Colorado Springs: I actually usually look at the Springs' results last because our players there are typically more of the passing time, emergency-fill-in grade rather than legit everyday major league prospects. Very few have much projectability left at all, and those who do seem to be squandering their opportunity to show something. That said, over the next few days I will probably be looking at these games a lot more closely with Todd Helton and Ryan Shealy set to fill rehab assignments and Jeff Baker returning as well. As for last night: Baker walked as a pinch hitter, JD Closser homered, and Omar Quintanilla had two hits, but the Sky Sox couldn't overcome an awful start by Zach Parker. More encouraging was the pen's performance: after Parker left having given up five runs in the fourth, Steve Colyer, Nate Field and Randy Williams shut out Tacoma for five and a third innings.
Tulsa:Troy Tulowitzki got two of Tulsa's four hits. Tulo's hit safely in each of the four games he's played since returning after getting pegged in the leg a couple of weeks ago, including at least one for extra bases in the last three. Because of the offense being shut down, a decent outing by Marc Kaiser resulted in the loss.
Modesto: Two things you can typically count on of late: the Nuts losing close ones, and Corey Wimberly showing off his speed. Last night it was more of the same, Wimberly's only hit happened to be a bunt single, but the Nuts lost eight to six on a late rally by Stockton. Other Nuts playing well lately include Chris Frey, Matt Miller (he doubled in Wimberly for one run) and Duke Sardinha. Reliever Andrew Kreidermacher pitched in his second game this season, and the big (6'4") Minnesota-Mankato grad hasn't been bad so far.
Asheville: The Tourists won nine to six in a game that featured a lot of both the good and bad sides of some of our prospects down there. For instance, starter Zach Simons gave up all six of those runs on eight hits and didn't get through the fifth, but he was in the strike zone all night as he didn't allow a walk and struck out four. For some reason I'm a bit more skeptical of his stuff than Xavier Cedeno's right now. I think Simons has a lot to prove at later levels as far as his abilities to fool batters and induce outs are concerned. Another good/bad showing was Dexter Fowler's dynamic play at lead off. Fowler had five plate appearances and got a single and walk out of those, but proceeded to safely steal second both times. Just like that, it's as if he had doubled twice instead. Of course, Fowler also struck out twice swinging at a couple of bad pitches, and even though his patience has improved this season, he still K's every 4.5 AB's. The Tourists on the whole showed a lot of patience, walking nine times (Michael Paulk and Travis Becktel accounted for five of those). Finally, Chris Nelson in another off night had two errors to bring his season total up to eleven.