Minor League Notes, 8/11/2010

… that Gamel continues to get time in RF. I could speculate on what that might mean, but I don’t want to get yelled at again.

McCalvy mentioned in a tweet that the Org is pretty high on him and he’s off to a pretty good start in his transition to a starter. Someone to keep an eye on.

I’d wager his wrist strain is partly the product of compensating for an elbow that’s still bothering him.

The first thing to understand for context is that the Kane County offense, which in all fairness has been beset by injuries, is downright horrendous. In its 10 games, Kane County has managed just 17 runs, while batting .186. That’s why Arnett’s line looked good, as opposed to his actual ability. Last year at Indiana University, Arnett’s fastball sat at 91-94 mph while touching 96; last night, he was 89-91 with a couple of 92s and 93s thrown in. His 81-mph slider had good, albeit a bit slow, break, and much of the problem has been with Arnett’s mechanics. He’s anything but direct to the plate, as his leg kick comes around in a semi-circular motion, bringing his body with it. This causes him to lose leverage and creates inconsistent landing points. His command and control suffered as well, with the free-swinging Cougars bailing him out of several jams. It was difficult to watch at times, as Arnett was clearly frustrated on the mound, slamming his glove into return throws by the catcher, stepping off the mound and looking at the sky at times, and just pitching with anger. It’s far too early to make a judgment call here, but he hasn’t been right all year, and it’s certainly a concern. It’s not like his stuff isn’t good, it’s just not as advertised, and one has to wonder if a move to the bullpen, where he could tick up the velo on both his fastball and slider, isn’t the answer if his struggles in the rotation continue.