ERA Leader Edison Volquez featured in SI

[missionhockey21]

CINCINNATI -- Edinson Volquez wanted to quit. When the Texas Rangers staff pulled him aside that March 2007 day in spring training and told him that he -- the former No. 1 ranked prospect in the organization, possessor of a gilded changeup, a 98-mph fastball, and all of 14 major league starts -- would find himself not just in the minors, but three levels and 1,400 miles away from Arlington in Single A Bakersfield.

Worse, the Rangers informed him that should he wish to advance to Double A, much less the majors, he would have to abide by a set a of rules that mandated everything from the time he woke up, to the size of the razor blade he'd use to cut his hair, to the people he could talk to on days he was scheduled to pitch. Volquez knew that his combined 1-10 record and 9.20 ERA in 2005 and 2006 were far short of what was expected of him...but Single A?

For a moment it seemed that leaving the team would be better than losing his pride, but then a funny thing happened on the way to the farm: Volquez realized his major league dream was bigger than his ego.

Edinson Volquez's story, however, isn't so much the depth of his fall as it is the speed of his recovery. Just one year after that demotion, his sizable struggles at Bakersfield (zero wins and a 7.13 ERA) and a trade to the Cincinnati Reds, Volquez is now perched atop a mound in the majors and the National League in ERA (1.33). After holding the NL East-leading Florida Marlins to one earned run last Tuesday, he joined former Oakland A's pitcher Mike Norris as the only other pitcher to allow fewer than two earned runs in their first eight starts of a season. In his next start last Sunday, he outdueled American League ERA leader Cliff Lee by giving up two earned runs over six innings in the Reds 6-4 victory, and now ranks second in the NL in wins (seven) and strikeouts (62).

"To his credit, he did everything," says Rangers pitching coach Mark Connor, part of the brain trust who orchestrated the demotion. "We weren't sure (how he was going to react). We'd gotten to a point with Volkie where everything needed to be put into some structure for him. He got to the big leagues probably before he should have out of necessity here with the pitching the way it was in '05, '06. He obviously had the physical ability but it wasn't being put into use."

Click here to read more.

[missionhockey21]

Very interesting to learn about dropping his elbow in his delivery. I think Volquez's success is the culmination of all these different factors. The fact that he had to grow up in the Texas organization, that he learned how to harness his stuff and when it was important to not blow someone away but to make an out and to find the mechanics that make him comfortable on the mound. While it would be near impossible for him not to struggle a bit at some point this season and to see that ERA creep up, from seeing him pitch about every game he has this season and reading this, it makes me confident that he is the real deal.

[redsrbetter]

This is indeed a good read. I am very happy to have him on our side. Definitely refreshing to have what looks to be a formidable pitching staff. This story kind of makes you wonder if the same deal is going on with Cueto as did "Volkie" a few years ago. Hopefully the Reds don't treat Cueto as the Rangers did Volquez, but we may could very well see Cueto become as good if not better.