The Alex Wood Dilemma

Andrew Miller is a 6’7” left hander from Gainesville, FL and attended University of North Carolina. He was drafted in the first round by the Detroit Tigers in 2006.  Miller was called up later that year and made his ML debut on August 30, 2006.  From 2007-2010, he bounced up and down from the MiLB to MLB (Det/Fla).  While he did have some very good starts, he never established himself as a reliable starter, and moved back and forth as a starter to the bullpen.  In December 2010, Miller was non-tendered by Florida, and Terry Francona convinced Miller to sign with Boston because he saw a flaw in Miller’s delivery.  Miller started the year in Pawtucket and was recalled June 2011.  In 2012, he again started the season in the minors, and when recalled this time by Boston, he was assigned permanently to the bullpen where he has remained, and starred.

 

Alex Wood is a 6’4” left hander from Charlotte, NC and attended the University of Georgia. He was drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Braves in 2012.  Wood made his ML debut on May 30, 2013. He moved down and was recalled one additional time in 2013, and was up to stay on July 25, 2013.

 

Both are relatively tall left handers from the south, who later went on to become high draft choices.  Wood went to high school in North Carolina, and Miller went to college in North Carolina.  While Wood has started his career with better results than Miller as a starting pitcher, neither one has overcome doubts about being full-time starters.  Both have had some injury concerns but have overcome them.  After six years, Miller was permanently moved to reliever and has not looked back. When Miller finally stuck as a reliever, his K/BB ratio started to improve, and so did his ERA.  In 2013, Miller had a career best ERA of 2.64, and has been under 2.04 ever since.  Miller is now back with Francona in Cleveland, and pitching superbly.

 

In 2014, Wood started the year in the Braves rotation, and pitched very well.  He lost three games, 2-1 and 1-0 twice, including 1 complete game.  He pitched into the 7^th and 8^th inning in the other two losses.  He went to the bullpen on May 9, and returned to the rotation on June 25.  He ended the year with a very respectable 171.2 IP and 2.78 ERA as a 23 year old.  In 2015, he was traded to the Dodgers in a blockbuster three team deal.  He has had a good/not so good start to his Dodger career as a starting pitcher.  His 2016 season was derailed due to elbow debridement surgery.  When Wood returned in 2016, he moved into the bullpen where he was excellent having pitched 4 games in September for 4 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K.

 

Thus far in 2017, Wood has been in the rotation and bullpen.  He has been both okay and outstanding in his 3 starts, but has been nearly perfect in his two relief appearances…5.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Wood can be an effective starting pitcher for LAD, but he can be a force in the bullpen in high leverage situations.  Is it time for Alex to follow the path laid out by Andrew Miller, and become a standout in the pen?

Minor League

OKC – Lost  a pair of 2-1 games to the Omaha Storm Chasers.  Justin Masterson pitched game 1 – 6 IP/5 H/1 R/3 BB/6 K – 2.16 ERA.  The sole Dodger run came from Willie Calhoun’s 2nd HR of 2017.  Steve Geltz gave up 4 consecutive hits for the walk off win.

Jair Jurrjens pitched game 2: 6.0 IP/4 H/1 R/1 BB/10 K – 2.51 ERA. Adam Liberatore pitched 2 innings giving up 1 BB with 4 K.  Jacob Rhame had 1 IP with 1 BB and 2 K. Brandon Morrow gave up the walk off HR in the 11th.

Roster move – 2B Max Muncy signed a minor league contract on 04/28/17.

Tulsa – Lost 7-6 to Northwest Arkansas.  Scott Barlow went 6 IP/4 h/3 R/2 BB/7 K/2 HR – 3.57 ERA.  Newly promoted reliever Chris Powell pitched 2 innings, giving up 1 unearned run on 2 hits, 0 BB, and 2 K.  OF Jacob Scavuzzo had 2 hits including in 2nd HR.

RC – The Quakes lost their 2nd walk-off game in a row; this one 2-1. Walker Buehler started and went 3.2 innings with 65 pitches.  He gave up 3 H/ 1 R/ 2 BB/ 8 K.  Joc Pederson and Josh Ravin both played in their 1st rehab game.  Ravin pitched 1 inning giving up 1 hit with 1 strike out.  Joc finished the night 0-2 with 1 BB/1 K.