Tagged: Greg Miller

Pitcher McDonald pushing for callup

McDonald.jpgRight-handed pitcher James McDonald entered the season as the Dodgers’ No. 7 prospect, according to Baseball America, and could be on the cusp of a September callup if he impresses at Triple-A.

He did that in his first start for the 51s on Aug. 6, yielding one run on two hits in six innings while striking out 10 to record the win.

McDonald made such performances a habit while compiling a 5-3 record and a 3.19 ERA in 22 starts earlier this season for Double-A Jacksonville, where he struck out 113 and walked 46 in 118 2/3 innings.

John Meloan, since traded to Cleveland in the Casey Blake deal, spent the end of last season in Triple-A after a successful run at Double-A to earn a September callup, a situation that could mirror McDonald’s 2008 season.

After spending over a month with the Dodgers, left-hander Eric Stults has thrown well in his last two outings following a rough first game back. He yielded five runs in six innings in that first contest but has given up just four runs in 11 1/3 innings of his last two starts (3.18 ERA).

Former Giants pitcher Jerome Williams has allowed two runs in seven innings (2.57 ERA) coming out of Vegas’ bullpen as he attempts to work his way back to the Majors

Down in Jacksonville, 2004 first-round pick Scott Elbert has not allowed a run in eight of his last nine appearances, compiling a 1.39 ERA in those 13 innings.

Meanwhile, 2007 first-round pick Chris Withrow made his debut with Class A Advanced Inland Empire on Aug. 10, giving up a run on one hit in one inning after being shelved all year with arm and control problems. He threw only nine innings in six professional games for the Rookie Gulf Coast Dodgers last season due to concerns about his elbow.

Pitcher Greg Miller has not thrown well of late, getting shelled to the tune of a 16.20 ERA in his last 10 outings. Such struggles have become a trend for Miller, as he has compiled 7.58 ERA in 48 2/3 innings this season after recording a 7.85 ERA in 28 2/3 innings last year.

Miller, a 2002 first-round supplemental pick who missed 2004 with shoulder surgery, was rated as the Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect by Baseball America entering 2004 after being named the organization’s Pitcher of the Year in 2003.

Demoted Dodgers’ bats cooling off

Third baseman Blake DeWitt has shown the same lack of power in the Minors lately that he did in the Majors, along with a couple of other former Dodgers in Vegas.

DeWitt is hitting .279 in his last 10 games at Triple-A, but he has no extra-base hits and only two RBIs in those 43 at-bats. He went 16 straight games without an extra-base hit late in his previous stint with the Dodgers.

Shortstop Chin-lung Hu is hitting .194 in his last 10, with a double as his only extra-base hit. He has not driven in a run in those 36 at-bats and has not scored a run since tallying two in the first day of this stretch.

Infielder Luis Maza has cooled off as well in that time, hitting .211 with a double as his only extra-bagger, although he has driven in and scored five runs.

— Michael Schwartz

Hus hot in return from eye injury

The Dodgers gave Chin-lung Hu what ended up amounting to a one-month trial to beHuLV.jpg their starting shortstop after Rafael Furcal went down on May 5 with a back injury that ended up requiring surgery.

Hu played Major League defense but was a liability at the plate, hitting 10-for-76 (.132) with one double, two triples, four RBIs and eight runs scored as Los Angeles’ starting shortstop, at one point going 22 straight at-bats without a hit.

The Dodgers optioned Hu to Triple-A Las Vegas on June 9 to call up third baseman Andy LaRoche. After playing in three games, Hu missed over a month with an eye ailment.

Now Hu is back with the 51s, and he’s hit .389 (7-for-18) with four runs scored and a RBI in five games since his return entering July 25.

Before Hu left, Dodgers manager Joe Torre said the organization still thinks highly of him, but it’s doubtful Los Angeles would be comfortable handing Hu the starting shortstop job next season if the free agent Furcal does not re-sign based on his lack of offensive production in the Majors this season.

Hu earned MVP honors of the Futures Game last year and hit .325 with 14 homers, 40 doubles, six triples, 62 RBIs, 89 runs scored and 15 steals to earn the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year honors last season while splitting time between Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A.

Before the season, Baseball America ranked Hu as the Dodgers’ No. 3 prospect behind lefty Clayton Kershaw and LaRoche and the No. 55 prospect overall.

In other Minors news around the Dodgers organization, Triple-A infielder Ramon Martinez and Double-A infielder Mark Bellhorn, both former big leaguers, have been released.

Martinez, 35, played parts of 10 seasons in the Majors, including the past two with the Dodgers, and owned a .265 career batting average to go with 29 homers and 235 RBIs. He hit .287 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 28 games for the 51s.

Bellhorn, 33, also played parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues, compiling a .230 career batting average to go with 69 homers and 246 RBIs. He hit just .190 in 2006 for the Padres and .071 in 13 games for the Reds last year but is best known for his 17-homer, 82-RBI season for the Red Sox during their 2004 championship season.

The infielder batted just .242 with seven homers and 29 RBIs in 59 games at Double-A this year.

Vegas has been busy, activating pitcher Eric Stults and infielder Luis Maza, both of whom were sent down by the Dodgers in the last week. The 51s also activated infielder Rex Rundgren from the disabled list and placed pitcher Greg Miller (lower back tightness) and outfielder John-Ford Griffin (groin strain) on the DL.

Before the injury, Griffin had batted .457 (21-for-46) with five homers and 18 RBIs during a 14-game hitting streak that raised his batting average to .310 from .286.

— Michael Schwartz