A Cyclones vs: Staten Island Yankees game is a bit of a paradox to say the least. Within recent years, it has become increasingly more apparent that no matter who their favorite big league team is, when it comes down to short-season ball, it really depends upon where you live.
Here’s anonther explanation: Brooklyn native Dellin Betances is expected to go for the Baby Boomers tonight.
If you’re looking for the definition of potential, you’re likely to see a picture of Betances right next to it. In the GCL in 2006, the eighteen year-old showed more than a 98 mph fastball with nasty movement. He showed results, compiling a 3.86 K/BB ratio,, a 30% strikeout rate, and a 1.16 era.
Unfortunately, despite not having obvious problems with his mechanics since he’s around 6″8, Betances hard work in the off-season, in which he came to camp with a plus curveball, and by the end of camp, he’d even developed a changrup, actually encouraged the Yankees brass to take it slow with Betances, by sending him to extended spring training, and ultimately, Staten Island.
The irrelevant: Why did he fall to the 8th round last year? Well, he showed little in the way of secondary pitches in a pre-draft workout at Yankee stadium, was a questionable sign, and said he’d only sign for the Yankees.
The future: The potential is through the roof for Betances. We’ve seen taking high school pitchers along slowly work for several organizations- the Devil Rays and Royals have been able to develop top notch pitching that way over the last three years- and Betances showed advanced maturity by making strides with his stuff over the winter. The future is with Charleston either this August or next year, or even with the Texas Rangers. (Think Mark Teixera)
As always, I’ll be tuning into the game tonight. I don’t now if I’ll be able to do that the entire summer, but as long as the Mets continue to slump, I will.
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