite the risk we knew we were taking on his managing to hold his spot. Unfortunately Dusty doesn't always see things the way we do (and the way he should).

I'm a big believer in Gausman and backed it up with my bids. I grabbed him on six teams and wish I had gotten him on more.

I'm curious. Where does your "big belief" in Gausman come from? Appears he has good stuff but just like Fernandez he has little to no minor league success, hasn't pitched above AA and gave up 4 runs in 5 innings in his first start. It's all hype because he was drafted early. It's all guessing as far as I'm concerned. And I would much rather have a guy who isn't pitching most of his games against the AL east. But it appears a lot of the big guys put big money on this guy. Must be something I am missing. Good luck.

Alan, I could go into a long analysis of why Gausman has been on my FAAB radar since the early part of the season, but since I've got to run in a bit for some holiday plans, I'll give the quick cliff notes version:

- Elite fastball.
- Three other plus pitches, change up, slider, curve.
- Impressive command of all four pitches to not only throw them for strikes but to command them within the strike zone.
- The ability to both pound the zone and miss bats while doing so. Take a quick look at those K/BB numbers this year.
- A rotation opening with little competition for a quality offensive team with big aspirations.

Combined, all these factors has long since made him the number one pitching prospect in my mind that had a chance to be recalled this season, more than Fernandez, Cingrani, Wheeler, Cole, whomever. Once Bundy's arm issues became apparant, the last roadblock to Gausman's inevitable recall put him squarely in my sights as a FAAB target once the opportunity arose.

As far as his first start, I figured it a benefit that it was a mediocre one as I was certain it would help suppress bids. From your and Joe's posts, I'm assuming that it did.

Again, I could be wrong. I am way more often than I'm not. Considering how often I grabbed him and what I paid however, I'm obviously hoping I'm not this time.

Glen,

I think it's a little sour grapes on his part not getting a return on his multiple 600 dollar investments on Jose Fernandez!!

I thought I posted something on this before but must have hit wrong button. To expand on what Glennx said.

-His walk rate is impressively low. That shows command. When you have a high 90's fastball and command good things happen.
-plays for a good team that can score runs
-plays for a team with a coaching staff that has shown it can get a lot from starting pitchers.
-Numerous professional scouts have given glowing reports on him
-I personally like his throwing motion being smooth (see Matt Harvey)
-He seems poised. The reports are he is a mature kid. His first start wasn't as bad as numbers show. He had a bad pitch to Arencibia and outside of that, was solid. He didn't look overwhelmed by the moment like many highly touted prospects can.

He may do well. He may struggle and get sent back down. To me, he was worth a shot as there will not be too many more guys with this ceiling coming for a while. Just wish I bid about $100 less on him!

--Pitching in the American League East
--Camden Yards a hitters park
--Wait until he gets a load of the wall in Fenway and that jet stream out to right in Yankee Stadium.

Too rich for my blood.
I'm waiting for Wacha

Atlas wrote:--Pitching in the American League East
--Camden Yards a hitters park
--Wait until he gets a load of the wall in Fenway and that jet stream out to right in Yankee Stadium.

Too rich for my blood.
I'm waiting for Wacha

Guasman's FB was awful straight the other day, it took only one turn through the lineup before they started smacking him around. Wacha could be the best of all them called this year.

Outlaw wrote:

Atlas wrote:--Pitching in the American League East
--Camden Yards a hitters park
--Wait until he gets a load of the wall in Fenway and that jet stream out to right in Yankee Stadium.

Too rich for my blood.
I'm waiting for Wacha

Guasman's FB was awful straight the other day, it took only one turn through the lineup before they started smacking him around. Wacha could be the best of all them called this year.

I hope so...I've been sitting on him since the 30th round of the draft.

Not a believer in his ability to be very good this year. Hardly bid on him here. But the way I am getting my ass handed to me, that probably means he will be awesome.

I will say I have/had mild concern about the lack of movement on his fastball. I will also say the AL east does not pack the same offensive dominance it once did. One of the better offenses is the one Gausman pitches for now.

Time will tell.

ALL-IN JD wrote:Glen,

I think it's a little sour grapes on his part not getting a return on his multiple 600 dollar investments on Jose Fernandez!!

No sour grapes for me. I did bid high on Fernandez in my 2 auction leagues as I was extremely weak in pitching and getting a guy starting from April and pretty much guaranteed to stay with his team the entire season, I took a shot, but even that was guessing. Fernandez has proved to be relatively average, since I picked him up and looking back, maybe I shouldn't have bid as much, but that is my point.. Its guessing.. Who knows what these guys do in the majors. My guess was, based upon his first few starts in the majors, it appeared Fernandez could be dominant. That's why I paid so much. (and pitching against the Mets several times this season will guaranty him several wins, at least ) I suppose Gausman, pitching for a good team, will give him good opportunity for wins.

Dobies loves to bust my balls, so I don't take him seriously (He also got Fernandez for $600+ in an auction league, but when he does something, its brilliant ), but truthfully, I was just trying to get a grasp of where the hype was coming from. He was a top pick out of college last year but he hasn't been dominant in the minors, in the relatively light hitting Eastern League (low walk total aside), had a below average start, in his first appearance, and Glen, we as Mets fans know about what happens when Rick Peterson hypes a pitcher.

I have been known to be wrong most of the time, so count this as another bad analysis, if I am wrong again.. (look for my follow up article in USA Today, once Gausman bombs in Baltimore, in his next start )

Definitely having an impact

I suppose that could have gone better.

ouchhhh.. 4 IP - 8H, 1BB 7 ER no K's. Time will Tell, maybe someday for this kid, but again, his FB is so hittable and straight.... He better get with a good pitching coach... MLB hitters can turn on flat/straight 95-100 MPH Fastballs all night long.

I guess he gets one more chance this Sunday against the Tigers...good luck with that... Hopefully most will be able decide after that outing, whether to drop him on FAAB sunday night... Ordrozzi back to the minors too....

That was about as bad as it gets. I didn't see it. It is hard to believe a guy with that stuff can have an outing like that. What a kick in the gut after dumping a lot of faab money looking for a power arm to make up for my other starters who have under performed, including Morrow earlier in the day who also left game hurt. Sure wish I could make a pitching change before his next start and put someone else in.

Misery