2008 Projection: Boof Bonser March 4th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Boof Bonser is next on our list as we continue our series of 2008 player projections. We’re working our way through the pitching staff and should get to the hitters next week. As usual, let’s start with the numbers:
| Year | Age | ERA | W | L | INN | HR | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 ZiPS | 26 | 4.98 | 10 | 12 | 179.0 | 29 | 63 | 142 |
| 2007 | 25 | 5.10 | 8 | 12 | 173.0 | 27 | 65 | 136 |
| 2006 | 24 | 4.22 | 7 | 6 | 100.3 | 18 | 24 | 84 |
Boof’s first full season in the rotation wasn’t particularly memorable. He was 4-0 in the month of May, but was average to below average for the rest of the season. He was often criticized for his lack of stamina on the mound and the numbers do indicate that he struggled as he reached the middle innings. Batters had a line of .304/.380/.531 against Boof in innings 4-6 compared to .278/.329/.431 in inning 1-3.
Of course you can’t necessarily attribute those numbers to his workout regimen. It could simply be because hitters were getting a second look at him. Nonetheless, Boof worked out in the offseason and reportedly brought 20 35 lbs. less of himself to spring training this year. Will it make a difference? Probably not—he’s still a big dude.
Boof figures to get a good shot at the starting rotation once again this year. If he struggles like last year, they may be more willing to pull him in favor of one of the younger arms. If he can be more effective against lefties, there’s certainly a lot of potential for improvement and his ERA could be in the lower half of the 4’s rather than the near 5 that’s projected.
Other 2008 projections
Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our RSS feed.
Search
Similar Entries
Partners