Detroit Tigers Minor League Report: Week 8

Erie SeaWolves

The SeaWolves snapped a nine-game losing streak with a win over Binghamton (N.Y. Mets) on Thursday. Erie remains in last place in the Eastern League Western Division at 19-33.

Baez Deals Gem

Sandy Baez turned in a great outing in a losing effort on Tuesday. The righty worked a season-high seven innings, yielding two runs on two hits. Baez struck out seven, the most he’s fanned since striking out 10 in his first start of the year.

Baez has been consistent in his first extended taste of Double-A. Since going 4 2/3 in his first start, Baez has gone at least five innings in each of his last nine outings. The Dominican has given up more than three earned runs once, and more than six hits twice.

On the other end of the consistency spectrum sits Kyle Funkhouser. Funkhouser made two starts this week, one good and one not so good. The former fourth rounder allowed a run on four hits over six innings on Saturday. In that outing, he also struck out six and walked one. Thursday, he struck out seven, walked four, and gave up six runs in six innings.

Often when Funkhouser has gotten into trouble it has been because of free passes. Prior to this year, the right-hander had issued less than 2.5 walks per nine innings. This year that has jumped to 4.7.

Funkhouser struggled at times with walks at Louisville, but his first couple of years in the minors seemed to suggest he’d figured things out. The problem has resurfaced and he’ll need to work on improving his control as the season progresses.

The Offense

Ronny Rodriguez wasn’t the only Detroit Tigers minor leaguer to have a multi-homer game this week. On Thursday, Dominic Ficociello and Jake Robson both went deep twice.

Ficociello’s two blasts were part of a four-hit game in which he drove in five. The former Arkansas Razorback is hitting .286, and leads Erie with 27 RBI.

Robson leads Erie with five homers after Thursday’s game. He’s also been drawing a lot of free passes, leading the team with 29. For the year, Robson is hitting .283 with a .396 OBP.

Will Maddox has continued to rake since coming off of the disabled list. Maddox enters Friday with an 11-game hitting streak, and his season average stands at .347.