on Alan Horne, here's something written by a writer that covers the farm teams:
http://pinstripespa.blogspot.com/2007/11/top-10-prospects-5-alan-horne.html
Horne has three plus pitches at his disposal: a two-seam fastball that hits 92-94 mph, a four-seam fastball that can top out at 96 mph, and an 12-6 curve with a hard bite that clocks in at 78 mph. Both fastballs have plus movement, and his curve is generally his out pitch. Horne also has a slider and change in his arsenal, but neither are as impressive as the previous three pitches. His changeup is his worst pitch, but he has made great strives with it. It normally sits at about 82 mph, but he still need work on improving it. His slider, which clocks in at 86 mph, tends to hang sometimes, but it does have great movement.
I don't know much about Horne's mental and emotional makeup, but from what I've read he is a very intelligent and competitive player that has been very open to changing his style of pitching. Horne's transformation has really impressed me, and I think he has what it takes to be a legitimate #3 starter. It should also be noted that Horne has become much more durable since his college days.
Horne came into the organization as a strikeout pitcher, but since improving his mechanics, he integrated finesse into his mentality-along with a greater percentage of ground balls. He's become a much more polished pitcher since being drafted, and he is en route to a productive big league career.
All in all, Horne is an excellent pitcher. He's got the stuff to succeed at the major league level, and while he will not dominate-he will certainly be a serviceable pitcher.
2008 Projection:
Horne's name has been thrown around in trade discussions lately, and I would not be surprised to see him included in a package for Johan Santana. However, his ability indicated that he is more than ready for the Triple-A level, and I think he'll succeed there. A promotion sometime next season is likely.
Career Projection:
Some have speculated that Horne should be used as a reliever, but I think that would be a waste of his talent. He has five pitches at his disposal-three great and two average. Throw in the fact that he is durable, strong and competitive-and you have yourself a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter. Some have compared him to A.J. Burnett, and they are somewhat similar if you add some velocity to Horne's fastball.
Prospect Rating: B+
he's gonna be 25 next year... i think it's fair to say he's pretty much developed what he's gonna be at this point in terms of velocity & style of pitching... maybe he can learn a cutter from Mo or get some pointers from the other vets on his other pitches? i think he projects more as a starter than as a reliever.
[Edited by - TMS on 12-05-2007 7:41 PM]After 7 years & 40K+ posts, banned by martin for calling Nalod a 'moron'. Awesome.
