I've been piecing this together for a while...the playoffs slowed things down, but now that we've got some time on our hands, it's time to get goin' again.

Tim Kester

The Basics

Throws R
Bats R
6’-4” 190
Born 12/1/1971 in Batavia, N.Y.

Baseball History

Kester was drafted in the 18th round by the Houston Astros in 1993, and after bouncing around the Astros’s organization for a few years, was out of their organization by 1999. He left to tray his hand in the Taiwan professional league, earning up to $10,000 a month depending on his performance. In 2001, after being released by the Padres after a brief stint, he signed up with the Italian professional baseball league. Despite having to pitch only once a week, Kester was supplied with a car and a beach house for his efforts. In 2002, Kester pitched for Pennsylvania in the independent Atlantic League, and finished 7-7 with a 2.57 ERA.

Scouting Stuff

Kester, with all his experience, throws a variety of pitches. These include a cut fastball, a curve, a slider and a change.

2003

Kester had 27 starts for the Portland Sea Dogs this season, and finished with a 10-10 record and a 3.78 ERA. 3 of those starts were complete games. He pitched 164.1 innings this past season, allowing opponents to hit .296 off of him. His most impressive statistic this past season is his BB/K ratio: Kester allowed 21 walks this season, and struck out a team high 128 batters.

Articles and Praise


[link=sports.mainetoday.com/seadogs/stories/030430seadogs.shtml newwindow]April 30th[/link]


[link=sports.mainetoday.com/seadogs/stories/030521dogs.shtml newwindow]May 20th[/link]


[link=sports.mainetoday.com/seadogs/stories/030620seadogs.shtml newwindow]June 19th[/link]

This article outlines the second chance Kester received this season, and how he's making the most of it:

[link=sports.mainetoday.com/seadogs/thomas/030504dogthomas.shtml newwindow]Back in the states, using his second chance[/link]

And this, from Portland Press Herald Staff Writer Kevin Thomas, who covered the Sea Dogs this season and wrote most of the linked articles. (Mr. Thomas was kind enough to respond to an inquiry regarding Tim via e-mail):

So he will be a 33-year-old minor league journeyman pitching at Pawtuckett.

Is this really a prospect?

When does he project to reach Boston, and in what role?

Does he have any trade value?


NN

I saw Kester pitch in May - a game in which Shoppach hit a walk-off HR in the 10th. A journeyman minor-leaguer is all he is, and while he mixed his pitches well and threw strikes he didn't look to have great stuff. I seem to recall reading that he is Australian, and I'm guessing he's more likely to someday pitch in Perth or Brisbane than at Fenway.

Well, surprisingly to everyone, including myself, Kester started this season in AAA with the PawSox. Last Wednesday he made his third start of the season for the PawSox and improved his record to 2-1 with a 7 inning, 3 hit performance against the Ottawa Lynx.

http://www.ottawalynx.com/LynxPressBox04/0428.html

His first win of the season came in a stopper-like performance, when he snapped a six game losing streak for the Paw Sox by tossing six innings of four hit, one run ball. Kester threw only 57 pitches over those six innings. From the Providence Journal:

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The last thing Pawtucket Red Sox manager Buddy Bailey dared contemplate was a long bus ride home after going 0-for-7 on a road trip.

"It's enormous for us to have won a game on a road trip," Bailey said yesterday after Pawtucket snapped a six-game losing streak by routing the Syracuse SkyChiefs, 9-1, at P & C Stadium. "I hate to think what it would have been like if we went on the road for a week and hadn't won a game.

"When you stop the bleeding, sometimes you turn the corner and hopefully that's what happened here today."

As much as anything, the Pawtucket player who really stopped Syracuse was right-hander Tim Kester, who tossed six innings of four-hit, one-run ball with no walks and three strikeouts. He threw only 57 pitches.

Kester benefited from a six-run first inning during which Pawtucket sent 10 men to the plate and chased starter Sean Douglass.

"Kester was outstanding," said Bailey. "I always believe starting pitching usually dictates the flow of the game. With the way he was, he averaged less than 10 pitches per inning. That's getting people off the field real quick.

"I never saw him pitch until spring training. He pitched in relief almost every time for us and I said 'Man, this guy's got a knack for pitching.' He's not afraid to pitch in. He pitches in to lefties well and he throws strikes. When you throw strikes and get ahead in the count, you get people swinging more and you've got an advantage."

