Russell Branyan might be living large now, but it will not last.
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This week, we have a new pitcher emerging from the carnage in San Diego. Is he for real? Sticking with the National League, as the American League is quite boring right now, we have a new third baseman emerging in the Midwest – where have we seen him before? Is he any better this time around?
Josh Banks, Starting Pitcher, San Diego Padres
A second round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays, Banks is succeeding like many Blue Jays’ young arms do – only after the system gives up on them.
Of course, there is a little more to the story than that.
After being drafted in 2003, Banks made his debut with Auburn in the New York-Penn League and was simply spectacular. In 15 starts, Banks was 7-2 with a 2.43 ERA and a spectacular K/BB ratio of 81:10 in 66 2/3 innings. Promoted to the Florida State League to open 2004, Banks continued to impress, as he was 7-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 11 starts, striking out 60 and walking only eight. He would finish the season in Double-A, where the results were a mixed bag, as his K/BB ratio of 76/28 in 91 innings but he also posted an ERA of 5.03.
As a result of this, Banks would return to New Hampshire to open 2005, with outstanding results the second time around. Over 27 starts, Banks was 8-12 with a 3.83 ERA, and his control numbers were simply spectacular, as he struck out 145 and walked only 11 in 162 1/3 innings. It is really hard to top a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 14:1.
Triple-A Syracuse would be Banks’ stop for 2006, and his control numbers would continue to be masterful, as he struck out 126 and walked only 28. Sure, his ERA had issues, as he posted a 5.17 in 170 2/3 innings over 27 starts, but those control numbers say far more about future potential.
His ERA would indeed come down in 2007, to 4.63, and he continued to post strikeout-to-walk ratios that should have impressed the Jays, with 101 strikeouts and only 24 walks in 169 innings. He would struggle in his major league debut, however, with a 7.36 ERA in three outings, one as a starter.
Despite all that success with his control numbers, the Jays, being the brilliant developers of prospects that they are, left him exposed to waivers, allowing the Padres to claim him on April 23. His three Triple-A starts, where he was 0-2 with a 7.03 ERA, were clearly enough reason for them to give up on him.
Yes, that is sarcasm.
Moving over to the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate, struggles would continue, and he was 1-1 with a 6.66 ERA in eight appearances, three as a starter, at the time the Padres called him up. However, almost all that damage was due to one horrific outing, and he did have a strikeout-to-walk ratio over 3:1. The Padres, knowing that control numbers are more important than ERA or what Blue Jays scouts say, took a chance on him.
That chance paid off.
Banks would make a relief appearance on May 24, allowing three hits and three walks in two scoreless innings – clearly, a little luckier than good there – with one strikeout. His next outing, though, would be the one that would lead to his becoming a starter. With the Padres and Reds going extra, Banks would come in to the game in the 13th. He then went on to pitch six scoreless, picking up the win after allowing five hits, two walks, and striking out four.
With the injuries to the Padres’ staff, he would move in to the rotation on May 31, and he would allow only six hits and one unearned run to the Giants, and he struck out five while walking none. In his next start, June 5, he would continue to show masterful control, striking out three and walking none in six innings while allowing five hits and only one earned run.
Some are writing off Banks and saying there is no way he can keep this up. Simply put – that is foolish. His control numbers throughout his career point to success, and he will have that, albeit not as close to perfection as he has been. Look for him to be a solid starter for as long as the Padres stick with him there.
Russell Branyan, Third Base, Milwaukee Brewers
Haven’t we been here before? Oh, yeah, when the Brewers had him in 2004 and 2005.
Look, this one is going to be short and sweet. Yes, I know he is getting playing time, and will likely supplant Bill Hall at third base for the rest of the season. That is because Bill Hall is an overrated, glorified utility player that should never have been playing every day. In his last four appearances, Branyan has hit four home runs, giving him five in just nine games.
Impressive, no?
The problem of course is that he has always hit for power. The power is not the problem. The problem is two-fold – consistency and strikeouts. The only thing he does consistently is strike out.
A career .230 hitter with a career .329 on-base, there is simply no way that Sexson will keep up the pace he is on. Despite all the power he has, Sexson has not hit more than 12 home runs in a season since 2002, and he has bounced around from job to job since then.
In other words, he is a mediocre journeyman with a big swing that occasionally makes big contact, but otherwise is no good.
Last Week Revisited
Last week, we looked at Jorge Campillo and Jeff Larish. How have they done since? Campillo has made one start since, which went rather poorly – six hits, one walk, and four earned runs in four innings. That’s not cool…
Larish meanwhile had been struggling, going 1-for-14 in the games immediately after the column, but he did turn things around yesterday, going 1-for-3 with his first career home run. Could he finally be turning things around? Maybe, just maybe…
That wraps it for this week. We will be back again in seven!
