ROCHESTER, NEW YORK — Voigt compiling, but not comparing, numbers
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Jack Voigt has hit in 10 of his 11 games, with five multiple-hit games.
But Voigt, 26, says it's unfair to compare his International League-leading .450 average, three home runs and 10 RBI before Friday to the .209 average and one RBI by the Orioles right field triumvirate of Sherman Obando, Chito Martinez and Luis Mercedes. He concedes that struggling in the majors ranks ahead of tearing up the minors. Voigt's major-league experience is one pinch-running appearance in five days with the Orioles last season.
Voigt, a right-handed hitter, drove in four runs Wednesday, when the Red Wings ended a six-game losing streak with a 7-5 victory in Norfolk, Va. He hasn't played right field this season, but he HTC can play that position, as well as left field, first base and third base.
* The Red Wings have proposed July 26 as a makeup date for the exhibition game against the Orioles. General manager Roland Hemond, in Rochester for the weekend, said playing on that date would give the Orioles 34 games in 35 days, and would take up an open date before a two-game series against the world champion Toronto Blue Jays.
The game may be a burden for the Orioles, but it's a gold mine for the Red Wings. Red Wings general manager Joe Altobelli said the club would miss out on at least $50,000 if the game isn't rescheduled. It could take them two weekends of International League games to make that much money. The Red Wings are scheduled to play Pawtucket that night, but are willing to play a doubleheader to accommodate the Orioles.
NOTES: Manager Bob Miscik is pinning his late-inning hopes on veteran right-hander Mike Cook. Red Wings pitchers have allowed 19 runs in the seventh through ninth innings. The Red Wings have 10 hits in their past 101 at-bats against relievers, and have scored six runs in the seventh through ninth innings. . . . Anthony Telford, making the transition from starter to reliever, received the loss in two of his past three appearances. . . . Veteran left-hander Steve Searcy (1-1, 4.00 ERA in five games) had allowed 11 hits and eight walks in nine innings before going on the disabled list because of a tender shoulder. . . . Right-handers Jeff Williams, who broke the thumb on his glove hand in spring training, and Brian Wood have replaced Searcy and Fernando Valenzuela. At 22, Jason Satre already has toured a big part of this country and some of the rest of the world.
The child of an Air Force family, Satre was born in Florida and has lived in Nebraska, Louisiana and Italy.
But it was in Texas -- at Cooper High in Abilene -- that his baseball career began to flourish. A member of a state 5-A championship team twice, he was all-state as a senior and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds shortly thereafter.
Now, after five years in the Reds organization, Satre's experience has made him the leading starter of the Bowie Baysox.
After three outings, Satre had a 2-0 record with a 1.04 ERA, and opposing hitters were batting .190 against his assortment of fastballs, sliders, curves and changeups.
In his second start, he had a no-hitter for five innings.
"He has a very good arm and more of an idea than most of our youngpitchers," said pitching coach John O'Donoghue. "He's already been in a big-league camp [1992]."
Seven players from his high school team became professionals, and several already have reached the majors, including David Nied, Brian Bohanon and Butch Henry.
Satre is trying to join them after an injury-riddled season in which he worked only 58 innings at Double-A Chattanooga.
The Orioles acquired him last December in a minor-league trade for Rodney Lofton.
"I'm getting a fresh start," said Satre. "The first three I really haven't felt like I had my best stuff. All I'm doing is hitting corners."
NOTES: The Baysox will be down to 10 pitchers and 22 players after they lose Fernando Valenzuela, who will pitch for the Orioles tomorrow. Brian Wood went to Rochester to replace Valenzuela on the Red Wings' roster. . . . The five remaining relievers, Rafael Chaves, Jim Dedrick, Chuck Ricci, Erik Schullstrom and Tom Taylor, have been outstanding. In their first 33 1/3 innings, they allowed one run (0.27 ERA) and 17 hits.
Kent Baker
Keys: Slow out of gate
The capricious April weather is affecting the gate at Frederick, one of the most successful minor-league franchises in the country.
Before a seven-game homestand that started Friday, the Keys had drawn 14,505 fans in six dates, an average of 2,418.
This from a team that set the Carolina League record with 329,592 total attendance last season, about 11,000 higher than the previous year, when the Keys finished 16th among all minor-league franchises.
With the promotion schedule picking up and the weather improving, the Keys are expected to gain ground on this stand.
NOTES: Center fielder Curtis Goodwin, ranked a top prospect, had nine stolen bases to lead the league. . . . The club's leading hitters in the early going were holdover infielder Brad Seitzer (.348) and catcher Cesar Devarez (.333). Devarez was in Double-A last year, but is with the Keys because Greg Zaun is catching virtually every day with the Baysox.
Kent Baker
Suns: Herrera starts well
Right fielder Jose Herrera, who struck out once every 4.3 at-bats last season, is off to a fast start for the Hagerstown Suns.
Through the team's first 14 games, Herrera was leading the Single-A South Atlantic League with a .471 batting average and was hitting .538 at Municipal Stadium.
A left-handed spray hitter, he had nine multi-hit games and topped the team in hits (24), doubles (seven) and runs (14).
Contact has been no problem. In 32 consecutive plate appearances, Herrera did not strike out.
NOTES: With 10 wins in the first 14 games, Hagerstown was off to its best start since 1987. . . . The attendance of 231 Thursday was believed the lowest in Suns history.
Kent Baker