Randy Wells For Rookie Of The Year

Harry Pavlidis takes a look at Wells in ways few others could. Wells got off to a fast start, pitching at least through the fifth inning without giving up more than three runs in each of his first six starts. I found his plight quite interesting. After those six starts, Wells was among an elite group of pitchers—Bill Laskey, Cal Eldred and Chuck Smith—who suffered from a severe lack of run and/or bullpen support upon joining a major league rotation for the first time. Start number seven broke his five inning/three run streak, thanks to the Minnesota Twins, but Wells has lost only one decision since. As a matter of fact, that loss to the Twins started a run of 10 straight starts in which Wells figured into the decision. Despite an 0-3 start, Wells now finds himself at 8-4. Much of the rest of it is Pitch F/X stuff. The only pitch Wells throws that gets hit around is the sinker to lefties. Other than that, every pitch is better than average in run value.