Hurler Hanrahan Called From Suns to the 51s
Ragin' RHP burned up Jacksonville with 10-4 record.
08.11.03 - Memphis - Right-handed pitcher Joel Hanrahan was recalled from Double-A Jacksonville and will start tonight for the 51s at Memphis.
Hanrahan is rated as the number 8 top prospect in pitching by
by Baseball America for the L.A. Dodgers.
In Single-A ball his ERA hovered from 3.38 to 4.20. In his call-up to double-A his welcome to division change was getting racked around a bit, with a 3-3 record and a 10.84 ERA at the close of 2002. In 2003, Joel got back on track, and racked up an impressive 10-4 record at Jacksonville with an ERA in the 2s.
He throws low-end heat, 89-91 for the radar devotees. More importantly he has a nasty slider and a pretty good changeup. His ability to locate pitches and keep batters off-center made him a potent pitcher in AA. His confidence was very good. How his pitching ego fares with AAA batters is the tale to be told over the tail end of the 51's 2003 season.
Hanrahan is not a white hot rocket on his way to the show. if he can continue to develop along at the pace that he's been going, he could see some big-league time in 2004 with a strong shot in 2005.
Hanrahan hails from Norwalk, Iowa where he was a top pick out of high school, recruited by scouts from the Dodgers who've been having some luck picking them out from between the corn stalks.
