[jaykno14]

I started the week by demoting JDLR, and Helling/Fernandez will split the final game that we need a spot starter for Sheets, which should be Wednesday against the Giants. Sheets will then go Thursday, bumping down everyone a day. So instead of Davis pitching Thursday like normal, Sheets will pitch Thursday, Davis Friday, Cappy Sat., etc. For the three days that we don't have Sheets I am going to call up Mike Adams for a couple days to come out of the bullpen and save some arms. He will then go down on Wednesday night when Sheets is officially activated off the DL.

5/01: vs Astros (13-12), loss 5-9 - Bush (1-4)
Bush was only able to go 3.2 innings giving up four runs, although only two of them were actually earned. We reeled off 10 hits which was nice to see, but it just doesn't feel like we can put everything together, and it sucks. Hardy produced nicely at the eight hole going 2-4 with a run scored. Koskie also played well hitting second and went 2-4 with a run and two RBIs. Lee was 0-4 in the three hole, but Fielder was 2-4 with two runs scored and Hall had two RBIs outta' the five hole. Now let's just put it all together!

5/02: vs Astros, win 6-3 - WP: Ohka (3-2), S: Turnbow (6)
This was a well played game, and except for a three run seventh, Ohka was virtually unhittable. Games like these are examples of what this team could be. The middle of the lineup had a huge day today, going a combined 6-11 with four runs and four RBIs. Lee was 2-3 with a walk, RBI, and a run. Fielder was 1-4 with a run. Billy Hall had a huge day going 3-4 with two runs and three RBIs. That included a home run and triple for Hall. Jeff Cirillo also filled in for Rickie Weeks at second base and hit his first of the year. Turnbow's perfect ninth sealed the victory, and his sixth save.

5/03: vs Giants (11-17/4-9 Rd), win 6-4 - WP: Kolb (3-0), S: Turnbow (7)
I decided that I'm going to be greedy and play out the Giants series. I decided to play today's game because I want to split the time between Fernandez and Helling, and so I could control what Helling does. Tomorrow's game is Sheets' first game back so I wanted to play that too. The game started off as a real pitchers duel, however Helling started to wear down and couldnt get out of the seventh. After realizing that Fernandez had pitched in the Monday game already and was tired, I decided to go with Chris Demaria. With a 2-1 lead, he gave up a two run homer to Todd Greene to make it 3-2, and then gave up two straight doubles, so I decided to bring in Kolb. Kolb was able to get Bonds to ground out and end the inning, the Giants led 4-2. The next inning I pinch hit for Jenkins (hitting .186 or so) with Hart because they brought a lefty in. Hart singled up the middle, and that was followed with a single from catcher Mike Rivera. J.J. Hardy then had his second sacrifice of the day (the first being a squeeze play) to move the runners to second and third. I pinch hit for Kolb with Brady Clark, who was able to ground out to second to get in a run and advance Rivera to third. Rickie Weeks then walked, and I decided that I'd pinch hit Cirillo for Koskie because of the lefty on the mound, and Cirillo blasted a three-run shot to left field. The rest is history.

5/04: vs Giants, win 12-7 - WP: Sheets (1-0)
Sheets was able to go six innings and only gave up three runs, so that was a positive sign. Our hitting has become to come around, and that is also a good sign. Everyone got involved today, as Weeks was 2-5 with a run and four RBI. Prince Fielder was 2-4 with two runs and an RBI. He also had another walk. Bill Hall was also 2-4 with an RBI and a run. Jenkins hit bettter today, raising his average above the mendoza line, well actually right at it. He was 2-4, with two runs and two RBIs. Mike Rivera was also 2-3 with two runs and two RBIs, and Ben Sheets, probably the worst hitting pitcher I've ever seen, was 1-1 with two walks and an RBI and a run.

5/05: @ Dodgers (16-13/9-5 Hm), loss 4-6 - LP: Wise (1-1)
This is a game we should have won. We were up 4-3 through six and a half and then Matt Wise gave up three runs to give them the lead. Bill Hall continued his hot streak going 3-5 with a run, and then Geoff Jenkins drove in three, but was only 1-5. Prince Fielder was 1-4 with two runs and another walk. However we did leave 12 guys on base, which is never good.

