Results tagged ‘ Tom Wilhelmsen ’
Tonight’s Interview: Roenis Elias
Just a year and two days ago, the 2010 LumberKings prepared for the debut of a recent call-up from short-A Everett as they played game two of a three-game series at Time Warner Cable Field in Wisconsin. The Kings, 16-18 and fifth in the West Division in the second half under manager John Tamargo, were 6.5 games out of first place and were struggling to stay in the playoff picture. The man making the debut that evening, right-hander Tom Wilhelmsen, would be the lift they’d need to get back into contention. The 26-year-old former Milwaukee Brewers prospect dominated the low-A affiliate of his former club over 7.0 scoreless, two-hit innings as he walked one and struck out five in a 5-0 Kings’ victory. Wilhelmsen, along with fellow AquaSox’ call-up Yoervis Medina (who would make his first start just four days later in the Quad Cities), combined to go 11-1 during the stretch drive, leading the LumberKings to the Wild Card spot.
Last night, the LumberKings entered play at 19-19 and held the West Division Wild Card spot over Beloit by 2.0 games despite three-straight losses. 23-year-old left-hander Roenis Elias, called up after just one outing in the AZL and three games with rookie Pulaski, made his Clinton debut on the very same diamond as Wilhelmsen. He didn’t quite duplicate the performance, but he did fire 6.1 innings of five-hit ball, allowing one unearned run and fanning four in a 3-2 Kings’ win. I couldn’t help but feel overwhelming déjà vu when comparing the debuts of both, especially given the timeframes in which they happened and the Kings’ record and relatively similar playoff standing.
While it’s still far too early to tell what the LumberKings will have in Elias, it’s certain that his path here is even more intriguing than Wilhelmsen’s. Elias pitched for the National team out of Guantanamo, Cuba, defected to the United States last fall, pitched briefly in Mexico, signed with the Mariners in May, went 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA in just three outings in Pulaski and is now 1-0 as a LumberKing.
With the help of manager Eddie Menchaca as interpreter, I chat with Elias for the first time tonight.
Listen Here: Elias Interview 8.5.11
Tonight’s Game Notes: 8.5.11 kingsnotes
Right-hander Taijuan Walker (4-5, 3.12) starts for the Kings tonight as they attempt to split the series with Wisconsin. The Timber Rattlers counter with lefty Charly Bashara (4-4, 5.12). Walker and Bashara squared off on May 15 with Walker fanning 11 over 6.1 innings for the win and Bashara serving up eight runs, five earned over 5.1 innings in the loss. Listen to the game at 7:05 PM on 1390kcln.com.
-DL
Follow me on Twitter at @davelezotte and the LumberKings at @LumberKings.
Tonight’s Interview: Rick Waits
After allowing a career-high five earned runs in his previous start, it’s clear that left-hander James Paxton had a rebound outing last night against Quad Cities. He set a new career high with 13 strikeouts and yielded just one run on four hits over 6.1 innings as the LumberKings beat the River Bandits, 5-1 at Alliant Energy Field. Paxton struck out six-straight batters at one point in the game (listen: Paxton 11th Strikeout 6.16.11), but left in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out. Right-hander Tyler Burgoon came on and left them loaded as he induced a highlight-reel double play started by second-baseman Jorge Agudelo (listen: Agudelo Flip to Ramirez for DP 6.16.11). Burgoon did not allow a run over 2.2 innings to secure his seventh save, making Paxton a winner for the third time. Mickey Wiswall had the clutch hit of the night, singling home two runs to open up a 4-1 lead in the fourth (listen: Wiswall 2-R single 6.16.11).
The efforts for K-Pax and Burgoon were well-timed as they took place in front of Mariners’ Minor League Pitching Coordinator Rick Waits. After coaching for 15 seasons with the New York Mets (including 2003 as their Major League Bullpen Coach), Waits has inherited a minor league system chock full of potential impact arms. Waits is my pregame guest tonight, and he shares plenty of his own insight into Paxton, tonight’s starter Taijuan Walker, Burgoon and the Clinton bullpen, former LumberKing and current Tacoma Rainier right-hander Blake Beavan and how close he is to a Seattle call-up, the outstanding arms in double-A Jackson including Andrew Carraway, Erasmo Ramirez, Anthony Vasquez, Kenn Kasparek and Tom Wilhelmsen and more. It’s definitely a worthy listen.
