Minor League Recap, 5/24

Written by Greg Fertel | 24 May 2007

• Steve Jackson got the start. Jackson looked like he had it together earlier this month - with two excellent starts in a row, but he didn't have anything together tonight. Jackson gave up 6 runs in 4 2/3 innings. Steve may be the only person happy in the Yankee organization right now about their pitching injury situation, because his spot in the rotation is only secure because of it.
• Kevin Thompson went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a double. Thompson started the season off slowly, but is now hitting .269/.342/.402 thanks to a .381/.422/.666 hot streak over his last ten games. Yankee fans, be alert, because Thompson may be the 2nd Yankee this week to make a deal with the devil.
• Eric Duncan was 0 for 3 with 2 walks and no strikeouts. At some point, he has to hit, but you have to love the K/BB ratios this season.
• Bronson Sardinha was 0 for 4 with a walk
• Andy Phillips went 2 for 5. He's now batting .327/.398/.533 and mostly playing 2nd base.
• Alberto Gonzalez got the day off

• Jason Jones got the start against the Red Sox blue chipper Michael Bowden. His results were mixed, allowing one earned run and two unearned runs in five innings. One of those unearned runs was not his fault, but the other was a result of Jones walking a batter with the bases loaded. Jones was three and struck out 5 on the night, displaying poorer control than he is used to.
• Kevin Whelan pitched and inning and a third of undemocratic relief, striking out three and walking four, one intentional, and throwing one wild pitch. He left two runners on for Zach Kroenke in the 9th.
• Zach Kroenke got the final two outs in the losing effort for Trenton, striking out one and allowing a walk.
• P.J. Pilittere got his second day off in a row. He may have some minor injury.
• Justin Christian went 1 for 2 with two walks and a stolen base. He has been leading off with Brett Gardner sidelined with an injury.

• Kei Igawa started, allowing 2 runs in 5 innings. He struck out 4 and walked 1 in the effort. When you pause and think about when Igawa will return to the major leagues, you realize that it probably won't be this season barring an injury to the current group.
• Jose Tabata was 4 for 5, all singles. I wonder if anyone in the Yankee organization has informed him that he is in fact allowed to hit the ball over the fence.
• Juan Miranda had a huge night, going 3 for 4 with a pair of home runs, a double, and a HBP. I think he's trying to win brownie points when I write his profile tomorrow.
• Colin Curtis continued his hot play by going 2 for 5 with a home run.
• Francisco Cervelli added to the slugfest with three hits, two of them doubles, in 4 at bats. He was also hit by a pitch.
• When everyone else was on, Tim Battle and Reegie Corona were not. Battle was 0 for 6 with 3 strikeouts, and Corona was 0 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.

• Ivan Nova started the game, allowing no runs and just two singles and one walk in six innings. He struck out four. Nova is just 20 years old and has a very live arm, throwing 93-94 with movement with a great curveball. He's the first of the EST crowd that the Yankees have brought to Charleston. Does this mean that Dellin Betances and Zach McAllister aren't far behind? No one can tell at this point, but the Yankees have to start cascading pitchers up through the levels eventually.
• Paul Patterson made his season debut in relief of Nova. Like Nova, he had been pitching in extended spring.
• Ferdin Tejada came after Patterson, and the results were not good. He allowed two runs in two innings with one walk, three hits, and a strikeout. Tejada may have the best raw arm in the farm system, but he still has a lot of work to do. He was just converted to the bullpen from shortstop a couple of years ago. The Yankees have him on their 2 innings every 3 days program to get him some innings. He'll be in Charleston all year unless they decide to send him to Staten Island, but I can't see him promoting him to Tampa no matter how well he pitches.
• Mitch Hilligoss extended his hitting streak to 31 games by going 1 for 3 with a walk.
• Seth Fortenberry and Austin Jackson were both 1 for 4. Fortenberry drew a walk.