Jarrod Parker makes solid debut for D-backs
Sep 28, 2011, 2:29 AM | Updated: 2:46 pm
PHOENIX – For Jarrod Parker, it was a long wait to make his Major League debut, but the D-backs right-hander took full advantage of his opportunity Tuesday night.
“They were flowing,” he said of his nerves as he walked out to the mound to start the game. “I just tried to keep as calm as I could and be as relaxed…tried to make pitches and get outs.”
Parker tossed 5 and 2/3 innings of shutout baseball only giving up four hits.
The D-back prospect’s debut has been highly anticipated since the Arizona organization took him with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 MLB draft.
His development was slowed when he had to have Tommy John surgery two years ago, but seems to have fully recovered.
In his first outing, Parker showed why scouts have drooled over his potential as his fastball touched the mid-90’s consistently coupled with a good change-up to keep batters uncomfortable.
Manager Kirk Gibson came away impressed.
“He had a lot of composure for his first major league start. Pretty much what we had told you he had been doing he did. He pretty much kept the ball down, pounded the zone.”
Even more impressive, Parker looked at ease on the mound and kept his composure in his first taste of the big leagues.
Parker proved with this outing that he will be in the mix for a starting spot in the D-backs rotation next spring.
Arizona Sports reporter Craig Grialou contributed to this report.
