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Something goes wrong again . . . and again

David Price, LHP Rays (Triple-A Durham)
Thursday’s stats: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 5 BB, 0 K
Bigger surprise: Price not making the big league roster out of spring training, or Price walking eight and striking out just one hitter over his last two starts? After some decent outings to start the year, Price has allowed 14 hits and 13 runs over 11 innings in his last three starts. Could be one of those stuck at Triple-A slumps, could be something to be genuinely concerned about.

Late paying dividends

Troy Patton, LHP, Orioles (Double-A Bowie)
Thursday’s stats: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K

Remember the Miguel Tejada deal? It seems like eons ago, but Patton was one of the big prizes. He missed all of 2008 recovering from shoulder surgery, but he’s quickly making up for lost time, delivering his third scoreless start in five total outings and lowing his EAR to 0.95.

Moved up, but still not challenged

Trevor Reckling, LHP, Angels (Double-A Arkansas)
Thursday’s stats: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K

Rocketing up team’s follow lists, you might not have heard of Reckling, but we’re talking about a 19 year-old left-hander who is dominating at Double-A, limiting batters to just nine hits in 19 innings over three starts after a nearly equally impressive three start run in the California League. His average velocity fastball plays up on movement and location, but it’s his secondary stuff that really separates him, as both his curve and changeup are plus offerings. Throw in an athletic, projectable frame, and he could be a household name by the end of the year.

El scorcho

Corey Brown, OF, Athletics (Double-A Midland)
Thursday’s stats: 3-for-5, 1 2B, 2 HR (4), 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 K
Brown hit 30 home runs last year while swiping 16 bases in 17 attempts, but 168 strikeouts showed that the rawness in his game was still significant. A knee injury delayed his hot start in the Texas League for two weeks, but if anything, he’s even hotter since his return, going 10-for-17 with three doubles and four home runs in his last four games, giving him an overall line of .435/.509/.826 in 13 games for the RockHounds. As for the strikeouts, 11 in 46 at-bats does exactly make him Tony Gwynn, but it’s significant progress.

Logan’s on a run

Logan Forsythe, 3B, Padres (High-A Lake Elsinore)
Thursday’s stats:3-for-4, 4 R, RBI
A supplemental first-round pick last June, Forsythe has all of the elements of true first-rounder – a great swing, excellent approach and solid defensive skills – it was just a debatable power ceiling that dropped him a bit. He’s shown only a bit of power this year, with three home runs in 91 at-bats, but with 26 walks in 26 games and a .341 batting average, his on-base percentage sits at a cool .500, so it almost doesn’t matter.

Sleeper alert!

Dan McDaniel, RHP, Cubs (High-A Daytona)

Thursday’s stats: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K

A 14th-round pick out of a California junior college, the Cubs gave McDaniel a $100,000 bonus to buy him away from a full ride to Oklahoma State, and it’s looking like a very sound investment. Working on a changeup as the Cubs convert the big-bodied righty to starting, McDaniel has been flashing a low-90s fastball with excellent late life as well as a power curveball that has limited Florida State League hitters to a miserable .129 average.

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dankingdc
5/08
Wow on Patton. I can't remember the last time I saw an EAR below 1.00.
kowcore
5/08
Patton is so good, he's a full EAR below Van Gogh.
HugeShoulderpad
5/09
Do we expect Patton in the majors this year?
tgrcub
5/08
Gotta thank Kevin... now I've got a Buzzcocks tune stuck in my head instead of keyboard cat
WrenFGun
5/08
Forsythe is going to be a good one, though I'm annoyed he's preventing Darnell from advancing.
yourrolemodel80
5/08
"G*****m those toolsy outfielders, do it to me every time ..."
jkhey1
5/12
Why'd you have to go and do me like that?