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Pitchers of the Week

For the week ending Aug. 19
August 20, 2007
International League
Aaron Laffey, Buffalo
2-0, 1.93 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 14 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 13 SO
The last time Bisons pitcher Aaron Laffey suffered a loss in the Minors was May 28, and the southpaw kept it that way by earning a win in both of his starts last week. Back from a brief stint with Cleveland, during which he split a pair of starts, Laffey tossed eight formidable innings in a 7-3 Bisons victory over Rochester on Tuesday. The native of Cumberland, Md., gave up three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and a walk in the contest, striking out eight. The 22-year-old would then go six innings, yielding a run on eight hits while walking three and striking out five, to help Buffalo sneak past Ottawa, 3-2, on Sunday.

Pacific Coast League
Sun-Woo Kim, Fresno
2-0, 1.84 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 14.2 IP, 15 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 10 SO
Right-hander Sun-Woo Kim extended his winning streak to three games with two wins on the mound last week for the Grizzlies. After giving up three runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings of work against Tucson on Monday, Kim went to work against visiting Salt Lake on Saturday. The native of Inchon, South Korea, tossed his first complete game in 15 starts this season, striking out four Bees in the process, as Fresno blanked Salt Lake, 2-0. Kim (6-7, 5.26 ERA, 31 BB, 71 K) hasn't lost in August, his last defeat coming on July 26, and he has allowed just four runs in his last three starts.

Eastern League
Gary Knotts, Reading
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO
Phillies pitcher Gary Knotts showed a bit of the mettle on the mound last week that landed him in the Detroit Tigers rotation for 36 games in 2004. Knotts, who was hindered by a shoulder injury and ultimately released by the Tigers in 2005, continued his trip on the comeback trail by tossing a one-hit shutout as Reading blew past Erie, 7-0, on Thursday. It was the first complete game shutout for the Phillies this season. The native of Decatur, Ala., saw his no-hit bid spoiled in the seventh inning when Jeff Larish singled with two outs. Through 103 pitches to 29 batters, the 30-year-old Knotts struck out eight.

Southern League
Jake McGee, Montgomery
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
Biscuits hurler Jake McGee earned his first Double-A victory last week with a solid performance as Montgomery thumped Jacksonville, 7-0, on Wednesday. The native of Sparks, Nev., allowed just one hit while surrendering two walks and striking out seven. At one point in the contest, McGee retired 14 batters in a row before giving up a single to Anthony Raglani in the fifth inning. After two Double-A starts, McGee is 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA and 11 strikeouts. The 21-year-old is now 6-5 with a 3.02 ERA and 156 strikeouts in the Minor Leagues this season. He spent most of the season with Class A Advanced Vero Beach.

<%-- POLL --%>

POLL
Who was the top pitcher in the Minors last week?
Aaron Laffey
Sun-Woo Kim
Gary Knotts
Jake McGee
Nick Green
Chaz Roe
Frank Herrmann
Daryl Thompson
Blake Wood
Heath Rollins
Hector Correa
Nicholas Hill
Alexander Caldera
Robert Fish
<%-- END POLL --%> Texas League
Nick Green, Arkansas
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 14.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 12 SO
Make it five wins in a row for Travelers hurler Nick Green, who chalked up victories in both of his starts against San Antonio last week. The 23-year-old put together a scoreless streak of 14 2/3 innings as the Travelers rolled over the Missions, 4-0, twice -- once at home and once on the road -- with Green on the mound. After posting a 5-6 record and 4.40 ERA in his first 15 starts this season, Green has simply been on fire since the All-Star break. The native of East Point, Ga., is 5-0 with a 2.59 ERA in his 10 post-All Star outings, in which he has given up 14 walks while striking out 36 in 66 innings pitched.

California League
Chaz Roe, Modesto
2-0, 1.84 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 1 CG, 14.2 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO
Nuts pitcher Chaz Roe has been on track as of late, and he continued to roll last week with a pair of victories on his home mound at John Thurman Field. Roe went 8 2/3 innings, scattering six hits while allowing two runs -- both earned -- as Modesto defeated Lancaster, 5-2, Monday. The 20-year-old had four strikeouts in the contest. The native of Lexington, Ky., would post four more strikeouts as the Nuts held off San Jose, 5-3, on Sunday. Roe went six innings in the contest, surrendering six hits and one earned run while walking one. In 26 starts this season, Roe is now 7-11 with a 4.52 ERA and 117 strikeouts.

