LITTLE ROCK — Matt Shoemaker could have taken a couple of events that occurred over the last five days in a negative light.
Last Thursday, Shoemaker arrived at Class AA Arkansas after spending the first three weeks of his fourth professional season at Class AAA Salt Lake, a demotion that could serve as a blow to the confidence of a player who had began a rapid ascent through the Los Angeles Angels’ organization.
Then, Shoemaker’s first start with the Travelers was twice pushed back because of rain.
He was scheduled to start Sunday’s game against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals before it was called, and arrived at Dickey-Stephens Park on Monday morning only to watch a light sprinkle that never stopped.
About 30 minutes before Monday’s 11 a.m. start, the Travs’ seventh postponement of the season was made official. The Travs and the Naturals will make up Monday’s game during a June 10 doubleheader that starts at 6 p.m.
But like his relocation last week, Shoemaker on Monday shrugged off the latest delay to his start with the Travs.
“You definitely want to get out there and get going,” he said. “[But] there’s nothing you can do about the weather. Just be ready to pitch.”
Shoemaker, a 24-year-old right-hander, signed with the Angels as a nondrafted free agent in 2008 after a collegiate career at Eastern Michigan, and spent the rest of that season with the Angel’s Rookie League team in Arizona.
He went 5-1 with a 3.33 ERA in eight starts at Class A Cedar Rapids and Rancho Cucamonga in 2009.
Shoemaker made the jump to Class AAA after starting the 2010 season 7-8 with a 4.93 ERA at Rancho Cucamonga. At Salt Lake, Shoemaker appeared in three games and made two starts for the Bees, going 2-1 with a 5.87 ERA.
Arkansas Manager Bill Mosiello, who managed Shoemaker two years ago in Cedar Rapids, said his swift jump to Salt Lake is evidence of his “respect in the organization” and that Shoemaker’s early-season struggles haven’t skewed his reputation as a pitcher with good control.
“He’s exceeded a lot of people’s expectations,” Mosiello said. “Just the fact that he started the season in AAA is a tribute to him and all the work he’s done. ... It’s whatever you make of it. He was surprised to go to AAA as it was.”
His last start with the Bees came April 26 against Tacoma, when he gave up 5 runs on 8 hits in 6 2/3 innings. Five days earlier, he gave up 7 runs on 7 hits in 4 2/3 against Las Vegas, and five days before that he gave up 5 runs on 8 hits in 4 innings against Tucson.
Shoemaker was sent to Arkansas two days after his loss to Tacoma, as he left Salt Lake 0-2 with an 8.14 ERA.
Mosiello said Shoemaker was scheduled to spend part of 2011 with the Travs, anyway, so Arkansas’ first-year manager said he isn’t sure if the bumpystart had much to do with his demotion.
“Obviously, if he would have thrown two no-hitters he probably wouldn’t have,” Mosiello said. “But even if he had thrown really well he would have been slated to come here.”
Shoemaker said he is well aware of the adjustments he needs to make, that he needs to stay behind and on top of the ball.
“Mechanical stuff like that,” Shoemaker said. “Really just throwing the ball down in the zone, throwing a lot of good, quality strikes.”
When Shoemaker is at his best, Mosiello called him a “strike thrower,” as evidenced by his 67 strikeouts to just 24 walks in 2009 and his 128 strikeouts to just 47 walks last year.
By contrast, he struck out 12 and walked 12 in his four starts at Salt Lake, something Shoemaker and Mosiello said can be fixed while working with pitching coach Brandon Emanuel and a staff that has been largely successful through the season’s first month.
Heading into tonight’s 7:05 game at Tulsa, Arkansas’ 3.75team ERA is the best in the Texas League.
“I guess you could say [being sent down] is tough,” Shoemaker said. “But, at the same time, you know what you’ve got to do: Go out and pitch and give your team a chance to win.”Travelers at a glance WHAT Arkansas at Tulsa WHEN 7:05 p.m. Central today WHERE Oneok Field, Tulsa RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas, KQSM-FM 92.1 in Northwest Arkansas INTERNET travs.com PITCHERS Travelers: TBD; Drillers: LHP Christian Friedrich (1-2, 7.65) SHORT HOPS The Travelers were rained out for the seventh time this season on Monday. Monday’s game will be made up as part of a doubleheader that will begin at 6 p.m. June 10. The Travelers will also play the Naturals in a June 8 doubleheader at 6 p.m. to make up for Sunday’s rain out.
THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
WEDNESDAY at Tulsa, 11:05 a.m.
THURSDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
FRIDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY at Springfield, 6:07 p.m.
SUNDAY at Springfield, 2:07 p.m.
MONDAY at Springfield, 7:10 P.M.
- Troy Schulte
Sports, Pages 19 on 05/03/2011