Bucco Fanatic
06-15-2006, 12:08 PM
PITTSBURGH -- Kip Wells will make his second Minor League rehab start at Double-A Altoona on Thursday night, and it's likely the right-hander will be back in the starting rotation before the end of this month.
Wells is scheduled to make his third and likely final rehab start with Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday. If there are no setbacks, Wells could be ready to make his big-league season debut as soon as June 25 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Wells' quicker-than-anticipated recovery from a March surgery to alleviate a blood clot below his right shoulder means the Pirates will soon have to decide who they want to bump from the current rotation, a staff that has remained unchanged since the start of the season.
Zach Duke, Ian Snell and Paul Maholm, the three least experienced Pirates starters have been consistently praised by manager Jim Tracy for their continuing development throughout the first 2 1/2 months of the season. All three of them appear to be locks to remain in their current roles.
This leaves either Victor Santos or Oliver Perez as the most likely candidates to be removed from the rotation.
Santos, 29, is the veteran of the staff. After going 1-4 with a 5.30 ERA in his first nine starts, the right-hander has rebounded to post a 3-2 mark and a 2.16 ERA in five appearances prior to his start Thursday afternoon against the Cardinals.
"Earlier on, I got into a little funk, and I've snapped out of it," said Santos. "I just went out there, concentrated on keeping the ball down and good things started happening."
Perez, 24, is two years removed from leading all big-league starters in strikeouts per nine innings. Since then, the enigmatic left-hander has been the model of inconsistency. Although he has shown flashes of his former brilliance at times this season, Perez is tied for the National League lead with eight losses. His 6.68 ERA is tied for the worst among all NL pitchers with at least 12 starts.
There was speculation that Perez would be sent to Triple-A before he posted three consecutive strong starts in May. With his recent struggles, Perez appears to once again be on the hot seat.
Perez, though, said that he's not worried about how Wells' return could impact his place on the team.
"That's not my decision," said Perez. "When they give me the ball, I have to try to do everything I can to try to help the team.
"I'm just trying to do my job. I'm trying to do everything I can to help the team."
Santos shares those sentiments with Perez.
"I don't give [Wells' return] much thought, really," said Santos. "Him coming back is a boost for the club."
Wells is scheduled to make his third and likely final rehab start with Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday. If there are no setbacks, Wells could be ready to make his big-league season debut as soon as June 25 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Wells' quicker-than-anticipated recovery from a March surgery to alleviate a blood clot below his right shoulder means the Pirates will soon have to decide who they want to bump from the current rotation, a staff that has remained unchanged since the start of the season.
Zach Duke, Ian Snell and Paul Maholm, the three least experienced Pirates starters have been consistently praised by manager Jim Tracy for their continuing development throughout the first 2 1/2 months of the season. All three of them appear to be locks to remain in their current roles.
This leaves either Victor Santos or Oliver Perez as the most likely candidates to be removed from the rotation.
Santos, 29, is the veteran of the staff. After going 1-4 with a 5.30 ERA in his first nine starts, the right-hander has rebounded to post a 3-2 mark and a 2.16 ERA in five appearances prior to his start Thursday afternoon against the Cardinals.
"Earlier on, I got into a little funk, and I've snapped out of it," said Santos. "I just went out there, concentrated on keeping the ball down and good things started happening."
Perez, 24, is two years removed from leading all big-league starters in strikeouts per nine innings. Since then, the enigmatic left-hander has been the model of inconsistency. Although he has shown flashes of his former brilliance at times this season, Perez is tied for the National League lead with eight losses. His 6.68 ERA is tied for the worst among all NL pitchers with at least 12 starts.
There was speculation that Perez would be sent to Triple-A before he posted three consecutive strong starts in May. With his recent struggles, Perez appears to once again be on the hot seat.
Perez, though, said that he's not worried about how Wells' return could impact his place on the team.
"That's not my decision," said Perez. "When they give me the ball, I have to try to do everything I can to try to help the team.
"I'm just trying to do my job. I'm trying to do everything I can to help the team."
Santos shares those sentiments with Perez.
"I don't give [Wells' return] much thought, really," said Santos. "Him coming back is a boost for the club."