 Mahmut Binark (SP) | OVR: 25/65 | Stuff: 7/13 | Mov: 7/7 | Con: 5/6 | BABIP: 7 | HRA: 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | --------- | --------- | --------- | --------- | --------- | --------- | |
| Level: AA | * | Velo | Sta | Hold | GB/FB | #Pit | #Pit-6+ |
| Throws: R | * | 93 | 9 | 4 | 59 | 4 | 4 |
| Age: 25 | * | ||||||
| Height: 6'3" | * | ||||||
| weight: 200 | * | ||||||
| Source: Disc | * |
In a place called Izmir, in a land called Turkey, a Seattle Storm scout found a 16-year-old kid who could throw rocks and hit rats. Most other scouts looked at the kid and laughed, rating him as literally nothing. 4/2/4, if you want to get precise. But the kid was interesting, and when the scout talked to him, the 16-year-old made him a believer. He had, after all, knocked down a lot of rats. So the guy signed Mahmut Binark, and the kid’s journey started.
It's a story that’s kind of standard. Scout finds kid, kid spends a few years in the complex, then goes home to take over the family business or whatever. That’s what happens to pretty much all the 16-year-old 4/2/4s anyway.
WHAT’S HAPPENED SINCE
Well, it’s not like Cinderella has it easy in the end. Sure, she marries a prince, or whatever, but she’s got a lot of growing to do, and we don’t get to see that. In Binark’s case, it got worse before it got better. Call it home sickness, or call it inability to adjust, Seattle scouts graded him down for two seasons—down to 3/1/2. It was bad enough the team was preparing a ticket home, we figure. But then at the last moment, the talent fairy came and things have never quite been the same.
Of course, it’s never been easy. Binark was literally horrible in his first season in pro ball. Despite gaining skill in scout’s eyes, threw a 4.55 ERA in his Rookie League debut, which doesn’t sound bad but was a 170 FIP-. Don’t go looking it up. Just staring at it will burn your eyeballs out. His second rookie ball season was better, but not by much: FIP- of 126.
Worse, while the stats were beginning to move in the right direction, scouts said Binark’s growth pattern wasn’t matching those gaudy potentials. The 6’3” right hander had a LOT of work to do. Technically, he’s been doing it. Every year, (two in R, one in A, two in AA, and now a third of a season in AAA), Binark’s FIP- has improved to the point where, at 90 in AAA currently, he’s considered better than league average. But the path has been long and the clock is ticking. Where the kid once rose as high as #10 on the overall prospect list, he’s faded now. #30 as we stand. And he’s dropped control since then. A recalculated list would probably have him out of the top 100.
WHAT'S TO COME
That is the $64M question. At the mid-point of his 26ths year on the planet, Mahmut Binark’s development might well be stalled, and if that’s the case most scouts say he won’t hold onto a BBA job. But those same scouts say the potential of his stuff is off the chart. They keep expecting the curve ball to curve any time now…and the circle change to … well … circle.
The guy is throwing a 2.44 ERA in his first two weeks in AAA. Striking out a few guys and not giving out dingers to just anyone so far.
It feels like this is his time, though. Feels like he needs to rise and shine. The Krill rotation is in shambles. The opportunity field is high. And Mahmut Binark will be 26 at the start of the 2059 baseball season.
LONG TERM PROJECTION
If you think I’m going to pretend to know what’s going to happen with Binark, you’re just a silly, silly person. Everyone in the organization hopes he’s in the rotation someplace come April next year. But your guess is as good as mine.
All we can say for sure is that he’s going to get every chance.
And it’s bad for to be against a guy who can knock down rats like that.