Dodgers: Walker Buehler Helps Dodgers Scouting Department
We know what Walker Buehler is capable of at his best – a once in a decade performance. However, many may not know what lies beneath the surface of the 24-year old fireballer.
Today, one of the best comprehensive reads that exists on the internet manifested over at Bleacher Report. This is one of those editorials on another site that is truly ‘must-read’ material if you’re a Dodgers fan, and for all baseball fans in general.
Clayton Kershaw says his teammate Walker Buehler has “the best stuff in the game.”
He’s proving it with a potential All-Star appearance this year https://t.co/9S7sgzDYgT pic.twitter.com/rJ6DIb4zFG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 28, 2019
First, did you know that Buehler assists the Dodgers’ front office in scouting prospects? Indeed – he does – and how cool is that?
Come draft time, Buehler gravitates to the Dodgers’ scouting department to discuss a handful of prospects he likes. He’s in touch with the analytics folks in the front office too. They send him a detailed printout (and PDF) after each start, breaking down each of his pitches based on location, velocity, spin rate, movement and so on.
Next, manager Dave Roberts weighs in on why the front office brass trusts the assessment of their young star pitcher.
“He really understands game-planning and all the analytics and information that gets thrown our way,” Roberts says. “His intelligence, his curiosity, and you layer that on with the [pitch] mix and the arm—it’s pretty special.”
Obviously, learning about Buehler’s mental acuity is a high-spot within the article. However, we aren’t writing this post if the player it focused on didn’t have elite arm talent. So whom better than one of the greatest Dodgers’ pitchers ever to talk a little bit about Buehler’s best pitch. Here’s what Clayton Kershaw says of the kid’s fastball.
“The fastball is obviously really special,” Kershaw says. “Not just the velocity, but,” he pauses. “It just,” he thinks awhile longer. “It never gets squared up.”
Later on in the article, we learn that Buehler is a junior union-rep in baseball. Equally important, he feels a strike is imminent, which is concerning.
Overall, there are a lot of great quotes and information you probably didn’t know about Buehler before this piece was written. Aside from an plus-title, it’s an outstanding read from start to finish that highlights the special talent the Dodgers have in uniform in Buehler.
As it stands right now if we were lucky to make to the World Series against the Yankees, we are over matched with our lineup vs theirs, their bullpen vs ours,and the left hand pitching they have vs our lineup. As we all know Kershaw stinks in the World Series. Mr Friedman,acquire Wheeler from the Mets and Vasquez from the Pirates or we will go home empty handed in the Fall. You have the assets,players in the minors and the money to get it done. Don’t let us down.