Prospect of the Day: Brandon Workman - 美國職棒

Prospect of the Day: Brandon Workman, RHP, Boston Red Sox by John Sickels

The Boston Red Sox promoted right-handed pitcher Brandon Workman to the major
league roster yesterday. His big league debut brought mixed results: four
hits and three runs on a home run in two innings, but he also struck out four
batters.

紅襪在昨天將右投手Brandon Workman叫上大聯盟，他的處女秀有好有壞：兩局內四安打
(一支全壘打)、掉三芬，但他也三振了四名打者。

Workman was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round in 2007
from high school in Bowie, Texas. He did not sign and went to the University
of Texas instead, where he posted a 5.06 ERA with a 49/20 K/BB in 53 innings
as a freshman in '08. He took a larger role in 2009, with a 3.48 ERA and an
82/28 K/BB in 75 innings for the Longhorns, then went 12-2, 3.35 with a
101/23 K/BB in 105 innings as a junior in '10.

2007年費城人用第三輪籤選了當時就讀Bowie高中(Texas)的Workman，他並沒有簽約，選
擇就讀德州大學。他在菜鳥年(2008)投出5.06 ERA、49/20 K/BB (53局)的成績；大二扛
更重的責任，75局3.48 ERA、82/28 K/BB，大三則是12勝2敗、3.35 ERA、101/23 K/BB
(105局)的好成績。

This earned him a spot in the second round of the draft, garnering an
$800,000 bonus from the Red Sox. He didn't make his pro debut until 2011,
where he posted a 3.71 ERA with a 115/33 K/BB in 133 innings over 26 starts
for Greenville in the Low-A South Atlantic League.

這個成績讓他在第二輪被選中，跟紅襪以$800K的簽約金簽約。Workman直到2011年才進入
職業棒球─該年在Greenville的26場比賽(133局)3.71 ERA、115/33 K/BB。

He began 2012 with High-A Salem, posting a 3.40 ERA in 20 starts with a
107/20 K/BB in 114 innings. A late promotion to Double-A Portland resulted in
a 3.96 ERA with a 23/5 K/BB in 25 innings. He opened '13 at Portland, posting
a 3.43 ERA with a 74/17 K/BB in 66 innings. Moved up to Triple-A Pawtucket in
June, he went 3-1, 2.80 in six starts with a 34/13 K/BB in 35 innings.

2012年開季進入Salem，20場先發中3.40 ERA、107/20 K/BB (114局)；升上Portland之後
的25局3.96 ERA、23/5 K/BB。

Workman在2013年開季時被指派回Portland，66局中3.43 ERA、74/17 K/BB，六月份升上
Pawtucket之後的六場先發3勝1敗、2.80 ERA、34/13 K/BB (35局)。

Overall, in 371 minor league innings Workman has a 3.49 ERA with a 353/88
K/BB and 345 hits allowed. His performance metrics hardly budged between A
and Double-A, very consistent from level to level. He maintained a good
strikeout clip in Triple-A, but his walks and hits deteriorated a bit, enough
to spike his FIP to 4.76 despite the pleasant 2.80 ERA. However, the
Pawtucket sample is small and he pitched very well in five of his six starts
there.

綜觀來看，Workman在小聯盟生涯的371局中投出3.49 ERA、353/88 K/BB、被打345支安打
。他在1A和2A的成績幾乎沒有變動，升上3A後依然維持著不錯的三振率，只是保送和被安
打數惡化，所以雖然ERA僅有2.80，FIP卻是不大好看的4.76。不過他在Pawtucket只出賽
六場，只是小樣本─而且這六戰中有五戰表現優異。

Workman is a 6-4, 195 pound right-handed hitter and thrower, born August 13,
1988. His fastball varies between 89 and 96 MPH, averaging right around 92
when used as a starter though he can throw a bit harder more consistently if
used in the bullpen. He was mainly a fastball/curveball pitcher in college,
but in pro baseball he's added a cutter, a true slider, and a changeup to his
arsenal. Although none of his pitches are outstanding, none of them are bad
either, and his ability to throw strikes helps them play up.

