MICHAEL COLLA

12/23/86; '08 14th; Univ. of Arizona
R/R; 6-2, 220

Level	W-L-Sv	G	GS	IP	H	HR	BB	K	BB/9	K/9	WHIP	OAVG	ERA
2006 NCAA	0-1-0	20	3	40.0	66	3	23	35	5.2	7.9	2.23	.373	8.33
2007 NCAA	3-3-0	16	7	55.1	66	7	24	45	3.9	7.3	1.63	.293	5.20
2008 NCAA	4-2-0	19	7	56.1	68	7	27	51	4.9	8.0	1.74	.291	4.79
2008 A-	0-1-0	4	0	3.1	7	0	10	5	27.0	13.5	5.10	.438	24.30
2009 A+	6-3-0	37	0	64.2	70	7	19	52	2.6	7.2	1.38	.269	4.31

According to Baseball America, Colla when drafted threw a fastball that edged into the low 90s, but his secondary stuff was fringy and he lacked "pitchability." He signed in late June and joined the State College bullpen in late July. The results were about as bad as it can get. The Pirates cut short the carnage after four miserable appearances, probably to try to work out whatever the problem was. I saw him in spring training and he struggled through one inning, throwing in the mid-80s and unable to find the strike zone. He was much more effective in a second inning, though, as his velocity was up to 88-89 and he showed a good slider. He apparently was coming back from an injury, which would explain the 2008 problems. Colla joined Lynchburg partway into April and was outstanding at first. His ERA was 0.96 prior to the All-Star break, but 6.87 afterward. He allowed only 22 hits in 31.1 IP through the end of June, but 48 hits in 33.1 IP after that. His velocity was just in the upper-80s. You have to wonder whether he's fully healthy. He seems most likely to return to high A in 2010.

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