Gunkel Continues To Shine In Salem; Wendle Injured In Double A

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Three former West Chester University baseball players continue to turn in productive seasons in professional baseball. Joe Gunkel, Joey Wendle and Frank Gailey are still very active in their pro careers.
 
Joe Gunkel is in his second pro season in the Boston Red Sox organization and has risen to the Class-A Advanced level and the Salem Red Sox in his short career. The 6-foot, 5-inch, 225 lbs., right-handed starting pitcher began the 2014 season in Greenville, N.C. where he was selected to the South Atlantic League mid-season all-star game. He was 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA and a pair of saves. He fanned 62 batters in 51.1 innings. However, he never did get to pitch in that all-star game because the Red Sox moved him up to Salem before the contest was held.
 
Since his call-up to Class-A Advanced and the Carolina League, Gunkel has been inserted into Salem's starting rotation. He is 1-2 on the year with a 3.81 ERA at Salem. He has made five starts and completed one game. He has 17 strikeouts in 26 innings. In his most recent start against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, Gunkel lasted 5.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run on two hits. He left with a no-decision that night while walking two and striking out three.
 
Gunkel's former teammate on the 2012 Division II national championship team, Joey Wendle, was having a spectacular season, before an injury sidelined him. Now in his third year in the minor leagues, Wendle was batting third and playing second base for the Akron RubberDucks in Double-A of the Cleveland Indians organization.
 
Wendle had been named the Minor League Player of the Week in the Indians' organization and was beginning to find his groove. He was hitting .308 over his last 10 games with a pair of home runs and nine RBI. For the year, Wendle is hitting .259 with 19 doubles, 4 triples and 8 home runs and 45 RBI. He will rehab his injury in Arizona at Cleveland's spring training facility.
 
Frank Gailey is the third and final former Golden Rams player in pro ball. He is currently in his second season with the Midland RockHounds in the Texas League of Double-A ball in the Oakland Athletics' organization. Gailey is 1-0 on the season with a 3.44 ERA. He has struck out 31 batters in 34 innings while only walking 13. The left-handed middle reliever is in his eighth season in the minor leagues.
 
He appeared in two Cactus League preseason games for the Oakland A's against the Texas Rangers and the Chicago Cubs. He pitched two innings, allowing two runs on two hits, walking one and striking out two. Gailey led all qualifying Texas League relievers in fewest walks per nine innings (1.31) in 2013. He ranked fourth among Texas League relievers in fewest base runners per nine innings (10.45) last year as well. His 2.61 ERA was second among RockHounds pitchers with 40 or more innings pitched.

A fourth former West Chester University baseball player just ended his professional career when Bob Stumpo was released by the Philadelphia Phillies right before the start of the 2014 regular season. The Phillies brought Stumpo back as the team's bullpen catcher where he has spent this summer working with the Phillies' pitching staff and warming up relief pitchers at Citizens Bank Park during games.