One of the problems in judging a young RP's ML readiness is the divergence in the use of ML baseballs, which means a major adjustment for RPs pitching at the AAA level, both impacting their stats but also counseling caution with AA ball performers who will have an adjustment period this season.
Dohy is a good example:
started the season lights out in Reading, 11g 11 IP 2H 22K
at Lehigh: 57 IP 57 H 54 BB 83 K
was the competition that much tougher, or did he struggle with the ML baseballs?
McGarry started strong in Reading, struggled in Lehigh.
Hammer started strong in Reading, really struggled in Lehigh, pitched decently in his ML cameo.
Leftwich started strong in Reading, really struggled in Lehigh before settling in
Romero had an awful start in Lehigh, pitched much better on his return
Damon Jones was lights out in Clearwater and Reading, struggled in Lehigh, last 4 starts were better than his first 4 starts, however.
Brogdon came up from Reading, struggled a bit his first month, then was lights out in August.
16 IP 7H 5 BB 24 K
This makes it harder to evaluate how ready and how good these young arms are from the outside, how much of their struggles were due to tougher competition, how much adjusting to the ML baseballs? And how fast can they adjust and how does the ML baseballs affect their "stuff."
