...and this time it's for good.

I got to thinking on my drive back out West, and so far one of the big stories of the 2006 baseball season has been the fall of the closer. Francisco Cordero, Brad Lidge, Keith Foulke, Danys Baez. These are all former big time closers who've lost their job this year, and I wonder how much of this is because of the new ban on Amphetamines.

The big thing with "greenies" is that they help a player recover quicker, and who needs more help recovering than a pitcher than only knows pressure situations day after day. Just a thought...

Weekly Poll: It's been a while since I last updated the Weekly Poll, but rest assured, a new question is now up. As far as last week's (and the week's before that) question, more than 56% of you think Phil Hughes is the Yanks best pitching prospect since Andy Pettitte, while just over 21% think he's best since Gator, less than 7 % think he's the best since Whitey, and just under 15% of you think he's the best ever. I personally don't know who Hughes is the best pitching prospect since, but I do think it was before Pettitte. To help justify myself, check out BA's Top 100 lists, where Hughes topped out at #39 (so far), and Pettitte topped out at #49 in 1995. Anywho, thanks as always for voting.

Down on the Farm:

Triple-A Columbus
(Saturday: 10-3 win over Buffalo)
Kevin Thompson: 2 for 4, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Kevin Reese: 1 for 4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Carlos Pena: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP
Rob Stratton: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI
Jason Conti: 1 for 3, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP
Andy Cannizaro: 1 for 2, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 BB
Darrell Rasner: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K - 8-10 GB/FB ratio (61-29 on the year)
Matt Smith: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
(Sunday: 9-4 loss to Buffalo in 11 innings)
Kevin Thompson: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Kevin Reese: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K
Russ Johnson: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Jason Conti: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Nick Green: 1 for 5, 1 2B
Kris Wilson: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 1 WP, 1 HB - 2-9 GB/FB ratio
Mark Corey: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K - closer doesn't falter often, but did this game
Jose Veras: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Colter Bean: .1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K - allowed both inherited runners to score
(Monday: 12-9 loss to Buffalo in 10 innings)
Kevin Thompson: 1 for 4, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP
Kevin Reese: 3 for 6, 2 R, 2 K, 1 E (fielding) - threw a runner out a 3B from LF
Carlos Pena: 1 for 4, 1 R, 2 BB
Rob Stratton: 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Russ Johnson: 3 for 5, 1 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Wil Nieves: 2 for 6, 1 R, 1 RBI
Danny Garcia: 2 for 5, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 E (fielding)
Jorge DePaula: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K - 3-9 GB/FB ratio
Matt Smith: .2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 E (throwing)
Mark Corey: 1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K - ERA ballooned over 2 runs in 2 days
Colter Bean: .2 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K - quick, get him to the majors!
Matt DeSalvo: .1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K - relegated to mop-up duty

Double-A Trenton
(Saturday: 6-3 win over Binghamton)
Gabe Lopez: 3 for 3, 1 R, 2 RBI
Bronson Sardinha: 1 for 4, 1 R, 2 K - threw a runner out a first from RF
Ranfy Ruiz: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 K
Justin Christian: 0 for 3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
Omir Santos: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K - organization's top catching prospect is batting .200
Vincent Faison: 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K
Phil Hughes: 6.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HB, 1 E (throwing on a pickoff play) - 9-2 GB/FB ratio; decent start, but silver lining is he issued only 1 BB
TJ Beam: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Justin Pope: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
(Sunday: 5-4 win over Binghamton in 10 innings)
Gabe Lopez: 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 BB
Bronson Sardinha: 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Randy Ruiz: 0 for 5, 2 K
Felix Escalona: 2 for 5
Justin Christian: 3 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 SB - scored game winning run on WP
Danny Borrell: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HB - held his own against Mets phenom Mike Pelfrey (picked off 2 runners at first)
Charlie Manning: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
(Monday: 4-3 win over Binghamton)
Gabe Lopez: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB
Randy Ruiz: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Kevin Howard: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Justin Christian: 2 for 4, 1 RBI - drove in game tying R in the bottom of the 9th
Vincent Faison: 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 E (fielding) - drove in GW run in the bottom of the 9th
Tyler Clippard: 7 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
JB Cox: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K - 5-1 GB/FB ratio

High-A Tampa
(Saturday: 1-0 loss to Lakeland)
Brett Gardner: 1 for 4, 1 2B
Ramiro Pena: 2 for 3, 1 BB
3 thru 8 hitters: 0 for 18, 1 BB, 4 K
Phil Coke: 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 WP
(Sunday: 4-0 win over Lakeland)
Ramiro Pena: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B
Grant Plumley: 2 for 5
Rudy Guillen: 3 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI - picked off first
Cody Ehlers: 3 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Edwar Gonzalez: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B
PJ Pilittere: 1 for 4, 2 R
Jason Jones: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Justin Kennard: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
(Monday: scheduled off day)

Low-A Charleston
(Saturday: postponed due to rain)
(Sunday: 5-4 loss to Savannah in 11 innings)
Austin Jackson: 0 for 4, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Marcos Vechionacci: 1 for 4, 1 R, 2 BB
Jose Tabata: 1 for 6, 2 K
Brett Jones: 3 for 5, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
Eduardo Nunez: 1 for 4, 1 2B, 1 BB
CJ Henry: 1 for 5, 1 K, 1 SB
JT LaFountain: 0 for 4, 3 K
Jim Conroy: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 WP, 1 E (missed catch)
Garrett Patterson: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
(Monday Game 1: 12-0 loss to Savannah in 7 innings)
Austin Jackson: 0 for 4, 2 K, 1 E (fielding) - first error of 2006
Marcos Vechionacci: 1 for 3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K
Jose Tabata: 2 for 4, 1 K, 1 E (fielding) - ditto Jackson's comment
Eduardo Nunez: 0 for 3, 1 K, 1 E (fielding)
CJ Henry: 0 for 3, 1 K
James Cooper: 1 for 3, 1 2B
Rolando Japa: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 9 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Bryan Rueger: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K - 5-0 GB/FB ratio
Abel Gomez: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
(Monday Game 2: 8-3 loss to Savannah in 7 innings)
Austin Jackson: 0 for 2, 1 BB
Marcos Vechionacci: 1 for 3
Jose Tabata: 1 for 3, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Eduardo Nunez: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 SB, 2 E (missed catch, throwing)
CJ Henry: 1 for 3, 1 RBI
Mario Holmann: 1 for 2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K
Jason Stephens: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HB
Eric Wordekemper: 2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K