MLB Hot Stove: Orioles sign a pitcher who has been out of the majors since 2009
Tomo Ohka will try to make his comeback as a knuckleballer
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1 min read
Do you remember Tomo Ohka? He pitched in parts of 10 big-league seasons for the Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos and various others. He was once traded for Ugueth Urbina, then a few years later for Junior Spivey. You remember him, right? Of course you do.
That's good, because it turns out Ohka is still chasing his big-league dreams, even as he nears his 41st birthday. To wit, on Thursday he signed a minor-league deal with the Baltimore Orioles:
Yes, Tomo Ohka has signed a minors deal w Os accdg to team. He is 40. Signed by Duq w Boston in 1999. Last pitched in MLB in 09
— Dan Connolly (@danconnolly2016) December 15, 2016
Ohka hasn't thrown in the majors since 2009, and his most recent stint in organized ball happened in 2014 -- when he walked more than he struck out and allowed nearly six runs per nine innings for the Bridgeport Bluefish. Yikes. Ohka has spent the time since training as a knuckleballer, which is encouraging in the sense that, hey, someone has to win the lottery eventually.
Will that someone be Ohka and the Orioles? Probably not -- almost certainly not. But between now and this dream's twilight, we all get to pretend we remember a whole bunch about a random old starter.
