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The Scout's View: Red Sox
Posted: Tuesday October 12, 1999 11:29 AM
Sports Illustrated asked major league scouts who have closely followed the playoff teams
to help prepare these reports on the four participants in the League
Championship Series. The scouts were promised anonymity in exchange for their
candor. Here's what they revealed.
Lineup
Jose Offerman 2B
Switch-hitter is
very good
from
left side. Will take a walk and
hit the ball to all fields,
especially
left at Fenway. Tough to strike
out. Throw him hard stuff on
the hands. Excellent base
runner. Not as bad defensively
as reputation.
John Valentin 3B
Mr. Streak. When he's hot, it
doesn't matter what you throw
him; when he's cold, you can
tell him what's coming, and he
won't hit it. Lazy footwork on
defense causes poor
throws.
Brian Daubach DH
Likes the ball over the plate, so
pound him in with sliders and
fastballs. Will chase the ball up
and away. Adequate
defensively.
Nomar Garciaparra SS
When healthy, he's the
catalyst. The Yogi Berra of
today: He hits more pitches out
of the strike zone than
anyone -- and hits them hard. Great
range
defensively.
Troy O'Leary LF
Has power to all fields. Another
lefthanded batter who takes
advantage of leftfield at
Fenway. Can get him out with
hard stuff away. Made himself
into an adequate defensive
player.
Mike Stanley 1B
Loves the fastball, and he'll
chase the high one. Breaking
stuff gives him trouble.
Jason Varitek C
Switch-hitter who's more
powerful from the left side.
Likes the ball down and in. Will
chase the ball up. Defensively,
he moves his feet well and
throws well.
Darren Lewis CF
Very good outfielder in center
or right. Plays little ball well,
bunting and moving runners.
You can knock the bat out of
his hands with
fastballs.
Trot Nixon RF
Average player who improved
plate coverage this
year. Struggles with high
fastballs because he doesn't
have the bat speed to catch up
to them. Average
fielder.
Bench
INF Lou Merloni is a good utility guy, though the
more you play him, the less you like him. Sometimes chases the ball up, trying to hit
it out. OF-DH Butch Huskey loves fastballs out over the plate and will crush
them. No reason to throw him one. You can get him out with everything else. OF
Damon Buford is a good fielder who runs well. At bat, will chase fastballs up
and sliders away. INF-OF Donnie Sadler , the fastest Red Sox player, is an asset
as a pinch runner in late innings. Hits the ball in the air way too much. C
Scott Hatteberg is a good receiver, and pitchers like throwing to him. A bit of
power from the left side but hasn't played enough to be a real
threat.
Rotation
Pedro Martinez, RHP
If healthy, the best pitcher
in baseball. Adds and subtracts speed to his fastball with unbelievable movement.
Nasty slider, nasty curveball. You have to go after him early in the count
and pray for a fastball. Will throw any pitch on any
count.
Bret Saberhagen, RHP
He can be as good as anybody, health permitting. Superb
control. Gets lefthanders off the plate by running his fastball back over the
inside corner. Works fast and throws strikes. Guys like playing behind
him.
Ramon Martinez, RHP
Has improved with more innings since returning in September
from long rehab, but still not enough to be consistent with all his pitches.
Fastball between 88 and 93 mph. Sinks the ball and has a pretty good slider.
Best chance to beat him is with one big
inning.
Kent Mercker, LHP
Fastball is back up between 90 and 92 mph. Best pitch is a
changeup. Breaking ball is O.K. Questionable how effective he can be against New
York's lefthanded
hitters.
Bullpen
RH Rod Beck is getting by on reputation.
Fastball between 87 and 89 mph. O.K. slider. Loves the splitter and will throw it on
3 and 2 with bases loaded. Hitters should take pitches early in the count
and make him come into the strike zone. RH Derek Lowe has been the key to the
Boston bullpen all year. Hard sinker at 90 to 93 mph. Good curveball.
Developed a changeup during season. Gets in trouble when he gets his sinker up.
LH Rheal Cormier is a situational guy. Cuts fastball, has O.K. slider and will
throw two-seam sinking fastball. RH John Wasdin can be pitching well, then
suddenly give up long ball on fastball, breaking ball or splitter.
Knuckleballing RH Tim Wakefield could be a key if a starter gets knocked out
early. Has also closed. RH Rich Garces throws fastball only 88 to
90 mph, but it's tough to pick up his pitch. Runs a four-seamer up and
sinks
two-seamer.
How To Beat Them
New York should simply go after Boston's softer pitchers. The Yankees have too
many offensive weapons for the Red Sox to hold them down. But if Pedro
Martinez's back holds up, it could be a whole different series.
Issue date: October 18, 1999
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