Dave Bush
| IP | 1144 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.728 |
| WHIP | 1.307 |
| BB/9 | 2.329 |
| SO/9 | 6.042 |
- Full name David Thomas Bush
- Born 11/09/1979 in Pittsburgh, PA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Wake Forest
- Debut 07/02/2004
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Drafted in the 2nd round (55th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002 (signed for $450,000).
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Bush won't be the college player of the year, but there's arguably no more valuable player in the nation. A converted catcher who never pitched in high school, Bush takes the ball in save situations, tie games and even in close games late--and almost always gets the job done. He was out with a blood clot in his leg at the beginning of the year, losing 20-25 pounds as well as some velocity, and his fastball was back to its accustomed 91-94 mph by the end of the regular season. He's a warrior who pounds the strike zone with fastballs and sliders, and his deception and command make him that much tougher to hit. A fourth-round pick last year, Bush didn't sign with the Devil Rays when negotiations soured and instead became the best pitching prospect in the Cape Cod League. The top college senior in the draft, Bush probably won't sign for much less than slot money but still could be an attractive target to a team with several early picks, such as the Athletics or Cubs.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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A high school catcher, Bush converted to pitching at Wake Forest. He quickly established himself as one of college baseball's top closers. After not signing as a Devil Rays fourth-round pick in 2001, he overcame blood clots in his left leg to have a big senior season. He made a successful conversion to starting in 2003, his first full pro season. Bush competes hard and pounds the strike zone with four pitches. He repeats his delivery well and has the best command of any pitcher in the organization. Bush throws an 88-92 mph fastball with average life and a solid curve with depth. He also has shown a good feel for his changeup and has developed a decent slider. Bush doesn't have a knockout pitch. At times, he catches too much of the plate and his average stuff gets hit hard. Bush looks like a good bet to be a solid third starter. If that doesn't work, he has the mentality and command to go back to the bullpen, where his stuff would pick up a notch. He should begin 2004 in Triple-A but could earn a trip to Toronto during the season. -
A catcher in high school, Bush was converted to the mound at Wake Forest and emerged as one of the nation's top closers at the end of his freshman year, when he put on a dominating performance at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. Bush ranked as one of the top seniors available for the 2002 draft after failing to come to terms as a 2001 fourth-round pick of the Devil Rays. His senior season almost ended before it started, as he was diagnosed with blood clots in his left leg in November 2001. Surgery and blood thinners took care of the problem, and though Bush got off to a slow start, he earned All-America honors. Having regained his strength and conditioning, Bush got off to a fast start in pro ball and joined Russ Adams in getting promoted to high Class A in their first pro summers. Bush could reach the major leagues by 2004 as a middle reliever or closer. He has a polished approach and throws strikes with a mid-to-high 80s power slider and a 91-92 mph fastball that can touch 94. His fastball command and changeup (still in its nascent stages) have some Jays officials believing Bush deserves a shot as a starter before consigning him to the bullpen. That decision will determine where he begins 2003.
Minor League Top Prospects
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A tough competitor who pounds the strike zone, Bush was just so-so in his first Triple-A season. Yet he was effective in the majors and carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning against Oakland in his third big league start. Bush throws an 88-91 mph fastball, a solid curveball, a slider and a changeup. He repeats his delivery well and throws strikes--perhaps too many strikes. "There were times when his pitch selection wasn't good," an AL scout said. "He needs to mix it up more and trust his stuff better to limit his hit totals. His secondary stuff is only slightly above-average for me." -
A closer at Wake Forest, Bush had the second-most appearances and fifth-most saves in NCAA Division I history. That didn't stop the Blue Jays from converting him to a starter in his first full pro season, and he impressed managers with his stuff, command and feel. Bush throws a heavy 89-91 mph fastball, a slider with good tilt, a curveball and changeup. If he has a problem, it's that he may throw too many strikes. Some managers thought he could be even more successful if he left hitters guessing more often about whether he was going to be in the strike zone. -
Bush was converted from reliever to starter this year and embraced the change. After relying on his fastball and slider, he used his changeup more often and added a curveball to his repertoire. His best pitch is still his slider, a power breaking ball that reaches the mid-80s. His fastball sits at 90-91 mph and has nice sink. Bush's low-80s curve is hard to pick up because he throws it with the identical arm action of his other pitches. He showed good feel and exceptional control, never walking more than one batter in 14 starts. "He is a very intelligent young man and really applied himself well, so the transition wasn't difficult for him," Dunedin pitching coach Rick Langford said. "He learned to add on and take off of his pitches and learned to pitch for contact, and his stuff was ideal for that."
