Prospect of the Day: Rubby De La Rosa, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
by John Sickels on May 26, 2011 8:00 AM EDT
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A year ago, Rubby De La Rosa was a little-known pitcher in the Midwest League, just emerging as a prospect with a live arm. Now he's in the majors. Who is this guy, and how did he rise so quickly?
Rubby De La Rosa was signed by the Dodgers as a free agent in 2007, from the Dominican Republic. He pitched in the Dominican Summer League in '07 and '08, then moved up to the Arizona Rookie League in '09 and struggled, posting a 6.06 ERA with 11 walks in 16 innings, then was sent back home for disciplinary violations. He returned to North America in '10 and was a different pitcher, posting a 3.19 ERA with a 55/17 K/BB in 59 innings in the Midwest League in the first half. However, he showed such tremendous arm strength (hitting 102 MPH at times) that the Dodgers promoted him to Double-A for the second half, where he went 3-1, 1.41 in 51 innings with a 39/21 K/BB.
Before his promotion to Los Angeles this week, De La Rosa had a 2.93 ERA with a 52/19 K/BB in 40 innings for Double-A Chattanooga, with just 30 hits allowed.
De La Rosa works at 94-96 MPH when used as a starter, though in relief he's been clocked as high as 102. He has a very good changeup, and a promising, if inconsistent, slider. He's not a big guy at 6-1, 185 pounds, and there is mixed opinion about if his long-term role will be as a starter or reliever, though for now he's in the bullpen. I rated him as a strong Grade B prospect in the 2011 Baseball Prospect Book, but would increase that to a Grade B+ based on his performance so far this season.
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This guy looks pretty good, id think the Dodgers might be really pushing him to become a starter.
They have kind of fallen of the table all ready this year and behind Kershaw and Billingsly they really have no one, but then again maybe he will get the Closing job? im not sure how Padilla is handling it.
Padilla is hurt right now, Rubby is probably a bullpen arm in the interim.
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by feslenraster on May 26, 2011 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions
"Aye, That's the Rub!"
He’ll probably pick up a couple Saves this year, but will mostly be a set-up man who records a lot of strikeouts. Useful in fantasy leagues that use set-up men, and a great keeper because he will eventually become a starter.
by Kapellmeisters on May 26, 2011 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions
good point good point.
this guy reminds me of Chapman though, think about guys that throw as hard as he does is sometimes they get really wild all of a sudden or get injured often,
RDLR
has more control than Chapman
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by Ray Guilfoyle on May 26, 2011 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Out of curiosity, what makes you think Aroldis?
Even though he doesn’t have anywhere near the size, he strikes me more like Michael Pineda in his demeanor and stuff.
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Pineda's a good comp, yeah.
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That's true
(I wasn’t thinking physical, just thinking tools/arsenal but yeah Rubby’s slider still work in progress as Sickels noted.)
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Javy Guerra
got a save the other nihgt…RDLR very well could, but I think Jansen might be the guy.
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by Ray Guilfoyle on May 26, 2011 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Jansen should be the guy
but he’s failed to run with it. Sooner or later one of those guys in the pen are going to settle down.
I still like Jansen in the 7th or 8th as a couple out guy
he walks too many right now to be the closer today, but has the best stuff if refined to seize it long term.
as for this year, I’d actually rank Javy a bit higher. Him and Mattingly go back to the AFL
Seems like relief material to me,
just from what I read here. But I have a question before I make that assumption- what is his durability? Can he go a lot of innings?
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Why assume he's a reliever?
He’s got starter upside in my opinion, though yes certainly he could end up a reliever. He has three good pitches, and working on a 4th, with a plus plus fastball. Last Dodger prospect that they wondered about whether he should be starter vs reliever due to his frame was some dude named Pedro whom they stupidly traded away… Presumably they won’t make same mistake here.
This is just a feeling here but I would pencil him into LA rotation for 2012 behind Bills and Kershaw. Don’t forget some guy named Zach Lee for 2012 or more likely 2013, too. Not a terrible future.
Remember, it’s much easier to find decent relief pitchers (in their org they have Elbert, Lindblom – who they mistakenly tried to convert to starter before giving up and now he’s back on track, Guerra, and then a host of other guys who may end up in the pen after not cutting it as starter. My assumption is they will do everything they can end of this year or early next to groom him as a starter for 2012.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
What is holding you back from retrospectively giving him a grade A or A-
He has as good of stuff and stats as any starter out there for his age. Is it only because of the possibility he ends up as a reliever?
He's a tough grader. :-)
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
bowden's grades
http://espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-office/tag/_/name/rubby-de-la-rosa
SCOUTING GRADES (20-80)
Fastball 75
Life 50
Changeup 65
Slider 50
Control 50
Delivery 60
Arm Action 60
So you got 2 plus pitches and a MLB avg 3rd pitch right now.
He’s a starting pitcher. Dodger’s view him as a starter long term. But with the bullpen in shambles and a way to limit his innings, and give him higher competition exposure, they’ve brought him up to pitch in 2-3 inning spurts.
never understand
some organizations push to make guys like this a reliever. Yes, he is not big, but let him start until he proves he can’t do it. Move him to the bullpen at that point.
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they are not pushing him as a reliever
dodgers have publically made it known that they believe he is a starting pitcher and long term that is what he will be.
proof
quote from colleti
How the Dodgers use De La Rosa, the best prospect in the organization who was promoted from Double-A starter to the Dodgers’ bullpen on Tuesday, will be interesting.
“If we had an injury to one of the five guys in the rotation, he would be my choice,” Colletti said. "I don’t want him to not be stretched out. You never know what we’ll need day-to-day. If he does stay up the rest of the year, and stays out of the bullpen, some could be 2-3 inning appearances.
“As time goes on, I’m not concerned if he’s got enough innings to be a starting pitcher next year. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We’re concerned about the 2011 season. Any experience he gets up here will super-seed any minor league experience he gets as a starter.”
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Anti9w1OT.iZY1gOlr1PmmGFCLcF?slug=teamreports-2011-mlb-lad
did you read any of the other replies?
it’s already been talked about how they aren’t pushing him as a reliever. Rather that the Dodgers have a solid rotation, their bullpen is in shambles and De La Rosa needs his innings limited because he’s never pitched over 110 innings.
As for the Dogers closer, I think Guerra will get the nod because he’s got closer experience and the stuff to be a closer. Jansen is too raw and De La Rosa never has closed and isn’t viewed as a reliever long term.
by mcpeepants23200 on May 28, 2011 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions
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