Dan Wright will make his third major-league start Saturday night against the Mariners, but his future in the rotation isn’t set in stone.
When Wright was called up from Double-A Birmingham, general manager Ken Williams said the Sox might use him as a closer one day down the road.
Whether Williams was simply sending a message to current closer Keith Foulke, who is seeking a lucrative two-year extension, is unknown. But the Sox brass does believe that Wright has the makeup and the fastball to become a premier stopper.
“When I first signed I heard maybe that was an option,” said Wright, who went to Arkansas. “But recently I haven’t heard much about it. … As a starter, closer, [middle] reliever–any way doesn’t matter to me. I have some experience at [being a closer] in college. It’s a little different mental approach, but either one is fine.”
For now, the Sox like Wright in his starting role. He’s coming off a memorable outing against Tampa Bay in which he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning but walked seven batters. Wright didn’t have control problems in the minors, so his “Wild Thing” imitation may be somewhat of an aberration.
“I think so,” Wright said. “I walked three guys in the first inning and it was kind of a weird deal. After that I felt like I had decent control. I still walked a few guys after that, but if you eliminate the first inning, I was all right.”
Wright has won both of his starts after going only 7-7 at Birmingham despite a 2.82 earned-run average. But he’s still learning on the job and realizes there’s a lot to improve on.
“It’s not easy,” he said. “Things have gone my way. That’s the way I see it. The first time I pitched we scored quite a few runs, caught some breaks and great defensive plays. Things just worked out.”
Experiment ends: The experiment began in spring training, when the Sox tried to make a center fielder out of shortstop Jose Valentin. He was the team’s Opening Day center fielder, but Valentin’s recurring leg injuries have prevented him from playing there since July 6.
Friday, manager Jerry Manuel said Valentin would play center only in an emergency.
“Rowand has shown he can play center field,” Manuel said.
So where does that leave Valentin next year? Top prospect Joe Crede should be ready to play third base by then, and shortstop Royce Clayton is signed through 2002.
“Kenny [Williams] could be wheeling and dealing,” Manuel said.
Clayton can demand a trade after the season, because he was acquired in the middle of a multiyear deal. The Sox like the way he has rebounded at the plate and are likely to keep him if he wants to stay. Valentin is signed through 2003, and the Sox need to find a spot for him or risk having a $5 million player spending time on the bench.
Robo-Pop: Rowand, who is sometimes referred to as “RoboCop,” became a father Thursday when his wife gave birth to a girl. Rowand is expected to return to the team either Saturday or Sunday in Seattle.
Sox files: Charlotte left-hander Onan Masaoka, acquired from the Dodgers in the James Baldwin deal, has a 10.50 ERA in his first five appearances for the Knights. … In five starts for Advanced-Rookie Bristol, first-round draft pick Kris Honel is 1-3 with a 3.00 ERA.
