JAWS and the 2023 Hall of Fame Ballot: Bronson Arroyo

The next article is a part of Jay Jaffe’s ongoing have a look at the candidates on the BBWAA 2023 Corridor of Fame poll. For an in depth introduction to this yr’s poll, and different candidates within the sequence, use the device above; an introduction to JAWS will be discovered right here. For a tentative schedule, and an opportunity to fill out a Corridor of Fame poll for our crowdsourcing mission, see right here. All WAR figures discuss with the Baseball-Reference model except in any other case indicated.

Together with his wiry body, Rockette-like leg kick, and flowing blond locks — as soon as upon a time, braided into cornrows — Bronson Arroyo definitely minimize a memorable determine on the mound. The tall right-hander (sources ranged between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-5) made only one All-Star crew whereas spending components of 16 seasons within the majors from 2000–17, however he established himself as one of many sport’s most sturdy workhorses whereas pitching for a number of contenders, first in Boston, the place he was a part of the drought-ending 2004 champions (and the final participant energetic from that crew), after which in Cincinnati.

Arroyo didn’t have dominant stuff. Actually, based mostly on information going again to 2002 from Baseball Data Options, his common fastball velocity by no means cracked 90 mph, however the mixture of his breaking and offspeed pitches and the deception produced by his supply and variable launch factors helped him produce loads of delicate contact. He was among the many sport’s finest at producing pop ups and suppressing batting common on balls in play.

A willingness to improvise helped. “Possibly I’ve by no means thrown a fricking sidearm changeup, however what, I can’t get this m———– out, so I’m going to throw him a sidearm changeup and get him out,” Arroyo advised Sports activities Illustrated’s Ben Reiter in 2013. “To be trustworthy with you, there ain’t many individuals who’ve ever performed this sport who’re going to maintain up with me mentally, selecting hitters aside with the s— that I’ve.”

And Arroyo was an absolute workhorse. From 2004-14, he made 369 consecutive begins, recording no less than 32 begins and 199 innings every season whereas avoiding the disabled record within the center 9 of these years. From 2004-13, solely CC Sabathia exceeded Arroyo’s 199 high quality begins. A double whammy of arm accidents ended that run, and surgical procedures to restore his torn ulnar collateral ligament and labrum knocked him out of the majors for almost three full years, however he made a comeback that was spectacular in its doggedness if not its outcomes.

Bronson Anthony Arroyo was born on February 24, 1977 in Key West, Florida, to oldsters Gus and Julie Arroyo. Gus, a Cuban emigré, labored as a roofer and competed as a powerlifter, bench-pressing as a lot as 440 kilos. Although missing a baseball background, and initially proof against his five-year-old son’s want to play T-ball, he signed as much as coach as quickly as Bronson took to the game. Gus felt he might finest assist his son succeed by means of power coaching, and had him carbo-loading and lifting almost each day with a concentrate on strengthening his legs and again. At eight years previous, Bronson might squat 250 kilos; he credited the power and sturdiness he confirmed throughout his profession to the routine he developed along with his father.

The household moved to Brooksville as Arroyo grew up. At age 13, he pitched and performed shortstop on a Pony League crew coached by his father, with future main leaguer A.J. Pierzynski serving as his catcher. At Hernando Excessive Faculty, Arroyo earned all-state honors in baseball and starred in basketball as nicely; tendinitis in his elbow hampered him throughout his senior yr however he hit .380 as a shortstop. Turning down gives from Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern, he signed a letter of intent to pitch for the College of South Florida, however when the Pirates selected him within the third spherical of the 1995 draft, he signed for a $125,000 bonus.

The 18-year-old Arroyo started his skilled profession with the Pirates’ Gulf Coast League affiliate in 1995, and climbed the ladder methodically, one stage per yr. He had an enormous season at Excessive-A Lynchburg in 1997 (3.31 ERA, 6.8 Ok/9 in 160.1 innings) however was rocked for a 5.46 ERA at Double-A Carolina the following yr whereas lacking time because of a number of accidents. It was in Double-A that the Pirates tried to get Arroyo to ditch his leg kick, which he had discovered whereas making an attempt to mimic Dwight Gooden, although the place Gooden lifted his knee excessive, Arroyo stored his leg stiff, “as if it’s the minute hand on a watch pointed at 10 o’clock.” The change didn’t take.

