Update on Area Players in Baseball

The Major League Baseball season is now in playoffs. Effingham High School graduate Chad Green is still in the picture competing for the New York Yankees who earned a wild card spot in the American League East Division.

But, for several others, the season has ended for a while. Effingham's Nick Gardewine was called up to the Texas Rangers. The Rangers finished fourth in the American League West Division.

Gardewine, a right-handed pitcher, competed with the Frisco RoughRiders and was taken off the seven-day disabled list at the end of May. On August 21, his contract was selected by the Rangers. He was optioned back to the RoughRiders August 25. Then he was recalled by the Rangers September 3 when Adrian Beltre was placed on the disabled list.

During his time up with the Rangers, Gardewine did not have a decision. He appeared in 12 games, throwing in eight total innings. He gave up 10 hits, eight runs, five of those earned. The 24-year-old walked seven and had three strikeouts. He finished with a 5.63 ERA.

Effingham St. Anthony graduate Danny Winkler has battled his way back from not one, but two arm injuries. He missed most of the 2015 season with the Atlanta Braves while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Then during the 2016 spring training season, he earned an opening day roster spot and retired seven of the eight batters he faced before fracturing his elbow while throwing a pitch and was lost for the rest of the season.

He began the 2017 season on the disabled list.  He was activated from the disabled list in August and rejoined the Braves.

The 27-year-old finished with a 1-1 record. He threw 18.1 innings, allowed nine hits, six runs, six earned, eight walks and struck out 24. He finished with a 2.51 ERA.

Spencer Patton, a South Central graduate, is a former Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers righthander. He is now a member of the Yokohama DeNA Baystars in Japan.

He has a 4-3 record with seven saves. The 29-year-old has allowed 19 walks and had 66 strikeouts. He has an ERA of 2.70.

The Baystars are still competing in the regular season.