milb.com: Swindle happy to make big leagues

One of my favorite minor leaguers is going to the bigs - R.J. Swindle. In four (organized) minor league seasons, he’s posted a career ERA of 1.54 in 181 innings for three organizations: the Red Sox (released after a 1.94 ERA in 51 innings his rookie year, due to concerns about his back), the Yankees (who he gave a 0.59 ERA in 46 innings two years later, as he had to play indy ball in the intervening time), and now the Phillies (who signed him as a minor league free agent) - who have suddenly begun to promote him pretty aggressively.

He’s got no velocity, hasn’t had any for as long as I’ve heard of him (I was surprised Boston tabbed him as early as they did (14th round), despite his earning some All-America nods as a collegian), but does throw a nifty curve and change combination, as well as whatever other junk comes to his mind on a given day. When I saw him the other day, he topped out at 83 (IIRC) on Durham’s (reportedly slow) gun but looked quicker - of course, this type almost always does. Didn’t mess around with arm angles as much as I remember him doing in the past - just set, threw, and generally made the hitter look pretty bad (Dan Johnson notwithstanding).

I’d be reluctant to call any guy with his lack of velocity much of a prospect, but he looks more impressive to me than, say, Javier Lopez or Craig Breslow (both of whom I like or have liked in the past), and I certainly wouldn’t write off the possibility of his sustaining a career in the bigs as a LOOGY/mop-up type ... and there ain’t nothing wrong with that.