Biscuit Pitchers,Those Starters!, Who's in the 'Pen?

So the Biscuits had a good five games against the Bham Barons, dispatching the Brummies with four L's added to their column. Now as the calendar flips to May the Biscuits have the top spot in the division and welcome the Mobile BayBears to town for the last time in the regular season. Ever. No more BayBears after this series, but more on that later.

LOOK AT THE BISCUITS PITCHERS!
I promised a look at the pitching staff a few weeks ago, once the roles got sorted out and well, here we are. We have some excellent starting pitching, highlighted by Brendan McKay's electric arm, augmented by a bullpen that has shown an ability to bend but not break more often than not.

THOSE STARTERS!
BISCUITS STARTING ROTATION
listed in no particular order

Brendan McKay

This guy can flat out pitch, have I said that before?

McKay is dominating southern league hitters just as he did to FSL guys. "They should have him give up hitting" some say, but having seen him at batting practice I would agree with the Rays to give him a little more time before asking him to put away the bats.

As a pitcher, McKay has been quietly overwhelming and only occasionally working with men on base.

Engaging but soft spoken, intelligent and polite in conversation off the field, McKay puts his head down and gets down to it at game time the same way any professional does. And he excels at it.


Kenny Rosenberg

Who is this guy? Lefty comes in here and makes his first month of double-A ball look easy.

An eighth round pick by the Rays from Cal State Northridge, Rosey has been a reliable fixture in the rotation early.

Whatever pitches he's throwing, I want two cases for each of my generals.



Ricardo Pinto

The Biscuit pitching Pinto, no he is not tossing bread.
 
Formerly of the Phillies, Pinto Bean has made two starts for Montgomery this season and once been the main man after the opener tossed the first inning.

Pinto was lit up in his first appearance, as a reliever, and took a few lumps in his first start but his last two outings have been solid.


Josh Fleming

As good as Fleming has been its a testament to the Biscuits hot start that he hasn't gotten more notice.

Completing six innings in each of his starts this year makes pitching coach RC Lichtenstein happy, and fans appreciate a pitcher who can carry his team into the later innings.


Arturo Reyes

This guy, just dealin in four starts. He has plenty of triple-A experience, so don't expect him to hang around too long.

Arturo was drafted in the 40th round by the Cardinals, where he was until joining the Rays this season. After spending most of the last few seasons at Memphis, Reyes is just having to prove himself to the new club, which he is doing with some solid work and fine numbers thru the first month.

OPENERS
 Its kinda like little league where everyone gets a chance to play. Moats, Krook, Disla, Pelaez, Sanders, everybody gets a turn to start a game and it fills out the rotation. Perhaps until Benton Moss gets back?


BULLPEN LINEUP

Blake Bivens

Bivens had a bad against the Barons, making his early totals look bad at the end of the first month, but overall his five appearances show a reliable arm that can handle multiple innings.

Taken in the fourth round of 2014, Blake's only two bad outings came at home but after getting a taste of double-A last year, Bivens is an important part of the bullpen going forward.


Matt Krook

Krook-Daddy returns to Montgomery after his AFL experience and looks like the reliable lefty that he became during the last few weeks of last season.

A former first round choice by the Marlins, and then a fourth round pick by the Giants, the California kid is bigger, stronger and more experienced now.

Lefty Krook has been having trouble with runners in scoring position this season, mostly due to bases on balls, but has the ability to pitch out of trouble and it will be fun to watch him develop that talent with the Biscuits.

Sam McWilliams

I wasn't sure if I should include Sam with the relievers or the starting pitchers. In each of his games this year he has pitched at least four innings, twice starting games and once taking over after the opener had departed. However he goes to the bullpen before games and is available between starts for relief.

Either way, this lefty from Tennessee is what one teammate called "a good one" for Montgomery and fans wouldn't argue the fact. The hard-throwing righty was an eighth round choice by the Phillies and has been traded twice - once for Jeremy Hellickson and once for Stephen Sousa. He was taken in the Rule 5 draft by the Royals this offseason, but they couldn't fit him on the MLB roster and so he was returned to the Rays.

