(2052.06) Rookie Profile: Ommar bin Ayyub

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(2052.06) Rookie Profile: Ommar bin Ayyub

Post by woods » Mon Oct 03, 2022 11:00 am

Image Ommar bin Ayyub


Ommar bin Ayyub, RP
Hometown: Baghdad, Iraq
BBA debut: Sep 8, 2051



We’re turning the clock back a bit to discuss Ommar bin Ayyub, who actually debuted last season for Boise, but only for seven games as a September call-up, which means his rookie status is still in tact.

But bin Ayyub probably should’ve been called up sooner, because he was certainly ready. He flew through Boise’s minor-league system, much like Boise’s current closer, Josh Dougherty, did. In fact, following Boise’s trade of ex-closer Manuel Barrera in 2051, bin Ayyub’s fast growth forced Boise to consider his case alongside Dougherty’s to be the team’s new closer, a job that once seemed destined to belong to Dougherty. It was a tough choice, and the Spuds weren’t expecting to suddenly have two qualified closer candidates.

The two pitchers were the same age. bin Ayyub had higher velocity, and was better at inducing ground balls due to his splitter. Dougherty had better strikeout stuff and better control.

The other difference was that Dougherty, a former first-round pick, was always expected to be a stud. bin Ayyub was never supposed to be anything.

bin Ayyub was actually discovered in Iraq by Brooklyn Robins’ scouts, who invited him to the team’s international complex in 2045. They released him about a month later. “Couldn’t find the plate,” one Robins scout wrote on his report.

He came up on Boise’s radar in 2047, when scouts noticed his impressive velocity and high stuff potential. He had been working as a starter, but Boise figured a transition to the bullpen could give his stuff a big boost, and that’s exactly what happened. bin Ayyub became a full-time reliever in 2050, which not-so-coincidentally also marked his first appearance on BBA’s Top 100 Prospects list, where he debuted at #63.

He rose all the way to #16, where he currently sits, and the Spuds could not keep him down in the minors any longer. After a dominant Spring Training in which he didn’t allow a single run, he broke camp with the Spuds, and has no designs of going down ever again.

Dougherty is still the Spuds’ official closer, but now the Spuds have a two-headed monster in the bullpen. bin Ayyub has settled nicely into the role of setup man/groundball specialist, where his ability to pitch multiple innings also gives the Spuds the ability to bring him into high leverage situations in the seventh, or earlier, if needed.

He also got a taste of closing in June, when Dougherty briefly went on the IL with shoulder tendinitis.

bin Ayyub’s abilities were best on display on June 4 in Phoenix, when he came in for a save opportunity in the bottom of the tenth, after Boise squeezed one run across in the top half of the inning. The first batter, Jorge Gutiérrez, reached base with a single, but he was erased quickly when he was caught stealing. bin Ayyub then struck out the next two batters, Don Jaramillo and Brad Parkinson, probably the two best hitters in Phoenix’s lineup.

Following the final pitch to Parkinson, which was a 102-mph fastball at the letters, bin Ayyub triumphantly pumped his fist in the air and looked up at the crowd. His unspoken message was clear: get used to seeing me out here.

For now, bin Ayyub is content with his role on the team, but he’s doing what he does best, and forcing the issue. Eventually, Boise will have to make him the closer (and in turn, pay him like one), but Boise will likely ride their two-headed monster at least through this season.
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