Tag: Ross Ohlendorf

Rangers’ Ross Ohlendorf and Red Sox’s Wade Miley Compete in Cow-Milking Contest

For those who claim baseball isn’t as exciting as football or basketball, answer this: When was the last time you saw a cow-milking contest prior to an NFL or NBA game?

Before the Red Sox took on the Rangers on Friday night, two pitchers— Boston’s Wade Miley and Texas’ Ross Ohlendorf—engaged in a good ol’ fashioned milk-off.

Fans and players crowded around as these two pitchers duked it out. Ohlendorf emerged victorious.

This isn’t the first time Texas has held a milk-off. Hopefully it won’t be the last.

[Vine, Instagram]

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Ross Ohlendorf and Jered Weaver: The Ups and Downs of MLB Arbitration

Baseball is just like any other profession—you should get paid what you deserve, and it should be based on your performance. Arbitration is one way that players can fight for the money they feel they deserve, and owners can try to keep every penny they can away from these players.

In the last two days we have seen a split decision in arbitration cases: a win for Ross Ohlendorf and a loss for Jered Weaver. Are these outcomes fair? Did each player get the respect and compensation he has earned? Let’s take a look.

Ross Ohlendorf, the No. 4 starter for the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates, won his arbitration hearing and will be making $2.025 million in 2011. This is a drastic increase from his 2010 salary of $413,500. The real question that lies behind all this is how did the 1-11 Ohlendorf not only win the arbitration hearing, but also increase his pay to five times the amount he was making last year?

The answer lies with the case that he presented. In 2010, Ohlendorf had an ERA of 4.07 and a WHIP approaching 1.40. Combine this with his 79 strikeouts, and we are not exactly looking at a No. 1 starter.

Combine this with the fact that he only had one win during the entire season, and you have to see that Ohlendorf made one heck of a case during this hearing. What are his points to fall back on? I had more wins than Will Ohman this year, so I should be a lock to win the hearing?

For whatever reason, the arbiter saw this case in favor of Ohlendorf, and he was awarded the money he “deserved.” Now, the Pirates—who have the second-lowest revenue in the MLB (only better than the Marlins)—are forced to give their No. 4 starter more than $2 million this year. Hopefully Ross can repay them with a two-win season.

Maybe next time he will avoid arbitration and take the offer of $1.4 million from the Pirates, be happy with that and go out and EARN his next contract. For a guy who spent time in the minors and was on the disabled list twice, I don’t think that is too much to ask.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jered Weaver has turned into a middle- to top-tier pitcher in the last few years. Sporting a 13-12 record for a disappointing Angels squad, Weaver won the major league strikeout title with 233 in the 2010 season. One of the lone bright spots for the Angels, Weaver without question deserved a raise from the $4.265 million he made last year.

Unlike Ohlendorf, Weaver had a real case and workload to back up his desire for $8.8 million instead of the $7.365 that was offered to him by the club. He had an ERA of 3.01 and was the best strikeout pitcher in the game—what more could the Angels ask for?

On a team that lost Kendry Morales due to a freak accident and struggled to find consistency all year, Weaver was someone who the Angels could count on every fifth day to do his best no matter how the rest of the team was performing. 

Out of these two players, which one seems to deserve the money? It is pretty clear to me that Weaver deserved to win his arbitration case over Ross Ohlendorf. Compare the stats side by side:

Weaver
13-12, 224.1 IP, 3.01 ERA, 233 K, 1.074 WHIP, All-Star, No. 1 starter

Ohlendorf
1-11, 108.1 IP, 4.07 ERA, 79 K, 1.380 WHIP, No. 4 starter

Both players were asking for approximately $1 million more than their clubs were offering; hopefully the next 10 hearings will award the money to the players who deserve it. All I know is that regardless of the money given out, I would much rather have Jered Weaver on my team than Ross Ohlendorf.

Here’s to a great season, and Jered Weaver again being the strikeout king, winning 15 games and giving a nice little “maybe I was worth the extra million dollars I wanted” to the Angels.