Sam has been particularly tough on right-handed hitters this season, holding them to a .156 batting average.

Phoenix Sanders

Great baseball name, the tenth round pick by the Rays in 2017 is the first German-born Biscuit. Sanders played at two levels last year and also in the AFL, with Montgomery Phoenix has been excellent at home and better on the road. His BABIP indicates he isn't fully bulletproof but so far he has proven to be a shut down guy, especially with two outs.

Eight games, getting one start as an opener and one save in four games finished. Offering a strong arm and missing bats, Sanders has been one of skipper Morgan Ensbergs choices for closing games.

Tyler Zombro

Undrafted out of Mason University in Virginia, where he is second in career wins, Z wrapped his collegiate career as one of the top hurlers in the Atlantic 10. Not long afterwards, Zombro was asked by a scout "are you still interested in pitching?" and answered yes.

Suffice it to say that Zombro didn't get to double-A by being handed a big money bonus, a prospect label and being whisked along the development chain. Hard work and a chance to hone his craft as a professional are what motivates this righty and it shows.

Zombro the Great's stock and trade is the ground ball up the middle, a beauty of a trick when performed correctly with a runner on first and the middle infielders ready to turn a double play. Its a feat he has improved with each season, allowing fewer fly balls and fewer opposite field line drives, and looks to perfect with Montgomery this summer.

Ivan Palaez

The handsome mustachioed lefthander, born in Miami and schooled at local Faulkner University, bring an old-school style to the relief corp.

After mowing down two levels of hitters last summer, Pelaez finally ran into a challenge at double-A. On Sunday he ran into a line drive comebacker, taking a firm smack on the throwing arm. Hopefully he is okay, no word yet though.

Pelaez had a turn at opener, at closer and middle relief in the month of April. After a string of nice outings, Ivan was unimpressive against the Ms.Braves before being struck on Sunday. Pelaez brings good heat and locates the ball well, expect him to return to form once he gets back on the bump.


Dalton Moats

Moats outgoing nature and cheerful smile make him a favorite among players, staff and fans of all ages, in spite of his 5.35 career ERA with Montgomery. Moats ERA this year is 5.40, both on the road and at home. But those April numbers don't tell the true tale of Dalton Moats, who offers a durable arm and bulldog mentality on the mound.

The Delta State product has excellent stuff and the high BABIP tells us he is headed for much better days wearing Biscuits raiment.

Moats is simply too good to struggle for long and will figure out how to execute his pitches low in the zone to return to his usual ground ball ways.


Curtis Taylor
C.T. has had some great moments already, including the Canadian National team in the WBC. The righthander from Vancouver is a long way from home but fits right in with the Biscuits bullpen. Affable and easygoing when face to face, the tall hurler is a dominant presence on the mound that no hitter feels comfortable digging in against.

So far in his two seasons with Montgomery Taylor has been excellent, allowing less than one baserunner an inning and keeping hitters offstride by changing speeds well. Taylor is one of the few Biscuits yet to serve as an opener but he did earn his first save of the year this week.

Taylor is one of two pitchers I don't have a photo of in action this season, so last years pic will have to do for now. Sorry, C.T.!


Ian Gardeck
The veteran righthander signed with the Giants back in 2012 out of Alabama. Missing the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Gardeck returned to baseball and appeared in 14 games at three levels last summer. At 28 years old, Ian has a chance to show the Rays what he can do in a sink or swim opportunity.

Currently on the shelf with a minor ribcage strain, Gardeck will be back soon and likely figures to be in the mix for saves once he proves fully recovered.

Guess who that second pitcher I need a photo of is?

CLOSER BY COMMITTEE
Who is our closer? See *opener* strategy above.While roles have been mostly established, the closer role is a full on committee situation. Bivens, Sanders, Gardeck, Taylor and Zombro all garnered saves in April. Ah, well, that's bullpen life for you!

#BULLPENLIFE

NEXT TIME 
I ran out of room for the Mobile What To Look For, I hope to get that up in a day or so!