SB Nation - Pedro Strop

New Arms of the Week: Last of August

Harry Pavlidis — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:59:10 -0000

Closing out August, and adding a day to the "week", we have four rookie pitchers who debuted in the final week of August.

Armando Gabino - ~~threw some long relief~~ made a brief start and was sent back down*
Daniel McCutchen - snuck in on the 31st with a start
Pedro Strop - hard thrower with two relief appearances
Wilton Lopez - three home runs in a four inning relief debut

Here's what they've thrown so far, with the best pitch classifications I can muster with limited samples.

Rookie	Pitch	#	vs LHH	vs RHH	MPH	PFX_X	PFX_Z
Armando Gabino	Change	9	8	1	83.6	-7.6	6.7
Armando Gabino	Sinker	14	11	3	92.1	-8.4	5.4
Armando Gabino	Fastball	23	18	5	92.1	-6.3	8.4
Armando Gabino	Slider	11	3	8	85.3	1.3	3.4
Daniel McCutchen	Change	32	10	22	82.7	-5.6	4.7
Daniel McCutchen	Curveball	4	0	4	75.5	3.0	-0.8
Daniel McCutchen	Fastball	59	15	44	91.9	-5.5	10.6
Daniel McCutchen	Slider	6	0	6	82.6	1.8	2.9
Pedro Strop	Fastball	38	15	23	95.0	-3.0	10.5
Pedro Strop	Splitter	6	3	3	85.4	-3.2	1.2
Pedro Strop	Slider	9	5	4	84.2	0.6	1.0
Wilton Lopez	Sinker	39	30	9	91.2	-7.8	3.5
Wilton Lopez	Fastball	23	4	19	92.6	-3.9	7.6
Wilton Lopez	Splitter	10	9	1	82.1	-5.0	2.4
Wilton Lopez	Slider	20	5	15	82.6	2.6	0.9

September should be busy, with lots of call-ups. Once the season is over, I'll recap all the rookies and even the position players.

*corrected thanks to a reader comment

Saturday morning Rangers stuff

Adam J. Morris — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:19:36 -0000

More photos » by Andy King - AP

3 months ago: Texas Rangers relief pitcher Pedro Strop throws in the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, Aug. 28, 2009, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy King)

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I couldn't watch the game last night. Our power went out at 6:30 last night, didn't come on until 1 a.m., then went out again at 5:30 this morning and has been out since. So I had to follow on my Blackberry.

However, the Gamecast thing on my Blackberry seemed to think that the called strike three that ended the game wasn't close to being a strike. That seemed to be the consensus from folks here who were commenting, as well.

And Jeff Wilson writes that David Murphy was sure he had a game-tying home run in the ninth, on his double that bounced off the top of the baggie in right field.

Evan Grant commends Tommy Hunter and Pedro Strop for shutting down the Twins after a three run first inning.

Wilson also has some injury updates on Marlon Byrd (who, it sounds like, won't be playing this weekend), Eddie Guardado, and Brandon McCarthy, who could be replacing Dustin Nippert in the rotation.

Ron Washington is going to throw out the first pitch today at the Metrodome, as the Twins have been honoring former players and team personnel in the Metrodome's last season.

The Angels have acquired Scott Kazmir, after having been rumored to have gotten him, then having reports coming out that said the deal was dead.

I know some folks are upset about what this does to the Rangers' chances in the A.L. West this year, but given that Texas is 5 games out with a month to go, I don't see that it makes much difference there. The Angels are rolling the dice that this has been an off-season for Kazmir, that he'll bounce back the next couple of years, when he's going to be making a significant amount of money. There seem to be some questions surrounding Kazmir's health and whether or not he's a reasonable bet going forward.

Friday Pebble Report: Bats break out in C. Springs and Modesto, Durden extends scoreless inning streak

Rox Girl — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:26:32 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

Chris Iannetta's rehab is going smoothly, as the catcher doubled and singled in a Sky Sox romp yesterday.