Kester always has been able to throw strikes. In nine minor-league seasons prior to 2004, he's fanned 681 and walked only 195 in 1,040 2/3 innings. But after being released by the Padres in 2000, Kester pitched in Taiwan and Italy before returning to the United States and spending the 2002 season with Pennsylvania in the independent Atlantic League.

"I played winter ball in Puerto Rico and I guess (Boston) saw me there," Kester said. "I went to spring training and had a good spring, and made the team. I know the hitters are good here. I faced a lot of them in Double A last year.

"It's the same principle. You throw strikes, hit your spots and change speeds and you're going to get guys out. I love to work fast. (Today) was a microcosm of the way I can pitch."

The only blip on Kester's radar screen occurred in the sixth inning. Jeff Guiel led with a blooper to short center that dropped for a double.

Kester retired Jorge Sequea, but Russ Adams lined an RBI single to center. Alex Rios then bounced into a double play.

Anastacio Martinez and Matt Duff blanked Syracuse over the last three innings.

The first inning certainly was atypical of the way Pawtucket played on the road trip asthe PawSox cuffed Douglass for seven hits.

Febles, Kevin Youkilis and Brian Daubach singled to load the bases and red-hot Andy Dominique lined a two-run single to right. Douglass retired Adam Hyzdu on a popout, but Mike Curry and Kelly Shoppach delivered RBI singles for a 4-0 lead.

Jeremy Owens' two-out, two-run double sent Douglass to the showers.

Pawtucket added another run in the fifth on Dominique's double and Shoppach's single. And in the seventh, Hyzdu clipped Micheal Nakamura for an RBI single and ex-SkyChief Jimmy Alvarez hit a sacrifice fly.

Dominique wore out Rochester and Syracuse pitching on the seven-game trip. He batted .440 (11-for-25), with three doubles and three homers, and drove in 11 runs.

"He had a solid year for us last year and hasn't missed a beat," said Bailey. "I don't think he's going to hit .400 all year, but the key is he's putting in a lot of quality at-bats. He's drawing more walks than striking out, which means he's seeing the ball well and he's not expanding the zone.

"He's got a knack for hitting. He proved it last year when he really blossomed (Dominique was .361 with 3 homers and 21 RBI with Portland and .304, 13 homers, 57 RBI with Pawtucket). If he continues at the same pace, somebody's got to seriously consider giving him an opportunity, whether it's this year or next year, to be in a big league lineup

Tim Kester will go for a PawSox leading 6th win on Friday night as the PawSox wrap up a homestand, facing Indianapolis at McCoy Stadium.

Having appeared in 10 games thus far for the PawSox, Kester is at or near the top of the International League in many pitching categories. He's 10th in ERA with a 2.93 ERA, his WHIP of 1.01 puts him 7th in the IL, only 3 pitchers have won more games than Kester (all three have won 6) and in 55.1 innings pitched, he's walked 4 (yes, FOUR) batters.

Stay tuned for more of Mr. Kester's exploits.

Unpack your bags, Mr. Kester, you're staying in Pawtucket for the AAA All-Star game!

(From the article Cambridge posted regarding the 3 PawSox All-Stars):

Tim Kester, 32, has been one of Pawtucket’s best starters over the course of 2004 ranking among the IL leaders in victories, ERA, and innings pitched. Through June 21, he was tied for 5th in the league in wins (7), 5th in ERA (3.23), and 6th in IP (86.1 IP). A fine control pitcher, he has walked just 11 batters in his 86.1 innings. Thus far in his first season in Triple-A he has appeared in 15 games (12 starts) although two of his three relief appearances came when he followed rehabbing starters early in the game.

Even if he never has a big league career, it's been a long journey to this point for Mr. Kester. It's been fun to follow over the past year.

An update on TK:

Tim Kester wasn't re-signed this winter, and is currently pitching in Mexico. Hopefully somebody will pick him up and he'll get another opportunity here in the states this summer.

A blurb from the Mexican League website:

"Kester is to pitcher right that in the 2005 sent in the Pawtucket equipment, Triple Class To and main branch of the Red Averages of Boston, gained 11 games in exchange for 9 setbacks with 4,95 in clean races, in addition abanicó to 105 enemies."