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Wingate Gazette
Mary Jane Pleasant
July 30, 2010
On July 18th Himmi Nsoah left a game after 1 inning with elbow soreness. Yesterday, after pitching reasonably well in his previous start, Himmi left the game in severe pain after just 2 innings of work. After the game tests determined that he ruptured his Ulnar Collateral Ligament. The medical staff of the Wingate Gladiators said he will need Tommy John surgery and could be out as long as a year. Himmi was leading the team in ERA and was second in wins, behind Spike Horn, at the time of his injury.
I stopped in to ask Jeff Palin, General Manager of the Wingate Gladiators, about Himmi's injury and a few other things as the season heads into the last couple of months.
MJ: Mr. Palin, what can you tell us about Himmi's injury and could it have been avoided?
JP: Hey Mary Jane, you are looking quite relaxed today. Well, Himmi had some pain on July 18th and we took him out of the game as a precaution. In his next start he said he had no pain at all. I don't know that those types of injuries can be prevented, it's just part of the game sometimes.
MJ: Have you talked to Himmi?
JP: Yeah, I went into the clubhouse after the game last night. He was in a lot of pain and feels like he has let the team down. He has been as good a pitcher as there is in this league up to this point and we will really miss him. We just hope that everything goes well and that he can help us down the stretch next season.
MJ: How do your replace Himmi?
JP: Well, Mary Jane, you don't replace a pitcher like that. You hope other guys step up a take up where he left off. As far as a player, right now Ernesto Morales is out for the next 8-14 days with blister problems...so, we will probably have to call on one of three guys: Levy Martel, Dudley Campbell or Sherman Chapman. We could also go to a 4-man rotation again, although that didn't work as well as planned the first time around. I'm leaning toward giving Levy a shot at it. He has done everything we have asked of him this season and never once complained. He deserves to be up here, but he has given his all at AAA for the last month or so.
MJ: Levy Martel has been the closer at AAA the last few weeks. Doesn't seem like he would have the stamina of say Dudley Campbell.
JP: To be honest, none of those 3 pitching options really have the stamina to be Starting Pitchers at this level long-term. I think down the road they will all be relief pitchers at this level. Right now, we need 1-2 starts minimum out of one of them and we have to decide who is most capable of giving us quality starts for that period.
MJ: I appreciate your candor.
JP: It's a tough situation for us right now. I had a dream that Jimmy White threw a couple of really good games but when I woke up, those games had not yet occurred. He's still struggling with the transition to his new team, but I think he will be really good once he gets past that. We wanted to let Thorson develop a bit, but now he needs to take the ball every 5th day and pitch the way we know he can. Morales also needs to get out there and be more consistent. Murray Clay needs to throw more strikes. These guys all know this, it is just time now for them to step to the plate and perform. Spike Horn has been tremendous and he just needs to keep providing leadership to this pitching staff.
MJ: So, where does this leave the Gladiators in their quest to make the playoffs?
JP: Right now it leaves us leading the Wild Card race with a pretty decent lead over Asheville for the final spot in the playoffs. I think this team is still capable of making the playoffs and making a run once we get there. We just have to take it one game at a time and hopefully it will all work itself out. Right now, I am very happy that we were able to add Jimmy White before the deadline. I don't want to think about our predicament right now had we not been able to make that trade.
MJ: Mr. Palin, thank you for your time.
JP: Thank you Mary Jane.
Mary Jane Pleasant
July 30, 2010
On July 18th Himmi Nsoah left a game after 1 inning with elbow soreness. Yesterday, after pitching reasonably well in his previous start, Himmi left the game in severe pain after just 2 innings of work. After the game tests determined that he ruptured his Ulnar Collateral Ligament. The medical staff of the Wingate Gladiators said he will need Tommy John surgery and could be out as long as a year. Himmi was leading the team in ERA and was second in wins, behind Spike Horn, at the time of his injury.
I stopped in to ask Jeff Palin, General Manager of the Wingate Gladiators, about Himmi's injury and a few other things as the season heads into the last couple of months.
MJ: Mr. Palin, what can you tell us about Himmi's injury and could it have been avoided?
JP: Hey Mary Jane, you are looking quite relaxed today. Well, Himmi had some pain on July 18th and we took him out of the game as a precaution. In his next start he said he had no pain at all. I don't know that those types of injuries can be prevented, it's just part of the game sometimes.
MJ: Have you talked to Himmi?
JP: Yeah, I went into the clubhouse after the game last night. He was in a lot of pain and feels like he has let the team down. He has been as good a pitcher as there is in this league up to this point and we will really miss him. We just hope that everything goes well and that he can help us down the stretch next season.
MJ: How do your replace Himmi?
JP: Well, Mary Jane, you don't replace a pitcher like that. You hope other guys step up a take up where he left off. As far as a player, right now Ernesto Morales is out for the next 8-14 days with blister problems...so, we will probably have to call on one of three guys: Levy Martel, Dudley Campbell or Sherman Chapman. We could also go to a 4-man rotation again, although that didn't work as well as planned the first time around. I'm leaning toward giving Levy a shot at it. He has done everything we have asked of him this season and never once complained. He deserves to be up here, but he has given his all at AAA for the last month or so.
MJ: Levy Martel has been the closer at AAA the last few weeks. Doesn't seem like he would have the stamina of say Dudley Campbell.
JP: To be honest, none of those 3 pitching options really have the stamina to be Starting Pitchers at this level long-term. I think down the road they will all be relief pitchers at this level. Right now, we need 1-2 starts minimum out of one of them and we have to decide who is most capable of giving us quality starts for that period.
MJ: I appreciate your candor.
JP: It's a tough situation for us right now. I had a dream that Jimmy White threw a couple of really good games but when I woke up, those games had not yet occurred. He's still struggling with the transition to his new team, but I think he will be really good once he gets past that. We wanted to let Thorson develop a bit, but now he needs to take the ball every 5th day and pitch the way we know he can. Morales also needs to get out there and be more consistent. Murray Clay needs to throw more strikes. These guys all know this, it is just time now for them to step to the plate and perform. Spike Horn has been tremendous and he just needs to keep providing leadership to this pitching staff.
MJ: So, where does this leave the Gladiators in their quest to make the playoffs?
JP: Right now it leaves us leading the Wild Card race with a pretty decent lead over Asheville for the final spot in the playoffs. I think this team is still capable of making the playoffs and making a run once we get there. We just have to take it one game at a time and hopefully it will all work itself out. Right now, I am very happy that we were able to add Jimmy White before the deadline. I don't want to think about our predicament right now had we not been able to make that trade.
MJ: Mr. Palin, thank you for your time.
JP: Thank you Mary Jane.
