minor lines, 7/6/07

AAA: Fresno lost to Sacramento 4-3

Fresno: CF Clay Timpner: 2 for 4, 2 SO, CS
Fresno: LF Dan Ortmeier: 0 for 4, 3 SO
Fresno: 1B Scott McClain: 1 for 4, HR, SO
Fresno: RF Nate Schierholtz: 3 for 4, 3B, 2B
Sacramento: LF Bobby Kielty: 3 for 4, PO
Sacramento: 1B Daric Barton: 2 for 4, 3B, 2B

Fresno: LHP Travis Blackley: 7.0+ IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Fresno: LHP Erick Threets: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 0 HR
Fresno: RHP Tyler Walker: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR

Timpner raised his AVG to .352, but his SB/CS fell to 6/8. Ortmeier
had the hat trick, but his SO/AB ratio remains below 20%. McClain
connected for his organization-leading 16th HR. He has 6 HRs in his
last 11 games. Schierholtz raised his AVG to .347. He now has 30 XBH
among 84 H and 242 AB. The A's Kielty now has a .394 AVG in nine
rehab games. Barton, the A's top prospect, entered the night hitting .
323/.409/.479.

Blackley had an ERA over 6.00 in June, and his ERA is even higher in
two July starts. Threets retired one of two batters faced. In his
first appearance with Fresno, Walker allowed one of two inherited
runners to score, which provided the Rivercats with a needed insurance
run.

AA: Connecticut defeated Harrisburg 2-0 (7 innings) in game 1

Connecticut: CF Eugenio Velez: 1 for 4, 3B, SB
Connecticut: RF Trey Webb: 1 for 4, HR, SB

Connecticut: RHP Nick Pereira: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K, 0 HR
Connecticut: RHP Brian Anderson: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0
HR
Harrisburg: LHP Michael O'Connor: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1
HR

Velez's speed was at work again, getting him his 7th triple and 30th
SB. Webb connected for his 2nd HR.

Pereira had what I believe is a season-high strikeout total. He
lowered his ERA to 3.72, but the BB/IP ratio could still stand a fair
amount of improvement. With a perfect 7th inning, Anderson earned his
19th save. The Senators' O'Connor spent most of last year in the
majors. This year all six of his starts have come in the Eastern
League, where he has a 3.13 ERA.

AA: Connecticut lost to Harrisburg 5-2 (7 innings) in game 2

Connecticut: C Stephen Holm: 1 for 1

Connecticut: RHP Dave McKae: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
Connecticut: RHP Justin Hedrick: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0
HR

The Defenders' offense was limited to three singles and a couple hit
batters, with no one in the lineup reaching base twice. Holm entered
the game in a double switch and singled in his only plate appearance,
raising his AVG to .298.

McKae had his worst start as a Defender among seven starts, raising
his ERA to 2.40. All five baserunners he allowed scored as he allowed
a 3-run HR in the 1st inning and a 2-run HR in the 4th inning. Those
are the first HRs he has allowed as a Defender. With five strikeouts,
Hedrick improved his strikeout ratios, raising his K/IP ratio above
1.00 and his K/BB ratio above 2.00.

A+: San Jose defeated Modesto 12-5

San Jose: SS Brian Bocock: 0 for 4, HBP, 3 SO, E
San Jose: DH Travis Ishikawa: 2 for 2, 3 BB
San Jose: C Adam Witter: 4 for 5, 2 HR, 2B

San Jose: RHP Joseph Martinez: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
San Jose: RHP Kelvin Pichardo: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
San Jose: RHP Sergio Romo: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Modesto: RHP Chaz Roe: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR

Martinez's ERA was barely under 5.00 in June (4.99). Is headed to
another month with a high ERA? Richardo and Romo combined to strike
out half the hitters they faced. Pichardo now has 35 H, 15 BB and 70
K in 45.0 IP. Romo improved his K/BB ratio to better than 7.00.

