Josh Whitesell will be quite happy if he never steps inside Aces Ballpark again.
No offense. He loved the field. He loved the fans. He loved the organization. But he hopes that his Triple-A days are behind him forever. He’s 27-years-old — a bit long in the tooth for a rookie — and has pronounced himself ready to be a full-time big league player.
As of late July, he was. In fact, Arizona Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch had named Whitesell the starting first baseman. It remained to be seen if the move was permanent. Whitesell had been promoted from Reno to start on two other occasions this season, but playing time proved to be limited.
If he takes the job and runs with it, he will likely never play in Reno again. And that would please him only because it means he has secured a full-time position in the majors. The North Carolina native has only fond memories of his time in Reno.
“The city was very accepting of us,” he says. “The fan support it terms of attendance and involvement was outstanding. To have that kind of support was great for the players and the city and the team.”
The power-hitting Whitesell has never struggled to produce in the minor leagues. His performance with the Aces was certainly no exception. After batting .328 with 26 home runs and 110 RBI at Triple-A Tucson in 2008, he batted .313 with seven home runs and 45 RBI in just 218 at-bats between recalls to Arizona this season.
The decreased power numbers were affected by the vast expanses of Aces Ballpark. Whitesell admits he was taken aback by the distances required to slam a ball out in the alleys.
“When we first saw the ballpark, everyone was excited because it was all so shiny and clean,” he recalls. “But when I looked at it I said, ‘Wow, this place is big!’ It’s 424 feet to right-center and 410 to left-center and I didn’t see the elevation being a big factor at first. But once the weather warmed up, the ball started carrying better.”
Whitesell has yet to display the power he showed throughout his minor league career through 2008. But he has also not received consistent playing time with the Diamondbacks. Through July 23, he managed just 15 hits in 86 at-bats with no home runs and 11 RBI. Seven of those 15 hits, however, have been doubles.
Most hitters require an opportunity to play every day to find a rhythm and maximize their hitting potential. Whitesell recognized that fact, but refuses to use it as an excuse.
“In the minor leagues, I’d always been an every day player who got consistent at-bats,” he explains. “I never had to look at the lineup card because I knew I was going to be in there. Now I’m not sure when I’m going to be playing, but I try to stay on top of my game. I try to be prepared as I can.”
“Hopefully I’ll get more at-bats. It’s tough, but it’s just something you have to deal with. You have to deal with that pressure. It’s not something other guys are unaccustomed to. There are a lot of guys who don’t get consistent at-bats right away.”
And when Whitesell does get a shot in the batter’s box, he’s most often facing a far superior pitcher than he battled in the minors. Though he hasn’t seen enough major league pitching to analyze the differences in depth, he certainly knows a better pitcher when he sees one.
“There isn’t a large sample size for me, but you can see that pitchers up here have more on the ball,” he says. “The pitches have more snap to them and pitchers are more consistent in terms of their command and location. But in this game, you need to be able to make adjustments at the plate. You need to adjust game to game, at-bat to at-bat and swing to swing.”
That’s not easy to do when one poor stretch of play could result in another trip to Reno. And once a power-hitting first baseman is labeled a career minor-leaguer, major league organizations often hesitate to provide more chances.
The Diamondbacks hold a team option on Whitesell through the 2010 season. If it’s not picked up, he can become a free agent after this year. How he performs at the plate and in the field, where he has been error-prone throughout his minor-league career, will determine his fate.
“Sure, there’s a sense of urgency,” he admits. “But there’s a sense of urgency for everyone. There are only so many opportunities given out. It’s all performance based. That’s what it all comes down to.”
Indeed, that’s what will determine whether or not he ends up back in a city and ballpark he loves, but is trying desperately to avoid.
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