Anthony Kay/Photo Credit: Ed Delany, MMN
Yesterday, in Columbia’s 9-1 win over the Lexington Legends, right-handed starter Marcel Renteria was the pitcher of record. In recording his second win of the season, he allowed just one earned on five hits in 7.2 innings. Additionally, he would strike out five while walking just one. Overall, it was yet another impressive start from a member of Columbia’s impressive starting rotation.
Certainly, the team did have high hopes for their rotation as it was headlined by two former first round draft picks in David Peterson and Anthony Kay.
After his season was delayed, Peterson has pitched well. His debut was a six inning effort where he allowed just one run on four hits. In two of his three starts, he has allowed one earned run or less and has allowed just four hits. For a pitcher with a good sinker, he is keeping the ball on the ground.
After missing a year and a half as a result of his needing Tommy John surgery, Kay did not make his professional debut until this season, and he is making up for lost time. So far this season, he is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA, 1.150 WHIP, and an 8.1 K/9. In three of his starts, he has allowed four or fewer hits and walked just one batter. In two of his starts, he has not allowed an earned run. Mostly, Kay has shown no ill effects from the Tommy John, and he is showing why the Mets made him a first round pick.
But this promising and deep Columbia Fireflies rotation is much more than just the two first round draft picks.
Chris Viall already has two double digit strikeout games under his belt, and he is striking out an incredible 15.8 batters per nine. It really seems like no one can touch him with his striking out 39.5 percent of the batters who face him, and the ones who do put it in play are only hitting .203 off of him.
Opening Day starter Tony Dibrell has also been raking up the strikeouts with him striking out 11 in his last start. In all four of his starts, he has struck out at least six batters, and he sports a 14.2 K/9.
Joe Cavallaro is having a breakout type of season leading this deep starting rotation with a 2.25 ERA and a 0.958 WHIP. What may be more impressive is Cavallaro is going deep into games going at least six innings in three of his four starts.
Finally, there is Renteria who has gotten progressively better in each and every start. In each succeeding start, he has pitched more innings. One of the reasons why he’s able to do this is he’s limiting his walks. In all four of his starts, he has walked two or fewer.
Overall, this starting rotation is part of a Columbia Fireflies team which leads the South Atlantic League in strikeouts and has allowed the fewest walks. When you have a pitching staff and starting rotation that is going out and pitching strikes, you have a staff that is going to excel. So far this season, Columbia has been doing just that, and with the talent in this pitching rotation, their best is yet to come.
