April 3, 2003
This is another "B" Line column, a periodic 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
Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane, also the chairman of the Baylor University Board of Regents, admits that he had strained loyalties on Tuesday night. His emotional bind was caused by former Baylor pitching ace Jason Jennings taking the mound for the Colorado Rockies against the Astros at Minute Maid Park in the season opener for both clubs.
Naturally McLane wanted his own troops to win in front of a capacity crowd, but he wanted it to happen the way he had scripted it in his mind.
"I wanted Jason to stick around for about five innings, leave the game while it was still scoreless and then our team would rally and win," McLane said following the game.
Instead, Jennings, the National League's Rookie of the Year in 2002, allowed eight earned runs on nine hits in four innings as the Astros won, 10-4.
According to the official major leagues website (www.mlb.com), Jennings had only allowed that many runs once before, in a 9-1 Colorado loss to the San Francisco Giants last Aug. 28. And the three home runs the Astros collected off him tied a career high that had occurred two other times.
Jennings told MLB writer Thomas Harding that the two-strike single by Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt caused him more grief than any of the homers he gave up - one by Jeff Kent and two by Jeff Bagwell.
"Looking back, that was probably the worst pitch all night . . . to hang a slider to their pitcher," said Jennings.
No. 1 for the Rockies . . .
Regardless of the outcome, the game marked another milestone in the 24-year-old pitcher's career as he was established as the current No. 1 pitcher in the Rockies' rotation. Rockies manager Clint Hurdle told the press after the game that the only worry he had relating to Jennings' performance was "Jason taking it to heart."
"It's always hard to watch a kid that comes in after he finished his outing feeling like he let the club down, but we know he'll be back," Hurdle said.
McLane said the Astros have always liked Jennings.
"We watched him in high school (Poteet HS in Mesquite, Texas) and throughout his Baylor career," McLane said. "We would have drafted him, but Colorado beat us to the punch."
McLane said his scouts liked Jennings both as a pitcher and as a position player. With a lifetime major league batting average of .295, Jennings was allowed to bat for himself in the top of the fifth inning, thereby saving a Colorado pinch hitter for later in the contest.
The game was Jennings' first appearance against the Astros and a number of Baylor fans in attendance gave him a huge hand when he was introduced.
ALL'S WELL FOR WELLS - Kip Wells, the other former Baylor pitching star in the majors, came away with a no-decision in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 7-4 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday night. In fact, Wells avoided the loss when his Pirate teammates scored four runs in the eighth inning. Wells, the No. 2 starter in the Pittsburgh rotation, pitched six innings, giving up four runs and eight hits . . . There is still time for former BU football lettermen to sign up for the Green & Gold activities in Waco on the weekend of April 11-12. Fishing, golfing and plenty of eating is in store for all prior to the 1 p.m. Saturday Green & Gold scrimmage that will end the Bears' spring football practice. Among those who have RSVP'ed positively are J.R. Closs, John Malone, F.A. Dry, David (Bubba) Hicks, Art Beall, Harry Beavers, Ronnie Rogers, Lewis Sessums, Derek Draper, Greg Pipes, Charles Smith, Robert Anderson, Clark Hood, Stacey Mathis, James Maples, Bill Sutton, Ronnie Goodwin, Dennis Gentry, Wade Turner, John Goodner, Mark Cochran, Steve Swinney, Ken Cooper, Tom Turnipseede, Don Ryden, Keith Jones, Jeff Watson, Todd Crawford, Matt Scales, Dan Maddox, Tom Schaffner, Greg Anderson, Brian Hand, Grey Stogner, Terry Newman, Ricky Rand, Danny Fletcher, Brad Domel, Dean Jackson, Jeff Watson, Mike Welch, Joe Cudd, Pat Sisk, Carroll Overton, Richard Clark and Adam Arroyo. For more information or to make reservations contact the "B" Association office at 254-710-3045 . . .
JACK LOFTIS
CHAIRMAN
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
