08 Jan

new face in crowd

With its recent trade for ex-Ole Miss star Bobby Wahl, Milwaukee has added an intriguing piece to what was one of the best bullpens in baseball in 2018. Wahl, 26, was one of three players the Brewers obtained from the New York Mets for Keon Broxton. Wahl was a fifth-round pick by Oakland back in 2013 whose advancement has been stalled by injuries. The right-hander, who once threw 100 mph, has worked just 13 innings (6.92 ERA) in the big leagues the last two seasons. He had a good 2018 campaign in the minors – making the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game before the A’s sent him to New York – and he’ll go to spring camp with the Brewers bidding for a job with a club that went to the NLCS last fall. “(W)e certainly anticipate he’s a person who will contribute for us at the major league level this year,” Milwaukee GM David Stearns told mlb.com. A writer from brewcrewball.com recently offered this assessment: “Wahl’s pure ‘stuff’ screams dominant relief ace, but his middling command … may cause the kind of frustrating inconsistency that holds him back from locking down a late-inning relief role.” Wahl aims to join a Milwaukee staff that includes ex-Mississippi State standout Brandon Woodruff and several Biloxi Shuckers alumni.

02 Aug

call for help

The New York Mets, who seemingly need all kinds of help, have called up Ole Miss product Bobby Wahl from Triple-A Las Vegas. The Mets recently acquired Wahl, a relief pitcher, from Oakland in the Jeurys Familia trade. Wahl was drafted out of UM by the A’s in 2013 and made his big league debut last year, appearing in seven games before an injury curtailed his season (see previous post). He had a 2.27 ERA and 11 saves at Triple-A Nashville this year before the deal and had allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings at Las Vegas. The right-hander, who has hit 100 on the radar gun, has averaged 12 strikeouts per nine innings in his minor league career. The Mets host Atlanta tonight. … Wahl becomes the 26th Mississippian (native or college alum) to appear on a major league roster this season.

05 Jul

waiting in the wings

The Oakland A’s – one of the surprise teams in the majors this season – don’t appear to need bullpen help at the moment; they haven’t lost a game they’ve led after eight innings. But if or when they do need some relief corps reinforcements, former Ole Miss star Bobby Wahl looks ready for the call. Pitching at Triple-A Nashville, the gas-throwing right-hander has nine saves in 10 chances, a 2.65 ERA and a 3-2 record in 30 games, all but one in relief. He has fanned 53 batters in 34 innings. He recently was named to the Pacific Coast League team for the July 11 Triple-A All-Star Game. The 26-year-old Wahl was a fifth-round pick out of Oxford in 2013 and slowly climbed the ladder in the A’s system to reach the big leagues in May of last year. He had a rough debut and then went down with an injury. He wound up having surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. He pitched only 22 2/3 innings all told in 2017. The A’s took Wahl off the 40-man roster in the off-season, but his work this year might be good enough to warrant another shot in the big leagues. … Mississippi State alum Kendall Graveman, the A’s opening day starter the last two years, is also on the Nashville roster but remains on the disabled list with an arm injury. He hasn’t pitched since late May. He was 1-5, 7.60 ERA for Oakland this season.