Charlotte @ Durham 7:05PM ET

 

Carlos "K" Torres vs. Carlos Hernandez

 

Audio

Video

 

West Tenn @ B'ham (Let's play two!) 5:05PM CT

 

Steven Hensley vs. Aaron Poreda

TBA vs. TBA (Probably Lucas Harrell)

 

Audio

 

W-S @ Frederick 7:00PM ET

 

Charlie Shirek vs. Timothy Bascom

 

Audio

 

Kanny off.

Edited May 4, 200916 yr by scenario

Outside chance this is Poreda's swan song in the minors, especially if the Wednesday game for the Sox gets postponed.

Outside chance this is Poreda's swan song in the minors, especially if the Wednesday game for the Sox gets postponed.

Huh? Why would that be?

 

Huh? Why would that be?

 

Crap, meant to say if Wednesday isn't postponed (heard there's a good chance of it). If Contreras bombs again, Richard would move into rotation and Poreda would take over for long relief.

Crap, meant to say if Wednesday isn't postponed (heard there's a good chance of it). If Contreras bombs again, Richard would move into rotation and Poreda would take over for long relief.

I highly doubt it. More likely, if JC sucks AND Richard is the starter taking over, we'll see Gobble or maybe Williams to give Ozzie another lefty. Carrasco and Broadway are doing long relief too, no need for a third.

 

Crap, meant to say if Wednesday isn't postponed (heard there's a good chance of it). If Contreras bombs again, Richard would move into rotation and Poreda would take over for long relief.

 

How bout you switch that around. Let's keep Richard in long relief where he's awful, instead of in the rotation where he's GOD awful....

 

Poreda's been starting in the minors lets keep it that way...

 

I highly doubt it. More likely, if JC sucks AND Richard is the starter taking over, we'll see Gobble or maybe Williams to give Ozzie another lefty. Carrasco and Broadway are doing long relief too, no need for a third.

 

The Sox LOVE the idea of having a starting pitcher get some time in as a long reliever prior to joining the starting rotation (the Mark Buehrle approach). A member of the Charlotte organization revealed on Saturday (even before the Contreras debacle) that they've been told Poreda would never pitch there and won't stay in B'ham all year.

Crap, meant to say if Wednesday isn't postponed (heard there's a good chance of it). If Contreras bombs again, Richard would move into rotation and Poreda would take over for long relief.

Where does Contreras go? Bullpen, DFA?

 

Personally, I think in the pen, Contreras can be a decent middle man. I don't think his arm can handle starting anymore, but an inning or two every couple of days could be just what the doctor ordered. It seems to me whenever he starts, he starts out with solid stuff, but quickly fades and loses effectiveness on his pitches and control.

How bout you switch that around. Let's keep Richard in long relief where he's awful, instead of in the rotation where he's GOD awful....

 

Poreda's been starting in the minors lets keep it that way...

I agree. Richard simply isn't that good and has been rocked this season as well. I'd much rather take my chances with Poreda.

Where does Contreras go? Bullpen, DFA?

 

Personally, I think in the pen, Contreras can be a decent middle man. I don't think his arm can handle starting anymore, but an inning or two every couple of days could be just what the doctor ordered. It seems to me whenever he starts, he starts out with solid stuff, but quickly fades and loses effectiveness on his pitches and control.

 

DL probably, and then he'd get some rehab starts and be given his rotation spot back (just an assumption).

The Sox LOVE the idea of having a starting pitcher get some time in as a long reliever prior to joining the starting rotation (the Mark Buehrle approach). A member of the Charlotte organization revealed on Saturday (even before the Contreras debacle) that they've been told Poreda would never pitch there and won't stay in B'ham all year.

I don't remember seeing this "revealed" anywhere. Insider? Or did I miss something?

 

Probably another one of Fathom's insiders. He's got about 12,000 of them strategically located around the world.

I don't remember seeing this "revealed" anywhere. Insider? Or did I miss something?

 

Yes, sorry...a wedding in Raleigh over the weekend.

Hensley, the starter for the Diamond Jaxx, jumped all the way from the first month with Clinton (Midwest) League over their High A team all the way to a AA start tonight...

 

Pretty unusual move so early in the year for an organization (in this case, the M's and their new GM Jack Z) to jump a guy all the way up two leagues. Wonder if they think he can help them in Seattle as early as this season?

 

Or maybe they just wanted to see how well he could do against Birmingham? Well, it makes for an interesting storyline, I guess.

 

So much for Hensley. Gave up his first earned runs of the season, 3-0 Barons going to the 2nd.

Tyler Flowers with a two-out RBI single, Viciedo doubled (down the right field line) in Flowers and Brandon Allen, who'd walked. Beckham grounded out.

 

Poreda supposedly throwing 98 on the Birmingham stadium gun. Actually got a strikeout with curveball.

Edited May 4, 200916 yr by caulfield12

Barons underway in Game 1. Poreda struck out two and walked one, and Flowers threw out the runner.

 

Two out RBI single for Flowers. Two run double for Viciedo.

 

3-0, top 2

Flowers got credit for a caught stealing...but what happened was the runner came off the back after being safe.

 

The throw beat him, but it was a bad tag apparently. Still, Flowers has been more successful than the major league catchers. Of course, they don't have to deal with the likes of Floyd, Contreras and Jenks not holding runners on base.

I predict that if Poreda finishes this start in a solid fashion, things will get interesting very soon.

I predict that if Poreda finishes this start in a solid fashion, things will get interesting very soon.

 

I still think the Count has a couple more starts of suckage before it gets interesting.

Winston-Salem got rained out.

 

So, it's just Charlotte and Birmingham going tonight.

 

 

How big is the difference between AA and AAA level wise?

 

It might be a stupid question but it seems like bringing up prospects from AA is skipping a stage in their development, that's what I always thought.

Think of AAA, as more like AAAA. The majority of players in AAA have either stalled at the Major League Level, have nothing left to prove in the lower minors, but are log-jammed out of the majors, or are seen as projects. The best talent really is in AA. Players are usually sent down to face AAA pitching for its major-league quality breaking-pitches where as AA pitchers generally have better velocity, and stuff.

AAA is probably more important for hitters than pitchers. It's the place where hitters will see the best breaking stuff they face in the minors. Skip that experience and most hitters will have a tough transition against major league pitching.

 

But for pitchers... different story. If you've got the stuff and command over your stuff, you can jump from AA to the majors. Most pitchers in AAA are either there:

a. to add a pitch, or

b. to develop better control/command, or

c. because they're not good enough to stick on a major league roster

That explains a lot, thanks guys.

Poreda--no hits thru 4.

4 walks, 7 K's

 

I doubt he'll go the full 7 innings, with 71 pitches already.

One thing Poreda needs to do is work a big faster and not throw so many pitches.

 

He's like Scott Kazmir right now....the idea of our bullpen having to enter the game consistently in the 5th and 6th innings doesn't exactly build confidence.

 

Although anything is better than being out of the game in the 3rd or 4th and having to go to Broadway then.