Ascanio: Where's the Stretch?
Jose Ascanio was brilliant this afternoon at Principal Park but he remains a pitcher in limbo.
Ascanio tossed five scoreless innings at the Nashville Sounds on a drizzly day at the ballpark to lower his ERA to a minuscule 1.01. He didn't walk a batter and fanned nine, including the side in each of his last two frames. All of which begs a question as to why he was yanked after throwing 76 pitches, 51 of them strikes. His high water pitch count in six starts this year is 81 in his previous start, which was the only other time he lasted as many as five innings. He left the game leading 6-0.
Looks like the Cubs are grooming a helluva long man...
ALSO: Ascanio's opponent was the Nashville Sounds, Triple A affiliate of Milwaukee, managed by long-time Brewer 3B Don Money [great name]. Money showed he's still cat-quick at the hot corner when he made a slick barehanded grab in the 3B coaching box in the bottom of the first...the sacrificial southpaw the Sounds trotted out actually took the mound leading the PCL in walks with a BAA vs. lefties in excess of .500! I-Cub skipper Bobby Dickerson stacked his lineup accordingly which meant,among other things, that Jake Fox got the day off. Why then, if Dickerson wanted as many LH's as possible to hit, did switch-hitting SS Andres Blanco bat from the right side?...before striking out the side in the 4th and 5th, Ascanio whiffed somebody by the name of Tony Gwynn on a 12 pitch marathon AB in the 3rd...last night the I-Cubs finally got their first pinch-hit of the season in their 19th try...Jeff Stevens, obtained in the Mark DeRosa trade, entered the day's play unscored upon in nine appearances spanning 11 innings. He's permitted only three hits while striking out 12...in the wake of Randy Wells' call-up to start in place of Carlos Zambrano on Friday, reliever Greg Reinhard is slated to start on Saturday against Memphis. Reinhard has a 0.55 ERA in 16+ innings and 24 strikeouts versus a mere five walks...MW
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Comments
Re: Ascanio: Where's the Stretch?
on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 2:29pm Permalink
In four innings last night for Norfolk (AAA), Rich Hill walked five and hit a batter. No runs, two hits, two strikeouts.
Re: Ascanio: Where's the Stretch?
on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 2:38pm Permalink
so in summary, Rich Hill is nearly unhittable. He just needs a bigger strike zone.
Re: Ascanio: Where's the Stretch?
on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 2:42pm Permalink
Thanks, Mike!
I look forward to seeing what Reinhard can do as a starter, the dude's numbers so far this year are SICK.
I also look forward to seeing what the rest of these Iowa pitchers do for the rest of the season. Looks like there's some good, live arms down there.
As you mentioned, Reinhard, Stevens, Waddell, Ascanio (and Wells and Fox) are all putting up good numbers (although it looks like the BB ratios are still a little high for a few of these guys).
Re: Ascanio: Where's the Stretch?
on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 2:50pm Permalink
I-Cubs win! I-Cubs win! A pitcher who's made six starts w/ an ERA of 1.01 just notched his 1st win of the year.
Re: Ascanio: Where's the Stretch?
on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 3:32pm Permalink
Iowa Mike:
What is the scouting report on Ascanio? It seems like he started well last year too, but kind of fell apart after his brother died.
Both Stevens and Reinhard looking good in stats so far.
Re: Ascanio: Where's the Stretch?
on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 3:44pm Permalink
Last year Ascanio was the closer & doing well until the personal tragedy you mentioned. I just don't understand why they would convert him to the rotation & then dead-end him @ a pitch count of 75-80. Today for instance, he seemed to be getting stronger in the 4th & 5th & they shut him down without even coming out to pitch to a batter in the 6th. I'm gonna try to ask Dickerson or Mason [the pitching coach] what the plan is before the homestand ends...