Following Inman and Garrison -- Latest: Garrison a big league New York Yankee!

[WV Brew]

Will Inman vs another 6' type pitcher:

 

Age 18 W/L record Inman 6-0 Other guy 6-2

ERA Inman 2.00 Other guy 2.63

BB/9 Inman 2.20 Other guy 4.31

K/9 Inman 11.6 Other guy 6.5

WHIP Inman 0.89 Other guy 1.21

 

Age 19 W/L Inman 10-2 Other guy 13-9

ERA Inman 1.71 Other guy 3.19

BB/9 Inman 1.95 Other guy 2.52

K/9 Inman 10.9 Other guy 6.1

WHIP Inman 0.89 Other guy 1.23

 

Age 20 W/L Inman 5-8 Other guy 14-4

ERA Inman 2.97 Other guy 2.91

BB/9 Inman 2.97 Other guy 2.11

K/9 Inman 10.7 Other guy 4.69

WHIP Inman 0.89 Other guy 1.13

 

The other guy did have better numbers in HR/9. This is about the only better stat he had. I understand that short right handers have the odds stacked against them. On the other hand, how many guys put up these kind of numbers? The other guy? Greg Maddux.

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman's debut with San Antonio lasted only an inning plus, as rain suspended the game. He gave up a double and walk to the first two batters he faced, before stranding them both. In the second, he allowed another leadoff double when the rains came.

[Mass Haas]

Southpaw Steve Garrison with a fantastic debut Sunday night, although his club lost, 2-1. He allowed two runs in the first inning, but followed that up with six scoreless innings. Steve retired 12 in a row at one point, and 19 of the last 20 he faced. He finished with one walk, one HBP, and five K's.

 

Game Log:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_sjgafa_1

 

While he was in a rather neutral park in San Jose tonight, Garrison will be dealing with the California League's Southern Division parks the rest of the way -- yes, including High Desert, Lancaster, etc.

 

Just a reminder -- Garrison won't be 21 until September. Oh, I mis-spoke about the long Lake Elsinore win streak -- it had already been broken earlier this week.

[mls4]

Here's an article I found about Joe Thatcher:

 

THATCHER GETS ATTENTION AS HE REPORTS TO PADRES

Independent Baseball Insider (Vol. 5, No. 24, July 26, 2007) By Bob Wirz

07/27/2007

 

I cannot recall a previous time when a true Independent Baseball find reached the major leagues with advance billing to the point the player was truly expected to contribute. I feel certain it did not happen with Chris Coste or George Sherrill (Sioux Falls); probably not with Kevin Millar (St. Paul), although all of these players and a number of others before them did help out.

 

Lefty Joe Thatcher was due to pull on a major league uniform for the first time in a regular season at Houston?s Minute Maid Park Thursday night, and he already had his new boss, San Diego General Manager Kevin Towers, saying he expected this Frontier League product to help in the Padres? National League West title chase.

 

?We think Thatcher can give us some quality innings late in a ballgame,? Towers told MLB.com, while commenting on Wednesday?s trade in which San Diego sent proven setup man Scott Linebrink to N. L. West-leading Milwaukee for three hurlers. Thatcher is the only one of the trio going to the major leagues immediately.

 

The man who signed the now 26-year-old midway in 2005 during his second season at River City (O?Fallon, MO) also praised Thatcher, even though he was leaving the Brewers? organization. ?Joe did a fantastic job with the opportunity of beginning a pro career in the Independent leagues,? Brewers scout Brad Del Barba told me via email. ?I?m really happy for him, as he is not only a very nice pitcher, but also a quality person.?

 

Thatcher, an Indiana State University product, has been exceptional all season, working largely as a left-handed specialist. He was scored on only twice in his last 18 appearances at Triple-A Nashville, where he finished with 33 strikouts, seven walks and 19 hits allowed over 21.2 innings in 24 appearances. His 2.08 earned run average speaks well of him although his first 14 games this season produced a 0.55 ERA at Class AA Huntsville, AL. Combined, Thatcher fanned 53 and walked nine while giving up 30 hits in 38 innings.

 

Good luck, Joe.

[JJHardy7]

When is Inman's next schedule start?

