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Since you started the party with Leone, I was curious as to what you saw in the kid that no one else saw. After all, if you do the basic research, he wasn't on anyone's prospect list. He didn't even make it into Seattle's top 50 prospect list at the beginning of the year, and as for overall ranking against all major league prospects - well, let's face it, he was a non-entity. So what was all your cheerleading about? This year, with Seattle desperately looking for someone who can close games (Wilhelmsen? Give me a break...), all the focus has been on the big 4 while closers have been shunted aside. So I guess looking at Carson Smith, Logan Bawcom, and Dominic Leone made sense - a little, anyway.
So I looked. I called up his Fangraph stats, looked at Scout.com, Prospect Insider, and other stories. Here's a kid who did okay with Everett last year - nothing truly outstanding, but decent. He didn't last long in Clinton, so what he did there really didn't add up to any excitement. His first 2 weeks at Clinton didn't show much promise - then all of a sudden, May 9th. As of then, the kid shows life. He picks up his first save. Since then - I see your point with him. The ERA is good, but the control! He's throwing 95-98 mph fastballs, but in 32.6 innings he has only walked 5 batters. That's a BB/9 of only 1.38. In comparison, Carson Smith has a 3.29 and Bawcom's is 3.48. So I went to the other stats for a further comparison (I realize there is a level difference with Bawcom, but, hey, there has to be something - right?). In all categories, Leone is right there with them. The only difference I can see? Carson Smith is ranked 14th in the Mariners organization (Scout has him at 11), Bawcom is unrated according to Seattle and number 18 on Scout, and Leone just made the top 25 on Scout, coming in at 24. Bawcom is 3 years older, Smith 2. So is there upside potential? I was skeptical at first (you and your 'Leone for Bullpen' and all), but so far - I don't know. The players at short A couldn't hit him well, high A started well against him and then it was lights out, and the guys at AA haven't had any luck at all. Can I be converted to thinking like you? Maybe, but at 21 years old and moving as fast as he is up the ladder, maybe it just is the novelty of a guy coming into the game late after batters getting settled into a routine with guys throwing at 88-90. Is it really Leone, or is it the effect of changing him in late in a game? Is he really that good, or is it a fluke? I'm not the expert, I just enjoy the game when I get the chance, but it would seem to me that it shouldn't be just the Mariners keeping a closer eye on this kid...