Diamondback Jay
Psalms 23:1
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez will be the No. 2 starter behind Brandon Webb in the Arizona Diamondbacks' rotation.
Manager Bob Melvin announced four members of the rotation, all right-handers, and their order on Saturday. Miguel Batista, moving back to a starting role after closing for Toronto, is No. 3, followed by Russ Ortiz.
The No. 5 spot will go to either right-hander Claudio Vargas or left-hander Brad Halsey.
The 26-year-old Webb, who will start the season opener at Colorado April 1, is the only one of the top four under 31.
Hernandez, listed at 36 but probably closer to 40, was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the Javier Vazquez trade. Hernandez was 9-9 with a 5.12 ERA for the World Series champs last season.
Batista, 35, came with second baseman Orlando Hudson in the deal that sent Troy Glaus to Toronto. He is glad to be back starting and even happier to return to the Diamondbaccks, where he was 29-26 over three seasons and was part of the rotation for the 2001 World Series title team.
Returning to a starting role has been easier than he thought, he said.
"It's going real well," Batista said. "I thought I'd be really tired at first and that wasn't the case."
Ortiz, 31, was 5-11 with a career-worst 6.89 ERA in an injury-plagued 2005 campaign. He had made 226 consecutive starts before going on the disabled list with a strained rib cage last June.
Due to earn $7 million this season as part of his four-year, $33 million contract by Arizona, Ortiz had never gone through a season with so many problems, and he said he has learned from the experience.
"After I sat down and thought about it, I learned a lot about the game, about myself," Ortiz said.
Ortiz said starting down in the No. 4 spot doesn't mean much once the season gets going.
"I would like to feel like I can pitch anywhere in the rotation, but it's not my decision," he said. "What can I do about it? I'm going to pitch every fifth day like everybody else. Things change throughout the year. Here's going to be days off, there's going to be rainouts, guys might have to miss a start."
In the fight for the No. 5 spot, Vargas is 2-1 this spring with a 5.79 ERA. Halsey is 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA. Halsey is scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Cubs in Mesa. Vargas will go Tuesday against the White Sox in Tucson.
From ESPN.com
Manager Bob Melvin announced four members of the rotation, all right-handers, and their order on Saturday. Miguel Batista, moving back to a starting role after closing for Toronto, is No. 3, followed by Russ Ortiz.
The No. 5 spot will go to either right-hander Claudio Vargas or left-hander Brad Halsey.
The 26-year-old Webb, who will start the season opener at Colorado April 1, is the only one of the top four under 31.
Hernandez, listed at 36 but probably closer to 40, was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the Javier Vazquez trade. Hernandez was 9-9 with a 5.12 ERA for the World Series champs last season.
Batista, 35, came with second baseman Orlando Hudson in the deal that sent Troy Glaus to Toronto. He is glad to be back starting and even happier to return to the Diamondbaccks, where he was 29-26 over three seasons and was part of the rotation for the 2001 World Series title team.
Returning to a starting role has been easier than he thought, he said.
"It's going real well," Batista said. "I thought I'd be really tired at first and that wasn't the case."
Ortiz, 31, was 5-11 with a career-worst 6.89 ERA in an injury-plagued 2005 campaign. He had made 226 consecutive starts before going on the disabled list with a strained rib cage last June.
Due to earn $7 million this season as part of his four-year, $33 million contract by Arizona, Ortiz had never gone through a season with so many problems, and he said he has learned from the experience.
"After I sat down and thought about it, I learned a lot about the game, about myself," Ortiz said.
Ortiz said starting down in the No. 4 spot doesn't mean much once the season gets going.
"I would like to feel like I can pitch anywhere in the rotation, but it's not my decision," he said. "What can I do about it? I'm going to pitch every fifth day like everybody else. Things change throughout the year. Here's going to be days off, there's going to be rainouts, guys might have to miss a start."
In the fight for the No. 5 spot, Vargas is 2-1 this spring with a 5.79 ERA. Halsey is 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA. Halsey is scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Cubs in Mesa. Vargas will go Tuesday against the White Sox in Tucson.
From ESPN.com
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