7/13/2007

Next on the Countdown...

The countdown of the best individual seasons in Timber Rattler history has reached it's next player.

#8 JJ Putz

J.J. Putz 2000
12-6, 3.15 ERA, 25 games started, 142.2 innings pitched, 130 hits allowed, 50 earned runs allowed, 63 walks, 105 strikeouts

With Wisconsin in 2000, J.J. was put into the starting rotation. On April 29th, Putz threw a 7 inning no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader against the Kane County Cougars. It was the first no-hitter in Timber Rattler history. He would also throw two complete game shutouts that season, tied for the most in team history. His 12 wins were one short of the team record, held by Melqui Torres at the time. His ERA was the third best up to that point, trailing only Derek Bieniasz's 3.13 in 1995 and teammate Rafael Soriano's 2.87.

In that no-hitter, JJ walked five and struck out four. He needed a diving play behind second base by shortstop Ruben Castillo. But, he got the no-no.

Those two complete game shutouts that are mentioned above were in back-to-back starts. He shutout South Bend on four hits with nine strikeouts in nine innings on June 27. On July 2, Putz shutout Kane County on seven hits with seven strikeouts over nine innings.

One other thing that made this such a good season for the current Seattle closer was this fact: He won six straight decisions to end the 2000 season. Sometimes at this level, the performance tails off at the end of the year. But, not Putz.

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