With the recent track record of this post, maybe I should be happy I’m getting this done on Tuesday. I could change the name of the article, but “Tuesday Minors Recap” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Kannapolis Intimidators, A-ball (17-26)

Previously discussed in MMR, the Intimidators came into the week with generally competitive play save for one 0-6 week that was still weighing down their whole overall record. Unfortunately, the Intimidators now have two terrible weeks bogging down their record as they managed only a pair of W’s en route to a 2-6 showing. Swept in Greensboro, dropping 3 of 4 at home against Lexington, and splitting a doubleheader in Hickory – the 1^st 2 of 4 games in 2 days – made for an uninspiring result. The pitching was, in general, very poor for the week. Until the doubleheader against Hickory, the Intimidators managed to keep their opponents under 7 runs just 1 time and allowed 48 total runs over 8 games.

It is incredibly ironic that in such a poor week for pitching, the Intimidators had one man recognized for his excellent hurling. 2011 Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year Blair Walters was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week after his excellent start in Thursday’s 5-0 win over Lexington. Walters took a no-hitter into the 6^th inning, retired 14 straight Legends at one point, and finished with 9 K’s, no walks, and only 1 hit allowed in 7 innings. After a slightly slow start to the season, Walters has been heating up, allowing just 5 earned runs over 23.2 innings in his last 4 starts. That adds up to a 1.90 ERA and comes along with 23 K’s and just 5 walks in that time. For the season, Walters’ ERA is down to 2.84 and the lefty has 47 K’s in 44.1 innings and has walked just 11. Walters seems to have not missed a bit – and perhaps even improved – as he’s adjusted to the higher level of competition in full season ball, and is proving his time with the Voyagers was no fluke.

Kannapolis pulled a pair of roster moves in the last week, and both are very interesting. Yesterday, second-year Intimidators outfielder Collin Kuhn – hitting just .172 on the season and getting very little playing time – decided to end his time in professional baseball and retire. Kuhn finishes his professional career with a .224 batting average and a .368 OBP in 86 games.

To fill Kuhn’s spot on the roster, the Intimidators received righty reliever J.R. Ballinger from nearby Winston-Salem. Ballinger made the short trip to Hickory, pitched in yesterday’s doubleheader – he got two quick and easy outs before leaving – then was immediately sent back to the Dash. A quick and odd trip for Mr. Ballinger.

Other than Ballinger’s short A-ball sojourn, David Herbek replaced Collin Kuhn on the Intimidators roster as he was removed from the DL and placed back on the active roster. Herbek has fought some nagging injuries this year and is struggling a bit offensively with a .247 batting average. That said, with all the pitching problems in Kannapolis right now, the Intimidators will probably appreciate having the comfort of their regular shortstop behind them.

The Intimidators play another doubleheader in Hickory today before getting a travel day on Wednesday. On Thursday, they start a 4-game set in West Virginia against the Power.

Winston-Salem Dash, High A-ball (24-17)

After all their great play, it’s pretty surprising to see the Dash have a mediocre week, but even great teams stumble now and again. The Dash lost 3 of 4 against Myrtle Beach before taking 2 of 3 against the Lynchburg Hillcats. The 3-4 week leaves the Dash with just a .5 game lead over the Salem Red Sox.

The Dash got great pitching in all 3 of their wins. In a 4-0 7-inning win over Myrtle Beach on Tuesday, Jon Bachanov threw 6 shutout innings while striking out 9 and allowing only 2 hits. Bachanov started the year in the Dash bullpen before being moved into the rotation for his last two appearances. He didn’t fare well in his first start – though he came away with a no decision behind good offensive support – but his second was obviously sterling and earned him his 4^th win of the season. Bachanov is a perfect 4-0 with a 3.24 ERA for the year and has a 26/8 K/BB ratio in 25 innings.

Jake Petricka got good results on Friday as he went 6 innings and allowed only 1 run. The righty allowed only 3 hits but also walked 4 while racking up 6 K’s. The former 2^nd round pick has a 4.50 ERA in 7 Dash starts, but he is developing something of a control problem. With 17 BB’s in 36 High-A innings and 7 BB’s in his lone AA start, Petricka’s 24 walks in 41 innings are already approaching the 39 walks he handed out last year in 113.1 innings. Over half of Petricka’s 2011 came in Winston-Salem, so he hasn’t been moved up aggressively enough to count for the shaky command. Petricka’s 41 K’s are still a great mark and keep him on the prospect radar, but he’s going to have to throw more strikes to avoid getting off track.

