Bear Bay
| IP | 891 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.162 |
| WHIP | 1.325 |
| BB/9 | 2.434 |
| SO/9 | 7.404 |
- Full name Ronald Perry Bay
- Born 08/07/1983 in Houston, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Angelina College
- Drafted in the 25th round (753rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2002.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Cubs unveiled another wave of pitching in the Arizona League last year. Besides Darin Downs, they also featured the league's wins leader in Bay and strikeout king in hard-throwing Carlos Marmol. Bay signed as a draft-and-follow out of Angelina (Texas) Junior College in May, then drew the support of managers as the AZL's top pitching prospect. He throws four pitches for strikes and delivers them all from the same arm slot. He can get up to 94 mph with his four-seam fastball, and he also uses a two-seamer, curveball and changeup. The Cubs made minor mechanical adjustments, getting Bay to stay back longer and shorten his stride, and he had no problem filling the strike zone afterward. He tired late in the summer, so he'll need to get stronger, which could add more juice to his fastball. He could open 2004 in the low Class A rotation.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Bay didn't create much fanfare in May when he signed with the Cubs as a 25th-round draft-and-follow from 2002. He turned the AZL into a showcase, however, earning almost unanimous support from managers as the league's best pitching prospect. "He's the one pitcher who stood out," Simmons said. "He threw everything from the same arm slot and his location was outstanding. He's a real battler." Bay dominated the league in the first half, throwing four pitches for strikes, including a 94 mph fastball. He wore down a bit in the second half, so he'll have to add strength to his 6-foot-2, 160-pound frame.
