Starting pitching is the name of the game

The combined line for the starters today: 25.1 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 25 K. Wow.

Triple-A Scranton (3-1 win over Buffalo)
Brett Gardner: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 K
Shelley Duncan & Greg Porter: both 2 for 3 – Shelley homered, had 3 RBI and walked … Porter K’ed
rest of lineup: combined 0 for 18, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Dan Giese: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K – who needs Alan Horne?
Heath Phillips: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K – only the second & third hits he’s allowed this year
Scott Patterson & Jose Veras: both 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K

Double-A Trenton (2-1 win over New Britain)
Reegie Corona & Austin Jackson: both 0 for 4 – Corona K’ed once, Jackson twice
Colin Curtis: 1 for 3, 1 R
Matt Carson: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI – 3 doubles, 2 triple, 3 homers & 11 RBI in his last 9 games
Cody Ehlers & Joe Muich: both 1 for 3 – Ehlers doubled
Jose Tabata: 0 for 4, 2 K, 1 E (fielding)
Chris Malec & Kevin Russo: both 0 for 3
George Kontos: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K – finally manages to lift his K/BB ratio above 1.00
Zach Kroenke: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Bo Hall: 1 IP, zeroes, 2 K
Eric Wordekemper: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

High-A Tampa (4-2 win over Fort Myers)
Damon Sublett, Josue Calzado, Braedyn Pruitt: all 1 for 4 – Sublett drove a run in, walked, K’ed twice & committed a fielding error … Calzado doubled & K’ed … Pruitt doubled, but is still hitting .080
Eduardo Nunez: 1 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B
James Cooper, Edwar Gonzalez, Seth Fortenberry & Luis Nunez: all 2 for 4 – Cooper scored a run, doubled, drove in another run, K’ed & swiped a bag … Edwar scored a run … Fortenberry plated a run & K’ed for the 18th time in the last 9 games … Nunez doubled twice
Eric Hacker: 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 7-10 GB/FB – hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 27.1 IP, dating back to his Opening Day start on April 3rd
Grant Duff: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Jon Hovis: 1 IP, zeroes

Low-A Charleston (5-3 in over Columbus) they’re now 18-3 on the year, and have yet to lose at home
Abe Almonte, Justin Snyder, David Williams & Carmen Angelini: all 1 for 4 – Abe scored a run & stole a base … Snyder K’ed & managed to not make an error … Williams doubled & K’ed … Angelini has a modest 4 game hit streak
Bradley Suttle: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 BB – picked up right where he left off before going on the DL
Hey-Zeus: 2 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 E (throwing) – 34 hits in 21 games … he’ll see a good amount of action behind the plate with Romine on the DL
Brandon Laird: 1 for 4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 E (throwing)
Wady Rufino: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 HBP
Dellin Betances: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 5-5 GB/FB – 35 K in 26.1 IP
Jesse Hoover: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Jonathan Ortiz: 1 IP, zeroes, 3 K – 14-0 K/BB ratio in 8.2 IP

http://www.mvn.com/milb-yankees Ashish Skaria

Is Brett Gardner playing left field the yankees way of making him ready in the event that either Damon or Matsui get injured?
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  I would think so. If/when he gets called up, it’s unlikely he’d jump right in and start at CF, so they want to get him some time at the corners. Makes sense.
rbizzler

3 walks in 6 for Betances is not exactly excellent, but it is an improvement over his last start.

Baby steps.
gxpanos

My goodness! I have a Betances-boner to the max. When do we expect him in the bigs, if all goes well? 2011?
Tripp

What’s up with Johnathon Ortiz? Is he just another all or nothing reliever?

And it looks like Grant Duff is starting to embrace the reliever role.
http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.

Better than a 2:1 K:B ratio for Dellin, I’ll take it…For now.

Interesting note on Kyle Anson per message boards on nyyfans.com:

“Looking over some stats of the kids, one stat caught my eye.

Kyle Anson.

This is his 4th season in the organization (he missed 1 year with an injury – 2006). He started out as a 3rd baseman. Not much power, but an excellent hitter, good eye at the plate, and a solid fielder, with a rocket arm. Converted to Catching while he missed 2006.

Now we are in 2008. He has advanced to High A league, in Tampa. He has played 16 games. He has 18 walks, vs. only 8 Ks. He still does not show much pop, as he has only 3 doubles, and 4 RBIs. But man, 18 walks in 18 games. Add the 18 walks to his 48 ABs, and he has 64 PA. he has 15 hits to go with the 18 walks. This gives him a .500 OBP, which is off the charts.

I don’t know how far he will eventually get, but he is reputed to be almost ready from the defensive side of the game. Will he hit enough to be a regular in the Majors someday?

Time will tell. But he is another one to watch.”
Manimal

Shelly can carry a Minor league team to victory single handedly. I’m pretty sure he can help out the Yankees.
Brandon

Dellin topped out at 96 mph last night, just for you curious people
Chip

I’m in love with Dellin at the moment. Once he lowers that walk rate a bit he’s going to shoot through the system. The Yankees are going to look like the D-backs here in a few years with all this talent in the low minors. Just think, Brackman who is our current first-round pick doesn’t even start pitching until next year.
Grinch

Any word yet on Heredia’s upper body injury? Are they replacing him in the rotation with a call up or using a reliever?