Minor League Recap, 4/20

Written by Greg Fertel | 20 April 2007

• Tyler Clippard started the first game. He allowed 4 runs in 5 innings, striking out and walking three each. Not a good night for T-Clip. He's definately not sharp. Hopefully once he builds up some arm strength he'll start to come around. It's still too early to panic.
• Matt DeSalvo was better, pitching 5 innings and allowing only one earned run. His control was off with 4 walks, but he struck out 4 too. He now has a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings.
• T.J. Beam blew the save for DeSalvo. He allowed a two run home run in his second inning of work.
• Josh Phelps should have hit for Thompson in the 9th.
• Alberto Gonzalez was a combined 3-6 with a triple.
• Bronson Sardinha was 1-4 with 2 walks and a 2 run home run. That's a good sign from Sardinha. When he's off, his power suffers the most. He now has 10 walks in 14 games against just 6 Ks.
• Eric Duncan did not play in either game. Cross your fingers that it's not his back.

• Alan Horne got the start. At first glance, he wasn't sharp, allowing 4 runs in 5.2 innings. However, Horne managed to strike out 7 and walk none. Two of the runs came off a 2 run home run in the 2nd, and the other two runs scored on a series of ground balls that squeaked through in the 5th and 6th. He had his stuff today.
• Kevin Whelan pitched the last 3 innings of the game. He allowed two weak infield hits, and was hurt by a throwing error by Gabe Lopez. However, P.J. Pilittere threw a runner out at 2nd on a knubber in front of the plate, and Whelan was able to get out of the inning with an intentional walk and a double play. He allowed two walks (one intentional) and one double for the next two innings, striking out two and allowing no runs. It was a good night for Whelan.
• Brett Gardner was 1-5 with a walk and a double.
• Cody Ehlers went 1-5 with the game winning single.
• Josh Phelps should have hit for Kevin Thompson in the 9th.
• Jeff Kennard continued his hot pitching with two scoreless innings where struck out 4. Jeff Kennard should not be in AA.

• Hideki Matsui was 1-3 in his rehab start. The Yankees really could use him. A-Rod can't drive in seven runs every day.
• Francisco Cervelli went 2-4.
• Erik Abreu got the start, going 3 innings and allowing 5 runs. Abreu's fastball just doesn't seem to be recovering.
• Josh Schmidt proved why his magical 2005 was an abberation. He pitched 2 innings, allowing 3 runs, 5 walks, and one hit - a double. He struck out 4. His control was an issue all year last year, and leads to a lot of big innings. He's sidearmer who might have some sort of career as a specialist, but he needs to master A ball first.
• Reegie Corona was 1-4 with a walk. Jose Tabata and Juan Miranda were 1-4.
• Tim Battle was 0-5 with 2 strikeouts.
• Eric Wordekemper finished the game with a perfect inning. He's allowed just 6 scattered baserunners in 5 innings this year, with 3 strikeouts. I'm not a fan, but honestly I don't know a lot about him.

• Angel Reyes started the first game, striking out 6 in 4 scoreless innings. He allowed a walk and a single. This is what Angel Reyes looks like when his control is working. He's no Abel Gomez, who never had his control working. Reyes is capable of absolute dominance, will have a lot of starts like this one tonight. He'll also have a lot of starts where he walks 4 and allows three runs in four innings.
• Garrett Patterson relieved Reyes, pitching 3 innings and allowing only an unearned run on a Hilligoss error. He struck out one and walked one. Patterson was 5 walks in 8.2 innings this year, following 37 walks in 50 innings last year. He's not going to go anywhere above A ball if he doesn't get his control under... control.
• Tim Norton, coming off two bad starts, dominated in the 2nd game. He pitched 6.1 innings, striking out ten and walking none. He allowed just 1 run on 5 hits. It's only a matter of time before the Yankees figure out that Norton is playing under his competition, despite the two bad starts.
• Mitch Hilligoss was 3 for 8 with 3 RBIs and a double.
• Wilmer Pino was 0 for 6. Did I jink him in my weekend recap?
• Seth Fortenberry was 0 for 5 with a walk. Talk about streaky. After his latest 4 for 5 game, Fortenberry is 1 for 12.
• Eduado Nunez was 2 for 6.
• Austin Jackson did not play.