Traveling Man

Photo by rocky ross

TRAVELOCITY. Garrett Olson, a recent arrival in Tacoma, looking in for the sign in a recent game at Cheney Stadium.

His nickname could be “mileage-plus.” In the past couple of seasons, pitcher Garrett Olson might be the most experienced traveler on the roster of the Tacoma Rainiers. So it is a good thing he actually enjoys traveling.

Some of the miles come from navigating the circuitous route from college, through the minor leagues to the majors. Some of the big mileage comes from his taking vacations to places like Costa Rica or Australia.

Olson, 25, is one of the new pitchers on the Rainiers’ roster. Drafted out of college by the Orioles in 2005, he stayed with the O’s through 2008.

Then in January 2009 he was traded twice within 10 days. First he went to the Cubs, then to the Mariners in a trade that sent Aaron Heilman to Chicago.       

Olson now lives near Santa Barbara, Calif.

He grew up and went to high school in Clovis, near Fresno. He played his college ball at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, from 2003 through 2005 – a long time to be playing baseball in the same place, by his standards.

While he was there, he set several school records in baseball.

He still holds those for wins (12) and innings pitched (136) in a season, set in 2005.    

In college Olson was coached by Larry Lee. Lee says Olson started out as the team’s number three pitcher his freshman year, then moved up to number two when he was a sophomore. By the time he was a junior, Olson had taken over the number one spot in the rotation.

“There were a lot of high-profile pitchers in the colleges we played,” Lee said. “Garrett was as dominant that year as any of them.”

Lee could see that Olson had the ability to be a professional pitcher by the end of his freshman season.

In 2004, in the Alaska Summer League for the Anchorage Bucs, his record was 7-0 with a 0.88 ERA. That is where he began learning how to pitch against wooden bats, as opposed to the aluminum ones that colleges use.

Olson said that was the best summer of his life. Lee remembered that when Olson came back from his summer in Alaska, he was much more self-confident.

After he was drafted, Olson traveled nearly 3,000 miles to play his first year of professional ball.

He split the season between the New York-Penn League IronBirds in Aberdeen, Maryland (home of Cal Ripkin, Jr.) and the Frederick Keys. His combined record for 14 games was 2-1, 2.36 ERA. He pitched 10 scoreless innings in the Carolina League playoffs, helping the Keys win the league championship.

In 2006, Olson went 10-9 with a 3.09 ERA between Frederick and the Double-A Bowie BaySox. In three consecutive starts he posted 20 consecutive scoreless innings.

That got Olson to the Triple-A Norfolk Ties in 2007, where he was 9-7 in 22 starts.

He was selected to play in the All-Star Futures last summer in San Francisco, but by then he had started his Major League career.

Called up to Baltimore on July 4, Olson made his big-league debut that day in Chicago against the White Sox. In 4 1/3 innings, he gave up two runs and earned a no decision. He got his first win in his next start July 15 at home against the White Sox. Olson’s Major League record that season was 1-3 in seven starts.

Olson was with the Orioles all of 2008 except for seven games with Norfolk. He ranked fourth among American League rookie pitchers in starts (26), fifth in wins (nine) and innings pitched (132.2), and sixth in strikeouts (83). Ironically his best outing that year came in Safeco Field, where he pitched a career-high 8 1/3 innings for a win.

So far, Olson has made one start in his new home park. He said he likes Cheney Stadium, especially the park’s pitcher-friendly, 425-foot deep center field. He considers his out-pitch to be a slurve, a cross between a slider and a curve, with his fastball his second choice.

As of April 27 his record in four starts is 1-2, 3.66 ERA, 19.2 innings pitched.

Asked if he is a power or finesse pitcher, the lefty says he likes to “just go out there and chuck the ball,” but did admit that the guys he pitches to say he throws hard.

“I’ve never considered myself a power pitcher,” he added. “I basically like to hit my spots.”  

Olson says he likes the weather and the sports culture here, and also the fact that he is closer to his family (parents and one sister) who can now see him pitch in California and maybe even travel to Tacoma.

During the off-seasons Olson returns home to Santa Barbara to work out and enjoy his hobbies of cooking and photography. His thousands of miles of jaunts around professional baseball locales did not diminish his love for travel. Last year, he went to Costa Rica, the year before to Australia.

But he would not mind, if things go right, to later this season be making the short trip to Safeco Field.

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