Off the yacht and working on capsules. It’s the section I call “Useless Pitchers,” about 300 guys who either pitched in the majors the last two years, had decent years in Double or Triple-A last year, or are seasoned vets coming off injuries. There is stuff to describe about their games, but the evaluation is unrelentingly some version of “Has a chance if he learns to throw strikes past guys.”
I cut a lot of guys from consideration because they’re not advanced enough, or are probably going to be out for the year, and then there is Mark Comolli. I wrote, “7.71 ERA in 116.1 IP in Single-A as a 25 year old,” and then entered the code that means he won’t be in the magazine. Then I noticed something.
He walked 131 guys. That’s 10.13 per 9/IP. Holy cow. I just noticed he also threw 25 wild pitches.
All of this is a new thing for him, some kind of Rick Ankiel possession. Too bad. Wow.
He threw nothing but knuckleballs all year at the request of his pitching coach. Mark did not like what it did to his stats (Walks, Wild Pitches), but his recovery from injury shows his mettle. Stats do not tell the entire story, its not like he was throwing nothing but fastballs.
Thanks for the comment. I can safely say there is no way I would have stumbled on your info about Comolli’s year if you didn’t write.
It was an extraordinary year on it’s own account, but understandable because of your report.
Thanks.
Just noticed your comments about Mark Comolli. I am the scout who saw something in this then 21 year old and signed him after he was drafted by Toronto in the 25th round in 2001. He was an emergency starter in AAA for Syracuse a couple of times but Toronto didn’t know whether to make him a starter, closer, or even a knuckleballer (they were the first to try); he has always had 4 good pitches but management didn’t know in which direction to go. He was picked up by Tampa Bay in 2004 and made to throw the knuckleball; but after having not thrown it consistently for some time, was not able to harness it, thus the incredible stats. Unfortunately, the DRays let a good pitcher go and now he is pitching for the New Haven Cutters in independent ball (as a closer). Great guy with still lots left in the tank.
Nothing new for the Devil Rays, and all the best for Mark in the future. As a closer I gather he’s given up the knuckler?