Witter's power has largely been missing this year, but he connected
for his 6th and 7th HRs tonight in his first two plate appearances.
Ishikawa had a big OBP game, raising his OBP above .400. Bocock
continues to scuffle. In his past eleven games, he has 6 H and 19 SO
among 47 AB. He made his 10th error in 39 games with San Jose. (He
had 39 games with Augusta before his promotion.) Roe entered the year
considered one of the Rockies top ten prospects. Even with may of
those other top prospects graduating to the majors (Tulowitzki, Hirsh,
Iannetta, Baker), his 4.78 ERA means he is probably no longer among
the organization's top ten prospects.

A-: Augusta defeated Hickory 9-0

Augusta: RF Robert Felmy: 2 for 3, 2 BB, 2 SB, CS
Augusta: 1B Brett Pill: 5 for 5, 2B

Augusta: LHP Benjamin Snyder: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0
HR--1 WP
Augusta: RHP Ryan Shaver: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

With five hits, Pill raised his AVG to .282. He also connected for
his organization-leading 29th double, although most of his 35 XBH have
been doubles. He's swung a hot bat recently, including a .
301/.339/.544 line in June. Reaching base four times, Felmy improved
his OBP to .355. His SB/CS of 14/10 is not an impressive ratio.

Snyder's lines have been impressive recently as he has allowed just 3
ER over his last five starts, lowering his season ERA to 1.89. With
an 11-2 W-L record, he seemingly has very little left to prove at this
level. That said, he did falter late in his start and allowed three
straight singles with one out in the 6th inning. Shaver stranded all
three baserunners to preserve the shutout. Normally a pitcher relying
on the groundball (4.04 GO/AO ratio this year), Shaver instead struck
out half the batters he faced. He now has 43 H, 13 BB and 33 K in
48.0 IP.

ssA: Salem-Keizer defeated Tri-City 11-7
(further improving the franchise record start)

Salem-Keizer: 2B-1B Matthew Downs: 4 for 5, 3 2B, E
Salem-Keizer: DH Michael Ambort: 3 for 5, HR, SO
Salem-Keizer: RF Sean Van Elderen: 3 for 4, SO
Salem-Keizer: 3B Andrew Davis: 2 for 4, HR, 3B, SO, E

Salem-Keizer: LHP Wilmin Rodriguez: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K,
0 HR--1 E
Salem-Keizer: RHP Ricky Bauer: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1
HR--1 WP

The offense does not seem to feature many prospects, but late round
picks from a year ago like Downs and Van Elderen are hitting very well
nonetheless, as they raised their respective AVGs to .315 and .358.
Ambort and Davis, who connected for their 2nd and 1st HRs,
respectively, were mid-round selections this year and so they do
appear to be marginal prospects.

The 22-year-old Rodriguez, who had allowed just 1 ER over his first
three starts, had his least effective start of the season. Bauer, the
24-year-old undrafted free agent signed a couple years ago, pitched
the final four innings for the win and bringing his ERA below 4.00.

R: Scottsdale had a scheduled off-day

DSL: Giants lost to Royals 4-3 (11 innings)

Giants: 1B Victor Santana: 3 for 3, 2B, 2 BB, SB
Giants: RHP Walin Geraldo: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR--1
HB, 1 WP

The 18-year-old Santana reached base five times to improve his season
line to .295/.415/.453. He half of the offense's six hits. The 18-
year-old Geraldo had his best start of the season (among seven starts)
to improve his ERA to 5.14.

> Connecticut: RHP Nick Pereira: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K, 0 HR
> BB/IP ratio could still stand a fair amount of improvement

His walks have been too high since the failed promotion last year.

> Connecticut: RHP Dave McKae: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
> 3-run HR in the 1st inning and a 2-run HR in the 4th inning. Those are
> the first HRs he has allowed as a Defender

His last ten innings have not been prepossessing, especially these
homers. At least he's still throwing strikes.

> San Jose: RHP Kelvin Pichardo: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
> Pichardo now has 35 H, 15 BB and 70 K in 45.0 IP.

He's gone two or more innings in each of his last three appearances.

> Augusta: LHP Benjamin Snyder: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 HR--1
> he seemingly has very little left to prove at this level. That said,
> he did falter late in his start and allowed three straight singles

I wouldn't mind a promotion, but he's not shaming hitters, just winning.