“I actually didn’t understand it was such a special leg kick than anybody else’s till I began seeing it on movie within the rookie league,” Arroyo stated in 2010. “Like in highschool, I knew I had a good excessive leg kick, however in my thoughts my foot isn’t on the market. In my thoughts, my leg is in the identical place everybody else’s is.” He did forgo the kick whereas pitching from the stretch. (For extra on Arroyo’s leg kick, together with a visible comparability with Gooden, see Eno Sarris’ 2017 piece.)

Arroyo spent components of 1999 and 2000 at Triple-A Nashville, then was known as as much as the Pirates. He made his main league debut on June 13, 2000, yielding 10 hits and 5 runs to the Braves whereas putting out only one batter (Javy Lopez). In 12 begins and eight aid appearances totaling 71.2 innings, he was cuffed for a 6.40 ERA. He break up 2001 and ’02 between the rotation, the bullpen, and Nashville as nicely; by means of three seasons, he compiled a 5.44 ERA (84 ERA+) and 4.97 FIP in 187 innings on the main league stage. Command was an issue, as he walked 4.1 hitters per 9 in that span. “Arroyo is mainly a right-hander with a marginal left-hander’s repertoire,” wrote Baseball Prospectus in 2003. “He has an excellent perspective, respectable management, and a usable sinker, however he doesn’t have sufficient of something to achieve success within the rotation.” Even the lowly Pirates have been coming to that conclusion; in February, they positioned him on waivers.

The Purple Sox claimed the now-26-year-old righty, stashing him at Triple-A Pawtucket, the place issues got here collectively; he posted a 3.43 ERA with 9.3 strikeouts and 1.4 walks per 9 in 149.2 innings. On August 11, 2003, he threw the fourth excellent sport in Worldwide League historical past, putting out 9 and needing solely 101 pitches. Two weeks later, he was within the majors, changing Casey Fossum on the Purple Sox roster. He made six aid appearances, 5 of no less than three innings; in 17.1 complete innings, he struck out 14 and pitched to a 2.08 ERA. The crew noticed sufficient to incorporate him on its postseason roster; idle through the Division Collection in opposition to the A’s, he made three appearances out of the bullpen within the ALCS in opposition to the Yankees, permitting one run (a solo homer by Jorge Posada in Recreation 6) in 3.1 innings.

The Purple Sox misplaced in seven by way of Aaron Boone’s house run, however Arroyo had earned a spot within the image, and the next spring beat out sore-shouldered Byung-Hyun Kim for the fifth starter job behind Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, and Derek Lowe. He rose to the event, posting a 4.03 ERA (120 ERA+) and three.82 FIP in 178.2 innings, good for two.6 WAR. He led the AL with 20 hit-by-pitches, none extra memorable than a July 24 plunking of Alex Rodriguez within the left shoulder. After the slugger jawed at Arroyo on his method right down to first base, catcher Jason Varitek interceded, touching off a bench-clearing brawl from which the pitcher emerged unscathed, although he did get roughed up for eight runs in 5.2 innings.

Within the 2004 postseason, Arroyo turned in a six-inning, two-run begin in Recreation 3 of the Division Collection in opposition to the Angels; the bullpen surrendered a 6-2 lead after he departed however the Sox received in 10 innings to finish the sweep. He lasted simply two-plus innings in Recreation 3 of the ALCS in opposition to the Yankees; Rodriguez hit an RBI double and solo homer off him, and he was charged with six runs because the Purple Sox have been pushed to the brink of elimination. He returned to throw a scoreless tenth inning within the epic 14-inning Recreation 5, then was concerned in a weird play within the eighth inning of Recreation 6, after Schilling and his bloody sock departed. With one out and Derek Jeter on first, Rodriguez hit a dribbler in direction of first base, then deliberately slapped the ball out of the hand of Arroyo, who had fielded it. Amid the confusion, Jeter got here round to attain, showing to drag the Yankees inside one, however the run was worn out and Rodriguez known as out for interference after the umpires conferred.

