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Shiell
Is Somerset's Latest Departure
by Mike Ashmore
June 29, 2006 - Hunterdon County Democrat
Back in 1995, the Atlanta Braves thought 1,327 players were
better than Jason Shiell. 11 years after they selected him
in the 48th round of the draft, Shiell is headed back to the
Braves organization.
Shiell was signed on Thursday and sent to Triple-A Richmond,
not bad for a guy who hadn't pitched since undergoing Tommy
John surgery after a disastrous Spring Training with the
Boston Red Sox in 2004.
"I knew I was going to come in throwing strikes,"
Shiell said. "All the therapy and all the throwing I
did, I didn't practice throwing balls, everything was over
the plate. The biggest thing for me was not having any pain,
I was just trying to build up this year and try to get back
to where I was before my surgeries."
At the time of his departure, the right-hander was 3-2 with
a 2.92 ERA in 52.1 innings of work, numbers that were
boosted by what would ultimately be his last start in a
Patriots uniform.
Shiell kept the Camden Riversharks scoreless through eight
innings of work on June 19th, scattering six hits in a game
the Patriots ended up losing, 5-4. He may not have picked up
the win, but Patriots pitching coach Brett Jodie thinks
those eight innings were what punched Shiell's ticket out of
Somerset.
"That was the game where he really put it all
together," Jodie said. "He was changing speeds and
he was locating his pitches really well. I think he'll do a
great job for Atlanta."
If Shiell does manage to get called up to the big leagues by
the Braves, he wouldn't be the only Atlantic League alum on
their team. Ken Ray pitched in four games for the Long
Island Ducks in 2002 and now finds himself coming out of the
Braves bullpen on a routine basis.
"This is a good opportunity for me," Shiell said.
"If I had to pick anywhere to go, I think it would be
here. I think I have a good chance to move up within the
organization."
On the phone from the friendly confines of the Richmond
clubhouse, the 29-year-old Georgia native couldn't be
happier about getting another chance to play for his
hometown team.
"It's pretty cool," he said. "I think
everyone in the league is playing for a chance to have what
happened to me happen to them."
For Jason Shiell, Ken Ray can only serve as motivation that
dreams can come true. For the current Patriots, they need to
only look at Shiell's empty locker to see what hard work can
accomplish.
Patriots Notes: The team signed former Braves and
Cubs pitcher Andy Pratt and minor league veteran outfielder
Henri Stanley to fill the hole left by the losses of Hector
Almonte and Mike Lockwood. In his first appearance with the
team on Thursday, Pratt picked up his first Atlantic League
win...The Jared Sandberg era lasted just 12 games, with the
Cleveland Indians signing the infielder to a minor league
contract despite the fact that he was hitting just .206 with
14 strikeouts in 34 at-bats. Sandberg was assigned to
Double-A Akron...Congratulations to George Sandel, who hit
his second professional home run during the Lancaster
series.
Around the Atlantic League: Former Ducks and Nashua
Pride pitcher Paxton Crawford told ESPN The Magazine that he
started taking steroids in 1999, one year before his big
league debut in 2000 and four years before his AL debut in
2003. Takes a big man to admit what he did after retiring
from the game, knowing he can't be punished...Lancaster's
Clipper Magazine Stadium appears to be the likely home for
the 2007 All-Star Game. It's been six years since the
midsummer classic has been in Somerset, and it looks like
the earliest it will return is 2008...Juan Gonzalez and the
Ducks start a three-game Series in Somerset on Friday.
For More Patriots Coverage: patriotsbaseball.com
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