Category: Jorge Campillo (Page 1 of 3)

I used to so be into Jorge Campillo, it was a little obsession of mine. He was a great Mexican junkballer, that the Mariners for some reason kept in the minors. And there’s nothing cooler in baseball than a junkballer. Even a stupid knuckleballer, though people can’t seem to stop writing about them. Just my thing, I guess.

But, since he was an Atlanta pitcher, not a Mariners minor leaguer, I gave up the obsession.

But, now he’s a pretty good Atlanta pitcher, going 2-1 over 54 innings so far with a 2.14 ERA. He’s going to face down our 100 pitch a night millionaire pitcher Bedard, who is 4-4 with a plus 4 ERA.

I’m not hoping Jorge wins, I’m hoping he leaves the game ahead. I never hope the Mariners lose, but I hope they get a chance to see Jorge pitch well and to realize what they lost.

For old time sakes, here’s all my old Jorge Campillo posts.

Larry LaRue writes about the technical aspects of Jorge Campillo being sent back to Tacoma. Only on paper, I assume Jorge is back home in Mexico right now.

Even though I’m not much for watching Mariners lately (too many MLS, EPL, World Cup and Eufa Champions League games recorded), I did watch the few innings that Jorge pitched a couple of days ago. So, I was watching when he flattened Vlad the Destroyer with an inside pitch which resulted in his four game suspension. Crap.

I’m just noting the suspension and that this guy has very little luck when called up to the big team. Two years ago he suffered a near career ending injury while pitching his first major league start and now this. I also agree with John Hickey of the PI that the punishment was too severe.

Its easier to suspend a long reliever with no track record than one of the top five hitters in the league on a play off team, I guess.

Although, there is something to be said about the LaRussa rule that may have been in effect during the game. Johjima had been hit earlier in the game, so it might have been up to Campillo to hit back.

These aren’t your daddy’s Cardinals
Tony LaRussa’s World Series Ethics

I know many of you have been wondering when I was going to write something about the promotion of the Mexican junkballer to the big team. So, here it is.

During spring training and into the regular season, I was tracking Jorge. He seemed to have a his ups and down: going from an explosion of an outing (couldn’t seem to find an out) to finally settling into a groove. Towards the end of the summer in Tacoma, he even dropped down below a 3.00 ERA.

And, now that the Mariners season is just about gone (not much a chance for a post season) they finally bring up Jorge. He missed most of the fight, and as a long reliever, he won’t have much of a chance to contribute. Maybe he can use this opportunity to fight for a starting spot next year.

With starters dropping like flies in Seattle (Weaver gone, Ramirez down), the Ms look like they’re going to call up a new starter any time now. From the M’s own scouting page on Tuesday’s game against the Angels:

Mariners: While the Mariners have yet to announce who will replace Horacio Ramirez, who went on the disabled list on Friday with left shoulder tendinitis, Campillo is a leading candidate. He went seven innings for Triple-A Tacoma in a no-decision on Thursday against Las Vegas, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five. The 29-year-old Campillo, who made his Major League debut Sept. 26, 2006, with Seattle, is 2-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 10 starts with Tacoma. He has walked 19 and struck out 42 in 62 1/3 innings.

Detect-o-vision provided the link, and their readers provide a comment:

I don’t think there will be a big difference between Campillo and Feierbend right now, and I can’t wait to see Feier pitch in the big leagues. However, Jorge’s window of opportunity to prove himself with this organization is very, very small so I hope he gets the call. If he doesn’t start next Tuesday, he won’t get another chance with the M’s ever again unless a third guy goes down this year.

Which is right, I hope he gets his chance now. And, if he’s gas arm Jorge, then I’ll settle for that when he’s released. But, its better he gets his chance as a starter now and we just really find out what he’s worth.

You might have noticed that I haven’t written all that much since the first few weeks of the season about our friend Campillo, but its mostly been because when I have noticed him, its been gas arm time, which isn’t very encouraging. But, he has had some quality starts. Let’s hope one of those comes on Tuesday.

Good talk:

Jorge Campillo and Ryan Feierabend have been capable, though not necessarily blow-away arms that demand to get called up. Jorge Campillo’s 20/10 K:BB in 30 innings indicates a heavy reliance on his defense, and his 2.70 ERA will inevitably rise by about a run as he continues.

While Jeff Weaver implodes in Seattle, Jorge Campillo out duels the prize jewel of the Giants organization. While I heard very little about Jorge during spring training, the blogs are starting to buzz with Campillo in Seattle talk:

I love Campillo; when we last were talking past M’s scouts about him, they didn’t. I dunno if they’ve about-faced on him. I doubt it.

Jorge has 3 starts so far, two against Tim Lincecum, has an ERA of 2+ and good peripherals. More to the point, he has about as good a parachute change as I have ever seen on a RHP, a true Trevor Hoffman-level change, one that keeps muscle-bound roiders off his butt. And he is more than willing to compete with that change-speed arsenal.

When we last checked, Mike Hargrove did not buy into Jorge Campillo, to say the least. Is he tired enough of Jeff Weaver yet, that you could talk to him about Campillo? You tell me :- )

I also like how the News Tribune mentions Campillo in the last graph, though he basically beat the subject of the story.

Jorge Campillo pitched in Fresno last night against a phenom, so its not so bad that he was on the losing side of a 2-0 loss. Two games so far in the minors, 13 innings, 2.77 ERA. Not bad considering the M’s pitching staff outside of King Felix and Washburn seems to be falling apart.

USS Mariner seemed to be mocking Jorge’s wicked fast fastball.
McCovey Chronicles, which went to Fresno for the game, had kind words.