Tommy Hanson was something of a robot as an amateur ballplayer. The coaches he played for selected pitches for him, sending along signals through catchers who relayed the signs to Hanson, and it was Hanson's assignment to nod and throw. He was not asked to think for himself on the mound, to develop a rationale and a philosophy, to read the swings and body language of hitters.
But in 2008, Hanson's third season in pro ball after being drafted in the 22nd round by the Atlanta Braves in 2005, he really began to think about pitch selection -- why he would throw a particular pitch in a particular situation. "I had never really called my own game before," he said on Thursday night from Arizona. "I realized the importance of being able to command my pitches. It had never really clicked before."
Fueled by that emotional investment, Hanson has taken a major step forward in 2008, into the ranks of the elite prospects in baseball, right into the middle of the
Jake Peavy trade talks. The Braves want Peavy, and the Padres would like Hanson to be part of any deal for Peavy.
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Buster Olney
