TORONTO -- Scott Richmond knew he was going to be at Rogers Centre on Wednesday, but until recently, he had no idea he would be scheduled to start for the Blue Jays against the division-leading Rays that afternoon.
The original plan was to introduce the right-handed pitcher, along with the rest of his teammates from Canada's Olympic Baseball squad, to Toronto fans prior to the game. The revised plan will now feature Richmond making his Major League debut instead.
"I was actually scheduled to come here [to Rogers Centre] to meet team Canada," said Richmond, who was informed of his callup just prior to his start on Sunday for Triple-A Syracuse. "And now, instead of meeting team Canada, I'm meeting the Blue Jays.
"It's something I've been working for my whole life."
Richmond, a native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was summoned from Syracuse on Monday when the Jays placed reliever Brian Tallet on the 15-day disabled list with an injury to his right foot.
For the 28-year-old Richmond, pitching for Toronto means that he will lose his spot on the Canadian Olympic Team, which will soon be departing for Beijing. He is not complaining, though.
"This is what you've always worked hard to play for your whole life -- from when you're four years old, growing all the way up," he said. "You always want to be a Major League Baseball player. It's just bad timing, but I'm going to take this timing over any other time, that's for sure."
Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi has already indicated that Richmond will be a part of the Toronto rotation for at least the time-being.
"It's an opportunity to get a look at him," Ricciardi said of Richmond. "He went to Double-A, pitched really well for us there. Went to Triple-A, pitched really well for us there. He's got the hot hand right now. We'll just find out what we've got."
In Double-A New Hampshire this year, Richmond was 5-8 with a 4.95 ERA. After being promoted to Syracuse, he went 0-2 with a 2.53 ERA, holding opponents to a .210 (25-for-119) average. He walked six and struck out 31 across 35 innings.
For Richmond it has been a long and winding road to the big leagues.
The original plan was to introduce the right-handed pitcher, along with the rest of his teammates from Canada's Olympic Baseball squad, to Toronto fans prior to the game. The revised plan will now feature Richmond making his Major League debut instead.
"I was actually scheduled to come here [to Rogers Centre] to meet team Canada," said Richmond, who was informed of his callup just prior to his start on Sunday for Triple-A Syracuse. "And now, instead of meeting team Canada, I'm meeting the Blue Jays.
"It's something I've been working for my whole life."
Richmond, a native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was summoned from Syracuse on Monday when the Jays placed reliever Brian Tallet on the 15-day disabled list with an injury to his right foot.
For the 28-year-old Richmond, pitching for Toronto means that he will lose his spot on the Canadian Olympic Team, which will soon be departing for Beijing. He is not complaining, though.
"This is what you've always worked hard to play for your whole life -- from when you're four years old, growing all the way up," he said. "You always want to be a Major League Baseball player. It's just bad timing, but I'm going to take this timing over any other time, that's for sure."
Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi has already indicated that Richmond will be a part of the Toronto rotation for at least the time-being.
"It's an opportunity to get a look at him," Ricciardi said of Richmond. "He went to Double-A, pitched really well for us there. Went to Triple-A, pitched really well for us there. He's got the hot hand right now. We'll just find out what we've got."
In Double-A New Hampshire this year, Richmond was 5-8 with a 4.95 ERA. After being promoted to Syracuse, he went 0-2 with a 2.53 ERA, holding opponents to a .210 (25-for-119) average. He walked six and struck out 31 across 35 innings.
For Richmond it has been a long and winding road to the big leagues.
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