Making a strong Case

Before Tommy John surgery in 2007, Bryan Casey was a converted reliever; a flame throwing prospect from Arizona Western College.

After the operation, the Kofa graduate lost about five mph off his fastball - although if his season stats are any indication, he's not missing that extra oomph.

Now a starter, Casey has the second-lowest ERA in the Pioneer League, pitching for the Kansas City Royals' rookie-ball affiliate, the Idaho Falls Chukars. In the season's opening week last month, Casey earned Pitcher of the Week honors after not pitching since 2006.

"I just wanted to get innings and I didn't know what to expect success-wise," said Casey, who didn't pitch regularly until AWC. "I just wanted to get innings and make sure I'm competing and staying healthy."

Lacking speed on his fastball - which hit 97 mph before surgery but is clocking in between 88 and 92 now - hasn't meant Casey is shying away from it.

"Obviously I have to mix it up more and hit my spots and keep the ball down," said Casey, who struck out four in four shutout innings in his last start Sunday. "So far I've been able to do that. But I still go after people with my fastball. It's still my best pitch."

Casey said he's still not at full strength yet either and that the recovery time is about 18 months - which means he hopes to be back to 100 percent by September.

"I'm hoping that fastball comes back," Casey said. "But if it doesn't, the nice thing is I've competed with this fastball. Hopefully I get it back."

In the meantime, he's working to improve his curveball and changeup.

"I'm just trying to make the other two pitches better," Casey said. "I've been working on the changeup quite a bit. They've been getting on me quite a bit and want me to throw it more. The last couple outings I've thrown it more and I've seen how successful it makes you. It gives hitters a different look."

In six starts, Casey is 1-1 with a 1.95 ERA. He has struck out 21 in 27 2/3 innings and has walked 12. That's a dramatic improvement from his pre-surgery 2006 numbers, when he was 0-6 with a 6.40 ERA and five saves in 24 appearances. He credits some of the turnaround to his year off.

"I've cleaned up my delivery a little bit," Casey said. "I watched a lot of baseball in the year I didn't play. I think there's some things I learned there."
Casey said he wasn't sure of the team's long-term plans for him, but said he enjoys starting.

"You know which days you're throwing and you can prepare yourself the whole day," said Casey, who was drafted by the Royals in the 20th round of the 2005 draft after he struck out 50 in 482/3 innings out of the Matador bullpen that year. "When I was closing, you never knew. You could not pitch for five days then pitch five days in a row."

After posting a 2.05 ERA in 2005 with the Matadors, the adjustment to pro ball was not easy.

"In '06, it was a rough season and I'd get hit around at times, but at other times it seemed like the ball just didn't roll my way," Casey said. "I've had a couple outings here where it has rolled my way."

No matter what the radar gun says, Casey said he knows he's a power pitcher.

"I'm not a finesse pitcher; I don't think of it that way at all," Casey said. "I still have the same mentality for the most part, I just don't have that extra four, five miles per hour on the fastball right now.

"I still attack people like I'm a power pitcher," he said. "If I get in a jam, I'm throwing fastballs. I think it's my best pitch. If I'm going to get beat, it's going to be with my best pitch."