Winston-Salem starts a big 3-game series in Salem with the 2^nd place Red Sox tonight before moving along to visit the Carolina Mudcats for 3.

Birmingham Barons, AA (22-23)

A rough week for the Barons as they dropped their final game in Pensacola before returning to Birmingham and losing 4 of 5 to the Montgomery Biscuits. The Barons now sit square in the middle of the Southern League’s Northern Division and are 5 games behind the streaking Jackson Generals.

Last week, Matt Wickswat’s trip to the 7-day DL was discussed, and I even speculated a bit about any connection between Wickswat’s very poor 10.20 ERA and whatever sent him to the DL. Whatever Wickswat’s problem was, it seems to not be too catastrophic as he has already been called back from the DL. He hasn’t pitched since returning to the active roster, so his early performance will have to be watched carefully. Wickswat has walked 23 hitters in 15 innings and simply won’t be permitted to continue struggling to this degree.

Jose Quintana has returned to Birmingham after his short stint with the parent club, and he’s generally picked up right where he left off. The Colombian lefty has 3 starts since returning to the minors and has allowed just 3 earned runs in 13.1 innings. Quintana has also picked up 15 K’s while walking only 3 and allowing 11 hits in that time. Quintana holds a 2.77 ERA with a 41/14 K/BB ratio in 48.2 AA innings this year, and the White Sox clearly like what the southpaw can offer a big-league club. After performing well in Chicago – he allowed only 1 hit and no runs in 5.2 innings – he’s one to keep an eye on as he appears to be squarely on Chicago’s radar.

The Barons have a pair of off-days this week that bookend a 5-game trip to play the Huntsville Stars. On Monday, they return home to host the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Charlotte Knights, AAA (23-22)

A hot start to the week followed by a pair of losses to Durham brought the Knights a 4-3 record for the week, which was a strong showing considering it was a week out of Charlotte and on the road. The Knights took down Norfolk 3 games out of 4 and won game one against the Bulls before dropping games on Sunday and Monday.

The Knights only saw a pair of roster changes this week as a DL swap happened on Sunday. Third Baseman Kyle Shelton was added to the 7-day DL while Dallas McPherson was placed back on the active roster. McPherson, previously mentioned in this space as flashing some cheap pop to the major league management, missed nearly a month of time and has seen his numbers fall off pace. With no hits in his last 19 at bats, McPherson has seen his batting average slip to .250, and those 7 doubles a 2 homers don’t look nearly as impressive with his slugging percentage sitting at .441.

The injury and slide may have cost him a major opportunity: White Sox everyday third baseman Brent Morel has struggled mightily on the season – he has a .420 OPS in 35 games – and has a hurt back. GM Kenny Williams must have decided he needed new options, and when veteran journeyman 2B Orlando Hudson was released by the San Diego Padres, Williams pounced. Hudson, it appears, will be asked to play third for the first time in his career and back up Gordon Beckham at second. Hudson is 34, has been declining for several years, and was totally unsuccessful offensively this season with a .577 OPS with the Padres. McPherson may be able to get his numbers up over the next few weeks while Hudson continues to struggle and wears out his welcome with the Sox, but it’s tough to say McPherson may not have missed a tailor-made opportunity to win a spot on a major league roster.

The Knights finish up their series in Durham this afternoon before heading home on Wednesday to start a series with Lehigh Valley. The series starts on Thursday with the completion of a suspended game from last month and ultimately lasts through Sunday and totals 5 games.

Things are increasingly busy here at Centene Stadium as we gear up for the season, but unfortunately that causes the Monday Minors Recap to be delayed sometimes! So… this week it’s Wednesday minors recap. If this were middle school, I’d be marked tardy. I think I’d have detention by now, considering this is the 3^rd of 4^th to be late through 6 weeks.

Most of this was written on Tuesday, so all the team records are only through Monday’s games. I’ll include editors notes with any Tuesday results to fill you in.

