'08 Chaska graduate, Brad Hand

[Matt Johnson]

It's the birthday of 2008 Marlins 2nd round draft pick, Brad Hand.

See my blog post on Hand here: Major Minnesotans: Brad Hand.

 

If anyone has any cool stories or trivia about Brad Hand, please share. I'd love more information to incorporate the next time I write about him. It sounds like he's on the bubble with Miami this spring. Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks,
Matt

 

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160316_173242_zpsw33tqxhy.jpg

[Otto von Ballpark]

DFA'd by the Marlins today:

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/04/marlins-designate-brad-hand-cole-gillespie-for-assignment.html

[jorgenswest]

He might be fit the Twins roster better than Tonkin. Hand hasn't been very successful as a starter, but he is just 26 and has done well against lefties.

 

He might be worth a claim or even a deal for a low level minor prospect.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/statsplits.aspx?playerid=9111&position=P&season=2015

[Thrylos]

 

He might be fit the Twins roster better than Tonkin. Hand hasn't been very successful as a starter, but he is just 26 and has done well against lefties.

He might be worth a claim or even a deal for a low level minor prospect.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statsplits.aspx?playerid=9111&position=P&season=2015

 

Hand has LOOGY written all over him. Career .202/.248/.265 against LHBs and .271/.357/.453 against RHPs.   Note: He has been mostly a starter so the above numbers are diluted by facing pitchers.  However his K% against LHBs is just 18.7 % (includes pitchers.)   Here is a guy that you don't want to face RH hitters in the AL.

 

He is not comparable to Tonkin.  He is comparable to Abad, O'Rourke, Runlzer etc.    At this point. I'd rather have any of these 3 than Hand.  O'Rourke is ridiculously good against LHBs...

 

I'd pass, unless he is willing to accept a AAA assignment and focus in relief pitching (never done that btw in the minors.)  He is a good fit for the Milwaukees and Cincinnati's of the world as far as the majors go, but not for a competitive team, and I bet if he were from Arkansas, we would not be having this discussion...

 

 

[jorgenswest]

I didn't think he was a comp to Tonkin. I just thought that he might be a better fit.The pen might make more use of a left handed pitcher. Many left handed specialists don't surface by age 26. There might be a chance of a Craig Breslow type career.

[Vanimal46]

Graduated high school the same year as him. He's the only MLB pitcher where I can say I had 2 at-bats against in varsity... He was hitting the low 90s back then, so I was clearly over matched.

 

0-2, 2 K's swinging. 1 foul tip and 1 foul ball opposite field that had some distance to it.