Sarasota
Born: February 16, 1982
Height: 6-2 Weight: 190
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Drafted: 2nd Round, 2000
Origin: Hyde Park, MA
Scouting Report: Boston native always dreamed of playing for the Sox. His career was on the fast track with a
mid 90s fastball, and a great curveball - until he injured himself in May 2003. Delcarmen had Tommy John surgery in May,
which typically requires 12 to 18 months recovery time. He is still young enough to recover and put himself back on track.
ETA: 2007
Here's a good article on Manny, but keep in mind this was written just prior to him going down with his elbow injury:
QUOTE
He's at least a couple of years away from Fenway Park, but local product Manny Delcarmen has taken a giant step forward this young season.
The Boston native returned home this winter knowing his future as a major league prospect hinged on his ability to develop a changeup. Judging from his spectacular start for Sarasota of the Single A Florida State League, his hard work has paid off.
Until allowing a solo homer in the ninth inning two nights ago, Delcarmen had pitched 15 shutout innings in his last two starts, striking out 16. He previously allowed two hits over seven shutout innings and struck out 11 in a 2-0 victory over Vero Beach.
He's 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA. His performance is the talk of the Red Sox minor league offices, and for good reason.
"He's come a long way in a short time and it's great to see," said Goose Gregson, Boston's minor league pitching coordinator who has filled in for Tony Cloninger as Red Sox pitching coach. "Seeing the reports has warmed my heart."
A second round pick in 2000 out of West Roxbury, Delcarmen has slowly risen through the system. He went 7-8 with a 4.10 ERA at Augusta last year, striking out 136 in 136 innings. He clearly had room to improve.
He already possessed a 94 mph fastball and plus curveball, but the power right-hander needed a changeup.
"Sometimes it's hard to convince a young pitcher to use the pitch early in his career," Gregson said. "To be a more complete pitcher, especially if you want to be a big league starter, you need that third pitch."
The natural choice for Delcarmen was a change, which he never needed while firing fastballs past overmatched Boston high schoolers. Delcarmen spent his winter working at Mo Vaughn's Hitdog Training Center in Stoughton, trying to develop a feel for the grip.
Last year he often tipped his change by slowing his arm speed. This year, his arm action more closely approximates that of his fastball and curveball.
"There is no one way to throw a changeup," Gregson said. "If you talk to five guys who throw one, you might see five different grips. The most important thing to remember is that a changeup is just a fastball with a different grip."
Delcarmen made his biggest strides this spring, and the results were obvious. The Red Sox make their minor leaguers throw exclusively fastballs and changeups during the spring and something clicked.
"Early on I was umpiring behind the mound, and it was almost like a light came on," Gregson said. "He started using the changeup almost to the point of overuse, but he's got a tremendous feel for it now. It's only going to make him more valuable as a pitcher."
The season started on a down note for Delcarmen, who was suspended for the first three games for an infraction farm director Ben Cherington would not disclose.
He debuted April 6 and took a no-decision in a 6-4 victory over the Fort Myers Miracle, allowing three runs. He then hit his stride five days later against Vero Beach, striking out 11 in seven shutout innings.
"We weren't surprised, but we were pleased," said Cherington. "He threw all three of his pitches any time he wanted for strikes. He didn't miss more than four or five times."
He owes much of his early success to the changeup.
"The credit goes to him," Cherington said. "He recognized the pitch would give him a better opportunity to be a starter in the big leagues. Sometimes it's just a matter of holding the ball in your hand long enough to get comfortable with how it feels."
The Red Sox are in no rush to promote Delcarmen. "We have to keep in perspective that it's only two starts," general manager Theo Epstein said. "But it's certainly encouraging."
The Red Sox have not advanced a major league caliber pitching prospect past Double A since Tomo Ohka. While Delcarmen still has hurdles to overcome in Double and Triple A, he has emerged as the team's top pitching prospect.
"There's been something for Manny to learn at each stage," Cherington said. "This year it's the changeup. So far early this season, he's been able to use it whenever he wants."
The Boston native returned home this winter knowing his future as a major league prospect hinged on his ability to develop a changeup. Judging from his spectacular start for Sarasota of the Single A Florida State League, his hard work has paid off.
Until allowing a solo homer in the ninth inning two nights ago, Delcarmen had pitched 15 shutout innings in his last two starts, striking out 16. He previously allowed two hits over seven shutout innings and struck out 11 in a 2-0 victory over Vero Beach.
He's 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA. His performance is the talk of the Red Sox minor league offices, and for good reason.
"He's come a long way in a short time and it's great to see," said Goose Gregson, Boston's minor league pitching coordinator who has filled in for Tony Cloninger as Red Sox pitching coach. "Seeing the reports has warmed my heart."
A second round pick in 2000 out of West Roxbury, Delcarmen has slowly risen through the system. He went 7-8 with a 4.10 ERA at Augusta last year, striking out 136 in 136 innings. He clearly had room to improve.
He already possessed a 94 mph fastball and plus curveball, but the power right-hander needed a changeup.
"Sometimes it's hard to convince a young pitcher to use the pitch early in his career," Gregson said. "To be a more complete pitcher, especially if you want to be a big league starter, you need that third pitch."
The natural choice for Delcarmen was a change, which he never needed while firing fastballs past overmatched Boston high schoolers. Delcarmen spent his winter working at Mo Vaughn's Hitdog Training Center in Stoughton, trying to develop a feel for the grip.
Last year he often tipped his change by slowing his arm speed. This year, his arm action more closely approximates that of his fastball and curveball.
"There is no one way to throw a changeup," Gregson said. "If you talk to five guys who throw one, you might see five different grips. The most important thing to remember is that a changeup is just a fastball with a different grip."
Delcarmen made his biggest strides this spring, and the results were obvious. The Red Sox make their minor leaguers throw exclusively fastballs and changeups during the spring and something clicked.
"Early on I was umpiring behind the mound, and it was almost like a light came on," Gregson said. "He started using the changeup almost to the point of overuse, but he's got a tremendous feel for it now. It's only going to make him more valuable as a pitcher."
The season started on a down note for Delcarmen, who was suspended for the first three games for an infraction farm director Ben Cherington would not disclose.
He debuted April 6 and took a no-decision in a 6-4 victory over the Fort Myers Miracle, allowing three runs. He then hit his stride five days later against Vero Beach, striking out 11 in seven shutout innings.
"We weren't surprised, but we were pleased," said Cherington. "He threw all three of his pitches any time he wanted for strikes. He didn't miss more than four or five times."
He owes much of his early success to the changeup.
"The credit goes to him," Cherington said. "He recognized the pitch would give him a better opportunity to be a starter in the big leagues. Sometimes it's just a matter of holding the ball in your hand long enough to get comfortable with how it feels."
The Red Sox are in no rush to promote Delcarmen. "We have to keep in perspective that it's only two starts," general manager Theo Epstein said. "But it's certainly encouraging."
The Red Sox have not advanced a major league caliber pitching prospect past Double A since Tomo Ohka. While Delcarmen still has hurdles to overcome in Double and Triple A, he has emerged as the team's top pitching prospect.
"There's been something for Manny to learn at each stage," Cherington said. "This year it's the changeup. So far early this season, he's been able to use it whenever he wants."
After his TJ surgery, which typically requires 12-18 months recovery time, Manny should return to the mound by May or June 2004, but management may wait until later in the season if they want to make sure the surgery has fully healed and give Manny the full go in 2005. Despite the surgery, expect Manny to regain his mid-90s fastball.
He seems to be the set-up man for Deschenes... Hmmm... why are they using him in middle relief??? 
yet
uniform very soon.