Roberto Osuna – So Good, So Young |

The youngest player in the AL this season is Toronto’s setup reliever Roberto Osuna, born in Mexico on Feb 7, 1995. While the 20 year-old is young in years, this is his 5th season as a professional (though he has been used quite sparingly in the minors with just 128.2 IP in four minor league campaigns). Why am I writing about a rookie relief pitcher not even halfway into the season? Well, there’s this:

Year	Age	Tm	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	SV	IP	HR	BB	SO	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9	SO/W
2015	20	TOR	1	2	.333	2.12	31	0	8	1	34.0	1	10	40	185	2.11	0.912	5.6	0.3	2.6	10.6	4.00

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/23/2015.

Those numbers will attract attention on any pitcher’s resume, never mind for a 20 year-old rookie. More on Osuna after the jump.

That workload works out to about 70 appearances and 75 IP for the season. Here are the youngest rookie relievers to do that.

Rk	Name	G	IP	Year	Age	Tm	GS	W	L	W-L%	SV	ERA	FIP	ERA+	HR9	H9	BB9	SO9	SO/W	WHIP
1	Oscar Villarreal	86	98.0	2003	21	ARI	1	10	7	.588	0	2.57	3.69	182	0.55	7.35	4.22	7.35	1.74	1.286
2	Mitch Williams	80	98.0	1986	21	TEX	0	8	6	.571	8	3.58	4.75	121	0.73	6.34	7.26	8.27	1.14	1.510
3	Matt Capps	85	80.2	2006	22	PIT	0	9	1	.900	1	3.79	4.25	118	1.34	9.04	1.34	6.25	4.67	1.153
4	Kelvin Herrera	76	84.1	2012	22	KCR	0	4	3	.571	3	2.35	2.70	178	0.43	8.43	2.24	8.22	3.67	1.186
5	Lance McCullers	70	136.0	1986	22	SDP	7	10	10	.500	5	2.78	3.93	132	0.79	6.82	3.84	6.09	1.59	1.184
6	Jesse Crain (RoY-8th)	75	79.2	2005	23	MIN	0	12	5	.706	1	2.71	4.65	165	0.68	6.89	3.28	2.82	0.86	1.130
7	Craig Kimbrel (RoY-1st)	79	77.0	2011	23	ATL	0	4	3	.571	46	2.10	1.52	182	0.35	5.61	3.74	14.84	3.97	1.039
8	Chuck McElroy (RoY-5th)	71	101.1	1991	23	CHC	0	6	2	.750	3	1.95	3.63	199	0.62	6.48	5.06	8.17	1.61	1.283
9	Will McEnaney	70	91.0	1975	23	CIN	0	5	2	.714	15	2.47	3.21	146	0.59	9.10	2.27	4.75	2.09	1.264
10	Antonio Osuna	73	84.0	1996	23	LAD	0	9	6	.600	4	3.00	3.29	130	0.64	6.96	3.43	9.11	2.66	1.155
11	Trevor Rosenthal	74	75.1	2013	23	STL	0	2	4	.333	3	2.63	1.91	143	0.48	7.53	2.39	12.90	5.40	1.102
12	Elias Sosa (RoY-3rd)	71	107.0	1973	23	SFG	1	10	4	.714	18	3.28	3.37	118	0.59	7.99	3.45	5.89	1.71	1.271
13	Ed Vande Berg (RoY-4th)	78	76.0	1982	23	SEA	0	9	4	.692	5	2.37	3.34	180	0.59	6.39	3.79	7.11	1.88	1.132

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2015.

So, if Osuna were to maintain his performance and reach those Games and IP totals, he would be the youngest to do so. He would also be the first among the above pitchers with a WHIP under 1.00, and would join Kimbrel as the only ones with HR/9 under 0.5 and H/9 under 6.0.

