Baseball Guru
02-06-2002, 11:44 AM
February 6, 2002
BY MIKE KILEY STAFF REPORTER
The Cubs might have signed the 2002 National League comeback player of the year Tuesday. Or they might have taken a gamble that never pays off.
But if left-handed pitcher Donovan Osborne rebounds from a two-year absence from the major leagues with the same sharp curveball and changeup that helped him compile a 47-45 record for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1992 to '99, he might open the season as the surprise No. 5 starter in the Cubs' rotation. With a dearth of left-handed starters in their recent history, the Cubs were eager to roll the dice on Osborne, who has a career ERA of 3.92.
With no guaranteed money involved, the Cubs considered it a smart risk to sign Osborne, 32, to a minor-league contract and invite him to spring training. He will report to Mesa, Ariz., on Feb. 15 with the other pitchers and catchers, bringing a burning desire to reignite his once-promising career.
Osborne's 143-game history with the Cardinals was halted in 1999, when surgery on his left shoulder and lingering problems with his left groin put him on the sideline. Tearing the groin in 1997 carried over to 1998, and he opened the season on the disabled list. When he made brief comebacks, he tried to overcompensate for the soreness in the groin and injured the shoulder. He had season-ending arthroscopic surgery in May 1999 and hasn't pitched in the majors since.
''The groin was worse,'' Osborne said of his two-year hiatus. ''It took time to heal. I still feel I'm a starting pitcher, and I'll prove that in spring training. I'm a competitor, I'm healthy and I'm ready. I know I can do it.''
Cubs bullpen coach Rick Kranitz felt the same way when he watched Osborne throw two weeks ago at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where Osborne was an All-America pitcher. The Cardinals drafted him with the 13th overall selection in 1990.
''I saw a guy with pretty good control,'' Kranitz said. ''He didn't throw as hard as he used to. But if his velocity is not quite as good, maybe mid-80s, to me velocity is not the most important thing for left-handers. He showed a real good changeup and curve, along with a good slider, and he had good command with his fastball on both sides of the plate.''
Kranitz, who observed Osborne's tryout with about eight other scouts, was equally impressed when he spoke privately with the pitcher.
''He was all business and talked about how he couldn't wait to get back,'' Kranitz said. ''He has always seemed like an intense guy.''
''It seems like a good gamble,'' said Jim Hendry, the Cubs' vice president of player personnel. ''With our left-handed situation what it is, we felt it was a good chance to take.''
Jesus Sanchez is the other left-hander in the competition to determine a No. 5 starter. While right-hander Mark Prior, the Cubs' first-round pick last year, might change some minds with a strong spring, the organization has indicated the ballyhooed Prior probably will begin the season at Class AA West Tenn.
That leaves right-handers Alan Benes, Carlos Zambrano and Julian Tavarez to compete against Osborne and Sanchez for the last rotation spot behind Jon Lieber, Kerry Wood, Jason Bere and Juan Cruz. Osborne and Benes are former Cardinals who would love to come back and beat the team that might be the Cubs' biggest rival this season in the NL Central.
Osborne increases the Cubs' spring-training roster to 56 players, 27 of whom are pitchers.
BY MIKE KILEY STAFF REPORTER
The Cubs might have signed the 2002 National League comeback player of the year Tuesday. Or they might have taken a gamble that never pays off.
But if left-handed pitcher Donovan Osborne rebounds from a two-year absence from the major leagues with the same sharp curveball and changeup that helped him compile a 47-45 record for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1992 to '99, he might open the season as the surprise No. 5 starter in the Cubs' rotation. With a dearth of left-handed starters in their recent history, the Cubs were eager to roll the dice on Osborne, who has a career ERA of 3.92.
With no guaranteed money involved, the Cubs considered it a smart risk to sign Osborne, 32, to a minor-league contract and invite him to spring training. He will report to Mesa, Ariz., on Feb. 15 with the other pitchers and catchers, bringing a burning desire to reignite his once-promising career.
Osborne's 143-game history with the Cardinals was halted in 1999, when surgery on his left shoulder and lingering problems with his left groin put him on the sideline. Tearing the groin in 1997 carried over to 1998, and he opened the season on the disabled list. When he made brief comebacks, he tried to overcompensate for the soreness in the groin and injured the shoulder. He had season-ending arthroscopic surgery in May 1999 and hasn't pitched in the majors since.
''The groin was worse,'' Osborne said of his two-year hiatus. ''It took time to heal. I still feel I'm a starting pitcher, and I'll prove that in spring training. I'm a competitor, I'm healthy and I'm ready. I know I can do it.''
Cubs bullpen coach Rick Kranitz felt the same way when he watched Osborne throw two weeks ago at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where Osborne was an All-America pitcher. The Cardinals drafted him with the 13th overall selection in 1990.
''I saw a guy with pretty good control,'' Kranitz said. ''He didn't throw as hard as he used to. But if his velocity is not quite as good, maybe mid-80s, to me velocity is not the most important thing for left-handers. He showed a real good changeup and curve, along with a good slider, and he had good command with his fastball on both sides of the plate.''
Kranitz, who observed Osborne's tryout with about eight other scouts, was equally impressed when he spoke privately with the pitcher.
''He was all business and talked about how he couldn't wait to get back,'' Kranitz said. ''He has always seemed like an intense guy.''
''It seems like a good gamble,'' said Jim Hendry, the Cubs' vice president of player personnel. ''With our left-handed situation what it is, we felt it was a good chance to take.''
Jesus Sanchez is the other left-hander in the competition to determine a No. 5 starter. While right-hander Mark Prior, the Cubs' first-round pick last year, might change some minds with a strong spring, the organization has indicated the ballyhooed Prior probably will begin the season at Class AA West Tenn.
That leaves right-handers Alan Benes, Carlos Zambrano and Julian Tavarez to compete against Osborne and Sanchez for the last rotation spot behind Jon Lieber, Kerry Wood, Jason Bere and Juan Cruz. Osborne and Benes are former Cardinals who would love to come back and beat the team that might be the Cubs' biggest rival this season in the NL Central.
Osborne increases the Cubs' spring-training roster to 56 players, 27 of whom are pitchers.