IP 276
ERA 4.761
WHIP 1.457
BB/9 3.228
SO/9 6.457
  • Full name Dallas R. Buck
  • Born 11/11/1984 in Newberg, OR
  • Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Oregon State
  • Drafted in the 3rd round (86th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006 (signed for $250,000).
    View Draft Report
    No pitcher elicits more head-scratches in the West than Buck, who has gone from hard-throwing bad boy to soft-tossing, innings-eating warrior. A former special-teams player for Oregon State's football team, Buck is one of the draft's better athletes, and his athletic ability and competitiveness have helped him pitch through a dead-arm period that has sapped his velocity. While Buck won his first nine decisions for the Pacific-10 Conference-leading Beavers, his fastball registered in the 82-87 mph range after sitting around 89-91 mph last season and touching 94. A mid-April MRI showed a sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament, with no tear. He had three solid starts with improved velocity thereafter, but slid back in mid-May to the mid-80s. Without his velocity, Buck has relied on adding sink to his fastball, spotting it better and outwitting hitters with his slider and changeup, both average pitches. While his mound demeanor has turned off scouts in the past, his willingness to compete without his best stuff has offset many makeup concerns. If his velocity returns, Buck should be better than ever, having learned to pitch in its absence.

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