Down on the Farm: AA Report

New Britain Rock Cats (4-7)
T-4th -- Eastern League Northern Division

Rock Cats Season Stats

Starting Pitchers
1.) Brad Baker - 2 starts, 2 RA [1 start, 1 RA]
2.) Nick Blackburn - 3 starts [1 start]
3.) J.P. Martinez - 1 start, 3 RA [1 start, 1 RA]
4.) Jesse Floyd - 2 starts, 1 RA [1 start]
5.) Brian Duensing - 2 starts [1 start]
Inactive - Anthony Swarzak

Who's Hot: Brian Duensing had the best start of the week for the Rock Cats, going 5.2 innings and giving up 2 runs on 5 hits with a walk and 4 K's. On the season, Duensing has a very solid 2.16 ERA in 8.1 innings to go along with a 1.32 WHIP and a 7-2 K-BB ratio. Nick Blackburn also had a respectable start, going 5 innings and allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits. His season ERA is on the high side at 5.25, but his WHIP of 1.33 isn't bad. I don't know what to make of his remarkably low 2-1 K-BB ratio.

Who's Not: J.P. Martinez made a start in place of the suspended Anthony Swarzak, although I don't know whether the Twins are actually going to build up his arm strength and have him legitimately become a starter, or whether they'll just have "starts by committee" until Swarzak returns. Either way, Martinez's first official start wasn't pretty -- he went 2 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits with a walk and a K. On the season, he has a 3.38 ERA in 8 innings of work to go along with a solid 1.25 WHIP and a 7-4 K-BB ratio. Jesse Floyd also struggled this week, giving up 6 runs (4 earned) off of 4 hits and 3 walks in 4.1 innings of work while striking out 3. Floyd hasn't shown much yet, with a season ERA of 6.75 in 13.1 innings of work.

Relief Pitchers
1.) Tim Lahey - 5 RA [2 RA]
2.) Jose Mijares - 5 RA [2 RA]
3.) Brian Forystek - 4 RA [2 RA]
4.) Jay Sawatski - 4 RA [2 RA]
5.) Danny Powers - 4 RA [2 RA]
6.) Tristan Crawford

Who's Hot: Well -- not too many guys. Jose Mijares did pitch 4 innings, allowing just 1 run on 1 hit and a walk while striking out 6 batters and picking up a save. On the season, he has a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings, a WHIP of 0.45, and a 5-2 K-BB ratio.

Who's Not: Everyone else. For starters, Tristan Crawford -- who was rocked in three appearances with the Red Wings -- has been demoted to AA and will be joining the New Britain bullpen. Since it was a demotion, I'm putting him in the "Not Hot" category. However, he could be joined here by just about every one of the Rock Cats relievers this week. Jay Sawatski probably had the worst week, giving up 4 runs in 3.1 innings on 5 hits and 3 walks. That puts his season ERA at 10.50 with a 2.17 WHIP on the season. Brian Forystek, meanwhile, gave up 3 runs in 5 innings on 6 hits and 2 walks, although he did strike out 6 batters. He has a 5.00 ERA on the season with a 1.67 WHIP. The rest is pretty much the same, so you get the idea. Incidentally, the worst ERA on the team right now belongs to Danny Powers, with a gaudy 14.29 ERA in 5.2 innings of work, and a 3.18 WHIP. Ouch!

Catchers
1.) Korey Feiner - C(7) [C(3)]
2.) Kyle Geiger - C(5) [C(2)]

Who's Hot: Somebody forget to tell these guys that they're solid defensively but struggle at the plate. Feiner went 2-for-6 this week, including an 0-0 game in which he walked 4 times. Geiger went 3-for-6 this week. On the season, Feiner is hitting .474 with an OPS of 1.194, and Geiger is hitting .385 with an OPS of 1.005. Neither has made an error. Frankly, I don't know what's going on, but I like it!

Who's Not: Nada.

Infielders
1.) Brian Buscher - 3B(6), DH(3), 1B(1) [3B(3), DH(2)]
2.) Brock Peterson - 1B(7), DH(2) [1B(4)]
3.) Trevor Plouffe - SS(9) [SS(4)]
4.) Felix Molina - 2B(7), DH(2) [2B(4), DH(1)]
5.) David Winfree - 3B(4), 1B(2), DH(2) [3B(2)]
6.) Luke Hughes - 2B(4), DH(2) [DH(2), 2B(1)]
7.) Gil Velazquez - SS(2), 3B(2), 1B(1) [3B(1), SS(1), 1B(1)]

Who's Hot: This list has to begin with Brian Buscher, who went 8-for-21 this week, including his first HR of the year, a 3 RBI game, and a couple of 2 RBI games. His batting average rose to .286 on the season, and his OPS is now at .857. David Winfree also had a good week early, going 3-for-7 to raise his average to .333 on the season. However, he hasn't played since Friday, so I assume he's nursing a minor injury of sorts (I say minor because to my knowledge he hasn't been placed on the DL).

Who's Not: Gil Velazquez continues to struggle, going 0-for-7 this week to drop his batting average to .154 on the season. Of greater concern to the Rock Cats, Brock Peterson went just 2-for-15 this week and is hitting .152 on the season with a .489 OPS. He left yesterday's ballgame after just 1 at-bat as well, so there's either an injury situation there or he got tossed from the game. Either way, the problems continue to mount for Peterson.

Outfielders
1.) Garrett Guzman - LF(10) [LF(4)]
2.) Brandon Roberts - CF(10) [CF(5)]
3.) Matt Allegra - RF(9) [RF(4)]
4.) Rashad Eldridge - RF(2), CF(1), LF(1) [LF(1), RF(1)]

Who's Hot: Unfortunately, no one had a great week.

Who's Not: Rashad Eldridge went 0-for-7 for the week and is hitting just .071 on the season. Garrett Guzman went 3-for-15, but at least is still hitting .310 on the season. Matt Allegra (3-for-17 on the week, .194 on the season) and Brandon Roberts (2-for-21 on the week, .186 on the season) also had rough weeks.