Wooten Joins JetHawks, Bumps Beck to Bullpen

With Greg Wooten joining the pitching staff for the second half of the California League season, the JetHawks will have a problem unusual in baseball today--too much starting pitching.

Wooten, a 6-foot-7 right-hander, had a record of 7-1 with a 2.47 earned-run average for the Class-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. His promotion will force right-hander Chris Beck and his 3.45 ERA back to the bullpen.

“It’s a nice problem,” said Larry Beinfest, the Seattle Mariners’ director of player development. “I think they had a nice pitching staff already and they’ll be boosted even more when Wooten comes.”

Wooten, 22, a third-round draft choice last year, is among four Wisconsin players who will be joining the JetHawks for the second half, which starts tonight with a 7:15 game at Rancho Cucamonga.

The arrival of Wooten and outfielder Scott Smith will be delayed because they were picked to play in the Midwest League all-star game, which was rescheduled from Tuesday to tonight because of rain.

Outfielder Doug Carroll and second baseman Chris Dean are expected to join the JetHawks today.

Smith, 24, was batting .329 with 10 home runs and 48 runs batted in for Wisconsin.

Carroll, 23, has played most of this season in the Cal League with the co-op Bakersfield Blaze. He was batting .289 with seven homers and 39 RBIs with the Blaze before recently moving to Wisconsin.

Dean, 22, was batting .271 for the Timber Rattlers.