Pitching, pitching, pitching

Some quick Saturday morning thoughts as I watch it drizzle here in New York. It's cold and it's wet but we you have to press on, weather be damned.

So Salt Lake City lost Friday night for the second time this week. That's the same amount of losses that they had in the first month of the season. I wouldn't worry. They seem like a good bunch and even though Brandon Wood, Nick Adenhart and Matt Brown have been summoned to Los Angeles, this is still a good team that likely won't squander the huge lead it has built. Plus, any or all of those three players could be back in the Pacific Coast League as quickly as they were called up.

We're going to jump around a little here, so bear with me. The coffee is still brewing and my head is still a little fuzzy. I spoke with Kurt Kemp, Atlanta's top Minor League honcho on Thursday, and he said despite his sizzling start, Tommy Hanson will be staying in Myrtle Beach. There are no plans to bump him up to Mississippi despite the fact he's 3-1 with 0.79 ERA in six starts. He's struck out 42 and walked 10 in 34 innings and has yet to allow a homer. If he keeps it up, it's going to be difficult to keep him in the Carolina League.

One pitcher who made his way out of A-ball was Brett Cecil, Toronto's highly touted prospect who began the season in Dunedin after experiencing some shoulder problems this spring. He had a 1.74 ERA in 10 1/3 innings while throwing on a limited pitch count in the Florida State League. The Jays decided it was time to move him up and he got his first start this week for New Hampshire and was hit hard, allowing four runs [three earned] in three innings against Reading. He allowed four hits and walked three.

Lakeland's Rick Porcello finally got away without suffering a loss this week in his start against Dunedin. The Tigers top pick had lost four consecutive games after winning his professional debut but didn't figure in the decision against Dunedin. He allowed two earned runs in five innings as his ERA climbed to 2.37. He didn't strike out a batter and walked a season-high three.

Clearwater's Joe Savery, the Phillies top pick, also pitched this week, losing at Fort Myers. He had his roughest outing of the season in the five-inning stint, allowing season highs in runs [four] and hits [eight]. He's 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA. More importantly, though, he's kept his walk total in check [14 in 37 innings].

That's a wrap for this morning. See you soon.