*** Around the Minors - August 12th ***
From The My Sportsbook
by Nick Colangelo, Minor League Baseball Staff Writer
Philadelphia, PA - The role of a closer is one that takes a specific kind of individual to succeed. Their careers are based on the performance of an inning or two per appearance, and in most cases, the game is on the line. Those who excel prefer to have the ball in their hand at the most crucial of moments. A closer must rise to the occasion and relish the fact that the outcome of the game lies upon their efforts, otherwise, they will be out of a job in no time. So far this season, there are a few closers that have stood up to the challenge and performed their duties to the fullest. Throughout Minor League Baseball, some of these hurlers have been compiling saves and have been limiting opposing batters to minuscule results. The following is a list of players who have earned the confidence of their managers and teammates to slam the door shut when it counts.
RYAN SPEIER, TULSA - Speier has been lights out for the Tulsa Drillers, helping them earn the East Division title for the first half of the season. He has recorded a save in 34 of the Drillers 63 total wins thus far this year, and has yet to lose a game, with a record of 3-0. The 6-7 side-armer boasts an awesome 1.05 ERA, and has limited opposing hitters to just 20 hits in 51.1 innings, for a .116 average. He has also collected 59 strikeouts. Speier's 34 saves is not only tops in the Texas League, but the most in all of Minor League Baseball. He started off the season on fire, collecting eight saves in the month of April, and did not allow a run in his first 11 appearances. Speier was not on any top prospect lists before the season began, however his efforts have finally started to earn him some well-deserved recognition, including a spot on the East Division squad in the Texas League All-Star game. He holds an insurmountable 24-point lead atop the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year standings. The 24-year-old features a solid fastball and a dominating slider, which he throws in all counts. Undrafted out of Radford College, he was signed in July 2001 by Colorado after a stint in the Cape Cod League. With Shawn Chacon struggling with the Rockies, Speier may be throwing in Coors Field sooner than later.
BRAD BAKER, MOBILE - Baker, a former starting pitcher, stepped into the closer role for Mobile this year and has been dominating. He leads the Southern League with 27 saves thus far, and has been an important cog in the Mobile machine, helping the BayBears to a West Division first-place finish. Baker has allowed only nine earned runs, giving the lanky right-hander an ERA of just 1.69. He has also struck out 65 batters in 52.1 innings of work. With a record of 2-1, the 23-year-old hurler has held opponents to a .181 batting average in 51 appearances. Like Speier, Baker got off to a scorching start, collecting 10 saves in his first 16 appearances with an ERA of 0.00. A former first-round pick in 1999, Baker was acquired by San Diego in a 2002 trade with the Red Sox for relief pitcher Alan Embree. His performance thus far has earned him a Southern League All-Star appearance, as well as some speculation that he will join the big club's bullpen sooner than later.
DWAYNE POLLOK, WINSTON-SALEM - Pollok's numbers are not mind-blowing, but he has consistently sealed a number of wins for the Warthogs, who have a 28-18 second half record, and sit tied with Kinston atop the Southern Division in the Carolina League. Overall, Pollok has posted 28 saves, with a record of 2-2. In 48.2 innings of work, he has allowed 16 earned runs, struck out 41, and walked just six. Pollok has been dominant after a shaky start. Since June 5th, he has a record of 1-0, and has collected 18 saves with an ERA of 1.50. The 6-4, 200-pound righty was a 27th-round pick by the White Sox in the 2003 draft.
SANTIAGO RAMIREZ, ROUND ROCK - When you're a closer on a team that wins a lot, your obviously going to collect a good amount of saves. This can be said for Santiago Ramirez, who is in charge of shutting the door for Texas League powerhouse Round Rock. Ramirez had a roller coaster start to the season, posting nine saves in the first month of the season, but also suffering three losses. Since then, Ramirez has settled down to become one of the finest closers in the minors. He has collected 22 saves since May 6th, going 4-1 with a 2.28 ERA. He has struck out 51 batters in that span, and allowed just 12 earned runs in 47.1 innings. Ramirez was signed by the Astros in 1997 as a non-drafted free agent. This is the first time he has been a true closer since 1999, with Martinsville, formerly of the Appalachian League. His efforts this season earned him a spot on the West Division roster in the Texas League All-Star game.
TODD COFFEY, LOUISVILLE - Coffey was the closer for most of the year with Chattanooga, and did such a good job he earned a promotion to Triple-A Louisville on August 3rd. With Chattanooga, Coffey collected 20 saves with a 4-1 record and a 2.38 ERA. He also sported an incredible strikeout-to- walk ratio of 13-1, making him a no-brain selection for the Southern League All-Star game. The Reds organization took notice and gave him the nod to Louisville, where in five appearances, Coffey has picked up two saves. He had one bad outing in the first game of a doubleheader on August 7th, in which he allowed three runs in just 1/3rd of an inning, however he bounced back in game two, striking out two of the three batters he faced to pick up his first Triple-A save. At 6-5, 230, Coffey is an intimidating presence on the hill. He was picked in the 41st-round by Cincinnati in the 1998 draft. After spending 2000 on the shelf with an injury, Coffey slowly made his way through Rookie and Single-A ball. However, after dominating in the Southern League, Coffey may be making the jump to the bigs before too long.
EHREN WASSERMAN, KANNAPOLIS - Another closer in the White Sox system who has been putting up some impressive numbers, Wasserman leads the South Atlantic League with 28 saves, and has yielded just 14 earned runs in 53 innings, giving him an ERA of 2.38. Batters are hitting .223 off of him, and he has struck out 40. At 6-0, 185, some believe Wasserman needs to add weight and strength to increase the velocity on his pitches. Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2003, Wasserman has been a pleasant surprise. However, with Pollok collecting saves in Double-A, he may have wait his turn in the organization.
EDWARDO SIERRA, TAMPA - Sierra, a West Division All-Star, is the Florida State League leader in saves with 25. He has allowed 12 earned runs in 44.2 innings for a ERA of 2.42. Sierra has struck out 54, but has also been erratic at times, walking 38 and tossing six wild pitches. The 6-3 righty has helped propel the Yankees to a 26-20 second half mark, one game back in the West Division. A native of San Cristobal, DR, Sierra was picked up by the Yankees before the start of the season, after spending a few years in the Oakland organization.
JIM MILLER, TRI-CITY (NWL) - Time to give the short season some love. Miller has been lights out for Tri-City of the Northwest League collecting saves in 14 of the Dust Devils 28 wins. Miller has overpowered hitters, striking out 43 and has allowed opponents to hit just .155. The 6-1, 200-pound righty has surrendered just three runs in 24 innings. Miller's home record is astonishing, going 1-0 with five saves in 11 appearances with an ERA of zero. The East Division All-Star has struck out 22 while allowing just two hits and one walk in 11.1 innings at Tri-City Stadium. Overall, the Louisiana-Monroe alum has posted a 1-1 record, with an ERA of just 1.13.
