Tsuyoshi Wada improving in Triple-A. Could be ready for the Majors?

Tsuyoshi Wada is scheduled to make his next start for Triple-A Norfolk on Monday afternoon against Rochester. He hasnt allowed a run in his last two outings, walking two and striking out 17 in 11 2/3 innings, and the reports on him indicate that his stuff is good enough now to get out major league hitters.

Tides pitching coach Mike Griffin is in total agreement.”Im really happy with what hes doing right now. Oh my goodness,” Griffin said yesterday. “Where he was when he first got to us and where he is now is like night and day. His fastball, especially in his last two outings, hes gotten late life to it. Hes gotten better late movment to it. His comand has improved.”What we started to work on with him since Day One when he got here was trying to use both sides of the plate with his fastball, and its starting to play now.

Hes starting to pitch inside better, especially to right-handed batters. His secondary stuff has started to get crisper. His slider at the beginning didnt have consistent tilt. Now, its got consistent tilt. Hes get swings and misses with his slider and getting outs against right-handed hitters with his slider. That was a major goal with that pitch.”His curveball is steadily improving. At first, it was just another pitch. Now, its got better depth and hes starting to get early strikes with his curveball. His changeup has been there since Day One. Thats been a mainstay. Its gotten him out of a lot of jams early and he continues to do very well with it at this date. Right now,

Im starting to see him throw all four of his pitches with better consistenty.”The one thing Im really happy with his hes clearing two major hurdles. He has a crisper fastball thats starting to play better, and hes starting to use both sides of the plate with his fastball with better consistency.”

Wada still hasnt pitched for the Orioles since signing his two-year, $8.15 million contract in December 2011 with a club option for 2014. He underwent ligament-reconstructive surgery on his left elbow last summer and its been a process recovering and regaining his arm strength and touch.”He came back from major arm surgery,” Griffin said. “Its just a matter of, he needed to get on a mound, needed to get out there and pitch every six days. Thats what hes doing. Youre starting to see his arm strength. Hes back to where we thought he was going to be.

Hes improving right now. It just took time. “Wada gave his consent for the Orioles to option him so he could continue pitching at Norfolk, knowing he wasnt ready to help them. Hes currently 4-5 with a 4.70 ERA in 15 starts, with 84 hits, 28 walks and 68 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. Hes registered four quality starts in his last seven outings, and most recently tossed five scoreless innings against Gwinnett. Hes posted a 1.77 ERA vs. left-handed hitters.”I give Wada a lot of…

via School of Roch: Wada improvement.