Monday 5-12-08 Minor League Game Updates

[Matt700wlw]

I'm guessing the fact that he leads the IL league in hits (48) means nothing as well...

[SMcGavin]

Matt Maloney is good at pitching. 41 IP, 37 K, 13 BB, 1 HR allowed

[OnBaseMachine]

After today Jay Bruce is hitting .348 with a .984 OPS.

[OnBaseMachine]

Maloney regaining form after rough start
Louisville lefty comes within two outs of a seven-inning no-hitter
By Benjamin Hill / Special to MLB.com

Matt Maloney got off to a rocky start this season, but he seems to be returning to what made him a premier pitching prospect.

In the first game of Monday afternoon's doubleheader, the 24-year-old southpaw pitched 6 1/3 no-hit innings but had to settle for a two-hit shutout as the Lousiville Bats cruised to a 7-0 win over the Richmond Braves.

"I threw a no-hitter in high school, but in the pros I had never gone so deep into the game without allowing a hit," said Maloney. "Today, I was thinking about pitching a no-hitter from about the fourth or fifth inning on. It's hard not to think that. I was just trying to remain calm, get ahead of the hitters and let them get themselves out."

After compiling a 7.24 ERA over his first six starts of the season, Maloney has finally settled into a groove. The former third-round Draft pick yielded two runs over seven innings against Norfolk on May 7, and followed that up with Monday's bid for immortality. Maloney struck out seven and walked two in the seven-inning contest. He struck out Brandon Jones to start the seventh frame, but then yielded Barbaro Canizares' hard-hit single up the middle.

"I hung a changeup, and I knew it was a bad pitch the moment it left my hand," said Maloney. "I was hoping he wouldn't swing at it, but he shot it back up the middle where nobody could make a play."

Following Canizares' single, Maloney yielded Joe Borchard's bloop hit before settling down and retiring the game's final two batters. The complete game was his first since June 20, 2007, when he was pitching for the Reading Phillies.

"I located my fastball away pretty well today, was throwing the curveball for strikes, and had a good changeup," said Maloney, who was traded to the Cincinnati Reds organization last July, as part of the deal that brought right-hander Kyle Lohse to Philadelphia. "A big improvement for me over the past two starts has been eliminating the big inning, where I give up three or four runs and let the game get out of hand."

The Bats' offense provided Maloney with plenty of support in the contest, and chief among the contributors was Jay Bruce. The 2005 first-round Draft pick went 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored to raise his average to an International League-leading .348. Kevin Barker hit a two-run single as part of the Bats' five-run fifth frame, while Chris Dickerson blasted his first home run of the year in the sixth.

Mat DeSalvo (1-5) took the loss, yielding two runs on three hits and three walks over four frames. Jeff Ridgway allowed four runs on two hits and three walks while retiring just two batters.

The Bats (23-16) went on to sweep the twinbill, eking out a 2-1 win over the R-Braves (20-17) in Game 2.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/n...milb&fext=.jsp

[NJReds]

Don't forget Votto. Patterson is pretty good out there too, but since range is the only skill he has, it is overlooked. I agree with your overall point though. Range is a problem at all positions but 1B, 2B, and CF. Poor arms all over the outfield, with poor strength in RF and CF, and poor accuracy in LF. Too many errors at 3B. The defense is a mess. I hope that can be fixed if we are selling at the trade deadline.

No doubt that Patterson is a good CF, but Freel was backing up Cueto yesterday.

[Spring~Fields]

Bring up Bruce but keep Dusty and Jacoby away from him.

five thumbs up for you.

[Spring~Fields]

Jay Bruce is 16 for 25 (.640) in the last 7 games, one game he pinch hit. He has hit 4 doubles, a triple, and two homers in that span as well.

Sweet,

gives me hope unless Patterson has pictures on someone.

[Spring~Fields]

I think Jay is picking a good day to show his skills, Reds director of Scouting Terry Reynolds is at the games today.

So he is doing well hitting under pressure to.

[Redman15]

Frazier playing 3rd and Dorn is at 1st for Sarasota tonight.

[OnBaseMachine]

Shaun Cumberland is not in the starting lineup again tonight for Chattanooga. I don't understand why guys like Jerry Gil continues to play everyday over an actual solid prospect like Cumberland.

[OnBaseMachine]

BTW Daniel Perales is in the Dayton lineup tonight most likely on rehab.

[OnBaseMachine]

Alexander Smit K's the side in the first inning.

[OnBaseMachine]

Daryl Thompson throws a scoreless first inning with a walk and strikeout.

Strait: 1-for-1 double
Gutierrez: 1-for-1 double

Thompson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

[dougdirt]

Kevyn Feiner singled and scored after an Angel Cabrera double got him to third and a Justin Reed ground out scored him. 1-0 Dragons

[Kc61]

Gutierrez needs to be moved up a notch immediately. I want this done before the next inning. The guy is the OBP king of AA ball.