Brandon Morrow
Encyclopedia
Brandon John Morrow is an American professional baseball
pitcher
with the Toronto Blue Jays
of Major League Baseball
.
Morrow has four primary pitches, a fastball
, slider
, circle change and a spiked curveball combination. He can throw for a high velocity, often getting into the mid to high-90's with his fastball. On August 8, 2010, Morrow pitched a complete game one hitter with 17 strikeouts, coming within one out of a no-hitter.
in Rohnert Park, California
. As a senior he was 9-2 with a 0.61 ERA and had 84 strikeouts in 63 innings. He earned first-team all-league, first-team All-Redwood Empire, first-team All-North Coast Section and second-team all-state honors. He competed for the California All-Stars at the 2002 Sunbelt Classic in McAlester, Oklahoma
. He majored in American studies
.
He was selected by the Anaheim Angels
in the 40th round, 1200th overall, in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft
. However, he did not sign with the Angels and decided to attend college at UC Berkeley
.
on January 30.
As a sophomore Morrow made ten appearances with five starts, going 0-1 with a 9.36 ERA and one save. He had 25 strikeouts in 25 innings. He earned his lone save on March 19 against the University of Hawaii at Hilo
with three strikeouts in two innings. He threw a career-high five innings with a career-high six strikeouts against Loyola Marymount University
on February 13.
Morrow was named first-team All-Pac-10 his Junior year, going 7-4 with a 2.05 ERA, second in Pac-10. He had 97 strikeouts, fourth in Pac-10. He held opponents to a .211 average good enough for third in Pac-10. Morrow was named National Pitcher of the Week after pitching seven innings, no hits, no runs, one walk and a career-high 12 strikeouts against University of California, Irvine
.
He was a Cape Cod League All-Star in the summer for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
, striking out 24 batters in 15 innings with a 1.84 ERA and three saves. He was named a third-team preseason All-American and the fifth-best professional prospect out of the Cape Cod League by Baseball America
.
. He posted an 0-2 record overall with a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings striking out 17 batters and starting five games. He pitched three hitless innings for Inland Empire during his brief time there.
Morrow was invited to spring training
in . He went 0-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 6 relief
appearances and made the major league club despite being considered a long-shot to make the club at the start of spring.
Morrow made his Major League debut on April 3 against the Oakland Athletics
in one scoreless inning.
Morrow went 3-4, with a 4.12 ERA in 60 appearances striking out 66 batters and walking 50. He held opposing hitters to a .243 batting average, including .221 against right-handed batters. He set a club rookie record with 18 hold
s, breaking old record of 13 set by Ed Vande Berg
in . Morrow had the fourth most appearances by a rookie reliever in club history with 60 and fifth most strikeouts with 66. Among American League
rookie relievers Morrow ranked second in strikeouts, third in appearances and fourth in ERA.
On April 23 he earned his first major league win against the Texas Rangers
, allowing one hit in career-high three and one third innings pitched. He recorded 18 and two thirds consecutive scoreless innings from April 20 to June 8. During the streak he went 2-0 while holding opposing batters to a .103 average. He also recorded another scoreless streak of 17 innings pitched over 15 outings from July 17 to August 24. Morrow held opponents scoreless in 44 of 60 outings.
on March 30. Morrow was recalled to the Seattle bullpen 17 days afterwards when Mariners starter Erik Bedard
was placed on the 15-day disabled list
. When Seattle's regular closer
J.J. Putz
became injured on June 12, Morrow took over his duties. Including a closing appearance on June 11, Morrow saved 8 games in 8 tries since then, until July 10 when he gave up two solo home run
s to the Oakland Athletics
to acquire his first blown save. He had only given up 2 runs
all year prior to that, and had 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched, and a very low ERA of 1.76 and WHIP of 0.88.
On August 5, 2008, Morrow was optioned to Triple-A to become a starting pitcher.
Morrow made his first MLB start on September 5, 2008, against the New York Yankees
. Morrow went 7 2/3 no-hit
innings in his first major league start and was 4 outs away to being just the 2nd player to throw a no hitter in their MLB starting debut only to see pinch hitter
Wilson Betemit
break it up. The Mariners went onto win the game 3-1 giving Morrow his first win as a starter.
