Wilmer Font is a 27 year old RHSP for the OKC Dodgers. He is not on the 40 man roster, and is a little old to be considered a prospect, but he has had a tremendous season and is more than worthy of a September callup.
The La Guaira, Venezuela native stands 6’4” and weighs 209 pounds. He signed with the Rangers and began his professional career as a 17 year old in the AZL in 2007. His career was postponed by TJ surgery in 2010, but continued his climb and became a very highly regarded pitcher in the Rangers organization. In 2012, Baseball American rated Wilmer Font as having the best fastball in the organization. Wilmer made his ML debut in September 2012. He moved up and down with the Rangers in 2013, and was released at the end of the 2014 season.
Font signed with the Reds but was again released in March 2015. He resurfaced in a Canadian Independent League team in Ottawa, and was signed by Toronto on July 4, 2016. In December 2016, Font signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers, and was assigned to OKC to be one of the starting pitchers.
All he has done since becoming a Dodger is impress.
ERA 3.58 #1 in PCL – next best is 4.11
K 170 #1 in PCL – next most is 144
WHIP 1.13 #1 in PCL – next best 1.26
Wins 9 #4 in PCL – #1 has 11 (Justin Masterson)
IP 128.1 #6 in PCL
He was honored and chosen to be the starter for the PCL in mid-season ASG against the International League. With his 170K, he has allowed 34 BB for a K/BB ratio of 5.0.
Font has a full arsenal with curve, slider, a nasty swing and miss splitter, and a devastating fastball.
OKC pitching coach, Matt Herges, has been asked if he is ready for the Big League. Herges believes he is ready. If not as a starter, then definitely as a middle innings reliever. Asked if he could become a one inning high leverage reliever, per Herges “That’s something that I think about, I mean he could sit on 99, he’s got that in him, I mean he’s touching 97 multiple times a game.” Herges added, “That’s why I think it would work in any role, the ability to land a curveball, the ability to control both sides of the plate with his slider and the split-finger is rarely thrown for a strike and with the elite elevation, there’s not a role he can’t do in my mind.”
When asked why they turned him loose and why the high fastball has been so effective, Herges opined,
“I think his whole life, it’s probably been you got to throw the ball down, you got to the throw the ball down, and that’s harder to do for some guys than for others.” “So we’ve opened that up for him and we have encouraged him to throw his curveball on 0-0 counts.”
Wilmer Font has experienced it all. From La Guaira, Venezuela to the United States and professional baseball, TJ surgery, making a major league roster, being released, continuing his dream in a Canadian Independent League, to being perhaps the best pitcher in the PCL, to being on the verge of making a ML roster again. The Dodgers love the high rising fastball, especially from their relievers. He is younger and more effective than Fabio Castillo and Jordan Jankowski. IMO he deserves a chance. I want an opportunity to see him challenge Nolan Arenado with a high rising fastball as Ross Stripling did earlier this year. The Dodgers freed him up with his fastball, now let’s see them free him up to be on the 40 man and get called up in September.
Discussion (47)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Puig certainly has changed. Almost every at bat is a quality at bat. I would give a lot of credit to Turner Ward. I do not like the way he catches a regular fly ball. However, he has never missed one. It is entertaining.
I guess we can put to rest that Puig can only hit in the 8-hole.
So, here’s a question for everyone. If the Dodgers could add one more guy in an August trade who would it be? You can pick anyone not named Stanton. I still find Ziegler interesting.
He’s also missed more scoops out of the dirt this year than he ever has as a Dodger.
Jansen works the 9th on 8 pitches and finishes off a combined 1 hitter. Turner is at .332 and Blackmon is at .337. I was really impressed by tonight’s game as they could have come out flat but played really well. The Dodgers will be fine, everyone relax, as Aaron Rodgers likes to say. If Stripling can go 4 as Roberts plans I like their chances tomorrow as the bullpen is rested and ready.
The machine keeps rolling
Maeda and company give up one hit. This one game removed from Hill’s masterpiece.
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Forsythe and Grandal starting to round back into form. Forsythe playing good defense too.
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All this with 80% of the conceivable starting rotation on the DL, as well as the Rookie of the Year.
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Really a deep strong team. When the rosters expand it’s conceivable there could be a righty and lefty lineup of equal value.
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That’s amazing.
The Dodgers have left 9 on base through 8 but have the lead thanks to 2 HR’s by Puig and Forsythe and a single by Grandal after a walk and SB by Turner. Puig is having good at bats recently. Ravin looked filthy, strikes out the side on 11 pitches. Maeda and the bullpen have combined for a 1 hitter through 8. The scoreboard does not show it but the team has dominated this game after a 7 game road trip and flight home. Looks like playoff baseball to me against a team who is in the division and wild card race and has a lot more to play for.
