One year ago, the question was whether Tanner Roark can pitch in the major leagues.

Once he made his debut, it took little time to answer in the affirmative. However, is he a reliever or can he be the fifth starter in one of baseball’s best rotations?

The issue has been settled – emphatically. Since last September, the Wilmington graduate has been one of the most productive members of the Washington Nationals’ ballyhooed rotation.

Now, the question is why TV broadcasters are pronouncing his last name ROW-ark rather than the expected Roark.

Roark’s parents, dad Toby and mom Jodi, live in Wilmington. In a phone conversation last Friday, Jodi explained that ROW-ark indeed is correct.

Toby was born in New Haven, a small town in far southern Illinois. He moved to Wilmington when he was a youth because his dad was starting a job at Caterpillar.

“Toby’s mom, Grandma Loraine, is the one who said the correct pronunciation is ROW-ark,” Jodi said. “That’s the way they pronounced it down south. She brought attention to it when it was not pronounced that way.

“When Tanner was in school here in Wilmington, everyone said Roark and he just went with it. It really didn’t matter to him if that was easier for everyone.”

Regardless of the pronunciation, Roark has been pitching lights out. In his last 10 starts, the right-hander is 8-2 with a 2.20 ERA. Too bad things did not work out better against the Cubs.

In consecutive starts June 27 and July 4 against the North Siders, he allowed eight earned runs in 13 innings, Remove those games from his last 10 and he has an eight-start streak with eight earned runs allowed in 521⁄3 innings, a 1.38 ERA.

“We went up to Wrigley Field to see him pitch,” Jodi Roark said. “It didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to. The Cubs, I guess, are his nemesis.”

For the season, Roark has made 21 starts and is 11-6 with a 2.74 ERA. In 134 2⁄3 innings, he has allowed 116 hits, nine homers, 30 walks and has struck out 103. Opponents are hitting .230.

So impressive has Roark been that MLB Tonight TV analyst Eric Byrnes got into a lively discussion with his cohorts last Wednesday when he said, “This guy is a legitimate ace.”

With Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Doug Fister also in the rotation, not only does naming the ace spark discussion, but how about if and when the Nationals reach the postseason. Which one is omitted from the playoff rotation?

From July 30, 2013 through July 30, 2014, Roark’s 2.39 ERA was the fourth-best in baseball. The others in the top five during that span were Clayton Kershaw 1.68, Johnny Cueto 1.99, Zack Greinke 2.26 and Adam Wainwright 2.59.

That is some heavy company. Whether you feel Roark’s body of work is sufficient to classify him an ace, merely being included in that discussion let’s you know he is earning respect.

“We’re really proud of him,” Jodi Roark said. “He worked hard to get there – all the work, and the time spent in the minors. That’s where they see that some guys can’t stick it out and some can.”

Roark’s older sister, Samantha, was a volleyball, basketball and softball player and graduated from Wilmington in 2002. Tanner graduated in 2005 and brother Dillon, like Tanner an excellent all-around athlete, graduated in 2006. Dillon played baseball at Joliet Junior College and Eastern Illinois.

Dillon also lives in Wilmington, and between his garage and his parents’ garage, both still can draw a crowd on days Tanner pitches.

“We would like to see more games in person that Tanner pitches, but Toby works and we just can’t,” Jodi said.

“But we’’ve got the MLB-TV package, so we can watch every game. Other people here in town who want to see him pitch have gotten the package themselves, so the crowds here in our garage aren’t as big as they were last year. But there’s still some older people who will come here to watch.”

All of Wilmington is basking in Roark’s success, and why not?

GOOD NEWS ABOUNDS

In addition to how well Roark is pitching, there is more good news involving area pitchers.

Take a look at Rob Oesterle’s story on the adjacent page. Yes, the Houston Astros have called up right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (Minooka). If he has not already made his major league debut, he should sometime soon.

In addition, the White Sox announced that they have promoted right-hander Tony Bucciferro (Minooka) from A-Advanced Winston-Salem to Double-A Birmingham. Bucciferro, who recently lost a no-hit bid with one out in the ninth inning, was 7-10 with a 3.90 ERA in 21 starts at Winston-Salem.

• Dick Goss can be reached at dgoss@shawmedia.com.