NewsRoyals' Crow hit hard in second AFL start
No. 12 overall pick gives up four runs over 3 1/3 innings
By Brittany Ghiroli / Special to MLB.com
11/03/09 8:58 PM EST
In his unofficial pro debut last Wednesday, Royals prospect Aaron Crow lamented the location of his pitches and the frequent three-ball counts he found himself working with in the Arizona Fall League game."I need to work on getting the ball down and my command of the strike zone," Crow said.
But as the Kansas native is quickly finding out, it's a steep learning curve from college standout to professional pitcher. While Crow's command was better in his second start Tuesday afternoon, his location was actually too good. The No. 12 overall pick in this year's Draft was hit up for four runs on six hits over 3 1/3 innings, taking a no-decision in his Surprise Rafters' 6-5 win over the Phoenix Desert Dogs.
The crowd of 309 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium witnessed the heralded prospect retire the first two batters he faced, before a fielding error and a single opened the floodgates for Crow's rough 56-pitch outing.
Using a mid-90s fastball, a slider and a changeup, Crowe allowed the leadoff man to get aboard in the next three innings, including a pair of back-to-back singles to open the second frame. He exited after yielding two runs in the fourth off a walk, an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly.
The former University of Missouri standout was originally drafted in 2008 by the Washington Nationals but did not sign, reportedly turning down a $3.5 million offer.
While in his final season for Missouri in '08, Crow went 13-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 15 starts. The Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year and a Golden Spikes Award finalist had 127 strikeouts and logged 43 consecutive scoreless innings that season.
In two starts in the AFL, Crow is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA over 7 1/3 innings. Although he played independent baseball last season and has thrown in instructional league, the 23-year-old's early struggles could simply be a matter of shaking off some rust.
Marcus Lemon (Rangers) went 4-for-5 with two RBIs, a double and a run scored in the Rafters' win, raising his AFL average to .313. Jarrod Dyson (Royals) added three hits, including a triple.
For Phoenix, Mitch Talbot (Rays) allowed two runs on five hits over four innings, while Blue Jays prospect A.J. Jimenez delivered a two-RBI triple.
Brittany Ghiroli is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