Dodgers – 11 LOB on 8/23
15 LOB on 8/24
5 LOB through 3 innings tonight
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This is why I say they’ve cooled off – the LOB wasn’t a problem in the last 3 months
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Stripling announced as starter for tomorrow’s game, probably Darvish on Sunday. Kershaw pitches Sat too, that would set him up for a Thurs the 31st return from the DL against Az if all goes well. With an off day Monday everyone else gets an extra day. There are only 2 off days the entire month of Sept, the 14th and 28th so a 6 man rotation when Wood is ready would not be a bad idea. It will be interesting to see if McCarthy makes it back this year, I believe they are just trying to show he is healthy to move him in the off season. The way Ryu has pitched recently and his $7M salary next year he would make a good insurance policy to bring him back for a final season.
Grant Dayton to have TJ surgery. He will be out for the remainder of this year and most of next year. Could that be the opening for Font??
I agree with you Hawkeye. Agon will be on the bench. Granderson, Taylor and Puig will be in the outfield. Let Utley and Forsythe platoon. That is a very strong defensive team. The pitching will work its way out in September. Who starts and who is in the pen. The thing I love about Roberts is that he gives everyone a chance to prove what they can do. If they do not make the team it is because they have not proven themselves. There will be some tough decisions.
Probably a bit premature, but as I see it, Agon should be in the lineup against righthanded pitching, and Bellinger should be in the lineup everyday, shifting between LF and 1B. When Belly is at 1B, Kike` should be starting in LF.
Not concerned about Agon’s average at this point. It appears to me that at least some his power has returned, and that his timing is gradually returning. For me, Agon is the replacement for Pederson, and so far looks to be a vast improvement. I hate Agon’s slothfulness, but overall his game is an improvement over what we’ve had all year. He lengthens the lineup, and his slowness of foot is less of an issue lower down in the lineup.
As for Wilmer Font, I don’t have a clue. But if he’s as good as Mark describes, then add him to the 40, on which there are several names that could easily be let go. In fact, I noticed that Walker Buehler is not yet on the 40, and wonder if the Dodgers would move him there before they have to, especially if the more experienced Wilmer Font is a viable alternative.
Great take by Grant Brisbee (who loves the hated Giants) on the colossus that has become the Dodgers:
https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2017/8/25/16202446/dodgers-adrian-gonzalez-trade-red-sox?yptr=yahoo
How many games do you guys think Gary Sanchez and Dillon Betances should/will get for that brawl yesterday?
I believe Font could be very effective in the bullpen, but if they don;t call him up by August 31st, he’s toast.
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/8/25/16202432/punto-trade-memories-adrian-gonzalez-dodgers-red-sox-anniversary
Nice article. Pitchers especially can develop later in life. Hitters, if you have not figured it out by 25, usually they do not make it. Maybe as a pinch hitter. Pitchers can develop a new pitch, and get better command. What does intrigue me is Fonts fast ball and splitter. Throwing 97 as a starter is very good. I just do not have the confidence in Stripling and Stewart right now for long relief. They are ok, but maybe we could do better. Maybe Font could be the one. It is worth a try.
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I did comment on yesterday’s article about Baez. He certainly looked better and was using other pitches besides his fast ball. Location was also better. I liked what Baez did. Also Grandal was calling a different game.
Unless it is a spot start, there is no room for Font in the crowded rotation when Kershaw, Yu and Wood return and McCarthy is going on a rehab stint. Now a middle relief spot seems very possible and his stuff would play up in that role. We need someone besides Stripling and Stewart and the two Tony’s to eat some innings. The starter for tomorrow’s game has still not been announced (I assume it’s Darvish) and maybe Font could take the ball Sunday, but Stripling is more likely as he is already here and no 40 man spot needed. With Darvish we would still have only 4 starters but only for a few more days.
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This was a nice read, seems the author feels the NL portion of the playoffs is a foregone conclusion.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20436129/way-too-early-world-series-preview-beat-dodgers
Per Houston Mitchell of the Times:
“The Dodgers are 76-21 in games in which Bellinger appears. When he doesn’t play, they are 14-15.”
My eyes don’t deceive me – the Dodgers aren’t hitting – no Cody.
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“Adrian Gonzalez is hitting .194/.235/.355 since he returned from the DL. If he continues this type of hitting, he should be on the bench when Bellinger returns.
The one thing I forgot about Gonzalez is how painfully slowly he runs. He’s so slow, that you can hear the “Chariots of Fire” theme when he runs.”
Bellinger to 1B; Adrian to the bench please.
Agone looks to be swinging a good bat. So how close could he be to swinging a hot bat. And I’m not going only by my line of sight. Monday and Kennedy both say the same thing, Agons swing looks good. So I say we should have an outfield of Puig, Taylor in center and Belly in left. Taylor is a very very good outfielder right now and improving all the time. Keep Agone at 1st for the time being. At least vs righties. See where that goes. I think Agon has more than a few good hits left in him. Hope the pitchers are all healthy for the worrisome 2nd season tournament. Specifically Kersh, Wood, Darvish and Hill. BP is very very good right now. Love the Dodgers overall chances this year. But the tournament is a treacherous fickle thing. Gulp!!
As the focus shifts from winning games to preparing for the playoffs, I don’t see how Font isn’t starting. Perhaps the math on the 40 is going to be too tough though…
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Nice article about the Dodgers by the great Gammons:
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http://www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-historic-view-of-the-state-of-the-dodgers/