But, of course, it’s a long season and it’s a big IF whether Osuna can continue to dominate hitters the rest of the season as he has done so far. To perhaps get a more realistic idea of what Osuna’s final numbers might look like, I looked for pitchers of similar age with similar first half totals. There are 74 pitchers like Osuna who, before age 23 and within the first 50 games of their careers, had appeared in 25 of their teams’ first 80 games of a season. The best of those complete seasons look like this:

Rk	Player	ERA+	IP	G	Year	Age	Tm	GS	W	L	W-L%	SV	ERA	FIP	HR9	H9	BB9	SO9	SO/W	WHIP
1	Huston Street (RoY-1st)	254	78.1	67	2005	21	OAK	0	5	1	.833	23	1.72	2.75	0.34	6.09	2.99	8.27	2.77	1.009
2	Joel Zumaya	233	83.1	62	2006	21	DET	0	6	3	.667	1	1.94	3.34	0.65	6.05	4.54	10.48	2.31	1.176
3	Gregg Olson (RoY-1st)	224	85.0	64	1989	22	BAL	0	5	2	.714	27	1.69	2.46	0.11	6.04	4.87	9.53	1.96	1.212
4	Eduardo Sanchez	209	30.0	26	2011	22	STL	0	3	1	.750	5	1.80	3.03	0.30	4.20	4.80	10.50	2.19	1.000
5	Robbie Ross	198	65.0	58	2012	23	TEX	0	6	0	1.000	0	2.22	3.40	0.42	7.62	3.18	6.51	2.04	1.200
6	Julian Tavarez (RoY-6th)	193	85.0	57	1995	22	CLE	0	10	2	.833	0	2.44	3.42	0.74	8.05	2.22	7.20	3.24	1.141
7	Craig Kimbrel (RoY-1st)	182	77.0	79	2011	23	ATL	0	4	3	.571	46	2.10	1.52	0.35	5.61	3.74	14.84	3.97	1.039
8	Oscar Villarreal	182	98.0	86	2003	21	ARI	1	10	7	.588	0	2.57	3.69	0.55	7.35	4.22	7.35	1.74	1.286
9	Kelvin Herrera	178	84.1	76	2012	22	KCR	0	4	3	.571	3	2.35	2.70	0.43	8.43	2.24	8.22	3.67	1.186
10	Jonathan Broxton	174	76.1	68	2006	22	LAD	0	4	1	.800	3	2.59	3.13	0.83	7.19	3.89	11.44	2.94	1.231
11	Dominic Leone	168	66.1	57	2014	22	SEA	0	8	2	.800	0	2.17	3.07	0.54	7.06	3.39	9.50	2.80	1.161
12	Neftali Feliz (RoY-1st)	165	69.1	70	2010	22	TEX	0	4	3	.571	40	2.73	2.96	0.65	5.58	2.34	9.22	3.94	0.880
13	Kevin McGlinchy (RoY-6th)	160	70.1	64	1999	22	ATL	0	7	3	.700	0	2.82	3.66	0.77	8.45	3.84	8.57	2.23	1.365
14	Chris Sale	156	71.0	58	2011	22	CHW	0	2	2	.500	8	2.79	3.12	0.76	6.59	3.42	10.01	2.93	1.113
15	Chad Cordero	155	82.2	69	2004	22	MON	0	7	3	.700	14	2.94	3.90	0.87	7.40	4.68	9.04	1.93	1.343
16	Paco Rodriguez	154	54.1	76	2013	22	LAD	0	3	4	.429	2	2.32	3.08	0.83	4.97	3.15	10.44	3.32	0.902
17	Pedro Martinez (RoY-9th)	146	107.0	65	1993	21	LAD	2	10	5	.667	2	2.61	3.08	0.42	6.39	4.79	10.01	2.09	1.243
18	Francisco Rodriguez	145	86.0	59	2003	21	ANA	0	8	3	.727	2	3.03	3.93	1.26	5.23	3.66	9.94	2.71	0.988
19	Willie Hernandez	145	110.0	67	1977	22	CHC	1	8	7	.533	4	3.03	3.41	0.90	7.69	2.29	6.38	2.79	1.109
20	Trevor Rosenthal	143	75.1	74	2013	23	STL	0	2	4	.333	3	2.63	1.91	0.48	7.53	2.39	12.90	5.40	1.102
21	Andy Sisco	142	75.1	67	2005	22	KCR	0	2	5	.286	0	3.11	3.79	0.72	8.12	5.02	9.08	1.81	1.460
22	Terry Forster	141	100.0	62	1972	20	CHW	0	6	5	.545	29	2.25	1.73	0.00	6.75	3.96	9.36	2.36	1.190
23	Charlie Kerfeld (RoY-4th)	138	93.2	61	1986	22	HOU	0	11	2	.846	7	2.59	3.23	0.48	6.82	4.04	7.40	1.83	1.206
24	Johnny Ruffin	136	70.0	51	1994	22	CIN	0	7	2	.778	1	3.09	4.33	0.90	7.33	3.47	5.66	1.63	1.200
25	Steve Howe (RoY-1st)	134	84.2	59	1980	22	LAD	0	7	9	.438	17	2.66	2.83	0.11	8.82	2.34	4.15	1.77	1.240

