Look familiar?
It's Kip Wells, a rookie right-hander who has struck out ninebatters in only 10 1/3 major-league innings. And if he reminds youof Kerry Wood, another hard-throwing right-hander who struck out alot of hitters his rookie season, it's understandable. After all,both pitchers are native Texans, both have a big fastball, both arethe property of Chicago baseball teams and neither is pitching forhis team.
Wood, of course, is out for the season, rehabbing his elbow. AndWells? Well, after taming the Texas Rangers at Comiskey on Fridayand leading the Sox to a 4-2 victory, he's back in Class AA today.Thanks a lot, and goodbye.
It would have been hard to imagine a worse scenario for Wells'home debut. Facing the first-place Rangers. On Friday the 13th.Under threatening skies. With his team on a seven-game skid. Butwith a fastball that made batters quiver, a breaking ball that madethem shudder and poise that left them scratching their heads, RobertKip Wells turned in a big-league performance against the Rangers. Sowhat's he doing back in the minors?
The 22-year-old right-hander survived a 56-minute rain delay,three walks, a balk and typically shaky White Sox defense in holdingthe Rangers to one run and three hits in five innings. In pitching-starved Chicago, this qualifies Wells as a phenom. But what does heget for his trouble? A ticket back to Birmingham, Ala.
"I knew going in, there was a good chance I'd be heading back,"Wells said. "I just wanted to go in and give the team a chance towin."
Let's pause for a moment to thank Kid Kip for having the sense togo by his middle name. Robert is a fine name, of course. But Bob orRob or Bobby just wouldn't roll off the tongue quite the same way asKip.
"As a kid, I never wanted to be called Robert," he said. "Itsounded more like a business name."
After Wells' hush-hush major-league debut Aug. 2, a victoryagainst the Tigers in Detroit, he barely had time to pat himself onthe back before the Sox hustled him back to Birmingham. During thatgame, he was removed after 89 pitches. On Friday, the Sox set amaximum pitch count of 100 for him, but it took him only 87 tocomplete five innings.
"It's impressive that he knows how to pitch when he gets introuble," Jerry Manuel said. "He has a very good presence on themound."
Rangers manager Johnny Oates probably wished Wells had stayed inBirmingham.
"He moved the ball around," Oates said. "And it looked like itwent where he wanted it to go. We had some very ugly swings againsthim."
Wells said his off-speed pitches were working well. But hisfastball was there, too.
His arm is feeling fine. But he understands the White Sox'concern.
"This is my first year in pro ball," he said. "I've alreadypitched more innings (141 1/3) this season than I ever did incollege."
Wells and Wood came close to pitching against each other in theTexas state tournament their senior years in high school.
"We won and (Wood's team) lost before we faced each other," Wellssaid. "Then he went on to sign (with the Cubs), and I went on tocollege."
Two kids from Texas, two different paths. Maybe they will mergein Chicago next April. But for now, Wood is sitting and Wells ispitching. A vote for college ball over the minor leagues?
"They say pitchers develop a better breaking ball in collegebecause the metal bats help hitters drive fastballs better," Wellssaid.
While Wood emulates Texans Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, Wellsemulates Ryan - and Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.
"Ryan for the power," Wells said. "And the other guys for whatthey have as pitchers."
In any event, Wells is content for now, if a little tired, to beshuffled back and forth from Birmingham to the bigs. Although, ifyou ask, he will admit he much prefers Chicago. Even if the crowdsin Birmingham are nearly as big as the one at his Comiskey coming-outparty (where about half of the announced crowd of 20,444 didn'tarrive until the second game of the doubleheader).
But he's not complaining. Not yet. Despite two dreamymajor-league starts, he's willing to wait a little longer for hisshot.
"I can't push the panic button now," he said. "I expect to have along career. The fact that I'm not here right now is irrelevant whenyou look at the big picture."
He's Kip Wells. Remember his name.
No comments:
Post a Comment