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Thursday, May 10, 2007

Chase Wright’s Second Shot

Injuries/News:

Nope.

AAA:

Chase Wright had his second AAA start yesterday morning. Wright’s performance was exciting from a run prevention standpoint, 1 in 7 innings. He also only gave up 6 hits, which is nice as well, but unfortunately his K:BB ratio was 1:3. According to Wright, the issue yesterday was that the only pitch he had command of was his fastball.

Eric Duncan was 0 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout and is now 1 for his last 10, so he’s officially slumping again, as soon as he reached .250ish. Duncan needs to hit for average to have the potential to be an effective major leaguer. He doesn’t have great enough power or on base skills to overcome sub .250 averages. Alberto Gonzalez was 1 for 5 with a double. Gonzalez has been slumping with the average, but providing the occasional double. With someone who doesn’t walk, I’m not sure I like the tradeoff.

AA:

Nothing to see here.

A+:

Ian Kennedy continued to be effective while giving up a bit too many walks and fly balls with his 5-4-1-1-3-4-0 (IP-H-R-ER-BB-K-HR) line for Tampa. Kennedy has now walked 15 in 37.1 innings. It’s too small a sample to get worried yet, but for someone advertised with excellent control and command, it is a concern. It might be the result of nibbling.

The Tampa offense had a good day. Reegie Corona was 3 for 5 with 2 singles and a double. His average is now at .299 and Corona has been very impressive in the early going. The other prospect that has been impressing, somewhat unexpectedly, in the early going is Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli was 1 for 2 with a double and 2 walks. He now leads the league in AVG, is third in OBP, and ninth in OPS. It’s early, but Cervelli is looking like a legit C prospect. Strangely, Jose Tabata and Colin Curtis did not contribute much to the offense. Tabata was 1 for 5 with a single and a strikeout while Curtis was 1 for 4 with a double and a strikeout. Juan Miranda was also a party pooper with his 0 for 4 night.

A-:

Charleston’s offensive night was even more impressive than Tampa’s as everyone of import had a multi-hit game. Wilmer Pino was 2 for 5 with a single, a double, and a strikeout in his return to the leadoff spot. Pino was there in place of Mitch Hilligoss, who had the day off. On the bright side, Pino now has a 5-game hit streak going. Over the course of the streak he is 6 for 20 with 2 doubles, a home run, one walk, and one strikeout. Maybe he’s breaking out of his huge slump. Austin Jackson was 3 for 5 with 2 singles, a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout. Jackson’s season line is now up to .284/.349/.400 thanks to a 9-game hit streak where he has gone 14 for 34 with a double, a homer, 7 walks, 4 strikeouts, and 6 steals in 7 attempts. Seth Fortenberry was 2 for 4 with 2 singles and a strikeout while Jose Gil was 2 for 3 with 2 singles and 2 walks. I like Gil and Fortenberry more than others, but both have guys have failed to reward my faith. Finally, Eduardo Nunez seems to have found his stroke, going 3 for 5 with 2 singles and a double. After no extra base hits in his first 28 games, Nunez now has XBHs in back to back games.

Spotlight On:

Ross Ohlendorf pitching for Scranton against the Pawtucket Red Sox. Ohlendorf had his best outing of the year last time out and is, obviously, looking to build on it.