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Pittsburgh Pirates: Five Reasons To Be Optimistic In 2011

Yes, the word optimism and the Pittsburgh Pirates does not ordinarily fit into the same sentence, but their are a few reasons for the city of Pittsburgh to look for the light at the end of an 18-year-long tunnel.

The Pirates are coming off a 105 loss season, but with the additions of some veteran players and the continued development of the young players in the current lineup, the Pirates could be better this season. 

I am not saying the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to win the NL Central and make a Tampa Bay Rays-like run to the World Series, but with the right mentality, timely call-ups, and an acquisition or two, the 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates could be the group that get the infamous monkey off the organizations’ back.

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Pittsburgh Pirates: 10 Gifts on the Buccos’ Wish List

On a day where the Pirates made some minor moves by signing Garrett Atkins to a minor league deal, acquiring minor league shortstop Corey Wimberly from Oakland, claimed left-hander Aaron Thompson of waivers from Washington, and designated reliever Wil Ledezma for assignment, it’s time to take a different look at some of the Pirates needs.

It’s the holiday season, so just like everyone else, the Pirates have their wish list for Christmas.

Only time will tell if the Buccos have been naughty or nice.  Maybe some of their wishes can be granted.

So without any delay, lets look at the Top 10 items on the Pittsburgh Pirates Christmas list.

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Is Ross Ohlendorf the “Ace” of the Pittsburgh Pirates Rotation?

The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Ross Ohlendorf in the fourth round of the 2004 MLB draft. The scouting report on him at that time was:

Body Type: Strong as an Ox, thick muscular build.

Delivery: Low 3/4 arm. slow easy high leg kick with good hip rotation. Loose for his size.

Pitches: 89-92 mph fastball with occasional hard sink and bore. Can reach for extra and does it easy.

Small tilt to occasional tight slider.

Deceptive change with sink.

Command: Has improved.

Additional Notes: Same velocity from stretch, good athlete, Bulldog.

Ohlendorf made his major league debut with the New York Yankees on September 11, 2007 and appeared in six games for the Yankees, going 0-0 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.

In 2008 he struggled in 30 appearances with both the Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, going 1-4 with a 6.46 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP.

Last season he appeared to establish himself as a major league pitcher going 11-10 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

The latest scouting report on him is:

Body Type: Big strong body, workhorse

Delivery: Long 3/4 arm action. Has smoothed out his delivery some, but still pitches over a stiff front leg

Pitches: Heavy 90-94 mph fastball with good sink; works both sides.

Still developing a hard curveball with an in-between break.

Also developing a change-up with sinking movement. Will throw it back-to-back when he has a good feel for it.

This season Ohlendorf has pitched well. His 1-7 record does not reflect how well. With the exception of a three game stretch in June, he is 1-3 3.12 ERA. Even so, he is 1-7 and leads the rotation with a 4.22 ERA.

GO BUCS.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher Ross Ohlendorf No Longer in Command

Ross Ohlendorf finished very strong in 2009, leading the rotation in both ERA (3.92) and WHIP (1.23) while picking up 11 wins.

Nonetheless, the 2010 season began with some concerns. In spring training, he was inconsistent with his fastball and his pitches were flat. However, his first start of the regular season was encouraging; His fastball showed life and he maintained consistent velocity.

On Monday, April 12, new concerns surfaced. Ohlendorf was scratched from his scheduled start against the San Francisco Giants with back spasms and was later (April 17) placed on the 15-day DL.

He returned May 10 to throw four strong innings against the Cincinnati Reds and has recorded two quality starts in his three appearances since. Unfortunately, there still appears to be something wrong with the 6′ 4″ righty – his command.

Over the course of Ohlendorf’s first three seasons, he showed extremely good command. In 245 2/3 innings of work, he walked only 86 batters while striking out 167 – nearly a 2:1 ratio. 2010 has been a different story. He’s walked 18 and struck out 15 in only 24 2/3 innings of work.

If this young Pirates team is going to enjoy any success, they will need Ohlendorf to regain his 2009 form. Let’s hope he finds his command and that this is nothing more than some rust from his month-long stay on the DL.

 

GO BUCS

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