Spring Training Update

Notes: Randy Smith rejoins Padres (Padres.com). Also thoughts on the death of Orioles’ prospect Steve Bechler; updates on Trevor Hoffman, Gary Bennett, and Rob Ramsay; the signing of former Yankee left-hander Randy Keisler; and Ryan Klesko’s pitch to sign beleaguered southpaw John Rocker.

Randy Keisler

For more on Keisler, we turn to the 2001 Baseball America Prospect Handbook and John Sickels’ 2001 Minor League Scouting Notebook.

From BA (ranked #6 among Yankee prospects):

Keisler recovered from Tommy John surgery in college to reach New York barely two years after he was drafted… Keisler has three major league pitches. He throws his fastball from 88-92 mph, his curveball is slightly above-average and he has picked up a nice changeup… He must improve the command of his fastball.

And from Sickels (Grade B):

The Yankees drafted LSU product Randy Keisler in the second round in 1998… Keisler works with a 90-92 MPH fastball, a very solid curve and a nasty changeup. He throws strikes and posted a good set of ratios at Triple-A Columbus… I don’t see anything in his record or scouting reports to indicate the he won’t succeed, and the Yankees have the luxury of not having to rush him. For most teams, he would be a given in the big league rotation next year. Keisler could be a Denny Neagle type if all goes well.

Keisler missed all of 2002 due to injury and is now 27 years old, so who knows how much of that potential remains. Still, not a bad low-risk move. At worst, he’ll help solidify the staff at Portland and be available if a short-term fix is needed in San Diego. At best, he could turn into a useful commodity.

Brian Tollberg

Talk about your forgotten players. Tollberg targets May for return to mound (NC Times). He, Kevin Jarvis, and Francisco Cordova are all looking good in the early going.

Steve Dalkowski

Speaking of lefties, Futility Infielder’s Jay Jaffe takes a look at one of my favorite historical baseball figures. Check it out.