Monday Pebble Report

by Rox Girl on May 7, 2007 8:57 AM MDT in Rockpile

Colorado Springs: Ubaldo Jimenez continues to simultaneously appear to be on the brink of busting into the big leagues in a big way, or just plain busting as a prospect. He'll look spectacular at times, yet at other times he's highly erratic and the end result is often something like yesterday's five and two-third inning outing where he only allowed four hits, but also walked five to go along with six K's. He allowed the only two runs of the game to score, as the Sky Sox offense couldn't get it together. Joe Koshansky had a single to extend an eight game hitting streak. His season average has climbed to .290 after a very sluggish start.

Tulsa: Rained out. In case you didn't read the comments in yesterday's PR, Alan Johnson will fill in for Franklin Morales for one start before being sent back to Modesto.

Modesto: Andrew Johnston has blown two out of his last three save opportunities after yesterday's 5-4 loss, but looking beyond the box score shows that this time, bad luck and bad defense seemed to play a major role. Both runners Johnston allowed to score got aboard via ground ball singles, were moved along via sac bunts and ground outs, and while one scored on another ground ball single, the other scored on a throwing error by Jeff Kindel. The Nuts scored all their runs in a four run eighth, but also left the bases loaded that inning. Dexter Fowler and EY had a pair of hits, and Young also stole his seventeenth base.

Asheville: Everybody dreams of being able to do what Anthony Jackson pulled off yesterday. Down 5-3, with two men on in the bottom of the ninth, two outs, two strikes on the hitter, and...
Yes. Jackson hit the game winning three run homer to cap off a three hit day. Daniel Mayora also had three hits and Victor Ferrante added a pair of doubles. The Tourists defense registered two outfield assists at the plate, and two double plays to back up an off day of pitching from Simon Ferrer (nine hits, three walks and five runs allowed) and Ethan Katz (four hits and two walks in two innings) before Jackson's heroics.

The sweep of Kannapolis leaves Asheville at 21-9 on the season. Besides the repeating Michael Paulk -who's dominating this year- this team isn't overly old and while some of the names are a little lower on our prospect lists, these guys shouldn't be ignored as another wave in the system. Mayora, Jackson, Hector Gomez and Michael McKenry make a solid up-the-middle core, and corners Paulk, Ferrante, Wiens and Cox are adding positive production from the corners. The bullpen has been phenomenal, with Katz, James Burok, Andrew Kreidermacher, Zach Simons, and Sean Jarrett in particular being air-tight. The pen's record on the year is 7-2, which along with Keith Weiser's 5-0, shows where most of Asheville's W's are coming from.

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

On Johnston's two-runs

The two singles that Johnston gave up in the 9th were solidly hit balls. In my opinion, bad luck and bad defense did not play a part in the run he gave up that inning; it was simply timely hitting by the Mavericks.

But, yes, bad defense hurt him in the tenth. After a solid single, no one covered first on the first sac bunt. It should have been EY but we didn't have a bunt defense on with their #3 hitter at the plate. Cuadrado should probably share some of the blame for Kindel's throwing error as he simply didn't come off the bag to try to handle the throw.

It was a pretty disappointing loss to score four in the bottom of the 8th to take the lead and then just give it away like that.

by ModHost on May 7, 2007 11:00 AM MDT reply actions

Those are the worst to lose...

Thanks for the notes, as eye witness accounts are always best. The well struck singles aside, I was wondering if the bunt and particularly the groundout that preceded the tying hit were more unlucky as it's rare that Advanced A hitters will have enough bat control to affect the direction of balls in play, particularly a bottom of the order, weak hitter such as Garth. Maybe he was too weak, because if he pulls it and the runner's still at second, I would think Fowler would have a chance for a play at the plate on the tying hit.

Another thing I want to bring up, and I don't know if it pertains to yesterday, but it's still something to watch for in general, is that as a sinkerballer, Johnston will more frequently encounter balls hit back up the middle like those late singles as he progresses up the ladder. If he learns to knock some of them down and keep them on the infield, he'll save himself some runs in the future and may even get some extra outs from it. With all of our GB pitchers, we should keep an eye on their fielding stats.

by Rox Girl on May 7, 2007 11:32 AM MDT up reply actions