; instead he would move into a relief role with the organization. Morrow, who is a diabetic, acknowledged that his diabetes was a factor in the decision, saying that it was easier to balance his blood sugar
in a relief position.
Morrow began the season as the closer
and notched five saves through the end of April. However, he was placed on the disabled list on May 2 after he developed right biceps tendinitis. David Aardsma
served as closer in his absence.
After coming off the disabled list Morrow made six starts before being optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers
to develop back into a more rounded starting pitcher.
On August 14 Morrow pitched a four hit shutout against the Iowa Cubs
. During that game Morrow struck out two, walked one and threw 59 of 96 pitches for strikes. Morrow retired 10 straight batters early in the game.
Morrow won his fifth consecutive decision for Tacoma tossing five scoreless innings to lead the Rainiers to a 4-1 win over the Portland Beavers
on August 29. Morrow was removed from the game because of stiffness in his arm. Morrow was a part of the Rainiers' comeback in the PCL Pacific North.
On September 9 Morrow was called up to the Mariners. He was to start at least one game so manager Don Wakamatsu
could assess Morrow's progress. He was in the starting rotation since his call-up.
On September 30, Morrow gave up one hit and walked two hitters in 8 shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics
. The Mariners won the game 7-0 and the M's pitching only allowed two hits to Oakland batters, the second coming from Landon Powell
on a pitch by Shawn Kelley
.
for pitcher Brandon League
and minor league outfielder Johermyn Chávez
.
's delivery was altered during his first years with the Blue Jays. The switch from an over-the-top arm motion to a lower-angle arm slot was believed to have contributed to an increased command of his pitches. He was also encouraged to reduce his pitch velocity and try to induce weak contact, again much in the same way Halladay was taught during his tenure in Toronto. Despite some struggles with inconsistency during the early stages of the alterations, statistics show that his production stabilized as the season progressed and he managed to produce favorable results on a regular basis before the end of the season, including a stellar 17 strikeout, one hit performance that was a candidate for MLB.com's This Year in Baseball
Performance of the Year.
On August 8, Morrow was one out away from a no-hitter
against the Tampa Bay Rays
when Evan Longoria
hit an infield single. It would have been the first no-hitter by a Blue Jay since Dave Stieb
's no-hitter on September 2, 1990. He finished the one-hitter for his first ever complete game
while compiling 17 strikeouts, a career high for Morrow in a game and one strikeout shy of the team record 18 strikeouts set by Roger Clemens
in 1998. According to the Game Score
metric devised by sabremetrician Bill James
, this tied for the fourth-highest rated pitching performance since 1920, with a game score of 100.
On August 29, the Blue Jays announced that after his next start, Morrow would be shut down for the season to protect his arm. He has pitched more innings this season (143.1) than any of his previous seasons.
Morrow was nominated as one of 2010's "Ten People Making a Difference in Diabetes"
He made his regular-season debut on April 23 against the Tampa Bay Rays
, pitching 5.1 innings, giving up 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks and 10 strikeouts.
For the first time since being traded, Morrow returned to the home stadium of his former team, the Seattle Mariners, to start against them on August 17. Morrow recorded the win, pitching 6 innings and striking out 12.
Morrow became the first pitcher in major league history to pitch 100 innings in one season without the team recording a double play behind him. On September 23, after 173.1 innings dating back to August 28 2010, Desmond Jennings
of the Tampa Bay Rays
grounded into Morrow's first double play in 30 starts.
which sits between 93-98 mph but has been clocked as high 100 mph. He has the ability to throw several breaking balls, including a slider
(85-88 mph), curveball
(81-85 mph), and change-up (81-87 mph). In September 2011, Morrow debuted a new cut fastball which comes from making a slight adjustment on his slider, with velocity hovering around 88-91 mph.
.
Morrow is a Type 1 diabetic who was diagnosed as a senior in high school. He wears an insulin pump
to regulate his blood sugar
levels.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Morrow has four primary pitches, a fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
, slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
, circle change and a spiked curveball combination. He can throw for a high velocity, often getting into the mid to high-90's with his fastball. On August 8, 2010, Morrow pitched a complete game one hitter with 17 strikeouts, coming within one out of a no-hitter.
