Ricky Romero

This article is about the American baseball player. For the American wrestler, see Ricky Romero (wrestler).
Ricky Romero

Romero with the Toronto Blue Jays
Free agent
Starting pitcher
Born: November 6, 1984
East Los Angeles, California
Bats: Right Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 9, 2009 for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics
(through 2013 season)
Win–loss record 51–45
Earned run average 4.16
Strikeouts 622
WHIP 1.40
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Ricardo "Ricky" Romero, Jr. (born November 6, 1984) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Romero stands at 6 feet and weighs 210 pounds. He throws left-handed and bats right-handed.

Prep career

After spending three years at Garfield High School, Romero graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles. In his senior year he was named L.A. City Section co-player of the year and Eastern League co-MVP for baseball, going (12–1) with a 0.53 ERA and 162 strikeouts for the Rough Riders.[1]

College career

Upon graduation, Romero attended Cal State Fullerton from 2001 to 2005. The lefty starter helped the Titans capture a National Title in the 2004 College World Series, pitching the team into the semifinals past Miami (FL) and winning game one of the World Series against Texas. He was also selected to the All-Tournament team for that season and played for the U.S. National Team pitching to a (3–1) record with a 1.57 ERA. In 2005 he led Fullerton in wins (13) and the Titans returned to the World Series.[2]

Early professional career

Romero was drafted by the Blue Jays as the sixth overall pick (and first pitcher selected) in the 2005 amateur entry draft.[3] After signing with Toronto in June of that year, with a signing bonus of $2.1 million, Romero made his professional debut for the Auburn Doubledays of the short-season A affiliated New York–Penn League. He was promoted to the Class A Dunedin Blue Jays after that appearance. Both 2006 and 2007 were short, injury-riddled seasons for the southpaw, with Romero suffering from shoulder and elbow problems. Finally healthy in 2008, Romero struggled with control problems with a career high 55 walks for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He received a late year call up to Triple-A Syracuse and earned Player of the Week honors as a member of the Chiefs on September 1.[4]

Major league career

2009–2010

On March 30, 2009, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston announced that Romero had earned one of the two open rotation spots for the 2009 MLB season. This came after a strong 7-inning spring training outing against the Houston Astros.[5][6]

On April 9, Romero made his Major League debut against Detroit, opposite Tigers rookie pitcher Rick Porcello. The game marked the first time in MLB history that two first-round picks faced each other in their respective debuts.[7] Romero earned the win while surrendering two runs on seven hits over six innings in the Blue Jays' 6–2 victory.[8] Romero pitched strongly in his next two starts, getting a no-decision against the Minnesota Twins, and defeating the Oakland Athletics. He had a 2–0 record and a 1.71 ERA in his first three starts, but was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 20 with a strained right oblique muscle after a violent sneeze.[9] The Jays, surprising many observers by holding first place for the month of April despite many injuries to their key pitchers, hoped he would be ready to return to their lineup by mid-May.[10] Romero was called up from Triple A Las Vegas 51's along with Casey Janssen, after a successful rehab assignment in the minor leagues to evaluate his progress.[11] After struggling somewhat upon his return, Romero found an outstanding run of form in late June and early July, defeating the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies (June 26),[12] the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays (July 1),[13] and the perennial powerhouse New York Yankees (July 6)[14] in three successive starts. On July 6, Romero tied the Blue Jays rookie record for consecutive scoreless innings with 24 against the NY Yankees, before giving up a home run to Eric Hinske in the fifth inning.[15] Jays' manager Cito Gaston said Romero was by this time considered the team's #2 starter, behind Roy Halladay.

Romero was rumoured to be one of the leading candidates for the 2009 MLB Rookie of the Year award during the first half of the season.Others included Chicago White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham. Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello, and again Chicago White Sox infielder Jayson Nix.

On April 13, 2010, Romero set a new career high with 12 strikeouts while allowing only two runs on one hit over eight innings in a 4–2 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

On May 15, 2010, Romero pitched his first complete game and shutout while tying a career-high 12 strikeouts in a 6–0 victory over the Texas Rangers.

