Charlie Morton (pitcher)
Encyclopedia
Charles A. Morton is a Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He stands at 6'5" and weighs in at about 230 lbs. He is a right-hander.
. He was drafted right out of Joel Barlow High School
, located in Redding, Connecticut
.
Morton was added to the 40-man roster by the Atlanta Braves on November 20, . Morton made his major league debut on June 14, , against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
, allowing 3 runs
in 6 innings, earning his first Major League win
in the process.
and Jeff Locke
to the Pittsburgh Pirates
in exchange for Nate McLouth
.
On his first start with the Pirates on June 10,pitching an inning against the Braves, while Jeff Karstens got the win.On June 28, he received his first decision, a loss to Kansas City
. On July 3, he won his first game, pitching 6 innings of 1 hit ball against the Marlins. His best performance in July came on July 18, vs Houston. He pitched 7 innings of a 3 hit, 1 run game with 6 strikeouts. His best game to date is his September 20 start at the Cubs, where he pitched a complete game 4 hitter, to go with 8 strikeouts. His 2009 record in 18 starts is 5 wins against 9 losses, a 4.55 ERA
, 97 innings pitched and 62 strikeouts, 40 walks, 7 home runs, 5 hit batsmen, .276 average against, and a 1.46 walks and hits per inning pitched.
as a member of the Pirates starting rotation. He made his first start of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks
on April 9, 2010 and struck out the first five hitters he faced, but gave up 8 earned runs in just 3.1 innings pitched. As the season progressed, Morton continued to struggle, losing all five starts in April and finished the month with a 12.57 ERA
. However, Morton delivered a promising performance on April 30, 2010 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, striking out 8 in six innings of work while allowing six runs - only three earned - but was dealt a loss as the Pirates only provided him with two runs of support. "I thought he threw the ball well," Pirates manager John Russell said. "If we catch the ball that one inning, it might have been a different story. He probably should have gotten out of that [3rd] inning with no runs."
Morton earned his first win of the season on May 5, 2010 against the Chicago Cubs
, striking out three in a 4-2 decision. However, he could not build on the win and lost each of his next four starts, dropping his record on the season to 1-9 with a 9.35 ERA. A day after suffering his 9th loss against the Cincinnati Reds
, the Pirates placed him on the 15-day disabled list
with shoulder fatigue. He was sent to the Pirates spring training facility in Bradenton, Florida
for rehabilitation. After completing his rehabilitation, which included meeting with a sports psychologist, he was assigned to the Pirates Triple-A affiliate Indianapolis Indians
.
Speaking before his first start with the Indians, Morton said "I was pressing. I wasn't being myself on the mound those last couple times I went out there in Pittsburgh. There was so much going on in my mind. At the end of last year, I finished strong, I got a glimpse of what I could do, truly, in the big leagues, going out there and going deep into games, being competitive, being someone who was pretty good. I wanted to be out there for myself and because I care about this team and organization. At the same time, though, after that last one, that last start, because I care about these guys is why, exactly, I knew I couldn't go back out there again."
On June 24, 2010, he earned his first win in AAA since returning from the DL, pitching a complete game with four strikeouts against the Durham Bulls
.
When starter Ross Ohlendorf
was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a shoulder injury, the Pirates recalled Morton to take his place in the rotation. He started on August 29 against the Milwaukee Brewers
giving up 8 runs in 3 innings . After two months in Triple-A, Morton compiled a record of 4-4 with a 3.83 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched.
On his final start of the 2010 season, Morton compiled his finest pitching performance of the year, striking out a career-high 9 batters in a 2-0 loss to the Florida Marlins
on October 2. He pitched 6 strong innings while only walking one, but the start yielded no reward as he was handed his 12th loss of the season. "For a while now, I've been wishing it could go on," Morton said of the 2010 season. "Those first two months felt like two years, but this has been so much more enjoyable. I know I can go out there and not just compete but succeed. That's what makes it tough to just walk away from here tonight." Morton finished the season with a 2-12 record with a 7.57 ERA, but in his final six starts of the season after being recalled in late August, he sported a 4.26 ERA.
which sat in the mid to upper 70s, a low 80s changeup
, and a mid 80s slider
to complement a 4-seam fastball
that usually traveled between 92 and 95 MPH and sometimes reached as high as 97 MPH. After his dismal 2010 season, Morton overhauled his pitching style to that of a sinkerballer, lowering his arm slot slightly to increase the effects of a 2-seam fastball that does not have the mid-90s velocity of his 4-seamer but possesses devastating vertical and horizontal movement.
Due to the changes in his delivery and the emphasis he has placed on the sinker, Morton has spawned comparisons to the Philadelphia Phillies
' two-time Cy Young Award
winner Roy Halladay
.http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Chicago-Cubs-Starlin-Castro-Darwin-Barney-promising-news-and-notes-041811 Pirates special assistant Jim Benedict had previously encouraged Morton to emulate Halladay's delivery during spring training. Morton has featured his new sinker almost exclusively in his first starts of the 2011 season, resulting in an increased groundball rate but also more bases on balls.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He stands at 6'5" and weighs in at about 230 lbs. He is a right-hander.
Professional career
Morton was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 3rd round (95th overall) of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft2002 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.This year's draft is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book Moneyball.-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Compensation Selections:...
. He was drafted right out of Joel Barlow High School
Joel Barlow High School
Joel Barlow High School is a high school in Redding, Fairfield County, Connecticut. The school serves Redding and Easton students....
, located in Redding, Connecticut
Redding, Connecticut
Mark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
.
