Not being claimed by a single big-league team after being placed on waivers can be a downer for any ballplayer.
In Turk Wendell’s case, this experience, plus manager Jim Riggleman’s telling him to abandon his “flaky” behavior, could have contributed to his sparkling 0.71 earned-run average so far this season.
“We knew Turk could pitch, and we probably made a mistake putting him on waivers,” Riggleman said Friday. “Turk was a little offended when none of 27 clubs claimed him. I asked him if he knew why. I told him, `Other teams may recognize you for the other stuff, not for your ability.’ “
Riggleman called for Wendell to end most of his oddball behavior, he said, because “it’s a matter of where does it stop? In the long run, it can have a negative effect on the club.”
Wendell had a big-league career ERA of 5.83 going into this season. Thus far in 1996, he has yielded only one earned run in 12 2/3 innings and has limited opposing batters to a .159 average.
Off the field: Wendell and outfielder Scott Bullett will conduct a baseball clinic at 6 p.m. Saturday at Kennedy-King Middle School in Gary. On Monday, pitcher Jaime Navarro and infielder Jose Hernandez will visit 4th- and 5th-grade bilingual students at Avondale Elementary School in Chicago.
Down on the farm: Pitcher Larry Casian accepted outright assignment to Triple-A Iowa. . . . Rehabbing reliever Duane Ward permitted one run in one inning and took the loss as Class A Daytona lost 3-1 to Port Charlotte. Florida State League strikeout leader Kerry Wood fanned seven in six innings.
“In Ward’s last couple of outings,” said Riggleman, “he has thrown a slightly above average fastball.”
Elsewhere: Third baseman Keith Kessinger had three hits and two RBIs as Triple-A Iowa (8-4) defeated New Orleans 8-7. . . . Double-A Orlando lost 7-5 to Huntsville, but third baseman Kevin Orie, batting .408, extended his hitting streak to 13 games.