Tom Krasovic at the U-T reports that Michael Barrett has been placed on the 15-day disabled list (h/t Baseball in Fort Wayne) due to a “strained throwing elbow” suffered during Monday afternoon’s 8-4 win over the Giants. Much is unknown at this point, but it doesn’t sound good. Meanwhile, Colt Morton will come up from Double-A San Antonio to replace Barrett on the big-league roster. Josh Bard is expected to see most of the playing time at catcher in Barrett’s absence.
Triple-A — Portland 9, Sacramento 1
Matt Antonelli: 0-for-3, 2 BB
Craig Stansberry (3B): 2-for-4, 2 2B, BB
Chase Headley (LF): 1-for-4, 2B, BB
Brian Myrow: 2-for 5, HR (he’s old, but he can hit)
Nick Hundley: 2-for-5
Jody Gerut (DH): 1-for-4, BB
Will Venable (CF): 3-for-5
Wade LeBlanc: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 11 SO
LeBlanc’s Triple-A debut went a little better than Cesar Ramos’ a day earlier. That’s the difference between a legit prospect and a guy who was drafted too early. LeBlanc threw 88 pitches, 61 (69%) for strikes.
Headley appears to be playing left field every day, with Venable in center. From here on out, just assume that’s where they are unless I indicate otherwise.
Left-handed reliever Will Startup is a finalist in something called Minors Moniker Madness. Vote for him if the spirit (or some other force) moves you.
More coverage at the Portland Oregonian.
Double-A — Tulsa 1, San Antonio 0
One run in 12 innings? My kind of game. Jose Lobaton had one of the Missions’ four hits. He figures to see more action with Morton headed to San Diego. Marshall McDougall, just down from Portland, collected two of the other hits.
More coverage at OurSports Central.
High-A — Lake Elsinore 8, Visalia 6
Cedric Hunter: 2-for-5
Eric Sogard: 3-for-5, 2B, BB
Mitch Canham: 2-for-5, HR
Second straight eight-run outburst for the Storm… Marcia Smith at the Orange County Register pens a fun piece on spending a day with RHP Dylan Axelrod and his teammates. Smith got to take batting practice against ex-Padre Wally Whitehurst. How cool is that?
Low-A — Dayton 3, Fort Wayne 2
Bradley Chalk: 3-for-4, 2B, SB
Andrew Cumberland (2B): 1-for-4, SB
Kellen Kulbacki (RF): 0-for-4
Justin Baum: 0-for-3, BB
Yefri Carvajal: 0-for-4, E
Felix Carrasco (1B): 0-for-3
Not sure why Cumberland shifted over to second base… Kullbacki batted cleanup in his 2008 debut; he replaces USD alum Shane Buschini, who landed on the DL after tumbling over a wall while making a catch (and what a strange play that was!)… First base seems to be Carrasco’s position for now, so this is the last time I’ll note when he’s playing there… Two different Wizards pitchers (starter Allen Harrington, reliever Jeremy Hefner) fanned seven batters in the game.
Thanks for the recaps. Awesome debut for LeBlanc (though it looks like you’ve got the scores switched for that game, and Portland was playing Sacramento).
Sweet I enjoy reading these.. that’s great for Leblanc. To this point, he’s had a low hit rate and walk rate at every level- lets hope it continues.
Also, I would have thought with a hitter as advanced as Kellen Kulbacki that they would move him along a little quicker and put him in Lake Elsinore this year. He’s 2.5 years older than Cedric Hunter, but at a lower level.
Great stuff. In that OC Register piece, there’s a mention of the hitting coach for Lake Elsinore. Is he “that” Shane Spencer?
#1: Crap, sorry ’bout that. I’m more of a morning person, and cranking these things out late at night is kind of messing with my mojo. It’s fixed now.
#2: Kulbacki was listed on the Storm’s Opening Day roster, but on the DL. I wonder if he’s just getting some work in at the lower level?
#3: Yep, that’s him.
Glad y’all are enjoying these…
I wonder if morton will get the start the day game after a night game on Sunday.
I voted for Startup…and I drafted him in the minor league portion of my NL Only FLB Keeper league…Go Will, Go Will.
The Michael Barrett thing is not good. I was really thinking that he might be an important trade piece this summer.
Re: 6 I was thinking the same thing, but I dont think they will move him until the deadline (maybe to the mets) so I dont think it will hurt his trade value that much since its 4 months away.
#2/4: Kulbacki was moved down to Low-A to replace Buschini who went on the DL. It was just an easier move than making two moves (one to replace Buschini, and one to get Kulbacki on the LE roster) and only one outfielder is healthy in extended spring.
On the Cumberland at second base thing: He and Zawadzki will be flip-flopping between the two all season. Since both are more natural shortstops, the Padres plan on splitting the reps to give them each turns at short while keeping both bats in the lineup.
Re: Headley in LF
Let’s say Hairston hits a solid .260/.330/.460 this year. That’s great production for minimum salary. Doesn’t that leave Headley next year in the same situation as he was this year with Kouzmanoff? We could slide Hairston to RF, but that would mean two converted infielders in our vast OF…three if Antonelli’s in center. fun.
Axelrod…yeay…an Anteater. FUN piece.
Thanks, Geoff.
Those 11 strike outs were a record for LeBlanc – his personal record that is. He struck out 10 last year, but it’s also Beavers record. Last held by Oliver Perez (2003) and Steve Watkins (2004) and that’s since the Beavers returned to the PCL in 2001.
So, why pull Morton up from AA instead of Hundley from AAA? I have to assume that Hundley is the better catcher (thus at AAA) and they just want him to get more playing time. Morton will spend most of his time in the majors on the bench. But don’t you want the best player on the major league roster? And if Morton IS the best player, why was he not at AAA until now? Is this a matter of keeping players together like last year when Headley was called up from AA and then sent back down there rather than going to AAA? But now they have only been together for a few days as the heart of the San Antonio team from ’07 is now in Portland.
Colt is on the 40 man roster and therefore can be moved without additional roster moves. I’m certain things will be evaluated once they know about Barrett, and other changes may well be made. The playing time issue may also be involved, but this isn’t Bochy – Buddy has shown he will play young guys. Colt lost a far amount of last year to an injury, so that may have something to do with his assignment.
From what I have read (including the Annual), we don’t have any real identified starting catcher prospects (but several backups) until you get to Mitch Canham, and he’s too new to offer much more than a guess.
I know the Missions didn’t really hit last night, but I’m curious to know why nothing was said of the Mission’s pitching last night. Faris had a great AA debut and the bullpen did a great job sticking it out 12 innings.
#8: Thanks, Denis, for the update. Seems odd that they’d want to shift Cumberland to accommodate Zawadzki.
#14: Thanks, MissL. As you say, the Missions pitched well. Faris isn’t really on my radar; can someone tell me a little more about him?
Just wanted to add that Headley got his first start in RF last night, but was shifted back to LF during the game. Some of the folks at the MadFriars forums felt that might be a sign that the Pads are thinking of Chase as Brian Giles’s replacement next year.
Oh, also, want to add that I’m blogging the Beavers for the Oregonian, but not the one Geoff linked. I’m on the (unpaid) “community blog”, but I’ve been trying to do recaps that include more than results (like pitch velocities, pitch counts — sheesh they’re tough to keep up with!, etc.), especially with pitching. The link is below, if anyone cares… but don’t judge me for skipping out most of last night for that amazing NCAA hoops title game!
http://blog.oregonlive.com/portlandbeavers
#17: Thanks, TLB. I’ve got you in the blogroll; will link over to your stuff when possible. Keep up the good work!
15: I am not sure it is shifting Cumby to accommodate Zawadzki – more shifting them both to accommodate each other. Plus, I am all for getting players in multiple positions. They need the experience and I fully expect Cumby to land in CF one day anyway…
20: Late to the party, but GY’s comparison of Ramos and LeBlanc was dead-on. The Padre brass has to talk about Ramos like he’s got a realistic chance of sticking in the majors, and I hope that’s all it is, talk. I expect they’ll regret it if they passed on any chances to trade him for a remotely interesting player this winter.
13: So maybe the question is: why is Colt on the 40-man roster and Hundley is not?