Thoughts on the GERE Guy….
Yes, the name is tacky but it was fun. In 2015, we here at GERE and BLTD Sports were pleased to follow the rise of RHP Jose Berrios as he rose from Single A, all the way through to his big league debut with the Minnesota Twins. Ryan Wolfe put together a nice little stat tracker, which highlighted him during his AA Chattanooga days, before being called up to Rochester, mid-summer 2015.
In Chattanooga, he went an astounding 8-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 15 games. Coming to Rochester in 2015, he did tremendous against the unique mix of AA, AAA, and MLB talent going 6-2, with a 2.62 ERA and 83 strikeouts through 12 games. This momentum earned him the opening day starter role for the Wings in 2016, before being promoted to the Twins on April 27, 2016.
Saddened that I did not have the chance to see him live, but knowing what he is capable of, I picked him up on my Fantasy Baseball team (which officially sucks, by the way….but that’s a different story). His MLB statistics, unfortunately were not as good as his MiLB stats, which is normal. In 4 games, Berrios posted a 1-1 record, with a 10.20 ERA, but had an impressive 20 strikeouts (averages out to 5 per game for all you non-mathematicians out there).
Despite that, on May 17, 2016, after allowing seven runs and not finishing the first inning in his fourth start, the Twins sent him back down to Rochester for further development. While I’m sure that was not what he was hoping for, as a fan and a follower, I was happy to finally get a chance to see this guy on the mound.
On June 11, 2016, I got that chance. I helped coach my stepson’s baseball team and as a coach, I was invited along with my team to the Little League night. We got to walk the field, take pictures and all that and without realizing it, Jose was literally right next to me talking with his catcher.
As I took my seat (and as you might have seen on GERE Network’s Facebook page) I got to see Jose Berrios do his thing last night. He allowed seven hits, across 6.2 innings, fanning 5 and walking two. While he did allow for five runs to be scored, he was able to come away with the win as the bullpen held the one run lead to go to 5-2 on the season.
Overall, I was pleased. Being emotionally invested in a prospect is one thing. To see him do his thing is a whole other thing. He does not have the stuff of a Stephen Strasburg, whom blew through AA and AAA on his way to the majors back in 2010. He hasn’t looked back since…..
Berrios has talent though and it is unique. I personally felt that he was called up too early, and it was clear as he began to unravel in the 7th inning, but the more he pitches, the more the game slows down for him, the less unravellings will happen. When that does, look out majors.
Play this one smart, Twins. Don’t pull a “Joba rules” kind of thing on him like the Yankees did with Joba Chamberlain. Remember him?
Let the kid kill it in AAA. Rochesterians, if you’re not on this guys bandwagon now, better hop on it. It will be nice to say that you’ve been with the guy since the beginning when his surely good professional baseball career ends.
