A few years ago, I wrote about how the Pittsburgh Pirates really needed to call up Erik Kratz (Waynesboro 2000, Harrisonburg 2001) to the major leagues, and they did just that a few weeks later. (Keep in mind that I’m sure that my article did not influence the Pirates in any way. The timing was just coincidence.)
So, now it’s time to ask for another player to be freed: Adam Liberatore (Waynesboro 2007-8).
Adam was a key pitcher in the Generals’ amazing two-year run in ’07 and ’08: the team went 30-14-1 in ’07, winning the championship, and 30-14 in ’08, losing in the second round of the playoffs. (Waynesboro was also very good in 2006, lest we forget.) Those teams were managed by Lawrence Nesselrodt, who is the head coach at West Virginia Tech. Adam was good enough in 2008 to be named ATVL’s #2 starter in the league.
Anyway, Adam was a 21st round draft pick in 2010 by the Tampa Bay Rays. He reached Triple-A Durham in 2013, where he went 5-3, 3.58, with 25 walks and 69 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings pitched.
Adam’s back in Durham for the 2014 season, but his stats are even better than last year: 0-0, 3.29, with only 2 walks and 20 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings pitched. Adam has raised his strikeout rate and lowered his walk rate significantly so far, albeit in a small sample size. It seems to me that Adam could use a new challenge, so maybe it’s time for Tampa Bay to call him up!
All Things Valley League 