Again in August, my colleague Ben Clemens crafted an article titled Wait, Zack Littell is a Starter Now?! It was an apt headline. Not solely had the 27-year-old right-hander been DFA’d by the Pink Sox a number of months earlier — Boston having been his third group in as a few years, and his sixth total — he’d logged a 4.08 ERA over 145 big-league appearances, all however 4 out of the bullpen, with simply three saves. As Clemens identified, Littell “wasn’t even a dominant reliever.”
After all, this was the Tampa Bay Rays who’d moved him into their rotation. A lot for that purpose, Clemens certified his skepticism by saying, “What else can we do however wait and see the outcomes?”
The outcomes have remained largely constructive. Littell has a not-so-great 6.75 ERA in 14 appearances out of the bullpen this 12 months, however in the identical variety of outings as a starter his ERA is 3.41. Furthermore, he’s persistently gone five-plus innings. As Rays beat author Marc Topkin advised me for an article that ran right here at FanGraphs on Friday. the under-the-radar righty “has mainly saved the beginning rotation.”
How did the chance come about?
“It was sort of an ideal storm,” stated Littell. “We had guys taking place with accidents and I used to be already beginning to get stretched out, in order that they introduced it to me. They requested how I felt about it, and clearly I used to be all-in.”
An expanded repertoire — “I’ve 5 pitches now, versus the three I had earlier than” — was additionally a part of the equation. Augmenting the improved pitch combine was a transfer from the third-base facet of the slab to the first-base facet of the slab.
“He added the sweeper,” defined Tampa Bay pitching coach Kyle Snyder. “He added a two-seamer. The cutter… we moved him all the best way over to the glove facet of the rubber to permit his launch level to be considerably à la Oliver Drake. That allowed his stuff to stay within the zone longer.”
Littell started throwing a sweeper across the All-Star break — this a number of months after the Rays claimed him off of waivers — partially as a result of efforts to enhance his previous slider weren’t bearing fruit. Snyder advised the brand new grip, advised him to throw the pitch as laborious as he may, and the remainder is historical past. It’s grow to be one in all his finest pitches.
For Littell, his surprising breakthrough is proof that what you see isn’t essentially what you’re going to get. Gamers can and do evolve.
“You develop a repute after you’ve performed within the main leagues just a little bit,” stated Littell. “You’re any such pitcher, whether or not it’s a sinker-ball man, a carry man, a command man, a strikeout man. No matter. I’ve additionally sort of been in a ship the place it’s ‘He’s a reliever.’ That is an instance of how growth by no means actually stops, regardless of how lengthy you’ve been doing it. In 5 extra years I’ll most likely be a very completely different pitcher than I’m as we speak, identical to I’m a very completely different pitcher now than I used to be 5 years in the past. I’m adapting with the sport, which is one thing that can at all times go on.”
Snyder agrees with these sentiments.
“I feel there are most likely extra alternatives on the market for guys reminiscent of himself, and for Jeffrey Springs, to transition lengthy after they’ve been labeled a failed starter,” stated the pitching coach. “You do need to be accountable doing it, particularly in the course of the season, and the depth of the connection issues. You want transparency by way of the best way he feels. I requested him when the final time was that he historically began a sport, and he stated 2019. I then requested if he’d be open to doing it, and he stated 100%.”
Littell’s earlier expertise as a starter features a pair of profitable seasons within the minors. In 2016, he went 13-6 with a 2.66 ERA between Low-A and Excessive-Some time within the Seattle Mariners group. The next 12 months he went 20-1 (together with a postseason begin) with a 2.12 ERA between Excessive-A and Double-Some time within the New York Yankees system. It made sense that he would bounce on the alternative Snyder introduced him with. On the identical time, his prime priorities had been to put on a big-league uniform and assist the Tampa Bay Rays win baseball video games.
“Most guys need to be starters, however it’s not one thing the place I used to be considering, ‘Man, I’d moderately be beginning,’” stated Littell. “It’s at all times been about what retains you within the main leagues, and I’d been doing it as a reliever. I’ve clearly bounced round, so I’ve been attempting to carry a job, no matter it’s. However beginning is one thing I’ve missed doing. It’s fairly enjoyable. I don’t need to say that I assumed it was off the desk eternally, however if you happen to’d have advised me that originally of the 12 months that I’d be beginning for a contender, in September, I most likely would have referred to as you loopy. But right here we’re.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Hubie Brooks went 11 for 19 towards Rick Honeycutt.