Kannapolis Intimidators, A-ball (15-20)

The Intimidators have been nothing if not consistent so far this season. With the exception of their 0-7 week, the squad has kept every other full week within in one game either way of .500. They continued that streak this week as they split 4 games in Delmarva and lost game 1 against the league-best Greensboro Grasshoppers for a 2-3 weekly record [ed note: the Intimidators lost game 2 with the Grasshoppers on Tuesday]. Considering all 5 games were far from home in the Sally’s league’s Northern Division, that’s not a bad mark.

More changes abound at Kannapolis, and this time, Voyager fans and frequent readers of this blog should recognize the names. The first change involved two fan favorites of the 2011 Pioneer League Champion Voyager team. David Herbek was added to the disabled list on Monday after being pulled in the middle of a game against Hickory. Herbek was playing second base in the game and caught an infield pop-up for the 1^st out in the bottom of the 4th, wasn’t scheduled to hit in the top of the 5^th, then didn’t come back out to play his position in the bottom of the 5^th. There weren’t any major incidents in this time that could give clue to what changed with Herbek that took him out of the game. Herbek had a nagging leg injury that kept him off the field for 5 games earlier this year, but it’s currently unknown if this DL trip is at all related to that problem.

Herbek hitting the DL made room for his Great Falls double play mate to rejoin the Intimidators. Joe De Pinto, who was sent back to extended spring training earlier this season, has returned to Kannapolis. De Pinto was hitting 6-28 before he was sent down, and was 0-3 in his lone game post-return. With Herbek on the DL, De Pinto should have a bit of time to get things going, but he’s hitting below .200 now and needs to get things going before his roster spots starts to get squeezed by Herbek’s return.

Last week, I devoted a few words in this space to discuss the great start of Terance Marin. I even said “you have to think that Marin will get a chance to move up soon with his excellent performance record.” Turns out I was right on the money, as just 3 days later the Intimidators announced Marin had gotten the call up to Winston-Salem. Marin has already appeared once for Winston-Salem and got an easy out against his lone hitter.

Former Voyager Chris Devenski got the call from Glendale to replace Marin on the Intimidators, making Marin the only Intimidator roster move this week who never spent time in Great Falls. The 21 year-old Devenski is getting his first taste of full-season play after putting up a 2.25 ERA in 7 games last season. Devenski has seen action just once in Kannapolis so far, but it was an impressive outing. The 6-3 righty allowed 1 hit and 1 walk in 1.2 innings but also struck out 4 Shorebirds.

The Intimidators continue their series in Greensboro tonight and tomorrow [ed note: just tonight as of the Wednesday posting] before they return to Kannapolis to host the Lexington Legends for four games.

 

Winston-Salem Dash, High A-ball (21-13)

The first place Dash had more trouble with mother nature than they did with their opponents this week. Dropping only a pair of games to Lynchburg – while winning one other game against the Hillcats and sweeping a doubleheader with the Frederick Keys – the Dash lost 3 games to rainout. 1 of the 3 games has already been made up, but it still made for a very odd schedule for the week, which included a 3-day rain vacation. Those 3 off-days all came on the road, so hopefully the town of Frederick is recovering from all that pent up ballplayer energy. [ed note: the Dash split a makeup doubleheader with Myrtle Beach last night, bringing their record to 22-14]

Previously celebrated names like Brady Shoemaker, Michael Earley, and Dan Black continue to be big, trailblazing bashers for the Dash, but contributions from other positions have rounded out as well. While good teams expect big offensive production from the corner positions played by Shoemaker, Earley, and Black, it’s the solid offensive contributions of defensively difficult positions that can push a team over the edge. Middle infielders Daniel Wagner, Jake Oester, and Marcus Semien have come together to form a very strong up-the-middle presence with a run of hot streaks.

Wagner and Oester and primarily second basemen and have been forced to split time at the position with each having played no more than 22 games. Wagner is a left handed batter and Oester is right handed, so they may make a natural platoon team further up the system, but right now they’re being allowed to play regardless of the opposing pitcher’s handedness. Oester held a 6 game hitting streak into yesterday [ed note: this was snapped in an 0-2 performance reported here due to the tardiness of this post] and is 9-24 with 6 doubles and 10 runs scored in his last 7 games. That adds up to a .375 batting average in that time, and it brings Oester’s OPS up to .751 on the season. Wagner’s progress has been more steady but just as effective. Dating back to April 29, he’s 12-33 in his last 10 games and has stolen 7 bases in that time. Wagner is getting on base at a good .372 clip for the season and has stolen 10 bases in 12 attempts. This combination of speed and on base ability makes him a prototypical middle infielder and a run machine. If you project Wagner’s numbers out over an equal number of game, he’d have as many runs scored as big power producers like Michael Early and Dan Black. Those big bats need somebody speedy to drive in, and that’s Wagner and Oester.

