Tyson Ross isn't scheduled to pitch today for the St. Louis Cardinals, but he just as well might. If the Cardinals have an on-call player, it's Ross. When things go wrong on the mound, you call Tyson. The man could be the first baseball player to rock a pager on his hip.
Since the 31-year-old journeyman righthander joined the Cardinals on Aug. 5, he has filled a variety of roles for the team. He started a game in Kansas City on the most late of notice, pitching six innings and earning the win. On Friday night, he rescued the team when the starter, John Gant, couldn't last three innings. He's whatever the team needs him to be that day. He's always ready to go.
Ross came to the Cardinals after a second stint with the San Diego Padres ran its course. A pitcher with something left to give on a team heading towards another down season with no light in sight. At first glance, he seemed to be best suited for the rotation, but the Cardinals had other plans.
Some would suggest it's financial. There's a clause in Ross' one year/$1.75 million contract that states that after his 22nd start this season, he'd make an extra $200,000 per start. It could be that, but I doubt it. The Cardinals aren't eyeing their checking account balance on a daily basis. President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak likes to claim these once-prominent and since forgotten arms and turn them into a unique asset. Ross is no different.
In 25.2 innings of work, Ross is 2-0 with a 2.10 ERA and 3.51 FIP. The latter stat shows you how well a pitcher can claim outs without the help of his defense, and Ross relies on his infield more so than he did early on in his nine year career. He doesn't have the high strikeout rate these days, so he's relied on his cutter (25.3 % usage per Brooks Baseball) and slider (29% usage) along with his fastball (40% usage) to get outs. The four-seam fastball has picked up some extra cheddar as the season has come along, with Ross averaging right around 92 mph this month. Without being remarkable, Ross has been effective.
Forgive me for shopping in the small sample size area of the market, but Ross' 0.7 WAR in a little over 25 innings is impressive. He's only made one start, but found himself cleaning up the mess of another starter in multiple games.
After the stellar debut in Kansas City to start his Cardinal tenure on Aug. 12, Ross relieved a flailing Luke Weaver in the fourth inning four days later, allowing zero earned runs in 3.1 innings of work. Three days later against Milwaukee, Ross entered the game in the sixth inning and pitched three scoreless innings, bridging the gap and giving the Cardinals a shot.
On Sept.1, Ross took over for Daniel Poncedeleon, and ended up pitching more innings (4.1) than the starter. He stopped the bleeding on Sept. 4 against the Nationals and Sept. 13 against the Dodgers. Overall, Ross has relieved the starting pitcher before the fifth inning a total of four times in his brief time with the Cardinals. He's rarely slated to pitch before the fifth on any given day, but he always seems to be ready, using his veteran ability to get himself ready in a short period of time.
For Mike Shildt, Ross is a vital asset, because the manager doesn't hesitate to yank a starter if the game is getting out of hand. Look at Friday's game, where Gant put seven guys on base while only getting eight outs. With the score tied at 2 and a pair of Giants on base, Ross struck out Aramis Garcia to keep the game in check. He didn't arrive to the ballpark thinking he would do that, but got the job done.
It makes me wonder how good Ross is at changing a tire on the side of a road, or giving last minute CPR to a stranger at a restaurant. I wonder if he can sew a wound shut with a small dull needle and tiny piece of string. No matter the situation, he finds a way to get outs.
For a Cardinal team in need of resources with a young rotation reaching inning limits and a bullpen capable of self-destructing, Ross will be important during these final seven games, and possibly, in the playoffs. Another pitcher that most fans balked and rolled their eyes at when he arrived doing a fine job. I guess Mozeliak knows what he's doing.
Tyson Ross may not be the 196 inning/30 start animal he used to be, but his versatility has aided the Cardinals in their comeback this season. If he keeps this up, the man may find more work in St. Louis next season. Youth movements require veteran reliability.
Thanks for reading.
