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

[PepsiFanClubAlum]

Wow Joel hasn't come in and not allowed a runner yet this year.

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman with a no-decision Monday night -- 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 K's

 

This link details his seven starts thus far. In his third start, Inman did allow seven unearned runs as well.

[Mass Haas]

Steve Garrison was pulled in the 4th inning of his start Thursday, but no injury issue:

 

Through the first four innings it looked like it was going to be a pitchers' duel after Midland starter James Simmons and Mission starter Steve Garrison put up zeroes on the scoreboard.

But San Antonio Manager Bill Masse was forced to pull starter Steve Garrison in the fourth after his left-hander had already hit his pitch limit of 90.

"The zone was tight for both teams today," Masse said regarding the strike zone. "Games shouldn't last this long."

[EbbaStClaire]

I saw Garrison pitch for the first time last night and what I saw was an average AA pitcher whose fastball did not exceed 85 mph and most of his fastballs were 83(according to the stadium gun which historically don't work all that well). Midland's starting pitcher was throwing 88-89 and the pitcher who followed Garrison, Gwaltney, did reach 91 so the gun was working relatively speaking. Garrison did throw

some nice breaking pitches and he did keep his pitches down most of the time. He was being squeezed by the umpire who refused to call any pitch on the outside of the plate a strike. On some occasions Garrison was all over the plate. Twice he walked batters after a 1-2 count. In addition Midland had no left handed hitting position players in the lineup. But overall, if I was a scout, I wouldn't have been impressed. I hope to see him pitch again because I was disappointed last night. I expected more.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks for that last post, Ebba. First-hand accounts are always so valuable to us.

 

On Saturday night, Will Inman lowered his ERA to 1.85 as he pitched 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing only two hits and walking three. He struck out seven.

 

Box Score

 

Reeling Missions shut out Midland

Inman's pitching, offensive resurgence fuel much-needed win

By Matt Muench

Special to the San Antonio Express-News

 

Will Inman was just what the Missions needed.

 

The crafty right-hander helped pick up a reeling Missions squad by pitching 5 1/3 scoreless innings Friday night at Wolff Stadium, leading the way to a 5-0 victory over Midland in front of 5,011 fans.

 

"We definitely had to have this," manager Bill Masse said. "Anytime a team throws a shutout it makes the manager look real smart.

 

"Inman did a nice job. He really competes."

 

Inman was on cruise control all night before he was pulled with one out in the sixth after reaching his pitch limit. His curveball was moving, and his fastball was zipping as he scattered two hits while striking out seven against a Midland lineup that scored 20 runs the two previous nights.

 

"He is the type of pitcher every catcher wants to catch," Missions catcher Jose Lobaton said. "He throws strikes, and he is not afraid to throw any of his pitches no matter the count."

 

The Missions' offense came through, too. Kyle Blanks, Mike Baxter, Drew Macias and Lobaton each had two hits to lead an offense that pounded 11 hits after struggling the past 10 days.

 

"This is a great, great win," said Macias, who reached base four times. "It is funny how things turn out when the pitchers pitch well and the hitters hit."

 

Lobaton got the offense rolling in the second with a solo homer to right field, his first of the season.

 

"I hit it pretty hard didn't I?" he said.

 

Then one inning later the Missions (16-19) extended the lead by taking advantage of Midland starter Henry Rodriquez's control problems.

 

Rodriguez (1-3) walked the first three batters, and when he found the strike zone, Missions hitters didn't miss.

 

It led to three consecutive singles by Blanks, Baxter and Seth Johnston to put the Missions ahead 4-0.

 

Lobaton added an RBI single in the fifth.

 

"See what happens when you get ahead early," Masse said. "It makes things a lot easier, especially with Inman on the mound."

 

The lead was all Inman needed, and Greg Burke provided solid relief to help shut the door on Midland (20-16) with four strikeouts. Neil Jameson pitched a perfect ninth to finish the job.

[homer]

The Brewers gave up two promising pitchers for a 2.5 month rental of a middle reliever. I don't mind trading those guys but I do mind what we got in return. To me, a middle reliever (with suspect seasonal numbers to boot) isn't going to be enough to get you into the playoffs (hindsight notwithstanding). Maybe Garrison and Inman end up doing nothing in the majors but I still think the Brewers could have gotten more in return than what they did.

[twobrewers]

I keep telling myself that Inman is a limited pitcher who only projects to a #4 starter in MLB.

 

And then Mass keeps posting those updates. D'oh!

[jjfanec]

Losing Garrison and Thatcher does not really hurt me. Thatcher is getting roughed up and Garrison has cooled off after his hot start. Inman is definitely the deal breaker. Every time I read this it makes me a little depressed because of our lack of pitching prospects in AA or AAA. I keep waiting for Inman to cool off but his numbers have been great.

[DrWood]

Lets see what two players get drafted with the linebrink picks. it wasn't just trading those guys for part of a season of linebrink.

