"He didn't have to take a shortcut and cheat like that. All that aside, he was a tremendous pitcher and a tremendous talent.”. ADEL, Ia. He spends his time playing on it — gardening, farming and hunting. He passed up on coaching opportunities when he retired to focus on his kids. "When Mark McGwire said he wished he had never played in this era, that [ticked] me off because he had the same choices I did," Wendell said. For a former big leaguer who was born in Massachusetts and played most of his pro career in cities like Chicago and New York, living in obscurity in Iowa may seem odd. He went on to appear in 552 big-league games with the Cubs, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies, becoming one of the steadiest relief pitchers in baseball. 2. During his first season at Indian Hills, he finished with a 7-4 record and 2.85 ERA. The 53-year-old Wendell, who retired in 2005 after 11 seasons pitching in the MLB, has always gone against the grain. He was regarded as having above-average control, average pitch movement, below-average power, and a good pick-off move. “He’s definitely a leader among his peers. Problem is, the cabin is also part of the Polk County Historical Society. The similarities don’t end there, either. © Wells Doug, Copyright 1996 Des Moines Register;Yes-desm, Your subscription makes work like this possible. While he’s no longer in the game performing his various antics, his children have carried on the legacy. [14] He also stated that "everybody in baseball" (including coaches, managers, and owners) knew about steroid use by players such as Sosa, and that he agreed with the information in José Canseco's book Juiced. Wendell, an avid hunter, trapper and fisherman, loved the spots Iowa provided. And he even sees a lot of himself in Wyatt. What do you need done? The senior All-American always wore the same white headband during games and avoided stepping on any line painted on the pitch during stoppages of play. He's got a garden in the back yard with carrots, tomatoes and zucchini. They've dominated the NL for years. During his 11-year career, Turk Wendell pitched in a total of 552 games and had a 3.93 ERA. Wyatt has turned into a star on the mound. WPTV's Anchor Michael Williams hosts a roundtable with Brian Crowley and Mary Anna Mancuso. When entering or leaving the field, Wendell bounded high over the first or third baseline. Turk is the spokesmen for the National Honeyboard's involvement with Minor League Baseball. Some of the traditions have been passed to his son. For a former big leaguer who was born in Massachusetts and played most of his pro career in cities like Chicago and New York, living in obscurity in Iowa may seem odd. He's happy every day of his life.". When the Iowa Cubs returned to the postseason last season for the first time since 2008, he threw out the first pitch. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch. The door was to the wooden historical cabin that sits in the north parking lot of the ballpark. There was so much to see. Wendell was a relief pitcher who threw a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a slider, and a change-up. Wyatt followed him to Iowa, joining the Indian Hills baseball team. Today, Wendell is a farmer in Iowa. On a mostly cloudy Thursday afternoon, the former Mets relief pitcher was planting corn on his farm in Adel, Iowa. The names of his son, Wyatt, and daughter, Dakota, were blended to create the moniker. — Turk Wendell climbs into his John Deere Gator and starts the engine for a drive around his farm. Wendell said. He ate black licorice and would put in a new wad every inning. He briefly lived in Iowa when he pitched for the Iowa Cubs from 1992 to 1994. The names of his son, Wyatt, and daughter, Dakota, were blended to create the moniker. MLB Gold Gloves preview: Which stars are elite in the field? [1], After the 2003 season, Wendell became a free agent, and was not re-signed by the Phillies. Even his basement, which is full of his framed baseball cards, autographed balls, framed jerseys and game-used bats from teammates, has a cribbage board that Wendell carved into a moose antler. He saw limited action those first two seasons bouncing up and down between the minors and big leagues. “I said ‘Great, can I help you in any way? "I tell people all the time that if you meet someone from Iowa, in about five minutes you look at them and go, 'Have I known you my whole life?'"

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