More roster moves
According to the Frontier League homepage, the Wild Things made several roster moves prior to leaving this morning for Kalamazoo. Relief pitcher Chris Rivera was placed on the retired list and relief pitcher Ian Heisel was released. Starting pitcher Zach Groh was activated from the injured reserve and right-handed pitcher Jim Wladyka was signed.
Rivera and Heisel both struggled during the last homestand. For the season, Rivera had a 1-3 record in 11 games (five starts) and a 4.03 ERA. Control was the big issue with Rivera as he walked 23 batters in 28 innings. Heisel was 1-1 with four saves and a 5.82 ERA. He had 16 strikeouts in 17 innings but also walked 10 and had five blown saves.
Wladyka was recently released by Atlantic City of the independent Can-Am League. He pitched in nine games for Atlantic City (four starts) and had a 1-2 record and 9.47 ERA. Wladyka spent two years in the New York Mets' system and one with the Kansas City Royals. With the Mets (2005 and '06), Wladyka was 2-3 with a 2.98 ERA in 53 games.
I was told that the Wild Things were looking to sign Wladyka as a starting pitcher, but with Groh now active that would give them six starters.
There was a rumor at the ballpark last night that Washington was in trade talks with Florence, and manager Greg Jelks admitted late Sunday that he was "waiting for a phone call" before making any roster move before the road trip. That could have been a call about a trade or simply a call from Wlyadyka.
Rivera and Heisel both struggled during the last homestand. For the season, Rivera had a 1-3 record in 11 games (five starts) and a 4.03 ERA. Control was the big issue with Rivera as he walked 23 batters in 28 innings. Heisel was 1-1 with four saves and a 5.82 ERA. He had 16 strikeouts in 17 innings but also walked 10 and had five blown saves.
Wladyka was recently released by Atlantic City of the independent Can-Am League. He pitched in nine games for Atlantic City (four starts) and had a 1-2 record and 9.47 ERA. Wladyka spent two years in the New York Mets' system and one with the Kansas City Royals. With the Mets (2005 and '06), Wladyka was 2-3 with a 2.98 ERA in 53 games.
I was told that the Wild Things were looking to sign Wladyka as a starting pitcher, but with Groh now active that would give them six starters.
There was a rumor at the ballpark last night that Washington was in trade talks with Florence, and manager Greg Jelks admitted late Sunday that he was "waiting for a phone call" before making any roster move before the road trip. That could have been a call about a trade or simply a call from Wlyadyka.
posted by Chris Dugan at
9:21 AM
37 Comments:
Three pitchers and 2 position players remain from last year. When they are gone, Jelks will have HIS team.
In the Frontier League, that amount of turnover from year to year is not uncommon at all.
According to radio Randy on tonights broadcast on WJPA, Heisel was suspended. This was the same designation made for Matt Sutton.
What is the difference between a suspension and just being cut?
Rivera's ERA was 4.03 and Heisel's 5.82 for a total of 9.85 which is about the same as the new pitcher Wladyka's 9.47 ERA.
It looks like the new pitcher is as efficient as the two old ones combined.
Progress?
Who made this trade, the manager or GM?
The players that are placed on injured reserve or suspended are automatic trade bait for the WT this year. Apparently in some cases you may demand to be released. Look for some of these players to show up with Maz next year in Avon. Before you nay-sayers begin chastising these players and Maz, understand that the players love playing for the guy and they are willing to do most anything to get away from the current management situation.
Has anyone connected the fact that poor chemistry between players and manager can cause poor performance? When it comes down to playing professional baseball for 25 bucks a game or leaving?....the choice may not be so dificult for these guys. Most everyone of us in our chosen occupation have been in a bad job situation and either changed jobs or stuck it out until the situation improved. These young men are no different.
They can go play for Maz right now.
Oh, that's right, after throwing his players under the bus, he walked away and left them to deal with the road kill.
Yep, if that's the guy they want to play for, they can use the door they came in to go right back out.
Didn't know Maz was hired as the manager in Avon. ... Anonymous two above is typical of Wild Things fans - it's always the managers fault and never the players fault. Outfielder can't catch a flyball, pitcher can't throw the ball over the plate, batter can't hit the ball with a runner on third base. Doesn't sound like a manager problem. Sounds like a player problem.
Anonymous above is typical of Wild Things management. Defending lazy hiring practices and begrudging the fans.
I've wondered for a long time why it is that the manager gets the blame when a double-play grounder is booted, or a flyball to the outfield is dropped, or a team loads the bases with nobody out and scores 1 or less runs...
I've been around the game of baseball along time in various capacities and I'm still wondering why that is.
Greg,
My guess is that the reason the manager gets the blame is because it is easier to fire him than it is to fire the entire team Ron Wilson
Illegitimati non carborundum!
As the age old saying in baseball goes, managers lose games and players win games. That's the way it's always been. Sometimes it not fair to see it that way, but that's how it is.
anonymous Some managers take the fun and love out of the game and I think JELKS does this for alot of players.
I guess it was Jelks who "lost" the ball in the lights last night huh? If you want to have fun playing baseball, go play T-ball and have the manager buy you an ice cream after every game, win or lose. In the Frontier League, you are here to win. No more or less. You have to produce or you're gone. Can't make excuses that the manager is taking the fun out of the game. That is a lame excuse, probably one that has come from a player who has stunk up the park all summer.
