WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

1997
R:  3-4-0, 4.29 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 63.0 IP, 4.0 BB/9, 6.3 K/9

Colon pitched mostly as a starter in his US debut and mostly struggled, although he turned 18 only late in the year.

1998
R+:  1-7-0, 5.77 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 73.1 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 6.5 K/9

Colon moved up to advanced rookie ball, still as a starter, and again struggled.

1999
A-:  7-5-0, 4.54 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 77.1 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 7.1 K/9

Colon made some improvement in short season ball.

2000
Did not play

Colon missed the entire season with an injury.

2001
A:  7-7-0, 3.59 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 128.0 IP, 1.8 BB/9, 6.4 K/9

Back from injury, Colon showed improvement in his full season debut.  He allowed very few walks or HRs, but he did have more hits allowed than innings pitched, and his K rate was low.

2002
A+:  9-8-0, 3.53 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 163.0 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 5.2 K/9

In high A, still as a starter, Colon pitched about the same as the previous year.

2003
AA:  11-3-2, 3.36 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 107.0 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 4.9 K/9

Colon split his time in AA between starting and relieving.  He continued to get good results despite an extremely low K rate.  The Braves added him to their 40-man roster after the season.

2004
AA:  1-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 15.0 K/9
AAA:  4-1-0, 3.65 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 74.0 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 7.8 K/9
MLB:  2-1-0, 3.32 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 19.0 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 7.1 K/9

The Braves moved Colon full-time to the bullpen.  He spent most of the season in AAA and increased his K rate while otherwise continuing to pitch about the same as the previous several seasons.  He made his major league debut in late August and pitched reasonably well.

2005
AA (Atl):  0-0-0, 1.17 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 7.2 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 8.2 K/9
AAA (Atl):  1-1-0, 1.93 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 14.0 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 5.8 K/9
MLB (Atl):  1-5-0, 5.28 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 44.1 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 6.1 K/9
MLB (Det):  1-1-0, 6.12 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 25.0 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 6.1 K/9

Colon spent most of the season, through the trade deadline, pitching in relief for Atlanta.  He struggled severely, posting an ERA of 8.50 through June 10, then started four games, pitching better than he had in relief.  The Braves traded him to Detroit at the trade deadline and he continued to struggle as a swing man.

2006
AAA:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 6.2 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 8.1 K/9
MLB:  2-0-1, 4.89 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 38.2 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 5.8 K/9

Colon pitched in 20 games, including one start, for the Tigers, but missed a significant portion of the season with elbow stiffness.

2007
AA (Det):  2-0-1, 5.91 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 10.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 8.4 K/9
AAA (Det):  0-1-0, 3.60 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 7.2 BB/9, 5.4 K/9
AAA (KC):  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 1.2 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 5.4 K/9

Colon missed the start of the season with an injury, then during a rehab assignment got involved in an altercation with a teammate that ended with Colon punching and severely injuring a different teammate.  The Tigers suspended Colon, then traded him to Kansas City.  He pitched only once after the trade and was outrighted after the season.  He re-signed with the Royals.

2008
AA:  2-0-1, 5.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 17.0 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 4.2 K/9
AAA:  5-5-1, 4.64 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 95.0 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 5.9 K/9

Colon pitched in both AA and AAA for the Royals, including ten starts in AAA.

2009
AAA:  2-3-2, 2.84 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 25.1 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 9.2 K/9
MLB:  2-3-0, 4.83 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 50.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 5.2 K/9

Colon opened the season in AAA, but the Royals called him up in late May.  He pitched 43 games, all in relief, in the majors, putting up adequate numbers with his usual low K rate.

2010
AAA:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 4.5 K/9
Korea:  8-7-0, 3.91 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 103.2 IP, 3.6 BB/9, 4.9 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 18.00 ERA, 3.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 9.0 BB/9, 4.5 K/9

The Royals released Colon in early May and he caught on in the Korean League.  After the season he signed with the Dodgers.

2011
AAA:  2-1-3, 4.85 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 29.2 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 5.2 K/9

The Dodgers assigned Colon to Albuquerque, but he missed about half the season with a broken foot.

2012
AAA:  4-2-7, 3.09 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 67.0 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 7.9 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 6.75 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 8.0 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 3.4 K/9

The Royals signed Colon for 2012 and he spent the year in AAA, outside of a three-game callup in June.  He didn’t pitch as well as his ERA indicates.

The Pirates did not extend Colon an invitation to major league camp.  He’ll probably serve as minor league depth at either Indianapolis or Altoona, and has little chance of reaching Pittsburgh.