Marcus Semien is a primary shortstop and hasn’t had to share time like the Oester/Wagner duo. Just the same, he’s been on a massive tear since April and is riding an 18 game hitting streak. In the 10 games in the month of May, Semien is 14-40 with 3 doubles, 3 homers, 9 RBI, 11 runs scored, and an incredible 1.063 OPS. All this comes while playing one of the most defensively demanding positions on the diamond and being younger than most of his competition at age 21. Even with his hot streak at the end of the month, Semien held only a .709 OPS on May 1, but his continued hot bat has his season OPS all the way up to .823. For reference, anything above .900 for an everyday shortstop puts a player in legitimate MVP consideration. After putting forth just a .696 last season in Kannapolis, this former 6^th round pick could be exploding onto the prospect scene.

[After Tuesday’s doubleheader split] the Dash continue their series against Myrtle Beach tonight and tomorrow, then stay at home as Lynchburg comes to town for 3 games over the weekend.

 

Birmingham Barons, AA (21-18)

Birmingham continues to play well in a competitive Southern League North Division and sits just two games behind the Jackson Generals after a 4-3 week [ed note: both the Barons and the Generals lost yesterday so Birmingham is still just 2 back]. The Barons won 2 of their last 3 games against the Tennessee Smokies and then split their 1^st 4 in Pensacola.

Following last week’s flurry of changes on the White Sox roster, the Barons experienced a lot more change this week. Jake Petricka – sent up to Birmingham from Winston-Salem last Monday – was send back down to Winston-Salem in the middle of the week. Petricka’s 7 walks in his lone AA start may have played a part in the decision. Nestor Molina also felt the sting of a quick reversal of a callup: Molina was sent back to Birmingham after just one start in AAA Charlotte. Molina had a rougher time than Petricka, who was able to work around his control problems and allow only 3 runs. Molina got shelled in the International League, allowing 6 runs and 9 hits in 4 innings. Both still just 23 years old, there’s still time for Petricka and Molina to recover and continue to progress up the system.

Continuing a trend from the lower levels, Justin Greene got moved up soon after getting some positive press on this blog. Green was promoted to Charlotte on Thursday after his recent hot streak brought his numbers up to very good levels. This is Greene’s second shot in the International League, and while he hit decently last year, the White Sox would likely be happy to see improved plate discipline and on-base skills from the speedy outfielder. He’s 3 for his 1^st 16 in Charlotte, and now could be a key time for the 26 year-old. His skillset is highly suited for a 4^th or 5^th outfielder role on a major league bench, but he’ll need to prove basic offensive ability at a AAA level before he gets a shot.

A pair of Barons went on the DL on Saturday as 1^st baseman Any Wilkins and lefty swing-man Matt Wickswat both left the roster for 7 days.  Wickswat has struggled this year with 23 walks and a 10.20 ERA in 15 innings, and it’s easy to speculate that this unknown injury may have played a role. Wilkins was struggling as well, hitting just .204.

Last, righty pitcher Leroy Hunt was called up to Birmingham from Winston-Salem last week, but he hasn’t gotten in any games yet.

[After Tuesday’s series concluding loss to Pensacola] The Barons head home to start a 5-game series with the Montgomery Biscuits on Wednesday. That series runs through the end of the week before Monday’s off-day.

 

Charlotte Knights, AAA (20-19)

Charlotte cooled down later in the week, but a hot start, including a doubleheader sweep on Wednesday, still brought the Knights a 5-3 week.  Charlotte won their first 3 with Toledo – the doubleheader sweep included – before dropping the final game and splitting their 4 games against Buffalo. Charlotte spent the whole week at home, so putting out the good record was an example of good execution of a favorable opportunity.

One of the hallmarks of a AAA club is giving bit-time to major league regulars recovering from injury, and Charlotte got a taste of that this week. White Sox reliever Jesse Crain, on the DL for a couple of weeks, is in Charlotte now getting ready to return to Chicago. He’s appeared twice – both single inning starts – and thrown 2 perfect innings with 6 strikeouts. Crain got a 3 year, 13 million dollar contract from the Sox last offseason, and has pitched well in a late-inning setup role for the Sox, so there’s no doubt he’ll return to Chicago as soon as the White Sox feel he’s strong enough. All reports indicate that will be very soon.

