Full Name: Kelvim Jose Escobar (Bolivar)
Born: Apr 11,1976 in La Guaira, Venezuela
Height: 6-1 Weight: 195 Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: -
College: None
Contract: Signed 3-year, $28,500,000 contract with the Los Angeles Angels on May 31,2006. $1.5m signing bonus
Drafted: Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992
Player of the Week 1x Aug-26-2001
Top Prospect 1997 MLB (#67),1997 Tor (#4)
World Baseball Classic Venezuela 2006
Signed by Scout: Epy Guerrero
MLB Debut: Jun 29,1997
Major League Totals - 12 Season(s) 101-91 4.15 1.37 411 appearances 202 startts
1507.0-IP 1310- K
baseball cube
Scouting Report
Assets
Has electric stuff. Escobar uses a plus-fastball, curve, and splitter to keep hitters off-balance. He doesn't give up many walks and can dominate when he gets rolling. Also versatile when needed.
Flaws
Is much better as a starter than as a reliever. While not exactly injury-prone, he rarely makes it to 200 innings in a season. Occasionally shows lapses in focus.
Career potential
Top-of-the-rotation talent, with ace-like stretches.
sportsnet/CA
While the Milton Bradley rumor game (pun non intended) continues to produce little or no new news, Kelvim Escobar's game is just starting...literally. What we know so far is the Rays like Escobar. In return, Escobar likes the Rays too, but there are other teams involved; according to reports out of Venezuela it could be eight or nine teams. We also know that the Rays were one of eight teams to watch Escobar in a simulated game today. The Mets, who are rumored to be among the more aggressive suitors, were not one of the eight teams listed by Efrain Zavarce.
It's a simulated game so results are of no consequence. If I'm translating Zavarce's tweet right, in the first inning of the simulated game, Escobar threw his slider, change up and fastball with the fastball being consistently between 92 and 94 mph. If that report is accurate then Escobar's velocity is exactly where it should be; his average fastball is 93.4 career. He is scheduled to pitch in a live...
sportssnipe
Remember when scouting reports used to be about what kind of pitches dudes throw? Why doesn't that happen anymore? "Not on a strict pitch count" is helpful to me in zero ways. The point he was making was that Escobar's returning from an injury, but they don't have him on a pitch count. This as helpful as telling me that Kelvim Escobar "does not throw a knuckleball" or, for that matter "is not Chinese."
His point on poor run support...well, I tend to not buy into this sort of thing. But Morgan said that Escobar had very poor run support last year (true), and "every once in a while it seemed to have affected his pitching, like he was trying to be too perfect, trying to pitch a shutout every time he went out there." (Yes, I'm DVRing it.)
Now, first off, why shouldn't a pitcher try to throw a shutout every time? Wouldn't that be a good thing? I know I never played professional baseball like Joe Morgan -- an idiot -- did, but it seems to me like throwing a shutout would be good for your team.
Aside from that, is he even right? Did Kelvim Escobar's lack of run support tend to affect him last year? Before even looking at the numbers, my guess is Joe Morgan only thinks this is the case because he saw that KE had low run support, and probably heard stories as a ballplayer about how pitchers get frustrated by low run support and they thought it affected their performance. Or whatever. Anyway, I decided to do a little research, even though it's not my job to do this (it's Joe Morgan's):
In 16 games last year, Kelvim Escobar's team scored 0-3 runs. His ERA in those games: 4.14 (104.1 IP, 48 ER)
In 17 games last year, KE's team scored 4 or more runs. His ERA in those games: 3.81 (104 IP, 44 ER)
So in games when Escobar had a lack of run support, he let up three tenths of a run more per nine innings. Now, to be honest, I sure was hoping that he would have been better in low run support games, but the point is: is that really a difference worth caring about?
I admit, my science isn't too tight here because I'm including run support gained after Escobar left the game in some instances, but this was the only way to pull it off in under 30 minutes.
Joe Morgan, I hate you.
Also of note: Escobar pitched 208 innings last year -- the entire regular season -- without giving up an unearned run. Then he pitched 3.1 innings in the post season (game 3 of ALDS) and gave up two unearned runs. Meaningless, but weird.
firejoemorgan.
So about that other reliever we talked about earlier...
Reports out of Venezuela (via Jorge Arangure) say that the Tampa Bay Rays remain interested in free agent pitcher Kelvim Escobar, and by the words of Escobar the feeling is mutual. The report also states that Escobar will work exclusively in relief to limit the toll on his arm. Here are some of the tweets:
Venezuelan journalist Efrain Zavarce reports that Mets have offered Kelvim Escobar a minor league deal.Rays are also interested
Also, Escobar tells Zavarce that he will pitch as reliever to avoid taxing his injured shoulder, which has kept him on DL past 2 yrs
Escobar:"Tampa would be a good place.They have a need for relief pitching.Last year they lost several games because of the bullpen."
Escobar continued: "Now with Rafael Soriano and possibly me, Tampa could be better."
I tend to agree with the last statement.
While the mutual attraction appears to be there, Arangure says it looks like the Mets are the favorite because they have been most aggressive. The reliever is schedule to pitch on Friday in Winter League ball. It will be interested to see which team, if any, makes a move soon after.
.draysbay.
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