Nuno makes Yankees' roster for opening day
Vidal Nuno will become the first former Wild Things player to make an opening roster in the major leagues when the New York Yankees play at the Houston Astros Tuesday night.
Nuno, who was the Wild Things' opening day pitcher in 2011, has made the Yankees as a relief pitcher. The Yankees informed the 26-year-old Nuno on Saturday that he made the big-league club.
“It’s really, really special, just knowing that all the hard work I put in in the offseason has just paid off a little bit, but there’s a long season ahead," Nuno told reporters. "Just want to take it day by day now, so just like I did in spring training. ... It was unbelievable how everything just came true a little bit. Now, I gotta stick here and just produce. I can sleep a little bit better now, just knowing that I’m heading to Houston and then New York. It’s just a long journey, so I’m just really happy, really thrilled about how I got the news and now it’s back to work.”
In that opening day start for the Wild Things in 2011, Nuno gave up two earned runs over six innings and struck out six at Joliet, but he lost to the Slammers and their starting pitcher, Billy Petrick, who retired 19 consecutive Washington hitters at one point. Petrick was a former major leaguer, having pitched with the Chicago Cubs. That had to be one of the few Frontier League games in which both starting pitchers also pitched in the major leagues.
Nuno, who was the Wild Things' opening day pitcher in 2011, has made the Yankees as a relief pitcher. The Yankees informed the 26-year-old Nuno on Saturday that he made the big-league club.
“It’s really, really special, just knowing that all the hard work I put in in the offseason has just paid off a little bit, but there’s a long season ahead," Nuno told reporters. "Just want to take it day by day now, so just like I did in spring training. ... It was unbelievable how everything just came true a little bit. Now, I gotta stick here and just produce. I can sleep a little bit better now, just knowing that I’m heading to Houston and then New York. It’s just a long journey, so I’m just really happy, really thrilled about how I got the news and now it’s back to work.”
In that opening day start for the Wild Things in 2011, Nuno gave up two earned runs over six innings and struck out six at Joliet, but he lost to the Slammers and their starting pitcher, Billy Petrick, who retired 19 consecutive Washington hitters at one point. Petrick was a former major leaguer, having pitched with the Chicago Cubs. That had to be one of the few Frontier League games in which both starting pitchers also pitched in the major leagues.
posted by Chris Dugan at
2:26 PM
2 Comments:
All the best to Vidal - - I hope he goes to the Big Apple and 'sticks'!
and does a good job in one inning of relief giving up one hit and striking out three - -
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