Arizona Turns To Hernandez For Boost
By Jim Callis
August 7, 2006
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/news/262123.html
With the Diamondbacks one game back in the National League wild-card race and
two out in the NL West hunt, they're looking for someone to put them over the
top. They hope Livan Hernandez can give them that boost after trading for him
on Monday, sending Double-A pitching prospects Garrett Mock and Matt Chico to
the Nationals in a waiver-wire deal.
Hernandez won the NL Championship Series and World Series MVP awards as a
rookie in 1997, when he helped pitch the Marlins to their first championship,
and he was part of two playoff teams in four years with the Giants. The
31-year-old righthander earned all-star honors in 2004 and 2005 for the
Expos/Nationals, but he hasn't been as effective this year while battling a
sore knee. In 24 starts, he has gone 9-8, 5.34, though he has turned in
quality starts in his last five outings and in seven of his last eight. He
has an 89-52 K-BB ratio, while opponents are batting .298 with 22 homers
against him. Hernandez' stuff doesn't inspire awe, as he throws in the high
80s and backs up his fastball with an ordinary assortment of curveballs,
sliders and changeups. His best trait may be his ability to absorb innings,
and he has led the NL in that category for three years running. Hernandez
also is one of the game's best hitting pitchers, with a career .239 average
and eight homers. He's making $8 million this season and is due $7 million in
2007, after which his three-year, $21 million contract will expire. His
career record is 119-112, 4.20 in 308 games. Arizona traded Hernandez'
half-brother Orlando to the Mets in May.
New Nationals vice president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo is very
familiar with both pitching prospects in the deal, having drafted both of
them as Arizona's scouting director.
Mock, a 23-year-old righthander, was a third-round pick out of Houston in
2004. He has more than enough stuff, starting with a 91-95 mph four-seam
fastball and an 88-92 mph cutter. He also throws a slider, curveball and
changeup. For all his stuff, Mock has been hittable as a pro because he
leaves too many pitches over the plate. Working at Double-A Tennessee this
year, he has gone 4-8, 4.95 in 23 starts. He has a 117-50 K-BB ratio, .280
opponent average and 14 homers allowed in 131 innings.
"His stuff's been good all year, but sometimes I think he just throws too
many strikes and that leads to the high hit total," Rizzo told Baseball
America shortly before his departure for Washington. "He's a tough nut, and
this is a very important year for him developmentally. The hits are one part
of the equation, but what you look for is that ability to work through it and
he's done that with some success this season."
Chico, a 23-year-old lefty, was a third-rounder after flunking out of Palomar
(Calif.) JC in 2003. After bombing in Double-A last year, he has bounced back
with a strong 2006. In 23 starts between high Class A Lancaster and
Tennessee, he has gone 10-6, 2.81. He also has a 112-32 K-BB ratio in 131
innings and has held hitters to a .222 average and 11 homers. Chico can hit
94 mph on the radar gun but pitches better in the low 90s. He also throws an
average curveball and a changeup.
"He's confident. I don't think that confidence was shaken by what happened to
him last year," Rizzo said. "He's made some adjustments and really learned
that he doesn't have to blow everybody away, that 90-92 with location and
command consistently is better than just blowing gas at everybody."
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