Minor League Notes:  Lombard Makes Return

Sat, Aug 14, 10:57:38PM
by Guy Curtright, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It has been a season to forget for George Lombard, but at least the Atlanta Braves outfield prospect finally is back on the field.

After being sidelined for more than a month in his second long stay on the disabled list, Lombard was activated by Class AAA Richmond and was the designated hitter against Syracuse on Wednesday.

Lombard was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, dropping his average to .225.

That's quite a comedown from last season, when Lombard hit .308 at Class AA Greenville and went 2-for-6 with a homer during a September call-up to Atlanta.

Lombard, 23, appeared to be a candidate to make the Atlanta outfield this season, but offseason shoulder surgery set him back, and then he got off to a slow start at Richmond. Just when he began to hit, the injuries came. He first injured his groin on May 28, then was hurt it again after playing only five games in late June.

"I was impatient the first time I came back," Lombard said. "If I'd just waited a few more days, I might have been fine. It's been frustrating. I knew the timetable might have changed, but my goal is still to be an every-day player in the major leagues."

Despite playing in only 49 of Richmond's first 115 games, Lombard was voted the International League's most exciting player in a poll for Baseball America magazine. He stole 16 bases in his first 20 attemtps.

Greenville

Right-hander Adrian Manzano will require shoulder surgery for a torn labrum and will miss the rest of the season. Manzano, 20, was 5-2 with two saves and a 3.21 ERA in 42 relief appearances. He struck out 51 and walked 22 in 61 2/3 innings. . . . First baseman Mike Glavine, brother of Atlanta pitcher Tom Glavine, hit a grand slam in a 7-3 win over Carolina. He was hitting .255 with 12 homers. . . . Outfielder Tyrone Pendergrass, hitting .270, homered in three consecutive games after hitting only one homer in his first 73 games.

Myrtle Beach

Second baseman Marcus Giles continues to lead the Class A Carolina League in hitting. He took a .327 average into the weekend. Lynchburg's Kory DeHaan, who was hitting .325 when he was promoted to Class AA in mid-July, does not have enough at-bats to win the title. . . . Shortstop Rafael Furcal hit .375 in his first 21 games after being promoted from Macon and stole 13 bases in 19 attempts. Furcal, who stole 73 bases at Macon, continues to lead the minors. He is shooting for 100. . . . Right-hander Derrick Lewis was 8-4 with a 2.59 ERA despite leading the league with 76 walks in 118 innings.

Macon

Former Columbus State right-hander Tony Pierce was promoted from Jamestown as the M-Braves added five new pitchers over a seven-day period. Pierce was second in the New York-Penn League with eight saves. He had a 2.70 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. . . . Tim Spooneybarger and Christopher Chavez were promoted from Danville of the rookie-level Appalachian League. Spooneybarger was 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA at Danville and Chavez had three saves.

Short-season teams

Gulf Coast League rookie left-hander Ben Kozlowski did not allow an earned run in 20 innings during July. The 12th-round draft choice is 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA in 30 innings. He has 25 strikeouts and six walks. . . . Right-hander Matt Butler, taken in the second round by the Braves, is 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA. . . . Jamestown right-hander Matt McClendon, drafted in the fifth round from the University of Florida, pitched three hitless innings in 7-0 win over Mahoning Valley. McClendon, given a $900,000 bonus, has pitched only three times because of shoulder tightness.