InsideTheIvy.com At The Park: Iowa Cubs at New Orleans Zephyrs

(04/17/2008)

6:31

Welcome to tonight's live blog. Finally, an interesting pitching match-up here in the Big Easy as Sean Gallagher goes to the mound tonight for Iowa. This will be the first time I've seen him pitch since the weight loss. I'll give some scouting tidbits from his start tonight.

Thursday April 17, 2008 6:31

7:15

And Gallagher starts it off with a 91 MPH fastball on the inside corner

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:15

7:23

Gallagher gives us a couple of hard-hit balls but escapes with only one hit alllowed. A great play by Andres Blanco to keep the ball in the infield possibly saves a run

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:23

7:25

[Comment From crimsonstockcrimsonstock: ]

How many pitches did Gallagher throw in the first? How was his fastball?

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:25 crimsonstock

7:28

Gallagher threw 14 pitches in the first. His fastball was in the low 90s. He can run it upward of 94 or 95, so we'll see if he gains some velocity as the game wears on

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:28

7:35

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

I haven't followed Gallagher that closely, what pitches does he feature?

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:35 supercapo

7:36

Gallagher with a quick second inning... he gets Tatis out in front of a changeup for a weak grounder to third, whiffs Chris Aguila on a knee-buckling curve, then gets Jose Feliciano to ground to first.

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:36

7:39

He throws fastball, change, curve, and now a slider. The slider is something he worked to develop last season. It took awhile to master the pitch and find the right grip/angle, but he and the coaches are pleased with the development

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:39

7:40

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

Isn't Jose Feliciano the blind musician that wants "to wish you a merry Christmas?"

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:40 supercapo

7:40

Sorry... typo. Should have read Jesus Feliciano. Good catch :)

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:40

7:43

Hitting wise ... Casey McGehee connected on an easy double down the right field line his first AB but got a little greedy and was picked off going for third. It looked like he could have still made but seemed to run out of gas or underestimate Caleb Stewart's arm in right field

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:43

7:43

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

I have heard that Gallagher ranks as a potential #3 starter, would he rank higher now that he has added a slider?

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:43 supercapo

7:45

I think #3 or #4 starter is a good estimate for him ... for now. With four pitches now and a much, much slimmer physique, I'm guessing the Cubs are glad they hung on to him

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:45

7:54

My pleasure

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:54

7:54

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

Thanks Steve, I appreciate your answering my questions

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:54 supercapo

7:54

My pleasure

Thursday April 17, 2008 7:54

8:01

Gallagher is cruising through four innings now. He just whiffed Caleb Stewart on a 93 mph fastball on the outside corner to end the inning. All told, he has set down 12 straight batters after allowing the first hitter of the game to reach base with a single. All of his pitches look sharp tonight

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:01

8:01

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

What kind of control does Gallagher have?

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:01 supercapo

8:03

Right now, he is commanding the zone as good as I've ever seen him. He nibbled a bit at times last year and that got him into some bad counts. But he has cleaned up his mechanics and you can really see the difference tonight

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:03

8:04

[Comment From GuyBushGuyBush: ]

He's lost 75 pounds?!?!

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:04 GuyBush

8:06

That's what he says. He is down to 215 right now and his belly is noticeably slimmer. The weight loss has helped him just pitch "easier" and without as much exhaustion

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:06

8:10

Gallagher with his fifth strikeout, a nasty curveball to get Aguila swinging

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:10

8:12

Through five now, and Gallagher has held the Zephyrs to two hits (both singles). He is getting ahead in almost every count and the Z's personnel describe him as "unfair"

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:12

8:18

60 pitches through five-plus innings, 39 for strikes

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:18

8:18

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

So does Gallagher get the rotation spot once Hendry can trade Marquis?

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:18 supercapo

8:21

He should get serious consideration for a spot in the big league rotation if he keeps pitching like he has so far tonight. He needs to start, period. I thought the Cubs did him a great disservice last year by repeatedly calling him up and using him in emergency/mop-up duties.

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:21

8:23

Through six innings now and just three hits allowed. He saws Argenis Reyes off on an inside fastball and gets an easy groundout to retire the side

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:23

8:25

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

Is Gallagher the top pitching prospect the Cubs have at Iowa?

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:25 supercapo

8:26

Yes. Gary Hughes said yesterday that of the Cubs' pitching prospects at the higher levels, he considers Gallagher, Holliman and Marshall to be the top three in no particular order

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:26

8:28

Talk about something you don't see every night... Jake Fox steals third base uncontested. Iowa threatening for the game's first run here

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:28

8:29

And Iowa finally plates a run as McGehee finds the grass in shallow right; 1-0

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:29

8:40

Seventh inning now and Gallagher is in a little trouble after allowing his hardest hit ball of the night, a stand-up double in the RF corner by Caleb Stewart. Two on and no one out. Four of his five hits have come to lead off the inning

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:40

8:41

And there goes the lead ... Tatis singles in two runs and advances to second on the play. This might be it for Gallagher

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:41

8:41

[Comment From supercaposupercapo: ]

How many walks has he issued tonight?

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:41 supercapo

8:42

No walks but now six hits (five singles). He is going to stay on here but the bullpen is up (I think it's Pignatiello throwing there)

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:42

8:44

[Comment From CrimsonStockCrimsonStock: ]

Is his fastball as lively as earlier? Thanks

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:44 CrimsonStock

8:46

More trouble now as .100-hitting Mike Nickeas lines a hard-hit single to left on an 82 mph changeup; 3-1 Zephyrs now

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:46

8:47

That's it for Gallagher. He leaves after 6 2/3 innings. He was really dealing through his first six frames. As for his fastball, he was still 90-91 this inning so no dip in velocity. He did start throwing more changeups, including three straight to Nickeas, who finally waited on it and drove it to left

Thursday April 17, 2008 8:47

9:05

Cotts is on to pitch now. Couldn't make out his mop down in the bullpen. Still 3-1 here in the eighth... New Orleans has two on and are threatening to put it away

Thursday April 17, 2008 9:05

9:06

And that might do it... two-run double down the line in left by Gusavo Molina; 5-1 now

Thursday April 17, 2008 9:06

9:54

Thank you for reading today.

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