Randy Newsom

Randy Newsom - Right-handed Pitcher
Age: 25 Height: 6'2" Weight: 200 Bats: Right Throws: Right

	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	BB9	K9	WHIP
2007 Kin/Akr	4	2	2.80	58	0	18	61.0	63	19	4	18	31	2.66	4.57	1.33
Career	11	8	3.33	133	0	26	208.0	208	77	7	72	129	3.12	5.58	1.35

History: The Indians received Newsom in July of 2006 as the player to be named later in the Coco Crisp trade from January 2006. Newsom originally signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Tufts University (MA) with the Boston Red Sox in June of 2004. He turned out to be an important acquisition in 2006, as he was the Mills Cup Finals MVP that year for Kinston in their Carolina League Championship Series.

Strengths & Opportunities: Newsom is a side-arm/submarine-style pitcher who is a command-control guy. Newsom had been messing around on the mound at the end of spring training in 2005 throwing submarine style, and Red Sox officials saw it and approached him about actually going with the approach. The Indians were piqued by this unique arm slot when they had the opportunity to acquire him, and since arriving in the organization he has turned some heads.

Newsom does not throw very hard as his fastball sits in the 81-83 MPH range (he actually can throw harder), but as a submariner this is key as the lower velocity allows the ball to sink more and if you throw too hard the ball is flatter and much more hittable. With the pitch, he gets good sink down in the zone. He compliments his fastball with a changeup, slider, and a four-seam fastball he does not use very much. He has a lot of confidence in his changeup, and his slider is coming around. He is a very hardworker, and goes after hitters. He is also a very likable guy, great teammate, and his makeup is off the charts.

Newsom is also a groundball machine. His pitches get so much sink and in on right-handers that opposing hitters pound the ball into the ground (3.05 G/F ratio last year and 4.11 G/F ratio in 2006). He also has not been hurt by the home run ball, giving up only seven in 208 career innings pitched.

The Indians used him in several roles in 2007, and mostly exposed him to late-inning situations which he handled well. When the season finished, he went out to the Arizona Fall League and Mexican Winter League to get more work in against experienced hitters, and performed well. The key now for him is to become more consistent and show he can continue to pitch in pressure situations. His slider still needs work and he has to become more confident in using it. Also, he has struggled with left-handers and will need to continue working on that.

Outlook: Newsom knows his submarine style is his ticket to the big leagues. He has gone from the obscurity of being an unknown and undrafted pitcher in the Red Sox organization fighting to hang onto a baseball dream, to now a legit relief pitching prospect in the Indians organization. Newsom does not have a blazing fastball, wipeout slider, or a knee-buckling curveball, but he is extremely intelligent, has moxie, commands his pitches well, has great makeup, and goes right after hitters. He should start the season in the Buffalo bullpen and could make his professional debut with the Indians sometime in 2008.

Video: Newsom on the mound in spring training.

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