High school
Morrow attended Rancho Cotate High SchoolRancho Cotate High School
Rancho Cotate High School "The Ranch" for short, is a four-year comprehensive high school located in Rohnert Park, California. It is located at 5450 Snyder Lane, adjacent to the campus of Sonoma State University....
in Rohnert Park, California
Rohnert Park, California
Rohnert Park is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States, located approximately north of San Francisco. The population at the 2010 United States Census was 40,971. It is an early planned city, modeled directly after Levittown, New York and Levittown, Pennsylvania. Rohnert Park is the...
. As a senior he was 9-2 with a 0.61 ERA and had 84 strikeouts in 63 innings. He earned first-team all-league, first-team All-Redwood Empire, first-team All-North Coast Section and second-team all-state honors. He competed for the California All-Stars at the 2002 Sunbelt Classic in McAlester, Oklahoma
McAlester, Oklahoma
McAlester is a city in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 17,783 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pittsburg County. It is currently the largest city in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, followed by Durant....
. He majored in American studies
American studies
American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of the United States. It traditionally incorporates the study of history, literature, and critical theory, but also includes fields as diverse as law, art, the media, film, religious studies, urban...
.
He was selected by the Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in the 40th round, 1200th overall, in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
. However, he did not sign with the Angels and decided to attend college at UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
College
He appeared in 19 games with five starts in his Freshman year, going 1-3 with a 6.07 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 30 innings. He picked up the win in relief versus the University of California Los Angeles on April 25 going one inning, surrendering one hit, and striking out two. Morrow had three strikeouts in two innings against Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
on January 30.
As a sophomore Morrow made ten appearances with five starts, going 0-1 with a 9.36 ERA and one save. He had 25 strikeouts in 25 innings. He earned his lone save on March 19 against the University of Hawaii at Hilo
University of Hawaii at Hilo
The University of Hawaii at Hilo, UHH, or UH Hilo is one of the ten branches of the University of Hawaii system anchored by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii...
with three strikeouts in two innings. He threw a career-high five innings with a career-high six strikeouts against Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
on February 13.
Morrow was named first-team All-Pac-10 his Junior year, going 7-4 with a 2.05 ERA, second in Pac-10. He had 97 strikeouts, fourth in Pac-10. He held opponents to a .211 average good enough for third in Pac-10. Morrow was named National Pitcher of the Week after pitching seven innings, no hits, no runs, one walk and a career-high 12 strikeouts against University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
.
He was a Cape Cod League All-Star in the summer for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
The Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox, or Y-D Red Sox, is a collegiate summer baseball team based in South Yarmouth, MA. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Eastern Division...
, striking out 24 batters in 15 innings with a 1.84 ERA and three saves. He was named a third-team preseason All-American and the fifth-best professional prospect out of the Cape Cod League by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
.
2006
In first professional season in he split time between Arizona League Mariners appearing in seven games and Single-A Inland Empire 66ers appearing in one game of the California LeagueCalifornia League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. He posted an 0-2 record overall with a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings striking out 17 batters and starting five games. He pitched three hitless innings for Inland Empire during his brief time there.
2007
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in . He went 0-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 6 relief
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
appearances and made the major league club despite being considered a long-shot to make the club at the start of spring.
Morrow made his Major League debut on April 3 against the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in one scoreless inning.
Morrow went 3-4, with a 4.12 ERA in 60 appearances striking out 66 batters and walking 50. He held opposing hitters to a .243 batting average, including .221 against right-handed batters. He set a club rookie record with 18 hold
Hold (baseball)
A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game...
s, breaking old record of 13 set by Ed Vande Berg
Ed Vande Berg
Edward John Vande Berg is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He is an alumnus of Redlands High School and Arizona State University...
in . Morrow had the fourth most appearances by a rookie reliever in club history with 60 and fifth most strikeouts with 66. Among American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
rookie relievers Morrow ranked second in strikeouts, third in appearances and fourth in ERA.
On April 23 he earned his first major league win against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, allowing one hit in career-high three and one third innings pitched. He recorded 18 and two thirds consecutive scoreless innings from April 20 to June 8. During the streak he went 2-0 while holding opposing batters to a .103 average. He also recorded another scoreless streak of 17 innings pitched over 15 outings from July 17 to August 24. Morrow held opponents scoreless in 44 of 60 outings.
