Skip to content
Phillies
Link copied to clipboard

Five minutes with Jon Pettibone

Playing at: Clearwater (A) Position: Starting pitcher Bats: Left. Throws: Right. Height: 6-5. Weight: 200. Age: 20. Born: July 19, 1990, in Placentia, Calif.

Playing at: Clearwater (A)

Position: Starting pitcher

Bats: Left. Throws: Right.

Height: 6-5. Weight: 200.

Age: 20. Born: July 19, 1990, in Placentia, Calif.

How obtained: Sandwich pick between third and fourth rounds (No. 110 overall) in 2008.

This season: Pettibone was having another good outing last night until giving up three runs in the sixth inning in a loss at Bradenton. Has a 3-3 record with a 2.03 ERA and has pitched at least five innings in all eight starts.

Career at a glance: Started finding his way in the second half of 2010 and was huge during Lakewood's championship run last year (see below) . . . Named Florida State League's pitcher of the week on April 25 of this season.

In the blood: His father, Jay, was mostly a minor leaguer, but he started four games for the Twins in September 1983. He went 0-4, but his debut was a complete-game loss to the Royals. Danny Jackson, who would help the Phillies get to the World Series 10 years later, was the winning pitcher.

Ready from the start: Pettibone went 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA in his first four starts this season. "The biggest thing for me [was to] be ready to go from the start. The first couple of years I've been ready, but not ready to go right out of the chute. I got after it this offseason right away. I wanted to be in great shape, in pitching shape. That was the key to getting off to a good start."

Proudest athletic moment: Pitched five innings in the championship clincher for Lakewood last season, picking up his second win of the five-game series against Greenville. "It was a great time, just the whole year in general. It all came together at the end."

Most famous person in his phone: Cole Hamels, who, like Pettibone, hails from southern California. Hamels called him after he was drafted and the two met the following year.

Toughest thing to deal with: Failure in general. "Learning to get back at it the next day. After one bad game, you have to set it aside and not let it affect the outcome of the next outing."

Athlete he'd pay to watch:

Kobe Bryant.

Coolest thing he purchased

with signing bonus:

Golf clubs and a flat-screen TV.

Hoops, too: Played basketball at Esperanza (Calif.) High School where he went against future NBAers James Harden (Oklahoma City) and Landry Fields (New York).

Job as a kid: Dishwasher at a restaurant. "It didn't last very long. It paid minimum wage. It was nothing like what I'm doing now."

Favorite baseball movie: "The Sandlot."

Growing up: An Angels fan, he was 12 when they beat the Giants to win the 2002 World Series. "I went to an ALDS game [vs. the Yankees]. It was unbelievable. I think it was when the Thunderstix came out. It was so loud. I think my ears are still ringing."

- Ed Barkowitz