Sergio Romo is scheduled to put on a Giants uniform as a player for the last time tonight and retire after a remarkable 15 year MLB career. Romo's story is way too big for one post. I hope someone writes a book about it someday and it really should be made into a feature length movie. I will focus on his path to Oracle Park through the minor leagues.
"The Boy From Brawley" as Vin Scully loved to call him, came from one of the more God-forsaken places in the country south of the Salton Sea in California's Imperial Valley. When he went off to pitch JC ball at Orange Coast College his friends said, "you think you're bad because you're going off to college? You'll be back like all the rest of them." Sergio's reply was "I'll be back, but it won't be like all all the rest of them." And it wasn't.
He ended up pitching for 4 different colleges in 4 years putting up good numbers but not impressing scouts with his small size and a fastball that barely reached 90 MPH with a flat looking slider. He was drafted by the Giants in 2005 in round 28. He started his pro career in low A ball in 2006, a conservative placement for a college senior draftee, where he worked as a swingman with solid numbers:
10-2, 2.53, 103.1 IP, 8.27 K/9, 1.65 BB/9, 31 G, 10 GS, 4 Saves. The number that caught my eye was the extremely low walk rate, but maybe that was just his advanced age and experience for the level?
In 2007, he moved up to A+ San Jose where he was exclusively a multi-inning reliever. BTW, I think that is a great role for minor league pitchers to hone their skills. Stay away from that 1-inning Closer track! His numbers went from solid to fantastic, even getting 9 Saves despite the multi-inning role:
6-2, 1.36, 66.1 IP, 14.38 K/9, 2.04 BB/9, 41 G, 9 Saves.
Scouts and prospect sites were still not impressed with his stuff seeing the same small size, soft fastball and flat slider. Either the Giants saw something the scouts and prospect watchers didn't or they just let him keep rising to his ceiling based on performance. Either way, credit to the organization.
2008 is when things really took off and he made it all the way to his MLB debut. He also moved into more of a 1-inning Closer track role:
Sergio was a great Giant. I am sure he will eventually be on the Giants' wall of fame. He wrote a touching letter to fans. This is the site: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/sergio-romo-san-francisco-giants-mlb-baseball I still remember that strike 3 fastball on Miguel Cabrera and the pure joy that Sergio always exhibited. I am glad he is retiring with a Giants' jersey on his back. APGiantsfan
ReplyDeletewonderful memories
ReplyDeleteThat strike three to Cabrera was the most ballsy pitch I’ve ever seen and it was the perfect time for it. My frustrations with Giants management are always calmed a bit when I see them do stuff like this. Romo looked like he would get lit up in the men’s league I play in but to give him that final chance to retire after his last outing like that was pretty sweet. Great job Giants for doing something really cool that you didn’t have to do. For the second highest revenue team in the MLB last year it’s the least they can do since they can’t seem to find any above average players willing to take that money to stay here more than a year! Maybe stuff like this will persuade a few to come and stick around eventually :/
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories. What a great story. I'll never forget the strike 3 fastball to Miguel Cabrera!
ReplyDeleteI so wish that he would've gotten to do his little fist pumping dance last night. I did think it was cool that they had Hunter Pence come and get him from the mound.
ReplyDeleteI was at the game last night. Bummer final score, but it was fun to see Schmidt, Sabol, Matos, Wilson, and of course, Romo. When Stripling started struggling early, the “bring Romo in now!” jeering began, in what was obviously jest, but felt a tad a earnest, in all honesty. I could feel the fans general frustrations with the state of the team in their half-joking cat-calls.
ReplyDeleteThe final score was 12-6. The game started at 6:45pm, I was back in Walnut Creek by 10:30. Hey, this pitch clock thing might not be so bad… that being said, giving Sergio not one, but TWO violations while he was taking in his moment on the mound is appalling behavior on the umpires’ part, in my opinion. Let alone botching the call at 2nd. I didn’t expect Romo to carve through the (very weak) A’s lineup, but it was a bummer that he couldn’t go out on a better performance for the orange and black. That being said, last night wasn’t about what he did in that game, it was about what he did for us in many other more important games.
Truly a legend and when I talk to non-baseball fans around the Bay Area, even they know Sergio Romo’s name. Cheers to your retirement, Sergio. Thanks for all the memories!
An 89MPH FB was all he needed... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjtoh8hlZEU
ReplyDeleteDuring his first call up I was waiting for him to get figured out. No way this one trick pony would have long term success. Then he just kept going. What a great Giant.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I'll always remember about Romo is he loved to catch the ceremonial first pitch before the game. This is the kind of fluff PR task I'm guessing most players dread, but Sergio absolutely embraced it with joy! He always made the person who threw the pitch feel awesome with bubbly excitement and joy! He loved the fans, appreciated everything he'd earned through such hard work. I appreciate him as a person WAY more than I do as a player. And, c'mon, as everyone here has pointed out, Strike 3, right down the middle to Cabrera. He was absolutely a delight to watch when his no-dot slider was working. Best wishes to Sergio!!!
ReplyDelete