Robbie Wooley has experienced his share of highs and lows during his professional career. This week brought another ride on the roller-coaster of emotions.
The Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League traded the Taylor High School product to the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association for a player to be named later. Each league is independent. Sioux City is located in western Iowa, within short proximity of Nebraska and South Dakota.
“I wasn’t really sure what to think,” Wooley said of his initial reaction to the trade. “First off, I didn’t know if I wanted to drive all the way to Sioux City, Iowa, to play baseball, but then I realized that it was a job for me and it was a starting spot. They said I was going to get a chance to pitch a lot. And, I knew there was only a month left in the season, so I went ahead and took my chances.”
The Miners informed Wooley of the trade Monday afternoon. He returned home to Kokomo that night, grabbed about five hours of sleep and then hit the road on Tuesday. He drove 101/2 hours and arrived at Lewis & Clark Explorers Park in time to make a relief appearance against the St. Joe Blacksnakes. He worked 11/3 innings to cap off a whirlwind stretch. The Blacksnakes won 5-4 in 14 innings.
“I felt very comfortable on the mound,” he said. “There were not nearly as many people in the stands [compared to Miners’ games], but the fans seem to be into the game a little more which is cool.
“I feel like I am going to have a lot of fun with this team. There are a lot of good guys on the team.”
The American Association was founded in 2005 and features 10 teams. Sioux City is joined in the North Division by St. Paul, Minn.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Lincoln, Neb.; and St. Joe, Mo. The South Division offers Fort Worth, Texas; El Paso, Texas; Pensacola, Fla.; Shreveport, La.; and Coastal Bend in Robstown, Texas.
The Explorers led the North Division through Tuesday’s games with a 13-6 record.
“From what I’ve been told, this league is better than the Frontier League because there are older, more experienced players,” said Wooley, a former Milwaukee Brewers farmhand.
The Explorers plan on using Wooley as a starter. He is scheduled to make his first start for the club Friday against the St. Paul Saints in the second game of a three-game series at St. Paul. Wooley noted the Explorers carry fewer pitchers than his former team, which means he will have the opportunity to pitch more innings.
Wooley went 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 10 appearances for Southern Illinois. He worked 511/3 innings, allowed 45 hits and 33 walks and struck out 42. He earned a spot in the Frontier League all-star game, which was played on July 11 in Florence, Ky.
Sports
Wooley lands in different independent league
- Sports
-
-
Eastern’s girls track, tennis set for regional action today
Eastern ranks No. 4 among the five Howard County high schools in enrollment — but it is clearly No. 1 when it comes to 2012 girls spring sports.
-
Local softball squads eye demanding sectionals
In any sport, the postseason is a proving ground.
This week in Greentown, whomever emerges from the proving ground of the Class 2A Eastern Softball Sectional will be legit. No questions asked.
-
Bacon sizzles on Kokomo dirt track
One word to describe the racing action Sunday night at the Kokomo Speedway is, Wow.
-
Western, NW, tackle sectional
The IHSAA state softball tournament opens today and very quickly, the contenders will rise to the surface.
Western surfaced and flourished in last year’s postseason. The Panthers won the Class 3A Twin Lakes Sectional, then captured regional hardware the following week.
-
Chevrolet power dominates Pole Day
It has been seven years since a Chevrolet power plant has been in competition at the Indianapolis 500, but the “bowtie” brand made its return memorable by taking the top eight spots during Saturday qualifying.
-
Eastern beats Kokomo to repeat as tennis sectional champion
Eastern nearly swept the court clean against Kokomo in Friday’s local girls tennis sectional final, taking the first three points of the afternoon on the way to a 4-1 win on the Wildkats’ courts.
-
Former Lady Kat great Hendrix is moving up
Kokomo’s DeUnna Hendrix is the new women’s basketball coach at High Point University, an NCAA Division I school and a member of the Big South Conference. High Point is located in North Carolina.
-
Kokomo withstands Eastern’s challenge to win boys track sectional
Heading into Thursday’s IHSAA boys track and field sectional at Kokomo’s Walter Cross Field, Eastern appeared to have the depth to strongly challenge the host Wildkats as they attempted to chase down their third straight sectional title.
-
IU Kokomo continues to pull in solid local talent
Reomey Northington and Joby Renbarger expect to make the transition from junior college to a four-year school look embarrassingly easy. New coach, new teammates, new school, not a problem. They’re already right at home at Indiana University Kokomo.
-
Kokomo, Eastern open tennis sectional with victories
Eastern and Kokomo took care of business convincingly Wednesday afternoon in the opening round of the Kokomo Girls Tennis Sectional, clinching decisive victories quickly in the opening round.
- More Sports Headlines
-
US Airways: Diverted Flight Has 'Landed Safely'
A Few Odd Business Sparks but Europe Gloomy
Revived Focus on Regulation After JPMorgan Loss
Gerard Butler: the Good, the Bad and the Cannes
At Least 25 Dead in India Train Collision
Raw Video: Private Rocket Blasts Off
Boy to Rescuers: 'Do You Have a Plan?'
Doctors and Devotees Debate Barefoot Running
Blacks Seek to Find Their Own Missing
Houston Museum Unveils $85 Million Dinosaur Hall
Chicago Police: 90 Arrested in NATO Protests
Ex-Rutgers Student Gets 30 Days in Webcam Case
Obama Sees Inspiration in Joplin Graduates
Raw Video: Man Saved After Niagara Falls Plunge
NATO: Afghan Exit 'Irreversible'
Catholic Groups Sue Over Contraception Mandate
4 Arrested After Man's Beating at Dodger Stadium
Investors Slap Facebook 11 Percent Lower
Raw Video: Dramatic 270-Foot Waterfall Rescue
Fingers Do the Fighting at Wrestling Tourney
