7.19.10 BY:MEH TRAVIS WOULD
WHAT WOULD TRAVIS WOOD
DO?
If it weren't for Carlos Ruiz hitting a double to lead off the ninth inning
for the Phillies on July 10, Travis would have had a shot at a perfect game.
Instead, Travis pitched nine innings of one-hit scoreless ball and received
a no-decision as the Reds lost to the Phillies 1-0 in eleven innings. In
fact, the Reds have been defeated 1-0 five times so far this season and it
has happened three times in their last five games (July 10-11 and July 18).
Travis Wood has pitched for the Reds in two of their 1-0 losses.
On Sunday, Wood went scoreless through five innings against the Rockies.
Chris Iannetta scored the game's only run with a two-out solo home run in
the sixth inning off Wood. His day was over after retiring Clint Barnes to
end the sixth and left trailing the Rockies 1-0. During his six inning of
work, Wood allowed just one earned run off three hits and struck out four.
The Reds' bullpen (Masset, Rhodes, Ondrusek, and Bray) did their job as they
hurled three scoreless innings, but the
offense was stale as Wood received his first major league loss in his
four career starts.
Travis Wood was drafted directly out of Bryant High School in Arkansas by
the Cincinnati Reds in the sixtieth round of the 2005 MLB Draft. After
beginning his minor league career in '05 between the GCL Reds and the
Billings Mustangs, Wood went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in eleven starts (14G).
Holding opposing batters to a .166 average, Wood struck out 67 in just 47.2
innings. He would begin 2006 in Dayton.
While playing with the Dragons the entire 2006 season, Wood put up very
impressive numbers. In his 27 starts, Wood compiled a 10-5 record along with
a 3.66 ERA. He struck out 133 batters in 140 innings and held them to a .215
average. During his final four starts of 2006, Wood allowed just two runs in
26 innings while striking out 14.
After two consequential seasons in '05 and '06, Wood suffered setbacks for
most of the '07 and '08 seasons. He spent most of 2007 on the disabled list
(July 10-Sptember 14). Prior to his stint on the DL, Wood struggled while
playing for the Sarasota Reds going 3-2 in 12 starts. While posting a 4.86
ERA, he allowed 49 hits and 27 walks in 46.1 innings. He began the 2008
season back in Sarasota, but only lasted for nine starts (3-4). His 2.70 ERA
and opposing .222 average quickly got him promoted to Double-A Chattanooga
where he once again found conflict. In 17 starts for the Lookouts, Wood went
4-9 with a 7.09 ERA and allowed 91 hits in his 80 innings of work. He began
2009 back in Double-A, but would quickly make his way up the minor league
ladder and into a Reds' uniform.
In 2009, Wood composed the most notable statistics of his young career.
The lefty went 9-3 in his 19 starts for the Mudhens and held hitters to a
.189 average while posting a 1.21 ERA. In 119 innings Wood struck out 103
batters, walked only 37, and allowed just 16 earned runs on 78 hits. He
started his final eight games of 2009 at Louisville after a promotion. In
48.2 innings, Wood went 4-3 and posted 3.14 ERA while striking out 32
batters.
On June 30, 2010 the Cincinnati Reds signed Wood to a one-year $400,000
contract. Wood was one of the last players cut from the Reds' roster
entering the 2010 season as
he
battled Mike "Godzilla" Leake for the final spot in the starting
rotation. Leake (1-0, 3.00 ERA) beat out Wood (1-1, 3.50) during spring
training, but Travis would find himself in the majors soon enough after
going 5-6 (98IP, 83H, 34ER, 97K) in 15 starts for the Bats in 2010.
Travis Wood was called up from Triple-A Louisville to the Cincinnati Reds on
June 30, 2010. Replacing Danny Ray Herrera on the Reds' roster, Wood made
his major league debut on July 1 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Wood pitched seven innings of two-hit ball during the Reds 3-2 victory over
the Cubs, but received the first of three no-decisions during his first
three major league starts.
Aside from Wood's second career start against the Mets (which was on three
days rest due to Aaron Harang back problems that led to his current stint on
the disabled list), he has pitched brilliantly. In 26.2 innings pitched,
Wood has allowed only six earned runs on twelve hits and has struck out 23
batters while walking just nine. Half of his total hits and earned runs were
from his start in New York (4.2IP, 3ER, 6H). That day, he deserved to lose.
His no-decision debut in which the Reds won with Jordan Smith receiving the
win, was understandable. But his last two starts demand victory. During his
no-hit flirtation in Philadelphia on July 10, and his six innings of
three-hit ball against Colorado on Sunday, Wood pitched fifteen innings and
allowed just one run on four hits. He struck out fourteen batters while only
walking four, but the Reds' offense came up empty for the rookie
left-hander. The Reds were shutout during both attempts and Travis Wood
(0-1, 2.03) remains winless. Inexcusable.
The Reds will begin a four game series against the Washington Nationals
(40-52) on Monday. The last-place Nationals will bring Stephen Strasburg
(4-2, 2.03) to the table on Wednesday against Bronson Arroyo (10-4, 3.96).
Falling a 1/2 game behind the St. Louis Cardinals after they
swept the Dodgers in a four-game series, the Reds will send Johnny Cueto
(8-2, 3.42) to the mound against Washington's J.D. Martin (1-4, 3.35) Monday
at 7:10pm attempting to reclaim first-place in the NL Central.
