posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 2:17 AM
by
Jim
I love it when a plan comes together
It took four months, but it finally looks like Kenny Williams has the bullpen he envisioned entering the season ... kind of.
He did lay the groundwork for what should've been a very effective relief corps in the offseason, but it's funny how this season has worked out. Williams got rid of all the unimpressive arms in the 2006 bullpen, replaced them with flamethrowers, but somehow the retreads and overachievers have found big-league work on the South Side once again.
If David Aardsma and Andrew Sisco were part of the original blueprints, then Ryan Bukvich has to be Plan D. Ehren Wassermann's probably around Plan M, give or take a couple letters.
Since the relievers picked up Jon Garland in Yankee Stadium to salvage the final game of the series last week, they've gone on to shut down two of the top four offenses in the American League. Here's the line over the last week:
27.2 IP, 20 H, 6 BB, 31 K, 1.63 ERA
During that stretch, the other erratic power arm Kenny Williams counted on, Mike MacDougal, has allowed 60 percent of the earned runs. The others:
- Bukvich: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 4-4 in stranding inherited runners.
- Wassermann: 4 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
- Boone Logan: 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Matt Thornton has only retired seven hitters over that stretch, and even a perfect Bobby Jenks has only worked four innings over that time. The bulk of the strain is falling on the shoulders of the guys who started the season in Charlotte, and they've answered the call this month.
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A few interesting notes:*Jose Contreras' 30 pitches out of the pen Wednesday night means
John Danks will get an extra start. It shouldn't hurt the rookie, considering he threw his most impressive outing of the season the last time around and only worked 99 pitches, but I'm glad they're aware of the workload.
*According to Jon Heyman, the Orioles had
zero interest in discussing a Miguel Tejada trade with the White Sox. It was worth a claim, anyway.
*Steve Stone and Hawk Harrelson have been pressing the issue of Jerry Owens not showing bunt enough, saying 10 at-bats between attempts is far too long. The results (four strikeouts, three tappers back to the mound) don't disagree.
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Minor league round-up:- Richmond 9, Charlotte 8
- Heath Phillips had a rough outing, giving up five runs on six hits and three walks over four hits. It's his worst start since June 20, and snaps an eight-start streak in which he allowed three earned runs or less.
- Carlos Vasquez took the loss, giving up four hits, a walk and two runs in an inning of work. He's been scored upon in five straight outings.
- Jason Bourgeois had a big game, going 3-for-5 with a grand slam and two runs scored.
- Huntsville 10, Birmingham 8
- Jack Egbert was shelled -- he allowed six runs on four hits, one walk and two hit batters, and only lasted 1 1/3 innings, his shortest start of the year.
- David Cook hit a three-run homer, and Adam Shabala and Chris Kelly also went deep.
- Kannapolis 5, Lake County 4
- Noe Rodriguez threw three scoreless innings in relief for the win, allowing three hits, no walks and striking out four.
- Chris Carter went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and an RBI; John Shelby, Maurice Gartrell and Mike Grace had two hits apiece.
- Winston-Salem PPD