Thursday 5/17/2012 Minor League Updates

[mace]

Josh Smith has 9 K in 6 innings. Hamilton has his 39th steal. Bakersfield is 1-1 after six.

[mace]

Curtis Partch, who had been doing very well in his transition to relief, coughed up a 3-run walkoff HR and Pensacola lost 8-5. The rest of the bullpen--especially Manno--was excellent.

[mace]

Theo Bowe, who couldn't handle Dayton, is 6 for 10 since being promoted to Bakersfield.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by mace

Theo Bowe, who couldn't handle Dayton, is 6 for 10 since being promoted to Bakersfield.

With two home runs. He had 2 home runs in 797 pro PA's before the promotion. When guys don't hit for power in the California League, it is a concern. When guys do, wait until they do it at another level. I want the Reds to be in the Carolina League so badly it hurts. The Cal League inflates offense and kills pitching. The Florida State League is the exact opposite. Just crazy.

[RED VAN HOT]

Went to the Blaze game last night and sat just behind the radar gun..some impressions.

First, I suspect that the gun was registering low. I only saw one pitch reach 90 all night for either team. Josh Smith worked mostly between 77 to 89. One curve ball registered 71. Good movement in both planes on virtually all of his pitches. He gave LH hitters a hard time with a slider down and in and a fastball that tailed away (cutter?). Many swinging strikes. His stuff remained solid for all six innings.

Hamilton reached base once on an infield error and continued on to second without a play. There were four attempts to pick him off second and one to pick him off third following a steal. His speed and quickness enable him to take exceptionally long leads and still get back to the bag on pick off attempts.

Bowe is puzzling. His hits were not leg hits or bloops. One was a liner over short and the other was a double into the RF corner that he might have been able to stretch into a triple. I know most fans like power, but it is surely fun to see Hamilton and Bowe fly around the bases.

Cal league guy or not, the ball jumps off Lutz's bat. The Reds have to find him a place to play.

Unfortunately, I won't get to see Cingrani tonight as another trip to Lake Elsinore has been preempted by my granddaughter's school play.