The Purple Sox received the sport, then accomplished their comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit to advance to the World Collection. Arroyo made two aid appearances through the sweep of the Cardinals, most notably surrendering a two-run lead within the sixth inning of Recreation 1 by way of back-to-back doubles by Edgar Renteria and Larry Walker, however escaping the jam by putting out Albert Pujols.

Capitalizing on the championship and his personal musical inclination and connections, in 2005 Arroyo launched an album, Overlaying the Bases, wherein he performed songs by Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Goo Goo Dolls, and the Standells, whose “Soiled Water” way back grew to become a Boston anthem. Extra importantly from a baseball standpoint, he reached the 200-inning plateau for the primary time that yr, however his ERA ballooned to 4.51 (101 ERA+) and his strikeout price plummeted (from 18.6% to 11.4%); nonetheless, his season was stable sufficient to be price 2.5 WAR.

In January 2006, Arroyo signed a three-year, $11.25 million extension, however simply earlier than the top of spring coaching, the Purple Sox traded him to the Reds straight up for Wily Mo Peña, an outfielder of unimaginable uncooked energy… and the flexibility to offset that energy along with his iron glove. In 2005, Peña had homered 19 occasions in 335 plate appearances whereas compiling -20 DRS and -1.1 WAR.

Although Cincinnati’s Nice American Ball Park was no picnic for pitchers, Arroyo broke out. Main the league with 35 begins and 240.2 innings, he posted a 3.29 ERA (good for fourth within the NL, and a 142 ERA+) and restored his strikeout price to 18.6%. All advised, his 6.8 WAR was good for second within the league, 0.2 behind Cy Younger winner Brandon Webb; Arroyo was shut out within the voting, however did make his solely All-Star crew, and threw a scoreless inning within the sport. As for Peña, he had a 0.6 WAR season for Boston, adopted by a -0.9 WAR half-season earlier than being traded to Washington.

On the finish of his profession in 2017, Arroyo advised the Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman that in 2006, Purple Sox normal supervisor Theo Epstein “known as me and stated, ‘Bronson, I simply wish to let you know you’re having a incredible yr, and I can’t stroll down the road with out someone screaming out of the automotive, ‘Why within the hell did you commerce Arroyo?’”

In February 2007, Arroyo signed a two-year-plus-option extension for $25 million masking the ’09 and ’10 seasons. A 40-point leap in BABIP (from .273 to .313) contributed to a 4.23 ERA, almost a full run greater than the yr earlier than. Thus started a four-year stretch throughout which he was one thing of a deluxe League Common Innings Muncher; over that span, Arroyo averaged 212 innings with a 4.17 ERA (104 ERA+), 4.62 FIP, and a couple of.5 WAR.

The Reds, in the meantime, have been in a rut, however after 9 straight sub-.500 seasons — together with the primary two (2008 and ’09) of Dusty Baker’s managerial tenure — they received 91 video games and the NL Central in 2010. An in any other case typical Arroyo season (3.88 ERA, 104 ERA+, 4.62 FIP, 2.4 WAR) seemed flashier because of a 17-10 document that bought netted him a down-ballot Cy Younger point out; he additionally received a Gold Glove. He wobbled by means of his Division Collection Recreation 2 begin in opposition to the Phillies, permitting 4 hits, three walks, and three runs (just one earned) in 5.1 innings; the Reds misplaced that sport and have been swept.

The Reds picked up Arroyo’s $11.5 million possibility for 2011, and shortly afterwards, the 2 sides restructured his contract, this time a three-year, $35 million deal masking ’11-13 and together with $15 million of deferred cash. Although he stored his consecutive begins streak intact, the 2011 season was a battle for Arroyo, who “battled Valley Fever, mononucleosis and a case of the whooping cough that precipitated him to lose 17 kilos,” in line with ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. His 5.07 ERA was his worst since his Pittsburgh days, even after reducing it by half a run over the ultimate two months. With a shutout in his penultimate begin after which an eight-inning, 125-pitch effort in his closing one, he fell only one inning wanting the 200 mark.

