Larimer making a last-ditch playoff run September 14, 1998
By sportswriter Mike Wood
Laporte Herald-Tribune
Last spring, rookie pitchers Bill Sullivan and Otis Winkleman held a lot
of promise. Despite being given every opportunity, they have not lived up
to that promise and were sent back to AAA Fort Morgan this morning.
Otis Winkleman, tired of the puns involving his name after an incident
last month where his baggy pants got caught in the door of the underground
train at Denver International Airport, had no comment for the media.
Sullivan, while clearly disappointed, maintained a positive outlook. "I
know I can compete at this level. I'll be back."
Team manager Don Baylor agreed. "That kid (Sullivan) is a pitcher. We just
brought him up a little too soon, to say nothing of the fact that he was
thrown into a pitcher's worst nightmare, a small park with a large
outfield at a 5,000-foot elevation."
Baylor did not, however, have any comment on rumors that he may be
replaced later this week. This speculation was fueled by the sudden
decision of owner John Dybala's sister, Michelle, to drive to Colorado
this week to look for a job following her graduation from the University
of Rhode Island.
Also sent to Fort Morgan were pitchers John Santry and Bob Bliss, with
veteran outfielder Joe Orsulak. Santry and Bliss were philosophical about
the move. Orsulak, however, was not. "I'm 32 years old, still a good
hitter, still a good outfielder, and I'm sitting on a team where I'm the
fifth outfielder, and now I'm being sent to the minors just because it's
convenient." He had already unburdened himself in Dybala's office, where
he reportedly demanded a trade.
Dybala's office released this statement when asked for a comment: "While
it is true that Joe Orsulak does not get a lot of playing time, well, what
do you expect on a team where your outfield is Brian Giles, Jim Edmonds,
and Orlando Merced, with Lenny Dykstra ready to take over should one of
them be injured? We will, however, attempt to comply with Joe's request
and trade him. We certainly need to do something about our pitching
situation if a deal in that vein could be arranged."
