Billy Petrick - Come on Down!!
The Cubs open audition for their bullpen continues as Billy Petrick is en route to Chicago for tonight's game (I believe the poster "insidetheivy" is the editor Steve Holley so I trust the source). The subsequent roster moves have yet to be announced, speculation has centered on Jacque Jones getting traded (oh please, oh please), Dempster getting put on the DL and a possible demotion of Angel Pagan or Ryan Theriot although either of those seem highly unlikely.
Petrick was a third round pick in 2002 who's battled all sorts of injuries throughout his career. He's found his way and his health so far in AA, posting a 2.37 ERA in 30.1 IP, 33 K's and 8 BB's.
AZ PHIL: As recently as 2005, Baseball America had Billy Petrick rated as the Cubs #5 prospect (overall), and their #2 pitching prospect (behind only Angel Guzman).
However, Petrick suffered a season-ending shoulder injury at Daytona fairly early in the '05 season, and missed the rest of '05 and most of '06 while rehabbing at Fitch Park. Like so many other Cubs pitching prospects who had their careers ended by shoulder problems, Petrick's future looked dim.
However, he was moved to the bullpen this past Spring Training, and (somewhat magically) returned to at least somewhere close to his 2004 form. No longer a stud starting pitcher. the 23-year old 6'6 240+ Petrick has evolved into a quality relief pitcher, beginning the 2007 season at Daytona, before receiving a promotion to AA Tennessee.
Petrick pounds the strike zone with a "heavy" 90-93 MPH sinker, and he led the MWL in fewest HR allowed per AB in 2004. He has allowed just 13 HR in 375 career minor league innings. In his last seven games at AA Tennessee, Petrick allowed just four hits and four walks in 12.1 IP, with 18 K.
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