Monday Night, April 30, 2007
Pitching Prospects Tonight
Hello everyone! With the Twins not playing tonight, I am listening to the Red Wings game against Toledo. In the third inning, the Red Wings have a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Matt Moses doubled and after Trent Oeltjen had a bunt single, Matt Tolbert knocked in the run to give the team the lead. I mainly wanted to mention that Kevin Slowey is on the mound tonight for Rochester. Through two innings, he has not allowed a run. He has given up one hit and one walk, and he struck out two. Lew Ford is batting third and playing left field. New Britain isn't playing tonight. Ft. Myers is sending Alexander Smit to the mound against Clearwater. Jeff Cirillo is playing 3B and batting third for the Miracle. He is expected to be activated and able to play with the Twins tomorrow night. Finally, Jeff Manship is getting the start for Beloit against Ft. Wayne. So, if you would like, here are the box scores for the Rochester Game, the Ft. Myers game and the Beloit game if you would like to follow them. If you would like to listen to the Red Wings game, click here.
UPDATE - Through five innings, Jeff Manship has not allowed a run. He has given up just one hit and one walked. He has struck out six and has nine ground outs (no fly outs). Kevin Slowey has thrown seven innings. He has allowed just one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out eight. Another excellent start for each of the Twins (arguably) top pitching prospects.
Another update - Jeff Manship has now gone seven innings. He still has given up just one hit and one walk. He has eight strikeouts, 12 ground outs and one fly out. And the fly out was a pop up to Danny Valencia at 3B. Absolutely dominance and something that should earn him a quick promotion to Ft. Myers! That is why he has now been added to the Prospect Watch at the left.
UPDATE - Beloit beat Fort Wayne 3-0. Jeff Manship picked up the Win with those seven innings. Robert Delaney got the save with two perfect innings. Johnny Woodard led the Beloit offense with two doubles. Garrett Olson was 2-3 with a double.
Rochester got a big two out, two run, pinch hit double in the top of the 9th from Matthew Lecroy to give them a 3-1 lead over Toledo. Matt Tolbert added an RBI single for the 4-1 win. Kevin Slowey was certainly the story even though he didn't record a decision for the first time this year. One run in seven innings. One walk, Eight strikeouts. And, we all have heard about his poise. Well, in that seventh inning, there were runners on 1st and 3rd with nobody out and he stranded the runners to keep the score tied at one a piece. Mike Venafro and Julio DePaula combined for a no-run eighth inning, and Bobby Korecky struck out three in the 9th for his third save in three games (his fifth on the season). Chris Heintz and Garrett Jones both had two hits.
Ft. Myers lost 5-0 to Clearwater. Alexander Smit started and gave up four runs (2 earned) in five innings. He gave up four hits, three walks and struckout four. Yohan Pino gave up a run in his inning. Frank Mata threw two shutout innings. The Miracle had just three hits. Caleb Moore had a double. Steve Tolleson was 1-2 with two walks though. Jeff Cirillo was 0-3 before being replaced by Toby Gardenhire. Cirillo likely left Clearwater and traveled to Tampa to meet the Twins.
Any thoughts on the Twins minor league pitchers? Any chance that if Sidney Ponson is bad again on Tuesday night that Kevin Slowey could be the one brought up to the Twins? If so, who would then move up to Rochester from New Britain. I would think that Kyle Waldrop is close to being ready for AA, and he could be replaced by Manship in Ft. Myers. Maybe Tyler Robertson moves up to Beloit? What do you think?
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