D-backs analyst impressed with Chase Anderson
May 29, 2014, 10:59 PM | Updated: 11:29 pm
The Arizona Diamondbacks haven’t found too much success so far this season, but they may have found a sparkplug in the form of rookie pitcher Chase Anderson.
Anderson pitched five innings, gave up eight hits and struck out three to lead the D-Backs to a 12-6 victory over the San Diego Padres Wednesday night, becoming the first D-backs rookie to win his first three starts.
“He’s got great stuff and he knows how to use it,” former D-backs manager and current team broadcaster Bob Brenly told Bickley and Marotta Thursday afternoon on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “He’s got three quality pitches. The changeup is a plus plus pitch and going along with the poise and stuff and fortunately for him the team has scored a boatload of runs when he has been on the mound so all those things kind of build his confidence.”
Anderson, the ninth round draft pick of the D-backs in the 2009 amateur draft, began the year in Double-A Mobile where he went 4-2 with a 0.69 ERA for the BayBears before he was called up to replace the demoted Mike Bolsinger.
He made an immediate impact and showed flashes of brilliance in his first major league start on May 11th in a win over the Chicago White Sox giving up only two hits and striking out six in 5.1 innings pitched. He then proved his worth again against the Dodgers on May 18th earning another win.
Anderson has been aided tremendously by the D-backs offense, which has provided him with 35 runs in his three big league starts.
Brenly believes the University of Oklahoma product, who has a 4.02 ERA in 15.2 innings pitched, has a bright future with the organization.
“I think already he feels like he belongs here and can succeed here,” Brenly said. “I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be a big part of this rotation moving forward for years.”
