Clay Mortensen

[Orange Juiced]

I got ripped by some (well, really, one person in particular) in the offseason for saying some nice things about Clay Mortensen. I pointed out that, despite the fact that he can't really throw harder than about 87 mph, he's become a pretty effective pitcher on the major league level.

 

After a rough start to his career, he's really become solid.

 

2009-10: 36.2 ip, 7.12 era, 1.72 whip, 4.9 k/9

2011-12: 100.1 ip, 3.59 era, 1.29 whip, 6.4 k/9

 

And now, this year:

 

2013: 7.2 ip, 2.35 era, 0.91 whip, 8.2 k/9

 

I'm not saying he's the next great American pitcher, but he's really useful and gives the Sox some real flexibility out of the pen.

[Palodios]

I mentioned it in the gamethread, but he's definitely one of the most underrated players on this team. He's no superstar, but if you need someone to go out there in the 6th and 7th innings because one of the starters couldn't go deep, he keeps the Sox in the game.

[User Name]

When fully healthy, the Red Sox will have the best BP in baseball IMO, and with good depth to boot. Not a bad problem to have.

[a700hitter]

They have gotten much more production from him than I ever expected they would get.

[Station 13]

He may earned his stay once Morales and Breslow gets healthy. Aceves gotta pitch well otherwise I think he's the first casualty.

[Quinny]

He's a solid reliever, I've always thought that way. He's not going to be your set- up shut down man, but every bullpen needs those solid relievers that can go multiple innings. Not every pitcher in the pen is going to throw gas.

[Dojji]

He's got enough deception to keep hitters missing and he can provoke a lot of bad contact. That's a potent combination. It's what made Hideki Okajima so effective.

[User Name]

I like the Okajima-Mortensen comparison. It seems like they have similar stuff and approach to pitching.

[jung]

The days you really love Mortensen are the days when he comes into the game early and sticks up through the 5th or 6th inning. He can do that and does do that more often successfully than not. You just love the guy when he does cause your starter has already failed and you could be looking at a game where you end up eating through everybody just to get to your 7th or 8th inning guy. Guardians had two relievers carry them to the 7th or 8th last night which is just that kind of effort. I am just Tito is grateful as the Guardians had already lost last night's game to boot.

[BSN07]

The Oki-Mortensen comparison is a good one dojji.

 

Guys with funky deliveries and mid to high 80's stuff can be tricky after seeing mid 90's stuff all day. He's a good compliment to a power BP.