Jelk's managing style is to manage by critism. Every loss he's pointing the finger, but never at himself.
He doesn't have a clue how to handle the bullpen.Nobody warming up until the starter is in serious trouble. I've seen pitchers go 7 and 8 games between appearances. No pitcher can get in a groove under those circumstances.Greg Jelks is a bigger problem than the players on the field!
No manager in baseball could handle that BULL-pen.
Yes it's hard to manage a bullpen that has 3 or 4 guys with era's higher than 7 and a combined 12 blown saves.
Anonymous said 'Some managers take the fun and love out of the game and I think JELKS does this for alot of players."
I don't know how he effects the players but he sure takes the fun out of the game for me!! I quit going to the games about 5 weeks ago just because of him - no other reason!
It seems like we've got some 6-pointed stars around the club:
1) Hit for power
2) Hit for average
3) Run well
4) Catch well
5) Throw well
6) If 1-5 fail, whine about the way the manager tells you failing in areas 1-5.
This ain't T-Ball boys. Play the game right. Play the game hard. Do your job. Then, do your job again tomorrow. Only then, perhaps, might you have a platform from which to speak about somebody else's performance.
If the game is that simple, why bother to have a manager at all?
A good manager, in any job, makes a world of difference.
Besides, the t-ball reference is getting a little old, nobody suggested they be treated like 6 year olds. How about treating them like decent young men?
vpkwa
vEnough already I have read this blog when I am in town and you people kill me. First of all I am a scout and have signed some of these very players you watch and i go to independent games around the country looking for players and people say the same thing about washington fans ( not u guys that actually know baseball), but you guys that probably couldnt make your high school team, but somehow seem to be able to comment on a manager or gm.
First of all your manager doesnt exactly have a ton of talent. Terry Franconna or Mike Scoscia would not win with this club. Granted from what I have seen is that jelks leaves his pitchers out there a bit long but what other choice does he have.
it is not the managers fault when the bullpen can not throw strikes. he has to give the ball to someone . do u want the starters to go 9 everygame? Of course you do. Brilliant Idea.
Again is it the managers fault when you continue to leave runner after runner on base and get very few key hits in key spots in games
what am i thinking you guys probably played whiffle ball of course it is his fault. Right?
Several people say that if greg jelks went undefeated it wouldnt be enough for you losers (again not the fans that actually understand the game of baseball) because.... well we know why right
so lets all get over the fact that you dont have a white manager and lets move on and cut the criticism please and lets see if you can actually get some guys that can perform when they have to so you can single out something stupid to complain about
Oh right, I,m a scout too.I know more than everybody else, the fans don't understand the game like I do.
......Please.
vpkwa is right.
The Wild Things lack talent this year. I would also like to add that John Maz and Jeff Issom would have been pulling out their hair this season.
It's panic time!!!
A scout...yeah, right. Give me a break. What an idiot. Sounds like comments from Jelks himself to me.
Anonymous said "A scout...yeah, right."
I agree. If that guy is a scout than I'm A-Rod. I think perhaps that he needs to first learn how to put a sentence together. After that perhaps he can learn the difference between a baseball and a soccer ball
Wait, maybe he is the one that recommended all those guys in the bullpen! That MUST be it.
The coach is a tyrant who keeps a monkey on all his players back. It doesn't matter what color he is he has managed the Wild Things into the Mild Things.
I doubt that jelks was reading blog during a game.
The clock is 3 hours off.
3 hours off - that's what I mean. couldn't be jelks because comment was made during the game.
Jelks probably did read the blogs during the game. He certainly doesn't manage during the game.
I just wanted to thank all the fans for the last season and a half.I have had a great time. As a parent without going into detail Ian was never suspended. I wish they would have claified this on the pregame show the other night. Thanks For The Memories.
To Ian Heisels Mom,
Sorry about Ian, it’s happened to lots of guy’s under Jelks ‘management’ – if that’s what one calls his act.
Never let you kids to grow up to be a player for Greg Jelks!
Things have changed drastically for the Wild Things under this new management. I feel bad for the decent young men and the families that they are living with because of the way they are treated. As a parent of a previous Wild Thing the whole experience is different this year. And this different is not better.
Gestapo Greg!!
It most definitely is different this year, just doesn't seem to produce the same atmosphere. For the "scout", if you are truly what you say you are, explain why #22 A.L. has not been picked up over the last couple of years. Cut to the chase, tell it like it is, why or what is wrong. Or do you not know who we are talking about? Seems like someone like you would have been willing to give the kid "a shot"
He throws a <90 mph fastball and he's 27 years old.
He had a shot, played two years in affiliated ball: 90 innings, 67 earned runs (6.70 ERA).
good points. Just thought that with all he has done he might get another opportunity, especially since he was having arm trouble back when he was with the Cards.
Players are lucky to get one shot at the show, let alone more then one. 22 had a shot and didn't perform. Let's face it, Frontier League competition is not exactly anywhere near affiliated ball (well, except maybe the Pirates, but that's a whole different can of worms).
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home