Forrest Whitley - RHP HOU

[osb_tensor 1,414]

29 minutes ago, Cdub2k said:

We are literally hours away from being able to land these two mega prospects. 

Sometimes it's best to just keep quiet until after they process. Hopefully my leaguemates are out doing the Friday Night scene and not paying attention to what ESPN. I've been checking on Bo every other day to see when they put him in. 

Think you're not looking hard enough if you haven't found bo on there yet. I don't play on ESPN, but it was reported on here that bichette was added a couple of hours after the big 200 player dump. Don't miss out!

[Cdub2k 1,256]

4 minutes ago, osb_tensor said:

Think you're not looking hard enough if you haven't found bo on there yet. I don't play on ESPN, but it was reported on here that bichette was added a couple of hours after the big 200 player dump. Don't miss out!

I know Bo is on there man. I said I've been checking on him every other day for awhile now. 

[JakeSarna 312]

Just watched Whitleys start on my flight. Looked unhittable tonight. 4 innings pitchesld, 1 hit, 0 er, 0 r, 5 Ks. Along with 3GO-1FO along with bunches of swinging strikes. All 4 pitches were working tonight. He only threw 51 pitches with 37 going for strikes.

 

Amazing to see him mixing up all 4 pitches (FB, SL, CB, CH). His FB hit 98-99mph a few times but sat 96 with it. All of his pitches were all pluses tonight, did not show any rust and could easily have gone 7 innings with double digit Ks. Besides everyone whiffing air on his FB. His slider has a really nice bite on it and was wicked the few times he threw it. He also had about 3 swinging strikes on his curveball tonight. But it was his changeup (along with his fastball) that was really impressive. His CH was always his least best pitch. But if he has developed his changeup to what it wss tonight, he now has 4 plus pitches in his arsenal with 2 of them going as double plus (FB, CB).

 

Too good for LOA.I say if he dominates a few more starts like he did AA last year, they'll be forced to promote him to AAA just for the challenge.

 

 

 

 

[mcbane 1,779]

12 hours ago, JakeSarna said:

Just watched Whitleys start on my flight. Looked unhittable tonight. 4 innings pitchesld, 1 hit, 0 er, 0 r, 5 Ks. Along with 3GO-1FO along with bunches of swinging strikes. All 4 pitches were working tonight. He only threw 51 pitches with 37 going for strikes.

 

Amazing to see him mixing up all 4 pitches (FB, SL, CB, CH). His FB hit 98-99mph a few times but sat 96 with it. All of his pitches were all pluses tonight, did not show any rust and could easily have gone 7 innings with double digit Ks. Besides everyone whiffing air on his FB. His slider has a really nice bite on it and was wicked the few times he threw it. He also had about 3 swinging strikes on his curveball tonight. But it was his changeup (along with his fastball) that was really impressive. His CH was always his least best pitch. But if he has developed his changeup to what it wss tonight, he now has 4 plus pitches in his arsenal with 2 of them going as double plus (FB, CB).

 

Too good for LOA.I say if he dominates a few more starts like he did AA last year, they'll be forced to promote him to AAA just for the challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

Great writeup. Thanks for posting. 

 

Guy dropped him in my league when he got suspended, so I snatched him up. This start is amazing for how long he was out. 

 

If he keeps this up, I don’t see how Houston doesn’t bring him up for the stretch run/playoffs, especially since he doesn’t have any innings on his arm this year. 

[tywalson 481]

Whitley went 4 innings, let up 2 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. No earned runs.

 

His line so far over two starts: 8ip, 3h, 0er, 2bb, 11k.

 

CHOO CHOO!

[The_Idiot 3]

Who would you rather have for the next four years...Whitley or Kopech?

[Blood Brother 1,889]

Whitley IMO. Year younger than Kopech and already has far better control/command of his arsenal.

[tywalson 481]

51 minutes ago, The_Idiot said:

Who would you rather have for the next four years...Whitley or Kopech?

I absolutely would rather have Whitley. I also trust the Astros to develop him much more than I trust the Sox to develop Kopech. Whitley is also the higher rated of the two on nearly every list.

[Dark One 495]

5 hours ago, Blood Brother said:

Whitley IMO. Year younger than Kopech and already has far better control/command of his arsenal.

 

Absolutely, not to mention the team Whitley plays for should remain a perennial contender for the foreseeable future while the White Sox are committed to their rebuild.

[murraygd13 1,226]

Where is Whitley's path to a rotation spot?  I guess an injury to one of Houstons starters.  Otherwise maybe Verlander retiring?  Kopech has nothing in his way.

[Blood Brother 1,889]

Keuchel is a FA after this season

[txrngr34 74]

Keuchel is also inconsistent and prone to getting lit up, repped by Boras so likely to be elsewhere next season.

Lance is not a pillar of health.

Morton - while pitching like an ace mostly - COULD,  not will, fall apart.

It may be the best staff but it's not infallible either.

And Kopech still needs to consistently locate while refining his command of pitches that don't hit triple digits.

I think Whitley, by far, is the better fantasy investment.

[countingcrow 142]

Morton is a FA after the season, as well.

[blinkfan77 177]

3 hours ago, murraygd13 said:

Where is Whitley's path to a rotation spot?  I guess an injury to one of Houstons starters.  Otherwise maybe Verlander retiring?  Kopech has nothing in his way.

 

If you're in a keeper league, and you chose Kopech over Whitley because his path is more clear...you're doing it all wrong.

