10B the university daily kansan
sports
monday, march 15, 2004
Affeld thopes finger healed
The Associated Press
SURPRISSE, Ariz. — With a whiplash fastball and a paralyzing 12-to-6 curve, Jeremy Affeldt has better stuff than any other left-hander in Kansas City history.
Longtime Royals-watchers say this is true. But the lanky 24-year-old also has an ugly half-nail on the middle finger of his big left hand — a finger that's just about the biggest issue at Kansas City's spring training camp.
Will a persistent, detestable blister on that finger return to dog his budding career? Or did painful offseason surgery to remove half the nail cure the problem?
If the surgery winds up working, the Royals will grant Affeldt's wish to be a starter.
"I think he has the potential to be a 20-game winner," said general manager Allard Baird.
If not, then it's back to the bullpen, where Affeldt held hitters to a .193 average in 18 appearances last year after the blister forced him out of the rotation.
Either way, the Royals feel they've got someone with the talent and makeup to be a dominant pitcher for many years.
"He's got some of the best left-handed stuff in the major leagues," Baird said. "And out of the bullpen it really shows. In the rotation ... we'll see where it ends up."
The problem first afflicted the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder in Double-A. He started last season in Kansas City's rotation, but after 80 or so pitches every outing, the blister appeared, ending his pinpoint control.
"The blister would start to hurt, and I'd adjust somewhat," he said. "But it just wouldn't give me as much control. It would affect me so bad so quickly, I'd be out of the game. Those hitters are paid a lot of money to hit mistakes."
The Royals tried a variety of skin-toughening remedies—even a couple suggested by fans—but nothing changed. Then in procedures in October and December doctors deadened the hand and got rid of half the nail in a vertical cut.
"The first couple of weeks, it was really sore," he said.
Then, in December, doctors put acid in the nail bed. This, too, was somewhat unpleasant.
longest outing yet. Royals officials will be watching closely.
"It was pretty sore for a couple of weeks," he said. "Actually, it hurt pretty bad. After that, there was a little bruising. But now it will never grow back. I don't have to worry about that anymore. It's never going to be there anymore."
in his two spring appearances, Affeldt has gone five innings, giving up six hits and three runs, with two walks and two strikeouts. On Monday he'll pitch against the Chicago Cubs in his
And so will several other potential starters and bullpen possibilities whose own immediate future will be affected by what happens.
"So far, no problem." Affeldt said. "It's a normal finger. There's a little burning but it's OK."
Affeldt figures he won't know if the cure has worked until he has three or four outings of about 80 pitches each. He figures to throw about 70 pitches against the Cubs.
"Last year I had some bruising and tenderness and redness already at this time," he said. "But we don't even have that now. All signs are good."
Kansas City was 13-5 in games where Affeldt relieved. He retired the first batter all but three times.
"The really exciting thing about his breaking ball is that he throws it for a strike," Baird said. "It's one thing to have a really quality flight and definition to a pitch. But if you can't throw it over the plate, then the quality of the pitch itself doesn't mean as much."
If he does go to the bullpen, Affeldt has told the Royals he does not want to be a long reliever.
"He doesn't want to come in with a 5-0 lead." Baird said. "He balls the ball when closing out with a one-run lead. And you've got to appreciate that."
The Associated Press
Wells makes Padre debut Former Yankee satisfied with performance
PEORIA, Ariz. — With the exception of watching his third pitch sail out of the ballpark, David Wells was happy with his return to the mound nearly five months after back spasms led to a quick exit from a World Series start.
"Just to get back out there and be pain-free was the main concern," Wells said after making his spring debut for the San Diego Padres in an 8-3, 11-inning loss to the Kansas City Royals yesterday. "I didn't try to overdo it."
"I wish I could have done that in Game 5," Wells said, referring to being forced out after just one inning in his World Series start for the New York Yankees against Florida on Oct. 23.
"It was something where all you're doing is barely throwing and watching everything fall apart. It's just nice to get out there and be on the competitive side again and go out and do what I've been doing for 23, 24 years," he
Wells allowed two hits on his first five pitches before settling down.
He threw two innings, giving up two runs—one earned—then said he felt good physically.
"You just try to get your pitches over and just try to get command."
David Wells Padre pitcher
said.
Wells had back surgery in early December, then signed with his hometown Padres as a free agent on Dec. 31.
The 40-year-old left-hander said his back stiffened up between the first and second innings as he sat in the dugout.
He also fielded Matt Stairs' dribber in front of the plate to start a rundown that caught Carlos Beltran between third and home for the first out of the first inning.
"The first couple of pitches it was a little tight, but then I got through it fine." said Wells, who got plenty of defensive work, with a putout and an assist on consecutive plays to end the 1-2-3 second inning.
"I went out there and fielded my position pretty well," Wells said. "The only highlight of the day was to get Matt Stairs to sting his hand a little bit."
Padres manager Bruce Bochy
was impressed with his new ace.
"He's worked hard to get back out there, with rehabbing the surgery." Bochy said. "I thought he looked great. He was just missing in the first inning and he came back and had a good second inning. He had a lot of action around the mound, covering first, the rundown. Fort two innings, he got a lot of work in."
Wells allowed a leadoff homer to Aaron Gueli on a 2-0 fastball, then a double to Beltran.
"Behind in the count, getting the ball up, doesn't equal a good outing," Wells said. "I struggled with the curveball a little bit. Then the one I did throw good got belted for a double. I don't know how the hell he hit it. At least it was a good curveball. You've got to tip your cap on that.
"You just try to get your pitches over and just try to get command. I wasn't airing it out, just trying to go out there free and easy trying to make sure everything felt good," he said.
Kansas City's Dee Brown hit a grand slam in the 11th for the Royals, who took a 3-0 lead, then let the Padres tie it with a three-run seventh. Mike Sweeney hit a solo shot for the Royals in the third.
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