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March 19, 2007

Justin Pope

From The Times-Tribune -

Start conjuring an image in your head. Try to picture the 27-year-old right-hander who saved 23 games for Double-A Trenton last year. Imagine the former first-round draft pick who broke the Division I record for consecutive scoreless innings, a record set by Roger Clemens.

Put a face on the name , a guy in the mix — along with several bigger name prospects — to win the closing job at PNC Field this year.

Now, get rid of whatever image is in your head, because there’s no way it matches the guy who mowed through the Devil Rays top minor leaguers on Sunday.

At the most, Pope is 5-foot-10, maybe closer to 5-9. If he’s anywhere close to the 180 pounds listed in the media guide, it must be while wearing a heavy coat with several pairs of shoes. He looks like a second baseman, or maybe a second-stringer on a high school soccer team.

On the mound Sunday, though, he was an intimidating presence.

Coming in just after the Yankees took a 3-2 lead, Pope sent the side down in order in the eighth inning on two strikeouts and a weak bouncer back to the mound.

In the ninth, he closed the game without letting the ball leave the infield. Two batters reached base on balls that probably would have been ruled errors by third baseman Aarom Baldiris, but Pope got out of the jam with an inning-ending strikeout.

“Not everyone is blessed to be 6-foot-5, throwing 95 miles per hour,” he said. “Whatever tools I’m blessed with I’ve got to use.”

Those tools are a high-80s fastball, a biting slider and a consistent changeup, all of which Pope uses to mix and match his way through hitters.

Pope is way too old to be considered a prospect - especially given his lack of experience at Triple-A. Still, stranger things have happened. See: Jones, Doug. At the least, it sounds like Pope is not afraid. You can't teach that - and you can never count out guys who can do it.

Posted by Steve Lombardi at March 19, 2007 09:56 AM

Comments

Pope has had an interesting career so far. I could see him getting a call sometime this year. Given organizational depth, I don't see him returning to the rotation anytime soon.

Posted by: Raf [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 19, 2007 10:43 AM

I wonder if his size made people more dismissive of him, and thus they didn't work with him enough early on to where he'd be a solid reliever.

Posted by: rbj [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 19, 2007 11:17 AM

Short pitchers usually get a diss - but, in terms of being drafted. I doubt once he was signed that he was ignored.

Posted by: Steve Lombardi [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 19, 2007 11:21 AM