August 30, 2007

Joe Saunders isn't easily rattled, but he was growing restless. It was 2005. His first few starts of the Double-A season hadn't gone as planned. Though he had been a first-round Draft pick three years earlier, Saunders looked around and, like a pitcher with the bases loaded, found himself in a situation he didn't like.

He was afraid of being left behind.

At only 26, Saunders believed he was coming to a career crossroads. Arm injuries forced him to miss the 2003 season, and his last eight starts in Double-A in 2004 left much to be desired. He returned to Double-A to begin the 2005 season and bounced through a series of shaky starts in April.

So Saunders refocused. He decided that he needed to pitch well immediately to make a statement and push back into the Angels' plans.

"I had struggled a lot at the beginning of [2005] and told myself that if I wanted to get to the next level, I had to bear down and throw some innings out there and really prove to this organization that I can pitch," Saunders said.

That's a mentality he has not abandoned, even as he has provided much-needed stability this season to the back of the Angels' rotation. His season thus far, though interrupted by four return trips to Triple-A Salt Lake, has produced quality results. For Saunders, it is a sign he may yet pitch himself into a full-time job in the starting rotation once the path is clear.

Getting there has required patience and the ability to break through with an organization that, like many teams, traditionally adheres to the Branch Rickey mold of preferring hard-throwing right-handers rather than command-oriented left-handers. To call Saunders a finesse left-hander isn't fair. To call him a pitcher is.

"It's always tough when you make it to the big leagues and get sent down the next day, or you get sent down but they keep you around for a couple of days just in case something happens with another guy," said Saunders (7-2, 3.62 ERA), who will take the mound Friday at Angel Stadium against the Rangers.

"It's like you're here, but you're not here. I couldn't sit in the dugout because I wasn't on the roster. I watched the game in the clubhouse."

Saunders has proven resilient in his effort to belong. He's not overpowering, but has enough on his fastball. His success is in locating and changing speeds with his curveball and changeup. He gets hit to a certain degree because he works around the plate (82 hits in 74 2/3 innings this year) and isn't afraid to pitch to contact. But he also has almost twice as many strikeouts (41) as he has walks (21). He has also worked past the fifth inning in each of his 12 Major League starts this season and went 6-0 in his first nine starts. The Angels are 9-3 in Saunders' starts.

Much of that is a credit to Saunders' ability to remain focused despite the circumstances out of his control that have often affected his Major League opportunities. On the mound as well as off, Saunders has a firm grip of his situation. It's a trait that has benefited him.

"That's a good way to describe him," catcher Jeff Mathis said. "He doesn't get real worked up about much."

But that doesn't mean that Saunders hasn't felt compelled to battle. After he missed all of the 2003 season because of a posterior left rotator cuff tear and a detached labrum, Saunders knew he had to prove he was healthy. Even after coming to the big leagues in 2005, Saunders didn't feel safe.

"I thought that because of my struggles in '05 that they pushed some people ahead of me," he said. "I know they signed some guys in 2003 when I was hurt, because I think they thought I was done."

Instead, Saunders maintained his determination.

He pitched his way out of Double-A in that 2005 season and made nine Triple-A starts. The Angels brought him to the big leagues for an emergency start on Aug. 16, and he allowed two runs in 7 1/3 innings in a no-decision against Toronto.

That began the up-and-down big league experience of Saunders. He went 7-3 with a 4.71 ERA in 13 starts last year, decent numbers, but not enough to assure a future with an organization that has pitching depth on every level. It created a new obstacle. Saunders wanted to prove that he was more than a replacement. He wanted to prove that he is worthy of being a regular.

"He's always been focused," Mathis said. "He's just waiting for the next sign to be thrown down."

Saunders has had to wait for signs from the Angels. He hoped to have a rotation shot in 2006, but the Angels signed Jeff Weaver. Saunders' best opportunity came when right-hander Bartolo Colon's health and effectiveness had gradually broken down in the past two seasons. Colon will be a free agent at the end of the year.

Saunders knows better than to take anything for granted in baseball. He remembers the feeling, earlier this season, of watching the game inside the clubhouse because he wasn't on the active roster.

"Yeah, it was a little degrading," he said. "You want to go out and perform and win for the team and give it your all for the team, and when they send you down but they keep you around, it's like they want to keep you but they can't. It's a double-edged sword."

Saunders' response has been sharp. Two of his victories this season have come against the Red Sox, a potential playoff opponent. He also has victories against Seattle and Cleveland.

"In my mind, it's proving a point," he said. "I tried to do that last year. I thought I proved to them last year that I could pitch at this level. I had a couple of bad starts, but other than that, I thought I proved that I could pitch here."

Manager Mike Scioscia said he has been pleased with the way Saunders has thrown the ball and attacked hitters.

"He's improved against right-handed hitters and overall done a pretty good job for us," Scioscia said.

Saunders has maintained the balance that has allowed him to gain firmer ground on the Angel Stadium mound.

"When I got called up for the spot starts and I knew I was getting sent down the same night, it was tough to say, 'Hey, you're here,'" he said. "You have to block that out and say, 'Hey, you're getting a lot of opportunities that thousands of kids in this world would dream of.' You block that out there, and once you get here, you pitch and try to win."

Saunders leaned back in the dugout and allowed for a smile. So far, he has succeeded in overcoming what was once an uncertain future.

John Klima is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.