The Kyle Drabek era gets underway Wednesday night in Baltimore but it's not a make-or-break start.
In just over 24 hours, we'll see what all the fuss is about.
In a season where starting pitching and home runs have dominated what was supposed to be a rebuilding season, the Kyle Drabek debut is almost here. Drabek is the crown jewel of the off-season trade between the Phillies and Blue Jays, which allowed Roy Halladay to finally get a long-awaited chance to pitch in meaningful games in September.
The 22-year-old will make his Major League debut at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Wednesday night, fresh off a 14-9 full season with New Hampshire (AA). Drabek will toe the rubber in the same town that his own father Doug pitched in his first season as a member of the 1986 New York Yankees - 16 months before young Kyle was born. His dad pitched four no-hit innings on that night against the likes of Cal Ripken Jr., Eddie Murray and Rick Dempsey. Kyle won't face any Orioles of that ilk but a debut is still a special night and his father is expected to be in attendance.
So what should we expect from this can't-miss prospect? Well, his arsenal contains five pitches - four-seam fastball, above-average curve, change-up, a two-seam fastball, and a work-in-progress slider. He is mechanically sound with a delivery midway between over the top and three-quarters. Based upon his body language and demeanour, I don't think confidence is going to be a problem, as is the case with most young players with his pedigree.
If all goes well, Drabek is scheduled to make two more starts before the season ends as part of a six-man rotation: both at the Rogers Centre, against the Mariners and then Yankees.
Consider this a three-start audition for what appears to be, barring a trade, the final open spot in the Jays 2011 rotation. Shaun Marcum, Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil and Brandon Morrow are locks, with Drabek, the fading Marc Rzepczynski, Jesse Litsch and Brad Mills vying for the final spot.
Based upon what we've seen from the latter three young starters this appears to be Drabek's to lose. Rzepczynski's inability to replicate his pitching motion means he'll probably be considered as a long man out of the bullpen. Litsch, with his continuing health concerns and the fact that he never looks like he's in very good shape, may have missed out on his opportunity to stick with the team. Meanwhile, Mills might be best served as a reliever in a bullpen that will have a decidedly different look next spring.
So, for Drabek this is not a make-or-break start, just a chance to get his debut out of the way in a low pressure environment. Yes, expectations are high based on his promise, and how he handles the weight of that will be interesting to witness. All indications are he'll be up to the task.
BIRDS OF A DIFFERENT FEATHER
What a difference a managerial change can make. The Baltimore Orioles look like a completely different team under Buck Showalter than they did under Dave Trembley and Juan Samuel as they stumbled out to a 32-73 mark. While they still sit 31.5 games behind the front-running Rays heading into Tuesday's action, they have posted the American League's second-best record at 24-15 since Showalter arrived. The most notable difference is how much harder the Orioles are playing.
It's funny how the fear of losing your job can get people's attention. Word around Baltimore is that no one's job is safe and this final month everyone is being evaluated. Showalter has long been considered one of the game's brightest minds and while his micro-managing has cost him to lose jobs with the Yankees and Diamondbacks, he does make everyone accountable, something that was sorely missing as the Orioles went from perennial playoff contenders to doormats in just over a decade.