Mandy Brooks went 3 for six towards Dazzy Vance.
Bobby Brooks went 3 for five towards Jim Rooker.
Kevin Pillar went 2 for 3 towards Brooks Pounders.
Brooks Robinson went 36 for 91 towards Camilo Pascual.
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Andy Freed is a Maryland native who grew up rooting for the Baltimore Orioles. I lately requested the radio voice of the Tampa Bay Rays who his favourite participant was again in these adolescence.
“It’s not distinctive — I feel everyone liked him as a result of he so good — however it was Eddie Murray,” stated Freed. ”The rationale I liked Eddie Murray a lot is that the primary sport I ever went to, on August 9, 1979, towards Milwaukee, he homered. It was the primary homer I noticed in individual, and one thing about it was simply superb. It may have been Kiko Garcia hitting it. It may have been Rick Dempsey. But it surely occurred to be Eddie Murray, and since he hit that dwelling run I sort of fell in love with Eddie. I’ve by no means met him to today, though I’ve at all times needed to. I like the possibility sometime to only to say hiya.”
Freed did get to say hiya to Brooks Robinson, who died earlier this week at age 88. The Corridor of Fame third baseman had moved into the Orioles broadcast sales space by the point the now-Tampa Bay broadcaster fell in love with baseball, and it was in that function he grew to become an admired determine for Freed. He paid homage to the Baltimore icon on social media upon listening to of his dying.
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A quiz:
Robin Yount is the Milwaukee Brewers franchise chief in complete bases, extra-base hits, doubles, and RBIs. Which former Brewer ranks behind Yount in every of those classes?
The reply may be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
Tyler Clippard introduced his retirement earlier this week. Some of the under-appreciated relievers of our era, the 38-year-old right-hander logged 56 wins, 74 saves, and a 3.16 ERA — in addition to a .241 BABIP — over 807 appearances. Solely 50 pitchers in MLB historical past have taken the mound extra occasions.
Danny Morris, who pitched in three video games for the Minnesota Twins in every of the 1968 and 1969 seasons, died on September 23 at age 77. A local of Greenville, Kentucky, the right-hander went 0-2 with a 2.81 ERA over 16 innings.
Dick Beverage, a famend Pacific Coast League historian — he’s within the PCL Corridor of Fame — and a former president of the Society for Baseball Analysis, died final weekend at age 87. Beverage obtained SABR’s highest honor, the Bob Davids Award, in 2013.
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The reply to the quiz is Ryan Braun. Should you guessed Paul Molitor, he ranks third in all 4 classes.
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Common readers of this column know that I’ve lately been asking MLB managers which opponents most impressed them this season. Final weekend, I addressed that query to a participant.
“That’s a straightforward one,” Chicago White Sox infielder Elvis Andrus replied to my query. “The Braves. It’s laborious to have just about the entire crew hitting like they’re, and taking part in the best way they’re, at such a excessive stage for the entire 12 months. What they’ve carried out is a big accomplishment.”
Most spectacular American League membership?
“One factor that sort of stunned me… perhaps not stunned, however you’ll be able to see an enormous bounce from final 12 months to this 12 months with the Texas Rangers,” Andrus stated of his former crew.” They invested and made some good baseball strikes. To me, these guys had been most just like Atlanta.”
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Katsuki Azuma is 16-2 with a 2.03 ERA for NPB’s Yokohama DeNa BayStars. The 27-year-old left-hander went eight scoreless innings in his final outing, a 1-0 DeNa win over the Yomiuri Giants.
Kohei Arihara is 10-4 with a 2.27 ERA for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The 31-year-old former Nippon-Ham Fighters right-hander returned to NPB this 12 months after pitching for the Texas Rangers in 2021 and 2022.
Kensuke Kondoh is slashing .298/.425/.524 with a career-high 25 dwelling runs for Fuluoka. The 30-year-old outfielder has a .414 OBP in a dozen NPB seasons.
Sócrates Brito is slashing .286/.349/.469 with 19 dwelling runs in his second season with NPB’s Kia Tigers. The 31-year-old, erstwhile MLB outfielder had 17 dwelling runs and a .311/.354/.494 slash line final 12 months.
