JUPITER, Fla. — From the time they can throw a ball or swing a bat, hundreds of thousands of youngsters dream of being that 40-home-run hitter or 20-game winner. Not as many envision themselves growing up as lefthanded relief specialists.
“Probably zero,” said Randy Choate, the Cardinals’ new sidearming, lefthanded relief specialist.
“It’s something that you fall into when you can’t get guys out and you just become more specialized because the game allows for it. Ever since college, I’ve been able to get the lefties out.”
Choate, a 37-year-old former teammate of J.D. Drew at Florida State University, began as a starter in the New York Yankees’ system. But after posting a 5-1 mark with a 1.73 earned run average at short-season Oneonta in 1997, he had a colossally bad 2-13 mark for Class A Tampa and Class A Greensboro in 21 starts the next year.
“I gave it a go as a starter from a high (arm slot) angle and it just didn’t work out,” said Choate, who then dropped from his three-quarters motion to his current sidearming slot.
When told by the Yankees in 1999 that they wanted him to be a situational reliever, like Graeme Lloyd with the major league club, Choate said he was told to throw “whatever way is comfortable.
“I kind of went lower,” said Choate, “and by the middle of that 1999 season, I was down on the side. I just kind of worked it from there.”
From 1999 to the present, Choate has appeared in 387 minor-league games, starting seven. From 2000 to the present, he has pitched in 476 major-league games, starting none and working only 309 1/3 innings.
But there was a concept or two Choate didn’t grasp at first about relieving, such as how to warm up. “I got yelled at by my manager in Tampa,” said Choate, referring to former Cardinals catcher Tom Nieto.
It seems that Choate, thinking like a starter, had stopped throwing and sat down when he was done warming up during a game instead of standing there on the mound waiting for the call. When Nieto signaled to the bullpen, the umpire made him bring in the righthander because he was the only pitcher up.
“I figured I was warm. If they wanted me, they would call me,” said Choate. “After the game, (Nieto) proceeded to chew out the whole bullpen, although basically he was looking right at me.
“From that day on, even if I’m warm, I stand right there on the mound until the inning is over.”
So specialized has Choate become that he is one of the few pitchers in baseball who will throw more warmup pitches before he enters a game than the number of pitches he actually will throw in the game.
“Without a doubt,” said Choate. “I could be out there 80 times and have only 40 innings.”
After spending parts of four consecutive seasons at Class AAA Columbus in the Yankees’ system and parts of the next four at Arizona’s Tucson AAA affiliate and wondering if he should quit or not, Choate got to the majors to stay in 2010. At age 37, he suddenly became an offseason commodity, and the Cardinals signed Choate to a three-year contract for $7.5 million.
“Age doesn’t matter as long as you can get people out,” said the native Texan.
His favorite target has been Toronto’s Adam Lind, whom he has held to one hit in 16 at-bats.
Probably more of his outings now will be against the Cincinnati Reds than any other team. The Reds have lefthanded-hitting Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, often hitting in succession. Choate has held Votto hitless in three career atbats and Bruce hitless for two, both strikeouts. New Reds acquisition Shin-Soo Choo, another lefthanded hitter, was nothing for four against Choate while with Cleveland.
Votto is a .289 hitter against the Cardinals for his career and is a .304 lifetime hitter against lefthanders. Bruce rarely has hurt the Cardinals so far, hitting just .215 against them for his career, and he has been only a .231 batsman against big-league lefthanders.
There aren’t as many games for the Cardinals against Philadelphia as against Cincinnati, but look for Choate consistently to face St. Louisan Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, lefthanded hitters who have 14 combined at-bats, seven for each, against Choate. Utley has the only hit, with each striking out three times.
ROYALS
Hochevar shifts to bullpen
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Righthander Luke Hochevar, eternally inconsistent as a starter, is shifting, at least temporarily, to the Royals’ bullpen.
Manager Ned Yost announced the move Wednesday morning before a game against Seattle at Surprise Stadium.
“I think it makes us a better team,” Yost said. “I think it makes us a stronger team. It gives us a better chance to win every day. With three weeks left, I want to get him acclimated to that role.”
The decision leaves Bruce Chen and Luis Mendoza as the primary competitors for the fifth spot in the rotation behind James Shields, Ervin Santana, Jeremy Guthrie and Wade Davis.
Plans call for Hochevar to pitch as a reliever in Friday’s game against San Diego at Surprise Stadium.
“I’m willing to take the ball in any position that I can to help the club,” he said. “That’s the bottom line. Whether it’s starting or in relief, whatever it is, my role is not important.
“What’s important is that when I take the ball, I’m helping the club.”
MARINERS/ROYALS
Santana strikes out 7
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Ervin Santana had his fastball of old.
The 30-year-old righthander struck out seven in four innings, including six of eight in one stretch, helped the Kansas City Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 Wednesday to improve their spring training record to 14-2.
“You remember what happened in 2008?” said Santana, referencing a season in which he fanned 214.
