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Wolcott bides time, waits to catch on with another team By GREG STILES Medford's Bobby Wolcott spent the All-Star break like he has much of the 1999 baseball season: watching and waiting. The 25-year-old right-hander began the season pitching at Triple-A Pawtucket, finally got a chance to get into the International League's rotation and earned a promotion to the Boston Red Sox. Once in Boston, however, it was more of the same. After a June 15 call-up, Wolcott appeared in just four games, throwing 6 innings. Then last Friday, he was designated for assignment. That gave Boston seven days to figure out what to do with Wolcott. The Red Sox must trade him or send him back to Pawtucket, exposing him to waivers and perhaps losing Wolcott to another organization. "It wasn't a big deal," says Wolcott, now well-adjusted to the ups and downs of baseball. "I could've declared free agency, but I passed it up. I enjoy it here. I look at it as a good opportunity for a club that could use me. I didn't get much work here." For someone as energetic as Wolcott, that's been a tough adjustment. He was Seattle's second-round selection in the 1992 draft and rapidly progressed through the Mariners' farm system _ perhaps too fast. He was an unlikely hero in Game 1 of the 1995 American League Championship Series and then was thrust into the starting rotation when the Mariners were hit hard by injuries. He struggled in 1996 and 1997, compiling a 12-16 record. He became expendable and was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the expansion draft following the '97 season. Normally, that might have been the perfect solution for a youngster looking to make his mark. But Arizona owner Jerry Colangelo had the money to spend and the Diamondbacks filled their rotation with tested veterans. He wound up battling veteran Jeff Supan for a spot on the roster and proved the odd-man out. "They gave Supan 13 or 14 starts and then I figured they'd give me five to 10 starts. They called me up and gave me two starts and sent me back down." He had another spot start and then three late in the season. "It's tough to pitch under those conditions, I felt it was a little unfair," Wolcott says. "But I realize they didn't have me in their plans. I don't even know who they got when they traded me." For the record, it was Bart Miadich, a young reliever. "It was kind of the same way in Boston," Wolcott says. "They wanted me as an insurance policy." He labored much of the spring in the Pawtucket bullpen before getting a start for the International League ballclub. He was 5-6 with two saves and a 2.94 ERA with Pawtucket. "I finally got an opportunity to start and made the best of it," he says. The Red Sox pitching staff, led by all-star starter Pedro Martinez, has compiled an American League-best 4.01 ERA. "They have a bunch of good pitchers there _ Derek Lowe Bret Saberhagen, John Wasdin and then Pedro and that helps. Those young guys, Brian Rose and Jim Ho Cho have come through and Juan Pena was another rookie doing well until he got a sore arm," says Wolcott. While Wolcott might marvel at Martinez's ability, he says it doesn't necessarily help to study the major league leader in wins. "He knows how to pitch, but all of us do," Wolcott says. "It's just like watching Randy Johnson. How can watching a guy like that help a guy that throws 88 mph? Martinez has phenomenal stuff and he locates it. That's probably one of the strengths he has over Johnson." No matter where he ends up, Wolcott will continue to make his winter home in Arizona. "It's more conducive to baseball with the weather," he says. During his time off, Wolcott is spending time with his wife Kris and 17-month-old son Matthew on Cape Cod. "Every stick he picks up he swings it, imitating batters," Wolcott says of Matthew. "When he throws, he follows through and holds the position like a pitcher." The child appears to be a left-hander, like Wolcott was before using his big brother's glove as a kid. "He was 5 and a I was 3. I didn't have a glove, so I just stuck it on the other hand," Wolcott says of the change. Wolcott still writes with his left hand and wouldn't mind signing a contract with a new club, maybe even the Mariners. "I wouldn't mind going back to Seattle. It would be a lot better now, I've got a lot more innings under my belt," he says. "There are so many factors involved, I can't tell what's going to happen. But something will happen this week." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.