[jjfanec]

That is a good point Dr. Wood. I always forget about that because I can't tangibly follow those two draft picks yet

[homer]

"Lets see what two players get drafted with the linebrink picks. it wasn't just trading those guys for part of a season of linebrink."

 

True, but given the nature of the draft that's a risky proposition. I'd have preferred a closer type pitcher with another year on his deal to 3 months of Linebrink and some draft picks.

[Never Outhustled]

I'd have preferred a closer type pitcher with another year on his deal to 3 months of Linebrink and some draft picks.

You have to remember the cost it takes to get a closer. You don't get a closer for guys like Inman. Boston gave up 2 guys now starting for Texas just to rent Gagne. The Brewers gave up Carlos Lee to get Cordero. Atlanta gave up a starting 1B, Adam Laroche, to get Mike Gonzalez. Cinci gave up a decent SS (Felipe Lopez) and an OK RF (Austin Kearns) to get a couple of middle relievers (Bray and Majewski).

[homer]

I said "closer type". Doesn't mean the guy had to have been a closer in the first place. Just a guy that could be a closer.

[Mass Haas]

An absolute beauty of a game for 21-year-old Steve Garrison in his AA start Wednesday night

[hauser42]

Losing Garrison and Thatcher does not really hurt me. Thatcher is getting roughed up and Garrison has cooled off after his hot start. Inman is definitely the deal breaker. Every time I read this it makes me a little depressed because of our lack of pitching prospects in AA or AAA. I keep waiting for Inman to cool off but his numbers have been great.

Inman has yet to do anything in the majors. When he shows something at the major league level than someone can say this was a poor trade. He has proven his craft only against AA hitters, he has yet to even approach AAA hitters. Zach Jack was awesome till he reached the high levels and then is stuff proved to be very average.

 

Brewers had to pay something to try and help out a worn out bullpen. They gave up 3 arms that so far have not proven a thing at the big league level.

[Oldcity]

Inman has yet to do anything in the majors. When he shows something at the major league level than someone can say this was a poor trade.

 

What if the Brewers felt that way a couple years ago with Fielder, Braun Gallardo, etc?

 

Do guys like Clayton Kershaw and Jay Bruce not have value?

[TooLiveBrew]

I agree with Stevo. That kind of logic baffles me. Yes, in revisionist's terms, if Inman never pans out at MLB, then the trade wasn't a huge deal. But to think he won't someday rather soon be a decent MLB P is to play the long odds, imo. Marginal players don't tend to shred bats in AA like Will has been doing this season. I'm sure I'll get a look at him sometime this summer in Portland (Triple-A). That should be fun.

[TheCrew07]

The whole "prospects haven't prove anything" label is as worn out as the "overvaluing prospect line". How can you over value or under value something if you aren't sure exactly what you have? How you can you declare it a good trade before the prospects turn out? Just because they haven't contributed anything today, doesn't mean they won't have success later. Trades for prospects are only clear years after the fact, and that's just the way it goes.

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman scuffed up in his latest start

[hauser42]

Inman has yet to do anything in the majors. When he shows something at the major league level than someone can say this was a poor trade.

 

What if the Brewers felt that way a couple years ago with Fielder, Braun Gallardo, etc?

 

Do guys like Clayton Kershaw and Jay Bruce not have value?

Inman is not even in the class of the guys mentioned here. There are a lot of guys like Inman out there. He has made it easy through the lower levels. Now he has the hard levels to get through. Zack Jack was suppose to be this great pitcher and all of sudden he seems to be proving he is a AAAA type player.

 

If Linebrink would have stopped the bleeding and the team made the playoffs this trade would not get bashed so much.

 

IMO Inman will not be a #4 for starter in the majors. He looks more like a spot starter/long man.

[TooLiveBrew]

But a #4 SP is quite different from a long man/spot SP

[hauser42]

Had to edit my post missed a word that was pretty important.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

There are a lot of guys like Inman out there.

 

Only in the sense that there are a lot of guys that scouts think project as bottom of the rotation starters. If you look through all of AA so far this season, do you know how many pitchers have as many as the 50 Ks Inman has so far registered to lead the Texas League?

 

Three.

 

Do you know how many of those are younger than Inman at 21?

 

One - Philly's Carlos Carrasco. The other 50 K guys are Baltimore's David Hernandez (age 23) and (I was pleasantly surprised to discover) our own Steve Hammond (age 26, which takes some of the shine off the pretty numbers).

 

Strikeout ratios are the single most important stat for projecting minor league pitchers.

 

I have a hard time looking at Inman as run-of-the-mill when he's among the minor league leaders in Ks year in, year out, and he's always among the youngest players at his level.

[Mass Haas]

Steve Garrison takes the loss Monday, allowing four runs in 5 2/3.

At 21 years old in AA, Garrison is having the kind of year you might expect through eight starts -- three scoreless outings showing promise, and some struggles otherwise.

[Mass Haas]

Will Inman's second consecutive middling-to-poor start (4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 K's)