azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Lefty leads fight for 5th starting slot
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 11, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - Brad Halsey is taking the same approach to trying to win the fifth starter's job as when he busts a fastball inside to a right-handed hitter, often breaking a bat in the process.
He's sizing up the situation and not afraid of the fight.
The left-hander remains the most impressive of the handful of candidates, having pitched five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit in two appearances. The former member of the Yankees, acquired with Javier Vazquez in the Randy Johnson trade, makes his first start Sunday during a split-squad game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Maryvale.
Right-handed Oscar Villarreal, another candidate, is scheduled to make his first start Monday against the Colorado Rockies. Others in the running include southpaw Michael Gosling and rookie right-hander Tony Peña.
As the starters get stretched out over more innings, manager Bob Melvin will begin the process of elimination and attempt to zero in on his man. It's still wide open, Melvin said, although it is clear Halsey has an early lead.
"I'm getting better every outing, I'm getting more comfortable and consistent and I'm getting my arm where it needs to be," Halsey said. "Hopefully, that will continue and so will the results."
As for the selection process, Halsey is confident it will play out fairly.
"I went into this thing having heard there's going to be competition for that spot and I think that's the way the organization is going to treat it," he said. "I don't know if they're going to necessarily choose the guy who's performances were the best, but the guy they think is going to be able to help them out of the most."
Melvin said he's in no rush to pick the issue. Arizona may only need to use a No. 5 man twice in April because of the schedule. But Melvin hasn't said if he will rely on a four-man rotation at the start.
First things first
Outfield prospect Conor Jackson said he's just starting to settle in at first base, where the club has been using him extensively this camp as a means to fast-track his arrival to the major leagues.
"I'm trying to take as many ground balls over there as I can," said Jackson, who hit 17 homers with 91 RBIs last season split between Class A Lancaster and Double-A El Paso. "That's really the only way to get comfortable with it, just getting that constant repetition."
Jackson's parents, John and Jana, came in from Los Angeles to catch Thursday's game against the Giants. John Jackson is an actor who portrays Rear Admiral A.J. Chegwidden on the CBS show JAG.
Short hops
Vazquez, who pitched four effective and relatively quick innings Thursday, is next slated to throw on Tuesday, but because it is an off day for the Diamondbacks, he will likely throw in a minor league game, according to pitching coach Mark Davis.
• Catcher Kelly Stinnett is nursing a slight groin strain, but could be available today or Saturday.
• OF Luis Terrero was back in the lineup Thursday after missing the past couple of days with a bruised lower back. He went 1 for 3 and was tagged out in a rundown between first and second.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0311dbnb0311.html
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 11, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - Brad Halsey is taking the same approach to trying to win the fifth starter's job as when he busts a fastball inside to a right-handed hitter, often breaking a bat in the process.
He's sizing up the situation and not afraid of the fight.
The left-hander remains the most impressive of the handful of candidates, having pitched five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit in two appearances. The former member of the Yankees, acquired with Javier Vazquez in the Randy Johnson trade, makes his first start Sunday during a split-squad game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Maryvale.
Right-handed Oscar Villarreal, another candidate, is scheduled to make his first start Monday against the Colorado Rockies. Others in the running include southpaw Michael Gosling and rookie right-hander Tony Peña.
As the starters get stretched out over more innings, manager Bob Melvin will begin the process of elimination and attempt to zero in on his man. It's still wide open, Melvin said, although it is clear Halsey has an early lead.
"I'm getting better every outing, I'm getting more comfortable and consistent and I'm getting my arm where it needs to be," Halsey said. "Hopefully, that will continue and so will the results."
As for the selection process, Halsey is confident it will play out fairly.
"I went into this thing having heard there's going to be competition for that spot and I think that's the way the organization is going to treat it," he said. "I don't know if they're going to necessarily choose the guy who's performances were the best, but the guy they think is going to be able to help them out of the most."
Melvin said he's in no rush to pick the issue. Arizona may only need to use a No. 5 man twice in April because of the schedule. But Melvin hasn't said if he will rely on a four-man rotation at the start.
First things first
Outfield prospect Conor Jackson said he's just starting to settle in at first base, where the club has been using him extensively this camp as a means to fast-track his arrival to the major leagues.
"I'm trying to take as many ground balls over there as I can," said Jackson, who hit 17 homers with 91 RBIs last season split between Class A Lancaster and Double-A El Paso. "That's really the only way to get comfortable with it, just getting that constant repetition."
Jackson's parents, John and Jana, came in from Los Angeles to catch Thursday's game against the Giants. John Jackson is an actor who portrays Rear Admiral A.J. Chegwidden on the CBS show JAG.
Short hops
Vazquez, who pitched four effective and relatively quick innings Thursday, is next slated to throw on Tuesday, but because it is an off day for the Diamondbacks, he will likely throw in a minor league game, according to pitching coach Mark Davis.
• Catcher Kelly Stinnett is nursing a slight groin strain, but could be available today or Saturday.
• OF Luis Terrero was back in the lineup Thursday after missing the past couple of days with a bruised lower back. He went 1 for 3 and was tagged out in a rundown between first and second.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0311dbnb0311.html
