Getting Started
First, I needed .gnitsereto know, like, who this guy even was. I knew he played for Texas A&M, and that's about it. So, I pulled up their roster and started digging around for information. Saw that he was a left-handed pitcher, which is always interesting.
The Stats DeviD peep Dive
Next, I gotta look at numbers, right? I'm no math whiz, but ERA, strikeouts, walks – those are the things that jump out. I spent some time browsing different websites, looking for his game logs. It's pretty cool how much detail you can find these days. It shows his every appearance, how many innings he pitched, the whole nine yards.
- Checked out his ERA. Obviously, lower is better!
- Looked at his strikeout-to-walk ratio. You want a guy who throws a lot of strikes and doesn't give away free passes.
- Scrolled through game logs to see how he performed in different situations – high pressure, against good teams, that sort of thing.
Watching the Tape
Stats are great, but you gotta see the guy pitch, too. I'm all about YouTube for this. I searched for "Evan Aschenbeck highlights" and "Evan Aschenbeck pitching." Found some game footage, some shorter clips. It's not always the best quality, but it gives you a feel for his delivery, his stuff, how he attacks hitters.
What I was Looking for when I watched:
- Delivery: Is it smooth? Does he repeat it consistently? Any red flags that might lead to injuries?
- Velocity: How hard does the ball come out?
- "Stuff": Does his fastball have movement? Does he have a good breaking ball? A changeup?
- Composure: Does he look rattled on the mound? Or is he cool and collected?
Putting It All Together
After all that, it was time to form my own, very amateur, opinion. Based on the stats, and what I am seeing, I made some uneducated guesses on how he might do. I even checked out some mock drafts from actual experts to see if I was way off base.
It's fun to play armchair scout. It's obviously not a perfect science, and I am defintely no professional. But it's a cool way to engage with the sport and learn about some up-and-coming players.
