Travis Driskill
| YEAR | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | W | L | Sv | P/GS | BAA | ERA |
| 2002 | 29 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 132.2 | 150 | 78 | 73 | 21 | 48 | 78 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 97.5 | .284 | 4.95 |
Travis Driskill's story is right out of the movies. Journeyman career minor-leaguer signed by bad team at age 30, makes big league bullpen. Gets drilled in his ML debut, giving up 5 hits in only 2 1/3 innings, including the coup de gras as the O's blow a big lead (at least the O's come back and win the game in 10 innings.) After a couple of so-so appearances, ends up in long relief of a bad Scott Erickson start against the Indians on May 8. Tosses five no-hit innings in a 6-2 loss.
But does it mean anything? Nah. It's back to oblivion. Nearly two weeks later, though, Rick Bauer blows up in an appearance against the A's in Oakland, giving back all of a 4-1 O's lead in the seventh. Eleven innings are in the books now, and no one's really left in the bullpen except you, and the closer. So in you go. You toss two shutout innings, the O's score two in the top of the 14th, and Julio closes out your first ML win.
Four days later, you're starting against Seattle, and then the Yankees...and, well, you get the picture.
By the end of June, though, the honeymoon is over. You're being lit up, though not in a demonstrably horrible manner, just marginal for a ML pitcher. At the end of August, you start your last game, finishing up the season in the bullpen.
Still, what a ride for a career minor-league pitcher!
When all the smoke had cleared, Travis Driskill had proven that he could pitch in the majors, as a long man or emergency starter. He's not a late bloomer, but his numbers do reflect someone who could possibly be effective in that role, if he could maintain his 2002 numbers.
One can't really expect more than that, but Travis Driskill will take it. He's unlikely to forget May and June of 2002 anytime soon.
TO SUCCESSFULLY CONTRIBUTE IN 2003, HE SHOULD:
(1.) figure out some way to avoid the gopher ball, his worst enemy.
(2.) return to a role as a long reliever. If he's starting, his team is in trouble.
NOTES: pitched to a 3.68 in two starts against the Yankees...was 1-3 with a 6.84 against the Jays...gave up 2/3 of his homers at Camden Yards, where he pitched less than half his innings...gave up 14 of his 21 homers on a 0-0 or 1-0 count.