Starting pitchers for the homestand

The Rattlers are home for seven games starting Saturday.  You can read or see about all of the fun stuff elsewhere.

Below is what the Rattlers have planned for the pitchers (starters and two tandems) over the seven days at home...weather permitting here in Peoria tonight...and at any point in Appleton.

vs. Clinton

SAT: Eric Arnett/Hiram Burgos
SUN: Nick Bucci
MON: Jake Odorizzi

vs. Peoria
TUE: Maverick Lasker
WED: Hiram Burgos
THU: Eric Arnett
FRI: Del Howell/Nick Bucci

Wisconsin rotation for the second half

Good afternoon.

Here is how the rotation sets up for the second half (as of now)...(weather permitting):

FRI: RHP Kyle Heckathorn
SAT: RHP Jake Odorizzi
SUN: LHP Del Howell
MON: RHP Nick Bucci
TUE: RHP Maverick Lasker

A note about the pitching rotation

Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook today gave me the scheduled starters for the next few weeks...Weather Permitting.

There is going to be a little shuffling of the tandems.

@KANE COUNTY
TUE: Jake Odorizzi
WED: Eric Arnett
THU: Kyle Heckathorn

@CEDAR RAPIDS
FRI: Nick Bucci
SAT: Maverick Lasker/Damon Krestalude
SUN: Jake Odorizzi/Del Howell
MON: Eric Arnett

@FORT WAYNE
6/1: Kyle Heckathorn
6/2: Nick Bucci
6/3: Damon Krestalude/Maverick Lasker

@LAKE COUNTY
6/4: Del Howell/Jake Odorizzi
6/5: Eric Arnett
6/6: Kyle Heckathorn

Six days of pitching...

...weather permitting.

Here is what I have been told for the starting rotation for the Timber Rattlers next eight games over six days.

@QUAD CITIES:
TUE (GM 1): Kyle Heckathorn
TUE (GM 2): Maverick Lasker
WED: Nick Bucci/Del Howell

VS. BELOIT:
THU: Damon Krestalude
FRI (GM 1): Jake Odorizzi
FRI (GM 2): Eric Arnett
SAT: Efrain Nieves
SUN: Kyle Heckathorn

Rattlers pitchers for the road trip

Everyone just moves back a day.

Here is what it should be over the next seven games (eight days...weather permitting):

MON: OFF DAY

AT PEORIA
TUE: RHP Damon Krestalude
WED: LHP Efrain Nieves/RHP Jake Odorizzi
THU: RHP Eric Arnett

AT BELOIT
FRI: RHP Maverick Lasker/RHP Kyle Heckathorn
SAT: RHP Nick Bucci/LHP Del Howell
SUN: RHP Damon Krestalude
MON: RHP Jake Odorizzi/LHP Efrain Nieves

I will add in the opponents as they roll in to the inbox.

Adjusting the rotation

As of now:

FRI (Game #1): Jeff Suppan
FRI (Game #2): Nick Bucci

SAT: Efrain Nieves/Del Howell
SUN: Damon Krestalude/Jake Odorizzi
MON: Eric Arnett
TUE: Maverick Lasker/Kyle Heckathorn
WED: Howell/Bucci
THU: Nieves

Setting up the pitching (BUMPED)

I just had a chance to talk with Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook. Here is the Timber Rattlers pitching rotation for the first ten games (or the first two times through the rotation)*

There will be a tandem system for three of the spots and stand-alone starters in the other two spots.

April 8-10 v. Kane County:
THU: Nick Bucci/Del Howell
FRI: Efrain Nieves
SAT: Jake Odorizzi/Damon Krestalude

April 11-13 v. Clinton
SUN: Eric Arnett
MON: Maverick Lasker/Kyle Heckathorn
TUE: Howell/Bucci

April 14-16 @Burlington
WED: Nieves
THU: Krestalude/Odorizzi
FRI: Arnett

April 17 @Quad Cities
SAT: Heckathorn/Lasker

*-Weather permitting, of course

Rattler rotation for remainder of '09 (UPDATED)

UPDATE: Nice job, Kyle in the comments. I was on the phone with Chris Hook when your comment popped on the blog. Were you listening?

Peralta will take Scarpetta's place in the rotation for Thursday.

WED: LHP Evan Frederickson
THU: RHP Wily Peralta
FRI: RHP Trey Watten

SAT: RHP Maverick Lasker
SUN: LHP Daniel Meadows
MON: Evan Frederickson

Updated Rattler pitching rotation for Peoria Series

This is taking into account the roster move below, the rainout yesterday, and the old standby...weather permitting...tomorrow.

