Phil Coke throwing a lot of pitches for Detroit Tigers – MLB Update
Phil Coke has great throwing abilities. Since making his Major League Baseball debut, the guy has given some memorable performances.
Early in his career, he was drafted into the 28th round by the New York Yankees. He started to play for GCL Yankees in 2003 and continued to impress his critics at the minor league until 2007.
In 2008, Coke made his Double A league debut with Trenton Thunder and he made the most of available opportunities in that season, going 9-4 with an incredible 2.54 ERA in 20 starts. He was then signed on for the Triple A where he pitched in 13 games to make a name for himself.
"It's pretty impressive how strong his arm is day in and day out," his partner Duane Below said.
In his debut for the Yankees, he showed great control over his fastball and the curveballs. On his first ever major league appearance against Detroit Tigers, he pitched a scoreless inning. Later he became a part of New York Yankees’ World Series winning campaign in 2009 and he has not looked back since then.
"He wants to pitch every day, no matter how much he threw the day before," Tigers pitching coach Jeff Jones said. "He's never said, 'I can't pitch,' and he probably never will."
"When I'm throwing, I go out there with a thought process," he said. "I'm trying to feel what my body is doing. I'm trying to feel where my upper body is to my lower body when I'm releasing the ball, at all distances."
Yankees’ management sent Coke to Detroit Tigers during the 2009-10 offseason in a trade involving Curtis Granderson. The running season has given him enough opportunities to prove his mettle.
With other starting pitcher like Drew Smyly and Rick Porcello struggling to live up to the expectations, Coke has an excellent chance to secure a permanent place on Tigers’ roster.
So far things are looking very good for him but Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland will have to make sure that he is giving enough rest to the starting pitcher, who throws a lot of pitches.
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