[Mass Haas]

Joe Thatcher optioned to AAA Portland Wednesday. He could face Nashville over the next three days.

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman's first full start (non-rain interrupted), gets the win:

 

Inman (1-0) yielded a run on three hits and five walks while fanning four in six innings.

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_01_sanaax_coraax_1

[Mass Haas]

North County Times (Lake Elsinore, CA):

The 4-3 victory ---- the first in a week but eighth straight against the JetHawks ---- allowed the Storm (60-52 overall, 23-19 second half) to climb back to within two games of first-place Lancaster (64-48, 25-17) in the Cal League's South Division second-half standings.

 

"It feels pretty good," Storm manager Carlos Lezcano said. "(The players) have been trying, maybe a little too hard, some of them. Maybe now we can relax and play the game the way we have been."

 

Until the Storm's offense kicked in late, starter Steve Garrison appeared headed for his second hard-luck loss in as many starts with the Storm. In his debut in San Jose last week, the lefty held the Giants to two runs in seven innings, but the Storm lost, 2-1.

 

"That's twice in a row (Garrison) has done an outstanding job," Lezcano said. "He knows how to pitch. He's had two very good starts here, and I'm glad we have him."

 

Friday night, the left-hander gave up just one run on three hits and a walk in eight innings.

"The defense here is awesome," Garrison said. "If I can throw strikes, the defense can make plays behind me.

 

"I was trying to throw strikes and trying to get ahead and mix it up because I don't have anything overpowering."

 

Box Score / Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_03_lncafa_lesafa_1

[Crewin06]

Just keeping this thread updated. Will Inman threw another Gem on 8/6/07

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t510&gid=2007_08_06_friaax_sanaax_1&cid=510&t=g_wra

 

San Antonio Missions

Inman wins again for Missions August 7, 2007 Will Inman pitched 7 1/3 strong innings as San Antonio beat visiting Frisco, 5-1, on Monday. Inman (2-0), acquired by San Diego in the deal that sent reliever Scott Linebrink to Milwaukee, allowed a run on three hits and a walk with nine strikeouts for his second win in as many starts with the Missions (23-1http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif. Nick Hundley's three-run double snapped a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning and Brett Bonvechio led off the fifth with his ninth homer for San Antonio. Christopher Davis delivered an RBI single in the fourth for the RoughRiders (24-19). Frisco starter Armando Galarraga (9-6) surrendered four runs on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts in four innings. --Michael Echan/MLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Yeah, just Will being Will -- here's the box score / game log from that game, wow:

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t510&gid=2007_08_06_friaax_sanaax_1&cid=510&t=g_box

 

Minor League Baseball: Missions' Inman shines in home debut

Matt Muench

Special to the San Antonio Express-News

 

Will Inman is going to like pitching in Wolff Stadium. But if he keeps pitching like he did Monday night, he won't be at the Double-A level for long.

 

Inman, who was making his home debut, pitched seven-plus strong innings as he shut down the Texas League's best offense to lead the Missions to a 5-1 victory over Frisco.

 

His present after the game was a shaving cream pie to the face. Welcome to San Antonio, Will.

 

"It's worth it," Inman said about the shaving cream. "I wanted to come in here and get a big win in a big series. And it happened."

The victory couldn't have come at a better time for the slumping Missions, as it left them in a tie for first place in the Texas League South with Frisco.

 

Inman's curveball was his secret weapon as he allowed three hits and struck out eight during 7/61/3 innings of work.

 

He left in the seventh with the applause of a standing ovation in his ears.

 

But it wasn't the first time Inman (2-0) heard cheers Monday night. It didn't take long for him to impress as he struck out the side in the second and he retired the first nine batters he faced.

 

Inman said Monday was his best outing of the season.

 

"My curveball was definitely working for me tonight," said Inman, who was sent to the Padres' organization July 24 in trade with the Brewers. "It is probably the best that I have thrown it in a while."

 

His battery mate, Nick Hundley, agreed.

 

"He was fun to watch out there. He was a stud," Hundley said. "He was changing speeds real well. He was tough tonight."

 

Frisco finally found the base path in the fourth when Anthony Webster hit a slow chopper up the middle and scored on a flare single to right off the bat of Chris Davis.

