Monday, June 18, 2012

LANCASTER'S MATT WRIGHT, YORK'S RYAN FEIERABEND DOING WELL IN TRIPLE-A

Justin Christian (Giants by way of Southern Maryland) is the most recent Atlantic League graduate to return to the major leagues, but still other players are making minor league headlines on virtually an every day basis.

Consider the case of Matt Wright, a 30-year-old pitcher still trying for his first major league opportunity in his 13th professional season.

Wright, whose contract was purchased by Philadelphia for its Triple-A Lehigh Valley, PA farm club recently from the Lancaster Barnstormers, has made two starts for the Iron Pigs so far. He does not not have any wins, primarily for a lack of offensive support, but the big (6-4, 270) right-hander has given up only six hits and three runs in 12.2 innings (0-1, 2.13).

Wright has earned praise from his manager, Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg, and from re-habbing Evan Longoria (partially torn hamstring), Tampa Bay's all-star third baseman.

"I thought Wright threw the ball pretty well for them tonight," Longoria told TheMorningCall.com after he had fanned against the hurler's 95-mile per hour fastball, fouled out to the catcher and skied to right as Durham handed Lehigh Valley a 3-0 loss. "He had some good stuff, and that's good for me to see some good pitching and start to feel comfortable at the plate." Wright gave up only one run and three hits in 6.2 innings.

"It was a good start for him," Sandberg told the online publication. "I think the hitters had a hard time gearing up on his fastball with the variations of his speeds--91 to 95 miles-an-hour--and he threw some change-ups and enough breaking pitches."

YORK'S FEIERABEND ALSO STARTING IN TRIPLE-A

Ryan Feierabend does have major league experience, but not since 2008, so the southpaw knows what he has to do now that he is with Cincinnati's top farm club in Louisville.

"I felt better than my first outing," Feierabend told Courier-Journal.com of his no-decision start in which he gave up two runs. "In my first outing (a 7-3 loss), I hadn't thrown in 10 days. It was definitely a step forward. The ball was coming out a lot better. I was throwing strikes. It was only four and two-third innings, but in the fourth and fifth I felt like I was able to command the fastball a little better." He had gone 3-2, 3.24 while at York.


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