I didn't see that coming. Well, I did, kind of. We mentioned on Saturday about sending Wright down to get himself worked out. Which is exactly what happened.
So it looks like, at least for this turn in the rotation, Backe will pitch out of the bullpen, and Paulino's job is safe - for now.
Says Backe:
“Wherever it is, bullpen or starter, it doesn’t matter. I think my teammates know that more than anything”
Says Wright:
"You can kind of see the writing on the wall. I was kind of the last guy on the totem pole in the bullpen. I've been around enough, not at this level, but enough to know what the next move is. It's always disappointing, but I've got to do whatever I can to get back. That's the main focus right now."
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And Oswalt offered up a glimpse of what took place after getting a chopper to the fingers, and sorta vindicates his bosses...
“(Pitching coach) Dewey (Robinson) came up and said, ‘How you feel?’ I said, ‘It’s kind of numb right now. Let me wait until the sting comes out to decide.’ I went down in the tunnel and threw some balls. I felt like I could go back out there. I told them I wanted to go back out there. It ain’t like they sent me back out there and my arm was hurting. ... I was trying to get through some innings because I knew the bullpen’s been used.”
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We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
