Rays debut the first of their new stockpile of knuckleball pitchers

Friday night's game between the Blue Jays and Rays was notable for two reasons. One, it marked the return of Alex Cobb, back after missing more than a season and a half due to Tommy John surgery. Second, it represented the debut of the majors' newest knuckleballer: Eddie Gamboa.

Gamboa, a 31-year-old who converted to knuckling a few years back on a whim, had been recalled last season by the Orioles, but failed to appear in a game. That changed on Friday, obviously, as he faced four batters, walking two, allowing a hit, and striking out Michael Saunders on -- what else -- a knuckleball. Here's how Gamboa received the news he was headed to the Show, courtesy of Durham Bulls manager Jared Sandberg:

There's always intrigue whenever a new knuckleballer arrives, and Gamboa is no exception. In 94 Triple-A innings, he posted a 2.68 ERA and allowed zero home runs. He also recorded 2.28 strikeouts per walk. Solid marks.

Stuff-wise, knucklers are tougher to scout than the typical lot -- gimmick pitches (and pitchers, for that matter) are often judged on a succeed-or-fail basis. So far, he's succeeded.

The reassuring news for Gamboa is that he should get a legitimate look from the Rays -- and not just because they lack competitive aspirations. The Rays spent the winter stocking up on knuckleballers, even hiring former big-leaguer Charlie Haeger as a pitching coordinator. It seems as though the organization is intent on testing whether the wind-free Tropicana Field is the idyllic butterfly garden it's made out to be.

Gamboa makes for a worthy initial subject. We'll find out soon enough if he flourishes like a blue morpho -- or if the league clips his wings.