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2015.

Included in the list above are 21 of the 25 players who were closest to Osuna’s performance, with markers over the first half of the season of WHIP under 1.30, ERA under 4.00 and SO/BB of 2.0 or better. With a median ERA+ of the group above at 160 and with all but Eduardo Sanchez (no. 4) logging 50 games and 50 IP, there is certainly established precedent for young pitchers maintaining solid performance in following up a good start to a rookie season.

At no.12 above is Neftali Perez (who, with 69.1 IP, just missed the first list) who has the closest numbers across the board to Osuna’s marks so far. However, Perez and all of the others except Terry Forster (no. 22) were older than Osuna, and Forster’s season above was not a debut campaign like Osuna’s (Forster made 45 appearances and 49.2 IP as a 19 year-old, so his rookie status for the season above seems questionable).

If we look just at rookie relief pitchers aged 20 or younger, only the 24 below compiled 50 IP in a season since 1901, and only half of them posted a 100 ERA+, both markers that Osuna will likely achieve with ease.

Rk	Player	ERA+	IP	Year	Age	Tm	G	GS	W	L	W-L%	SV	ERA	FIP	HR9	H9	BB9	SO9	SO/W	WHIP
1	Don Gullett	172	77.2	1970	19	CIN	44	2	5	2	.714	6	2.43	3.05	0.46	6.26	5.10	8.81	1.73	1.262
2	Bob Miller	153	69.2	1954	18	DET	32	1	1	1	.500	1	2.45	2.93	0.13	8.01	3.36	3.49	1.04	1.263
3	Billy McCool	150	89.1	1964	19	CIN	40	3	6	5	.545	7	2.42	2.10	0.30	6.65	2.92	8.76	3.00	1.063
4	Terry Forster	141	100.0	1972	20	CHW	62	0	6	5	.545	29	2.25	1.73	0.00	6.75	3.96	9.36	2.36	1.190
5	Paul Strand	118	55.1	1914	20	BSN	16	3	6	2	.750	0	2.44	2.78	0.16	7.64	3.74	5.37	1.43	1.265
6	Jack Russell	114	98.0	1926	20	BOS	36	5	0	5	.000	0	3.58	3.60	0.18	8.63	2.20	1.56	0.71	1.204
7	Lindy McDaniel	110	116.1	1956	20	STL	39	7	7	6	.538	0	3.40	3.22	0.54	9.36	3.25	4.56	1.40	1.401
8	Randy Gumpert	106	62.1	1936	18	PHA	22	3	1	2	.333	2	4.76	4.93	0.29	10.68	4.62	1.30	0.28	1.701
9	Bill Hepler	104	69.0	1966	20	NYM	37	3	3	3	.500	0	3.52	4.74	0.39	9.26	6.65	3.26	0.49	1.768
10	Bobby Burke	103	100.0	1927	20	WSH	36	6	3	2	.600	0	3.96	4.58	0.54	8.19	2.88	1.80	0.63	1.230
