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So proud of my Longhorns closer, he was called up just a year after being drafted. Told ya he'd be fast tracked. He pitched four innings, two of them scoreless, in two games. That's a good start.
Chance Ruffin brings 'goofy' personality to Tigers after less than one full season in minors
Published: Monday, July 25, 2011, 7:14 PM
CHICAGO - Chance Ruffin fits the stereotype of a typical closer for at least one reason.
“I always hear that closers are goofy people,” Ruffin said. “I have a different personality, so everybody says that I fit the role pretty well. It sounds like a good role for me.”
Ruffin certainly made a strong first impression Monday afternoon after the Detroit Tigers purchased his contract from Triple-A Toledo and sent Lester Oliveros to Triple-A.
When someone asked Ruffin how he would describe his personality, he didn't hesitate before responding.
“Goofy,” he said.
Ruffin, who has 17 saves with Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo this season, said he likes to tell a lot of jokes and keep the mood light in the clubhouse and in the bullpen. He said telling a joke became a daily tradition at the end of pitching meetings at Erie.
He was more than happy to offer a sample.
“What do you call a flying monkey?” Ruffin asked. “A hot-air baboon.”
Ruffin was selected with the 48th pick in the 2010 draft, a supplemental pick the Tigers received when free agent Fernando Rodney signed with the Angels. The 22-year-old has not even played one full season of professional ball after being a standout at Texas.
“I'd hoped that one of the things I brought to the table would be the ability to move through an organization if I pitched well enough,” he said. “That was always my goal going in.”
Still, the young right-hander didn't know what to think when he got the call to speak with Toledo manager Phil Nevin, who informed him he was joining the Tigers.
“I had it in the back of my mind,” Ruffin said, “but at the front of my mind I was thinking, Oh, boy. 'What did I do wrong? What did I do this time?' ”
But he wasn't in trouble. He was simply told he was being promoted a new team with new teammates, who will quickly become aware that Ruffin is, well, kind of goofy.
“I've got knock-knock jokes, tons of different things like that,” he said. “I like kid games. I like things like Monopoly. I bought a Monopoly board and played at Double-A and got half the team playing Monopoly in the hotel rooms on road trips.
“It's a lot of fun.” [Source]
Tigers' Chance Ruffin pitches jokes in locker room
1:40 AM, Jul. 26, 2011
CHICAGO -- Chance Ruffin was called up from Triple-A Toledo on Sunday. On Monday night, he made his first appearance in a major league bullpen.
Ruffin, 22, relieved Duane Below and pitched 1 2/3 innings. He gave up three hits -- a bases-loaded double to Carlos Quentin and solo home runs to A.J. Pierzynski and Paul Konerko -- and was charged with two earned runs in the Tigers' 6-3 loss to the White Sox.
The Tigers drafted Ruffin in the first round (48th overall) in 2010. The former Texas Longhorn pitched in 31 games at Double-A Erie (3-3, 2.09 ERA) before joining Triple-A Toledo on July 20. He had a 2.00 ERA in eight outings with the Mud Hens.
When he was told manager Phil Nevin wanted to see him in his office, Ruffin said he thought: "Oh, boy, what did I do wrong this time?"
Tigers manager Jim Leyland is getting a self-described goofy, late-inning pitcher who would love to become a closer. He also is getting a talented young pitcher who has impressed enough in the organization that he jumped to the majors in his first season of pro ball.
Leyland said that isn't common. He also admitted he didn't know much about Ruffin.
"I think this boils down to one simple thing: It appears to me that our people in the organization felt he was better for us right now than (Lester) Oliveros at this point in his career. Period."
Ruffin possesses a mid-90s fastball, a slider and a limitless supply of jokes. At Erie, Ruffin often was called upon to end the daily pitchers' meeting with a joke. He favors knock-knock jokes and one-liners. When asked for a sample, he offered this:
"What do you call a flying monkey?"
"A hot-air baboon."
Ruffin said he might consider a career in comedy if baseball doesn't work out. He was joking. Sort of.
His taste for comedy goes back to at least his high school days and more likely middle school. He grew up around baseball -- his father, Bruce Ruffin, pitched for Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Colorado in 1986-97. His dad was a left-handed starter early in his career before moving to the bullpen.
Ruffin is a right-hander and joked that his dad helped teach him by standing in front of a mirror and telling his son to watch the reflection.
Not everything Ruffin does, however, is goofy. He figures he is usually the most competitive guy in the room and can't stomach losing even one pitch to a batter. He figures this trait will serve him well as a late-inning reliever. He figures his jokes will, too.