2011

On June 26, 2011, Romero got his first major league hit, a two RBI single to right field, while pitching a complete game shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals to complete the sweep.[16] The five runs scored by the Jays were a welcome change for Romero, who had received two or fewer runs of support in each of his previous eight starts.[17]

On July 10, 2011, Romero was named as a late reserve to the American League All-Star Team, just two days before the game. He replaced injured Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, who was replacing Seattle Mariners pitcher Félix Hernández, who, because of starting the last game before the All-Star break, was ineligible to play in the game.[18]

Romero was named the AL Player of the Week for the week of August 1–7, 2011. Romero set personal highs for a single season with his second shutout and fourth complete game on August 18 against the Oakland Athletics.[19] On September 6, Romero was named the pitcher of the month for August, after posting a record of 5–0 in 6 starts. He led the American League in ERA (2.05) and opponents batted .160 against him, a major league low for the month.[20]

2012

Romero was named the opening day starter for the Blue Jays against the Cleveland Indians on April 5, 2012.[21]

On April 11, 2012, in the fourth inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox, Romero recorded his 500th career strikeout against outfielder Darnell McDonald. He made his 100th career start on May 8, 2012 against the Oakland Athletics, receiving a no-decision.

Romero's season started out well, and as of June 22, Romero was 8–1 – albeit with an ERA of 4.34, nearly a run and a half higher than his previous season's ERA of 2.90. The rest of the season, however, was little short of disastrous, as in Romero's last 17 appearances (all starts) he went 1–13 with an ERA of 7.35. No physical reason appeared to exist for Romero's sudden turn in performance, and the Jays kept him in the rotation for the entire season. Overall, Romero finished the 2012 season 9–14 with a 5.77 ERA and an MLB-leading 105 walks issued.

2013

Romero had been the starter for the previous two opening days for the Blue Jays,[22] but in light of his second-half struggles in 2012, on February 5, 2013, manager John Gibbons said Romero would be the Jays' number 5 starter for the 2013 season. Despite Gibbons' statements about Romero's position in the starting rotation, however, on March 26, 2013, the Blue Jays optioned Romero to the Class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays.[23]

Romero spent time in an extended spring training camp, and was recalled from Dunedin on May 3, 2013, after having pitched only one official game in minor league play.[24][25] However, back at the major league level, Romero posted an 0–2 record with a 12.46 ERA in two starts. He was subsequently optioned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on May 9, 2013.[26][27] Romero was then outrighted from the 40-man roster on June 1, 2013 to make room for Ramon Ortiz.[28]

Romero spent the next several months as a Bison, compiling a 5–8 record with a 5.78 ERA over the course of 22 starts.[29] His contract was selected by the Blue Jays on September 3 after the Bisons season ended, and the major league rosters expanded.[30] He appeared in two games in relief for Toronto in September, giving up 3 runs in three innings. Romero's overall major league record for the 2013 season was 0–2, with an 11.05 ERA in 71⁄3 innings.

2014

Romero was invited to spring training, where he walked 10 batters over 92⁄3 innings. He was sent to minor league camp on March 19, 2014.[31] In June, he underwent season-ending knee surgery and could require a second surgery on his other knee. Up to the surgery, he had posted an 0–3 record with a 5.50 ERA and 42 walks through 372⁄3 innings pitching for the Buffalo Bisons.[32]

2015

Romero began the 2015 season on the disabled list of the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He was released on April 25.[33]

Pitching style

Romero throws an 87–92 miles per hour two-seam fastball, a 92–95 miles per hour four-seam fastball, an 82–87 miles per hour changeup, a curveball that ranges from 74–78 miles per hour, and lastly an 84–86 miles per hour slider.[34]

Personal life

Romero is of Mexican descent,[35] and has a younger brother, Gabriel, who was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 47th round of the 2010 amateur draft, as a right-handed pitcher.[36] He also has two sisters.[37]

