Hens could use more pitchers - and quick
7/15/2005When it comes to hitters, Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish has more than enough for the moment.
When it comes to pitchers, though, the Hens currently are a little short.
Yesterday Toledo lost reliever Craig Dingman, who had his contract purchased by the parent Tigers to replace the injured Troy Percival.
The status of starter Wil Ledezma also is uncertain because of problems with his left elbow. Ledezma felt discomfort and was removed after four innings in his last start, which came in Columbus July 10.
He threw briefly in the bullpen before yesterday's game, with what Parrish called mixed results.
"He feels it on his change-up and his two-seam fastball," Parrish said.
Ledezma will have an MRI on his elbow in the next day or two, and his status for his next scheduled start Sunday remains uncertain.
A third pitcher, left-hander Mike Bynum, will not pitch again this season. Bynum went on the disabled list June 3 with elbow problems and Mud Hens trainer Matt Rankin said Bynum will have "Tommy John" surgery in the near future.
While the Mud Hens have a dearth of pitchers, they also have a glut of position players. Toledo has 12 everyday players on the active roster as well as two injured players, Gookie Dawkins and Jack Hannahan, who are close to returning.
Dawkins was hit in the mouth by a pitch on July 3 and did not travel with the Hens on their recent road trip, while Hannahan has not played since June 22 because of hamstring troubles.
Both took batting practice before yesterday's game and would be available should a roster opening arise.
WE DISAGREE, SIR: Things got crazy in the bottom of the fifth when a pair of umpire's decisions went against the Bisons, resulting in four ejections.
The first came with one out and Joe Inglett on first. Mike Kinkade hit a line drive down the left-field line that hooked foul at the last second. But third base ump Brandon Cooper called the ball fair and awarded Kinkade a two-run home run, a call that was eventually corrected.
Buffalo manager Marty Brown was ejected during a strenuous argument over the call. Four pitches later Kinkade was called out on a checked swing and Inglett, who was running on the pitch, was thrown out at second. Kinkade, Ryan Garko and coach Mike Bell all were thrown out of the game following animated arguments on the check-swing call with the ump who made it, Kevin Causey.
THREE-DOT DATA: The start of the game was delayed 15 minutes to give Buffalo's five representatives to the Triple-A All-Star Game a chance to reach Fifth Third Field in time. Their flight from Chicago to Toledo was delayed, and the group - Brown, Garko, Jake Gautreau, Ernie Young and Jeff Liefer - arrived at the ballpark at 6:45 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game. Garko and Liefer both were in the starting lineup. Vic Darensbourg, who represented the Mud Hens in Wednesday's All-Star Game in Sacramento, did not arrive at Fifth Third Field until late in the game and Jason Karnuth, Toledo's other All-Star, never did reach the ballpark. The Bisons announced that their starter for Sunday's series finale will be left-hander Brian Tallet, who is 6-3 with a 3.65 ERA. Alexis Gomez saw a 15-game hitting streak end with an 0-for-3 night.