The `B' Line . . . October 1, 2003
10/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 1, 2003
This is another "B" Line column, a collection of news items of particular interest to members of the Baylor "B" Association. Contribute news about you or your teammates via e-mail to Lee Harrington (leenelaine@281.com), Dutch Schroeder (Dutch_Schroeder@baylor.edu), Reba Cooper (Reba_Cooper@baylor.edu) or Jack Loftis (Jack.Loftis@chron.com). The mailing address is Baylor "B" Association, P. O. Box 8120, Waco, TX 76714.
With their 2003 seasons over, Jason Jennings and Kip Wells, the only Baylor exes now playing in Major League Baseball, stand good chances of being 2004 opening-day pitchers since both did very well this year on teams that were second-rate at best.
Jennings won 12 and lost 13 for the Colorado Rockies while Wells was 10-9 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Rockies had a 74-88 record, finishing in fourth place in the National League West Division, 26 1/2 games behind San Francisco. Pittsburgh went 75-87 and finished fourth in the National League Central Division, 13 games behind the Chicago Cubs.
Both of the pitchers made big news in their respective cities in late September. Jennings' season was cut short when he was hospitalized with a virus, missing one and possibly two starts. Wells had his best game of the season on Sept. 11 when he took a perfect game into the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds. With two outs, the right-hander gave up a single to Scott Randall, a rookie relief pitcher who was making his first major-league plate appearance.
Although Wells lost his bid for a perfect game, he was credited with his ninth win and a 7-0 shutout. His 10th victory came on the final day of the season when Wells and his fellow Pirates beat Central Division champion Chicago, 3-2.
While Jennings' statistics fell short of those in 2002 - when he had a 16-8 mark and earned National League Rookie of the Year honors - he was among three Colorado pitchers to record double-digit victories for the year. The team had a winning record at easy-come, easy-go Coors Field, but went 25-56 on the road, worst in the National League.
Exercised caution . . .
Jennings was pulled from the lineup after developing a high fever and becoming dehydrated prior to Denver's Sept. 19 game with San Diego. The scratch was Jennings' first after making 71 scheduled starts since joining the Rockies at the end of the 2001 season. He did not pitch again this season.
Rockies team physician Dr. Allen Schreiber suggested that Jennings enter a hospital because he was concerned about others being infected by the virus, especially Jennings' wife Kelly, who is due to have the couple's second child later this month.
Wells went 5-2 in his final seven starts, with a 1.50 ERA. For the full season he had an excellent 3.28 ERA and tied teammates Josh Fogg and Jeff Suppan for most club wins.
Ed Eaglem, who covers Pittsburgh for the Major League Baseball website (www.MLB.com), is optimistic about Wells' future. Explaining that Wells came to the Pirates as a hard thrower with good stuff in 2002 (12-14, 3.58 ERA), "he has developed into a staff ace with the potential to become one of the top pitchers in the National League."
Gene J. Puskar of the Associated Press said Wells' maturity on the mound has impressed the Pirates' coaching staff. "He understands what he needs to do to be successful, and that's the biggest improvement that he has made this year," said Pirates pitching coach Spin Williams. "He understands that he doesn't need to throw every pitch as hard as he can. He's turning into a pitcher."
Jennings played for Baylor during the 1997-98-99 seasons, earning practically every collegiate award before signing with the Rockies. Wells signed with the Chicago White Sox after a BU career that spanned 1996-97-98. Both Jennings and Wells were All-Americans and first-round draft picks.
THE NAME GAME - Whoops! Last column we had former Baylor All-American Roger Goree scheduled to receive Legacy honors at the Baylor-Colorado game. However, he was saluted when the Bears hosted Sam Houston State on Sept. 27. Former BU quarterback Cody Carlson will be featured at the Colorado game and Lawrence Elkins, one of the Bears' all-time great receivers, will be the honoree at the Texas game on Oct. 25 . . . Former teacher-coach Charles Qualls, 73, died in Hide-a-Way, Texas, on Aug. 21. Well known on the Baylor campus and other areas of the state, he was a former president of the Texas High School Coaches Association and a member of the THSCA's Hall of Honor. Qualls also was a member of the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was preceded in death by his brother Buckley, who lettered in football for Baylor in the late 1940s . . . Mike Huggins, a 2000-01-02 BU baseball letterman now playing in the Baltimore Oriole system, was honored prior to a Baltimore home game on Sept. 20. He received the Elrod Hendricks Community Service Award, named for the former Orioles catcher. While at Baylor, Huggins was a three-year starter at first base. After leading the 2002 Bears in runs batted in and home runs and being named All-Conference, he signed with the Orioles. Trivia Note: Huggins holds Baylor's All-time Career Putout record with 1,498 . . .
(The "B" Line column is written by Jack Loftis, editor emeritus of The Houston Chronicle and chairman of the Baylor "B" Association Communications Committee.)
