Minor League Baseball
Mariners farm report: Back roads to bigs?

By Bob Sherwin
Seattle Times staff reporter

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most e-mailed articles

Related stories Complete Mariners farm report Tacoma Rainiers stats Mariners top 10 prospects; Injury update

They have been ignored or abandoned by virtually every baseball scout. Not more than two years ago, all three were about as close to fulfilling their dream of being a major-league ballplayer as being a Himalayan Sherpa.

Yet Class AAA Tacoma left-handers George Sherrill, Bobby Madritsch and Randy Williams, all former independent-league players, are each in the mix this season for call-ups to the Mariners.

"These guys are as good as any prospect a lot of organizations spend millions of dollars on," said Charley Kerfeld, a Mariners scout who has specialized in finding gems in the independent leagues. "I managed for nine years in the independent leagues. I know a lot of teams back off guys who may have long hair or tattoos or are too heavy or have off-field problems. But give credit to (M's farm director) Benny Looper and (Rainiers pitching coach) Rafael Chaves.

"I saw a product back then, but when I saw the new product they've improved 100 percent. Benny gave them the opportunity and Chaves has been outstanding in developing them."

Sherrill, 27, was never drafted or signed by any organization before the Mariners, perhaps because of his weight — once nearly 300 pounds (he has since lost at least 60 pounds). He played two seasons for Evansville in the independent Frontier League, then two-plus seasons in the Northern League, with Sioux Falls and Winnipeg. Kerfeld recommended signing him last July. Just in time. The Yankees also were moving in.

At Class AA San Antonio last season, Sherrill was 3-0 with a 0.33 earned-run average. This season for the Rainiers he has a 1.80 ERA in 17 appearances with 40 strikeouts and just five walks in 25 innings.

"He's very, very, very close to being able to help us at this (big-league) level," Rainiers manager Dan Rohn said. "It's a true story. I think the most amazing thing is that he was close to 300 pounds last year. He's now down to 220. He throws 93, 94 mph. He's got a changeup, slider. He's not afraid to pitch to right- or left-handers. He's a very interesting individual."

Madritsch, 28, was drafted by Cincinnati in 1998 and pitched one season for the Reds' rookie-league team. But he had a shoulder injury in 1999 and missed the entire season, then was released in 2000. He pitched for four independent teams the next two seasons. He was signed by the Mariners in 2002.

Last season with San Antonio, Madritsch was 13-7 with a 3.63 ERA. This season for the Rainiers he is 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA and has 41 strikeouts and 11 walks in 41-2/3 innings.

"He has a plus fastball and a plus changeup," Kerfeld said of Madritsch. "He has what 80 percent of the big-league pitchers don't have in that he's not afraid of anything in the world. That's what has got him where he is. The bigger the challenge, the better he becomes."

Williams, 28, also had arm troubles, as elbow surgery forced him to miss both the 2000 and 2001 seasons. He returned in 2002 with Edinburg of the independent Central League. The Mariners signed him just a few days after Madritsch in September 2002. Williams pitched for both San Antonio and Tacoma last season. This year Williams is 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

E-mail this article

Print this article

Search archive

More sports headlines...