KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) – With his command of the strike zone and the movement on his pitches, rookie lefty Horacio Ramirez is a perfect fit for the Atlanta Braves.
His performance this spring has helped, too.
Ramirez, who spent most of last season at Double-A Greenville, has gone 4-0 with a 1.45 ERA, the most victories without a loss among NL pitchers. His final start before the regular season will come Tuesday against Detroit.
“I never expected to have this much success this spring,” Ramirez said. “I mean, I trust my stuff and have confidence in my ability, so I knew I could get guys out. But it’s gone better than I hoped.”
A crafty pitcher who rarely gets his fastball above 90 mph, Ramirez relies on his control and a sinker to keep batters off-balanced. He works both sides of the plate, and even when he’s behind in the count, he’s not afraid to any of his four pitches.
In order words, another piece of the puzzle for the pitching-heavy Braves.
“I like his command, I like his movement,” pitching coach Leo Mazzone said. “And for a young kid, he’s got a maturity and demeanor on the mound that you can’t teach.”
Last year, Ramirez went 9-5 with 3.03 ERA for Greenville in 16 starts. He’s recovered fully from reconstructive elbow surgery in 2001, and he should have a spot in Atlanta’s rotation, at least at the start of the regular season.
Paul Byrd is expected to begin the year on the disabled list because of a sore elbow, and Ramirez and Jason Marquis likely will fill out the top five until Byrd makes his debut. Greg Maddux, Mike Hampton and Russ Ortiz round out the rotation.
Ramirez hasn’t been unhittable, though. In 18 2-3 innings, he’s given up 20 hits and allowed opponents to bat .278. The key to his success has been making the right pitch at the right time to get himself out of trouble.
“I’m not going to overpower guys,” he said. “I’ve got to try to outthink them and get them out on my pitch.”
In his previous start against Montreal, Ramirez pitched 5 2-3 innings and gave up two earned runs. He cruised through his first five innings before tiring a bit in the sixth, surrendering five hits and the two earned runs.
Still, it was enough for his fourth straight win, and he’s the only Atlanta pitcher with more than two.
“I just want to do my part,” he said. “Hopefully, that’ll be enough to stay with the team.”
AP-ES-03-24-03 1814EST
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