Aloha Ka Punahou 2004.05
Funke to Funke; Wash is to ashes
we know alan hoot's a junkie
Funke, Oscar
Oscar Funke is scheduled to start on Opening Day tomorrow against the Valencia Stars at
Honigsfeld Field despite an undisclosed number of teams expressing interest in the six-year
veteran who turns 31 next week.
"Negotiations have run from intense to agonizingly slow," says teams spokesperson Stitch Lilo,
adding that Hawaii plans to keep Funke on its available list.
Closer McKinley Washington will miss three months to a ruptured tendon. McWash was 1-0 with
5 saves, a 2.35 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 7.2 innings this spring, continuing his dominance since
coming to Hawaii on August 1 in the same trade that brought Funke to the islands.
"Worse thang about that is that he oughtta not been in that game to begin with," Al Hoot said.
Washington was injured in a game against Greenville that the Moonshiners led 13-6.
Washington struck out C Chris Clark with the bases loaded and 1 out and then departed the
game.
Despite a Justin Hausman grand slam in the bottom of the inning, Hawaii lost 14-11.
The injury to Washington opens the acting closer role to a contest among John Daniels, Naji
Mcnitt, and Matt Davis, the latter obtained with Funke and Washington.
"They can all act like closers," Stitch Lilo said.
Micheal Duran, Rene Moncada, and Rule 5 pick Johnny Carter will start in the rotation, with the
fifth spot going to Remington Little and/or Billy Wallace, who both pitched as horrendously this
spring as they did last season.
Rule 5 pick up Richard Fox will stay on the team, leaving Talavera, Estrada, Mazariegos, and
Blankenship to vie for the remaining two or three spots. Hawaii hopes to survive with 13
pitchers on the active roster in 2004, one less than last season.
The team will go to Valencia directly from its spring training headquarters on Catalina Island
before returning to O'ahu for its home opening series against Vancouver Monday.
Hoot estimates the chances of Funke being traded this season as "fair to Midland".
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