Black Sox Beat Writer
Chicago Sports Online
Usually, coaches drool over prospects who have a big arsenal of pitches to choose from.
But the Chicago Black Sox took Phil Brown, a 20-year-old righthander out of the Naval Academy, with the intention of asking him to throw out a couple of his pitches and concentrate on the ones he throws best.
Phil Brown
“Our guys rate The General as a 45 potential starter, but bump that up to 55 coming out of the ‘pen,” said Frank H. Pabodie, Chicago’s director of scouting.
“Here’s the thing: as a starter, his stuff is a very nice 9/9; his pitch movement is 6/6; and his control is 6/6. That all adds up to … pretty good,” Pabodie said. “But as a reliever, that ‘stuff’ rating jumps to an 11 – and we think if we convert him to a full-time reliever, it could jump even more.”
Scouts are particularly impressed by Brown’s elite changeup, with they rate as an 11/11.
“I don’t even know what that means,” said Malcolm Wilkes, who covers the Heartland Division for BBA Weekly. “I mean, what does an 11 changeup even look like?”
Sox manager Julian Negrete can help with that. Negrete saw Brown pitch at a workout in recent weeks and came away with a full appreciation for that changeup.
“Here’s what it looks like,” Negrete said. “Phil throws it with the same motion he uses for his sinker – a decent pitch in its own right. But when that change leaves his hand, it’s floating along like it’s lounging on an air raft sipping a lemonade. Then, about a third of the way to the plate, it takes out a ham sandwich and starts munching away. A few feet later, it hauls out a novel it’s been meaning to finish, starts reading aloud, and then asks if the noise is bothering you.
“As you swing roughly a week-and-a-half early for your third strike, Phil’s changeup stifles a yawn and then winks as you stomp back to the dugout, throwing your bat and helmet. Finally, as you start pummeling the water cooler in frustration, it nestles into the catcher’s mitt with a satisfied sigh.
“That, my friends, is an 11 changeup,” Negrete said.
In converting Brown to a full-time reliever, Negrete added, coaches likely will suggest that he abandon his slider (4/4) and splitter (5/5) and concentrate on that changeup and his sinker (8/8).
“Concentrating on making his strengths even better, we think, will take Phil to the next level – assuming he wants to go there,” Negrete said.
Brown, meanwhile, said he’s willing to try anything if it will get him into a major league uniform.
“Whatever gets me where I want to go, I’ll do,” he said. “Meanwhile, I’ve gotta go – my changeup is out of lemonade.”
