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For those of us who came of age in an era of triple-option football, undersized and less talented college basketball teams who let air out of the ball (there was no shot clock) and predominantly light-hitting (by today's standards) middle infielders who earned their paychecks with leather, watching a guy like Douglas Arguello pitch is a real treat.
When the 25-year-old left-hander from Managua, Nicaragua, takes the mound every fifth day, a masterpiece is possible.
Because guys who stay away from the long ball and pitch to contact keep themselves and their teams in games longer.
Because sound running games, stout defense and clock control take teams to victory... but that's for another day.
There's something about southpaws, you know. The pitchers seem taller, look sleeker, more graceful. The hitters swing sweeter. On the high side, 13 to 14 percent of the human population is left-handed. In my immediate (four people) and extended (20) families, there are three: Sister Jan, Uncle Harry and Cousin Melanie.
Lefty Andy Pettitte has won more postseason games than any pitcher in history. We think of October and see the five-time World Series champion on the Yankee Stadium mound, cap pulled low, peepers peering around his high-held glove.
When we think of excellence in Corpus Christi Hooks starting pitching in 2010, we think first of two men: 19-year-old phenom right-hander Jordan Lyles, just two years removed from Hartsville (South Carolina) High School. A first-round draft choice, and recent participant in the Futures Game, it's conceivable Lyles could join the Astros before their season ends.
And we think of Arguello - Dougie to his friends - who's taken a considerably different path through professional baseball.
The team leader in wins (seven), ERA (2.59), starts (18), complete games (two), innings pitched (111), WHIP (1.24) and strikeouts (87), Arguello is in his ninth season with the Astros organization. Martinsville and Greeneville for rookie ball. Tri-City (thrice; once for rehab), Lexington (twice), Salem and Corpus Christi.
"I remember every moment I've had," Arguello mused with a faint smile.
Arguello is a product of the Astros Venezuelan Academy. Signed as a 17-year-old in December of 2001 by Andres Reiner and Calixto Vargas, he was first spotted by scouts in Nicaragua's National Amateur League at 16.
"That was really the first time scouts had an opportunity to see you," Arguello recalled. "I was light and skinny. Not long after I turned 17, they told me, 'Wow, you've been growing up. You're stronger and taller.' I went to the academy and signed to play pro ball."
Vargas, a former long-time first baseman on the Nicaraguan National Team, played a key role in Arguello's development, as have youth coach Domingo Ocon and pitching mentor Walter Coleman.
"I started out just playing in the neighborhood with other kids and then I was asked to play on a team," Arguello said. "I was age nine when I first played for Domingo and I stayed with him for about four seasons."
At 11, Arguello got a taste of international competition.
"I represented the Nicaraguan Little League National Team in Japan. I played the outfield and first base and pitched in one of the games."
Left-handed, tall and always slender, it's not surprising Arguello found homes as a position player in the outfield and at first base.
"When I was young they wanted me to pitch, especially after one occasion when I was playing right field and tried to throw a runner out at the plate. My arm strength was evident when I threw the ball into the backstop."
Later came a regimen at 15 when he worked on pitching from 1-3 each day and then practiced with his junior team, Construcciones Medrano, from 3:30-5:30.
Coleman's input was critical to Arguello.
"He was the first to really stress the mental aspect of the game to me," Arguello explained. "There's no excuse for not concentrating. There are four or five days between each start and you need to prepare properly, to think about what you need to do in your next start."
Arguello mixed at the Venezuelan Academy with pitchers like Paul Estrada, Juan Gutierrez and Felipe Paulino. Visitors included Richard Hidalgo, Raul Chavez and Carlos Hernandez.
In 2005, the Astros converted Arguello from reliever to starter during extended spring training before his Class A debut at Tri-City. In Troy and Lexington, he pitched with Bud Norris and German Melendez.
"More innings were hard to get used to," Arguello admitted. "I started out as a reliever and then changed to a starter. I would get tired. That's one of the reasons I'm behind some of those guys."
But Arguello continues to come into his own. The two-time Texas League All-Star is extremely judicious with the long ball: 12 home runs allowed over the last 336 innings (three seasons). That's an average of one bomb every 28 innings.
And it makes him capable of a masterpiece with each appearance, as fifty-three percent of his recorded outs are earthbound.
"I try to stay low every pitch I throw. That's what you see in the Major Leagues. The coaches want us to keep it low.
"If it's high, it's because we want it high."
That's the way artists work. With great purpose and focus.
When Douglas Arguello pitches, the only colors he needs... or wants... are white, green and brown.
He prefers the various shades of blue remain off his palette.
