Put in PROSPECTive:
| BEN BADLER |
When Mo Vaughn left via free agency after the 1998 season, some thought that general manager Dan Duquette made one of the most injudicious moves in Red Sox history. Those fans were wrong to denigrate Duquette, but even today most don’t realize why.
Some think that Duquette let Vaughn depart and got nothing in return, which is about as correct as saying that Albert Belle loves everyone on the Earth. With the money he saved on not signing Vaughn, the Red Sox were able to sign Jose Offerman, the best currently-healthy leadoff hitter in the American League, and star centerfielder Carl Everett. Now ask yourself, would you rather have Offerman and Everett on the Red Sox, or have Vaughn on the Sox? Before you answer, keep in mind that the Red Sox also obtained a first round draft pick as compensation for Vaughn. With that pick, 40th overall in the draft, the Red Sox selected Brad Baker, a right-handed pitcher coming straight out of Pioneer Valley High School in Layden, Massachusetts.
Baker is thrilled to be a member of the Red Sox, the team he grew up cheering for. “I think it's great. It was a great honor, especially to be taken by the hometown team," said Baker. "It's a great place to bring up a family because all the teams are on the East Coast.”
The University of Florida had recruited Baker to play for the Gators in college, but Baker elected to sign with Boston after being offered an $850,000 signing bonus.
Baker’s arsenal of pitches includes a fastball that has touched 93 mph, a breaking ball that hits around 91 mph, a curveball, and a changeup. At 6’2” and what should soon be 190 lbs once he stops growing, Baker is the perfect size for a pitcher. He has already started pitching for the Red Sox organization in the Gulf Coast League, where he posted a 0.79 ERA in 11.1 innings while going 1-0 and striking out 10. Baker is pleased with the way things have gone thus far in his primitive Red Sox career.
"It's amazing to me how much more I know about pitching already," said Baker. "Working with these Red Sox instructors is quite an experience. Whatever they tell me to work on, I just go out there and do it. To me, pitching now is completely different from what it was in high school. Little things, little changes can make a big difference."
Right now, the Red Sox have Baker working on his curveball. "They want me to have three quality pitches," Baker said.
Baker also throws an effective changeup which is unique for a pitcher coming fresh from high school.
"I know a lot of guys are in pro ball for a while before they learn to throw the change," Baker said. "With me, it just seemed to come naturally. I started throwing it in ninth grade, and it became part of what I do."
Baker, the kid who everyone loves to love, is drawing rave reviews from everyone with whom he encounters, and not just because of what he does on the mound.
Baker’s pitching coach Bob Kipper, a former major league starter, told Baker, "If I had a son, I'd want him to be like you; and if I had a daughter, I'd want a guy like you calling on her."
So now here’s that question again: would you rather have Mo Vaughn on the Red Sox, or Jose Offerman, Carl Everett, and Brad Baker on the Red Sox? Ask anyone who has ever met Baker, and the answer won’t even depend on Everett or Offerman. Baker is genuine Red Sox who bleeds Red Sox red, whereas Vaughn bleeds Benjamin Franklin green.
In his last year of high school, Baker went 9-0 with a 0.96 ERA in 65 innings. Think that’s impressive? He also had 138 strikeouts and only 22 walks while surrendering just 24 hits. The 19 year-old phenom was also a superb hitter in high school. He hit .486 with seven homers, nine triples, 32 RBI, 36 runs and a 1.095 slugging percentage last year, although the Red Sox intend to use Baker solely as a pitcher. Baker set 20 batting records and nearly all of the pitching marks at Pioneer en route to being one of the greatest high school players in Western Massachusetts’ history.