Successful Baron Drew Garcia – another regular on these pages – got the call to Charlotte on Wednesday but has started slow. A .202 hitter in 104 International League games last year, the 26 year-old shortstop has struggled to take his solid production to the AAA level. His first 5 games in Charlotte this year have been more of the same: just 2 hits in 20 at bats. A 5^th year player not on the White Sox 40-man roster – meaning he’s twice been eligible but untaken in the Rule V draft – Garcia is running out of time to impress the White Sox enough before he reaches the age of minor league free agency. Free agency would allow Garcia to go where he thinks is best, but it’s tougher to crack the show with another team than it is the one who proved they like you best by drafting you.

Garcia is trying to avoid the tumultuous fate of Jose Castro, the second baseman sent to Birmingham to make space for Garcia on the roster. Castro, originally signed by the Mets in 2005, will now spend part of his 5^th year in the AA Southern League as he continues to struggle in the high minors. Castro has never held better than a .717 OPS in AA, and managed just a .618 OPS in AAA last year. Castro wasn’t getting much playing time for the Knights and was only 4-23. Switch hitting middle infielders don’t grow on trees, but it would take a lot for Castro to see the inside of the White Sox clubhouse at this point. For now, he’ll be looking to hit AA pitching well enough to win his way back to Charlotte.

Charlotte hits the road tonight starting with a doubleheader in Norfolk. They play two more in Norfolk through Friday before heading to Durham to begin a 4-game set with the Bulls

Kannapolis Intimidators, A-ball (13-17)

Kannapolis continued to coast along this week as they won 2 of 3 with the Augusta GreenJackets but then lost the first 2 against a good Hickory Crawdads team. They won on Monday to preserve a 3-3 record for the week. An 0-6 week 3 has kept the Intimidators in a hole for the last two weeks, and they have yet to come close to escaping it. The Intimidators sit in 5^th place in the Sally League’s Northern division.

A couple more roster changes went down in Kannapolis this week as SS Michael Johnson was sent back to Glendale Arizona for some time in extended spring training. Johnson had seen his share of playing time, acquiring 17 games played and 67 plate appearances with the Intimidators, but his .175 batting average and trio of errors push the Sox to give another player a chance.

That new player was 20 year-old Dominican import Garis Pena. Formerly in the Blue Jays organization, Pena spent 77 games in the A-level Midwest League last year and was only able to collect a .550 OPS. Pena has hit a bit in his short time in Kannapolis – he boasts 3 hits and 2 doubles in 11 at bats – and this could be a critical few months for a young man already with his second organization in the low minors.

Last week, I spent a bit of time discussing Ross Wilson’s hot start to his return to Kannapolis. Wilson is still hitting very well, but another newcomer has been able to add some offense to Kannapolis as well. Grant Buckner, called up to Kannapolis from extended spring training 3 weeks ago, has worked his way into 13 games and compiled a .327 batting average with 6 RBI in 55 at bats. Buckner, a 24 year-old West Virginia Mountaineer, hit well in Bristol last year and has steady forward momentum up the system. At his age, he’ll likely need to maintain his positive results for awhile to become a part of the White Sox future plans, but he’s off to a great start in 2012.

A new entry in the “how haven’t I mentioned you yet through 4 weeks” file, Terance Marin is having a great year as the Intimidators lead closer. He has half of the team’s 6 saves, a 2-1 record, and a 1.21 ERA to go along with some sterling peripherals.  With 22 strikeouts, just 8 walks, and just 11 hits allowed in 22.1 innings, Marin has really shut down opponents in his 9 appearances. This 22 year-old from Modesto, California is in his 3^rd full season with the Intimidators – after spending a tiny chunk of 2010 there as well – and he pitched very well last year too. You have to think that Marin will get a chance to move up soon with his excellent performance record.

Kannapolis finishes its series with Hickory tonight – a game that will be visited by the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales – before a travel day sends them to Maryland for 4 games with the Delmarva Shorebirds.

