Foulke on the Comeback Trail...

[Wanne]

Good luck. He was always one of my favs. But....81-84 mph fastball. But hey...if he has good placement and mixes up an assortment...who knows.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbac...foulke0124.html

 

D-Backs to offer Foulke

The Arizona Republic

 

Representatives from more than 20 teams watched former major league reliever Keith Foulke throw off a mound last week in Tempe. The Diamondbacks were among them, and they seem to have been adequately impressed to pursue the former All-Star closer.

 

The Diamondbacks have spoken with Foulke's agent in recent days and appear poised to make an offer to the right-hander - if they haven't done so already.

 

His fastball was in the 81-84 mph range. Foulke has long relied on his change-up, but he would probably need to add more velocity. That could come during spring training, as it does for many pitchers as they work their arms into shape. Foulke pitched successfully in the past with a fastball that sat around 88 or 89 mph.

[juddling]

Keith Foulke un-retires......

 

OAKLAND, Calif. - Keith Foulke ended his retirement and returned to the Oakland Athletics on Friday, agreeing to a $700,000, one-year contract that allows him to earn $2.5 million more in bonuses.

 

The 35-year-old reliever was an All-Star for Oakland in 2003, then left to sign with the Red Sox and threw to first base for the final out of Boston's first World Series title since 1918. He had back and knee injuries in 2005 and 2006, then signed with Cleveland.

 

"I decided I was not ready to leave baseball," Foulke said. "I started throwing again last November. It didn't take long to figure out I needed to give my knees a year. It was December before I could throw pain-free with my mechanics.

 

On the day Indians' pitchers reported to spring training last year, Foulke retired. He said he felt elbow soreness.

 

"I wasn't ready to go play for Cleveland," Foulke said. "I signed a great deal but I wasn't in shape. I could sit on the DL in Cleveland and get my elbow fixed or stay home and get ready for the 2008 season."

 

Foulke auditioned for about 20 teams in Phoenix last month. He also considered offers from the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres and New York Mets.

 

"It came to who made the best offer, and would give me the best chance to succeed early in the season," he said. "Oakland has succeeded with, probably, less talent. That's their benchmark; it's how they do things. It's a great place to play."

 

Foulke can earn an additional $500,000 in bonuses based on time on the active roster and $2 million in performance bonuses based on games and games finished.

 

Foulke has a 41-34 record and 190 saves with a 3.30 ERA in his 11-year major league career, which also included stops with San Francisco and the Chicago White Sox. He was 9-1 with 43 saves and a 2.08 ERA in his first stint with the A's, finishing seventh in the Cy Young Award balloting.

 

"I definitely think the bullpen will be one of our strengths," A's assistant general manager Dave Forst said. "He still has all his pitches, although his velocity isn't quite there. He got up to 85 (mph), but to be honest, he's the kind of pitcher who doesn't need much more."

 

The right-handed Foulke, a changeup specialist, originally came to Oakland in a trade that sent Billy Koch to the White Sox.

 

"I enjoyed my time with Oakland," Foulke said.

 

Foulke is expected to complement Alan Embree as a setup man for closer Huston Street.

 

"I've never considered myself a closer," Foulke said. "I consider myself a bullpen guy. There are times when pitching in the seventh inning is more viable."

 

[knightni]

"I decided that I had a mortgage payment," Foulke said.

[Texsox]

The right-handed Foulke, a changeup specialist, originally came to Oakland in a trade that sent Billy Koch to the White Sox.

 

Good luck to Foulke against everyone else except us.