Santana allowed two hits and walked none, throwing 35 of 53 pitches for strikeouts. He allowed his only run on Carlos Truinfel’s third-inning homer.
After going 9-13 with a 5.16 ERA in 30 starts last year, Santana was acquired by the Royals from the Los Angeles Angels in October for lefthander Brandon Sisk.
“I’m very pleased with his outing, again on the attack, good fastball, got it up to 94, a really good slider, got a changeup to the second baseman and he ended up putting a nice swing on it,” Royals Manager Ned Yost said. “A nice job. It was encouraging.”
ROCKIES/CUBS
Castro returns
MESA, Ariz. — After two weeks out with a hamstring injury, Starlin Castro was happy to be back on the field.
Even if it was only for three innings.
Sidelined since Feb. 27, the All-Star got a single and walked Wednesday in the Chicago Cubs’ 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Castro, who hurt his left leg in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, walked against Jorge De La Rosa leading off the first, singled in the third and came out after the inning.
Playing his usual shortstop position, Castro just missed throwing out leadoff batter Eric Young on a grounder leading off the game. Josh Rutledge followed with a grounder to second baseman Darwin Barney, who threw to second, and Castro’s throw to first just missed getting a double play. Troy Tulowitzki followed with an RBI double.
Castro had three assists in the second, when Jordan Pacheco, Nolan Arenado and Ramon Hernandez all grounded to shortstop.
Cubs starter Edwin Jackson gave up one run and three hits in five innings, retiring eight in a row.
TIGERS
OF Boesch released
LAKELAND, Fla. — Unable to trade Brennan Boesch this spring, the Detroit Tigers gave him his unconditional release on Wednesday morning.
By releasing Boesch now, the Tigers owe him one-sixth of the $2.3-million salary they tendered him in January — about $400,000.
Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski told reporters Wednesday morning, before the Tigers played Florida Southern College at Joker Marchant Stadium, that Andy Dirks will be the team’s primary leftfielder, and there was no need for another left-handed-hitting outfielder.
It didn’t help Boesch that he missed the early part of camp with an oblique strain. In 16 at-bats in seven exhibitions, Boesch hit .188 with one double, no home runs and no RBI.
ANGELS/PADRES
Trout doubles, triples
PEORIA, Ariz. — Mike Trout had a double and a triple and Peter Bourjos homered as the Los Angeles Angels knocked the San Diego Padres around early but blew a lead late in an 8-6 loss Wednesday.
Bourjos’ two-run homer in the fourth inning off Clayton Richard put the Angels ahead 5-2. Richard allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings.
Los Angeles starter Joe Blanton allowed two runs on five hits in five innings.
Albert Pujols was the Angels’ designated hitter and went 1 for 3 with an RBI. Right fielder Josh Hamilton also had a hit and drove in a run.
The Padres took the lead in the eighth inning on a tworun error by Matt Young.
GIANTS
Pill to have knee surgery
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Giants infielder-outfielder Brett Pill will have right knee surgery today to repair a torn meniscus and is likely to miss 3 to 4 weeks.
Manager Bruce Bochy confirmed Wednesday night that Pill would need the procedure after he earlier made the announcement in Arizona that Pill had injured the knee several weeks ago but tried to play through it.
Athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said the expected timeframe for Pill’s return is at least a few weeks, meaning it is likely he will be sidelined for opening day April 1 against the Los Angles Dodgers after he made a strong showing to earn a roster spot.
Pill, 28, played 48 games for the World Series champions last season, batting .210 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI. He hit .259 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in 10 games this spring training.
PHILLIES/YANKEES
Pettitte makes 2013 debut
TAMPA, Fla. — Derek Jeter played shortstop for the first time since ankle surgery last fall and Andy Pettitte made his 2013 spring training debut in the New York Yankees’ 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.
Pettitte, who had been pitching in simulated games, allowed one run and four hits over three-plus innings. The left-hander had three strikeouts and three walks.
Jeter had one chance during his four innings of play. He fielded Ben Revere’s two-hopper in the fourth and flipped the ball to second for a fielder’s choice. The Yankees captain last played in the field during the opener of the AL championship series in October.
Former Phillie Ben Francisco, signed to a minor league contract Monday, hit a two-run double in the first off Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee (Benton, Arkansas Razorbacks), who gave up 5 runs—2 earned — and 6 hits in 2 2/3 innings.
EXHIBITION
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Pittsburgh 5, Toronto 4, 10 innings Washington (ss) 8, NY Mets 5 Washington (ss) 9, Houston 7 Kansas City 4, Seattle 2 San Francisco 9, Cincinnati 5 Colorado 2, Chicago Cubs 0 San Diego 8, L.A. Angels 6 Cleveland 5, Chicago White Sox 2 NY Yankees 6, Philadelphia 2 Atlanta 2, Miami 1 Baltimore 9, Minnesota 4 Milwaukee vs. Arizona, (n)