Tyler Rogers, RHP. DOB: 12/17/1990. 6'5", 187 lbs. Drafted 2013 Rd 10.
AAA: 4-4, 2.37, 76 IP, 28 BB, 43 K, GO/AO= 2.25, 10 Saves.
Sidewinder/Submarine pitchers enjoyed a surge in popularity back in the 2000's, but now seem to be a vanishing breed. Tyler Rogers is one such pitcher who has worked his way steadily up the Giants organizational ladder. He had a rough introduction to AAA in 2016 and some analysts wondered if he had found his ceiling, but he came back in 2017 with a workhorse performance. Of particular note is the extreme groundball tendency in a league that is generally not kind to sinkerball pitchers. Other nice feature is the average of close to 1.5 innings per appearance, a skill that is becoming much more sought after at the MLB level. The Giants have had several sidewinder/submariner types in their system over the years. Maybe Rogers will be the one who finally breaks through? A guy who could come into a game in the middle innings and get 4-6 groundball outs would do a lot to solidify the bullpen.
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I wanted him called up last year. Of course, I thing about guys with unusual deliveries... Cueto's shimmy, Bumgarner's sling-shot, Law's turn-his-back, Rogers submarine and the King of Funky Deliveries -- Tim Lincecum and his whatever the hell that was...
ReplyDeleteAnd there's always the oldies -- Fernando Valenzuela and is 'look to the heavens' wind-up, Marichal's super-high leg kick and Luis Tiant who, like Lincecum, had one of the most bizzare wind-ups ever.
Back in the 2000's, when Buck Showalter was pushing the D'Backs failed pitching prospects to try it, every team seemed to have at least one of these extreme sidearm/underhand guys in their pen. A big part of what make it successful is the novelty of it, and I think they got overexposed in that decade as hitters figured out how to attack them. Maybe it's become enough of a novelty again that a few of them like Rogers can find success again?
DeleteSpeaking of novelty, I've wondered why more failed pitching prospects haven't tried learning the knuckleball. It's helped extend the career of current red sox pitcher Stephen Wright. He felt he had to try something different and knew hitters don't face the knuckle ball pitcher that often.
DeleteLG
I think a lot of pitchers fool around with knuckleballs, but it's a hard pitch to master and not everybody who tries it succeeds.
DeleteI think Rogers is a reliever to keep an eye on. A sidewinding pitcher can make any bullpen better because they give hitters a different look and if he gets them to hit grounders even better. The Giants already have a sidewinder Cody Gearrin, but maybe another team could trade for him.
ReplyDeleteLG
I would say Gearrin is more of a straight siderarmer whereas Rogers is more underhanded, as in scraping his knuckles on the dirt underhanded.
DeleteRogers is more of a RH version of Javier Lopez only even more underhanded than him.
DeleteAnother pitcher that comes to mind is former A's reliever Chad Bradford, who had a nice career.
DeleteLG
Brad Ziegler is a current example.
DeleteMike McMullen was a submariner the Giants had in their system, in the early 00s. Other than Quisenberry in the late 80s, I can't think of any other that they've ever had.
ReplyDeleteMike McMullin? Never heard of him! The Giants have had numerous underhanded/low sidearm type pitchers in their system. Just none who got higher than about San Jose.
Delete"Maybe Rogers will be the one who finally breaks through? A guy who could come into a game in the middle innings and get 4-6 groundball outs would do a lot to solidify the bullpen."
ReplyDeleteThat exactly capsulizes exactly what the Giants need! And maybe they had it in Crick?
Without 3-4 career years, 2018 is Ground Hog Day.