Morton was added to the 40-man roster by the Atlanta Braves on November 20, . Morton made his major league debut on June 14, , against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
, allowing 3 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in 6 innings, earning his first Major League win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
in the process.
2009
On June 3, 2009, the Braves traded Morton with Gorkys HernándezGorkys Hernández
Gorkys Gustavo Hernández is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization currently assigned to their triple A Indianapolis Indians of the International League....
and Jeff Locke
Jeff Locke
Jeffrey Alan Locke is a major league left-handed starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 6'2", 180 lb. Locke was the first selection in the second round in the 2006 Atlanta Braves Draft.-Early life:...
to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
in exchange for Nate McLouth
Nate McLouth
Nathan Richard McLouth is a Major League Baseball player. Primarily a center fielder, McLouth bats from the left side and throws from the right. He is 5' 11" tall and weighs 185 pounds...
.
On his first start with the Pirates on June 10,pitching an inning against the Braves, while Jeff Karstens got the win.On June 28, he received his first decision, a loss to Kansas City
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. On July 3, he won his first game, pitching 6 innings of 1 hit ball against the Marlins. His best performance in July came on July 18, vs Houston. He pitched 7 innings of a 3 hit, 1 run game with 6 strikeouts. His best game to date is his September 20 start at the Cubs, where he pitched a complete game 4 hitter, to go with 8 strikeouts. His 2009 record in 18 starts is 5 wins against 9 losses, a 4.55 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 97 innings pitched and 62 strikeouts, 40 walks, 7 home runs, 5 hit batsmen, .276 average against, and a 1.46 walks and hits per inning pitched.
2010
Morton broke spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
as a member of the Pirates starting rotation. He made his first start of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
on April 9, 2010 and struck out the first five hitters he faced, but gave up 8 earned runs in just 3.1 innings pitched. As the season progressed, Morton continued to struggle, losing all five starts in April and finished the month with a 12.57 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. However, Morton delivered a promising performance on April 30, 2010 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, striking out 8 in six innings of work while allowing six runs - only three earned - but was dealt a loss as the Pirates only provided him with two runs of support. "I thought he threw the ball well," Pirates manager John Russell said. "If we catch the ball that one inning, it might have been a different story. He probably should have gotten out of that [3rd] inning with no runs."
Morton earned his first win of the season on May 5, 2010 against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, striking out three in a 4-2 decision. However, he could not build on the win and lost each of his next four starts, dropping his record on the season to 1-9 with a 9.35 ERA. A day after suffering his 9th loss against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, the Pirates placed him on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
with shoulder fatigue. He was sent to the Pirates spring training facility in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
for rehabilitation. After completing his rehabilitation, which included meeting with a sports psychologist, he was assigned to the Pirates Triple-A affiliate Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
.
Speaking before his first start with the Indians, Morton said "I was pressing. I wasn't being myself on the mound those last couple times I went out there in Pittsburgh. There was so much going on in my mind. At the end of last year, I finished strong, I got a glimpse of what I could do, truly, in the big leagues, going out there and going deep into games, being competitive, being someone who was pretty good. I wanted to be out there for myself and because I care about this team and organization. At the same time, though, after that last one, that last start, because I care about these guys is why, exactly, I knew I couldn't go back out there again."
On June 24, 2010, he earned his first win in AAA since returning from the DL, pitching a complete game with four strikeouts against the Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
.
When starter Ross Ohlendorf
Ross Ohlendorf
Curtis Ross Ohlendorf is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is known for his hard-biting sinker. He can hit 97 mph with a two-seam sinking fastball, and he's working to improve his developing changeup, slider, and breaking ball.-High School and College...
was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a shoulder injury, the Pirates recalled Morton to take his place in the rotation. He started on August 29 against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
giving up 8 runs in 3 innings . After two months in Triple-A, Morton compiled a record of 4-4 with a 3.83 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched.
On his final start of the 2010 season, Morton compiled his finest pitching performance of the year, striking out a career-high 9 batters in a 2-0 loss to the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
on October 2. He pitched 6 strong innings while only walking one, but the start yielded no reward as he was handed his 12th loss of the season. "For a while now, I've been wishing it could go on," Morton said of the 2010 season. "Those first two months felt like two years, but this has been so much more enjoyable. I know I can go out there and not just compete but succeed. That's what makes it tough to just walk away from here tonight." Morton finished the season with a 2-12 record with a 7.57 ERA, but in his final six starts of the season after being recalled in late August, he sported a 4.26 ERA.
Scouting Report
Morton is renowned for the natural velocity and movement of his pitches. Before 2011 he threw a sharp breaking 12 to 6 curveballCurveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
which sat in the mid to upper 70s, a low 80s changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
, and a mid 80s slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
to complement a 4-seam fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
that usually traveled between 92 and 95 MPH and sometimes reached as high as 97 MPH. After his dismal 2010 season, Morton overhauled his pitching style to that of a sinkerballer, lowering his arm slot slightly to increase the effects of a 2-seam fastball that does not have the mid-90s velocity of his 4-seamer but possesses devastating vertical and horizontal movement.
Due to the changes in his delivery and the emphasis he has placed on the sinker, Morton has spawned comparisons to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
' two-time Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
.http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Chicago-Cubs-Starlin-Castro-Darwin-Barney-promising-news-and-notes-041811 Pirates special assistant Jim Benedict had previously encouraged Morton to emulate Halladay's delivery during spring training. Morton has featured his new sinker almost exclusively in his first starts of the 2011 season, resulting in an increased groundball rate but also more bases on balls.