5/06: @ Dodgers, loss 9-11 - LP: Capuano (2-3)
Well, it looks as though we're gonna have to do some shifting in the lineup as J.J. Hardy went down for two weeks with elbow tenderness. I am going to just probably put him on the DL so we can call up someone. We had another big day hitting, but the bullpen is beginning to struggle. We had 17 hits, but stranded 12 guys again. The bullpen gave up five runs to take us out of the game in the seventh, as Cappy only gave up five runs, four earned. Koskie was 3-6 with a run and a RBI, Lee was 2-5 with a run and a RBI, Fielder continued to hit well going 2-4 with two runs, and an RBI, Hall was 2-5 with a run and a RBI, Jenkins was 2-4 with two runs and an RBI, and Rivera was 3-4 with a run. Obviously we had a good day hitting :-). We still can't pitch though.

We called up Vinny Rottino, a Racine, WI native, to play some infield for us while Hardy is out, and Cirillo is probably going to split time at third (when Hall would have played there against lefties), while Hall will be predominantly at short, and Clark and Hart will split time in the CF.

5/07: @ Dodgers, loss 2-13 - LP: Bush (1-5)
Ugly. That's all I can really say.

Jay's Thoughts
Well this was definitely an up and down week. It was nice to win three straight in the middle of the week, but the sweep by the Dodgers killed our morale on the road. We just need to become more consistent all around, which is usually the trick for younger teams. It was definitely nice to see a rise in hitting, but I hope our pitching can get up there a little more, especially the bullpen. Our batting average raised to .253 which is really a huge jump from a week ago, and taht is good to see, but our pitching is still where it has been, and that needs to do better, if we're going to be sucessful.

Team Stats
Record: 14-18 (3-4)
Streak: Lost 3
Batting Average: .253 - 13th in NL
ERA: 5.56 - 14th in NL

Down on the Farm
Top Ten Prospects - Updates
2. SP Dana Eveland (AAA): 4-1, 3.96 ERA, 36.1 IP, 37 HA, 19 BB, 31 K
3. SP Yovani Gallardo (A): 3-0, 1.93 ERA, 37.1 IP, 25 HA, 9 BB, 48 K<---Will be promoted this week
4. SP Carlos Villanueva (AA): 3-1, 2.27 ERA, 39.2 IP, 31 HA, 4 BB, 40 K
5. SP Zach Jackson (AAA): 4-1, 4.54 ERA, 37.2 IP, 42 HA, 10 BB, 39 K
6. SP Mark Rogers (A): 2-1, 4.11 ERA, 30.2 IP, 23 HA, 13 BB, 25 K
8. LF Lorenzo Cain (A): .248 AVE, 1 HR, 19 RBIs<---He appears to be destined for the top of the lineup
9. LF Tony Gwynn (AAA): .363 AVE, 1 HR, 22 RBIs, 9/12 SBs
10. RF Nelson Cruz (AAA): .310 AVE, 8 HR, 35 RBIs

Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart are the #1 and #7 prospects respectively, and thus have been skipped. Eveland, Gallardo, Villanueva, and Jackson could very well be a part of the orginization's rotation in the near future. Eveland and Gallardo could both be very, very good starters, top of the line, and Jackson and Villanueva could be middle of the rotation starters. Lorenzo Cain has very good speed, and has good potential in hitting for contact and very good discipline. Gywnn and Cruz could be both used for trade bait, but I'd have to guess that one of them if not both will be a part of this team in the future.

Hitting Leaders
1B Prince Fielder: .296 AVE, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 21 R, 23 BB, .414 OBP, 1 SB

Pitching Leaders
SP Tomo Ohka: 3-2, 4.17 ERA, .219 OAVG, 1 CG, 1.12 WHIP

Around the League
The Red Sox continued to stay hot in the AL East, with a 23-9 record at the end of this week. The Twins are 19-12 in the Central, and the A's are 18-14 in the West. In the NL the Phillies are 21-11, and the Reds moved ahead of the Cubs with a 22-10 record. the Dodgers, after sweeping us, are 19-13, good for a one game lead in the West.

What's On Tap?
5/08: OFF
5/09: @ Padres (18-14)
5/10: @ Padres
5/11: @ Padres*
5/12: vs Mets (16-16)
5/13: vs Mets
5/14: vs Mets*