Colorado Springs: I'm a little worried when Tom Martin or Byung Hyun Kim pitch reasonably well while on rehab, as it makes me think the big league club might actually try using them again at some point. Martin's effective inning Saturday was followed by three and two thirds innings of one hit ball by Kim yesterday. I take some solace in the fact that Kim walked four batters also. Jayson Nix had three hits and three runs, while Sean Barker had two hits including a homerun. Barker's been en fuego in the nine games he's played in, generating a .452 average with 8/14 hits going for extra bases. He's one of those guys where traditional prospect standards undervalue him thanks to his age and high K totals, and yet he won't get love from stat watchers thanks to his age, his low walks and his high K totals. What's thrown out with the bathwater by both is this wickedly potent bat whenever Barker connects. The Rockies' trouble is that they have no place for him with Holliday, Hawpe, Baker and Spilborghs ahead of him in the depth chart. I'm not saying that this will happen, but don't be surprised if it's Barker and not Spilborghs that gets called up should an injury occur to one of our two starting corners.
Tulsa: Only two Drillers (Matt Miller and Aaron Rifkin) were able to generate any kind of offense against Cardinals prospect Jaime Garcia, which didn't bode well for Greg Reynolds picking up a "W" despite a solid pitching performance. Reynolds allowed two solo HR's to Joe Mather, but otherwise was displaying more of the stuff that has him rising in the esteem of observers everywhere. After seven innings with a 6/1 K/BB ratio yesterday, Greg's season line is 15/3 in 19 innings pitched, not including the opening day snow out. Miller hit his first homerun of the season in the four to two loss.
Modesto: Alan Johnson got plenty of backing from the Nuts' offense to pick up a win in his solid outing. Chris Nelson and EY Jr paced the offense with three hits apiece. If Deuce can get aboard more he can start making up some ground on the Cal League stolen base leaders, he picked up two yesterday to give him eight on the season to date. The Nuts won nine to two.
Asheville: The Tourists lost to the Greenville drive as Andrew Graham pitched okay, but only Michael McKenry was able to drive in some runs, plating three with a homerun and double. McKenry now has thirteen RBI on the season so far. McKenry's 2007 splits are kind of odd, he's zero for ten against left handers with five K's despite being a right handed batter. He did better against southpaws last season, so this is obviously just a fluke, unless they're exploiting a hole in his plate coverage.