American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, Robert Pannier continues his look at the top pitchers in the American Association this season and who will likely be named as the Pitcher of the Year. Today looks at Kansas City Monarchs left-hander Matt Hall.

Don’t Blame the Success

Sometimes the pure numbers for a player are so astounding that you shake your head in disbelief. They are truly mind-boggling. Those numbers speak for themselves, and make one candidate stand out far above the others.

However, those numbers were so staggering that it led to a greater level of success. In independent baseball, a player who is doing extremely well is usually signed or has their contract transferred to a Major League Baseball affiliate. This limits their success in the American Association, but the question becomes if a player should be penalized for doing so well that they were able to continue on with their ultimate goal?

Matt Hall Has Dominated

Kansas City Monarchs left-hander Matt Hall began the season with the club. Through his first five outings, Hall was dominating, going 4-1 with a 1.29 ERA. He did not allow more than a single run in any of his first five starts, allowing 18 total hits in 28.0 innings pitched, giving him an opponent batting average of just .180.

The numbers were truly staggering and, unsurprisingly, it led to an affiliate team purchasing the contract of the left-hander. Hall, who had three seasons in the Major Leagues, had his contract purchased by the San Francisco Giants, and was sent to AAA-Sacramento. However, in one month there, he was given literally no chance to prove that he still deserved a shot with the Giants. Hall appeared in just two games, just one as a starter before he was released. Truthfully, the numbers were not great (3.1 IP, 6 H, 7 BB, 4 ER), but no pitcher is going to perform well when they do not get consistent action. Therefore, it was not surprising that he struggled.

Hall returned to the Monarchs where he has actually been better than in his first stent with the club this season. Hall has started seven games since returning, allowing three total runs in 43.0 innings pitched. Amazingly, the only times he has given up runs in a game, the Monarchs lost. He took the loss when giving up two runs in six innings to Milwaukee on July 20, and the bullpen blew a fantastic outing by Hall on July 31, when he allowed one run in 5.0 innings.

In his last three starts, he has not given up a run, striking out 30 in 20.0 innings pitched. That includes fanning 10 on August 14 against Lincoln, then striking out 12 Saltdogs on August 20. In his 43 innings since returning, Hall has allowed 30 hits and 12 walks, striking out 60.

Entering Wednesday night’s contest, Hall has a minuscule 0.89 ERA, nearly two full runs fewer than the next closest pitcher (Greg Minier at 2.81). He has struck out 95 in 71.0 innings, allowing 48 hits and 20 walks. That has given him a 0.96 WHIP and an opponent batting average of .185, both best in the league.

To give a little more perspective, the league record for ERA is 1.75, set by Kyle Middleton for Pensacola back in 2009. Hall is on pace to eclipse that mark by nearly one full run.

The numbers truly speak for themselves, but there will be those who will say that the left-hander was not with the club for the full season. He was gone for a little over a month, and will likely finish with no more than 15 starts this season. There will be some who will say that the numbers of Minier, Kevin McGovern, Tyler Grauer, or Luis Ramirez are more significant simply because they were with their clubs for the entire season. However, one has to wonder if Hall should be penalized for doing so well that he was able to return to an affiliate club.

Punishing a player for his success seems a bit heavy-handed. So, it will be interesting to see if anyone holds his success against them.

By Robert Pannier