Richie Gardner Stats & Scouting Report

IP	538
ERA	4.115
WHIP	1.375
BB/9	2.978
SO/9	6.875

Full name Richard John Gardner
Born 02/01/1982 in Santa Rosa, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Arizona
Drafted in the 6th round (171st overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2003 (signed for $160,000).

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Six-foot-3, 185-pound RHP Richie Gardner, a junior-college transfer, has been the No. 1 starter at Arizona and a key component in the team's resurgence. He averaged more than a strikeout an inning and competes hard, but doesn't blow people away with his stuff: an 89-92 mph fastball with heavy sink and a changeup with split-finger action.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Gardner, the Reds' 2004 minor league pitcher of the year, didn't seem right at the start of last season. He didn't have his usual good stuff and was rocked on a regular basis by Double- A batters. At first, Cincinnati thought he just had a tired arm. Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek eventually found a cyst in Gardner's shoulder that had to be removed, performing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum in early August. The Reds hope he'll be back on the mound by the middle of 2006, though Luke Hudson missed an entire season after similar surgery in 2003. This is just the latest setback in a hard-luck career for Gardner, who was slowed by mononucleosis and then by a concussion during his time at Santa Rosa (Calif.) JC. Before his shoulder problems he was the most polished pitcher in the system, with three above-average pitches: a 90-94 sinker, a slider and a changeup. As good as his pitches were, Gardner's feel for pitching and solid makeup impressed the organization even more. The Reds left him off of their 40-man roster, a further indication that he won't return to the mound for some time.
Gardner has overcome long odds. As a sophomore at Santa Rosa (Calif.) Junior College, his progress was stunted by mononucleosis and then by a concussion after he was hit in the head by a throw during infield drills. He has recovered nicely and was the best pitcher in the Reds system in 2004. Gardner has the best command in the organization, throwing three pitches for strikes. He keeps his plus sinker down while throwing it at 90-94 mph. His slider kept improving over the course of the season and now rates as the best in the system. His changeup mimics his fastball with late sink and helps him attack lefthanders. At times Gardner's slider gets slurvy, though he has improved the consistency of its power and bite. While he admits to lingering affects from the concussion, it hasn't showed up in his pitching. He just needs to stay healthy and get innings. The Reds like Gardner's no-fear attitude as much as his three-pitch mix. It will be hard to keep him out of Cincinnati if he repeats his pro debut in 2005, which should start in Double-A.
Drafted in the 24th round by the Rangers out of high school, Gardner went to Santa Rosa (Calif.) JC. After missing most of his sophomore season with mononucleosis and a concussion (he got hit in the head during batting practice), he transferred to Arizona. He emerged as the Wildcats' ace in his lone season in Tucson, then was the talk of the Reds' instructional league camp after signing late for $160,000. Gardner dialed his fastball up to 94 mph, sitting comfortably between 90-93 with sink and tail. His changeup, which features splitter tumble, already rates as one of the best offspeed pitches in the system, and he flashed an above-average breaking ball during the fall. He has an ideal pitcher's frame and sound mechanics. His pro debut may come in high Class A and he could move quickly.

Minor League Top Prospects

Gardner sustained a serious injury when he was hit in the side of the head in his sophomore season of junior college, but he has slowly overcome that and emerged as one of the best pitching prospects in the Reds system in his first season as a pro. With the best command in the league, Gardner dials up his fastball between 90-93 mph, touching 94, and the pitch features great sink and a late break, tailing away from righthanders. His changeup, one of the best in the Reds organization, features splitter-like tumble, and became a legit third option this season. "He might have been the best guy I saw all year in terms of locating and changing speeds," an AL scout said. "He's the epitome of a command guy for me. His changeup had really good action, sinking and fading away with movement."