David Buchanan threw just one inning in anticipation of A.J. Burnett maybe not being able to go on Wednesday this week. By all accounts, Buchanan would be his replacement. The LV bullpen struck out eight over eight innings to hold off Rochester. Cesar Hernandez, Cam Perkins and Tommy Joseph all with multi-hit games, as A.J. Cole, the Nats #2 prospect, (per BA), got the victory over Jesse Biddle. Biddle pitched fairly well – 3R/0ER/4H/2BB/6K in 4IP – but was relieved after just 79 pitches. He was charged with two throwing errors in the third and another in the fourth, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was a big part of why he was pulled.

Cam Rupp left the LV game with what seems to be a back/oblique injury, and Kelly Dugan left the REA game after being hit on the hand/wrist with a pitch. I haven’t seen further update on either man, so let’s cross our collective fingers. (a late note: Chad Carman was on Twitter this morning saying he is on the move. My guess is he fills a hole in AA or AAA while Rupp goes to the DL. If Koyie Hill is next on the big league depth chart, it could be Carman to AAA as his back-up and leave Joseph and Valle to continue what they’re doing at AA).

Aaron Altherr joined CLR for what’s likely to be a very temporary stop on the way to his destination in AA. He had a BB and a K in four trips to the plate, while Brian Pointer tallied The Threshers’ lone XBH – he’s OPSing close to .900 thus far. A decent start from Colin Kleven in that one – 3R/7H/0BB/4K in 6.1IP. Dan Child and Colt Murray also with good outings there in relief, while Manny Martinez and Yacksel Rios‘ relief appearances appear to be the highlight of the Lakewood tilt.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/13/2014 →

Not much to say about the LV double header. Maikel Franco lowered his BA to .108 after an 0-6 on the day, and he added two strikeouts. Cesar Hernandez playing 3B all day for a Reading double dip, as Cameron Perkins collected five hits, including two doubles and a triple, and Perci Garner made a good showing – 2R/5H/1BB/5K in 5IP. Just over 2/3 of his pitches were strikes and he induced six groundball outs. Ken Giles got five outs and only two were Ks. Unacceptable.

Cole Hamels pitched well in his rehab start for CLR (insert “old for the league” joke here), while Tyson Gillies had a pair of hits. Brian Pointer has seven hits in his seven games. J.P. Crawford had two hits for Lakewood, and Ranfi Casimiro did not have a great day – 5R/3ER/4H/1HR/2BB/3K in 2.2IP.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/12/2014 →

Sometimes, especially early in the year, and especially on nights where there’s rain in Pennsylvania early in the year, you can look through a whole day of box scores and find about zero interesting things to talk about. And so you click on one of the guys and look at their stats and hope to become inspired. And sometimes that doesn’t work, and you write a limerick:

There once was a man from Aragua
Whose family was called Arteaga
He gave up one walk
Four runs and six knock(s)
And couldn’t inspire this blogga

Enjoy the weekend!

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/11/2014 →

I could call last night’s performance by Phillippe Aumont a success, but he did give up a walk and three hits in 2.1 IP. He didn’t allow a run, but he allowed one of two inherited runners score. I’ll call it a push. Maikel Franco‘s hit in two straight and walked in three straight. I’ll call that a good sign and we’ll see how it plays out.

Hoby Milner left the Reading game in the fifth after taking a liner off his pitching hand/forearm. He threw a couple warm-ups and they pulled him, according to this Penn Live article. He was cruising along pretty nicely at that point, having given up just one hit and striking out three in 4.2IP. Kelly Dugan went deep and Cameron Perkins continued his hot start – he’s OPSing .927 on the young season.

Not much to report out of CLR except Kevin Walter had his second straight scoreless relief appearance to start the year. And LKW hitters managed just three doubles off of Hagerstown pitchers, including Nats’ top prospect Lucas Giolito, who struck out six, walked one and allowed just one hit in five innings. Tyler Viza got hit around some after a nice start – he did strike out five in five+ innings, versus just one walk, and he retired the first seven men in a row, and 15 out of the first 18. It all came apart in the sixth inning, however, as he didn’t record an out and allowed four runs.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/10/2014 →