PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks finalized their pitching
plans the first time through the rotation Monday, with Wade Miley
scheduled to pitch in Milwaukee on Friday and Patrick Corbin to follow
on Saturday.
That was the expected order, but
manager Kirk Gibson said he wanted to make sure Miley recovered well
from a 95-pitch outing Saturday before making it official. Miley missed
an early spring start because of arm fatigue.
“It
kind of sucked,” Miley said of his spring interruption. "I didn’t plan
on missing a start at all. I don’t know if it was from throwing as many
innings as I did last year. There really was never any pain, it just
wasn’t right. I feel fine now.
“Moving forward. A lot
of confidence.”
Miley was 16-11 with a 3.33 ERA in
194 2/3 innings last year and finished second in the NL Rookie of the
Year voting to Bryce Harper, although many feel Miley’s numbers were
better.
The D-backs do not necessarily want their two
left-handers to pitch on successive days this season, but they may keep
the rotation as is, at least through the third week of the season, when
they have a three-game series at Yankee Stadium from April 16-18.
Brandon McCarthy, Miley and Corbin would pitch those
games if the D-backs stay in rotation, and Yankee Stadium is much more
forgiving to left-handers than right-handers because of its short porch
in right field and deep power alley in left-center.
-- Jack Magruder