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Colorado Springs (32-21, 1st): W 16-8

Matt Miller and Kenny Perez led the Sky Sox offensive explosion combining for seven hits and seven RBI, each tripled, Perez also added a double. The only Sky Sox starter not to get a hit was lead off hitter Eric Young Jr., who walked three times and stole his 33rd base of the season. Young is batting .405/.500/.643 over his last ten games, with more walks (8) and stolen bases (9), than strikeouts (7). The massive caveat is that those ten games have all been at either Security Service Field or Albuquerque's Isotopes Park, but he's looking like he's either really close or even ready for the next step right now if the Rockies can figure out how to open up a roster spot. Chris Iannetta had two hits in his rehab assignment. Jason Hirsh allowed five runs in four innings.

Tulsa (28-23, 1 GB): W 1-0

Brandon Durden hasn't allowed a run in his twelve innings of work since being promoted to the Drillers, the lack of strikeouts (3) and a groundball rate that's decent but not great is suggesting that this streak is more mirage than legit, but it's definitely coming in useful for the Drillers, who are having troubles mustering much offense of their own lately. Tulsa's 213 runs are second fewest in the league, only four over Arkansas. That the Drillers have allowed 232 suggests that the winning record is a bit of a fluke, but we'll take it. Tulsa won yesterday via a tenth inning bases loaded walk to Michael Paulk off of Jose Diaz, scoring Anthony Jackson. Jackson was one of two walks given up by losing pitcher Pedro Strop (he's still stuck in AA, apparently, so it hasn't turned out to be a huge loss for the Rockies so far) and then two more by Diaz led to the only run of the game scored by either team.

Modesto: W 11-2

Jeff Cunningham finished a home run short of the cycle, but impressively managed two triples instead to go along with his walk and double. He drove in four of the Nuts runs, and scored three of them. Christian Friedrich pitched impressively for six innings, allowing just two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven, but didn't pick up the win as the Nuts saved most of their scoring for a eight run seventh inning after he had already left. The win instead went to Joey Williamson, who has to be about the most opportunistic pitcher I've ever seen.

Call it luck of the Irish (the Notre Dame variety, that is), but Williamson is still undefeated, 16-0, in his minor league career after picking up his seventh win against no losses for Modesto this year. That's a pretty incredible run there, but it should also show that he a knack for limiting damage and keeping his teams in the baseball game, which is part of the reason why I don't discount him as a potential MLB player despite his minor league middle reliever status.

Asheville: L 3-5

Juan Nicasio was a tough luck loser after pitching five innings, allowing just one unearned run on five hits while striking out seven, but the Tourists offense had trouble finding their footing and a ninth inning meltdown by Adam Jorgensen cost the team a potential win at Greenville. David Mailman (really, that's his name) express delivered the deciding blow with a grand slam after Jorgenson gave up a double, a strikeout wild pitch and a walk to load the bases with no one out.

Wednesday a.m. Rangers stuff

Adam J. Morris — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:41:15 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

7 months ago: Texas Rangers' Jarrod Saltalamacchia hits a grand slam in the 10th inning against the Seattle Mariners in a baseball game, Tuesday, May 5, 2009, at Safeco Field in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

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Nice two game series in Seattle. The Rangers are now a half-game out of first place, and have the best run differential in the division.

Great work from Vicente Padilla last night, who allowed only one unearned run in the game. Jeff Wilson says Padilla deserved better than a no-decision, and Padilla credits his success to commanding all his pitches yesterday.

Scott Feldman pitches today, and with Kris Benson coming off the d.l. today as well, I guess there could be some question about Feldman's role going forward, but T.R. Sullivan says Benson is expected to go to the bullpen, with Feldman staying in the rotation. Jeff Wilson says a decision on Benson hasn't been made yet, though.

Josh Hamilton played catch yesterday, and felt very good

...the plan is apparently for him to go on a rehab assignment with the Redhawks on Sunday and Monday, and be activated on Tuesday, the first day he is eligible to return.

On the potential bullpen front, Pedro Strop has been talked about as someone who is a candidate in the near future, but he is taking a step backwards, instead, being sent from AAA Oklahoma to AA Frisco.

Both T.R. Sullivan and Jeff Wilson have stories up on Michael Young's early season power surge.

Richard Durrett talks about some key decisions Ron Washington has made in the last few games, and suggests that the Washington Job Watch is no longer on high alert.