GaryMrMets
09-21-2001, 01:15 AM
News
9/20/2001 12:29 am ET
Phillies notebook: Turk hurting
Reliever will not throw for five days
By Brett Steidler
phillies.com
PHILADELPHIA - Anybody who watched Tuesday night's Phillies game or read Turk Wendell's postgame comments may have drawn the following conclusion: The fans hate Wendell and Wendell hates the fans. Wendell's 0-2 record and 7.47 ERA with the Phillies hasn't exactly won him many admirers among the Phillies followers. But hate would probably be too strong a word for the relationship.
To hear Larry Bowa explain it, Wendell is just frustrated, and on Tuesday night, when he gestured to the fans as he left the field, his frustration got the best of him.
"That's just his personality," said Bowa. "I really don't think there's any malice to what he does. He's just frustrated. I don't like anyone to do that, but I think frustration takes over sometimes."
In Wendell's mind, he has plenty to be frustrated about. There's the process of fitting in on a new team.
"I spent more time (in New York) so I had more friends, but I'm making friends with the majority of the guys here. You tend to bond more when you're together all season," he said.
There's the fans, or lack thereof, coming out to support the Phillies, who are battling for a pennant.
"What do you have to do to get the fans to come out?" he wondered aloud. "I don't know."
And, of course, there's his ineffectiveness on the mound. But for that, at least Wendell and the Phillies have found a reason. It was discovered on Wednesday that Wendell is suffering from tendinitis in his right elbow. The right-hander has tried to pitch through the pain, but has not been effective, causing Bowa to surmise that his reliever might be ailing.
"I think he's hurt," said Bowa after meeting with Wendell to discuss what the problem might be. " I think something's bothering him. He's just not throwing the way I saw him throw before. As a manager you respect those guys that always want the ball, but on the other hand, we can't read minds, especially with a pitcher."
As it turns out, Bowa was right. The reliever was examined at Jefferson Hospital before Wednesday's game. The tendinitis was diagnosed and Wendell was listed as day-to-day. Wendell will take anti-inflammatories and will not throw for five days. After that, he will be placed on a throwing program.
The time off should give Wendell plenty of time to read his fan mail.
"I do think it's an honor to get fan mail," Wendell explained, one day after reading a few select pieces of hate mail in the clubhouse, "especially from a kid. I try to answer all the fan mail I can. I think it's part of the game, it's part of giving back."
Wendell will have a little extra time to give back, as he tries to get back his old form before the end of the season.
Fits to a "T": Phillies rookie pitcher and Brooklyn, N.Y., native Nelson Figueroa has created two different T-shirts to commemorate the victims of Sept. 11th's tragedy and the courage of the New York police officers and firefighters who lost their lives on that day.
One T-shirt reads, "For all the victims and heroes, united we stand" and has an image of a baseball bearing the colors of the American flag.
The other one reads, "America's Pastime would like to thank the men and women of the FDNY and the NYPD. They are truly America's bravest and finest." and displays the same baseball in a glove.
Figueroa hopes to first distribute the shirts to players around the Major Leagues, then make them available to the general public with proceeds benefiting the victims of the tragedy. He has already gotten a positive response from the majority of big leaguers, including Atlanta's Mike Remlinger, who is assisting him in the effort.
More information on the availability of the T-shirts will be announced when it becomes available.
Stealing away: The Phillies have stolen an NL-leading 147 stolen bases this year. Including league-leader Jimmy Rollins (44), they have three players in the top 10 in steals (also Bobby Abreu with 36 and Doug Glanville with 27). Larry Bowa knows team speed has been key to the Phillies' success.
"I don't know if we'd be playing .500 ball without our speed," said Bowa. "That's nothing against our team, but we steal runs."
Bowa also knows that much of the credit goes to a man who remains virtually unnoticed.
"Tony Scott helps our base runners a lot," Bowa pointed out. "He watches film with them and gives them things to look for. He gives them pitchers' release times. A lot of people don't say too much about first-base coaches, but he's done a great job."
No worries here: While the Phillies and Braves have been battling it out at the top of the NL East, the New York Mets have quietly climbed back into the race. After winning their last three, the Mets are only five games behind the Braves and 4 1/2 behind the Phils. Is Larry Bowa worried about the New Yorkers?
"Nope," he answered without hesitation. "I'm done with the Mets. I'm worried about what we do. You just have to go out there and take care of your own business."
The Braves, however, are not so fortunate. The will play the Mets six times between now and the end of the season.
"That doesn't shock me at all," said Bowa about the Mets jumping back in the race. "I don't even know why they were ever out of it with that talent."
