Ex-Phils prospect Drabek makes major-league debut

BALTIMORE - The 15th day of September will always have special meaning for Kyle Drabek.

A year ago Wednesday, Drabek was standing near home plate at Citizens Bank Park accepting the Paul Owens Award as the top pitching prospect in the Phillies' minor-league system.

Fast forward to last night, and there stood the 22-year-old Drabek on the mound at Camden Yards making his big-league debut.

"The only thing I told him was don't change anything and that it's still the same game," said Doug Drabek, Kyle's father and the 1990 National League Cy Young Award winner with the Pittsburgh Pirates. "Let him soak everything in and enjoy it."

Kyle Drabek was the bait that enabled Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. to lure Roy Halladay from Toronto in mid-December. With the season nearing an end for the Blue Jays, they decided to get a preview of the kid who is now their top pitching prospect.

Drabek gave Toronto a lot to like but not a win as the Orioles handed him a 3-1 defeat. He went six innings and allowed three runs and nine hits, striking out five.

Afterward, Drabek was clearly pleased with the way things went.

"I felt real comfortable," he said. "I left a few pitches up and down the middle and they were able to capitalize on that. It kind of felt like any other day. There were more text messages than normal."

The Orioles hit several lasers off him, but they couldn't shake him. Drabek, whose pitching style is reminiscent of Tom Seaver's because he generates so much power with his legs, was greeted with high fives from his teammates after finishing his night with 88 pitches.

"Guys who stay calm are the guys who become pretty good," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. "He showed a lot of poise. He got in trouble a few times, but he ended up only giving up three runs. We just couldn't score any runs for him."

Drabek is scheduled for two more starts this season - Sept. 22 against Seattle Sept. 28 against the Yankees, both in Toronto.

Doug Drabek also made his first major-league start in Baltimore. It was 1986 and he was with the Yankees, and the game was at old Memorial Stadium. Doug was traded four times before pitching his first full season. So Kyle not only has the pitching DNA, he also has someone he can lean on as he navigates the uncertain path through the big leagues.

Gaston believes there is something different about the sons of major-league players.

"They've been around the game," Gaston said prior to Wednesday's game. "I think they have some of that bloodline in them, so, you know, most of them know how to stay calm, stay cool. The kids whose dads played baseball, you can tell, they're different."

Drabek didn't have to wait long to have his nerves tested. The first two Orioles he faced - Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis - began the game with singles and pulled a double steal. Second and third. Nobody out. Welcome to the show, kid.

But Drabek, who hit 99 miles an hour with one fastball but was mostly in the 93-96 range, didn't shake. He struck out Ty Wigginton on a 3-2 slider, got Luke Scott on a grounder that scored a run, then struck out Felix Pie.

"It could have gotten bad," said Doug Drabek, who had a proud father's smile. "But to get out of that with one run . . . you know, he made a couple of good pitches. On the other hand the hitters are doing what they're supposed to be doing, too, so I'd probably say on my report would be good damage control."

The kid lasted longer in his first start than Doug, who threw four scoreless innings before he was relieved.

Drabek was promoted Sunday after he was named Eastern League pitcher of the year. At double-A New Hampshire, he went 14-9 with a 2.94 ERA in 27 starts with 132 strikeouts in 162 innings while allowing only 126 hits. His 5-1 record and 2.76 ERA during his last nine starts suggest he got stronger as the season went along.