 

Inman responded by retiring the next 12 batters in a row.

[Mass Haas]

Joe Thatcher has allowed two hits and no runs (no inherited runners have scored) since his transfer back to AAA.

 

It seems all three kids are really struggling since the trade, huh?

[Mass Haas]

LHP Steve Garrison, with only six hits allowed (15 IP) in two wonderful starts thus far for Lake Elsinore, pitches Thursday night at Inland Empire (brings back memories of late nights listening to the wonderfully entertaining Mike Lindskog, former voice of the Mavs in High Desert -- by the way, Mike's now with the AA Springfield Cardinals):

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_09_lesafa_inlafa_1

[Mass Haas]

My goodness, Garrison is doing this in those dreaded California League Southern Division ballparks -- line from the link above:

 

7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K's

 

His three starts since the trade:

 

22 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 15 K's

[Mass Haas]

LHP Joe Thatcher back in the bigs with San Diego, recalled today.

[JJHardy7]

This doesn't really help me feel better about the trade...unless we make the playoffs.

[bthurley19]

Think San Diego is missing these stats from Linebrink while he has been in Milwaukee:

 

1-0 1.29 ERA 7.0 IP 4H 1ER 1HR 0 3BB 8K

[BrewPackBuck]

Looking at Inmans stats, I just dont get how you can have a 5.45 ERA while pitching in Huntsville then go to San Antonio and pitch a 1.35 ERA in the Padres AA team. Are the leagues different? Is it easier to pitch or easier competition in the Texas League?

[TheCrew07]

He had 2 horrible starts when he was down with Mono when he first got promoted to AA, he's been decent to good since then.

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman goes to 3-0 in three starts with San Antonio -- he battled through what he'd probably term a mediocre start (four walks but only two runs in five innings) to keep his Texas League ERA under 2.00.

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t510&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_12_sanaax_arkaax_1

 

Joe Thatcher kept his ERA at 0.00 for the Padres with a mop-up inning in their victory Sunday.

[Mass Haas]

Steve Garrison is just pitching insane. Yet again in a tough California League Southern Division launching pad (his home park), Garrison gets the win for Lake Elsinore with seven innings of five hit ball, allowing only one unearned run. He did not walk a batter and struck out five.

 

Box Score / Game Log

 

In his four starts with the Storm, Garrison has a 1.24 ERA in 29 IP, allowing only 16 hits and two walks while striking out 20.

 

YTD Stats

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows (article ran prior to Tuesday's start):

 

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18695963&BRD=1091&PAG=461&dept_id=425696&rfi=6

 

Garrison adjusts to new Padres surroundings

Hun graduate dominant in first three outings

By: Justin Feil , Princeton (N.J.) Packet Assistant Sports Editor

 

July 25 dawned like any off day for pitcher Steve Garrison, but ended unlike anything he had been through before.

 

The Hun School graduate woke up and got in a round of golf before heading to Space Coast Stadium, home of the Brevard County Manatees of the Florida State League. By the end of the Manatees' loss to St. Lucie that night, it no longer would be the home of Garrison, who was traded from the Milwaukee Brewers along with Will Inman and Joe Thatcher in exchange for San Diego Padres reliever Scott Linebrink.

 

"I didn't expect it," Garrison said. "Absolutely not."

 

Just three days earlier, the left-hander had delivered a gem for the Manatees to improve to 8-4 with a 3.44 earned run average. Garrison threw a complete-game three-hitter and struck out six in a 5-0 win over Daytona. It was his fourth straight win. It was his final pitching appearance for the Brewers' Single-A club.

 

"My heart sank," said Garrison, who was a 10th-round selection by the Brewers in 2005. "It felt like an empty feeling inside. It was a whole bunch of emotions. There were a bunch of guys there that I've been with for a long time. Me and Lorenzo Cain have been rooming since '05. We were close. We were all really close. I was going to a whole different team. It was very, very shocking."

 

It meant a change of plans for all surrounding Garrison. He called his family and friends from Hun to inform them of the trade. They helped him through the difficult transition.

