Alex Pepe had held GCL Blue Jay opponents scoreless until Wednesday.
Finding his touch
After a rough spring training, reliever Alex Pepe is pulling himself together for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays.
Originally published on
7/16/2010
by
Chuck King
When Alex Pepe received an invitation to the Toronto prospect camp during the offseason, he figured it was a signed he was about to start his ascent in the Blue Jays organization.
Spring training suggested otherwise. After playing baseball nearly year-round all his life, the Florida native found that taking so much time off before spring didn’t agree with him.
“I had a terrible spring training,” Pepe said. “I lost how to throw a baseball. … It took me a while to figure out how to pitch again to live batters.”
Pepe’s struggles prompted the Blue Jays to keep him in extended spring training. They eventually assigned him to the Gulf Coast League, the lowest level in their organization.
He’s responded well. The lefthander didn’t allow an earned run and only surrendered one hit in his first six appearances of the season – a span of 4 2/3 innings. That scoreless string finally came to an end on Wednesday when he allowed two late runs in a 7-2 victory.
“(Wednesday) I actually felt the best,” Pepe said. “They told me my stats didn’t really matter. I was consistent around the zone. You are not going to be perfect every night. It wasn’t as bad as the stats made it look.”
Pepe said his fastball has been clocked as high as 94 mph this year, but it is consistently hovering near 90.
“I’m doing pretty well,” Pepe said. “I just wish I wasn’t in the GCL. I wish I was with a full season team.”
Pepe need only look to former FAU teammate Travis Ozga to see how quickly surroundings can change. Like Pepe, Ozga was held in extended spring then assigned to a low-level team in the Mets organization.
Shortly after shipping out of extended spring, Ozga was promoted two levels to the Mets Class A South Atlantic League team in Savannah.
“I just hope I get the same shot as Travis,” Pepe said. “I’m waiting for my time.”
Stepping Up: Word out of Kannapolis is that Brandon Kloess felt good after a bullpen session on Thursday and could come off the Class A Intimidators disabled list early next week. A strained rib cage has kept Kloess out of action since June 29. ..Mike Gipson returned to the bullpen for short season Class A Staten Island and didn’t allow a run in 1 1/3 innings. Gipson has yet to be scored upon in his three appearances out of the pen.
Low and Away: The Baltimore organization has released reliever Chris Schmitt, who had allowed one run in 8 1/3 innings for their Gulf Coast League club. …Ryan Bernal is dealing with a sore back and hasn’t pitched for the rookie league's Helena Brewers since June 30. …Mickey Storey is in a bit of a rough stretch, allowing five earned runs in six innings during his last three appearances for Class AA Midland. …Class AA Bowie has placed Robbie Widlansky on the DL. Widlansky, who was only hitting .095 in July, fouled a ball off his foot on July 8 and had to leave the game.
Indy Ins and outs: Danny Bomback’s recent hot bat has pushed his average above .300. He enters Friday’s action hitting .302 with a home run and 34 RBI in 43 games with the Pittsfield Colonials of the Can-Am league.