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March 16, 2008
Scott Patterson's Making A Case
Some Scott Patterson news from the Allegheny Times two days ago:
However, people might start paying attention to West Allegheny High School graduate Scott Patterson very soon. He is developing into one of the top stories of the Yankees’ camp.
Patterson has made five relief appearances and pitched 4 1/3 in the exhibition season and not allowed a run. Furthermore, he has allowed only one hit and no walks while striking out four for a microscopic opponents’ batting average of .071.
“They keep putting me out there and I keep getting people out,” Patterson said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more than that for my first time in a major-league camp.”
Patterson is one of the more improbable Yankees. He spent 4 ½ seasons in the independent Frontier and Atlantic leagues after graduating from West Virginia State in 2002 before the Yankees purchased his contract two years ago.
Following a phenomenal season at Class AA Trenton last season in which he posted an outstanding 1.09 ERA in 43 games and was voted by the Thunder fans as their favorite player, Patterson finds himself increasing his once long odds of making the Yankees’ bullpen with each spring outing.
“He’s been great,” first-year Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We’ve brought him in during the middle of some innings and he’s gotten us out of three or four really tough spots. He’s done everything you could ask to rookie to do. He’s impressed me.”
With that in mind, Patterson believes he at least has a chance of going north with the major-league club.
“If Joe Torre were still the manager, my chances wouldn’t be very good,” Patterson said. “It’s different with Joe Girardi in charge. He seems very willing to go with the best players, regardless of the experience. I don’t know if I’m going to make it but I think I will at least be considered. That’s all I can ask for.”
Ah, Scott, you got a little brown on your nose there, dude. In any event, since this report, Patterson, today, threw another one and two-thirds scoreless innings.
In June of last year, I shared this report on Patterson:
"You start looking at him and think it's just unbelievable," a NL scout said. "You don't want to like him, but you come away liking him because of the stuff and the intimidation factor. He throws that fastball overhand that makes it look like it's coming out of the sky and then it sinks down . . . very heavy sink. The other stuff is just OK. He throws at 91-92 (mph), but that's like a 6-foot-3, 6-foot-4 guy throwing 93-94. He's very aggressive and attacks the zone. He's not an elite guy, but he's interesting."
Scott Patterson's delivery is disturbing as it resembles Cosmo Kramer trying to give Manute Bol a high-five. But, you cannot argue with the results last season and this spring. Regardless of whether or not anyone likes it, Patterson is on the Yankees radar and for good reason.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at March 16, 2008 08:04 PM