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Korecky makes high-anxiety saves for Wings

Jim Mandelaro
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle



JAY CAPERS RDC staff photographer
Red Wings closer Bobby Korecky has had some lowlights among the highlights this season, but he still leads the league with 35 saves.

Bobby Korecky is unlike any Red Wings closer you've seen in recent years.

He doesn't have the overpowering fastball of Armando Benitez, who would warm up in the bullpen 75 feet away from his catcher at the old Silver Stadium.

He doesn't have the baffling side-arm panache of Pat Neshek, a virtually unhittable closer in his four brief months with the Wings last season.

And he's not an intimidating presence like Bobby Munoz, a 6-7, 270-pounder who was nicknamed "Godzilla" and who posted a Bob Gibson-like 1.06 ERA for the 1998 Wings.

No, Korecky has a decent fastball, is hittable and stands 6 feet, 180 pounds. But he has something Benitez, Neshek and Munoz don't: The Red Wings record for saves in a season.

"It's kind of neat," the right-hander says. "But what's really special is that it means we're winning games, trying to earn a playoff berth. That's what you play for."

Korecky has 35 saves, which leads the International League and is three behind the IL mark set by Richmond's Matt Whiteside in 2004. The previous Wings record was 23 by Travis Bowyer in 2005. Korecky broke that record on July 21, when he saved both games of a doubleheader in Ottawa.

Korecky also leads the IL with 64 appearances, but this season hasn't been all fun in the sun for the New Jersey native. He has seven blown saves, five losses (he's 4-5) and a 3.84 earned-run average all high numbers for a closer. He's allowing nearly one hit per inning and has surrendered a run in 17 of the 42 games in which he was eligible to earn a save.

Twice during recent road games, he entered in the eighth inning with a lead and lost, allowing seven runs in those outings. And this week he was not voted onto the IL postseason All-Star team, despite leading the league in saves.

"It's tough during the bad outings, because you want your team to have confidence when you step on the mound," he says. "My job is to save the game for us, and it's frustrating when you don't do your job."

Korecky also can be dominant. In a recent game in Syracuse, he pitched three no-hit innings in a 2-2 tie with Syracuse and struck out five, including the Chiefs' Big Three of Kevin Barker, Chad Mottola and John-Ford Griffin in one inning.

His most recent two saves came Sunday and Monday against Pawtucket. He allowed a two-run triple to Bobby Scales on Sunday (the runs were charged to Jay Sawatski) and gave up two runs in a two-inning stint Monday.

"It isn't always pretty, but he's our closer and he gets it done,'' Red Wings manager Stan Cliburn said. "I remember the Orioles had Don Stanhouse, and he would make (manager) Earl Weaver nervous. Bobby is definitely a top-stepper, but I love being on that top step because he's usually victorious."

All-Star effort

Korecky's numbers were good enough to earn a spot in last month's Triple-A All-Star Game at Albuquerque, N.M., which he calls "an awesome experience." Korecky's "out" pitch is a slider, which he throws at 80 to 83 mph. His fastball is in the low 90s, and he also throws a changeup.

He joined the Red Wings in July 2006, taking over the closer's role from Neshek. His career in Rochester has endured more ups and downs than the roller coaster at Seabreeze.

The most notable "down" moment came in Game 1 of last year's Governors' Cup finals against Toledo, when Mud Hens slugger Mike Hessman homered off Korecky in the eighth inning to key Toledo's rally.

"I still think about that homer," Korecky says. "It was a tough one to give up. But (recently), I gave up a homer to (Syracuse's) Russ Adams that tied the game in the ninth. We ended up winning, but it still bothered me."

Korecky is not the kind of pitcher who will come in and mow down opponents 1-2-3 in the ninth on a regular basis.

"If I did, I wouldn't be in the minors," he says.

Red Wings center fielder Denard Span says Korecky "makes things interesting" but adds that the reliever "is a huge part of this team. He's done the job for us."

Michigan man

Korecky and his wife, Jill, are high school sweethearts who have been married two years. They live in Ann Arbor, Mich. Bobby lived in South Brunswick, N.J., until sixth grade, spent a year in Ohio and has lived in Michigan ever since, even though his entire family has moved back to Jersey.

He graduated from the University of Michigan with a major in organizational business and was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 19th round of the 2002 draft. He was acquired by the Twins in a trade on Dec. 16, 2003.

"I wasn't drafted high, and there's really nothing riding on me," he says. "A lot of people have doubted me along the way, especially after my surgery."

Korecky underwent the dreaded Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2005, just one year after compiling 31 saves for Double-A New Britain.

"My arm was bugging me at the end of the '04 season, but I tried to get through it," he said. "Then I came to spring training in '05 and it just stopped working. It hurt to brush my teeth."

Tommy John surgery is a procedure in which a ligament in the elbow is replaced with one from elsewhere in the body.

Nine arduous months of rehab followed Korecky even stayed at the Twins' minor-league complex in Fort Myers, Fla., through Christmas and he was ready by the start of the 2006 season. He began the year at Double-A New Britain but was promoted to Rochester when Neshek joined the Twins.

Talk about big shoes to fill. Neshek went 6-2 with a 1.95 ERA and 14 saves in his half-season. He allowed 41 hits in 60 innings.

"His numbers speak for themselves," Korecky said. "You can't pitch any better than he does. I'm not going to strike out two out of every three batters like him, but as long as I get them out, that's what matters."

Korecky is a marked man literally. He got his first tattoo last season after arriving in Rochester. It's the word "Offero" inscribed on his right arm.

"It's St. Christopher's name before he became a saint," he explains.

This year, he added an "empty crucifix" on his back.

"I've been wanting to get it for a while," he says.

What does it mean?

"It's from Acts 2:24: 'But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him,'" Korecky said.

He prefers not to discuss his faith, saying, "With religion and politics, I leave it to each his own."

Family guy

Korecky has two younger sisters and is extremely close to his family. His dad was his baseball coach until high school. Korecky calls his parents "two or three times" each day, and they travel upstate to watch him pitch once a month.

"It's just the kind of relationship we've always had," he says.

There is one phone call he'd love to make the one in which he tells his parents, Robert Sr. and Pam, that he has been promoted to the big leagues.

"I was talking about that to (former Wings first baseman) Garrett Jones," he says. "I told him, 'If that day ever comes, I would be the happiest person to ever be called up to the big leagues.' Not just for myself, but for everyone who has ever supported me."

Korecky is not on the Twins' 40-man roster, but he remains hopeful of a September callup.

"It would be a dream come true," he says.

Red Wings manager Stan Cliburn thinks it can happen.

"Now that he's healthy, it's just a pleasure to watch him compete," he says. "He's a battler, a warrior. Every time that man steps on the hill, I say our chances are pretty good."

August 29, 2007