Iron Chef?
Since last August, there has been a fair amount of talk, both from the rox and various media outlets, that Aaron Cook was set to emerge as the team ace and frontline pitcher that the organization envisioned when he was selected as the 70th player overall in the 1997 MLB amateur draft. August 7, 2004 was the day in which a blood clot was discovered in Cook’s lung, thus ending his season and possibly entire baseball career. During Cook’s nearly full year of rehabilitation from the clot and ensuing corrective surgery, he was labeled as the closest thing the rox had to an actual number one starter and team ace. His recovery and return to form were keys to the ultimate long-term success and competitiveness of the rox. One (mainly me) couldn’t help but wonder if this analysis was another version of wishful thinking on the rox’ part or, in fact, reality.
When Cook made his return to the mound on July 30, it seemed to have been wishful thinking. However, since then Cook has been the pitcher that the rox have so far only been able to dream about this season. UITR documents Cook’s statistics and performance in August, so I won’t go into that. I will, on the other hand, talk about Cook just before and just after the clot. In the five games prior to the clot and the five games since returning, Cook is 5-2 with a 2.99 ERA. That includes his shaky first outing where he allowed seven earned runs in 4.1 innings. It is difficult, if not impossible, to accurately determine a pitcher’s future performance given two five-game stretches, separated by nearly a year. Nevertheless, the folks here at DITR are ready and willing to anoint Cook the team ace until he proves otherwise. Incidentally, when the DITR polls asked the question as to who would emerge as the team ace for the rox in 2005, Aaron Cook’s name was not among the possible selections. Clearly this was an oversight on the part of the Poll Committee.
The draft file on the website has been updated with the recent signing of RHP Kyle Hancock, taken in the 3rd round. Tracy, however, reports today in the RMN that Hancock joined Casper for three games, threw one bullpen session and left the team without explanation. Stay tuned to DITr for further developments.
After a fairly lengthy absence, there is a new poll on the website. If there is a poll topic you would like to see in the future, let me know.
When Cook made his return to the mound on July 30, it seemed to have been wishful thinking. However, since then Cook has been the pitcher that the rox have so far only been able to dream about this season. UITR documents Cook’s statistics and performance in August, so I won’t go into that. I will, on the other hand, talk about Cook just before and just after the clot. In the five games prior to the clot and the five games since returning, Cook is 5-2 with a 2.99 ERA. That includes his shaky first outing where he allowed seven earned runs in 4.1 innings. It is difficult, if not impossible, to accurately determine a pitcher’s future performance given two five-game stretches, separated by nearly a year. Nevertheless, the folks here at DITR are ready and willing to anoint Cook the team ace until he proves otherwise. Incidentally, when the DITR polls asked the question as to who would emerge as the team ace for the rox in 2005, Aaron Cook’s name was not among the possible selections. Clearly this was an oversight on the part of the Poll Committee.
The draft file on the website has been updated with the recent signing of RHP Kyle Hancock, taken in the 3rd round. Tracy, however, reports today in the RMN that Hancock joined Casper for three games, threw one bullpen session and left the team without explanation. Stay tuned to DITr for further developments.
After a fairly lengthy absence, there is a new poll on the website. If there is a poll topic you would like to see in the future, let me know.
posted by Todd Nikkel | 2:18 PM
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