Brett Steidler is the site reporter for phillies.com.
9/20/2001 12:29 am ET
Phillies notebook: Turk hurting
Reliever will not throw for five days
By Brett Steidler
phillies.com
PHILADELPHIA - Anybody who watched Tuesday night's Phillies game or read Turk Wendell's postgame comments may have drawn the following conclusion: The fans hate Wendell and Wendell hates the fans. Wendell's 0-2 record and 7.47 ERA with the Phillies hasn't exactly won him many admirers among the Phillies followers. But hate would probably be too strong a word for the relationship.
To hear Larry Bowa explain it, Wendell is just frustrated, and on Tuesday night, when he gestured to the fans as he left the field, his frustration got the best of him.
"That's just his personality," said Bowa. "I really don't think there's any malice to what he does. He's just frustrated. I don't like anyone to do that, but I think frustration takes over sometimes."
In Wendell's mind, he has plenty to be frustrated about. There's the process of fitting in on a new team.
"I spent more time (in New York) so I had more friends, but I'm making friends with the majority of the guys here. You tend to bond more when you're together all season," he said.
There's the fans, or lack thereof, coming out to support the Phillies, who are battling for a pennant.
"What do you have to do to get the fans to come out?" he wondered aloud. "I don't know."
And, of course, there's his ineffectiveness on the mound. But for that, at least Wendell and the Phillies have found a reason. It was discovered on Wednesday that Wendell is suffering from tendinitis in his right elbow. The right-hander has tried to pitch through the pain, but has not been effective, causing Bowa to surmise that his reliever might be ailing.
"I think he's hurt," said Bowa after meeting with Wendell to discuss what the problem might be. " I think something's bothering him. He's just not throwing the way I saw him throw before. As a manager you respect those guys that always want the ball, but on the other hand, we can't read minds, especially with a pitcher."
As it turns out, Bowa was right. The reliever was examined at Jefferson Hospital before Wednesday's game. The tendinitis was diagnosed and Wendell was listed as day-to-day. Wendell will take anti-inflammatories and will not throw for five days. After that, he will be placed on a throwing program.
The time off should give Wendell plenty of time to read his fan mail.
"I do think it's an honor to get fan mail," Wendell explained, one day after reading a few select pieces of hate mail in the clubhouse, "especially from a kid. I try to answer all the fan mail I can. I think it's part of the game, it's part of giving back."
Wendell will have a little extra time to give back, as he tries to get back his old form before the end of the season.
Fits to a "T": Phillies rookie pitcher and Brooklyn, N.Y., native Nelson Figueroa has created two different T-shirts to commemorate the victims of Sept. 11th's tragedy and the courage of the New York police officers and firefighters who lost their lives on that day.
One T-shirt reads, "For all the victims and heroes, united we stand" and has an image of a baseball bearing the colors of the American flag.
The other one reads, "America's Pastime would like to thank the men and women of the FDNY and the NYPD. They are truly America's bravest and finest." and displays the same baseball in a glove.
Figueroa hopes to first distribute the shirts to players around the Major Leagues, then make them available to the general public with proceeds benefiting the victims of the tragedy. He has already gotten a positive response from the majority of big leaguers, including Atlanta's Mike Remlinger, who is assisting him in the effort.
More information on the availability of the T-shirts will be announced when it becomes available.
Stealing away: The Phillies have stolen an NL-leading 147 stolen bases this year. Including league-leader Jimmy Rollins (44), they have three players in the top 10 in steals (also Bobby Abreu with 36 and Doug Glanville with 27). Larry Bowa knows team speed has been key to the Phillies' success.
"I don't know if we'd be playing .500 ball without our speed," said Bowa. "That's nothing against our team, but we steal runs."
Bowa also knows that much of the credit goes to a man who remains virtually unnoticed.
"Tony Scott helps our base runners a lot," Bowa pointed out. "He watches film with them and gives them things to look for. He gives them pitchers' release times. A lot of people don't say too much about first-base coaches, but he's done a great job."
No worries here: While the Phillies and Braves have been battling it out at the top of the NL East, the New York Mets have quietly climbed back into the race. After winning their last three, the Mets are only five games behind the Braves and 4 1/2 behind the Phils. Is Larry Bowa worried about the New Yorkers?
"Nope," he answered without hesitation. "I'm done with the Mets. I'm worried about what we do. You just have to go out there and take care of your own business."
The Braves, however, are not so fortunate. The will play the Mets six times between now and the end of the season.
"That doesn't shock me at all," said Bowa about the Mets jumping back in the race. "I don't even know why they were ever out of it with that talent."
Brett Steidler is the site reporter for phillies.com.