Baerlocher looks to take next step

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- About a year before undergoing Tommy John surgery, Royals pitcher Ryan Baerlocher found himself shaking hands with ... Tommy John.

John, who had elbow reconstruction that saved his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, happened to be a Triple-A pitching coach when they met.

"It was kind of odd that a year later I had the surgery that he kind of pioneered," Baerlocher said.

"I didn't really ask him anything, but maybe if I'd have had the surgery done then, I'd have talked to him about it a little bit. But then you just knew the name because other guys had had it done."

Baerlocher, 28, is in his eighth season with the Royals' organization. His career was prolonged by the 2004 surgery and he might be part of the Triple-A Omaha rotation this year.

"It's amazing that they came up with that," he said. "Now it's just a blip on your career where once it used to end your career."

Last season, Baerlocher had a 7-5 record and 3.44 ERA for Wichita, making him the Wranglers' Pitcher of the Year.

"He was our most consistent pitcher," Wichita manager Frank White said. "He did a good job of getting the fastball over with the changeup. He's a great athlete who fields well and does a good job of holding runners on. He never seems to get rattled."

Baerlocher, for Wichita, had 63 strikeouts and 27 walks in 89 innings.

"My arm feels 100 percent," he said. "I can't really complain about it at all."

He has an outstanding changeup.

"Probably the best in this camp," White said.

"It's kind of my equalizer," Baerlocher said. "I'm not a 95-mph guy, high 80s, low 90s. I've got to rely on making the right pitches at the right time. I've got a good enough changeup that I can keep hitters off-balance."

Shaun McGinn, the Royals' senior director of Minor League operations, said that Baerlocher did more than rebuild his elbow during his injury rehabilitation.

"Just from a sideline point of view, during rehab, he learned what was successful for him and what was not. And he added to the quality of his breaking pitches," McGinn said.

Drafted in the eighth round in 1999, Baerlocher left the Royals briefly after the 2001 season. The San Diego Padres made him a Rule 5 Draft pick.

"I got to spend the entire Major League camp with them, then got sent back the last week. I wasn't ready at the time, unfortunately," he said.

"It was just one of those things -- a fun time, a good experience. I just didn't capitalize on it, I guess. I had moments when it felt like I belonged, when it felt like I knew what I was doing. But there were other times when I felt I wasn't ready."

The Padres, rather than keep Baerlocher on their Major League roster for the entire season, returned him to the Royals.

To this day, Baerlocher sometimes has that on-and-off switch twitching.

"There are days when I have a good feel for it, there are some when I feel like I've never played catch before," he said.

He maintains one steady pursuit.

"Still chasin' the dream," he said.