2008
After missing two weeks of spring training in 2008 due to a sore shoulder, Morrow was optioned to the Mariners minor league affiliate Double-A West TennesseeWest Tenn Diamond Jaxx
The Jackson Generals are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The team is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and plays their home games at Pringles Park; opened in 1998, the park currently holds 6,000 fans.From their inaugural season...
on March 30. Morrow was recalled to the Seattle bullpen 17 days afterwards when Mariners starter Erik Bedard
Erik Bedard
Érik Joseph Bédard is a free agent Canadian professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball.Bédard previously pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners. With Baltimore, he was the staff ace, setting the franchise single-season strikeouts per nine innings record at 10.93 in...
was placed on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. When Seattle's regular closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
J.J. Putz
J.J. Putz
Joseph Jason "J. J." Putz is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-High school:Born in Trenton, Michigan, Putz led Trenton High School to the 1994 Division 2 state championship. He graduated in 1995 and won the Mr...
became injured on June 12, Morrow took over his duties. Including a closing appearance on June 11, Morrow saved 8 games in 8 tries since then, until July 10 when he gave up two solo home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
to acquire his first blown save. He had only given up 2 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
all year prior to that, and had 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched, and a very low ERA of 1.76 and WHIP of 0.88.
On August 5, 2008, Morrow was optioned to Triple-A to become a starting pitcher.
Morrow made his first MLB start on September 5, 2008, against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Morrow went 7 2/3 no-hit
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
innings in his first major league start and was 4 outs away to being just the 2nd player to throw a no hitter in their MLB starting debut only to see pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
Wilson Betemit
Wilson Betemit
Wilson Betemit is a Dominican professional baseball infielder. He is 6'2" and weighs 220 pounds...
break it up. The Mariners went onto win the game 3-1 giving Morrow his first win as a starter.
2009
On March 29, the Mariners announced that Morrow would no longer be a starting pitcherStarting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
; instead he would move into a relief role with the organization. Morrow, who is a diabetic, acknowledged that his diabetes was a factor in the decision, saying that it was easier to balance his blood sugar
Blood sugar
The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...
in a relief position.
Morrow began the season as the closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
and notched five saves through the end of April. However, he was placed on the disabled list on May 2 after he developed right biceps tendinitis. David Aardsma
David Aardsma
David Allan Aardsma is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball. He is the first player alphabetically in the list of all-time Major League Baseball players, having displaced Hank Aaron upon his MLB debut....
served as closer in his absence.
After coming off the disabled list Morrow made six starts before being optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Pacific Coast League , and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners...
to develop back into a more rounded starting pitcher.
On August 14 Morrow pitched a four hit shutout against the Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
. During that game Morrow struck out two, walked one and threw 59 of 96 pitches for strikes. Morrow retired 10 straight batters early in the game.
Morrow won his fifth consecutive decision for Tacoma tossing five scoreless innings to lead the Rainiers to a 4-1 win over the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
on August 29. Morrow was removed from the game because of stiffness in his arm. Morrow was a part of the Rainiers' comeback in the PCL Pacific North.
On September 9 Morrow was called up to the Mariners. He was to start at least one game so manager Don Wakamatsu
Don Wakamatsu
Wilbur Donald "Don" Wakamatsu is a former Major League Baseball catcher and manager. He was the manager of the Seattle Mariners for the season, as well as the majority of the season...
could assess Morrow's progress. He was in the starting rotation since his call-up.
On September 30, Morrow gave up one hit and walked two hitters in 8 shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. The Mariners won the game 7-0 and the M's pitching only allowed two hits to Oakland batters, the second coming from Landon Powell
Landon Powell
Landon Reed Powell is a catcher and first baseman for the Oakland Athletics.Powell attended the University of South Carolina. In 2002, his first season playing for them, he had a .292 batting average with 12 home runs and was part of the team that went to the College World Series...
on a pitch by Shawn Kelley
Shawn Kelley
Shawn Andrew Kelley is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. He attended Ballard High School, and later Austin Peay State University. Kelley was drafted by the Mariners in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his professional debut in 2007, and later made his...
.
Toronto Blue Jays
On December 22, 2009 the Mariners traded Morrow to the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for pitcher Brandon League
Brandon League
Brandon Paul League is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. He is married with three children. He resides in Honolulu, and is hapa Yonsei. His maternal great-grandparents were born and raised in Fukuoka prefecture on Kyushu Island in Japan...
and minor league outfielder Johermyn Chávez
Johermyn Chávez
Johermyn José Chávez is a professional baseball outfielder in the Seattle Mariners organization. He was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as a non-drafted free agent on July 14, 2005.-Toronto Blue Jays:...
