5/15/09–The ‘Pigs road trip mercifully ended on Friday, with a 8-5 loss to Columbus on Friday night. The game was over early, as starter Justin Lehr (5-2), who has been excellent thus far this year, was rocked allowing seven runs (including three homers) in five innings, as the CLippers took a 6-0 lead.. This was never much of a game, with the ‘Pigs losing their season high fifth straight, however, John Mayberry hit his 8th homer of the year, and Mayberry , Ozuna, and Donald all had two hits for Lehigh Valley.
5/16/09–The Lehigh Vallfey losing streak continued and now stands at six, after a 4-1 loss to Gwinnett in the ‘Pigs return home on Saturday. Kyle Kendrick (2-3)started and did not pitch well, going five innings and giving up four runs on four hits. He walked four, struck out four, hit two batters and gave up a homer. Braves prospect Tommy Hanson started for Gwinnett and the ‘Pigs simply could not figure him out as he pitched seven scoreless innings. The lone ‘Pig run came in the 8th after Pablo Ozuna scored on a Rich Thompson ground out.
5/17/09–A lost weekend for the ‘Pigs as the they lost their seventh straight, 3-2 to Gwinnett. Lehigh Valley jumped out early on Gwinnett, scoring a run in the first on an RBI double by Andy Tracy, and adding another after Andy Tracy’s ground out scored Pablo Ozuna in the third. Carlos Carrasco started for Lehigh Valley and pitched fairly well, but did allow his traditional big inning, this time in the fourth, allowing three runs. He left after six, with the ‘Pigs trailing 3-2, his line 6IP, 5h, 3er, 3bb, 7k. Pablo Ozuna had a big game for the ‘Pigs going 2-3 with a triple, 2 runs, and a stolen base. John Mayberry struck out three times and Jason Donald twice (looking), as Lehigh Valley left ten men on base.
Notes: Mike Cervenak broke his right wrist after being hit by a pitch in the game Saturday night. He is likely to be placed on the DL, and could miss a good deal of time. Terry Tiffee who was expected to be the regular Lehigh Valley third baseman is still in Florida, in extended Spring Training, dealing with injury issues.
Reports had Kyle Kendrick as being distracted during his start Saturday night, as Drew Carpenter rather than Kendrick was recalled to start for the Phillies. Neither Kendrick nor Carpenter has been terribly effective thus far this year, but Kendrick may have had the right to gripe. It was his regular day to start, has obviously pitched in the majors before, is on the 40 man roster, and his numbers have been better than Carpenter this year so far.
Jason Donald has struck out at least once in 12 of the last 13 games. On the bright side, he has gone over 150 chances at SS, without an error this year, leading the league.
Transactions: Andrew Carpenter was recalled by the Phillies to start their game Saturday evening. After giving up 5 runs in 4.1 innings, he was returned to Lehigh Valley after the game.
Phuture Phillies 
Cervenak was just DHing right? If so, doesn’t seem like a huge loss. Probably just means more AB’s for Slayden. Maybe some regular AB’s will help Slayden get on track.
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No, Cervenak was playing fairly consistently at 3B and DH’ing when he wasnt at third. Cervenak is by far and away the most consistent hitter Lehigh Valley has had this year.
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Yeah, you’re right. From a team perspective, losing Cervenak is a big bat to lose. I’m thinking more from a developmental perspective.
It’s a shame this team isn’t winning more games, they really aren’t that bad at all on paper. AAA and AA this year seems to be really struggling offensively.
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Carpenter was also on the 40 man roster. The team has not determined that Kendrick has perfected his game as of yet, so why should they jerk him up and down? I did not get to see Carpenter’s start due to carriage in my TV area, but I would say your re-hashing of Carpenter’s performance was shaded as negatively as possible. The simple giving up of runs, in and of itself , means little. If somebody wanted to hang their star on some stats,, how about the fact that the game only went 6 innings and Carpenter was declared the winning pitcher? Now you got him back.
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I did see Carpenter’s outing with the Phillies and he did not pitch well. I was mostly disappointed with his inability to throw strikes and his slow pace. Took him 99 pitches to go 4.1 innings and after the Phillies spotted him a big lead in the top of the 5th inning, he immediately walked the first batter in the bottom of the 5th.
Maybe it was just some nerves on his part but he just never seemed like he was comfortable.
I’m not sure why Kendrick should be miffed that Carpenter got the start and he didn’t. Not like he has given them much of a reason to bring him back up.
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I should add that between Kendrick and Carpenter, Carpenter has much better “stuff”. Just needs to do a better job of working ahead and improving his pace.
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I think the KK miff was quite intentional on the part of Dubee and UC. IMHO, it clearly was a message for him to focus on improving his secondary pitches/command and not worry about a short-term callup. They want him to come back and be an effective 5th starter, not spot start the 2nd half of a double-header and then head right back down.
Carpenter survived…that’s about the best that can be said for him. He got his feet wet again and didn’t completely “Chan Ho Park” himself in his start. He showed some flashes during his start that are hopeful for him to become the next Clay Condrey.
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Neep
UC was sleeping again. The situation screemed for Happ in the fifth. Carpenter was obiously gassed. And i am sure
they had a weather report. Why do managers lose so many games trying to get the starter thru the fifth. Anyway I do see Carpenter in relief. More like last years early Chad Durbin ,enough stuff to get the starter out of a jam(splitter) and strong enough for a few innings. There are too many starters
who will jump ahead of him next year. I am afraid KK is kooked
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NEPP–
I couldnt have said that better myself. I agree wholeheartedly.
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I was actually encouraged by Carpenter’s start honestly. He has consistently underwhelmed in the minors, so I was expecting him to get rocked in his call up and he didn’t.
Good: He was very good at keeping the ball down in the zone, and not leaving it up.
Bad: His control was off, and he went deep into too many counts.
Conclusion: A little better control during that outing and he would have registered a quality start and the win.
Just my opinion though…
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3UP, I noticed in Park’s start he threw 63 pitches and he didn’t get the 2nd out in the 2nd inning. How’s that for pitch count?
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I thought AC got squeezed a bit, there were quite a few pitches that were clearly strikes that he didn’t get.
NEPP I saw it the same way about KK.
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Not sure I get your point, Bellman. Park obviously had a terrible outing.
However, since this site is designed to discuss the minor leagues and this tread is about AAA Lehigh Valley, I was making an observation about the spot start by one of the AAA starters.
Now if you think that Carpenter had a good outing, then by all means, make your case. Not sure what some other pitcher stinking up the place a day later has to do with the topic at hand..
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See Mayberry Jr. had two hits today and is now hitting .343 with 5 extra base hits (two double, a triple and two homers) over his last 10 games for the Pigs. Hope he gets the call for the Yankee series to DH against Pettitte on Sat. and CC on Sun. Remember back in the the day when Ed Wade refused to call up Ryan Howard to DH against Seattle and the A’s and instead they used Tomas Perez as the DH. What’s the alternatives this time Bruntlett or Coste. That’s only slighty better than a Hobson’s choice.
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RB
you think Mayberry will do better than Bruntlett the defacto
dh last year lol
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