Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Giants Top 50 Prospects #28: Kevin Pucetas

#28 Kevin Pucetas. RHP. BD: 11-27-1984. 6'4", 225 lbs.

2009 Stats: AAA- 10-6, 5.04, 159 IP, 50 BB, 96 K's.

Pucetas was sailing along in AAA with an ERA a little over 3 until August when he hit a wall and ran up a 10.38 ERA. His results got progressively worse with each start and he was shelled for 9 ER in 1.2 IP and 7 ER in 0.2 IP in the last two games respectively to balloon his final ERA. When pitchers suddenly hit a wall like that, it is usually due to injury, fatigue or pitch-tipping in that order. I have read no reports of injury, which doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't injured. He did pitch about 35 innings more in 2009 than in 2008 but only about 15 more than in 2007, so the workload was not excessive. I'm not sure pitch-tipping would cause that severe of a meltdown, but for a pitcher like Pucetas, who relies on pitching savvy, it could be devastating if the batters knew what was coming. Pucetas will most likely start the season back in Fresno. It will be interesting to see if his late season struggles were just that or the beginning of the end of he pro career.

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