 

"Tommy (Monfiletto), Matt (Stillitano), I called them and said, I'm going to California," Garrison said. "It was cool talking to them. It's nice to have such close friends. They were all coming down to Florida to see me. I think we're going to wait until I come home (to Ewing).

 

"My mom and dad came down once earlier. My mom was going to come again, but I'm not going to see her for a little longer. I was in Arizona all winter so I haven't really been home for a long time. That was hard. I'm definitely ready to come home."

 

Cain drove Garrison to the airport at 5 a.m. on July 26 as he switched coasts to report to the Padres' Single-A affiliate, the Lake Elsinore Storm, in the midst of their road trip at San Jose, Calif. The travel day, a "day from hell," said Garrison, took 20 hours before he met his new teammates.

 

"I didn't sleep at all," Garrison said. "I had to pack up my car. I had so much stuff. I had to get a bag to bring here, and my car is filled and loaded and parked at my old garage at Brevard County."

 

Garrison was welcomed with open arms by Lake Elsinore, which sat just two games behind front-running Lancaster in the California League's South Division as of Monday. It made the sudden transition easier to handle.

 

"It definitely was like starting over, but they were great," Garrison said. "They welcomed me right in. They were all more than helpful. They made me feel like home. Gradually, I started learning everybody's names and they became my friends.

 

"They have some reports on some of the hitters and the players will help me out. I'm trying to go out there and get ahead. The defense is really good here. The guys play really well behind me. I trust them already. I try to let them hit it and see what happens. I've been fortunate everything is going well. I hope it continues."

 

The easy-going Garrison isn't hard to like. Not when he can deliver quality starts as he has in his first three appearances for the Storm. After his first two starts netted him a narrow loss and a no-decision, Garrison picked up his first win for Lake Elsinore by going seven innings, striking out three and walking no one while surrendering just one run in an 8-2 win Thursday. With the performance, his ERA plummeted to 1.64. He has adjusted quickly to his new team and new league.

 

"At first, it was leaving that was the hardest thing," Garrison said. "I guess it was motivation to make a statement for my new team. I was nervous how they'd look at me. I was nervous how they thought of me. I wanted to make a good impression on them. That was another big thing for me."

 

Some of the Padres' major-league players were upset that the organization traded its set-up reliever in the middle of a pennant race for three minor leaguers. Garrison, however, was one of the main reasons they made the trade. The Padres, according to published reports, were not willing to make the deal until Garrison was included in the trade package.

 

"I'm hoping they like me," he said. "I'm going to try to show them they can like me. The organization seems really good. I've been talking to a lot of people. Being traded is a good thing in some aspects. I'm excited and looking forward to it.

 

"Every day I feel more comfortable. Every day I feel like more and more a part of the team. It's funny. Our (Storm) team made some moves the other day. We had a golf tournament and that was fun to hang out with the guys. We had some new guys and I'm not the new guy anymore."

 

It wasn't easy for the Brewers to say goodbye either. Garrison heard from several who helped give him a start to his dream.

 

"The guys from the Brewers called me and the scout that signed me called me," he said. "The head of the player development talked to me. It was good to hear from him. They all said good luck and congratulations. The Brewers have a lot more higher pitching prospects from what I heard. Hopefully I can climb up the ladder with the Padres."

 

Garrison has continued to gain experience in his second year of professional baseball. He has grown from the dominant lefty who went 8-0 with a 0.52 ERA and 86-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio as a senior at Hun. He continues to aim to make the improvements that could bring him a major-league start.

 

"Throwing the ball inside to a righty, the fastball hard in," Garrison notes of one of his improvements. "I've really been working on my change-up too. Randy Voorhees (former Mercer County Community College pitching coach), my coach back home, he's been pounding in my head that I need to work on my change-up. I can't blow a fastball by anybody anymore. I have to make sure I can throw an off-speed pitch for a strike. That's probably the biggest thing I'm working on and being more consistent. That's the big difference between the minors and the big leagues."

 

Garrison expects to have the chance to see his old friends and teammates from the Manatees in instructional ball or in spring training. He is hoping by next year to be moving up the chart for the Padres. He has come on strong in the second half of the summer.

 

"I'm trying to use that it's not how you start, it's how you finish," Garrison said. "I am hoping to finish up strong. Overall, I'm not thrilled with my season, but I'm definitely happy about how it's ending up."

