Oh, Yes! The Four-Man Rotation Is Alive With Tagert’s American Association Team

The four-man rotation is not dead.  Far from it.

Greg Tagert, who has his defending champion Gary (IN) SouthShore RailCatsatop the American Association’s Central Division, has long been a proponent of having only four starting pitchers, which has to have him respected by old-school baseball people since virtually all of the professional baseball universe has long ago gone to a five-man rotation.

Tagert, who also won two championships and made it to the championship series three other times between 2005-09 when Gary was still in the now-departed Northern League, has steadily stuck to the four-man rotation for the last decade even though he estimates “more than twice as many pitchers turn down coming to Gary” over those who agree because he discusses his plan with them ahead of time.

“I look for similar traits (such as) good mechanics,” says Tagert, who was the winningest manager in Frontier Leaguehistory when he moved to Gary in ’05.  “Most important is guys who are receptive (to the four-man concept).”  The manager says the RailCats are “very structured between starts”, emphasizing a lot of running and some weight training.

The current foursome of Dustin Crenshaw, Stephen Bougher, Morgan Coombsand Stephen Hiscockare a combined 13-10 with earned run averages between 2.63 and 3.92 and they have made 36 of the team’s 38 starts (doubleheaders led to two fill-in starts) for a team that is 22-16 and has the fourth best overall record in the 14-team league.

Tagert admits the American Association’s 22-man roster limit helped the shorter rotation “come to fruition because we like a little extra depth (of 12 position players).”  Many teams go with 11 pitchers and 11 others.  Four of Gary’s six relievers carry rookie status with James Parr, who made an emotional return from the last of three arm surgeries less than 10 days ago, the only veteran (six or more seasons) on the pitching staff.  Parr had reached the major leagues (Atlanta)in ’08-09 before injuries threatened his career.

Can-Am Grad Worked Plate for Lincecum No-No

Onetime Can-Am Leagueumpire Adam Hamaricertainly knows how to celebrate an anniversary.  One year to the day after making his major league umpiring debut in Milwaukee, Hamari called balls and strikes in Tim Lincecum’sno-hitter in San Francisco. Word reached this desk via an email from Can-Am (and American Association) Director of Umpires Kevin Winn, who is always Johnny-on-the-spot as he should be when one of his graduates is involved in something special.

Winn had Hamari in the Can-Am in 2006 when he was fresh out of the Jim Evansumpiring school.

Independent Baseball had one other link in Lincecum’s gem.  Rene Rivera (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League,2010), who has worked his way into regular work catching for San Diego, went 0-for-2 before leaving for a pinch hitter.  “He (Lincecum) threw everything for strikes,” Rivera told MLB.com.   “The split-finger and changeup were good.”

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Could MLB Star Classic Be Next for This Trio?

It is time to start thinking about the major league All-Star Game(July 15, Minneapolis), and it is not a wild notion to say as many as three former Independent Baseball pitchers could be in consideration.  Scott Kazmir (Sugar Land, TX,  Atlantic League)is 9-3, 2.66 with Oakland, defending American League Cy Youngwinner Max Scherzer (Fort Worth, TX, American Association)is 9-3, 3.71 with Detroitand second-year comer Tanner Roark (Southern Illinois, Frontier League)has a 7-4, 2.79 record with Washington.

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are planned during 2014.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com , enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The authorhas 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)