Minor League Recap, 5/21

Written by Greg Fertel | 21 May 2007

• No prospects pitched, but veteran Eric Junge got the start, pitching 5 innings and allowing 1 run. The Yankees brought in Junge to fill holes at Scranton with so many pitches either in New York or on the disabled list. Considering the state of the Yankee injury mix, he should stay in the Scranton rotation for most of the year.

• Alberto Gonzalez was 1 for 4 with a triple. He's been slumping lately, lowering his batting average to .243
• Eric Duncan has been battling minor injuries lately. He was 0 for 2 with 2 walks tonight. Duncan is batting just .171 in his last 10 games, but has 6 walks and 2 strikeouts over that time. Duncan's 22/19 K/BB ratio this season is great sign despite the .222/.336/.343. He's hitting just .048 against left handed pitching though.
• Shelly Duncan hit his 12th home run. Duncan is hitting .331/.404/.662 this season, with 31 strikeouts in 39 games. His problems in the past have been a low walk rate and trouble hitting the singles and doubles to compliment his home runs. Has Duncan figured himself out? He may have. I think that he's worth a shot on the major league roster. Josh Phelps is a decent player, but you have to think that Duncan can be a better righty platoon 1st baseman (and he can play the outfield too).

• Brett Smith got the start, and actually managed to lower his ERA from 1.22 to 1.03 in 8 shutout innings. Smith allowed just one hit, a single, and two walks while striking out 10. Smith's changeup was firing tonight, producing 11 of his 13 outs on balls in play in the air. Smith was coming off a "bad" outing where he only struck out 3 while walking 3 in 8 innings and allowing a run. You have to think that Brett would benefit from a promotion to the International League; I'm starting to question the quality of Eastern League hitters this year.
• P.J. Pilittere went 0 for 4

• Daniel McCutchen got the start, and for once did not dominate hitters. He went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs and 4 walks. He only struck out 2. McCutchen hadn't allowed a walk in his past two starts.
• Reegie Corona was 2 for 4 with 2 walks and a double. He's really looking good with a .296/.375/.391 line down in Tampa. However, Corona has committed 14 errors last time I checked. The Yankees moved him back to shortstop this season, but Corona's future is at 2nd base.
• Tim Battle was 2 for 6 with no strikeouts. He is batting just .228/.255/.293 this season with 63 strikeouts in 41 games. Battle has performed better in the last 10, picking up six multi-hit games, but has still struck out 14 times.
• Jose Tabata was 0 for 4 with a HBP. He's down to .292/.364/.364 on the season. He needs to stop trying to hit a single every time and learn to drive the ball. Tabata talks a lot about getting a runner in from 2nd base, but even at age 18 he needs to get a ball behind the outfielder every once in awhile.
• Colin Curtis broke his slump by going 3 for 5 with a triple. Curtis is down to .258/.364/.371 on the season. A respectable line, but he was an on base machine earlier in the year.
• Francisco Cervelli went 1 for 5
• Marcos Vechionacci, in his 4th game since returning from injury, went 1 for 3 with 2 walks.Juan Miranda was 0 for 2 with 2 walks.

• Mitch Hilligoss raised his batting average to .325 by going 2 for 5 with 2 doubles. Mitch has a 28 game hitting streak going (thanks Mike from RAB)
• Fringe righty Grant Duff got the start, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing 4 earned runs. Duff has allowed 24 walks in 48 innings this year and only 26 strikeouts. You shouldn't need me to tell you how bad that ratio is.
• Ferdin Tejada made his season debut for Charleston. I didn't rank him because of uncertainty this season, but he's got a big time arm. He's a converted shortstop who throws in the mid-90s. He pitched 2 innings and struck out 2, but allowed one run on a double.
• Seth Fortenberry, Eduardo Nunez, and Austin Jackson were all 0 for 3. Nunez drew a walk.