Published: Sunday, August 23, 2009
AquaSox Notebook
Today’s Game
Opponent: Eugene Emeralds
When: 4:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Probable starting pitchers: Everett right-hander Luke Burnett (2-2, 4.33 earned run average) vs. Eugene right-hander Jerry Sullivan (4-2, 3.19)
Rotation juggling
Rich Dorman has been a busy man.
The Everett AquaSox pitching coach has had his hands full trying to manage a starting rotation that’s seen a steady stream of unexpected turnover throughout the season.
“It feels like it’s been a revolving door here in our rotation,” Dorman said.
The latest setback was the loss of Ryan Moorer, who contracted mononucleosis and is returning home to Peabody, Mass., to recover.
The Sox dealt with that loss by reversing a previous rotation change. Right-hander Luke Burnett was just moved to the bullpen due to declining velocity on his fastball, and was replaced in the rotation by lefty Jon Hesketh. But before Burnett made even one relief appearance he was thrust back into the rotation to replace Moorer.
“The plan was to move Burnett to the pen to get his velocity back,” explained Dorman, who added that Burnett’s issues are not injury related. “He’s logged a lot of innings this year, so we were going to push him to the pen to get him some rest. But we’re confident throwing him back in the rotation. He’s been there before.”
But this switch is just the latest in what’s been a topsy-turvy season for Everett’s starters. Moorer himself was a replacement starter, brought in after Andrew Carraway was promoted to Clinton of the mid-Class A Midwest League. Carraway was needed in Clinton because the LumberKings lost two starters to the Pittsburg Pirates system in the trade that brought Jack Wilson and Ian Snell to the Seattle Mariners.
Carraway, too, was a fill-in. He moved into Everett’s rotation from the bullpen when Taylor Lewis and Nick Czyz, members of Everett’s original starting rotation, were suspended and sent home for off-field conduct that violated organizational rules.
Right-handers Chris Kirkland and Taylor Stanton are the only pitchers who have lasted the entire season in the rotation, and Dorman is thankful he’s at least had two dependable arms
“Stanton and Kirkland have been doing a good job staying healthy,” Dorman said. “We’re relying on them every five days and they’ve done a good job holding down the rotation.”
Perry appearance
A baseball giant graces Everett Memorial Stadium today. Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, who won his 300th game while playing for the Seattle Mariners, will be in attendance and interacting with the fans.
Perry, who pitched for nine different teams in the majors from 1962-83 and finished with 314 wins, will first conduct a meet-and-greet lunch with fans at 1 p.m. Then after throwing out the first pitch, he will sign autographs free of charge in front of the AquaSox team store from 4-6 p.m.
Tickets for the meet-and-greet lunch can still be purchased today prior its start.
Short hops
A familiar face was back at Everett Memorial Stadium during the Salem-Keizer series. Henry Cotto, who spent the previous two seasons as Everett’s hitting coach, was back in town. Cotto is now the San Francisco Giants’ roving minor-league baserunning and outfield coordinator and was spending the series working with the Volcanoes. ... Today’s game is starting three hours later than Everett’s usual home Sunday games. That’s because the Northwest League mandates that the first game of a series must start no earlier than 4 p.m. to allow time for the visiting team to travel.
Nick Patterson, Herald writer
Opponent: Eugene Emeralds
When: 4:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Probable starting pitchers: Everett right-hander Luke Burnett (2-2, 4.33 earned run average) vs. Eugene right-hander Jerry Sullivan (4-2, 3.19)
Rotation juggling
Rich Dorman has been a busy man.
The Everett AquaSox pitching coach has had his hands full trying to manage a starting rotation that’s seen a steady stream of unexpected turnover throughout the season.
“It feels like it’s been a revolving door here in our rotation,” Dorman said.
The latest setback was the loss of Ryan Moorer, who contracted mononucleosis and is returning home to Peabody, Mass., to recover.
The Sox dealt with that loss by reversing a previous rotation change. Right-hander Luke Burnett was just moved to the bullpen due to declining velocity on his fastball, and was replaced in the rotation by lefty Jon Hesketh. But before Burnett made even one relief appearance he was thrust back into the rotation to replace Moorer.
“The plan was to move Burnett to the pen to get his velocity back,” explained Dorman, who added that Burnett’s issues are not injury related. “He’s logged a lot of innings this year, so we were going to push him to the pen to get him some rest. But we’re confident throwing him back in the rotation. He’s been there before.”
But this switch is just the latest in what’s been a topsy-turvy season for Everett’s starters. Moorer himself was a replacement starter, brought in after Andrew Carraway was promoted to Clinton of the mid-Class A Midwest League. Carraway was needed in Clinton because the LumberKings lost two starters to the Pittsburg Pirates system in the trade that brought Jack Wilson and Ian Snell to the Seattle Mariners.
Carraway, too, was a fill-in. He moved into Everett’s rotation from the bullpen when Taylor Lewis and Nick Czyz, members of Everett’s original starting rotation, were suspended and sent home for off-field conduct that violated organizational rules.
Right-handers Chris Kirkland and Taylor Stanton are the only pitchers who have lasted the entire season in the rotation, and Dorman is thankful he’s at least had two dependable arms
“Stanton and Kirkland have been doing a good job staying healthy,” Dorman said. “We’re relying on them every five days and they’ve done a good job holding down the rotation.”
Perry appearance
A baseball giant graces Everett Memorial Stadium today. Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, who won his 300th game while playing for the Seattle Mariners, will be in attendance and interacting with the fans.
Perry, who pitched for nine different teams in the majors from 1962-83 and finished with 314 wins, will first conduct a meet-and-greet lunch with fans at 1 p.m. Then after throwing out the first pitch, he will sign autographs free of charge in front of the AquaSox team store from 4-6 p.m.
Tickets for the meet-and-greet lunch can still be purchased today prior its start.
Short hops
A familiar face was back at Everett Memorial Stadium during the Salem-Keizer series. Henry Cotto, who spent the previous two seasons as Everett’s hitting coach, was back in town. Cotto is now the San Francisco Giants’ roving minor-league baserunning and outfield coordinator and was spending the series working with the Volcanoes. ... Today’s game is starting three hours later than Everett’s usual home Sunday games. That’s because the Northwest League mandates that the first game of a series must start no earlier than 4 p.m. to allow time for the visiting team to travel.
Nick Patterson, Herald writer
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