Winston-Salem Dash, High A-ball (18-11)

The Dash continue to play at a high level in the Carolina League as they won 4 out of 7 games this week. Winston-Salem split its 4-game series with the Potomic Nationals at the start of the week, then returned home and took 2 out of 3 with the 2^nd place Salem Red Sox. It was the Winston-Salem’s 3^rd winning week of the season’s 4 full-weeks, and they sit in first place by 2.5 games.

Another week, another group of Dash players catching fire. Former Purdue Boilermaker Dan Black has played in all 29 games for the Dash, but has only recently seen his numbers swell in a big way. Highlighted by 9 hits in 2 days on April 30 and May 1, Black is 17-39 in his last 9 games – a .436 batting average – and has also racked up 2 homers, 4 doubles, and 8 RBI. This has given his season totals a huge boost, and the 24 year-old 1^st baseman now sits with a .919 OPS, 7 homers, and 22 RBI. Drafted in 2009, Black’s career started slowly, but he was an MiLB.com Organization All-Star last season and seems to be catching fire in his first chance in high-A.

Newcomer Juan Silverio only has 9 Dash at bats, but he’s one to watch. Already 3-9 with 2 doubles, this 21 year-old 3^rd baseman has youth on his side. A 2-time Dominican League All-Star, Silverio has generally overproduced for his age at every level, and a solid show in the Carolina League could really put him on the prospect map.

The Dash have to take their good play on the road this week as an off-day today is followed by 3 games in Frederick against the Keys. On Friday, the Dash are in Lynchburg playing the Hillcats.

Birmingham Barons, AA (17-15)

The Barons started a hard-fought 5-game series with Jacksonville on Tuesday, and even though they lost a couple of close games, they still pulled out a pair of wins before splitting 2 with the Tennessee Smokies over the weekend. The 3-4 week has the Barons above .500 and within striking distance at 3 games back of the division leading Jackson Generals.

Justin Greene was the hot hand this week for the Barons. The Goose Creek, South Carolina native is 15 for his last 31 and drew 5 walks and stole 6 bases in that time. The speedy centerfielder has scored 13 times this season, is getting on base at a .429 clip, and hasn’t been caught in 11 stolen base attempts. He’s in Birmingham for the 3^rd time after underwhelming in a short stint in Charlotte last year, so big output at this level is crucial to this 26 year-old’s future.

Birmingham saw a bunch of roster changes as the White Sox shuffled their struggling bullpen. 23 year-old Jose Quntana got the call to the show straight from the Southern League last week, and already has 1 big league appearance where he gathered 5.2 shutout innings. Quintana also allowed only 1 hit in the appearance. Quintana, who left AA with a 3.06 ERA in 35.1 innings, had never pitched above the high-A Florida State League before this season, so this is an incredibly meteoric rise.

Jake Petricka was bumped up to Birmingham from Winston-Salem as a result of the Quintana move. He allowed 3 runs over 5 innings in his first AA start and walked a whopping 7 hitters. The Northfield, Minnesota native had a 5.63 ERA in the Carolina League, but he’s generally regarded as one of the White Sox better pitching prospects, so the team appears to want to challenge him aggressively.

The Barons play the last 3 games of their 5 with the Smokies starting tonight, then head to Pensacola for 5 with the Blue Wahoos.

Charlotte Knights, AAA (15-16)

Rough week for our boys in Charlotte as they lost the last game in Syracuse on Monday, dropped 2 of 3 to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, split 2 games with the Gwinnett Braves, and lost the first game of 4 with the Toledo Mudhens. The good news is the Knights are still in second place in the International League South, 4.5 games behind Gwinnett.

All the changes in AA were naturally connected to a host of changes in Charlotte as well. Dylan Axelford, called up only very recently, was sent back to Charlotte after being roughed up in his last major league appearance. Axelford got only 7.2 major league innings and allowed 3 earned runs before the team decided to try Birmingham’s Quintana instead. In the meantime, Nestor Molina and Matt Zaleski were bumped up to the Knights. It’s Molina’s first crack at AAA baseball, and the young Venezuela native is surely being watched closely by White Sox brass. He had a 3-1 record with a 3.72 ERA with Birmingham. He didn’t fare well in his 1^st AAA start, allowing 6 runs and 9 hits in 4 innings against Toledo, but he’s still considered one of the White Sox better pitching prospects. At 23, Molina is young for the level and doesn’t necessarily have to set the world on fire to maintain the interest of Kenny Williams. That said, there is enough turmoil in the White Sox bullpen – they moved successful starter Chris Sale back to closer just to try to stabilize that position – that a good couple of months from Molina could be enough to win him a shot at the next level.

