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Stacey King -> RE: Players and prospects III (5/27/2014 9:46:38 AM)
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Oliveros Back And Better
May 24, 2014 by Phil Miller
Injuries and a self-destructing pitching staff gave the Twins no choice when they acquired Lester Oliveros from the Tigers in the 2011 trade that sent Delmon Young to Detroit. They had to rush him to the majors and into their bullpen when he was 23.
“It was more out of necessity than anything he was doing,” vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff said of the righthander’s 10-game stint in Minnesota. “Now, when he gets up there, he’ll have earned his way.”
And Radcliff has no doubt that Oliveros, 20 months removed from Tommy John surgery, is on his way. He had allowed just two earned runs in 14 innings with 14 strikeouts for Double-A New Britain.
“We were enthused about him in spring training, and he’s just ratcheted it up since then,” Radcliff said. “He looks like one of those guys whose arm gets better after Tommy John (surgery).”
Not a bad consolation for a guy who was only planning to have some bone chips removed from his elbow in August 2012, until his surgeon discovered a tear in a ligament.
Oliveros’ fastball can touch 96 mph now, already a couple of notches faster than pre-surgery. But the pitch that has the Twins picturing Oliveros at Target Field is the development of a hard breaking ball with three-quarters break.
“It’s got angle, it’s got bite, and having another pitch is giving him more confidence,” Radcliff said.
The Twins are gaining confidence, too, now that Oliveros has shed some of the weight he put on after surgery. The Maracay, Venezuela, native reported to spring training at nearly 250 pounds, close to 15 pounds heavier than before he hurt his elbow.
“He’s finally getting into shape again, and it’s making his pitches even firmer,” Radcliff said.
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