Chico Outlaws Jason Stevenson Signed by San Francsico Giants
August 21, 2011 - North American League (NAmL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
CHICO- The Chico Outlaws have announced today that their ace starting pitcher, Jason Stevenson, has had his contract purchased by the San Francisco Giants. Stevenson will join their Triple-A team, the Fresno Grizzlies, Monday night when they face off against the Las Vegas 51's.
Stevenson has been nothing short of dominant since joining the Outlaws a month into the North American Baseball League schedule. In eight starts this season, Stevenson is 8-0, with a 1.68 ERA and 76 strikeouts in just 64.1 innings. His only other appearance this season was his last outing; a three inning save in which six of the nine outs were recorded via the strikeout.
Perhaps Stevenson's best attribute is his determination to finish what he started. In his eight games, he pitched at least seven innings in every one. After a 130 pitch complete game, Stevenson said, "You start off the game by counting your bullets, and I wanted to use every one." He took this mentality to the mound every game and it showed. Despite starting only half as many games as the rest of the league's top pitchers, Stevenson's name can be found all over the league leaders page. He is fourth in wins, eighth in strikeouts, and first in ERA. The league's next best ERA is 3.04; showing just how dominant Stevenson has been in a hitters league.
Stevenson will now look ahead to joining the MLB's predominant pitching experts. The San Francisco Giants currently lead the league in ERA and have cultivated much of their own pitching talent. The likes of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Brian Wilson have grown through their organization and Jason Stevenson can now look forward to joining the organization that made these players great.
Stevenson marks the third Outlaw signed by a major league organization this year, joining Jim Paduch and Chris Lubanski. The North American Baseball League is proving this year that it is the independent league to beat. Front offices all over the big leagues are taking note of the high level of play in the NABL, as well as the baseball pedigree of much of the players and coaches currently in the league.
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