Listen Here: Rick Waits (Minor League Pitching Coord) Interview 6.17.11
Tonight’s Game Notes: 6.17.11 kingsnotes
Today’s Roster Move: Despite the potential game-saving play last night, Agudelo has been sent to short-A Everett to clear space for infielder Shaver Hansen, who has been reinstated from the DL and will play tonight in Kane County.
Starting Lineups:
LumberKings (22-45): Julio Morban/CF, Mickey Wiswall/1B, Tim Morris/D, Matt Browning/3B, Kalian Sams/RF, Shaver Hansen/2B, Robbie Anston/LF, Billy Marcoe/C, Anthony Phillips/SS, Taijuan Walker/RHP
Kane County Cougars (27-39): Angel Franco/2B, Ryan Stovall/3B, Brett Eibner/CF, Brian Fletcher/LF, Jake Kuebler/1B, Geulin Beltre/DH, Orlando Calixte/SS, Travis Jones/C, Julio Aparicio/RF, Leonel Santiago/RHP
First pitch is at 7:00 PM here at Elfstrom Stadium, listen to the broadcast on 1390kcln.com.
-DL
Lueke, Wilhelmsen Debut in Same Game
In a game just completed in Oakland, former LumberKings’ right-handers Josh Lueke (’07-’08) and Tom Wilhelmsen (’10) each made their Major League debuts in Seattle’s 7-1 loss to the Athletics.
Lueke came on in relief of starter Doug Fister with two gone in the bottom of the sixth and stranded two runners with a swinging strikeout of Cliff Pennington on a 93 mph heater, but then was lit up for four runs while retiring just one batter in the seventh. He loaded the bases on a double and two walks, then yielded a two-run single to Hideki Matsui. David Pauley came on to replace him, but then issued a bases-loaded walk and gave up a Kevin Kouzmanoff sac fly to add two more runs to Lueke’s line. Final line: 0.2 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K and a starting ERA of 54.00. He’s the 225th former Clinton player to make a Major League debut, even if the outing was forgettable. For further reading, check out this Mariners.com feature on Lueke as he prepared for his first big-league experience.
Wilhelmsen, #226, came on in relief of Pauley in the eighth and fared much better. The 27-year-old delivered his first pitch at a level above low-A — a 96 mph fastball for ball one — but then retired Coco Crisp on a groundout to first-baseman Justin Smoak (’08), worked back from a 3-0 count to get Daric Barton to fly out and then froze David DeJesus looking at a curveball for strike three. Final line: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K and a starting ERA of 0.00.
Special thanks to the revamped MLB Gameday feature, which I relied on heavily for this post.
-DL
Wilhelmsen, Lueke Reportedly on Mariners’ Opening Day Roster
I saw it first on the Everett AquaSox Facebook page, then saw it again at Larry LaRue’s blog for the Tacoma News Tribune, and saw it once more on Geoff Baker’s blog for the Seattle Times.
Are you sitting down for this one? Ok. Right-hander Tom Wilhelmsen (’10), the feel-good reclamation story and former LumberKings’ starter, has reportedly made the Seattle Mariners’ Opening Day roster. Right-hander Josh Lueke (’07-’08) is coming with him, also to make a Major League debut. And first-baseman Justin Smoak (’08) will be there, too.
We all know the Wilhelmsen backstory by now, but to enhance the Disney-movie-worthy script even further, he’ll be making the move to the Majors having last pitched professionally here in Clinton. No high-A, no double-A, no triple-A. That doesn’t happen too often, but in Tom’s case, his age and stuff have got him there on the Albert Pujols timetable.
The Mariners released this article and video on Wilhelmsen, penned by Greg Johns just yesterday. Do note that Seattle at this stage has not released their Opening Day roster officially, but given the credibility of the two news blogs reporting it, I think it’s safe to report.
