farmer_fran Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 Topes Back On Track With 3-Hit Shutout May 27, 2004 - Michael Nannini, Mike Neu, and Josias Manzanillo combined on three-hit shutout as the Albuquerque Isotopes defeated the Tucson Sidewinders 5-0 on Thursday afternoon. The ?Topes avoided the sweep in front of 5,899 fans at Isotopes Park. The shutout was the fourth in team history and the three hits allowed ties a franchise low, set on May 21 of last season. Nannini pitched the first seven innings, allowing only three Sidewinders to reach base. He allowed two hits, while striking out eight. Neu came on to pitch a scoreless eighth, his first action of the season, and Manzanillo allowed one hit in the ninth. Albuquerque got on the board in the fourth as Chris Ashby hit his first homer of the season. Drew Niles followed with a double. After stealing second base, pitcher Michael Nannini struck out, but the ball got past the catcher. Niles came all the way around from second to make the score 2-0. The Isotopes used three walks and a wild pitch in the fifth and a Derek Wathan RBI double in the sixth for the 4-0 lead. Wathan scored from second on another Tucson wild pitch in the eighth for the final margin. Impressive outing from Nannini. 2 of his last 3 starts have been very good. He got off to a terrible start but it looks like he's turning it around, and Mike Neu made his first appearance of the season, we'll have to keep an eye on his progress. He looked terrible in the spring but maybe it had something to do with the injury. Also, Wilson Valdez has improved his average to .323. The Topes have a nice 1-2 punch with him and Wathan at the top of the order. Both are hitting over .320. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Card Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 When Mike Neu gets back to new he could be our 8th inning guy later this year, no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobucks Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 There are some interesting pitchers in the minors that could impact the marlins bullpen down the road. Neu and Howard should get opportunities.Both have pretty good stuff and have limited big league experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer_fran Posted May 28, 2004 Author Share Posted May 28, 2004 When Mike Neu gets back to new he could be our 8th inning guy later this year, no doubt. I seriously doubt that. I do think we could see him up in the majors at some point though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramp Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 Willingham went 2/5 tonight with a ribbie he is now hitting .279 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fauowls44 Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 When Mike Neu gets back to new he could be our 8th inning guy later this year, no doubt. I seriously doubt that. I do think we could see him up in the majors at some point though. I don't know if Neu will be the 8th inning pitcher, but I do think that if he puts together a string of good outings, he'll be up with the Marlins relatively quickly. He could end up being the 7th inning guy, with hopefully a healthy Chad Fox taking the 8th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnylons Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 Neu will add a lot of depth to this bullpen - if he can sort himself out and get back to the quality pitcher he was with the A's last season. I totally forgot about this guy and I was high on him at the beginning of the season. I think Neu could be a very good set-up pitcher and could spell Fox sometimes when he may need it. Ideally, I would like to see this: Beckett Penny Willis Pavano Burnett and these arms for our pen: Phelps Neu Perisho Fox Benitez I think Howard could get a shot too and I like his potential. Nannini is going to need a full season at AAA I think to really get some work done. Depending on how our salary goes next season, he may be a starter next year (Penny gone? :confused ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer_fran Posted May 28, 2004 Author Share Posted May 28, 2004 I don't know where you guys get that Neu was good last year. He was with the team the whole season and only pitched 35 or so innings. He came in, in mop-up situations with the game out of reach. The only reason he wasn't sent down was because he was a rule-5 pick. He is not a set-up guy, he has mediocre stuff at best. I'm just hoping maybe he could do a better job than Bump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildMarlinMan2003 Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 When Mike Neu gets back to new he could be our 8th inning guy later this year, no doubt. No doubt? haha yeah right. He throws soft and he isn't that good. Bill Murphy is the best player we got in the Redman deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamrock Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 I don't know where you guys get that Neu was good last year. He was with the team the whole season and only pitched 35 or so innings. He came in, in mop-up situations with the game out of reach. The only reason he wasn't sent down was because he was a rule-5 pick. He is not a set-up guy, he has mediocre stuff at best. I'm just hoping maybe he could do a better job than Bump. Neu does have good stuff and the reason that he underperformed last year was his random use. Sometimes he would sit on his ass for two weeks without seeing a game situation. He dominated the minors, so its possible he could have success in the majors. Of all the arms we have toiling away at Albuquerque, Neu has the best chance of seeing the show. Look for Bump or Wayne to be demoted in the next couple of weeks. The Marlins also activated pitcher Rick Venden Hurk from the injured list. Reports are that he could rical Bazardo as the top pitching prospect in the system if he can stay healthy. He got rocked last year in the GCL in limited innings, but they have skipped low-A and sent him right to Jupiter where he has performed well. 10IP, 7H, 1ER, 1BB, 8K, 0HR (.90ERA) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanofthefish Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 Vanden Hurk is actually the third guy they've jumped over Greensboro. They did this with JT Restko and Jonathon Fulton. Fulton is a bit of surprise to be jumped seeing he hit less than .200 at GCL last season. I guess the Marlins thought two no hit good field shortstops at Greensboro would one too many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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