Drafted in the 24th round (669th overall) by the Houston Astros in 1995.
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Robertson made steady progress that culminated with a spot on the 40-man roster following a Texas League all-star season in 1999. He pitched poorly in 2000 and was converted to relief in 2001 and wasn't protected after either season. Neither time did he draw a nibble in the Rule 5 draft. Moved back to the rotation last year, Robertson adjusted his approach with spectacular results. He was the Pacific Coast League pitcher of the year after leading the circuit in ERA and innings. Managers rated his command the best in the PCL. Robertson's fastball tops out at 90 mph, and he finally decided to use it to set up his other pitches rather than trying (unsuccessfully) to strike out hitters with it. Spotting his fastball made his plus changeup even better, and Robertson's slider was better than it had been. He also throws an offspeed curveball but hangs it too often. He won't be an all-star, but he'll be a major leaguer, something that seemed unlikely a year earlier. Robertson will compete for a job in the back of Houston's rotation but may fit better in the bullpen, where the Astros don't have a lefty in front of closer Billy Wagner.
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Rated Best Pickoff Move in the National League in 2003
Rated Best Control in the Pacific Coast League in 2002
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