The LG Twins, who at 80-51 have the circuit’s finest file, lead all KBO groups in runs scored, OBP, stolen bases, walks, and fewest strikeouts. They’re sixth within the 10-team league in dwelling runs.
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Junior Caminero has an opportunity to be a star. Presently having fun with a September cameo with the Tampa Bay Rays, the 20-year-old infielder is coming off of a minor-league marketing campaign the place he slashed a precocious .324/.384/.591 with 31 dwelling runs and a 156 wRC+ between Excessive-A Bowling Inexperienced and Double-A Montgomery. Described as “highly effective and explosive’ by our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen again in January, Caminero has since climbed to No. 11 on The Board, the place he boasts a 55 FV.
The gamers that Caminero most loved watching whereas rising up within the Dominican Republic are infielders with productive bats. Requested about his favorites previous to a current sport in Boston, he cited Hanley Ramirez and Manny Machado. He additionally stated that attending to play towards Rafael Devers at Fenway Park was “very cool.”
To what does he attribute his potential to do harm on the plate?
“I thank God for the expertise,” Caminero stated in response to my inquiry. “Typically I even take into consideration why I hit so good. However even with the gifted expertise I’ve, I do know that I nonetheless need to put within the laborious work.”
Does he think about himself an influence hitter?
“Sure,” stated Caminero, who’s 4-for-23 with a double in his cup of espresso. “I think about myself a house run hitter. An influence hitter.”
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FARM NOTES
Stiven Flores slashed .391/.456/.477 with one dwelling run and a 152 wRC+ in 147 plate appearances for the Chicago White Sox’ entry within the Dominican Summer time League. The 17-year-old catcher was signed out of Cumaná, Venezuela by the ChiSox in January.
Maick Collado had 12 sacrifice flies, probably the most within the minors. The 20-year-old nook infielder within the Cleveland Guardians system slashed .279/.367/.348 in 297 plate appearances with Low-A Lynchburg. He was an ideal 11-for-11 in stolen base makes an attempt.
Edwin Arroyo got here to the plate 554 occasions and didn’t floor right into a double play. The 20-year-old switch-hitting shortstop within the Cincinnati Reds system slashed .252/.324/.443 between Excessive-A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga.
Chase Petty posted a 1.72 ERA and a 2.32 FIP over18 outings between Dayton and Chattanooga. The 20-year-old right-hander threw 68 innings and didn’t enable a house run.
Manuel Mercedes had a 62.9% ground-ball fee, and surrendered simply two dwelling runs in 106-and-a-third innings, with Low-A San Jose. The 21-year-old (as of September 21) right-hander within the San Francisco Giants system had a 3.64 ERA and a 4.26 FIP.
Robby Snelling went 11-3 with a 1.82 ERA and a 3.07 FIP throughout Low-A Lake Elsinore, Excessive-A Fort Wayne, and Double-A San Antonio. The 19-year-old left-hander within the San Diego Padres system had 118 strikeouts in 103-and-two-thirds innings.
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Writing for Baseball America, the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier stated in July that then-17-year-old shortstop Yoeilin Cespedes “seems like one of many prime hitting prospects to come back by way of the [Red Sox] group’s academy since Rafael Devers a decade in the past.” Nothing has modified since that point. At season’s finish, Cespedes had a 145 wRC+ to go along with a .346/.392/.580 slash line and 6 dwelling runs in 209 Dominican Summer time League plate appearances. He was named Boston’s Latin Program Place Participant of the 12 months.
Cespedes was one in all seven minor-league award winners honored at Fenway Park this previous week, and among the many questions he fielded from the media was which participant he most tries to emulate. His reply was Xander Bogaerts, who “makes the sport look simple.” Cespedes is constructed in a different way than the Pink Sox-turned-Padres shortstop — he packs 185 kilos on his 5-foot-9 body — however they do share among the identical attributes. Perspective is amongst them. Requested how he’d describe his sport, the teenager stated, “Coronary heart and soul is how I play.” As for the way he’d describe himself as a hitter, he smiled and stated, “Tremendous good. Tremendous dangerous.”