More healthy and higher in a position to keep away from the lengthy ball, Arroyo rebounded with a 3.79 ERA in 202 innings in 2012. Together with Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, and Homer Bailey, he was one in every of 4 Reds starters to make no less than 32 begins and attain 200 innings; no different quartet has accomplished such a feat since 2006. Even fifth starter Mike Leake made 30 begins with 179 innings, and that quintet accounted for all however one of many crew’s begins because the Reds cruised to 97 wins and one other NL Central title. Arroyo pitched a gem in his Division Collection Recreation 2 begin in opposition to the Giants, permitting only one hit and one stroll in seven shutout innings whereas putting out 4; the Reds received a 9-0 laugher however misplaced the sequence in 5 video games.

After another carbon-copy season (3.79 ERA, 202 innings, 2.2 WAR) wherein he helped the Reds earn a Wild Card berth (they misplaced), Arroyo grew to become a free agent for the primary time. He signed a two-year, $23.5 million take care of the Diamondbacks, and regardless of a notable dip in his common fastball velocity, from 87.2 mph to 85.4 mph, pitched kind of as much as his normal for 14 begins. Sadly, elbow tendinitis ended his consecutive begin streak — second amongst energetic pitchers to Mark Buehrle’s 443 straight on the time — in mid-June, and he quickly underwent Tommy John surgical procedure.

Whereas rehabbing, Arroyo was traded twice in June 2015, first to the Braves together with Touki Toussaint in trade for Phil Gosselin, after which as a part of a three-team, 14-player blockbuster to the Dodgers. The sophisticated deal moved quite a lot of dangerous contracts round; Arroyo continued his rehab however by no means pitched for the Dodgers. A free agent once more, he signed with the Nationals, however made simply two appearances for his or her Gulf Coast League affiliate in 2016 earlier than being recognized with a torn labrum and present process one other season-ending surgical procedure.

Nonetheless prepared to strive a comeback at age 40, he signed a minor league take care of the Reds in February 2017 and made the crew out of spring coaching. The Cardinals hit him for six runs in 4 innings in his first begin on April 8, however even getting again on a serious league mound was a triumph. He had three begins of six innings and two runs allowed, plus just a few others that have been satisfactory, however with a fastball averaging simply 84 mph, tough outings have been the norm. After a three-inning, five-run begin in opposition to the Dodgers raised his ERA to 7.35, he conceded that ongoing shoulder ache would possibly put his profession in “checkmate,” including, “That would have been the final time I used to be on the sphere.”

Certainly, whereas he went on the injured record, that was the final time Arroyo pitched. In late September, he introduced his retirement.

Like 11 of the opposite first-time candidates on this poll, Arroyo received’t be heading to Cooperstown, and it’s potential he might not obtain a single vote (not one of the first 168 ballots within the Tracker have included any of these dozen names). Nonetheless, given the path the sport has gone in favoring excessive velocity, it’s price appreciating what he completed. He’s one in every of six pitchers with no less than 2,000 innings since 2002 whose fastball velocity averaged lower than 88 mph, and is tied with fellow one-and-done candidate Jered Weaver at 87.8; present candidates Mark Buehrle (85.6) and R.A. Dickey (84.8, however after all primarily a knuckleballer) are two of those under him. Like Weaver and the harder-throwing Matt Cain, Arroyo pops up on that interval’s leaderboards of pitchers finest at producing infield fly balls (his 12.2% is in a digital tie with Cain for fourth), suppressing BABIP (.280, sixth) and undercutting his FIP (-0.38, third). As I’ve already run the BABIP leaderboard for Cain and Weaver, right here the ERA-FIP differential one:

Success on the mound is available in all sizes and shapes, and we will thank Arroyo for including a particular kick to that reminder.