It's that time of year: Pitchers are reporting to Spring Training, and it's time for us to meet the St. Louis Cardinals' newest Dave Duncan project, Ian Snell. Derrick Goold has a nice profile up at the Post-Dispatch, which tells us, among other things, that the Cardinals will look at him for the Brad Thompson-memorial seldom-used Long Reliever Spot.
↵Snell is, like Rich Hill, an NL Central pitcher who's a few disastrous years since emerging as an interesting young pitcher. In 2009 and 2010 his strikeout rate has cratered and his walk rate has shot up—in his last 191 innings he's got 115 strikeouts and 108 walks. At 29 he's worth an NRI and an attempt at following The Duncan Formula, but little else.
↵Snell suggests that "maybe [Dave Duncan] is the guy to get [him] back on track", but his last comment doesn't sound like something Dunc will like to hear: "[Coaches had me] change something in my mindset.... you can't do that to a pitcher." I submit that Dave Duncan not only can do that with a pitcher, but will. I hope you like sinkers!
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