Joel Zumaya
| File:Jzumaya.jpg | |
|---|---|
| Detroit Tigers — No. 54 | |
| Relief Pitcher | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| April 3, 2006 for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through September 23, 2006) | |
| Win-loss | 6-3 |
| Strikeouts | 92 |
| Earned run average | 1.95 |
Joel Martin Zumaya (born November 9, 1984, in Chula Vista, California) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Selected in the 11th round, 320th overall, in the 2002 MLB amateur draft out of Bonita Vista High School, Zumaya was previously a starting pitcher in the Tigers minor league system.
Baseball career
Zumaya had been drafted for his power arm, but it wasn't clear whether he would be able to develop adequate control or an off-speed pitch. As a young pitcher straight from high school, he would generally be pitching against players older than him. In 2003, the 18-year-old Zumaya made great strides pitching for the low-A affiliate West Michigan Whitecaps. 2004 saw Zumaya beginning the year pitching for the high-A affiliate Lakeland Tigers, before a late season promotion to the AA Erie SeaWolves. The results were inconclusive, as he finished with only a .500 win-loss record and struggled with walks. Zumaya began the 2005 season back in Erie; however, his results were much improved from 2004, and he was soon promoted to the AAA Toledo Mud Hens. He finished the season with an impressive 199 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched.
With the Tigers, he has most often been used as a middle relief pitcher and occasionally as a setup man, filling the innings after the starter has finished and before the closing pitcher has come in. Based on his ability to pitch at any given point in a game, he could be viewed as the Tigers "relief ace". Zumaya is a fan favorite for his intense, aggressive attitude on the mound and his high-90's fastball which frequently tops out at over 100 MPH. He also has an above average knuckle-curve that he uses quite effectively as an off-speed pitch. He has been among the primary reasons for the Tigers' bullpen success in 2006.
According to Tigers manager Jim Leyland and Zumaya himself, he will remain in the bullpen for the rest of the 2006 playoffs. His future as a starter or reliever has not yet been determined. Zumaya has stated that he prefers the bullpen, although he will pitch whenever given the opportunity.
Record-setting fastballs?
Although not official, the fastest observed fastball speed was a pitch from Mark Wohlers during spring training in 1995, which allegedly clocked in 103,000,000.HOLY SHIT MPH. [1] The official record according to the Guinness Book of World Records is 101 MPH by Nolan Ryan in 1974. Ryan's pitch was clocked using coherent infrared radar. [2] The reliability of radar guns used at MLB games more recently has been questioned; USA Today columnist Mike Lopresti reported that FOX was using radar guns which recorded speeds three to four miles an hour faster than the readings on the McAfee Coliseum radar guns in Game 1 of the 2006 American League Championship Series. [3]
During the 2006 season, Zumaya has often thrown pitches that have been clocked at or above the official record reading of 101 MPH. On July 4, 2006, at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California, Zumaya threw a pitch clocked at 103 MPH, thus tying the "unofficial" record held by Wohlers [4]. On July 20, 2006, in a game against the Chicago White Sox, Zumaya threw a fastball that television speedguns recorded at 104 MPH, but it has not yet been decided if this speed will be recognized. Similarly, on May 20, 2006, Zumaya gave up a grand slam to Ken Griffey Jr. on a pitch that FSN Detroit's radar gun clocked at 104 MPH [5], but it was concluded that the fastball was 100 mph, and the ball that was hit was traveling 104 mph. [citation needed]
Joel Zumaya hit 103 MPH on the Comerica Park radar gun Monday, August 7, while pitching in the eighth inning against Minnesota Twins IF Nick Punto. Zumaya also reached 101 MPH or higher, on five of six pitches during the at-bat. He also reached 103 MPH during the Tigers' 4-3 playoff victory at Yankee Stadium on October 5, 2006 [6]; and also on October 10th, 2006 during Game 1 of the ALCS in Oakland, against the A's. [7]