Saturday, April 17, 1999
Bucs give Sauerbeck shot
Northwest grad comes to town with Pirates
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
All Scott Sauerbeck wanted was a chance. He got one and made the most of it.
Sauerbeck made the Pittsburgh Pirates' Opening Day roster, not bad for a one-time roster filler in the low minors. His first week in the majors included a strikeout of Mark McGwire and his first victory.
Sauerbeck, a 27-year-old left-hander pitcher, came to town Friday with the Pirates, The trip was special because Sauerbeck grew up in Cincin nati. He was a three-sport star at Northwest High and pitched at Miami University.
But Sauerbeck's night was less than stellar. Coming on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and two men on, he faced Sean Casey. The third pitch Sauerbeck threw hit Casey in the back. That was it for Sauerbeck.
Sauerbeck, who never made more than $10,200 a year in his five years in the minors, now makes the major-league minimum of $200,000.
The New York Mets picked him in the 23rd round of the 1994 draft. But in those days, making the majors wasn't even a remote possibility.
“I was a roster filler,” he said. “I only pitched when the prospects couldn't finish the game.”
But Sauerbeck moved along steadily in the Mets' minor-league organization. He progressed a level a year and was effective each step of the way. He had an ERA of less than 3.00 at three of his first five stops.
“If you keep at it, good things happen,” Sauerbeck said. “I'm proof of that.”
By last year he was in Triple-A. He went 7-13 with a 3.93 ERA with Norfolk. He made the midseason All-Star game in the International League.
He was beginning to think that the majors were a possibility. Sauerbeck's break came when the Pirates picked him in the Rule 5 draft. That meant they must keep him on the major-league roster the whole year or offer him back to the Mets for $50,000.
“How many guys get picked 13, 15?” he said. “That's like winning the lottery.”
But Sauerbeck still had to earn a spot in spring training. He did, and he's pitched well this season. He's made three appearances — all in relief — and hasn't allowed a run over 6ö innings.
Along the way, he's faced Sammy Sosa (0-for-2) and Mark McGwire (strikeout looking).
“I really don't know what I'm doing,” he said. “Everything is so new. I don't even look at the batter. I just throw whatever (All-Star catcher) Jason (Kendall) puts down.”
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