Zaleski is in his 4th run through the International League after spending half of 2011 and parts of 2009 and ’10 in Charlotte. Zaleski pitched well in his first start with the Knights – allowing just 2 runs and 5 hits over 7 innings against Syracuse – but hasn’t been able to sustain success at the AAA level in the past. At 31 years old, Zaleski isn’t a prospect any more, but a good few months could still be enough to give this minor league warrior his first trip to the show.

Offensively, Dan Johnson may be wondering why he let himself end up playing AAA for an organization that has had Paul Konerko anchoring 1^st base for over a decade. Johnson, who’s been a back-and-forth AAA and ML player for over half a decade, is simply hammering International League pitching to the tune of a 1.074 OPS. 6 home runs, 25 RBI, and 7 doubles in 92 at bats are big time numbers. Johnson has obliterated AAA pitching for much of his career, and his .739 career major league OPS has proven he has offensive value to major league teams. Lack of any good defensive position is the reason Johnson continues to constantly scrap for major league playing time, and things may be tough for him as long as he’s behind a truly great slugger like Paul Konerko.

The Knights are better off this week after spending last week on the road. They finish their 4-game home series with Toledo starting tonight, then host Buffalo for 4 games starting Friday.

Kannapolis Intimidators, A-ball (10-14)

After a terrible 0-6 week 3, Kannapolis started week 4 off with more of the same, losing 2 of their first 3 in Augusta, before coming alive over the weekend with 3 wins in 4 days backed by 29 runs scored. The winning spurt – started in Augusta and completed in Rome, Georgia – continued earlier this morning at the Intimidators coasted to a 7-0 win in the morning getaway game.

The Intimidators experienced a couple more roster moves this week as Stephen McCray got the call up to Winston-Salem. The 24 year-old lefty had pitched well in 15.2 innings for Kannapolis, allowing only 4 runs 10 hits and 3 walks while striking out 14. McCray was back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen in Kannapolis, but his first appearance in Winston-Salem was a start. It was marred by some errors by his teammates, but he still finished with no earned runs in 4 innings pitched.

Myles Jaye was called up from extended spring training to fill McCray’s spot on the roster. He hasn’t pitched in Kannapolis yet. The 20 year-old former 17^th round pick played for the Bluefield Blue Jays – the Toronto Blue Jays’ Appalachian League Rookie Affiliate – last season and compiled a 3.00 ERA with 49 K’s in 54 innings over 13 appearances.

One of last week’s moved players, who had a bunch of space devoted to him in my writings as well as in an excellent user comment, has had a hot start so far in Kannapolis. Ross Wilson, a 2011 Sally League all-star, was moved from Winston-Salem back to Kannapolis and has flourished in his renewed playing time. Wilson has played in 11 games since coming from the Dash and is hitting .341 with a .491 OBP, .732 slugging percentage, 4 home runs, and 13 RBI. Talk about mashing. Wilson seems to be somewhat blocked in the White Sox system right now, so he may need to display some patience, but his domination of A-ball must have the White Sox scrambling for ways to give him more chances.

The Intimidators have May Day off while they return home after their long week on the road. They start a 3 game set against Augusta on Wednesday before hosting Hickory for 4 starting Saturday.

Winston-Salem Dash, High A-ball (14-8)

What a week for the Dash. After having their Sunday game last week soaked with rain, the Dash set themselves on fire with a 7 game winning streak. The run has put the Dash in command of the Carolina League Southern Division as they now are in first place by 1.5 games. The pitching was good for the week, allowing only 21 runs, and the offense was spectacular with 56 runs scored: a whopping 8 run per game average.

It has been difficult up to this point to avoid talking about Andre Rienzo and Brady Shoemaker in the space every week. And yes, Riezno had another good start last week as he allowed just one run in 5 innings and struck out 8. Finally though, some more Dash players are starting to elevate their contributions. Michael Earley, who had a good start to the season, pushed his numbers up to great with a ridiculous 11 hits, including 3 home runs, and 10 RBI in the last 6 games. Earley now has a .942 OPS along with his 15 RBI. The catcher position has become a source of offense for the Dash as well. Primary backstops Miguel Gonzalez and Michael Blanke – owners of .794 and .806 OPS’s respectively – came alive in the last week. Helped out by Gonzalez’s 5 RBI game on April 25, the two catchers had 10 RBI during the week to go along with their 15 hits. Obviously, many teams struggle to get much offense from the catching positions, so the Dash have a big advantage in these two going forward.

