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Stentz's career back on track
By BRANT JAMES © St. Petersburg Times, published August 16, 2000 Brent Stentz does not want to think about it. Thinking got in him trouble before, and after a year of malaise, things are finally going well again. The Hernando High alum probably deserves a September call-up from Triple-A Salt Lake to the Minnesota Twins. His 1.93 earned-run average and 12 saves scream for a chance. If he's not thinking about it, he's definitely not talking about it. "I get mad at myself if I start thinking about stuff like that," he said from his apartment in Salt Lake City. "If guys mention it, I turn around and walk away. If it happens, great. If not, I'm fine with that, too. "Of course, it usually happens, they'll bring some people up, but I only worry about the stuff I can control." Jim Rantz, the Twins director of player development, helps control Stentz's future. And he's impressed. "I give him credit," Rantz said. "What he had to do to turn things around he did on his own. We just sat down with him and told him what we wanted and where he was at in his career, and he went out and worked to make it better." Stentz, 25, was the 1998 National Association Rolaids Relief Man of the Year and an Eastern League all-star poised, it seemed, for a quick ascent to the majors. But he failed to make the adjustment to Triple A early in 1999, going 0-3, with an 11.22 ERA, and was demoted back to Double-A New Britain, where he finished with nine saves and a 3.73 ERA. He began a third season in Double-A this year, which disheartened him. "It was kind of rough going back there again," Stentz said. "You kind of start thinking about things, where you really stand when they had been so high on you before." Even his attempt to steady himself in winter ball had gone afoul. He spent just a few weeks in Venezuela before his team became unhappy with his performance and released him. His confidence sulked to mimic his performance. "I went about my business as I always had," Stentz said. "Off the field and around the clubhouse I was normal, but once I stepped on the field the confidence was gone. When I stepped on the field I was wondering which one of me was going to show up." Stentz began this season with similarly mediocre statistics, especially for someone in his third season in Double A. "He's been around a little bit, been to big-league camp and had some Triple-A experience," Rantz said. "So it's tough when you have to return to a level you've dominated for a whole year. "To his credit, he sulked for a day or so and put it back together, back where he should be." At some undefined moment, in some Eastern League clubhouse this spring, Stentz decided to reclaim his future. He began working more on refining his quirky, whirling-dervish delivery with pitching coach Stu Cliburn, and the old Stentz began showing up more often. "I started out rough again basically because I had gotten in my own head," Stentz said. "I finally said to myself, "Heck, I'm here and I'm going to be here, I might as well go at it and see what I can do."' Stentz said he saw a change in his results about two weeks after his change in approach. His statistics were respectable, but not dominating. With a 1-2 record, a 4.32 ERA and seven saves at New Britain, he was promoted to Salt Lake in early June. "After about three weeks they got me out of there," he said. "I got going really well (in Salt Lake) this time and that gave me a lot of confidence." Back in face-to-face competition with the Twins' other potential closer-of-the-future, J.C. Romero, Stentz flourished. His 12 saves have him tied for fourth in the Pacific Coast League. He also has more strikeouts (39) and has fewer combined hits and walks-allowed (37) than inningspitched (371/3) since taking over full-time closer duties when Romero was promoted to Minnesota. In an organization that values young and affordable talent, Stentz could soon follow. Major-league rosters are allowed to expand to 40 on Sept. 1, which generally sparks an influx of minor-league prospects. As a member of the winningest team in the PCL, Stentz's promotion could be delayed for a few weeks because the Twins might keep the team together in an attempt to win a PCL title. With Minnesota miles from a playoff berth, there is no need to rush him. If promoted, Stentz would become the third Hernando alum to reach the majors and the second to do so this season, joining former Leopard teammate Bronson Arroyo, now pitching for Pittsburgh. Another Hernando grad, Oakland's Bert Snow, is currently pitching for Double-A Midland. Stentz said he's not worried about dealing with Minnesota manager Tom Kelly, whose recent, well-publicized battles with former Twins second baseman Todd Walker have painted him as a rookie-killer. "I've been to two spring trainings with him, and no, I've never had a problem," Stentz said. "I think it's all how you take him. He joked a lot, but when he jokes around he's trying to get a point across. "If I'm sitting on the bench next to him, he'll say, "Brent, look what he just threw. That was a change-up.' His point being he's on me to throw my change-up more." Rantz would not guarantee a September promotion, but said Stentz was "making us talk about a decision." Stentz would have to be placed on the 40-man roster to be activated, meaning someone currently on it would have to come off and therefore be eligible for plucking by another organization in the Rule 5 Draft. That point may be muted by the fact Stentz would have to be protected on the 40-man by Nov. 20 anyway, or be eligible for the Rule 5 as a five-year minor leaguer in the same organization. He was taken off the 40-man last fall but went undrafted. Whether or not to place Stentz on the 40-man roster will be decided in organizational meetings in Fort Myers in November, Rantz said. Stentz will just wait for the news to come. "When the time comes, it comes," he said. "Right now I just want to pitch."
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