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Manuel Balboni
Starting Pitcher | Free Agents
Pitching Balboni can get into trouble with walks, and there's concern about him being able to maintain his stuff over the whole season. Balboni has to keep the ball down, especially against lefties, or he gets hit hard and often. His stuff becomes less sharp as he gets into the late innings. When his release point drops below three-quarters, his fastball tends to hang in the strike zone. He comes right after righthanded hitters, who are lucky even to reach base against him, but he works more carefully to lefties.
Defense & Hitting Balboni's move to first base is average. He hurts himself by falling awkwardly off the mound in his follow-through, which allows too many balls to go through the middle for base hits. Balboni is a surpisingly good hitting pitcher. And I'm not sure you can say this about a pitcher, but Balboni has some pop in his swing. Interesting sidenote, The Free Agents have been known to use Balboni as a pinch-runner on occasion.
2014 Outlook I just don't know if The Free Agents are ever going to get what they expect out of him.
-- Moostard Nyman
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