PITCHING CHANGES SHOULDN'T HURT CATS
Once Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan and farm director Jim Rantz came to town, it didn't take them very long to initiate change.
With right-hander Jesse Crain (shoulder) relegated to the disabled list in Minnesota, Ryan reached down to Triple-A Rochester and plucked former Rock Cats reliever Julio DePaula (2-3, 3.15, 2 saves).
The Rochester staff was replenished with the addition of Rock Cats righties Nick Blackburn and J.P. Martinez. New Britain, in turn, received portsiders Frank Mata and former first-round draft pick Kyle Waldrop from Fort Myers.
“I had (Waldrop) at Beloit two years ago and was very impressed with his makeup and how he handled himself,” Rock Cats pitching coach Lucas said. “And it looks like by his stats that he’s been trusting his fastball a little more, getting some sink and some groundballs and getting out of at-bats and innings pretty quick. I imagine his confidence is high and I would imagine he can step right in and contribute.”
Waldrop was slated to pitch against Roger Clemens today. Clemens is slated to make a tune-up start for the Yankees' Florida State League affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, and Fort Myers will supply the opposition. Instead, Waldrop will start in New Britain if the weather allows.
Mata is coming off a year of inactivity after undergoing ligament surgery on his pitching elbow last year. He is expected to complement left-hander Jose Mijares and right-hander Tim Lahey in giving New Britain power pitching out of the bullpen.
Said Lucas: “He's still very young but I don’t think you can call him green. He’s made some strides. I had him on the team I coached in Venezuela and I saw some real good progress. He can come in here and help our bullpen.”
I shouldn't get much argument in calling Crain the most impressive reliever to come through New Britain in its 25 years of professional baseball affiliation.
Crain, 25, a Canadian by birth, was 1-1 with an 0.69 ERA in 22 games for the Rock Cats in 2003. In 39 innings here, he gave up just 13 hits and struck out 56. Opposing hitters batted .099 against him.
After brilliant seasons with the Twins in 2004 and 2005, he tailed off last season and struggled (5.51 ERA) in 18 games this year.
DePaula, 24, went to major league camp this spring after a strong season split between Fort Myers (1-1, 0.00 ERA, 8 games, 3 saves) and New Britain (2-2, 2.57, 43 games, 7 saves) last season.
He made his major league debut Wednesday night, pitching a scoreless eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians.
With right-hander Jesse Crain (shoulder) relegated to the disabled list in Minnesota, Ryan reached down to Triple-A Rochester and plucked former Rock Cats reliever Julio DePaula (2-3, 3.15, 2 saves).
The Rochester staff was replenished with the addition of Rock Cats righties Nick Blackburn and J.P. Martinez. New Britain, in turn, received portsiders Frank Mata and former first-round draft pick Kyle Waldrop from Fort Myers.
“I had (Waldrop) at Beloit two years ago and was very impressed with his makeup and how he handled himself,” Rock Cats pitching coach Lucas said. “And it looks like by his stats that he’s been trusting his fastball a little more, getting some sink and some groundballs and getting out of at-bats and innings pretty quick. I imagine his confidence is high and I would imagine he can step right in and contribute.”
Waldrop was slated to pitch against Roger Clemens today. Clemens is slated to make a tune-up start for the Yankees' Florida State League affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, and Fort Myers will supply the opposition. Instead, Waldrop will start in New Britain if the weather allows.
Mata is coming off a year of inactivity after undergoing ligament surgery on his pitching elbow last year. He is expected to complement left-hander Jose Mijares and right-hander Tim Lahey in giving New Britain power pitching out of the bullpen.
Said Lucas: “He's still very young but I don’t think you can call him green. He’s made some strides. I had him on the team I coached in Venezuela and I saw some real good progress. He can come in here and help our bullpen.”
I shouldn't get much argument in calling Crain the most impressive reliever to come through New Britain in its 25 years of professional baseball affiliation.
Crain, 25, a Canadian by birth, was 1-1 with an 0.69 ERA in 22 games for the Rock Cats in 2003. In 39 innings here, he gave up just 13 hits and struck out 56. Opposing hitters batted .099 against him.
After brilliant seasons with the Twins in 2004 and 2005, he tailed off last season and struggled (5.51 ERA) in 18 games this year.
DePaula, 24, went to major league camp this spring after a strong season split between Fort Myers (1-1, 0.00 ERA, 8 games, 3 saves) and New Britain (2-2, 2.57, 43 games, 7 saves) last season.
He made his major league debut Wednesday night, pitching a scoreless eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians.
posted by Ken Lipshez at
3:22 PM
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