.
2010
Morrow's first season in Toronto was the first of his major league career as a full-time member of a starting rotation. Toronto's coaching staff altered Morrow's delivery in a similar fashion to the way Roy HalladayRoy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
's delivery was altered during his first years with the Blue Jays. The switch from an over-the-top arm motion to a lower-angle arm slot was believed to have contributed to an increased command of his pitches. He was also encouraged to reduce his pitch velocity and try to induce weak contact, again much in the same way Halladay was taught during his tenure in Toronto. Despite some struggles with inconsistency during the early stages of the alterations, statistics show that his production stabilized as the season progressed and he managed to produce favorable results on a regular basis before the end of the season, including a stellar 17 strikeout, one hit performance that was a candidate for MLB.com's This Year in Baseball
This Year in Baseball Awards
This Year in Baseball Awards, initiated by Major League Baseball in , are honors given annually to the most extraordinary baseball performances, players, and managers. Baseball fans select the nominees for and winners of the awards, via the online voting system on MLB.com, the official website of...
Performance of the Year.
On August 8, Morrow was one out away from a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
when Evan Longoria
Evan Longoria
Evan Michael Longoria is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays. Formerly, Longoria was a star infielder for the Long Beach State University baseball team, the Cape Cod League MVP, and the Big West Co-Player of the Year.He made his major league debut for the Rays in , and...
hit an infield single. It would have been the first no-hitter by a Blue Jay since Dave Stieb
Dave Stieb
David Andrew Stieb [STEEB] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.-Playing career:Born in Santa Ana, California, Stieb played varsity baseball at Southern Illinois University as an outfielder...
's no-hitter on September 2, 1990. He finished the one-hitter for his first ever complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
while compiling 17 strikeouts, a career high for Morrow in a game and one strikeout shy of the team record 18 strikeouts set by Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
in 1998. According to the Game Score
Game Score
Game Score is a metric devised by Bill James to determine the strength of a pitcher in any particular baseball game.To determine a starting pitcher's game score:# Start with 50 points....
metric devised by sabremetrician Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
, this tied for the fourth-highest rated pitching performance since 1920, with a game score of 100.
On August 29, the Blue Jays announced that after his next start, Morrow would be shut down for the season to protect his arm. He has pitched more innings this season (143.1) than any of his previous seasons.
Morrow was nominated as one of 2010's "Ten People Making a Difference in Diabetes"
2011
Morrow, who was expected to be the Jays' No.2 starter in the pitching rotation, began the season on the 15-day disabled list with right forearm inflammation.He made his regular-season debut on April 23 against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, pitching 5.1 innings, giving up 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks and 10 strikeouts.
For the first time since being traded, Morrow returned to the home stadium of his former team, the Seattle Mariners, to start against them on August 17. Morrow recorded the win, pitching 6 innings and striking out 12.
Morrow became the first pitcher in major league history to pitch 100 innings in one season without the team recording a double play behind him. On September 23, after 173.1 innings dating back to August 28 2010, Desmond Jennings
Desmond Jennings
Desmond Delane Jennings is an outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Baseball career:Jennings was taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 18th round of the 2005 amateur draft out of high school but did not sign...
of the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
grounded into Morrow's first double play in 30 starts.
Pitching style
Morrow throws a hard fastballFour-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
which sits between 93-98 mph but has been clocked as high 100 mph. He has the ability to throw several breaking balls, including a slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
(85-88 mph), curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
(81-85 mph), and change-up (81-87 mph). In September 2011, Morrow debuted a new cut fastball which comes from making a slight adjustment on his slider, with velocity hovering around 88-91 mph.
Personal life
Morrow is 6'3" tall and weighs 195 pounds. He is married. His favorite pitcher growing up was Pedro MartinezPedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
.
Morrow is a Type 1 diabetic who was diagnosed as a senior in high school. He wears an insulin pump
Insulin pump
The insulin pump is a medical device used for the administration of insulin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, also known as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy.The device includes:...
to regulate his blood sugar
Blood sugar
The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...
levels.