 

Even if it is ending up at a different place than where it began. But with the Brewers behind him, Steve Garrison is trying to make his way to the majors in a Padres jersey now.

 

"I'm hoping to get five more starts," he said. "I'm hoping to stay strong. I'm hoping to prove to the Padres I can handle a long season. I want to show them I'm maturing as a pitcher and my body is maturing. I'm learning the business aspect of it, and I know I have to show them I can do it or they'll find someone better."

 

http://images.zwire.com/local/Z/ZWIRE1091/zwire/images/2007/08/story/20070814_112821_2_story.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Storm make it three straight

http://images.townnews.com/nctimes.com/art/spacer.gif

By: ED WEHDE - North County Times Staff Writer

LAKE ELSINORE---- The Storm staked starter Steve Garrison to two first-inning runs, which was more than enough for the crafty left-hander.

 

Lake Elsinore tacked on three more in the sixth and rolled to its third straight win, a 5-1 victory over Rancho Cucamonga in front of an announced crowd of 1,353 at The Diamond on Tuesday.

The win enabled the Storm (67-55 overall, 30-22 second half) to remain within a game of first-place Lancaster in the Cal League's South Division second-half standings. Third-place Rancho (58-64, 25-27) fell six games off the pace.

 

Garrison kept the Quakes off balance with pin-point control and changing speeds. The former Milwaukee Brewers farmhand who came over in the deal for Scott Linebrink gave up just one unearned run in his seven innings, allowing five hits and no walks and striking out five.

 

The 20-year-old has thrown at least seven innings in each of his four starts for the Storm and has never given up more than five hits or two runs. His Cal League ERA is now 1.24.

 

Ernesto Frieri followed Garrison with two perfect innings, striking out four, and still hasn't allowed a run in his five Cal League outings. In 8 2/3 innings, he has permitted one hit and struck out 13.

 

"Four quality starts (for Garrison) and seven solid innings, and Frieri comes back and throws two quality innings," Storm manager Carlos Lezcano said. "You can't ask for anything more from your pitchers."

 

In the first six innings, Garrison allowed just two singles, and nobody got past first base. The Quakes, who hadn't scored in 12 innings coming into the game, finally broke through with an unearned run in the seventh.

 

After three consecutive two-out singles loaded the bases, Garrison induced a grounder to second from Cliff Remole, but Jon Schemmel booted the ball, allowing the Quakes to break their scoring drought.

 

The top of the Storm lineup got the team started on the right foot again Tuesday. A night after Josh Alley and Sean Kazmar started a four-run first-inning rally, they ignited a two-run uprising in the first.

 

Kazmar, who made several outstanding plays at shortstop, also had a key two-out, two-run single as the Storm put the game away with three runs in the sixth.

 

"That hit (Kazmar) got made it 5-0," Lezcano said. "That was crucial. Today was the Steve Garrison and Sean Kazmar night."

[Mass Haas]

Joe Thatcher tossed two scoreless innings in the Padres' 8-0 victory over Colorado Tuesday night, his ERA is still at 0.00 after his first five big league appearances, covering five innings.

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman with a quality start (although only one strikeout), but no run support (carryover from Brewer days), as San Antonio falls, 4-0:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2007_08_18_arkaax_sanaax_1&did=t510&sid=t510

 

And Joe Thatcher's back at AAA as the Padres do the yo-yo thing; Joe surrendered three unearned runs in one inning for Portland Friday night:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_17_srcaaa_poraaa_1

[YostInfection]

I don't want this to sound like this should be in the Vent Thread, so I'll temper my thoughts a bit...

 

After today's game, in which Linebrink gave the lead right back to the Reds - in such a crucial inning in such a crucial game (after the Brewers showed a pulse last night in the 8-4 win), it really makes you think once again about the Inman/Garrison trade. I know Linebrink's numbers have been relatively *good* with us since the deal, but man that was a tough blow we took today. In years past, I think Scott closes the door on the Reds in the 8th. Hopefully he'll get em next time.

 

On a brighter note, good to see Inman and Garrison picking up where they left off - we miss ya, boys.