The book on Casey Fossum - new pitcher for the Red Sox - Brief Article

Casey Fossum's already rapid rise through the Red Sox system accelerated when he added a third pitch.

He did not have a consistent third pitch until this spring, when he began to gain control of his changeup. It was only after he showed some mastery of it that the club considered his Class AA statistics--2.83 ERA, 130 strikeouts and just 28 walks in 117 2/3 innings--the real thing.

The 23-year-old lefthander was a 1999 first-round compensation draft pick. The Red Sox plucked him from Class AA Trenton in late July to work in the bullpen. As the season entered the stretch run, he forced his way into the rotation.

What the club likes about Fossum is his near-impeccable command and poise. He snaps off a tight-breaking slider, and he can move his fastball in and out, topping out at 92 mph.

He has had plenty of success in his short history with the Red Sox organization, which was preceded by a stint pitching for Texas A&M. Fossum threw a no-hitter for Class A Sarasota in August 2000, and he led all minor leaguers in the team's system with 143 strikeouts in 149 1/3 innings.

Fossum's delivery is a hurried jumble of limbs, culminating with a whip-like, cross-body delivery. A lot of energy is expended with each pitch, but Fossum keeps his mechanics under control.

One concern the club has with his busy delivery is the toll it will take on his slight frame. He is barely 6-1 and has trouble keeping his weight above 155. The club will ask Fossum to boost his weight this winter, either through muscle mass or a little fat.

Fossum, who has become the team's best and brightest prospect, is not against the plan. "The main thing about the weight is so I hold up through the whole season, not to enhance my performance," he says.

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