Baker on Ross demotion: "Joe wasn't Joe"

Asked today why the Nationals made the decision to demote Joe Ross to the minors, Dusty Baker offered up a simple answer at first.

"Joe wasn't Joe," the manager said. "That was it in a nutshell."

There are different theories trying to explain why Ross hasn't looked like his normal self the last two times he has taken the mound. Is there a physical problem? Ross insisted to team officials there isn't. Is there a mechanical glitch that has caused him to lose his consistent arm slot? Could be, which could explain his diminished velocity and poor pitch movement.

Whatever the reason, the Nationals felt Ross needs to work this out at Triple-A Syracuse and not in their big league rotation, and so he was optioned on Monday, replaced today by fellow right-hander A.J. Cole.

Baker said Ross, whose locker was still intact at Nationals Park today and filled with gear, will be throwing a bullpen session Wednesday and will be taking instructions from pitching coach Mike Maddux as he tries to work his way back.

And he will be back, that much Baker made clear both to the 23-year-old and to the public.

"I talked to him for quite a while yesterday," Baker said. "He knows. It's easier, when you're not yourself, to accept. I can't tell you what I talked to him about. I didn't make him any promises. But I just told him that we're depending on him. We all are."

Ross missed 2 1/2 months with shoulder inflammation last season, and there is at least some question whether his arm is 100 percent healthy again. After averaging 93.8 mph with his fastball in his major league season debut at Atlanta, his velocity dipped to 88.2 mph at Colorado and then rebounded only to 92.8 mph on Sunday against the Mets.

"He's healthy," Baker said. "He just doesn't feel right. He's not right. And his arm slot isn't the same as when he warms up or early in the game."

What, then, will it take for Ross to get back to his prior form?

"You would hope that the time over the winter would've gotten him back, because most of the time, time takes care of it," Baker said. "We don't know. That's why they're putting him on a throwing program, putting him on this other program. If it was that easy, I'd just give him some of this tea, and he'd be Joe again. But the good thing is, he's so young. He'll learn from this and learn the symptoms of when you're about to get back to that point."

In the meantime, the Nationals need a new No. 5 starter, with that turn in the rotation coming up Saturday at Philadelphia. The club isn't making any announcements yet, but the options are Cole (who is serving a three-game suspension, held over from last September, before he's eligible to pitch Friday) and Jacob Turner (who is available first out of the bullpen this week against the Diamondbacks).

"Don't know yet," Baker said. "Depends who we use this series. 'Cause we can't use Cole, 'cause he's on suspension, serving his suspension for three days. So we'll see how many guys we use during this series."

Reading between the lines, Baker seems to be suggesting Turner will get the assignment unless he's needed out of the bullpen before the weekend.