We had the first full week of games but, as usual, there were lots of rainouts. Minor league fields just don't have the excellent drainage systems major league parks do, which means that just about any extended rainfall will result in a game being postponed. The result is a lot of double-headers. In the minors, games that are part of a double-header are scheduled for seven innings apiece. Problems arise, though, when games go to extra innings. Kannapolis' first game on the 10th against Lakewood went 15 innings without either team scoring a run. Mercifully, the Intimidators scored a couple runs in the 16th. Then they had to come back out and play another seven innings in game two. Not a good thing when the teams are trying to keep pitch counts down for their young pitchers.
One of the pitchers in the first game for Kannapolis was RHP Jacob Petricka, who contributed six no-hit innings. In his two starts, Petricka has thrown 11 innings, with four hits, two walks and 16 strikeouts. Expect his stay in Kannapolis to be a short one.
Jake Peavy continued his minor league rehab, which he likens to being "a musician on tour." The stop this time was Charlotte and he went six innings (72 pitches), giving up eight hits, including a homer, while striking out four, and not issuing a walk. Tyler Flowers gave a generally positive review: "The hits were all (when Peavy was) missing spots. The fastball command definitely wasn't his best. But as far as stuff-wise, he was pretty good." Peavy added another 13 pitches in the bullpen after leaving the game and he aims to get up to 100 pitches in his next rehab start, which will be for Birmingham Monday. His final rehab start is scheduled for Saturday for Charlotte, with an anticipated return to the majors on the 28th or 29th.
The 2011 MLB Draft order is set. The White Sox will make their first pick in the supplemental first round at #47, as compensation for J.J. Putz signing with Arizona.
The White Sox outrighted OF Stefan Gartrell from the 40 man roster and then traded him to Atlanta for cash. Why he was ever on the 40 man roster in the first place remains a mystery. The move was necessitated by Lastings Milledge going to Charlotte, which added to an outfield already crowded with Gartrell, Alejandro De Aza, Jordan Danks and Dayan Viciedo.
Last week, I highlighted the injuries to the actual prospects in the organization. But, if you've been lying in your bed at night, unable to sleep because you don't know where Matt Wickswat is, here's a more complete list of injured White Sox minor leaguers. In more recent injury news, Flowers left the Knights' game on Thursday with an unknown injury. As Charlotte has been rained out the past two nights, don't know yet if it's a long-term problem.
C Mike Blanke hasn't been taking a lot of walks for the Intimidators but he's been making plenty of hard contact so far. He has 9 hits in 35 at-bats, with 4 doubles, a triple and a homer. He's another guy who won't be staying long in Kannapolis
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