Workman身高6呎4吋，體重195磅、右投右打，生日1988年8月13日。他的速球區間89mph~
96mph，擔任先發時落在92mph左右、擔任牛棚投手時可以投快一些。他在大學時期是速球
/曲球投手，進入職業棒球後加入了cutter、slider和changeup。雖然這些球種都不是很
頂尖，但也都不差─而且他控進好球帶的能力讓他擁有發揮這些球路的本錢。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=62_s29nZMGI

Workman doesn't have the easiest mechanics in the world and in college there
was some worry that his delivery could cause shoulder problems. Despite this
concern, he's been very durable, holding up to a full workload since he was a
college sophomore with no significant physical issues or deterioration of
velocity. At this point his injury risk appears no higher than any other
pitcher his age.

Workman的投球姿勢並不是非常單純、流暢的─大學時期甚至有人擔心他的投球姿勢會造
成他的肩膀出問題。不過一直以來他都是工作馬，從大二時期就扛下大量局數，不過至今
都還沒有出現球速下降或傷病等問題。時至今日，他的受傷風險並沒有特別比同年齡投手
高。

For now it seems that the Red Sox will use Workman as a reliever, which seems
like a reasonable way to break him in. Still, given his background as an
inning-eating starter and his diverse arsenal of pitches, a chance in the
rotation should come eventually, in Boston or elsewhere. You could certainly
hear his name in trade rumors. However they use him, Workman is a solid
prospect who lives up to his last name.

目前看來，紅襪會把Workman當成牛棚投手─這是個非常合理的進場方式。不過考慮到他
的背景、吃局數能力和擁有多種球路等因素，他未來或許能成為先發投手─無論是不是在
紅襪。你絕對會聽到關於他的交易傳聞，不過紅襪選擇使用這位優良新秀─Workman是個
真真實實的「工作人」。

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What to expect from Red Sox prospect Brandon Workman (節錄)

http://0rz.tw/YK1A5

First, an introduction to Workman and his stuff, courtesy Bullpen Banter's Al
Skorupa. "Workman is a big, well-built righty, a bulldog type who attacks the
zone with a fastball that sits low 90s. His size (6'4") and high arm slot
create good downward plane. He keeps the ball down well, too, though his
fastball command isn't exceptional. His secondaries are a power slider with
good tilt, a slower true curve he mixes in and a change-up that was too firm
most of the time in my looks." In addition, Workman reintroduced his cutter
in 2012, a pitch that sits in the high-80s and low-90s, and grades as a
future plus offering via Sox Prospects.

Workman的stuff：「身材佳、大隻的右投，喜歡用low 90s的速球攻擊好球帶。他的身高
(6呎4吋)和投球手臂軌跡能讓他創造下切角度。他也很會壓低球，只是速球的command並
沒有很好。其他球種包含強力、大幅偏移的滑球，很慢的正統曲球，change-up幾乎也都
很穩定。他的cutter在2012年重新練過，現在在high-80s到low-90s之間，被SoxProspects
評選為plus級的球種。

Mark Anderson, a prospect analyst and scout for Baseball Prospectus, has
confidence in Workman in either role, and sees little issue in converting him
now during a time of need. "I always liked him in the rotation. I thought he
could profile as a solid #4 starter that could eat innings, with a backup in
the bullpen. It's hard to say they're cutting his development short: he was
succeeding in Triple-A. Teams need change and you've got to make moves
necessary to win at the big-league level; this move is necessary to meet that
end."

BP分析師Mark Anderson有信心，Workman兩種角色都能扛，目前因需求而轉換至牛棚也沒
有太大的問題：「我一直比較喜歡把Workman擺入先發，我認為他可以扛四號先發，穩定
的吃局數並當做牛棚的備案。我不認為球團縮短了Workman的養成時間─他在3A獲得成功
、球團需要改造、你也必須因應他們需求來獲得工作。這個升級決定對兩邊都是剛剛好
的。」

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後面有提到Workman的問題，主要也是說他的姿勢容易跑掉，變化球不穩定；Al Skorupa
的意見則和Anderson有些不同，認為他的最佳位置是第六局、第七局的牛棚投手。

--
＊Athletic frame.
＊High baseball IQ. Xander
＊Smooth, fluid swing. Bogaerts
＊Elite batspeed. #01
＊Strong and explosive hands.
＊Above-average-to-better power ceiling, potential 30 home run bat.

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