Pedro Martinez a big fan of A's pitcher Jharel Cotton, sees some of himself in him
Pedro Martinez says Jharel Cotton reminds him of himself
By
Mike Axisa
•
1 min read
Athletics right-hander Jharel Cotton, who came over from the Dodgers in last year’s Josh Reddick/Rich Hill trade, held the Royals to two hits in seven scoreless innings Monday night. He struck out six, including several on his nasty changeup.
Check this pitch out:
Jharel Cotton, Changeup/Screwball Grip/Release/Spin. Scratchreel. pic.twitter.com/3lW6PCIZQ4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 11, 2017
Look at that changeup drop off the table. Cotton’s fastball averaged 92.8 mph on Monday, so between gearing up for the heater and trying to stay back on that changeup, hitters are in a world of trouble.
Cotton was never a top prospect -- he never made Baseball America’s annual top 100 prospects list, for example -- but through seven MLB starts, all with the A’s since the trade, he has a 2.66 ERA (151 ERA+) and a 0.96 WHIP in 40 2/3 innings. There’s a reason I consider him an AL Rookie of the Year candidate.
Following Monday’s start, Cotton received some serious praise from someone who knows a thing or two about nasty changeups: Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez. Pedro complimented Cotton on Twitter:
Jharel Cotton reminds me a lot of myself. Nasty change up, nice cutter, same arm angle and rotation, and same grip I used to have.
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) April 11, 2017
That is some lofty praise. Pedro had three elite pitches in his fastball, breaking ball, and changeup -- that’s why he’s in the Hall of Fame, after all -- but his changeup was his go-to weapon. He made it look like he was throwing a 100 mph fastball, then the changeup seemed to stop in midair about ten feet in front of home plate.
After hearing Pedro praise Cotton, the Dodgers have to hope the two won’t have something else in common besides a great changeup: getting traded in an all-time blunder early in their careers by the Dodgers.
