August 4: Interesting Trend

I was reading some articles on Baseball Prospectus yesterday and watching baseball on TV when something hit me. Actually, it occurred after reading the article and seeing Rick Ankiel's name scroll along the Bottom Line. I don't recall having ever heard about or seen so many pitchers make the jump from the mound to the field successfully.

Recently, there have been a select few that have resurrected their careers by trading in the mound for the field. The most notable is Rick Ankiel, the stud pitcher turned centerfielder for the Cardinals. Ankiel went 11-7 for the 2000 Cardinals before completely coming undone in the postseason, throwing five wild pitches in an inning in Game 1 of the NLDS. He never regained his form, and by 2002 was out of the majors because of injuries and control issues. In 2004, he switched to the outfield and after overcoming more injuries, became a full-time outfielder in St. Louis in August 2007. This is amazing! These players have honed their skills since they were five years old, but he was able to switch mid-career and make it work.

In the Baseball Prospectus article I read, the top of the futures list was Scott Beerer. As an Aggie, I loved him playing third and outfield while closing for the Aggies. But the Rockies drafted him and made him a reliever. After some injuries, he never regained his form. He asked for a position move, the Rockies declined, and Beerer retired. For two years, he practiced and was able to return this year as an outfielder, where he has mashed his way through low-A and high-A.

The Astros have a similar story with Brian Bogusevic, the first round pick out of Tulane in 2005. His best run (9-7 at high-A) came as a 22 year old, having already shed the "prospect" label. But after 2008, he switched back to the outfield where he had played at Tulane. At AAA this year, for the first time at that level pitching or fielding, he has an OBP of .346 and is slugging .723. Not bad for a struggling pitcher...

This phenomenon is not a new idea. Pitchers have been found from position players in the past. In fact, the Astros Chris Sampson (shortstop) and Brandon Backe (utility) were position players before finding their calling. But what is causing the swing the other direction with such success?

Part of that can be answered by the fact that these are top-notch athletes. Gone are the days of boozing and carousing in the offseason. Now, that only happens at night, as players workout year round for the season's wear and tear. Therefore, these players have elevated themselves over others at every step, from high school to college to MLB. Moving from one facet to the other only requires a modified skill set, one that most of us have but can't do at that level. But an athlete that has been playing his entire life can make that switch, and have a very good chance of being successful at it.

Another reason for this increase might be the fact that some of the previous players to switch did so early on in their careers, before they were "known" as pitchers. Factor in the technology and reporting boom, and players that switched in A-ball without so much as a murmur are now reported to the fans. It can be found on statistical websites, team sites, and even fan sites.

Finally, I think another reason is that teams are trying to find and develop quality pitching. In college, it is not uncommon for a position player to double as a relief pitcher, or start one of the games on the weekend. Having watched the Aggies and opponents when I was in college, I saw this occur on many occasions. But in MLB, the old mantra of "pitching wins championships" has caused teams to draft these two-way players and declare them pitchers. Teams hope quantity will create quality, as a percentage of these pitchers will develop into major league talent. Other times, the player demands to become a pitcher because of the future returns. By that, I mean the chances of pitching under the big lights are better than catching a fly under them. On major league rosters, there are generally 11 or so pitchers versus one or two players at the other positions. Doing the math, that means there are roughly 330 pitchers and, at the most, 60 or so position players for every other position. I'd like my odds as a pitcher, too.

This "pigeon-holing" of combo players has created a glut of pitching in the minors. A majority of these pitchers will never pan out and retire as minor leaguers. Others will get the chance to live their dreams, only from a different view on the field.