Hector Velaquez
Is it luck or good scouting with Mexican League import right-hander Hector Velazquez? Velazquez was an important piece in 2017-18 with special emphasis on the championship of 2018. Velazquez would simply do what was required – start, long relief, short relief. But even those first two seasons had attention-getting stat in FIP.
Velazquez is no mystery to hitters with his lukewarm fastball (91.7v), a curve, slider, and split, but he moves the ball around, cuts his corners, and attempts to keep hitters off-balance. This season Velazquez has been hit hard (38.8%) and not kept the ball on the ground (38.4%). Hitters eyes become saucer plates when Velazquez takes the hill.
Velazquez is not a big-ticket item in baseball terminology with barely a minimum contract ($568,500) so if you need a pitcher to either mop up or get mopped up then Velazquez is your guy. At near 1-years-old what you see is what you get and that is not pretty. Just gives Velazquez an early send-off.