Lutz and Kottke Return to WhiteWings

Published on May 26, 2009 under United League Baseball (ULB)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


Harlingen - United League Baseball's Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings announced today that right-handed pitcher Todd Lutz and catcher Ryan Kottke would be returning to the team.

Lutz has pitched for the WhiteWings for the last two season while Kottke played for the team during the first half of 2007, when the WhiteWings won the first half championship.

Lutz came to the WhiteWings from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in 2007.

Last season, the Tuscon, Arizona, native split time between the bullpen and rotation, throwing a career-high 80 innings. Lutz became the go-to guy out of the bullpen, pitching 26 innings while allowing 29 hits and 10 walks to go with 10 strikeouts. Lutz threw what was then a career-high 5.1 innings in emergency relief of an injured Dan Valentin, leading to his eventual entrance into the rotation. Lutz collected the first two complete games by WhiteWings pitchers and threw a career-high 8.0 innings in a loss to Edinburg on July 20th.

In 2007, Lutz went 1-2 with one save and a 3.95 ERA. In 26 games (one start), he pitched 57.0 innings, allowing 64 hits and 26 walks while striking out 47. On July 7, 2007, Lutz entered a game against the Laredo Broncos and allowed three runs on four hits in two-thirds of an innings. He settled down to pitch another three and a third innings without allowing an earned run, starting a streak of 19.1 innings. Lutz lowered his ERA from 6.55 to 4.13 during the span.

With NOSU, Lutz went 6-5 with a 6.05 ERA. In 20 games (12 starts), Lutz pitched 77.1 innings, allowing 93 hits and 29 walks while striking out 68.

His best year was 2005 when he went 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine games (one start). In 17.1 innings he allowed 25 hits and seven walks while striking out 16.

Kottke returns for his second stint with the WhiteWings. In 2007, the Sterling Heights, Michigan, native hit .200 with one home run and 11 RBI in 23 games before getting traded to the Laredo Broncos so he could see more consistent playing time. Kottke hit .277 in 25 games with the Broncos.

Kottke's career began in 2005 with Mid-Missouri (Frontier League). He played for Traverse City (Frontier League) and Bay Area (Continental League) last season.

One of Kottke's biggest assets is his defense. He has thrown out 17 of 91 would-be base stealers for a success rate of 19%. He threw-out a career-high 14 base runners in 2007, including 9-of-32 (28%) for the Broncos.

Kottke has made just eight errors in his career for a fielding percentage of .982.

Lutz and Kottke, who both played for the WhiteWings during the 2007 Texas Winter League, are expected to arrive in Harlingen today.

The WhiteWings are members of United League Baseball, an independent league of six professional baseball teams located in Texas. In its fourth season, the United League is preparing for a great summer with teams located in Amarillo, Edinburg, Coastal Bend, Laredo, Harlingen and San Angelo. Opening Day is June 11.

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United League Baseball Stories from May 26, 2009


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