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Sometimes the best laid plans can go awry in a hurry.
The Wild Things had been planning to go to a six-man pitching rotation beginning last night. Those plans were scrapped before they were put into motion.
Washington had signed right-handed pitcher Chris Smith to a contract Wednesday and had planned to have him start last night's game against Rockford. Smith first had to pass a physical, which is something he still hasn't done.
According to manager Darin Everson, Smith has inflammation in his shoulder and will be put on a seven-day program and then re-evaluated. Because he didn't pass the physical, Smith's contract was voided and he hasn't been placed on the disabled list.
"He probably could have pitched, but we don't want to put a guy out there who's not 100 percent," Everson said.
Prior to coming to Washington, Smith pitched in five games for the White Sands Pupfish of the Pecos League, an independent league based in New Mexico. In his next-to-last outing with White Sands, Smith pitched a nine-inning complete game and threw 141 pitches -- a total unheard of in minor-league ball for a 22-year-old pitcher. You have to wonder if that had anything to do with the injury.
Everson said he's still considering the six-man rotation but will keep the five-man setup through at least the open date on Aug. 8. There were several reasons for going to a six-man rotation, one of which being the doubleheader against Joliet in mid-August.
I was interested to see how a six-man rotation would work. I recall asking former Wild Things manager Jeff Isom back in 2003 if he had ever considered using a six-man. The reason being, it seems many starting pitchers in this league develop dead arms late in June. That, I reasoned, was because many were relief pitchers in affiliated ball and had not been a starting pitcher in at least two years. Plus, any college guy you put in the rotation probably has 80 to 110 innings for the year already on his arm.
Isom shot down the idea, saying scouts want to see guys pitch every fifth day, plus that's what the players want.
Another former Wild Things manager, John Massarelli, has made a habit of using a four-man rotation in the season's second half.
The Wild Things had been planning to go to a six-man pitching rotation beginning last night. Those plans were scrapped before they were put into motion.
Washington had signed right-handed pitcher Chris Smith to a contract Wednesday and had planned to have him start last night's game against Rockford. Smith first had to pass a physical, which is something he still hasn't done.
According to manager Darin Everson, Smith has inflammation in his shoulder and will be put on a seven-day program and then re-evaluated. Because he didn't pass the physical, Smith's contract was voided and he hasn't been placed on the disabled list.
"He probably could have pitched, but we don't want to put a guy out there who's not 100 percent," Everson said.
Prior to coming to Washington, Smith pitched in five games for the White Sands Pupfish of the Pecos League, an independent league based in New Mexico. In his next-to-last outing with White Sands, Smith pitched a nine-inning complete game and threw 141 pitches -- a total unheard of in minor-league ball for a 22-year-old pitcher. You have to wonder if that had anything to do with the injury.
Everson said he's still considering the six-man rotation but will keep the five-man setup through at least the open date on Aug. 8. There were several reasons for going to a six-man rotation, one of which being the doubleheader against Joliet in mid-August.
I was interested to see how a six-man rotation would work. I recall asking former Wild Things manager Jeff Isom back in 2003 if he had ever considered using a six-man. The reason being, it seems many starting pitchers in this league develop dead arms late in June. That, I reasoned, was because many were relief pitchers in affiliated ball and had not been a starting pitcher in at least two years. Plus, any college guy you put in the rotation probably has 80 to 110 innings for the year already on his arm.
Isom shot down the idea, saying scouts want to see guys pitch every fifth day, plus that's what the players want.
Another former Wild Things manager, John Massarelli, has made a habit of using a four-man rotation in the season's second half.
Labels: Chris Smith
posted by Chris Dugan at
7:58 AM
10 Comments:
Here we go again. Does Everson even have a clue? Will he or won’t he ever make up his mind?
John Dough, or John Doe, or John Do.
good night, gracie. the show is over. no further discussion is necessary, nor would it prove fruitful. the 10th wild things season is going to end the same way the previous three have, with a whimper, not a roar.
solid starting pitching wasted, night after night after night, by either (take your pick) no offense or lousy relief work.
let the overhaul begin, please.
Turn out the lights the party's over. The Wildthings again fail to play a meaningful game in august. Turn out the lights the party's over.
Quote: "All we have to do is win two out of three and we'll be in
the hunt". Perhaps that's a paraphrase but it's close enough.
Hey Everson, you should have also said all we need to do is play good baseball. Sure Smiley, and play only Rockford and Evansville.
Please do let the overhaul begin, and start by replacing Everson now - not at the start of the 2012 season. There is nothing to be gained by leaving him in charge. At least with a new manager in place, we can actually see that the WT are serious about the future. We have sufered through two season with this man and still NO sign of any improvement. Come on, do something. Anything but continue on like this. What have you got to lose now WT owners?
So who should be hired as manager for next year?
Who should replace Smiley? I don’t know the answer to that one so I’ll ask another question.
Do you know of any person that could do much worse? Smiley is the one responsible for choosing
this group of players. Either they are all totally incompetent, which means Smiley doesn’t know how to evaluate talent or, they are good enough but being mismanaged. Either way, it falls on Smiley. I wonder who it was that honestly thought Smiley would be a good manager? Based on just what criteria was Smiley hired?
Smiley picked the players that were used last year, and the season was a disaster. He also picked the players this year, same result. Time for him to go.
After having an interesting conversation with Stu Williams during Fridays game, I am convinced that
he is very serious about improving the situation with the Wild Things.
Mr. Williams is, first of all and above all else, concerned about the team, and it’s future. He loves this team
and, is both somewhat embarrassed and distressed about the situation both on the field and the performance of some of his other employees as well. He assured me that big changes are coming for the 2012 season. As always, I am a skeptic but I will take him at his word for the time being. We have heard this rhetoric in the past. We shall see.
I don’t even pretend to know where Mr. Williams should start, but I wish him luck. It sure wouldn’t hurt for the fans to see some early sign that the ownership group has finally taken notice and intends to take significant, and positive actions. I think sooner than later would be the right path to take. At the rate season ticket holders are fleeing, some immediate action just might help to stem the flow of those choosing not to return next year. I, for one, have already renewed my seats for the 2012 season and expect to see a whole new winning attitude by both the management and team, beginning with the manager, whomever that might be.
Mr. Williams, I have sensed an eagerness on your part to get things changed at CEP. It would serve both you, and your employees well to remember that the fans come to have fun and be treated as customers, not an inconvenience. It is more than obvious that some of your folks are more intent on watching the game for free than on actually doing their jobs.
Ima Fraid
one thing they could change immediately is finding ways to get people on base.
after building a quick, 5-0 lead, and getting the first two guys on in the third, the next 11 batters have produced 12 straight outs.
as we heard the other night, this isn't something new. way too many games with 10, 11, 12 or more retired in a row.
and it just kept going...
one baserunner after getting back-to-back hit-batters to open the third inning. that's 21 batters, 21 outs after the first two batters in the third.
are you freakin' kidding me, in the hitting-rich frontier league, for heaven's sake...
how about a name change to - the washington train wrecks
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