• Anderson showing his value to A's

  • By Keith Law | March 8, 2009 8:28:44 PM PDT
Oakland's trade of Dan Haren once looked like a bid for quantity over quality, but the rapid progression of left-hander Brett Anderson has changed that. Anderson, the 20th-best prospect in baseball and the third-best left-handed prospect, showed great command of a four-pitch mix on Sunday along with excellent feel for pitching. Anderson was 91-93 mph with good life on the pitch, and he mixed in a sharp two-plane curve from 76-81 mph, an above-average changeup with great arm speed from 82-84 mph and a short cutter/slider in the same range as the changeup. He threw everything for strikes and showed uncanny feel for a pitcher his age, setting up hitters, changing speeds, and changing eye levels. He's a quick worker with an aggressive approach and a clean delivery that he repeats well. Anderson only has six starts above A-ball, but he's never been challenged in pro ball, and both his stuff and polish are big league-ready.• Right-hander Brett Hunter was the mystery man of the 2008 Rule 4 Draft. He was reportedly clocked at 98 mph in fall ball in late 2007, but hurt his arm and threw just 18 innings his junior season, never showing the same velocity. The A's took him in the seventh round and ended up paying him first-round money of more than $1 million. On Sunday, Hunter threw an inning of relief, ranging between 89 and 93 mph, popping the only curveball he threw. The fastball lacked life and he didn't command it well. He actually snaps his wrist at its furthest point back in his delivery -- creating a momentary hook -- and seems to pronate his elbow at the last possible moment, increasing the stress that pitching puts on his elbow. He also has a slight head-whack after release. It's a high-effort delivery that is hard to repeat, so he's going to have to have plus stuff to have a major-league role, and he didn't show that Sunday.• Oakland's second-round pick from 2008, Tyson Ross, was 89-93 with a wildly inconsistent slider. His delivery has always been rough -- he lands on a front leg so stiff it could double as a post hole digger, and he slings the ball from a low, three-quarter angle that's just above sidearm. Harsh delivery plus low slot usually adds up to "reliever." Fellow right-hander Andrew Bailey was more impressive, touching 92 with his fastball and 88 with a sharp slider-like cutter, throwing strikes with both pitches.• Cleveland's traveling roster included few of their stable of prospects. Jonathan Meloan threw almost all fastballs, 88-92 and dead straight, and had no command of the pitch on Sunday. Andy Marte (an ex-prospect now, I suppose) had one at-bat, got a pitch he could hit, and swung down at it for a groundout to short. Michael Brantley showed good bat speed and stayed with a 93 mph fastball for a single to the opposite field in his first at bat. The one real standout among their young players was Hector Rondon, who was in the Futures Game last year. He was 91-94 with great life on his fastball and showed an above-average changeup at 83-84 with good action and arm speed. His slider is inconsistent and tends to break too early. His arm action is a little long in back, but his arm itself is quick, and he's a fast worker from the Jensen Lewis school of get the ball, throw the ball. (Lewis threw an inning and was only 88-90, below his form from 2007 when he was so effective in their bullpen.)

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