MLB pitcher makes ball do what shouldn't be possible, totally confounds batter
Chances are unless you’re a really hardcore baseball fan, you’ve never heard of Chaz Roe.
Until now.
The 31-year-old relief pitcher is the definition of a journeyman.
He was a first-round pick of Colorado back in 2005, and is with his 10th major league organization.
Last season, he spit time between Atlanta and Tampa Bay, combining for a grand total of 12 appearances.
But what Roe did on Tuesday might make him a household name — even if just for a few days.
Check out the pitch he threw to Tom Eshelman of the Phillies on Tuesday.
Do you believe in magic? #Filthy pic.twitter.com/4pO7MOD1fy
— MLB (@MLB) March 14, 2018
Wow.
That was unfair.
It’s really the kind of pitch you’d expect a guy named Chaz Roe to throw, isn’t it?
“I didn’t really how good it was until my wife showed me the video,” Roe told the Tampa Bay Times. “I threw a couple like that a couple years ago, but that one was up there.”
Roe has had his moments in the bigs, like in 2015, when he put up a 4-2 record in 36 games with Baltimore.
He followed that up with a decent 2016, and was signed off waivers by Atlanta.
Last year, he hit the skids, and was demoted all the way down to rookie ball, but he finished the season with the Rays.
Because of his experience, Tampa Bay has to either keep Roe in the majors or risk losing him as a free agent.
He’s definitely making his case this spring: Roe now has six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings with a 1.59 ERA.
Tampa Bay is expected to struggle in 2018, so if he can keep on throwing that dirty slider, he’s got a good chance to stick with the team and continue his baseball journey.
A guy who can throw like that should always have a job.
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