TUE: RHP Cody Scarpetta*
WED: LHP Evan Frederickson**
THU: RHP Trey Watten
FRI: RHP Wily Peralta***

*-Both Michael Bowman and Efrain Nieves will pitch in relief
**-Pedro Lambertus is scheduled to pitch in relief
***-Cody Adams is scheduled to pitch in relief

News! Actual News!

Just met with Chris Hook, the new pitching coach for the Timber Rattlers.

Before I give you the rotation, a quick word.

Three of the five spots in the Timber Rattler rotation will be handled by a pitching tandem. The first pitcher listed will get the start and be on an 85 pitch limit. The second pitcher listed will usually be the first reliever out of the bullpen and be on a 45 pitch limit. The next time that turn is up in the rotation, the pitchers will switch. The guy who relieved will start and the guy who started will relieve.

Got it? Good.

With all that said, here is the rotation as it stands for the first five games...weather permitting.

THU: RHP Cody Scarpetta/LHP Efrain Nieves
FRI: LHP Evan Frederickson/RHP Trey Watten
SAT: LHP Dan Merklinger
SUN: OFF DAY
MON: RHP Wily Peralta/RHP Cody Adams
TUE: RHP Michael Bowman

Peralta will pitch against UWO and Adams will face the Rattler hitters in the scrimmage today.

Rattler rotation, A Scout's View

Jason Churchill over at Prospect Insider gives the people what they want

I apologize for this taking so long to get out. I know a lot of you have been asking about Michael Pineda, and the other three young starters in Wisconsin, too.

There are links to the pieces on Phillippe Aumont and Juan Ramirez at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer at the top of the post. Then, there is a bit on Michael Pineda:

Through games of May 19, Pineda is 3-1 with a 0.78 ERA in eight games, five starts. He’s struck out 28 batters and walked just nine in 34 2/3 innings. The right-hander has yielded just 26 hits - just eight for extra bases.

So how’s he doing it and what’s he doing it with?

Pineda uses a four-seam fastball in the 90-92 mph range, and can dial it up to 93-94 at times. He’ll mix in a sinking two-seamer, a pitch he’s still learning, but has shown a good feel for a change that is currently below average but has a lot of promise.

Here is what one American League West scout had to say after watching Pineda’s May 14 start at home versus Burlington.

“That’s a good-looking arm right there. The Mariners ought to be ashamed of themselves with how much success they have in the Dominican and Venezuela and other South American countries. This kid was in charge the entire night. He was mostly fastball-slider, but he spotted a good 90-92 mph four-seamer and I saw some pretty good action on a lot of them.

Then, his ratings on the 20-80 scale. Higher is better.

Adcock is also commented upon by the scout:

Nathan Adcock and Brandon Morrow are what’s left of the Mariners’ 2006 draft that graded out very high, despite Morrow being mishandled let alone overdrafted. Adcock was the club’s fourth-rounder that year behind Morrow, Chris Tillman and Tony Butler, and might have a future in the M’s starting rotation.

Adcock isn’t overpowering, but does touch the low-90s with his fastball, and is also learning to sink the pitch. His breaking ball is a knuckle curve that typically comes in around 76-80 mph and he uses a circle changeup.

The 6-5 right-hander’s arsenal is above-average and reminds one scout of a current emerging star.

“He doesn’t have quite the command, but physically he reminds me of Dan Haren when he was at Pepperdine. Tall, a little bit lanky, but with good tight mechanics and a good feel for pitching at 20 years old. Adcock has something going, I think it’s impossible to not like what you see.”

The 20/80 scale is included for the Kentuckian as well.

The commenters brought up some questions about Edward Paredes. I have a feeling he may be getting a post of his own later in the season.

The news

I could do a bunch of posts tonight, but there is only one about which people are probably going to read. So, this one goes here and stays near the top for the rest of the night.

Thursday's rainout and the Saturday doubleheader has jumbled the Rattler pitching rotation a bit:

FRI: Nathan Adcock
SAT (GM 1): Phillippe Aumont
SAT: (GM 2): Donnie Hume
SUN: Rob Harmon

Okay, Rattler fans, Mariner Minor League mavens, Canadians, and non-Kentuckians. There are four pretty good stories behind each of those names. But, pick out the main theme that will generate the most ink and internet space over the next two days.

I'll leave it at that and say Happy Opening Day Eve II. More in the morning.