In accordance with Pink Sox farm director Brian Abraham, the recently-turned-18-year-old is “athletic, sturdy, and superior for his age.” As his 6.7% stroll fee and 11.5% strikeout fee attest, he’s additionally aggressive on the plate.
“I feel a few of that’s the Dominican surroundings, which permits for a bigger strike zone and fewer of a possibility to work counts and look forward to pitches he needs to be aggressive on,.” reasoned Abraham. “That tends to occur, regardless of us pushing swing selections and strategy. However he has the data to enhance in that space, and he can undoubtedly affect the baseball.”
As for whether or not Cespedes may doubtlessly comply with within the footsteps of fellow Dominican Junior Caminero and attain the large leagues earlier than he can take a authorized drink stateside… let’s simply say he’s keen to dream.
“I solely know him from afar,” Cespedes stated of the up-and-coming slugger who was standing a number of hundred ft away close to Fenway Park’s visiting dugout. “However sure, in fact. [Seeing him here] is one thing that makes me assume, ‘If he can do it, I can do it.’
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
The Tampa Bay Rays are defying odds whereas emphasizing information and suggestions like no different crew. Bruce Schoenfeld has the story at Sports activities Enterprise Journal.
Good Beer Looking’s Bryan Roth wrote in regards to the baseball-and-beer lifetime of previous buddy Eno Sarris.
The Denver Publish revealed a four-part particular report on Colorado’s three a long time of mediocre baseball, and Purple Row’s Joelle Milholm subsequently weighed in on the significance of native sports activities journalism.
MLB.com’s Sara Langs gave us 12 superb Miggy stats and info.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl heads into the ultimate sport of the common season having not grounded right into a double play in 551 plate appearances. In 1968, Detroit Tigers second baseman Dick McAuliffe had 658 plate appearances with out grounding right into a double play. A 12 months earlier, he got here to the plate 675 occasions and grounded into simply two — the second of which not solely ended the ultimate sport of the season, it quashed the Tigers postseason hopes.
Adam Wainwright’s 4.90 Okay/9 this 12 months was the bottom amongst MLB pitchers who threw not less than 60 innings. The St. Louis Cardinals right-hander fanned 55 batters in 101 innings.
Jim Palmer gained 20 or extra video games in every of the 1975-1978 seasons. The Corridor of Fame right-hander had a 4.9 Okay/9 over that four-year span.
Chris Martin completed the season with a 1.05 ERA, the bottom amongst MLB pitchers who threw not less than 30 innings. The Boston Pink Sox reliever went 4-1 with three saves whereas showing in 55 video games and tossing 51-and-a-third innings.
John Dagenhard holds the MLB file for many profession innings pitched with a 0.00 ERA. The Magnolia, Ohio native labored 11 frames over two appearances for the Boston Braves in 1943. He received a win in his solely determination.
Babe Ruth made the final of his 163 pitching appearances on as we speak’s date in 1933 because the New York Yankees beat the Boston Pink Sox 6-5 on the ultimate day of the common season. The Bambino went the gap for the win and completed his profession 94-46 with a 2.28 ERA.
On as we speak’s date in 1952, Joe Black grew to become the primary Black pitcher to be credited with a World Collection win because the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 4-2 in Sport One among that 12 months’s Fall Basic. The best-hander had completed the common season — his first in MLB after six with the Negro Nationwide League’s Baltimore Elite Giants — with a file of 15-4 and a 2.15 ERA.
On as we speak’s date in 1976, Invoice Campbell was credited along with his seventeenth win of the season because the Minnesota Twins topped the Kansas Metropolis Royals 4-3. The best-handed reliever completed the 12 months 17-5 with 20 saves and a 3.01 ERA over a league-high 78 appearances comprising 167-and-two-thirds innings.
Gamers born on as we speak’s date embrace Buzz Capra, who was credited with 37 wins and 5 saves whereas pitching for the New York Mets from 1971-1973 and the Atlanta Braves from 1974-1977. The best-hander went 16-8 with an NL-best 2.28 ERA in 1974.
Additionally born on as we speak’s date was Alan Brice, whose big-league profession comprised three-and-a-third innings over three appearances with the Chicago White Sox in 1961. The best-hander went 0-1 with a 0.00 ERA, the loss coming courtesy of a Nellie Fox throwing error.
