No. 1: Carlos Quentin hit his league-leading 30th homer of the year Thursday.That's a sentence I didn't envision myself writing during spring training. He's on pace for 43 homers, which would be more than double his previous single-season high at any professional level, which is 21.
No. 2: Nick Swisher has reached base 13 times in his last eight games.He went 2-for-3 with a walk Thursday and had nothing to show for it, mainly because he was batting eighth. Meanwhile, both Orlando Cabrera and A.J. Pierzynski went 0-for-5 at the top of the order. It might be worth trying Swisher in the top two spots again.
No. 3: Ken Griffey Jr. (who used to be No. 30) continues to struggle.He couldn't hide from the Triple Monster in right field either, and after beginning his White Sox career with two RBI singles, he's 2-for-13 with an HBP.
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Minor league roundup:- Syracuse 2, Charlotte 0
- Wes Whisler threw a complete game, allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out eight. 13 groundout to five flyouts.
- Jerry Owens had two of Charlotte's six hits, all of them singles.
- Montgomery 2, Birmingham 0
- Kyle McCulloch struck out seven over six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks.
- John Lujan and Jon Link combined for three scoreless innings of relief.
- Victor Mercedes and Javier Castillo had two hits apiece.
- Winston-Salem 4, Potomac 1
- Matt Long allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight.
- Matt Zaleski worked 2 1/3 innings for the save.
- C.J. Retherford went 2-for-4 with a solo homer; Salvador Sanchez also had a multi-hit game.
- Kannapolis 4, Greeneville 2
- A solo homer was the only damage off Charlie Shirek in six innings. He fanned six while scattering eight hits.
- Christian Marrero went 1-for-2 with two walks and his 11th steal.
- Ronnie Gaines went 2-for-4 with a double.
- Elizabethton 3, Bristol 1
- Steven Upchurch threw five shutout innings, striking out five while allowing three walks and just one hit.
- Jorge Castillo went 3-for-4 with a double.
- Great Falls 1, Casper 0
- Dexter Carter struck out six over six shutout innings, scattering three hits and walking one.
- Ronald Morales and Steven Sauer finished the shutout.
- Lyndon Estill had two hits; Jordan Cheatham the lone RBI.