SAL1 Augusta GreenJackets

Taylor Rogers Named SAL Pitcher of the Week

August 15, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release


Augusta, GA - Augusta GreenJackets starting pitcher Taylor Rogers was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for the Week of August 8th-14th in an announcement made this afternoon by South Atlantic League president Eric Krupa.

Rogers, tonight's scheduled starting pitcher for the GreenJackets in their game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, earns league honors after becoming the first Augusta pitcher to fire a complete game this season on Wednesday. In nine scoreless innings against the Lexington Legends, Rogers allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out four.

Prior to Wednesday, Rogers had flirted with the idea of going the distance one other time - in his last win on July 17th at home against Savannah. He was lifted after throwing 8.1 innings against the Sand Gnats. Rogers wasn't sure he'd have the chance to go wire-to-wire until the end of the eighth inning this time around.

"I knew when I came back to the dugout after the eighth inning and no one shook my hand to tell me I was done that I'd have a chance to go back out for the ninth." Rogers said. "After that Savannah game, I wasn't sure if I'd get another chance to throw a complete game but when I realized I was going back out there for the ninth on Wednesday, I knew I'd have to just keeping going after hitters and get the first out so I could go from there."

Getting his first-ever professional complete game was a goal Rogers wanted to reach, but the right-hander out of Tulane knew it wouldn't be an easy goal with the current limitations on pitchers that teams often impose.

"With the pitch counts, it's tough to go the distance so you've just got to be efficient." Rogers said. "It's something (teammate) Shawn (Sanford) and I talk about a lot - how tough it is to throw the complete game because it's something we've both wanted to do."

In a season where Rogers earned an All-Star berth with a 6-6 record and a 2.27 ERA in the first half, things haven't gone as well in the second half. The ERA is two runs higher and though Rogers is getting more run support this half from his hitters, the luck hasn't been there in a number of starts. Advice from GreenJackets Pitching Coach Steve Kline helped Rogers get through some of the midseason doldrums.

"In the first half I was feeling good, but in the second half I knew I was making good pitches at times but guys seemed to be able to find holes and get hits where they didn't in the first half." Rogers said. "I'd just go talk to (Steve) Kline and ask him what do you do as a pitcher when playing baseball feels hard. He told me to just go out and keep having fun and to believe that it's going to work out and that's what I've done."

Rogers is the second pitcher to earn Pitcher of the Week honors after Sanford previously won the award for the Week of June 27th-July 3rd.

Rogers and the GreenJackets are in action for the second game of the four-game series against the Grasshoppers tonight in Greensboro. Tonight's game is slated to start at 7:05 p.m. with radio pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on WRDW-AM 1630 and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com .

The GreenJackets return home Thursday to open an eight-game homestand, beginning with the first of a four-game set with the Charleston RiverDogs at 7:05 p.m. Single-game tickets for any home game can currently be obtained by calling 706-922-WINS or online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com .

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 15, 2011


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