At the Wingnuts Wire, over that last part of the season we have affectionately referred to the Wichita baseball team as “Wingnuts University.” Because of the impressive way that they dominate teams, the methodical way they go about winning, and the near academic way that they demonstrate how the game of baseball should be played, they are the model of how the great American past-time should be played. They demonstrate how a baseball team is mean to produce on the field each night, and thus put on clinics or “lessons” every night to opponents on how a winner keeps winning.

One of the primary ways they have done so has been through the amazing “faculty” on their pitching staff. They have the two leading winners in the league starting for them, the most dominant closer, a lights out lefty setup guy, and as much depth as any pitching staff could ask for. At least that is where they were about 10 days ago. Things have changed quite a bit since then, and the American Association’s most dominant team is forced to teach a whole new lesson – what to do when your pitching staff faces some crucial losses.

It should be noted up front that some of the losses have been completely understandable. When you have a group of pitchers having absolutely outstanding seasons, someone is going to take notice, particularly a Major League organization, and that is what has happened in two cases. Nearly two weeks ago “Doctor” Matt Nevarez was the Wingnuts closer, slamming the door on opponents virtually every night he pitched. Now he is in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, helping to close out games with the Altoona Curve. Starter and staff Professor Jon Link was leading the AA in both wins and strikeouts, and was ready to take the hill last night for Wichita when the Miami Marlins came calling on him. He now moves to the Jacksonville Suns and will begin his pathway to the big leagues tomorrow against Knoxville.

Both of these young men were having dominant seasons, and it made perfect sense that some organization would seek their services to bolster their organizational staffs, but not all the moves have come about this way. Alex HInshaw took over for Nevarez as the closer, but after an injury to Circle K star Jake Kahaulelio, he was dealt to Grand Prairie for standout second baseman Abel Nieves. The Wingnuts wanted some depth off their bench and felt that the return of Jared McDonald was the answer for them. To acquire the utility player, the Wingnuts sent seven-game winner Justin Klipp to St. Paul.

In the span of less than two weeks, four key members of the team’s “faculty” were gone, and there was no clear heir apparent to take their place. At a time when an organization should be figuring out how they are going to set up their rotation for the playoffs, the Wingnuts were instead putting in their pitching coach to make his first start in ten years, and trying to figure out who would be closing out games for them. Time to panic? Not a chance, after all keeping cool is one of the primary lessons at Wingnuts U.

The team openly admitted after the Hinshaw deal that they did not have an answer to who would be closing out games. Mike Zouzalik and Daniel Bennett have been awesome out of the pen, but the team loves them in the setup role, and a moving of one of them out of that role to become the closer would only weaken the team in another place. The team had even looked at moving Link to the role before he signed with Miami. The solution had to come from outside of the rotation and that is where GM Josh Robertson turned. At the trade deadline, the Wingnuts brought in Dan Sattler to close out games for them in a move that brings a new “Doctor” of relief to the Wingnuts.

The former Minnesota Twins player is the perfect solution for Wichita. At Wingnuts U it isn’t enough to just get the job done. This team teaches that when their closer comes into the game, he doesn’t just get the job done; he blows his opponents away. Nevarez had a 1.58 ERA and 42 Ks in 34 innings. As the closer Hinshaw made two appearances, had two saves and struck out four in two innings of work. That is what the team expects from the closer. Sattler is that kind of guy, and maybe even more.

The big right-hander is 3-4 with 19 saves and has a very impressive 1.80 ERA. He has shown a little trouble with his command, walking 30 in 40 innings pitched, but he has also struck out 56 batters and only given up 23 hits. He has the kind of stuff that is electric and can shut the door in the faces of opponents each night he appears.

While the bullpen situation is resolved, the starting rotation has two big question marks to it now. While the organization has some alternatives to Klipp, it is hard to replace an 11-game winner like Link, who leads the league with 100 strikeouts and has an impressive 3.26 ERA. Replacing the two will have challenges, but this is a team with a “faculty” that has lots of depth and options to fill the void.

Ace Jason Van Skike was struggling, but he has looked awesome in his last two outings, both wins. Tim Brown has really stepped up his game, allowing just two total runs in his last two starts, both wins. He has proven that he can step into the No. 2 spot without difficulty. Anthony Capra returned from the DL, and despite getting hit hard in his last start against Lincoln, he dominated Grand Prairie in his previous appearance with seven shutout innings. Frank Del Valle struggled in his last start, but allowed just four earned runs in his previous three starts. He is 0-1 on the season in five starts, but his 3.64 ERA has earned him a lot better record than he has received.

The rotation is actually a lot deeper than most probably thought, and thus the work of Robertson to fill gaps and keep the team stocked has paid off. Robertson even added relievers, Chase Johnson and Chris Peacock, to add more depth to the staff. Johnson is a big 6-5, 245 pound right-hander who has pitched for Fargo-Moorhead, Amarillo, Winnipeg and Grand Prairie, but most recently for the Fort Worth Cats of the United League, where he had nine saves and a microscopic 0.59 ERA in 30.1 innings pitched. Peacock also comes from the United League, where he was pitching for Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings. For Rio Grande Valley he was 5-2 with a 2.27 ERA in 35.2 innings pitched.

The reality is that the Wingnuts may not have the same dominance in their starting rotation that they had two weeks ago, but it is not a significant drop-off. In addition, they have added some depth to their bullpen, meaning they can cover seven or eight innings in a game if needed. They are now that deep and it is with quality arms.

It is true that Wingnuts U has undergone some changes to its faculty over the last two weeks’ time, but all it has really done is make them adjust their lesson plans. The team has the speed and power to outslug any team in the league, but they also understand that the playoffs are about pitching. While the losses of these four mainstays of the staff have had an effect, it has not diminished this team in anyway. After all, to allow anything to stand in the way of this team’s march to the championship is a lesson the Wingnuts are simply not prepared to teach.

By Robert Pannier
Senior Baseball Editor
Member of the IBWAA