 

It doesn't matter that Whitley doesn't have a clear path to a spot. He WILL (99%) have a rock-solid spot as soon as next Spring. That alone is worth stashing. Kopech's very real command issues alone are enough to make Whitley the  hands-down better option.  He's the #1 Pitching Prospect with a chance to make a real impact (albeit likely out of the 'Pen) starting likely this season. 

 

And oh ya, on the best team in the Majors...No brainer!

[Magnus88 20]

If an injury were to occur in the Houston rotation within the next few weeks would Whitley be the person called up to replace him?  Or does his endurance need to be built up more?

[Tryptamine 927]

As much as I would love that and god know's my team could really use it, I can't see him anywhere but out of the pen in 2018 outside of maybe a start or two when rosters expand.

[osb_tensor 1,414]

17 minutes ago, Magnus88 said:

If an injury were to occur in the Houston rotation within the next few weeks would Whitley be the person called up to replace him?  Or does his endurance need to be built up more?

 

2 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

As much as I would love that and god know's my team could really use it, I can't see him anywhere but out of the pen in 2018 outside of maybe a start or two when rosters expand.

i agree with tryptamine. josh james is a name that i could see getting an opportunity if there happen to be a need. they've also got mchugh and/or peacock that could transition to the rotation.

 

[ST. STEVEN 4,333]

2 hours ago, osb_tensor said:

 

i agree with tryptamine. josh james is a name that i could see getting an opportunity if there happen to be a need. they've also got mchugh and/or peacock that could transition to the rotation.

 

I disagree-respectfully

I think McHugh and Peacock are over as SPs this year. Armentaros might be the guy to get a crack before Whitley but that's about it--other than a spot, one-off guy. They almost brought Whitley up last year too.

[osb_tensor 1,414]

1 hour ago, ST. STEVEN said:

I disagree-respectfully

I think McHugh and Peacock are over as SPs this year. Armentaros might be the guy to get a crack before Whitley but that's about it--other than a spot, one-off guy. They almost brought Whitley up last year too.

i won't argue that you're wrong.

i should have give a bit more info, i think mchugh/peacock could act as a short term fill in, like if someone went on the DL for a fews weeks or whatever. if something big time went down, season ending potentially, probably whitley.. but i'm a believer in james with his increased velocity and nonlinear growth development. love to see him get a shot.

[NoHablaIngles 496]

is whitley eligible to pitch in the playoffs despite his suspension? If so, he could be a september call up

[My Roy Williams Tramp Stam 60]

Oh boy did Whitley look great again tonight-I was writing down each pitch I saw him throw and he threw 5, a high-90s ++4 seam fastball, ++curveball, +slider, flashed +changeup and a naaasty +cutter (which he doesn't throw much ive read but its a seriously nasty cutter). and he commanded them all like a boss-imo, whitley has the highest ceiling in the minors-the way he controls his body is incredible, usually tall lanky pitchers have trouble keeping their arms and legs in sync but Whitley has zero problems doing that.

 

at only 20 [I believe hes 20 or 21], to have pretty much 5 plus pitches along with plus command and control is really something else and even more so from a kid thats 6'7-ive been throwin endless offers to land him in my dynasty league but the owner just refuses to part with him

[ST. STEVEN 4,333]

7 hours ago, My Roy Williams Tramp Stam said:

Oh boy did Whitley look great again tonight-I was writing down each pitch I saw him throw and he threw 5, a high-90s ++4 seam fastball, ++curveball, +slider, flashed +changeup and a naaasty +cutter (which he doesn't throw much ive read but its a seriously nasty cutter). and he commanded them all like a boss-imo, whitley has the highest ceiling in the minors-the way he controls his body is incredible, usually tall lanky pitchers have trouble keeping their arms and legs in sync but Whitley has zero problems doing that.

 

at only 20 [I believe hes 20 or 21], to have pretty much 5 plus pitches along with plus command and control is really something else and even more so from a kid thats 6'7-ive been throwin endless offers to land him in my dynasty league but the owner just refuses to part with him

Great report man. Yeah I am pretty sure he's pitching the entire season at 20 yrs old.

It's an amazing floor/ceiling combo, esp with the org he's pitching in.

[sngehl01 917]

8 hours ago, My Roy Williams Tramp Stam said:

Oh boy did Whitley look great again tonight-I was writing down each pitch I saw him throw and he threw 5, a high-90s ++4 seam fastball, ++curveball, +slider, flashed +changeup and a naaasty +cutter (which he doesn't throw much ive read but its a seriously nasty cutter). and he commanded them all like a boss-imo, whitley has the highest ceiling in the minors-the way he controls his body is incredible, usually tall lanky pitchers have trouble keeping their arms and legs in sync but Whitley has zero problems doing that.

 

at only 20 [I believe hes 20 or 21], to have pretty much 5 plus pitches along with plus command and control is really something else and even more so from a kid thats 6'7-ive been throwin endless offers to land him in my dynasty league but the owner just refuses to part with him

 

I own him in an 18 team dynasty. Heck, it's not even a true dynasty, we only keep 24 guys, and he's virtually untouchable for me too. I wouldn't turn down an obscene offer for him, but that's the kind of deal it'd take. Guy is pure filth on the mound. 

[machine3 549]

For the season-

12 IP, 18 K, 3 BB, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP

[merlin401 855]

Only minor nit-pick is he uses a ton of pitches to get through four innings (81 last night). He isn’t walking anyone so why so high? Are people fouling a lot of pitches off? 

 

Regardless, obviously he is a terrific talent and easily has the best stuff in the minors