Ryan Sadowski to start Sunday
Posted by Andrew Baggarly on June 27th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
The Giants will purchase the contract of right-hander Ryan Sadowski, who will start Sunday’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. It’ll be Sadowski’s major league debut.
The club will temporarily clear a space on the 25-man roster by placing infielder Rich Aurilia on the bereavement list. Aurilia had planned to leave the club after Sunday’s game to attend services for his father, who died last week. He’ll take leave a day earlier than planned.
Still no word on a corresponding 40-man move. We probably won’t have that until tomorrow.
The Giants had been the last team in the majors to use just five starting pitchers; the Brewers were the only other member of that club before they called up a rookie to start Thursday.
Sadowski replaces Jonathan Sanchez, who apparently didn’t make enough progress to satisfy club officials. Sanchez is in the bullpen as of now. Manager Bruce Bochy said there was some discussion of optioning Sanchez to Triple-A Fresno, but they feel it’d be better to stay with the big club, work on the side with pitching coach Dave Righetti and try to develop command of his slider and split. Sadowski’s stay, and Sanchez’s bullpen assignment, will be for an undetermined length of time, Bochy said.
Sadowski was a curious choice because he hasn’t pitched in the big leagues, he hasn’t been invited to a major league camp and he isn’t considered a prospect. He’s a 26-year-old who has spent six years in the minor leagues after the Giants took him in the 12th round of the 2003 draft out of the University of Florida. He didn’t pitch in 2006 because of an arm injury.
Sadowski had fairly ordinary numbers in 13 starts at Fresno: 5-2 with a 4.11 ERA, 32 walks and 59 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings. But manager Dan Rohn and pitching coach Pat Rice lobbied hard for him.
He throws fastball, slider, changeup.
“It happens with a lot of pitchers,” said Bochy, mentioning former teammate LaMarr Hoyt as an example. “They have to spend more time in the minor leagues, and with the time they spend there, they learn how to pitch. They develop. That’s what we think is happening with Sadowski now.”
Bochy said there was zero talk about promoting one of their top prospects at Double-A Connecticut, Tm Alderson or Madison Bumgarner. Alderson would’ve been rested to start.
Bochy considered pitching Tim Lincecum on regular rest Sunday, but the staff decided he could benefit from the extra day. Lincecum has thrown 9-8-9 innings over his past three starts. He’ll go Monday in St. Louis with an extra day.
