This week:
- The White Sox finally answered my question regarding how long they can keep a player with a line of .302/.445/.548 in AA when they promoted Tyler Flowers to Charlotte. From watching him in the Futures Game, I was satisfied with his abilities behind the plate. He appears to have shown some improvement and I can see why the club thinks he can play the position at the major league level, at least initially.
- However, that still leaves unanswered my question of how long you can keep in A ball the guy leading all of the minor leagues in strikeouts. Dexter Carter had another impressive outing - 8 IP, 3 hits, 2 BB, 9 K, HBP. While he still needs to work on repeating his mechanics, particularly with his curve, it's blatantly obvious that A ball hitters are not - and have not - provided him a sufficient challenge.
- Jared Mitchell made his professional debut Friday for the Intimidators and promptly lashed the first pitch he saw for a single. He finished the night 2-4 with a double.
- Tyler Kuhn: .413/.429/.513 in 22 games for the Dash.
- Carlos Quentin and Bartolo Colon continued their minor league rehab assignments. Quentin has gone .353/.463/.441 between Charlotte and Kannapolis. Colon also visited the low minors on Tuesday, due to the higher level affiliates being on their respective All-Star breaks, and toyed with A ball hitters: 7 IP, 7 hits, 1 BB, 8 K. His velocity has been good and he has supposedly been mixing in with more frequency pitches other than his fastballs.
- Interview with Dan Hudson.
- Carlos Torres pitched an inning in the AAA "All-Star" Game. His stuff was solid - nice movement on his cutter and also had good bite to his curve - and he struck out two. The major league ability is there but probably out of the bullpen.
- Cole Armstrong celebrated his defeat of Donny Lucy for the position of guy who plays catcher when Flowers doesn't by being the other "All-Star" from the Knights. Lucy celebrated his demotion to the Barons by boiling our remaining inventory of Fusilli Donnys.
- C.J. Retherford was named Southern League Hitter of the Week for the second time this year. On the season: .290/.332/.471.
- Brent Morel is profiled.
- The "struggling" Jordan Danks: .281/.373/.431.