Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 5, 1995 TAG: 9504080019
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK BULLOCK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The bad news is that Doug Million and Jamey Wright are ``the two least experienced'' pitchers in the starting rotation, according to Avalanche pitching coach Billy Champion.
Million was the seventh selection in the June 1994 free agent draft out of Sarasota (Fla.) High School. He turned 20 in January and has pitched only 692/3 innings in professional baseball.
A 6-foot-4 left-hander, Million had a good strikeouts-to-walks ratio last season, fanning 94 and walking just 24.
Wright was chosen 28th overall in the June 1993 draft out of Westmoore High School in Richardson, Texas. A 6-5 right-hander, he gave up 188 hits in 143 innings last season in Asheville, N.C., of the South Atlantic League. Wright also had a high earned run average (5.97). He has not yet turned 20.
``They both have great arms,'' Avalanche manager Bill Hayes said Tuesday before putting the club through its first workout at Salem Municipal Field. ``They just need to learn the game and learn how to pitch.''
Imparting that knowledge will be Champion, a former major-leaguer who earned Colorado's player development man-of-the-year award last season as the pitching coach in New Haven, Conn. The Ravens posted an Eastern League best 3.45 ERA.
``These young men have to use the ability they were given to learn how to pitch,'' Champion said, referring to all of Salem's pitchers.
Hayes said the Avalanche has ``an abundance of pitchers'' and should be particularly strong in the starting rotation.
The roster released Monday also includes six replacement players who were reassigned to Salem after the major-league strike was settled.
``The Rockies showed a lot of class by giving them a chance to play,'' said Hayes, adding that he detected no resentment from any other players toward the replacements who were added to the roster.
Almost all the Avalanche players were in Asheville last season, as was Salem hitting coach Tony Torchia, a veteran of 30 years in pro baseball.
``We think all the guys we moved up here will improve,'' Torchia said. ``A lot of these guys are in their first full year of professional baseball. If you look at the major-leaguers you'll see that not all of them dominated at every level. [These players] have to find their way.''
They'll begin that process Thursday in the season opener at Prince William. The first home game is April 14.
by CNB