References

  1. ↑ "MLB Profile". Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Cal State Fullerton Profile". Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  3. ↑ "MLB 2005 Player Draft page". Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  4. ↑ "MiLB Player Profile". Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  5. ↑ Campbell, Morgan (March 31, 2009). "Romero cracks Jays' rotation". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Romero wins spot in Blue Jays rotation". CBC.ca (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). March 30, 2009. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  7. ↑ Cabrera homers twice as Tigers beat Blue Jays 5–1
  8. ↑ Tigers' Rick Porcello loses debut to Toronto
  9. ↑ Canada.com
  10. ↑ Gaston faces big decisions on rotation, by Robert MacLeod, The Globe and Mail, April 30, 2009, p. S2.
  11. ↑ "Toronto Blue Jays call up Casey Janssen, Joe Inglett, Ricky Romero". ESPN. May 22, 2009. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  12. ↑ Millson, Larry (June 26, 2009). "Romero pitches seven-inning two-hitter as Blue Jays beat Phillies again, 6–1". The Fan 590. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  13. ↑ Lott, John (July 1, 2009). "Romero pitches gem to salvage series against Rays". National Post. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  14. ↑ Curry, Jack (July 7, 2009). "Umpires and Rookie Pitcher Baffle Jeter and the Yankees". The New York Times. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Yankees’ rally falls short, just miss Jays sweep". MSNBC. July 6, 2009. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  16. ↑ Overbey, Steve (June 26, 2011). "MLB.com Gameday | bluejays.com: Gameday". Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Ricky Romero solid, but one mistake sinks Blue Jays in shutout loss to Braves | bluejays.com: News". Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Jon Lester, Ricky Romero named American League All-Stars | MLB.com: Official Info". Mlb.mlb.com. March 12, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  19. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (August 19, 2011). "MLB.com Gameday | bluejays.com: Gameday". Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  20. ↑ Blue Jays' Romero named Pitcher of the Month
  21. ↑ Ricky Romero wants to lead Blue Jays by example
  22. ↑ Toman, Chris (February 5, 2013). "Blue Jays set rotation around No. 1 Dickey". MLB.com. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  23. ↑ "BLUE JAYS OPTION ROMERO TO SINGLE-A DUNEDIN". TSN.ca. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Jays put Johnson on DL, recall Romero to start Friday". TSN.ca. May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  25. ↑ Nicholson-Smith, Ben (May 2, 2013). "Romero back with Jays as Johnson hits DL". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  26. ↑ Meisel, Zack (May 9, 2013). "Romero optioned to Triple-A after rough start". MLB.com. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  27. ↑ Lott, Joh (May 9, 2013). "Blue Jays option Ricky Romero to Buffalo". Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  28. ↑ Berry, Adam (June 1, 2013). "Morrow lands on DL with forearm strain". MLB.com. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  29. ↑ http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=romero001ric
  30. ↑ Lott, John (September 2, 2013). "Blue Jays call up Ricky Romero, Kyle Drabek and three others for September". National Post. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  31. ↑ Wray, Michael (March 19, 2014). "Romero, Stroman assigned to Toronto Blue Jays' minor league camp". jaysjournal.com. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  32. ↑ Davidi, Shi (June 19, 2014). "Blue Jays Romero undergoes knee surgery". Sportsnet. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  33. ↑ Galindo, Peter (April 25, 2015). "Blue Jays release pitcher Ricky Romero". Sportsnet. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Pitcher Scouting Reports » Toronto Blue Jays". 60ft6in. July 7, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  35. ↑ "Los Fearless" – Ricky Romero
  36. ↑ Jays draft Romero's brother MLB.com. Accessed on February 17, 2013.
  37. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (May 11, 2012). "Mother's Day comes early for the Romeros". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ricky Romero.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Shaun Marcum		 Opening Day starting pitcher
for the Toronto Blue Jays
2011—2012 		Succeeded by
R.A. Dickey