OK so I can’t post a quote. try this:

CHECK OUT VOLQUEZ’S MAJOR LEAGUE NUMBERS.

He’s a month shy of 25.

He was called up at 22 on August 30th, 2005. He got lit up. Bad. Worse than Hughes and Kennedy in April. 6 games (3 starts), 0-4 with a 14.21 ERA and a 2.76 WHIP. OUCH!

2006, did pretty well (but not amazingly well) in AAA, and was called up in August again. 4 runs in 5 innings in start #1, 7 scoreless in #2, then horrible from there on out. 1-6 in 8 starts, 7.29 ERA.

2007 was up and down (his single-A numbers were bad), and had a nice run in AAA prior to a September callup…. and… 2-1 in 6 starts, 4.50 ERA.

Consider Phil Hughes right now and not really knowing which way his career is headed. Then seeing how this kid Volquez pitched for Cincy on Fri against us and check out the post below from a reader on Pete Abe’s blog, and you realize how hard it is to know anything about young pitching.

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its funny. i actually get more of a sense from this article that Phil Hughes is destined to turn into Aaron Heilman (aka starting pitcher, or ultimately a bullpen guy, with two good pitches) if he doesnt continue the development of his change and slider rather than a “great starter.”

i’m holding out hope for Phil, but really, if Phil Hughes turns out to be Aaron Sele, with a 13-14-15 year career of about a 4.50 ERA, it could be a lot worse for the organzation…

I was talking to Steve, RedSoxFan. Comparing him to Sele is a dis in my book, and I find it funny that he sees negativity in an article that states Hughes will probably be a great pitcher.

Let’s be clear here, baileywalk. Kalk says “should be a great pitcher” exactly one time in the article. Your repeating the phrase makes it out as if it is peppered throughout the article. No where else does he describe anything about Hughes as ‘great’ and in fact modifies his statement by saying he “isn’t there yet”.

Can anyone deny that? And I’m not a Hughes hater and expect him to far exceed Aaron Sele as a major league pitcher.

You must be blinded by hate. Most people would see this: “[his] future is ahead of him and he should turn into a great pitcher.” “He should turn into a great pitcher.” “HE SHOULD TURN INTO A GREAT PITCHER.” “HE *SHOULD* TURN INTO A *GREAT PITCHER*.”

“SHOULD… GREAT PITCHER.”

“GREAT PITCHER.”

And saying he has to throw his change and slider more is hardly incisive analysis. Everyone knows this. His fastball also isn’t average — it has nice late life, despite its paltry and “hugely embarrassing” 91-mph readings.

Anyway, props to Mr. Kalk for not being an overly reactionary dumbass while discussing the young 21-year-old righty.