Sounds like a great time to revisit my 2010 posts on Tom. Check them out:
- Tonight’s Interview: Tom Wilhelmsen (Vol. 1)
- Wilhelmsen’s Near Perfecto in Audio
- Tonight’s Interview: Tom Wilhelmsen (Vol. 2)
We should be hearing more on our roster here in Clinton shortly. I can’t break any news on that, unfortunately.
-DL
Kings in Spring (March 25)
Well, it was nice to finally catch the Mariners in Cactus League action, even though it was from the dusty office TV as they played the Chicago Cubs on WGN rather than from my favorite seat down the left-field line at the Peoria Sports Complex. Still, it was nice to get a look at right-hander Tom Wilhelmsen (’10) in the #73 uni…aside for a minor hiccup in the way of a Blake DeWitt solo homer, he looked pretty comfortable in two innings of relief work. Wilhelmsen and Justin Smoak (’08), who went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, look like locks to make the Opening Day roster to me.
Another funny note from the game, former LumberKings infielder Kyle Seager (’09) got into the action at third base, wearing #92 with no nameplate. The 90′s numbers are normally given to the Minor League players called up to the big-league game for the day, but apparently that number was originally intended for Mario Martinez. As a result, Cubs’ broadcaster Len Kasper referred to Seager as Martinez for a couple defensive plays and a full at-bat. I doubt anyone aside from me, the Seager family and a few other Clintonites noticed or cared.
I didn’t catch the entire game, but Denny Almonte (’09) also made a cameo appearance, grounding out on one pitch in his lone at-bat.
In Texas Rangers news, and certainly a note not to be lost in the mix, it appears that former LumberKings’ third-baseman and one-time Futures Game hero John Whittleman (’06-’07) has been shipped to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for a player to be named later. That’s according to multiple sources, cited in an email I received from The Newberg Report. Whittleman, a second-round pick in ’05, struggled in ’06 but was an All-Star with the Kings in ’07. He remains the only active LumberKing ever to participate in an MLB All-Star Futures Game, something I covered earlier this offseason in an edition of The Interview Vault. If the reports are true, it’s a fresh start for Whit in the deepest Minor League system in baseball. He’s always been a favorite of mine, I hope this works out well for him.
As you can tell, I’m working late on a Friday night yet again. Such is life this close to the baseball season. We’re about 13 days and 15 minutes away from the first pitch.
-DL
Kings in Spring (March 25)
Well, it was nice to finally catch the Mariners in Cactus League action, even though it was from the dusty office TV as they played the Chicago Cubs on WGN rather than from my favorite seat down the left-field line at the Peoria Sports Complex. Still, it was nice to get a look at right-hander Tom Wilhelmsen (’10) in the #73 uni…aside for a minor hiccup in the way of a Blake DeWitt solo homer, he looked pretty comfortable in two innings of relief work. Wilhelmsen and Justin Smoak (’08), who went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, look like locks to make the Opening Day roster to me.
Another funny note from the game, former LumberKings infielder Kyle Seager (’09) got into the action at third base, wearing #92 with no nameplate. The 90′s numbers are normally given to the Minor League players called up to the big-league game for the day, but apparently that number was originally intended for Mario Martinez. As a result, Cubs’ broadcaster Len Kasper referred to Seager as Martinez for a couple defensive plays and a full at-bat. I doubt anyone aside from me, the Seager family and a few other Clintonites noticed or cared.
I didn’t catch the entire game, but Denny Almonte (’09) also made a cameo appearance, grounding out on one pitch in his lone at-bat.
In Texas Rangers news, and certainly a note not to be lost in the mix, it appears that former LumberKings’ third-baseman and one-time Futures Game hero John Whittleman (’06-’07) has been shipped to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for a player to be named later. That’s according to multiple sources, cited in an email I received from The Newberg Report. Whittleman, a second-round pick in ’05, struggled in ’06 but was an All-Star with the Kings in ’07. He remains the only active LumberKing ever to participate in an MLB All-Star Futures Game, something I covered earlier this offseason in an edition of The Interview Vault. If the reports are true, it’s a fresh start for Whit in the deepest Minor League system in baseball. He’s always been a favorite of mine, I hope this works out well for him.
As you can tell, I’m working late on a Friday night yet again. Such is life this close to the baseball season. We’re about 13 days and 15 minutes away from the first pitch.
-DL
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