Baseball Beginnings

By John Klima
September 1, 2009

Tyler Blandford went down to the wire. Drafted in the 5^th round by the Seattle Mariners out of Oklahoma State, Blandford suspected he might be going back to school, until negotiations took shape at the last minute.

“Everything ended up working out, but it was a pretty crazy story,” Blanford told Baseball Beginnings. “I declined the last offer with like a minute left but told my agent that I wanted the scouting director to call me when it was all over with. (Tom McNamara) called me at the last minute and I ended up talking to the GM (Jack Zduriencik) and reaching an agreement with him. So now I’m working out (in Peoria, Ariz.) and will head to Instructs as a starting pitcher.”

Blandford bounced between the bullpen and the starting rotation for Oklahoma State, a necessity because of a schedule that often included two mid-week games. He believes that the lack of continuity probably hurt his overall command and contributed in some measure to sliding in the draft. After agreeing to terms with the Mariners for $325,000, well above the approximately $150,000 slot price, conjecture began about his future role.

The quickest route to the big leagues for any power arm is the bullpen, but it must be balanced against his starting potential. Blandford said he did not make signing with the Mariners contingent on beginning his career as a starting pitcher, but he said he was very happy to learn that the Mariners will try him as a starter first. But in his mind, Blandford knows that he may yet end up as a closer.

“I think maybe in the long run I might be a back end of the pen guy, but starting will give me more innings right now so I can get better, sooner,” he told Baseball Beginnings.

Blanford went 7-4 with a 5.31 ERA in 2009 at Oklahoma State, where his control got him into trouble and his velocity got him out of it. He allowed only 60 hits in 78 1/3 innings and opposing batters hit .210 against him with metal. But Blandford hurt himself with 45 walks, 12 wild pitches and 13 hit batters. Blanford took enough of a bruising to realize that he had to slow things down and command the strike zone better. He had 97 strikeouts, wiggling his way out of danger with his fastball, and found himself drafted in the fifth round by the Mariners.

Blanford paused after the college season. He had thrown a lot of pitches and shut it down for about eight weeks before surfacing again in the California Collegiate League with the Santa Barbara Foresters.

Blanford pitched a three-inning look in Santa Barbara, where Baseball Beginnings filmed him, before the Foresters went to the NBC World Series in Wichita. Blanford hit 96 and pitched at 94 in the first inning, pitched at 93 in the second inning, and pitched at 92 in his third inning.

At the NBC World Series, Blanford helped himself again. In 8 1/3 innings, he struck out 15 and walked seven, but only allowed four hits and two runs. Baseball Beginnings caught up with Blanford, who was drafted in the 34th round by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2006 draft out of Daviess County High School (Owensboro, Kentucky) for this Q&A before he went to Wichita and before the last-minute negotiation sent him from Stillwater to Seattle.

Baseball Beginnings: Looking back, tell me what you thought of your 2009 season at Oklahoma State?
Blandford: I thought I started the season pretty well. I had a good outing against Arizona and then in Palm Springs, I went seven innings with 12 strikeouts. I was a mid-week guy and I had about 51 innings. I had a little bit higher ERA than I would have liked. I struggled a little bit going from midweek start to weekend relief. That didn’t help my control and I think control is why I fell in the draft. Where I got drafted, I didn’t know, but fifth round seemed fine with me. Other than that, I thought I was pretty solid as a starter.

Baseball Beginnings: Describe yourself as a pitcher.
Blandford: Fastball: two-seam, four seam, different slots, low slot, sometimes bring it back up. Right now I’m throwing out of a sidearm slot. Right now I’m mixing it up.

Baseball Beginnings: Velocity wise, what are you normally?
Blandford: During the college season, I think I topped out at 95. I’d pitch around 92-93.

Baseball Beginnings: When you sign, do you have a preference for starting or closing.
Blandford: At this point, no. I really care most about getting out and pitching.

Baseball Beginnings: What do you hope to get out of what is left of this summer?
Blandford: Hopefully a chance to pitch and get some work.

Baseball Beginnings: What are the aspects of yourself you think need to develop as a pro?
Blandford: I think right now I have to show that I can command the strike zone more consistently. I have no doubt that I’m capable of that, I just don’t think I maintained it enough during the college season.

Baseball Beginnings: Wanted to ask you about left-hander Tyler Lyons and what you think makes him effective.
Blandford: He has a phenomenal change-up. To me, that’s his best pitch. He’s got a natural tail to his ball, which will fool hitters. He’s a little like Maddux. He spots everything up with great control, great command a great change-up. He has a good curveball to drop in there and he also will throw a slider. His velocity has come back up from where he was this spring.

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Categories: '09 Meet the Player, 2009 Draft, Baseball Beginnings Exclusives
Tags: Oklahoma State, Seattle Mariners, Tyler Blandford