Fuller Back and Ready to Rock

August 7, 2008   ·   Patrick Hickey, Jr.   ·   Jump to comments

Two weeks into the 2008 Brooklyn Cyclones season, it looked like 21st round pick Jim Fuller was beginning to carve himself a nice niche on the team as their left-handed spot starter and long reliever.

But after just two appearances, it was apparent that something was wrong with the southpaw, who threw a whopping 93 innings and compiled an impressive 9-3 record at Southern Connecticut State University before being drafted this season. Suffering from a strained left arm for over a month, Fuller’s absence created a void in the bullpen that the team never fully recovered from.

However, since making his first appearance back with the team on Aug. 2, where he threw two scoreless innings, Fuller has proved that good things come to those who wait. During the outing, Fuller showed just how thrilled he was to be back in the lineup by fielding a pair of ground balls and firing them over to first baseman Jason Jacobs with an intensity that could only be described as “energetic.”

Obviously happy to be back on the mound, Fuller is ready to be a influential member of the Brooklyn staff and seems fully recovered from the arm problems that took him off the roster for most of the first half of the season.

“It was the first time I was out there in a month, so I was really anxious to get started,” said Fuller, who’s fastball clocks in at 92 miles-per-hour. “It’s hard sitting on the bench for a month not knowing when you’re going to be ready to come back. All you can do is stick with your rehab and do whatever it is you have to do to get back out there and that’s exactly what I did. I’m so excited to be back”

Aside from his fastball, Fuller also throws a curve ball, slider and a changeup, which gives him an uncanny amount of versatility out of a Brooklyn bullpen that hasn’t been very solid over its past few games.

Looking for more depth in the middle of a pennant race, the Cyclones coaching staff is fully aware of what Fuller brings to the table and plan to use him accordingly.

“We’re happy to have him back and healthy,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We don’t know where he fits in right now, but I do know that we’re going to be working him in as much as we can the rest of the season. He’s going to get plenty of innings.”

Despite the coaching staff’s fondness of his repertoire and poise on the mound, Fuller knows with crafty relievers like Roy Merritt, Chris Schwinden, Wendy Rosa and Jimmy Johnson in the bullpen that playing time may be harder to come by than the coaching staff thinks.

Nevertheless, he’s focused on making the most of what’s left of his season.

“It feels great to know that this team is going to give me an opportunity to prove myself ,” Fuller, who models his game after Mets closer Billy Wagner, said. “I want to help this team win and we’re playing well right now, so it’s good that I get to be a part of all of this. I want to contribute as much as I can.”

Notes- According to a source, former Cyclone Bobby Malek was coaching first base in place of Guadalupe Jabalera, who has left the team for personal reasons. To my knowledge, Malek is the first former Clone to ever serve as a coach.

Link-

Box Score from last night’s 7-0 Cyclone win.

Update-New Podcast up!

Interview with Jordan Abruzzo on 8-04.You can download it from I-Tunes here, or stream it from the web, here. Enjoy!

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher.