March 9, 200422 yr TUCSON, Ariz. -- For a brief moment Monday, Dan Wright looked vintage 2003—and that's not a good thing. After yielding a solo home run to Oakland's Bobby Kielty in the first inning, Wright walked the first two men he faced in the second. Images of last year's control problems threatened to erase those of the solid first outing Wright had Friday. But Wright induced Damian Miller to hit a double-play ball and got Bobby Crosby to fly out. End of jam, end of inning and another step away from last season's disaster. "My breaking ball wasn't as sharp as I wanted it to be, but other than that it was OK," Wright said. Wright may have a slight lead in the chase for the fifth-starter job. He yielded only the home run and struck out two in three innings of work. "He threw the ball outstanding," Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. … After jumping to a 6-1 lead, the Sox had to sweat in the ninth, when Oakland scored four runs. The inning prompted Guillen to make his first trip to the mound, and he lifted Gary Majewski for Darrin Ebert. "The umpire said, 'Which one do you want?' and I said, 'Nobody, that's the last one,'" Guillen said. … Shingo Takatsu gave up a line double to the first man he faced, Eric Byrnes, then retired the next three in his second spring outing. "I'm happy with the outcome, but I'm not really satisfied with what I've been going through," Takatsu said. "Skill-wise, I need to improve some stuff." … Guillen plans to give outfielder Joe Borchard a couple of days off to rest his left quadriceps. … Left-hander Neal Cotts yielded one hit in three innings in a 5-0 "B" game victory over the Diamondbacks. Cotts walked four and struck out two. … Francisco Campos struck out seven in three innings against Arizona and may get a turn with the regulars in his next outing. "He's a veteran pitcher and would be a pretty good long reliever," Guillen said.
March 9, 200422 yr I wonder how Neil's control was in that B game? His walks are the key number to him being in Chicago or Charlotte in April.
March 9, 200422 yr Those were some impressive numbers by Campos. Very impressive, sounds similar to Carlos Zambrano's numbers yesterday.
March 9, 200422 yr I wonder how Neil's control was in that B game? His walks are the key number to him being in Chicago or Charlotte in April. Left-hander Neal Cotts yielded one hit in three innings in a 5-0 "B" game victory over the Diamondbacks. Cotts walked four and struck out two. …
March 9, 200422 yr If he is putting up numbers like that he needs to start at Charlotte. The walks have to come down, period.
March 9, 200422 yr I wonder how Neil's control was in that B game? His walks are the key number to him being in Chicago or Charlotte in April. 4 walks, not what he wants to stay in contention.
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