Rowley is 29, formerly with the Toronto Blue Jays. He got hurt early this past season and is just now returning to full strength. He’s set to sign with the Gigantes in the Puerto Rican winter league. Its his first time playing down there, as he needs to show MLB teams he’s healthy again.
Chris played on the talented 2009 state runner-up South Forsyth squad that lost to Pope in the finals. Nine players from that team played college ball and one other also signed a pro contract. Later one of the old-timers said Chris “was the third or fourth best pitcher on that team.” Rowley also played basketball, and remembered playing Collins Hill, where future UConn All-America and WNBA MVP Maya Moore dunked in warmups. While its illegal for boys to dunk in warmups, there’s no rule forbidding girls to dunk.
Despite “not great” grades, Rowley secured an appointment to West Point. The Army team would usually travel to warmer climes for games. They played Navy, but the coach wouldn’t schedule games against Air Force. After graduation he served near Savannah, in 2014-2015. He was released early from his service commitment in part to serve as an ambassitor in the pros for Army baseball.
Rowley was first called up in 2017 and caught a flight to meet the Jays in Houston. His family headed there to meet him. The flight was rerouted to Dallas because of a storm. By the time he got to Houston he’d missed the game. The whole trip he was reminded of a friend who’d been called up, then arrived late due to the flight, missed the game, was sent back to the minors – and was never called up again. But the Jays assured Chris he would pitch, and he did.
Chris was the first West Point grad to pitch in the majors, a fact Rowley didn’t know until it happened. Navy pitcher Mitch Harris pitched in the majors in 2013, hitting 100 MPH on the radar gun. Now Harris works for Merrell Lynch and lives in Roswell, and a movie is being made about his life.
Rowley spoke about the differences between the majors and minors. Bus travel was almost preferred, because teams would have to meet the bus at 330 am for 7 am commercial flight. Hard to pitch after so little rest. The money was vastly different – both meal money and salary. In 2016 Chris earned $7000.00. The next year he made that much after his first few days in the bigs. After being sent down his pro-rated salary was much higher. After baseball Chris would like to become an agent, if he could sign on with an agency who would send him to law school (he’s been pre-law at West Point).
The big money makes some guys jaded, Chris said. Johnny: easy to tell the difference between eager young A ball players in Rome and grumpy AAA players in Gwinnett, who’d tasted the majors and thought they belonged there. The best coaches made communication a dialog, as opposed to a one way conversation – “you’re going to pitch this way whether it suits you or not.” Chris liked coach Bob Stanley, who was on the mound when Bill Buckner made his error.
After college and the military, Chris was older than most of his minor league teammates, especially his first year in A ball. He rarely batted in high school and college, but got one at bat in AAA. Oddly, the pitcher threw him two changeups before Rowley grounded out. Chris would rather start than relieve, since he doesn’t throw heat. His bread and butter is the sinker and change, actually an odd combo. He wants his pitches to break down, and not in to the batter’s sweet spot.
Rowley’s third day in the majors was at Wrigley Field, which had a party atmosphere even at 10 am. It was Toronto’s first game at Wrigley in over 20 years. He didn’t pitch at Yankee Stadium but went there in September. He loves Toronto’s Rogers Centre, the loud fans.
Last year he joined the Rangers in Boston, his first callup of the year. Had to walk past fans in the concourse to get to the visiting clubhouse. He’s thrown over 100 pitches two days earlier, and had been assured he’d only be used in an emergency. Chris went out to the bullpen and spent most of the game checking out the girls in the stands. Then closer Tyler Clifford blew a 9th inning save, and the game went to extra innings. Rowley looked around the pen and realized he’d probably be put in the game. In the 10th he got the first batter to ground out. The second batter hit a grounder that went through the infielder’s legs for an error. The Red Sox hit and run, turning a double play ball into runners at first and third. An intentional pass loaded the bases. Then Xander Boegarts hit a 2-0 pitch off the top of the fence. Had it bounced back the Sox would’ve won by a run. Instead it bounced over for a walk off grand slam.
Two days later Chris gave up another line drive walk off hit, also in Boston. He was glad to get out of Fenway, though he did autograph the inside of the green monster while he was there.
Jay Happ had mentored Rowley, calling him the “most pro “ player he knew. Talented with no off switch. In turn Rowley had mentored Jays catcher Jansen “like a son” teaching him life lessons like paying rent, etc. Said some kids are handed a million dollar signing bonus and never learn how to handle money and budget. Chris said Josh Donaldson was one of the best hitter’s he’d seen up close, once hitting back to back homers off all-star Chris Archer to deep center on 0-2 counts.
Rowley prefers spring training in Arizona, where the weather is better and travel not as far.
After being DFA’d two straight years, Rowley wouldn’t mind signing a multi-year contract to play in Japan, for the security and the experience. The money wouldn’t be bad either. Good kid. Said he was going deer hunting the next morning in north Georgia, on his grandmother’s property. Likes to get out there by himself.
Next Hot Stove meeting is December 11 if you want to go. The famous cap swap. Johnny is trying to get Mark DeRosa to come. Wednesday DeRo passed up Hot Stove to attend the Country Music Awards in Nashville.
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