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Meyers Promoted, Chico Demoted

Brad Meyers and Matt Chico swap places on the Chiefs and Sens rosters

Following yet another strong outing for Harrisburg, Brad Meyers has been finally promoted to AAA.

Meyers was 3-2 with a 2.48 ERA in six starts for Harrisburg, throwing 36⅓ innings and allowing 35 hits with 38 strikeouts. The 25-year-old has been ranked by Baseball America as the #27 prospect in the Washington organization, despite missing most of the 2010 season with a foot injury.

Replacing Myers on the Harrisburg roster is LHP Matt Chico, who has been 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in eight relief appearances for Syracuse. Chico is a former major-leaguer, posting a mediocre 7-9, 4.63 line as a 24-year-old in 2007, but has pitched just once for the parent club since his July 2008 TJ surgery.

17 Commments

  1. Sue — granted it’s been only a month, but it seems that Cory VanAllen has really taken to his new role in the bullpen. What are the chances we’ll see him move up to SYR soon? With Chico now down in HAR, the Chiefs only have one leftty in the bullpen (Hyde), and he hasn’t impressed much so far.

  2. Also, by my count, the Chiefs now have 6 starters on staff (Detwiler, Maya, Milone, Stammen, Martin and now Meyers). Will Martin be moved back into the ‘pen, or do you foresee some additional moves (i.e. someone getting called up to DC; trade)?

    1. With OGs — be that organizational soldiers or older guys — Rizzo is less inclined to make ’em wait, so VanAllen could easily be moved. Today’s TBD vs. TBD at Syracuse (neither local newspaper had a series preview, nor did either team site) is telling because it appears that the offday/rainout is going to be used to rearrange the rotation. Stammen and Martin, IMO, are viewed as swingmen so either could be moved in/out of the rotation without it really meaning all that much in terms of divining long-term plans.

      I will say, however, that it appears that promotions from Potomac to Harrisburg for pitchers are going to be next-to-impossible (for Carlos Martinez, see OG above). Seems to be quite a few arms in XST, and as we saw yesterday, the FO is not inclined to demote to Hagerstown, either. The days of the 24-25-yo pitchers languishing in Woodbridge may be numbered.

  3. Guys keep in mind Rizzo wants a young farm, guys 22 24 at the AA level. VanAllen has been awesome and I look for him to move up soon. To be honest He is absolutley nastyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy and I am now a VanAllen Minion

  4. Was Meyers ranked so lowly (compared to his numbers) because of last year’s injury, or a belief that his stuff won’t translate at higher levels?

    1. Durability — dead arm in ’08, heel injury in ’09, foot injury in ’10 — issues were the first thing BA cited in his writeup.

  5. I wonder how much the Syracuse record factors into this? They did promise the Chiefs they would field competitive teams. Except for Maya none of the other starters in the rotation have been proving themselves up ready for AAA hitting. While Harrisburg sits close to first place because of its starting rotation and overall pitching while fielding a very weak offense.

    Milone and Martin are optical isomers of each other. Soft-tossers who must rely on guile and finesse. Stammen has a decent fast ball and movement when he is on. Detwiler is the optical isomer of Zimmermann. Both continue to underachieve.

    Promote Bradley, then Peacock … perhaps Tatusko if he keeps improving and see what happens? Martis and Atilano are already in Harrisburg. And now Chico. That was once the major part of the Syracuse rotation. If other pitchers aren’t careful they might follow them … or in Detwiler’s case … end up packaged in a trade?

    1. Using “optical isomers” not once, but twice in a comment instead of something common like ‘mirror-image’ or ‘very similar in style’. Should we be impressed?

  6. Detwiler’s WHIP is not great and it caught with him in his last start. He looks better this year as a starter though I am not convinced he is more than a #5 if he made it to the Majors.

    Much rather see them do a Clippard on him where he can maybe finally shine as a Major Leaguer.

  7. Sue,

    What are your thoughts on trading/demoting Desmond, and bringing Lombardozzi up to play second (moving Espinsoa to ss)? He’s batting .307 and has an OBP near .400. Seems like he could be an in house option for leadoff.

    1. This year? No. Next year? Maybe.

      Lombardozzi is going to need to be seasoned much like Espinosa was last year, but as much as I like Lombardozzi, I have wonder if his ceiling is closer to a backup than a starter. But he’s had that doubt attached to him at every level and thus far he’s proven everyone wrong.

      1. I’ll admit to being in the tank for Lombardozzi, but Sue_D has it right in this case. If he can post the kind of numbers (minus the HR’s) that Espinosa did in 2010 in Harrisburg, he deserves both a promotion to the 40-man & an extended look next spring, imo. Lombardozzi is probably going to be limited to primarily 2B due to his arm strength, but he’s been a gamer at every level played at so far.

  8. Agreed that Peacock should be movin’ up soon as well. Why continue messing with Martin and Stammen in the Syracuse rotation when neither is going to be a starter in DC again absent a long rash of injuries?

  9. It appears that Selik is taking Frias’ spot in the rotation at Potomac

  10. Martin is not coming back up. Chico is not coming back up. Martis is not coming back up. Atilano is not coming back up. And be certain, Mock is not coming back up.

    Lets start to see the guys that are producing. I want to see Meyers, Peacock, and Kimball!

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