11	Pedro Ramos	101	130.0	1955	20	WSH	45	9	5	11	.313	5	3.88	4.30	0.90	8.38	2.70	2.35	0.87	1.231
12	Pat Simmons	100	69.0	1928	19	BOS	31	3	0	2	.000	1	4.04	4.89	0.52	9.00	4.96	2.09	0.42	1.551
13	Lew Krausse	99	57.0	1932	20	PHA	20	3	4	1	.800	0	4.58	4.40	0.47	10.11	3.79	2.53	0.67	1.544
14	Bud Davis	98	66.2	1915	19	PHA	17	1	0	1	.000	0	2.97	4.66	0.00	7.16	7.02	1.62	0.23	1.575
15	Marcos Carvajal	94	53.0	2005	20	COL	39	0	0	2	.000	0	5.09	4.57	1.36	8.83	3.57	7.98	2.24	1.377
16	Camilo Pascual	85	119.1	1954	20	WSH	48	4	4	7	.364	3	4.22	3.84	0.53	9.50	4.60	4.53	0.98	1.567
17	Harry Harper	82	57.0	1914	19	WSH	23	3	2	1	.667	2	3.47	3.02	0.16	7.11	5.53	7.89	1.43	1.404
18	Billy Burke	81	64.0	1910	20	BSN	19	1	1	0	1.000	0	4.08	3.29	0.14	9.56	4.08	3.09	0.76	1.516
19	Dick Welteroth	79	65.1	1948	20	WSH	33	2	2	1	.667	1	5.51	5.70	0.83	10.06	6.89	2.20	0.32	1.883
20	Rich Gossage	74	80.0	1972	20	CHW	36	1	7	1	.875	2	4.28	3.10	0.23	8.10	4.95	6.41	1.30	1.450
21	Ed Baecht	70	56.0	1926	19	PHI	28	1	2	0	1.000	0	6.11	4.90	0.64	11.73	4.50	2.25	0.50	1.804
22	Herb Pennock	70	50.0	1912	18	PHA	17	2	1	2	.333	2	4.50	3.57	0.18	8.64	5.40	6.84	1.27	1.560
23	Hank Johnson	63	67.0	1925	19	NYY	24	4	1	3	.250	0	6.85	4.96	0.40	11.82	4.97	3.36	0.68	1.866
24	Andy Hansen	57	52.2	1944	19	NYG	23	4	3	3	.500	1	6.49	4.70	0.51	10.77	5.47	2.56	0.47	1.804

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/23/2015.

Only one of these seasons (Marcos Carvajal, no. 15) is from the past 43 years so Osuna is already on the verge of achieving a very unusual rookie campaign. Doing that while posting eye-popping performance numbers makes his accomplishment that much more noteworthy.

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David P

9 years ago

Sorry Doug, I’m going to thread hijack! Though it is Toronto related.

Right now, the Blue Jays are scoring 5.57 runs per game. They have an incredible 0.8 run per game over the #2 offense in the AL (Yankees).

I’m sure there are some Rockie teams that have had a bigger lead than that over the #2 offense.

But otherwise? Well, the ’27 powerhouse Yankees only outscored the #2 offense (the A’s) by .77 runs per game.

BTW, they’re scoring 5.76 runs per game at home, 5.37 on the road. Which strikes me as a fairly normal home/road difference.

