NEW YORK A scout who spent time last season following the Astros around, trying to figure out how to beat Gerrit Cole offered up one thought that the right-hander could struggle when he puts on the pinstripes and becomes the Yankees ace.
Maybe when they make him cut his hair he will be like Samson in the bible, maybe he will lose his strength, the American League scout said, cracking himself up. Other than that there are not obvious ways to attack him. Hes got three plus pitches and a good change-up. Hes a workhorse, you arent taking him out after five without a damn good reason. Hes as fierce of a competitor as there is.
Hes an old-fashioned ace.
The Yankees are expected to finally unveil their new ace this week. Cole, who has been spotted in the city, was expected to have the physical in New York on Monday which would finalize the record-setting, nine-year, $324 million deal he agreed to with the Bombers last week during the annual MLB Winter Meetings.
Cole was the biggest free agent arm available this winter and the one Brian Cashman considered the Yankees white whale. The 29-year old twice eluded the Yankees, who drafted him in 2008 only to see him go to UCLA and then tried to trade for him.
In that time, he has certainly put together a resume that made that demand understandable.
Cole, the runner-up in the American League Cy Young race to teammate Justin Verlander, led the AL in strikeouts (326) and ERA (2.50) over 212 1/3 innings pitched in 33 games started. He also had the best Fielding-independent pitching rate in the AL with 2.64 and highest strikeout per nine innings pitched (13.8).
Hes the type of pitcher opposing teams work around and know they have to be at their best to beat. Cole had been scouted a dozen times last year. Heres what the scouts from opposing teams had to say about him.
Dominating arsenal, plus command and control, with the ability to dominate any team and compete for the Cy Young honors during his better years, summarized one scout.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Cole is described as country strong, with controlled mechanics and a smooth arm action, which another scout said allows Cole to compete deep in games and carry the heavy workload.
You watch him throw 99-100 miles an hour in the first inning and then if he needs it he can pull it back out again in the seventh or eighth innings, an American League scout said.
His best weapon is his fastball, which scouts call elite.
He drives it through the zone which plays very well in all areas of the zone, a National League scout said. He can use that fastball effectively anywhere, but particularly up in the zone. With his breaking stuff, which is also plus, plus, biting down that makes it hard on hitters.
Cole also has a plus slider and curveball. His change-up is effective and he very occasionally throws a sinker, the scouts said. The changeup is a pitch that scouts feel Cole is growing more and more comfortable and confident in.
What we saw from him in Houston is him coming into his prime, a National League scout said. We saw him learn and improve. Hes in his physical prime right now and is learning to be an even better pitcher. I dont know him, but I see how hard he works on the mound, I imagine that has gone into his work between starts as well.
But, Cole is not unbeatable.
The White Sox handed him his last regular-season loss on May 22, but the Nationals put up five runs and a loss on him in Game 1 of the World Series.
The best hope to beat Cole is to get to him early, said one scout. Early in the game, before he figures out which of his breaking balls are working, you can get to him and frustrate him a little bit.
