NewsJays see big strides for rookie Romero
Toronto (41-38) vs. Tampa Bay (44-35), 1:07 p.m. ET
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
06/30/09 10:43 PM ET
TORONTO -- Ricky Romero has come a long way for the Blue Jays. From struggling to find the strike zone in the early stages of Spring Training to flirting with a no-hitter in his most recent start, it has been a rapid progression for the rookie starter."I'm very impressed," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "I can remember the first day I saw him pitch, he was pitching like his pants were on fire. He was rushing. His body was getting out in front of his arm."
Romero was nearly pitching his way out of the race for a spot in Toronto's rotation. In his first two starts of the spring, the left-hander issued seven walks and allowed four runs in only three innings of work. The Jays decided against returning Romero to Minor League camp, opting instead to keep him around to focus on his mechanics.
The results came fast and Romero -- selected sixth overall in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft -- eventually won a job on the Opening Day roster. He has continued to impress through the season's first three months.
Over his past five trips to the mound, Romero has gone 3-1 with a 2.36 ERA, compiling 33 strikeouts against 10 walks over 34 1/3 innings and limiting hitters to a .211 average in that span. In each of those five starts, Romero worked into the seventh inning. On Friday, he took that a step further, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh against the Phillies.
"He was really outstanding," Gaston said.
Philadelphia's Chae Utley broke up Romero's no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh inning, ending a run of 19 batters without a hit against the 24-year-old lefty. Romero allowed no runs in the victory and finished with only two hits allowed, seven strikeouts and just one walk. To Gaston, it was probably the best start Romero has provided since joining the Jays.
"He also had a great start over there in Kissimmee, too," said Gaston, referring to Romero's strong seven-inning performance at the Astros' spring home in Florida on March 29. "That probably helped him make the club, really."
Gaston said the thing that has stood out about Romero is how he has improved with every outing. After fixing his mechanics in the middle of Spring Training, winning a job with the big league club in the process, Romero opened the regular season 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in three starts. That was before he landed on the disabled list with a right oblique strain.
Romero returned at the end of May and endured a pair of rough outings. The lefty went 0-2 with a 9.64 ERA over just 9 1/3 innings in starts that resembled his inconsistent showing early in the spring. Since then, Romero has turned it around and he'll be aiming at continuing his recent run of strong outings on Wednesday against the Rays.
"He just seems to get a little bit better every time he goes out there," Gaston said. "He came back here and was off to a bit of a slow start, but now he's starting to put it together, locating his pitches and getting his changeup over and curveball over.
"That's something that I hope he continues to improve on."
Pitching matchupTOR: LHP Ricky Romero (5-3, 3.20 ERA)
Romero has gone 4-1 with a 2.90 ERA in five starts at Rogers Centre this year. TB: RHP James Shields (6-5, 3.41 ERA)
Shields has gone 4-2 with a 3.07 ERA in eight career outings against the Jays. Bird feed
Catcher Rod Barajas, who has been fighting a sore right hamstring for the past few days, was out of the starting lineup for the Blue Jays on Tuesday. Gaston said Barajas would be behind the plate on Wednesday and would alternate starts with catcher Raul Chavez until he felt 100 percent. "It depends on how he's feeling -- if he tells us he's good -- but it's not to the point where we can play him every day," Gaston said. ... Left-hander Jake Eliopoulos -- a native of nearby Newmarket, Ontario -- was on hand at Rogers Centre on Tuesday and had the opportunity to throw in the bullpen. Eliopoulos, who pitched for Sacred Heart Catholic High School, was selected with the 68th overall pick by the Jays in the First-Year Player Draft earlier this month. Eliopoulos remains unsigned. ... Third baseman Scott Rolen singled in the second inning on Tuesday to extend his career-best hitting streak to 18 games. ... First baseman Lyle Overbay has hit .350 (7-for-20) with two home runs, two doubles and four RBIs in his career against Shields. ... Entering Tuesday's game, the Blue Jays (758) and Rays (742) ranked first and second in the Majors, respectively, in hits. ... Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins -- born in Chatham, Ontario -- will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Toronto's Canada Day contest against Tampa Bay on Wednesday afternoon. Tickets
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• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Blue Jays (Brian Tallet, 5-5, 4.47) at Yankees (A.J. Burnett, 6-4, 3.93), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Blue Jays (Roy Halladay, 10-2, 2.56) at Yankees (Chien-Ming Wang, 1-6, 10.06), 1:05 p.m. ET
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
