Season Review - Part Two

Top 5 Most Impressive Aussie Baseballers in 2008

2. Ryan Rowland-Smith

Maybe he knew something we didn't?

Speaking of his chances of making the 2008 Opening Day roster for the Mariners, Ryan Rowland-Smith said 'I always try to stay positive and tell myself that it's not where I am in April, it's where I am in September'. At that time, the Mariners were boasting about their 'best rotation (on paper) in several seasons'. There was some uncertainty about the makeup of the bullpen, but Rowland-Smith had his eyes set on a spot. 'I knew the rotation was set and I just tried to get one of the spots in the bullpen. I think I've given myself a good opportunity', he said during Spring Training.

Rowland-Smith displayed real maturity, determination and versatility through the 2008 season, and his wise words were a real insight into what lay ahead for him. I really hate the word 'journey', and I think it is bandied about way too much in this the reality TV era. But 2008 was a real journey for Ryan Rowland-Smith.

During the winter between the 07 and 08 MLB seasons, Ryan Rowland-Smith trekked to Venezuela to build his arm strength for the season ahead. RRS ended up making the 2008 opening day roster, after posting impressive numbers during Spring Training. He pitched 11 innings during the spring, and did not allow an earned run; giving up 9 hits and 7 walks. What particularly impressed me was his ability to pitch well when the other members of the Mariners' pitching staff were off their game. On 15 March, Erik Bedard (who is on about US$8 million a year and pitched just 81 innings through 2008) gave up 8 runs over 4 innings against the Giants. Rowland-Smith then came in and pitched 2 scoreless digs! 

 

In his first appearance in the regular season, Ryan pitched 1.2 innings, striking out 2, and picking up his first Major League save. Through the early parts of the season, he continued to feature out of the 'pen. Through the middle of June, he had appeared in 25 games, pitching 27 innings. His ERA was a very respectable 2.33, and he had 2 saves from 3 opportunities. He had struck out 21, and his WHIP was also very respectable at 1.18. Things were looking pretty good by any measure. But was this where Ryan wanted to be? 

By July, the Mariners' rotation was struggling. Bedard had battled injuries. Felix Hernandez busted up his ankle. RA Dickey got smacked around a few times. Rowland-Smith had proved himself as an effective long reliever on a couple of occasions, and their new manager Jim Riggleman tossed the ball to him to fill a spot starter role. He didnt set the world on fire during his first start - pitching 3.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, with 1 walk and 1 strikeout - but it was a taste of things to come. He did well enough to earn another chance during the same week, with an increased pitch count. In that second outing he held the Detroit Tigers to 1 run over 5 innings, and worked his way out of a number of jams. 

Ryan made no secret of the fact that he wanted to be a starter. Posting on his blog on 13 July, RRS wrote 'to be honest with you mate, in the long run, I really wanna be a starter. To me, it’s the ultimate, to have the game in my control, and try and go the entire nine innings.' But, after the two spot starts, he was back in the 'pen.

In late July, Rowland-Smith was dropped/demoted/sent to AAA Tacoma to work on his role as a starter.  Like his words from the pre-season, Rowland-Smith's response to being sent to Tacoma showed real perspective. 'All I can do is pitch, go to Triple-A and work my ass off and give them no reason to keep me out of Seattle', he said. On his blog he gave some real insights into how it felt to be sent to Tacoma, and recalled some advice he'd received from his mother that 'the journey is more important than the destination'. 

Rowland-Smith was effective in his starts at Tacoma, and after a few weeks he found himself back in the bigs. He got 10 starts at the Mariners over the last month or two of the season, and he pitched really well. In all but one of the 10 starts, he gave up 4 or less runs, and he went 5 innings or more in every one of his appearances. In August, he became only the second Mariners pitcher to pitch more than 7 innings in consecutive starts. (Yes, that is not a typo - AUGUST and only Felix Hernandez had pitched more than 7 innings in consecutive starts) He got very little run support over those 10 starts, and ended up with a 3-2 record over that period. He ended the season on a high, earning the win against the Oakland A's in front of an appreciative Safeco Field crowd. 

Looking back at his words from Spring Training, Rowland-Smith must be pretty happy. His stocks rose significantly through 2008, and entering the 2009 season, he will be a leading contender for a spot in the Mariners' (or perhaps someone elses' - plenty of teams, including the Yankees, have had some pitching problems this year...) rotation. A simple Google search now shows plenty of superlatives describing RRS as a bright spot in an otherwise cloudy season for the Mariners. Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre was impressed - 'boy did he jump in and do a tremendous job', he said - and Manager Jim Riggleman was also pleased, saying there is nothing more RRS can do other than 'come to Spring Training and nail down his spot in the rotation'.

By any assessment, Ryan was in a much better position in September than he was in April. The destination for Ryan and the Mariners in 2008 was the bottom of the AL West standings. The journey was a lot more than that for one promising lefty. There can be no doubt that Rowland-Smith learnt a lot through 2008, and his experience pitching in a number of roles in the bullpen, and as a starter at both AAA and Major League level was quite a journey. 

Looks like Mrs Rowland-Smith was right. Hopefully Ryan Rowland-Smith's destination in 2009 can hold some of the promise of his 2008 journey.