Savannah Sand Gnats Pre-Game Notes

Savannah Sand Gnats  @ Greensboro Grasshoppers



RHP Taylor Whitenton (4-2, 2.71) vs. RHP Rett Varner (5-4, 5.91)


Tonight: The first-half champion Gnats try to snap a two-game skid in game three of their four-game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, SAL affiliate of the Florida Marlins. The Gnats return home to host the Augusta GreenJackets Monday through Thursday, August 1-4.


Last Night: The Grasshoppers’ starter Robert Morey tossed a complete game five hit shutout to take Greensboro to a 5-0 win over Savannah. The Grasshoppers hit three solo home runs off Savannah starter Ryan Fraser.



Now Pitching: RHP Taylor Whitenton, who missed two starts with a strained right forearm is scheduled to return to the hill today against Greensboro. Whitenton’s 2.71 ERA would be good enough for third in the SAL in ERA, but he is three innings shy of qualifying for the league leaderboard. His oppenents’ batting average of .181 would be good enough to lead the league. In his last 34 innings over six starts, he owns a 1.32 ERA (5 ER/34 IP) with 19 walks, 27 strikeouts and 16 hits for an opponents’ batting average of .136 (16 H/118 AB). In 2010 with the Gnats, Whitenton walked 5.7 batters/9 IP (68 BB/108.1 IP). This year, he’s walked 4.3 BB/9 (38 BB/79.2 IP). Last year with Savannah, Whitenton was 8-9 with a 4.57 ERA in 18 starts and eight relief appearances with the Gnats. He fanned 113 batters and walked 68, the second-most in the SAL, in 108.1 innings. In 2009, Whitenton threw five scoreless innings over four games in the Gulf Coast League, striking out seven, walking five and yielding just one hit. The Mets drafted Whitenton in the 39th round of the 2009 draft out of Darton (GA) College. The Gnats are 9-5 when Whitenton starts and have supported him with 3.3 runs per game.


Fun for Forsythe: Blake Forsythe, who doubled last night, has doubled in three straight games. After hitting .220/.295/.353 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 173 AB over 50 games in the first half, he’s up to .262/.404/.440 in 84 AB over 25 games in the second half. His 11 second half extra-base hits are just four shy of his 15 from the first half in precisely half the number of games.