Hancock up to say despite the naysayers

[Alan Ehlers]

9/1/2008: Canton, OH – Knights GM Chris Van Hauter stated today that Markus Hancock is up to stay, that he will continue to improve, and that the organization is not worried about him. Some speculators throw out the perennial horror story of Mark Prior to try to make a point of rushing young pitching. Van Hauter laughed at such nonsense and stated that, “Hancock could blow out his arm at any level; to worry that pitching in the majors is going to kill his confidence or hurt his arm is absolutely absurd. Hancock is an intelligent kid with a good work ethic and he knows he has to learn. What better place then in the majors, surrounded by one of the best pitching coaches in the game?”

As for his workload, Van Hauter stated, "What are we supposed to do? Keep him on a 25-pitch count? That is what some of the doomsayers are suggesting. Hancock is 22 years old, not 18, and the organization is not going to start him at short-season and bring him up one level a year. By the time he reached the majors he would be 27 and that is absolutely ridiculous.”

Van Hauter took issue with a so-called “special report" on Hancock, stating that, “[He] is going to be in the rotation and people can write all the special reports they want; it is not going to change the organization’s goals of having Hunter and Hancock in the rotation next year, which they will be.” Van Hauter then laughed and stated, “I guess Tempe will make good copy when Hunter and Hancock are both up. We might even bring up will George and Bryant Duncan so the scribes can wet their pants.”