David Huff, Your Double-A Pitcher of the Week
Written By: Scott | Category: Akron Aeros | Comments: 3
While we could sure use a little help at the back end of our pitching staff, some good news does come out of this past weekend with Akron’s David Huff winning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors.
In eight starts, Huff sits at 3-1 with a league-leading ERA of 2.14. Tossing 46.1 innings, Huff has struck out 43 batters, walked 11 and has held opponents to a batting average of .178. The 23-year old lefty is fresh off of a complete-game, three-hit shutout of the Altoona Curve (Pirates).
“It’s great to see David off to a good start this season after missing the last half of last year,” said Aeros manager Mike Sarbaugh, who managed Huff in Kinston in 2007. “He has really worked hard and it’s obviously been paying off.”
Yes, you read that correctly. Huff missed the entire second half of last season with an elbow injury, which is never good to see. Thankfully, the guy tabbed as our 8th best prospect by Baseball Prospectus looks to be fully recovered.
He’s tabbed with not only the “Best Changeup,” but “Best Control” as well. The downside is that he doesn’t project to be in the starting rotation by 2011. However, C.C. Sabathia does, so we know this is up for alteration at any time.
I hate to think with the glass half empty at this point, but perhaps we can start to see some interest in Huff and possibly deal him for some hitting? Perhaps a closer? Yes, other teams are likely going to be looking at Adam Miller, Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey and even Cliff Lee, but it can never hurt to test the waters for a guy that’s winning awards at a lower level.
We may want to give Billy Beane a call. He loves pitching prospects, and with Chuck Lofgren holding down the spot of “prized lefty prospect,” despite being 1-3, Huff may be for the taking.
Author: Scott
Scott is a co-founder/editor of Waiting For Next Year who resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Feel free to follow him on Twitter or email him at scott@waitingfornextyear.com.Scott has written 1700 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
The funny thing is that this guy is playing his way into the Baseball America top 100 list as well. Its nice to see a top pick actually produce. It’s not meant to sound like a cheap shot at the Tribe, but they haven’t exactly done the greatest job in the draft over the last decade and a half.
Yet another reason why I would be OK with trading Adam Miller or Jeremy Sowers or someone in order to get a good bat — we have a plethora of young pitching talent
And I agree the Indians don’t hit on their high draft picks at a very high percentage, but there are some hits (Sabathia, Sowers). But Shapiro has done a good job of scouting other teams talent for the most part, that has put this team where it is today
And now that I think of it Jeremy Guthrie was a hit…oops