Author

Doug

Reply to David P

What makes their scoring binge even scarier is they’ve done this with Double-E in a season long slump and their best hitter (Devon Travis) of the first month and a half of the season on the DL since mid-May. But, it probably won’t matter how many runs they score if their pitching (currently ranked 14th in AL WAA) doesn’t get a lot better. Which has me wondering: why spend the big bucks on Russell Martin and (next year) on Josh Donaldson and not upgrade your pitching, more especially since the window of opportunity on Bautista (34) and Martin, Encarnacion and… Read more »

Reply to Doug

Doug – I suspect the Blue Jays approach to improving their pitching was an indirect one. After all, Martin has an excellent defensive reputation, particularly when it come to pitch framing. And the Pirates team ERA dropped by half a run a game when he joined them a few years ago. Donaldson also has a positive defensive reputation (backed up by Rfield).

BTW, speaking of poor pitching (and assuming I did the search correctly), the Yankeees have given up 10+ runs in 3 straight home games for the first time in team history.

Richard Chester

The PI only goes back to 1914. If you go to the Yankees 1912 team page, under Schedule and Results, you will find that they gave up 10+ runs in 4 consecutive games at home against the Red Sox, June 20 to June 22. There was a doubleheader on the 22nd. They lost all 4 games.

Ah, but I said Yankees! That 1912 team was called The Highlanders. 🙂

Seriously, first time in over 100 years this has happened to the Yankees.

yippeeeyappee

Osuna’s only save this season was last night vs the Rays. 2 IP 5k. Given the Jays’ struggles to prevent runs late (see last 2 games vs BAL), I will be surprised if he doesn’t become their new closer soon.

Luis Gomez

Nice to see this kid having success at the big league level, after being signed at a very tender age.

I saw him live for the first time a couple of weeks ago and he´s got a seemingly effortless delivery for that kind of fastball.

Nice coincidence to see his uncle Antonio in the first list. By the way, Roberto´s dad (also Roberto) pitched for a few years in the Mexican League. Oscar Villarreal is still closing games in the Mexican League.

Reply to Luis Gomez

Good catch, Luis. I hadn’t noticed Uncle Antonio there. His age 24 season with the Dodgers wasn’t too far off what Roberto is doing now.

Voomo Zanzibar

Speaking of 20 year olds, Carlos Correa has now played 15 games.
Tack a 0 on the end of all his numbers to simulate a full season:

100 runs
200 hits
50 doubles
40 homers
110 RBI
40 steals
370 Total Bases

RichW

Another hijack but pitching related. Marco Estrada today become the first MLB pitcher to take a no-hitter into the 8th inning in consecutive starts since Dave Stieb in 1988. Both of Stieb’s no-hitters were broken up with 2 out in the 9th.

Reply to RichW

Stieb had three shutouts in 1988 allowing exactly one hit, and two more in 1989. Only pitchers (since 1914) with more are Pete Alexander with four in 1915 (but none the rest of his career), and Nolan Ryan and Bob Feller with nine for their careers.

oneblankspace

I remember a 1985 game against the White Sox where Stieb took a no-hitter into the 9th with a 6-run lead then gave up two homers to Rudy Law and Bryan Little. Gary Lavelle then relieved Stieb, then Harold Baines homered to make it 6-3. Two more singles was all that was left for the Sox.

bluejaysstatsgeek

I had a man-crush on Stieb and it always peeved me to see all the press Jack Morris’s HOF candidacy would get, yet Stieb barely got a sniff. Morris, “Pitcher of the 80s”? Stieb’s numbers were vastly superior.

brp

Jack Russell would be a good guy to come in to the game to mop up for Orel Hershiser.

Reply to brp

Russell’s .376 career W-L% is second lowest (to Milt Gaston) among pitchers with 2000 IP and 95 ERA+. That included a .304 W-L% in 1000 IP for the Red Sox, again the second lowest career mark, this time to Red Ruffing.

Russell evidently saved his best work for the post-season, allowing only one run (a home run) in 12 IP over 5 appearances (alas, that home run was hit by Mel Ott, to win the 1933 WS in extra innings in game 7).