The other side of the coin

I get a lot of people that say "Oh, it must be great to know these guys, to see them do good and move up in the organization." It is, but there's another side of the coin.

Since I was down at the minor league complex on Sunday, I was talking to Matt Fox who in turn asked after Kyle Aselton. The two are pretty good pals, I believe they were roommates in E-Town but it always sort of cracks me up the way they keep tabs on each other.

Like Matty can't walk acrossed the parking lot?

Anyway, Aselton was up on the concourse last night signing autographs. He's not in the program, so he was sort of signing advertisements. Now I'm thinking...why didn't he sign Foxy's profile? (I must suggest that to him.)

In any case, Fox had asked me how he was doing and I said I watched him once, and he pitched really well, and then, I didn't stick around for the next game and he blew.

"I didn't blow," Aselton says. Okay....taking a look...

Opening Night: no runs on 1 hit, 1 walk while striking out 1 in 1 inning

They were at Sarasota, so I didn't see this one...

April 9 vs. Sarasota: no runs, no hits, 1 walk, while striking out 2 in 1.2 innings

This is the game I saw, and yes, I have video.

This is one of the first clips I took. And he did pitch really well that game, reminded me of what he looked like at the start of last year.

The next game he pitched, it was kind of chilly and for some reason, I couldn't get warm despite the new $50 Twins hoodie so I left yearly and missed this...

April 13 vs. Dunedin: 3 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk (3 earned) while striking out 1 in 1.1 innings (6.75 era).

(You blew buddy.)

This sort of reminds me of what he looked like at the end of last season. Now...I blamed the end of last season on his elbow injury and agreed with me. When I spoke to him in spring training he said that he was feeling a bit tenative about it. However, he said he was good to go for this season.

Regarding spring training, he was given a fair chance to make the New Britain team, and for the game I talked to him prior to, I pointed out that he needed to pitch like he did the first half of the season.

He went out there and struck out the first two batters he faced, then issued a walk and gave up a double for a run before he got the third out on a grounder. Next inning, he lead off with a single. The second hit was another nice ground that they played at second base, leaving a runner on first. He induced the third guy to hit into a double play. So far so good?

He issued a walk to start the third inning, struck out the next guy and then gave up a single and another walk. The first guy was taken out on a fielder's choice leaving two men on when the next batter put one over the wall, bringing in three for Portland. The last out was a grounder.
Not my idea of a stellar outing and that's why he's back in Fort Myers instead of with the NB squad. I know, he was unhappy with that.

Fox had questioned that as well, and I said, "He's feeling old and if he doesn't make the New Britian squad by the end of the season, he's pretty sure his days are numbered."

"What about me?" Fox asks. "I'm old!"

"Yeah, but they gave you a lot of money, Foxy. They're not going to let you go so easily." Fox would happily have given the money back if he'd never gotten injured, but...life doesn't work that way.

Going back to Aselton and his last outting...

April 19 vs. Tampa: no runs on 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 1 in 2 innings worth of work.

Which was decent. Aselton is big 6'5" lefty that can hit 91. His problem is that he has had control issues and evidently, still does. However, if he can get past the one bad outting and continue on with the way he's pitched otherwise, he could certainly be looked at to move to New Britain mid-season.

Then again...he might be replaced, promotion wise, by younger guys like Yohan Pino and Eddie Morlan whose stock in the organization is a little higher than Aselton's as been. So he might not move to AA until next season, in which case yes, even given a good year in Fort Myers, his playing days could well be over.

As for Fox, I wouldn't be surprised if instead of going to E-Town again, which he seems to think is going to be the case, if they send him to Fort Myers mid-season to replace a player that moves to New Britain. He feels like his velocity needs to come up for them to do that, but I don't necessarily see that as the case. They could well put him with the Miracle because of his age.

I still think he could help us and I believe that facing that kind of competition he'd see at a High A level might wake something up in him. His confidence level's been fairly low.

I dunno...maybe I'm misreading him, but it seems like the competative fire he should have is just not there. He isn't quite the same he was a couple of years ago...that...I'll bet you $50 I can (insert action here). He needs to get that cocky attitude back somehow. And I think once that happens his confidence, and his pitching will come with it.

But both of them are kind of down right now, and it's well...distressing to see that because you do want them throw well and progress and see their dreams realized.

Anyway, I had these nice pictures of Pookie and so I wanted to write something for the girls in E-Town and I left the notes on the Aussies at home. So, there you go.

Oh...speaking of Foxy's profile in the program...yes, he did see where he'd moved to Perth, Australia. I had to correct someone last night who was looking in the program and thought he was Australian. We have a few of them, but Foxy's not one. Then again...Orlando, Australia...what's the big difference? And for those scoring along at home, that is Jesse Floyd's picture next to his profile.