Detwiler solid in debut but ’pen awful in loss
He was the sixth overall pick by the Nationals in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft, a key prospect for a club determined to develop its star players through the farm system.
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So far, the results have been mixed — for Washington’s minor-league system overall and for starting pitcher Ross Detwiler in particular.
The 23-year-old left-hander made his first big-league start at Nationals Park on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Detwiler worked five innings in his debut, allowing four hits, two earned runs and walking none in a game the Nats eventually lost, 12-7.
The top choice in a 2007 Washington draft class rated the sport’s best by Baseball America, Detwiler pitched in nine minor-league games that summer and made his big-league debut — one scoreless relief inning. But Detwiler struggled with his command for much of his first full pro season in 2008, averaging over 4.1 walks-per-game in 26 starts for Single-A Potomac.
A player some in the organization expected to rise quickly to the majors wasn’t quite a sure thing anymore. He was passed on the Baseball America prospect chart by 2007 second-round pick Jordan Zimmermann and completely overshadowed by a pitcher not even in the organization yet — San Diego State right-handed phenom Stephen Strasburg, expected to be chosen No. 1 overall by the Nats in next month’s draft.
“There are some guys that come out of college that, obviously, are closer to the big leagues than [others],” said Nats manager Manny Acta prior to Monday’s game. “We had a very limited view of him to make an assessment [based] on what he did up here. But we knew that it was going to take a few years.”
Detwiler came on strong at the end of last season, pitching well for Potomac in the Carolina League playoffs. That trend has continued at Double-A Harrisburg. Through six starts he posted an ERA of 2.96 and — most importantly — walked just 10 batters. That made him the choice — at least for one spot start — to take over for Scott Olsen, put on the disabled list Monday with shoulder stiffness.
“Let’s not forget he’s only 23 years old and he’s healthy and he’s got the stuff,” Acta said. “So by no means is it the end of the world if this guy is not ready to contribute up here right now.”