Dash relievers have also started to compile some impressive numbers. Take a look the ERA’s on these bullpen options: Justin Collop at .071, Jon Bachanov at 3.21, Nick McCully at 2.38, Kyle Bellamy at 2.53, Leroy Hunt at 0.84, and Chris Bassitt at 0.87. Most managers hope for 1 or 2 really great guys to use at the back of the bullpen and shut down an opposing team late. Dash manager Tommy Thompson has 6 of those options.

The Dash will look to stay hot as they hit the road this week for 4 games with the Potomic Nationals. On Friday, they return home for a 3 game set with the Salem Red Sox.

Birmingham Barons, AA (14-11)

Compared to the Dash, the Barons look like a bunch of sluggards in week 4. Compared to any other kind of reasonable expectations, their 6-1 record for the week is a rousing success. After splitting the last two against Mississippi on Monday and Tuesday, the Barons stormed into Montgomery and handed the Biscuits their second 5-game sweep of the season. The Barons outscored the Biscuits 39 to 17 in the series.

Two players I’ve already discussed a lot in these pages are continuing to hit well: Jared Mitchell still has “holy cow” type numbers, and Drew Garcia’s bat continues to do great work, but a couple of other players have also seen their numbers tick upwards. Tyler Saladino, one of Garcia’s middle infield partners, has his OBP up to .406 along with a .782 OPS. A middle infielder capable of getting on base at that rate is already very valuable, but when you ad in Saladino’s 7 steals in 8 tries, the White Sox have to be excited about the tools Saladino is displaying. Saladino really lit up Montgomery this week, collecting 9 hits in the last 4 games.

Cameron Bayne hasn’t been talked about in any Monday Minors Recap yet, but his pair of winning starts in the last week merit him mention. Now boasting a 3-0 record and a 2.70 ERA in 5 starts this season, Bayne has been a big piece of the Baron rotation. The Honolulu native isn’t without fault – he’s walked 21 hitters in only 26.2 innings – but at 24 he’s still not too old for AA and has ultimately been able to prevent runs from coming across the plate. A drop in the number of walks he’s handing out could put him on the White Sox serious radar.

The Barons get a day to return home today and they won’t have to get back on the bus for quite a while. A 10-game homestand starts Tuesday with 5 games against the Jacksonville Suns. On Sunday, the Barons begin a 5 game series with the Tennessee Smokies.

Charlotte Knights, AAA (13-11)

The Knights stayed in 2^nd place in the International League South Division – behind the league leading Gwinnett Braves – with a 3-3 record this week. After losing 2 of 3 to the 17-7 Braves, Charlotte headed up to Syracuse and won 2 of their first 3 against the Chiefs.

After a rough start to the season – he gave up 7 runs in his first start of the season – Terry Doyle has seen his numbers creep back down. In fact, Doyle hasn’t given up an earned run in his last two starts, spanning 12 innings, and has his ERA down to 3.63. Doyle also has 16 K’s in those 2 starts and now has 23 in 22.1 innings this season. Combined with the fact that he has only 5 walks, Doyle is starting to look like a serious candidate to help some major league team’s bullpen.

Dylan Axelrod was discussed in this space two weeks ago, and his hot start has paid off in the way all AAA players hope it will: a call to the bigs. White Sox reliever Jesse Crain hit the disabled list on Saturday, and Axelrod was given the call to fill Crains spot in the bullpen. Axelrod, who pitched 18.2 innings in the show last year, has appeared once so far for the White Sox. He pitched 2.1 innings against Boston on Friday and gave up 1 run on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 2. Crain’s injury is “retroactive” from April 21, meaning he is eligible to be removed from the DL on May 6, but he isn’t a lock to return as soon as he’s eligible, so Axelrod may have several more chances to prove himself before somebody has to losees roster spot to Crain.

Charlotte finishes off their series in Syracuse tonight before continuing their road trip with 4 games in Lehigh Valley and 2 games, starting on Friday, back in Gwinnett.