A sample of this week's notes.....
Andre Ethier (OF-LAD) - Unless the Dodgers are sold and the current management is swept out, it's looking like Ethier's career with the Dodgers could be coming to a close. The latest incident has Etiher revealing to the LA Times that he's been playing with a bum knee that will require off-season surgery. Ethier was out of the lineup Sunday and at this point, we can't be 100% sure when he'll return. Just consider it day-to-day. This could help explain Ethier's .224/.316/.284 line since the All-Star break and the fact he's homered just once since July 10th. Look for Ethier, who is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility in 2012, to be shopped around this winter.
Sergio Romo (RP-SF) - Romo was activated from the 15-day DL on Sunday and was immediately placed into action in the Giants' extra-inning loss to the Astros. Romo faced three hitters, allowing a hit and striking out the other two. Romo has been lights out this year when healthy, posting a 1.64 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and excellent 55:4 in 38.1 innings. With Brian Wilson still nursing a sore elbow, Romo seems likely to get the lion's share of the team's save opportunities over Jeremy Affeldt until Wilson can return to the role. Romo sits in the 88-90 mph range with his fastball typically, but he gets so much movement with that pitch and with his above-average slider, that there's a lot of swinging at bad pitches while Romo is on the bump.
Ian Kennedy (SP-ARI) - Kennedy became the NL's first 17-game winner Sunday, improving to 17-4 by holding the Padres to a run on six hits over seven solid innings. Kennedy didn't walk a batter while striking out seven, with the only run coming via an Orlando Hudson home run. He lowered his ERA to 3.03 while improving his K:BB to an excellent 161:49 in 187.1 innings. A few keys to Kennedy's success this year include adding a little velocity, a bump in his GB%, cutting his BB/9 from 3.3 to 2.5, and mixing in a cut-fastball for the first time. That's seemingly allowed his other pitches to be more effective, and is giving Arizona a legitimate shot at the postseason.
Colin Cowgill (OF-ARI) - Cowgill took advantage of a rare start on Sunday to go 4-for-4 with a double, his first big league home run, and a pair of RBI. Cowgill had been hitting just .137 in 51 at-bats prior to Sunday's outburst, so this was a game he sorely needed for his confidence. Cowgill had been batting .354/.430/.554 with 30 stolen bases for Triple-A Reno, but considering that's a hitter's paradise, I'd look more towards his numbers in the Double-A Southern League last year as a baseline - .285/.360/.464 with 16 homers and 25 steals in 502 at-bats. Still very good numbers. Cowgill could get a chance, along with Gerardo Parra, to compete for the LF job next spring.
Andy Parrino (UT-SD) - Parrino made his first big league start Sunday against Arizona, going 1-for-4 while playing right field. Parrino isn't a highly-touted prospect, but the former 26th round pick got the call thanks to a .315/.393/.511 batting line between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Parrino had a 0.58 EYE, 12 homers, and five stolen bases to his credit. He's taken a huge step forward over last year's .246/.363/.415 performance at the Double-A level. Parrino has typically started at 2B and SS throughout his minor league career, so don't expect to see too many OF starts. Jason Bartlett and Orlando Hudson are both signed through 2012, leaving Parrino as a utility candidate unless there's a trade.
