Yates fights back

Published 12:00 am Monday, April 19, 2010

Bowling Green Hot Rods pitcher Kirby Yates has a new appreciation for professional baseball.

The right-handed reliever – and the brother of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tyler Yates – thought his dreams of joining his sibling in the major leagues were derailed after Tommy John surgery. But Kirby Yates, 23, is enjoying a second chance after signing as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009.

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Originally drafted in the 26th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2006, Yates opted to attend Yavapai College in Prescott, Ariz. But one game into his college career, Yates suffered an elbow injury that sidelined him for two seasons.

“The physical part was really tough,” Yates said. “The mental part was so much tougher – having to sit for two years and not be able to play the game you love. It’s mentally grueling, but I think it helped me in the long run.”

Yates returned for a solid 2008 season at Yavapai, going 7-5 with a 3.79 ERA in 781/3 innings.

The comeback got Yates thinking about professional baseball again, but the Kauai, Hawaii, native went undrafted in 2009, leaving Yates to contemplate his next move.

Yates remembers having a barbecue with his family, during which the topic of discussion was his future in baseball. The next morning he received his answer, when the Rays called.

“It kind of all happened suddenly,” Yates said. “I was about to go to Mesa State in Colorado. Then the draft happened, and unfortunately I didn’t get picked up. I was kind of gearing towards going to Mesa State.”

Yates made an instant impact for the Rays at the rookie level, going 0-1 with a 2.39 ERA with four saves for Advanced Rookie-level Princeton. It was Yates’ first taste of bullpen duty after essentially being a starter throughout his career.

“It was the first time I’ve ever come out of the bullpen on a consistent basis,” Yates said. “I just try to go in there and throw strikes. My motto is always attack hitters – get two strikes and then put them away. I was able to do that last year. Hopefully, that can carry over to this year.”

So far, the Hot Rods have liked what they have seen from Yates, who enters today’s game at Lansing with a 0-1 record, a 1.69 ERA and one save in three appearances.

“He has a calm demeanor about him,” Bowling Green pitching coach R.C. Lichtenstein said. “He’s very relaxed on the hill and very comfortable on the mound. He’s a kid who is not going to show a lot of emotions, but he competes in a quiet way. He never panics. He just goes about his business.”

Lichtenstein said he can see Yates blossoming in his new role in the BG bullpen.

“I foresee him as a guy that is going to pitch late in games,” Lichtenstein said. “Ultimately, I’d like to have him and (Scott) Shuman as tandem closers. … I think he is comfortable getting that 27th out, which not everybody is. Ultimately, I think we’ll get a lot of opportunities to see him pitch at the end of the game, but that doesn’t mean he’s always going to.”

Yates credits his brother, Tyler, with helping his game.

“I’ll pick his brain and he’ll tell me stuff,” Yates said. “We work out together during the offseason. I ask him a bunch of questions. He’s my brother and I’ve grown up with him. He won’t sugarcoat it. He will tell me how it is. When I’m doing something wrong he won’t baby me. It helps a lot.”

Tyler Yates, who is currently recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, also provided a lift during Kirby Yates’ recovery from the procedure.

“There were points in the surgery where you kind of question if your arm is going to be the same,” Yates said. “It’s helpful to have someone that had it, let alone (someone who) is my brother and is someone I can trust.”

While Kirby Yates still faces a long road to join his brother in the majors, it remains a goal for the young pitcher.

“That would be something else,” Yates said. “If I could ever step on a major league field and have my brother on the opposing team, or the same team with me, it would be something else. I know my dad would be thrilled and I’d love that for my dad. I know me and Tyler would be pretty stoked, too.”