Updated at 6:18 p.m.
CINCINNATI -- Luis Atilano, who hasn't produced a quality start in nearly a month, is "unlikely" to make his next scheduled start due to an arm issue according to manager Jim Riggleman.
Riggleman said the rookie right-hander, who allowed five runs in four innings last night, appears to be dealing with some kind of discomfort. It's not known whether it's from an injury or a "dead arm;" Atilano hasn't undergone an MRI at this point.
"After the game last night, [pitching coach] Steve McCatty said he just felt that Atilano was not feeling well," Riggleman said. "His arm was tender, and this and that. Whether or not he makes his next start will be after further conversation with him and watching him throw out here today, to see if he's firing the ball around or if he says 'my arm is dead' or if he's just got a tired arm."
Riggleman said Atilano will throw his regular between-starts bullpen session tomorrow, after which the club will make a decision. Atilano is slated to pitch Sunday in Milwaukee. If he can't go, the Nationals would have to find a starter in the minors. Ross Detwiler, the strongest candidate for a promotion, probably wouldn't be available because he tossed seven shutout innings today for Class AA Harrisburg and would have to come back on short rest.
Matt Chico, who pitched last night for Class AAA Syracuse and would line up perfectly to start on Sunday, hasn't allowed a run in his last two starts. John Lannan last pitched Saturday for Harrisburg; in five overall starts, he's 1-2 with a 4.11 ERA.
Atilano, meanwhile, has been in a prolonged funk. Over his last four starts -- including one appearance at Syracuse during the All-Star break -- he's allowed 19 earned runs and 24 hits in 15 1/3 innings.
"His last one or two before he went to Syracuse were not as sharp as he had been," Riggleman said. "His outing in Syracuse wasn't sharp. And then yesterday he wasn't sharp. So we've got to be open to anything."
15 comments:
Matt Chico can be held out of his scheduled start Friday and go Sunday.
He's tough and experienced.
And if he does well and JD gets blown up again then Detwiler can join the staff and and we can have 2 lefties until the remaining reinforcements show up.
I have more faith in Chico and Detwiler than I do in Atilano or Martin.
Atilano's arm issue: it sucks.
LOL NatsJack in Florida is right on with that comment. Both Atilano and Martin suck.
I will say this for our management: they are better at coming up with "injuries" than the Padres.
I have more faith in Chico and Detwiler than I do in Atilano or Martin.
Look at Martin's compendium and stats in Syracuse and compare to Detwiler and Chico. They both really look bad ...
If you don't like Martin they are more than likely going to be a lot worst given the comparison.
ooh...dead arm...does zombie arm come next? I'll bet Atilano would pitch better with "zombie arm"
How about giving Martis a start? Comeback for Lannan??
My money is still on Chico for Sunday. And nothing can be "worst" than the past 2 performances of Atilano and Martin.
Atilano and Martin have no business pitching at the major league level. They can blame their problems on tired arms or anything else but their real problem is lack of talent.
... I don't know for sure, but it seems as though the Nats call up the 'arm issue' line an awful lot, rather than just coming right out and saying, "the guy's not good and we made a mistake". If they keep falling back on the medical excuse, it'll eventually come back to haunt them in the ...
Go Nats!
I believe that it's actually a term of science, Bonnie Jo, and also not a particularly funny condition for a pitcher who is experiencing it, I would think.
Instead of double quoting "unlikely", "arm issue" should have gotten the double quotes, followed by a "wink, wink" :-)
Arm issues, and Riggs' brain issues---when does it become something else?
Isn't a dead arm supposed to be beneficial to a sinker ball pitcher? Seems like this is Rigs and the gang blaming something other than we started a less than average talent.
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