"I always hear closers have goofy personalities," he said. "I fit that role pretty well." [Source]
Chance Ruffin brings 'goofy' personality to Tigers after less than one full season in minors
Published: Monday, July 25, 2011, 7:14 PM
CHICAGO - Chance Ruffin fits the stereotype of a typical closer for at least one reason.
“I always hear that closers are goofy people,” Ruffin said. “I have a different personality, so everybody says that I fit the role pretty well. It sounds like a good role for me.”
Ruffin certainly made a strong first impression Monday afternoon after the Detroit Tigers purchased his contract from Triple-A Toledo and sent Lester Oliveros to Triple-A.
When someone asked Ruffin how he would describe his personality, he didn't hesitate before responding.
“Goofy,” he said.
Ruffin, who has 17 saves with Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo this season, said he likes to tell a lot of jokes and keep the mood light in the clubhouse and in the bullpen. He said telling a joke became a daily tradition at the end of pitching meetings at Erie.
He was more than happy to offer a sample.
“What do you call a flying monkey?” Ruffin asked. “A hot-air baboon.”
Ruffin was selected with the 48th pick in the 2010 draft, a supplemental pick the Tigers received when free agent Fernando Rodney signed with the Angels. The 22-year-old has not even played one full season of professional ball after being a standout at Texas.
“I'd hoped that one of the things I brought to the table would be the ability to move through an organization if I pitched well enough,” he said. “That was always my goal going in.”
Still, the young right-hander didn't know what to think when he got the call to speak with Toledo manager Phil Nevin, who informed him he was joining the Tigers.
“I had it in the back of my mind,” Ruffin said, “but at the front of my mind I was thinking, Oh, boy. 'What did I do wrong? What did I do this time?' ”
But he wasn't in trouble. He was simply told he was being promoted a new team with new teammates, who will quickly become aware that Ruffin is, well, kind of goofy.
“I've got knock-knock jokes, tons of different things like that,” he said. “I like kid games. I like things like Monopoly. I bought a Monopoly board and played at Double-A and got half the team playing Monopoly in the hotel rooms on road trips.
“It's a lot of fun.” [Source]
Tigers' Chance Ruffin pitches jokes in locker room
1:40 AM, Jul. 26, 2011
CHICAGO -- Chance Ruffin was called up from Triple-A Toledo on Sunday. On Monday night, he made his first appearance in a major league bullpen.
Ruffin, 22, relieved Duane Below and pitched 1 2/3 innings. He gave up three hits -- a bases-loaded double to Carlos Quentin and solo home runs to A.J. Pierzynski and Paul Konerko -- and was charged with two earned runs in the Tigers' 6-3 loss to the White Sox.
The Tigers drafted Ruffin in the first round (48th overall) in 2010. The former Texas Longhorn pitched in 31 games at Double-A Erie (3-3, 2.09 ERA) before joining Triple-A Toledo on July 20. He had a 2.00 ERA in eight outings with the Mud Hens.
When he was told manager Phil Nevin wanted to see him in his office, Ruffin said he thought: "Oh, boy, what did I do wrong this time?"
Tigers manager Jim Leyland is getting a self-described goofy, late-inning pitcher who would love to become a closer. He also is getting a talented young pitcher who has impressed enough in the organization that he jumped to the majors in his first season of pro ball.
Leyland said that isn't common. He also admitted he didn't know much about Ruffin.
"I think this boils down to one simple thing: It appears to me that our people in the organization felt he was better for us right now than (Lester) Oliveros at this point in his career. Period."
Ruffin possesses a mid-90s fastball, a slider and a limitless supply of jokes. At Erie, Ruffin often was called upon to end the daily pitchers' meeting with a joke. He favors knock-knock jokes and one-liners. When asked for a sample, he offered this:
"What do you call a flying monkey?"
"A hot-air baboon."
Ruffin said he might consider a career in comedy if baseball doesn't work out. He was joking. Sort of.
His taste for comedy goes back to at least his high school days and more likely middle school. He grew up around baseball -- his father, Bruce Ruffin, pitched for Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Colorado in 1986-97. His dad was a left-handed starter early in his career before moving to the bullpen.
Ruffin is a right-hander and joked that his dad helped teach him by standing in front of a mirror and telling his son to watch the reflection.
Not everything Ruffin does, however, is goofy. He figures he is usually the most competitive guy in the room and can't stomach losing even one pitch to a batter. He figures this trait will serve him well as a late-inning reliever. He figures his jokes will, too.
"I always hear closers have goofy personalities," he said. "I fit that role pretty well." [Source]