David Riske
| IP | 497 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.676 |
| WHIP | 1.316 |
| BB/9 | 3.839 |
| SO/9 | 7.986 |
- Full name David Richard Riske
- Born 10/23/1976 in Renton, WA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Green River CC
- Debut 08/14/1999
- Drafted in the 56th round (1,559th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 1996.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Riske is the lowest Indians draft pick ever to reach the big leagues. He has staggering numbers in five minor league seasons, including 295 strikeouts and just 175 hits allowed in 240 innings. He also has grit, rebounding from back and shoulder surgeries in 2000 to emerge as one of Cleveland's most consistent relievers last year. Riske has great makeup and is unflappable on the mound. He's essentially a one-pitch pitcher, relying almost exclusively on a deceptive, explosive fastball that plays bigger than its lowto mid-90s velocity. The pitch takes off on hitters, who can't catch up to it as it rides up out of the zone. He needs a reliable secondary pitch to keep hitters off his fastball. Attempts to develop a breaking ball have led to a change in his arm angle, which adversely affects his heater. Though major league hitters didn't make him pay last year when he gave up walks, he'll have to fine-tune his control. A closer in the minors, Riske is evolving into a valuable middle reliever and potential set-up man in the big leagues. He'll spend 2002 two or three chairs down from closer Bob Wickman in the Cleveland bullpen. -
Riske first made it to Cleveland in 1999 and didn't pitch like a 56th-round draft pick. He showed good poise and wasn't awed at all by big league hitters. He was looked at as a candidate for the bullpen in 2000, but a bulging disc hampered him early last season and led to surgery in May to remove the disc. Riske spent most of the season on the disabled list, and when he attempted to pitch again in September, he was halted by a labrum tear in his shoulder. When healthy, Riske gets by on guts and guile. He doesn't have overpowering stuff, but is utterly fearless on the mound and uses good deception to make the most of an average fastball. He has good command of that fastball, but lacks a quality second pitch, which sometimes gets him into trouble. He'll go to camp next spring with a chance to win a job in the bullpen.
