Faces on the Field: Cesar Ramos & Neil Jamison
And more often than not, this pair of San Diego pitching prospects has been successful in their given roles, providing the Padres with a glimpse of their future in the hills east of Los Angeles. Ramos and Jamison, teammates at Long Beach State prior to the Friars' drafting them last year in the first and sixth rounds, respectively, have helped push Lake Elsinore to the top of the South Division standings in the California League.
Ramos, a stingy southpaw, and Jamison, a closer with a solid slider, have been a big reason why the Storm have been fighting for a playoff berth in the second half with both near the top of the circuit in several key categories. Jamison led the league in appearances (46) and was second in saves (23) heading into Friday's action while Ramos (7-5) had a 3.14 ERA, third best on the circuit.
And though both are still in A-ball, neither is pitching in anonymity. The front-office types a few miles down the freeway have caught their act and have been impressed with what the former 49ers are doing.
"I've seen Cesar pitch three times this year, and I think he's making improvements," San Diego's Minor League coordinator Bill Bryk said. "I like him better this year than I did last year. I think he's going to stick in the big leagues someday as a fourth or fifth starter.
"He needs a better breaking ball but I think his breaking ball has already improved. His velocity is up and he has a good change. He has a quiet confidence about him and I think he'll be a back-end starter for us someday."
Ramos, whom the Friars tabbed with the 35th pick, got off to a shaky start last summer, posting a 3-3 mark with a 5.01 ERA while splitting time between Eugene of the Northwest League and Fort Wayne of the Midwest League. But he's worked hard on keeping his pitches down in the Cal League knowing full well that if he doesn't, the altitude and a better caliber of hitters will prove more than a bit problematic.
It's evident from his recent success that his effort has paid off. Ramos has lost only once since June 11 and has allowed two earned runs or less in 14 of his 22 starts.
"They teach you to pitch down here -- it makes me pitch to my strength," said Ramos, who was also drafted by the Devil Rays in the sixth round out of high school in 2002. "You're giving up a double instead of a home run if you make a mistake. And in the second half of the season, I've really begun to show progress from earlier in the year. If you keep the pitches down, you'll get grounders and get out of a jam."
Jamison has been coming out of the bullpen since his days at Long Beach State. He hasn't started since he was in high school and says he has no desire to return to the rotation. The chance to get the ball every day and affect the outcome of game more than once every five days is an aspect of the game he relishes.
He began the season by throwing four innings at Fort Wayne, but it was clear he was above the Midwest League. Jamison collected three saves, allowed only one hit and fanned nine, earning a quick promotion to Lake Elsinore, where he was reunited with his buddy and now roommate on the road, Ramos.
While he had 11 saves in first two months with the Storm and 11 saves in June and July, his ERA has jumped a bit. It was 1.83 during his first two months in the Cal League but jumped to 5.00 over June and July. Still, Bryk likes what he sees in the youngster.
"This guy is fearless," Bryk said. "He's done a good job with what he has. I sincerely think he's done well, but next year will be a big test for him at Double-A. He has some work to do, but he definitely pitches above his stuff. And he pitches with a lot of confidence.
"Lefties see him good [hitting .284]. His arm angle has been a little inconsistent, and he definitely needs to tighten up his slider. He's three-quarters and gets underneath the ball at times, and that's when the lefties see him good. But he's a bulldog on the mound."
He's a bulldog who's also hoping someday to make it big in his hometown. Jamison grew up not too far from Qualcomm Park, the former home of the Padres, and was a big fan. After turning down the Mets, who drafted him in the eighth round in 2004, he was elated to be picked by the Pads.
And with the Storm heading into the final month of the season, the benefit of having both local kids on the roster will certainly help. The pair -- Ramos was born just outside Los Angeles -- has the experience of pitching for a big-time program at Long Beach State and facing the pressure of pitching in the NCAA tournament. It should serve as a plus down the stretch.
"We were expected to win 40 games every year and go to [the College World Series in] Omaha every year," Jamison said. "It's the same here with this team. You're expected to make the playoffs."
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com.