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| FilAm Baseball Player Espineli |
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According to MLB.com, Espineli’s scouting report that year compared him to ex-major league pitcher John Candeleria, a former 20 game-winner and World Series champion. Espineli’s “tall, lanky” frame, side arm delivery and three-pitch combination – a sinking fastball clocked at 89 miles-per-hour, a backdoor curveball and sinking changeup – made him a good draft choice for the Giants.
“My pitching style is about trying to fool the hitter,” said Espineli. “I like to confuse the hitters with what I throw. I don’t throw really fast; my pitches are usually in the high 80’s. I just try to get it [the ball] to sink or slide.”
After a few years in the Minor Leagues as a reliever and starting pitcher, the Giants called up Espineli in mid-July after he posted a 2.06 earned run average with 43 strikeouts in 34 games for the teams Triple A affiliate in Fresno. During his time in Fresno, Espineli also was a Pacific Coast League All-Star and named to the Olympic USA baseball team.
Espineli said he was surprised about being named to the Olympics but opted to stay in the majors to help the Giants playoff run in a wide-open National League West division.
“That opportunity came out of nowhere,” he said about the Olympics. “I would have been definitely proud to represent this country but now I’m in the majors and I’m hoping to stay here as long as possible.”
Now that he’s on the Giants, he’s hoping to contribute to the pitching staff in anyway he can even if it means humiliatingly carrying a Barbie backpack to the bullpen in front of thousands of people to appease the veterans on the team.
Hazing is what veteran’s do to rookies, and Espineli knows it’s not over.
“I know it’s going to get a lot worse in September,” he said.
So far Espineli has played in five games as a reliever for the Giants. He’s pitched 5.2 innings striking out four hitters and allowing two walks. He’s also given up four earned runs but to Espineli, it’s a learning experience.
“Every time I’m out there it’s nerve racking,” he said. “You’re in front of thousands of fans. Everyone back home is going to watch it. It’s exciting but it’s also nervous at the same time.”
He also knows there’s a little added pressure on him being a full Filipino playing in front of a team with a large Filipino fan base.
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