Carolina League
Frank Herrmann, Kinston
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 15.0 IP, 10 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 SO
The Indians further solidified their first-place standing in the Carolina League's Southern Division thanks to a pair of wins last week with right-hander Frank Herrmann on the mound. Herrmann went seven innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out six, as Kinston downed Salem, 6-1, on Monday. The 23-year-old went the distance later in the week, ringing up four strikeouts while scattering five hits in eight innings of work against Frederick. The Indians blanked the Keys in the contest, 12-0. In 24 starts for the Indians this season, the native of Rutherford, N.J., is 10-5 with a 4.10 ERA and 81 strikeouts.

Florida State League
Daryl Thompson, Sarasota
2-0, 1.64 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 11.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 SO
Reds pitcher Daryl Thompson has to be loving August. With wins in both of his starts last week for the Reds, Thompson improved to 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA in his four starts this month. The 21-year-old kicked off his week by going five innings and striking out three while allowing four hits and two runs -- both earned -- as Sarasota beat Dunedin, 5-3. The native of La Plata, Md., bested that performance by tossing six shutout innings as the Reds blanked Clearwater, 3-0, to split a doubleheader on Saturday. Thompson scattered four hits in the contest while surrendering a walk and striking out seven.

Midwest League
Blake Wood, Burlington
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 8.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Right-hander Blake Wood did everything in his power to try and get his record on the sunny side of .500 with his start last week, but ended up with a no-decision when Tri-City stole a game, 2-1, from the Bees on Sunday. The 22-year-old tossed eight no-hit innings before leaving due to his pitch count. During his time on the mound, Wood retired the first 10 batters he faced and finished the contest with five strikeouts while surrendering just a pair of walks. The native of Atlanta, Ga., who played college ball at Georgia Tech, was 1-1 with a 3.52 ERA in six starts for the Bees.

South Atlantic League
Heath Rollins, Columbus
2-0, 2.46 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 11.0 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 13 SO
Catfish hurler Heath Rollins became the first 15-win pitcher in the Minor Leagues with a pair of wins last week. Rollins also ran his personal winning streak to five and hasn't lost since July 20. The 22-year old struck out seven in six innings while giving up five hits, a walk and three earned runs on Saturday as Columbus overpowered Asheville, 16-7. Earlier in the week, the native of Florence, S.C., propelled the Catfish to a 5-2 victory over Hickory. Rollins gave up two unearned runs and three walks while striking out six in five innings of work. He is 15-4 with a 2.57 ERA and 140 strikeouts this season.

New York-Penn League
Hector Correa, Jamestown
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO
Things are looking up for Jammers pitcher Hector Correa. The 19-year-old is 4-1 with a 3.61 ERA for Jamestown after a horrendous start to his season with Class A Greensboro that saw him at 1-5 with a 9.29 ERA after eight starts. The native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, tossed a career-high 11 strikeouts in his victory last week, which helped the Jammers down visiting Mahoning Valley, 6-5, on Friday. Correa was also on the mound for 5 2/3 innings on Friday, allowing two unearned runs on seven hits but no walks. In his past three starts, Correa is 3-0 with a 1.10 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 16 1/3 innings.

Northwest League
Nicholas Hill, Everett
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 9.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 SO
Reliever Nicholas Hill earned his first professional win in a big way last week. The southpaw posted a career-high 10 strikeouts in five innings on the mound for the AquaSox to help them to a 6-5 victory over Eugene on Sunday. Hill gave up two hits but no walks in the contest. In 17 appearances for the AquaSox this season, Hill is 1-3 with a 0.56 ERA one save and 41 strikeouts while handing out only eight free passes. The native of West Point, N.Y., who attended the United States Military Academy, has not allowed a run in his last six appearances, and he hasn't lost since July 8.

Appalachian League
Alexander Caldera, Burlington
1-1, 1.64 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 11.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 12 SO
Right-hander Alexander Caldera threw his first complete game last week as he helped the Royals to a 5-0 blanking of Danville in the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday. The 21-year old stuck out seven while yielding a walk and a pair of hits. The native of Alta Loma, Calif., fared worse in the win-loss column later in the week as the Royals fell to Bluefield, 3-1, on Sunday. Caldera was solid, though, yielding just two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five in four innings. In 11 appearances, Caldera is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA.

Pioneer League
Robert Fish, Orem
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO
With a win in his only start last week, Owlz southpaw Robert Fish improved to 3-2 with a 3.04 ERA and 58 strikeouts this season at the rookie-league level. Fish tossed six innings of one-hit ball as the Owlz blanked Helena, 6-0, on Thursday. The native of Montclair, Calif., struck out five Brewers and walked none. The performance lowered his ERA almost half a point. Fish began the season with Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga, where he allowed two runs on three hits and four walks over three innings in his only start.

Mark Shugar is an associate reporter for MLB.com.