greasywheels121 Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Wunsch out to prove his worth Wunsch out to prove his worth Left-handed reliever waits for his call back to the bigs By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Thursday's wake-up call for Kelly Wunsch came somewhere around 9 a.m. at his hotel in Indianapolis. The game for Triple-A Charlotte against Milwaukee's top affiliate wasn't until later in the evening, but Wunsch and his current teammates had work to do. "We have a 10 a.m. workout," said Wunsch, speaking from his hotel late Wednesday night. "It's not like being in the big leagues. We have to bus over to a local gym." Wunsch's wake-up call actually began a little more than one month ago, when the left-handed specialist was put on the disabled list at the close of Spring Training, retroactive to March 31. The move was talked about as precautionary at the time, giving Wunsch extra time to rehab an inflamed teres minor muscle under his left shoulder. But the White Sox's outlook toward Wunsch apparently has changed. As of April 25, Wunsch, who turns 32 on July 12, didn't seem to be part of the South Siders' immediate plans. "Right now, there is no spot for Kelly," said White Sox general manager Ken Williams of Wunsch when questioned directly on that particular Sunday. "That's the way it goes sometimes." Williams wasn't the first member of the White Sox brass to refer to this sentiment. Pitching coach Don Cooper had talked as early as the end of the first series in New York of keeping rookies Jon Adkins and Neal Cotts in the bullpen even when all the veterans were healthy. They weren't brought with the team out of Spring Training to be sent back, according to Cooper. So, where does that leave Wunsch, the affable and eloquent reliever who has been a major contributor to the White Sox bullpen for three of his four years with the team? Basically, he has three options. Pitchers have 30 days to complete an injury rehab assignment from the first game pitched at the minor-league level, so Wunsch's trip comes to a close on Sun., May 9. At that time, the White Sox could bring him back to the Major-League club, trade him to another team or option him to Charlotte. Wunsch still has all of his options available, having never made a big-league appearance during his seven years in the Brewers' organization prior to his breakthrough rookie season in 2000 with Chicago. If given the choice, Wunsch's decision would be easy. He wants to stay with the White Sox, first and foremost. But next on his level of importance is pitching in the Major Leagues. "These are a great bunch of guys and coaches (with Charlotte), but it just feels like I'm a big-league pitcher," Wunsch said. "I want to be back in Chicago, and I told that to Kenny when he sent me on the rehab assignment. "With the way Spring Training had gone, with (manager) Ozzie (Guillen) here, it looks like a lot of fun. I'm ready to get back. But if they decide they don't have a spot for me, I hope they are in contact with some other teams." Wunsch feels as if he's 100 percent physically, maybe taking a few extra throws to get loose. But that's more to be cautious than anything else. The velocity issue for Wunsch is a slightly different story. When pitching two-thirds of an inning Wednesday in support of Felix Diaz's fifth-straight victory, Wunsch registered between 83 and 85 mph on the speed gun. He would rather be up around 86 or 87, but thinks that level can be reached in one or two weeks' work. Gone are the days of the 91 or 92 mph fastballs, which Wunsch used to produce a 6-3 record and 2.93 earned run average over 83 games in 2000. Surgery in 2001 to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder took care of that extra speed. "Am I ready to get out big-league hitters? I would say definitely," Wunsch said. "If I'm at 86 or 87 and my change is 76 or 77, that's okay. I've retired big-league hitters with those pitches before. "It makes it a little easier to get right-handers out when you have more velocity, but when the velocity is lower, you throw a little more junk. Right now, my slider is working well. It looked like a Nintendo slider with the way it was breaking Wednesday." Through eight games with Charlotte, Wunsch has allowed five hits and two earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five, including former teammate Mark Johnson on Wednesday. There have been no talks with Williams since Wunsch was told of the move to the disabled list in Spring Training. Joe Sambito, Wunsch's agent and a former Major-League hurler himself, has been in contact with the White Sox. It's not a concern for Wunsch at this point, even when he reads online or in the Chicago newspapers that there's no room for him on the roster. Wunsch simply is focused on getting completely ready to pitch. "There's not much to talk about until I'm ready to go," Wunsch said. "I can't concern myself with it until Sunday rolls around, and then I can figure out which direction I get pointed." If the White Sox have intentions of moving Wunsch, but can't get what they want in return, it might behoove them to put him on the active roster first so he can show his ability to pitch once again at the Major League level. Wunsch proved that point in 2003, limiting left-handed hitters to a .127 average and right-handers to a .153 mark while posting a 2.75 ERA in 43 games. He has given up only one home run to a left-handed hitter in each of the last four seasons. Wunsch avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $800,000 deal in the offseason. It was a good move by the White Sox to have a proven commodity such as Wunsch in the fold, even if he ultimately might turn out to be more of an insurance policy. But Wunsch is more than ready to trade in the journeys around Indianapolis, Norfolk and Toledo for a trip back to the excitement on the South Side of Chicago. "I kind of got the impression that they had an idea of what they wanted to do in Spring Training, in terms of who they wanted to start out with," Wunsch said. "Maybe I wasn't necessarily in their plans if certain pitchers did well in camp. "But I'm happy in Chicago. It's a good place, I know a lot of good people and even the media is okay," added Wunsch with a laugh. "I'm good enough to be in the big leagues, but the last thing I'm looking to do is go somewhere else." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aboz56 Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Sounds like he's gonna be shipped to me, just my two cents... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Sounds like he's gonna be shipped to me, just my two cents... It looks to be that way so far, we've heard Anaheim and Milwaulkee as 2 possible destinations so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aboz56 Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 It looks to be that way so far, we've heard Anaheim and Milwaulkee as 2 possible destinations so far. Fine with me, he doesn't belong in the minor leagues anyhow. The guy is a proven big league reliever, so let him go somewhere that he can pitch and be effective...To me, this could be a mistake, especially if Diaz/Wright can't cut it as the 5th starter and we refuse to give Cotts a shot at starting. I feel the logical choice would be letting Cotts start and putting Kelly in the bullpen, but I guess that's why they pay KW the big bucks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkokieSox Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Fine with me, he doesn't belong in the minor leagues anyhow. The guy is a proven big league reliever, so let him go somewhere that he can pitch and be effective...To me, this could be a mistake, especially if Diaz/Wright can't cut it as the 5th starter and we refuse to give Cotts a shot at starting. I feel the logical choice would be letting Cotts start and putting Kelly in the bullpen, but I guess that's why they pay KW the big bucks... He isn't stretched out for it, and the only way to stretch him out is to send him down. Not only that, but Kelly has struggled in ST and since down in the minors. Wunsch is a good pitcher, but that scenerio is more of a gamble than letting Diaz have a shot who's been absolutely lights out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 I know Kelly is a popular player and he has been very good in the situations the sox put him in, but is he really THAT valuable? I mean isn't he just a situational lefty? What can we expect to get in return for him? I wouldn't think it would be much and to be honest with you I would be suprised if we were able to get a Mark Bellhorn from Boston, which was first reported. I have heard they don't like him for a couple of reasons. One is he isn't very agressive. When things go bad he tends to put his head down. Ozzie doesn't seem to approve of this from what I have heard. The second reason being he is oft injured. I have seen something where Steff wrote Kelly and his wife are going through some personal problems, and this could be correct as well for giving him extra time in the minors. However, I have not heard that one. What do you guys even expect to get for this guy if we do ship him out? What do you expect from him if he is back with the team? Is he better than Shingo or Cotts has been? That is who he is competing with isnt it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 I know Kelly is a popular player and he has been very good in the situations the sox put him in, but is he really THAT valuable? I mean isn't he just a situational lefty? What can we expect to get in return for him? I wouldn't think it would be much and to be honest with you I would be suprised if we were able to get a Mark Bellhorn from Boston, which was first reported. I have heard they don't like him for a couple of reasons. One is he isn't very agressive. When things go bad he tends to put his head down. Ozzie doesn't seem to approve of this from what I have heard. The second reason being he is oft injured. I have seen something where Steff wrote Kelly and his wife are going through some personal problems, and this could be correct as well for giving him extra time in the minors. However, I have not heard that one. What do you guys even expect to get for this guy if we do ship him out? What do you expect from him if he is back with the team? Is he better than Shingo or Cotts has been? That is who he is competing with isnt it? We won't get Bellhorn now, he mite hav played himself into the startin 2B job with his play so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redandwhite Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 We won't get Bellhorn now, he mite hav played himself into the startin 2B job with his play so far. I wouldnt necessarily say Bellhorn's played himself into the starting job at second base, but he leads the AL in walks, and has an on base percentage over .400 which we all know Theo Epstein loves while batting 200+. As for trading Wunsch for Bellhorn, it won't happen, mainly because the Red Sox don't need a lefty as they are real high on the former Ray Mark Malaska. How about Wunsch to the Cubs for one of their pitching prospects ala Jon Garland... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 How about Wunsch to the Cubs for one of their pitching prospects ala Jon Garland... Matt Karchner.....HA.... Memories... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Kelly's value is the fact that IS an effective LH reliever. Teams are always looking looking for lefty help in the bullpen. He should bring more than a journeyman utility player, ala Bellhorn. If the Garcia rumors are true, he may be part of the package that goes to Seatlle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish Posted May 7, 2004 Share Posted May 7, 2004 Kelly's value is the fact that IS an effective LH reliever. Teams are always looking looking for lefty help in the bullpen. He should bring more than a journeyman utility player, ala Bellhorn. If the Garcia rumors are true, he may be part of the package that goes to Seatlle. I wouldn't neccessarily categorize him as a LH reliever although technically that is what he is. He is a situational lefty. He is used only to get the lefty out. Whether that is right or wrong that is where he has had his success and that is where he has the most value. That is what teams will be trading for. What do you expect in return for a situational lefty? What do you set a situational lefty's value at? I can't imagine it would be all too high, especially considering how often he is injured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 I wouldn't neccessarily categorize him as a LH reliever although technically that is what he is. He is a situational lefty. He is used only to get the lefty out. Whether that is right or wrong that is where he has had his success and that is where he has the most value. That is what teams will be trading for. What do you expect in return for a situational lefty? What do you set a situational lefty's value at? I can't imagine it would be all too high, especially considering how often he is injured. I think last years numbers should have put that "situational lefty" tag to rest. He was very effective against RH hitters as well. Wunsch can come in and give you one good solid inning. Some teams would be able to use him in a setup role. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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