WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In 2008, someone showed Zack Greinke video of a touted high school righthander. The senior stood just over 6-feet tall and flashed athleticism. Greinke is known for his detailed scrutiny of draft-eligible prospects, so much so that his teams have sometimes sought his advice
This prospect, the person said, bore a striking resemblance to Greinke. Jake Odorizzi went with the 32nd pick in that June’s draft.
“You don't think of it too often, but a lot of it was that he was kind of a smaller guy, athletic righty,” Greinke said. “But he ended up doing a pretty good job.”
Now the two men are teammates. Upon his acquisition earlier this week, Odorizzi offered enormous praise for Greinke, the one pitcher he sought to emulate from the moment Milwaukee selected him in the 2008 draft.
“Zack’s been a guy that I modeled my career after just with similarities of body type, background,” Odorizzi said earlier this week. “He was a great high school athlete and multi-sport guy. Obviously still is a fantastic athlete, he’s a great hitter and loves to hit. I was the same way in high school. I thought if there was a guy after I was drafted, who I should follow career-path wise, it was him.”
Two years into his professional career, Odorizzi became inextricably linked with Greinke. At the trade deadline, the Brewers included him in the huge prospect haul shipped to Kansas City for Greinke. Among the other names who became Royals: Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Jeremy Jeffress.
“I know when Kansas City traded for him, Milwaukee wasn't real happy that they had to include him,” Greinke said. “It was like a lower-level pitching prospect, which don't always pan out, but they liked him in Milwaukee before trading him."
Odorizzi hadn’t appeared above Class A ball before being traded. Within two years, he made his major league debut with the Royals, who eventually traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays in a deal that netted closer Wade Davis and starter James Shields.
Odorizzi cemented himself as a major leaguer across the next five seasons. He earned American League Rookie of the Year votes in 2014 before developing his reputation for durability and consistency. By his second season of arbitration eligibility in 2018, Odorizzi desired $6.3 million. The Rays posted at $6.05 million.
Unable to come to a compromise, the two parties headed for an arbitration hearing, a scenario Greinke wanted to live but never got the chance. Odorizzi afforded him an opportunity to at least spectate.
“I would tell my previous agent that I wanted to go to arbitration just so I could go through the process,” Greinke said. “We never ended up going through arbitration, so I wasn’t real happy about that. I always wanted to see it. Luckily I was able to go to it one time and it ended up being Jake Odorizzi’s.”
Odorizzi and Greinke were both represented by Excel Sports Management, making the observation easier. James Click, who constructed Odorizzi’s deal with the Astros, sat across the table as a member of Tampa Bay’s arbitration team. Odorizzi emerged victorious. Greinke left somewhat let down.
“It was amazing how not interesting those things are,” Greinke said of the hearing.
The two men can now share more meaningful interactions.
“Years down the road he’s still doing it at a very high level and now I get a chance to be on the same team as him,” Odorizzi said. “For me, personally, that’s pretty cool.”
“He’s the guy I mechanically tried to emulate, repertoire, everything like that. If I can keep doing it as long as he’s doing it, I’d be pretty darn happy with myself.”
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