Sunday, July 1, 2007

2007 Ken Phelps All-Star: Mike Gosling (SP)

Mike Gosling is a left-handed starting pitcher for my 2007 Ken Phelps All-Star team. He's 26 years old and was selected out of Stanford in the 2nd round of the 2001 draft by the Diamondbacks. The Reds claimed him off waivers in February of 2006, thus qualifying him as a "freely available talent" eligible for this team. He actually cleared waivers in September of 2006 and was outrighted to Louisville.

This season Gosling has made 13 starts for AAA Louisville. 78 innings, 65 strikeouts, 23 walks and 7 home runs.

SO/9: 7.50 very good
BB/9: 2.65 good -- staying below 3 is the key
HR/9: 0.81 very good
GO/AO: 1.93 -- gets lots of ground-balls

In 2006 at AAA Louisville, Gosling threw 118 innings in 22 starts with 100 strikeouts, 53 walks and 12 home runs. The strikeout rate was good, but that's too many walks.

Mike Gosling pitches better as a starter than a reliever. He's appeared in 5 games of ineffective relief for the Reds this season. He's young enough to gain a little more control and become a useful long-term part of a big-league rotation. Being lefthanded will get him more opportunities.

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