Osby at home with Wild Things
Daren Osby has some good memories of playing at Wild Things Park.
There are the three regular-season games he’s pitched against the Wild Things in Washington. As a member of the Frontier League’s Joliet Slammers, Osby had a 3-0 record in Washington and gave up only two earned runs in 21 2/3 innings. He also had 24 strikeouts and only two walks in those games.
There’s also the memory of Joliet winning the 2017 Frontier League championship in Washington, Osby’s rookie year in professional baseball. He started Game 1 of the finals at Wild Things Park, a game Washington won 3-2 but Osby had a no-decision after throwing six impressive innings.
“I have fond memories of this place. I like throwing here,” the 25-year-old Osby said Monday afternoon while overlooking the playing field.
The Wild Things are banking on Osby’s run of quality starts in the ballpark continuing this summer because he’ll be walking off the mound and going into the home team’s dugout.
The Wild Things signed Osby as a free agent in January.
“I called Darren about 10 minutes after I received the list of free agents from the league office,” Wild Things president and general manager Tony Buccilli said. “He was the first player I called.”
There were plenty of other teams vying for the services of Osby, a 6-4, 220-pound righthander from Stone Mountain, Ga.
“About 15 to 20 teams reached out to me,” Osby said.
It took some time last winter for Osby to pick a suitor. He said it felt like it did when he went from Walters State Community College to Division I baseball, eventually signing with Troy University.
“Out of those 15 to 20 teams, some eliminated themselves because they thought I was taking too long to decide where I wanted to play,” he said. “It was a tough decision, but I thought Washington was the best fit. The final decision, it really was (easy).”
Osby made his Wild Things debut in an exhibition game Saturday against the Black Sox, a team of free agents. Because the Frontier League did not play in 2020, a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it was Osby’s first game action since 2019.
“I felt fine. Actually, I felt blessed, excited and a little overwhelmed to be playing baseball again,” Osby said. “I checked and it had been 623 days since the last time I pitched, which was Aug. 31, 2019.”
And that day was memorable. Osby threw a 10-inning complete game – his only complete game as a professional – to beat Lake Erie, 2-1, with a career-high 12 strikeouts.
While some players opted to hang up their spikes and glove during the pandemic and move on to other professions, Osby decided to make the most of the time away from the Frontier League and improve his pitching.
“I worked on the small things, mechanical things,” Osby said. “I learned how to use my body better. I did fairly well since I was 18 or 19, but I knew my mechanics could improve. The last year, I learned how to pitch with my lower body.”
There was never any thought of Osby, who had an 11-9 record with a 3.06 ERA in two years with Joliet, giving up baseball.
“I like to compete,” he said. “I had a couple of good seasons but I feel like I can put up a better season. There is no doubt I can come back. I used the COVID year to improve.”
The Wild Things will play three exhibition games this week against Frontier League opponents. They will host the Quebec team Wednesday (7:05 p.m.), go to Lake Erie on Friday and host the Crushers Saturday night.
The Frontier League regular season begins May 27 at Florence. The Wild Things home opener is June 4 against Quebec.
Notes
Washington made one roster move Monday, releasing pitcher Max Tannenbaum. There are 33 players currently on the roster. All Frontier League teams must be down to 28 by Sunday and 24 by opening day.