Rosa shows he can handle whatever is thrown at him
Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008
SPRINGDALE — If an opposing team manages to get a runner on base against Northwest Arkansas Naturals starter Carlos Rosa, it’s a good inning.
If somehow two runners get on in the same inning, it’s time to alert the media.
Rosa, a 23 year-old righthander from the Dominican Republic, has been that untouchable this season. Going into Saturday night’s game against the Springfield Cardinals, Rosa led the Texas League in ERA (1. 38 ) and walks plus hits per nine innings (0. 85 ) and appears to be fast on his way to a promotion to Class AAA Omaha or the Kansas City Royals.
Rosa is on the Royals’ 40-man roster, and Baseball America rates him as the organization’s No. 6 prospect.
“He’s improved upon what he did in this league last year, and he’s shown he’s adapted to the league,” said J. J. Picollo, the Royals’ director of player development. “The next step logically will be Triple-A, and we expect him to go there and show he can make adjustments.
“ As guys go up in leagues and show they can handle hitters, that’s what separates them [from other prospects ]. Carlos has shown he can do that.” Rosa spent most of last season in the Texas League, going 6-6 with a 4. 36 ERA for Wichita. But he’s been dominant this time around, walking batters at barely one-third the rate of a year ago and allowing one run or less in five of his first seven starts.
Naturals pitching coach Larry Carter, who was Rosa’s pitching coach last year, said the difference is that Rosa’s slider has been much more effective this season.
“He used to throw a false changeup, which is a different grip, and we kind of went to more of a circle grip, which is more across the top of the seams and has a sinking effect,” Carter said. “It took him a while to throw it, but he throws it this year. He didn’t really throw it last year.” Born and raised in San Francisco de Macoris, one of the largest cities in a baseball-obsessed nation, Rosa was signed by the Royals two months after his 17 th birthday. He was assigned to the Gulf Coast League, where he pitched for the Royals’ rookieleague team.
“It was a little difficult for me coming to the United States,” Rosa said. “I didn’t speak much English, nothing difficult. We went to Florida my first year, and it was difficult to leave my family.” Rosa began moving up the Royals’ farm system and learning English, and he’s now quite capable of conducting interviews in two languages. But his career appeared to be in jeopardy when he missed the entire 2005 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in his right elbow.
The surgery took place after a frustrating 2004 season in which Rosa failed to win a game in 12 starts in rookie ball and Class A Burlington.
“It was very tough on me,” Rosa said. “I wanted to pitch and I didn’t want to lose a year, but I’m happy because everything’s fine. I worked hard in Arizona to rehab all year. I was lucky to come back and have a good year in 2006. I feel great.” Last season was more than a good year, it was Rosa’s best as a professional, although 2008 may end up supplanting it. Pitching mostly for Class A Burlington (Iowa ), he was fourth in the Midwest League in ERA and was chosen as the Royals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Late in the season, Rosa earned a promotion to advanced Class A. He made three starts at that level in 2006 and four more in 2007 before being promoted again at the end of April, this time to Wichita.
Rosa had 38 strikeouts in 39 innings going into Saturday’s game, but hasn’t traditionally been a big strikeout guy, despite having a fastball that is routinely in the mid-90 s and can reach 97 mph. Instead, he has frustrated hitters’ efforts to make solid contact.
He has allowed just 26 home runs in 456 career innings, one every 17. 5 innings.
“He’s never had a problem throwing the ball over the plate,” Carter said. “He’s always maximized his pitch count to his innings pitched, so he’s gotten more out of his pitch count than probably anybody in the organization.” Now, with more than a full year of Class AA experience under his belt, Rosa is making his case as the league’s premier starter. His best outing came against the Arkansas Travelers on April 25 at Arvest Ballpark, when he had a no-hitter for six innings and ended up allowing just one hit over eight shutout innings.
It was a performance that earned Rosa the Naturals’ first Texas League Pitcher of the Week award. Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg said Rosa “could have won in the big leagues” that night.
“There are guys that don’t have as good of stuff as him in the big leagues,” Poldberg said. “It’s just a matter of being more consistent, being able to throw off-speed pitches for strikes when you’re in fastball counts, which he’s becoming much better at.” Yet despite all the attention Rosa’s pitching has earned him this season, Rosa says it hasn’t changed him. He still has the same simple routine before starts — he says a prayer but mostly keeps to himself, concentrating on the task ahead — and claims he doesn’t care much about his impressive stats.
He will admit he has gotten better, and everyone who has faced him will second him on that count.
“It’s everything. I have more command on my pitches, my breaking pitch is better. All of my stuff is better than last year,” Rosa said. “My command in the zone is better, and I’m keeping the ball down. I’m just more comfortable.
“ I want to go [to the majors ], but I have to just do what I have to do now and whatever happens [happens ]. You never know. This is my goal, to go to the big leagues, but I’m just trying to do my job.” Carlos Rosa glance POSITION Starting pitcher AGE 23 (born Sept. 21, 1984 ) HEIGHT 6-1 WEIGHT 185 THROWS Right-handed 2008 STATISTICS 3-2, 1. 38 ERA, 0. 85 WHIP (walks plus hits per 9 innings ) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Leads the Texas League in ERA and WHIP. … Named Texas League Pitcher of the Week earlier this season. … Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 6 prospect in the Kansas City Royals’ farm system. … Chosen as the Royals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2006 after missing entire 2005 season after having Tommy John surgery. … From San Francisco de Macoris in the Dominican Republic.
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