The Rockies need to make a decision with Joe Koshansky - play him or trade him.

First off, a promotion – Greg Reynolds made his major league debut yesterday, although it was less than spectacular. Reynolds was brilliant in the Double-A Texas League last year when healthy, going 4-1 with a 1.42 ERA, .180 batting average against, and a 35:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 50 2/3 innings over eight starts. However, injuries were an issue, and were a primary reason why it had appeared unlikely that the Rockies would rush Reynolds. His early struggles in Triple-A – a .331 batting average against and a 4.86 ERA in seven starts – also indicated that he was not quite ready for the majors. However, the Rockies’ need for pitching meant they did not have the luxury of waiting for him. Reynolds is not ready, and his performance yesterday showed. Through five innings, Reynolds was solid before collapsing in the sixth, and the Rockies already have plenty of pitchers that can do that.

Another top prospect struggling at Triple-A is Pirates’ third baseman Neil Walker. Walker is hitting only .203 on the season, and there is no sign of that turning around any time soon, as he has hit just .200 over the last ten games. His batting eye has been abysmal, with only eight walks so far. The Pirates’ 2004 first round selection, Walker produced last year in Double-A but he hit a wall in his 19 games at the Triple-A level in 2007, and that wall clearly still exists for him.

Another Pirate struggling at Triple-A is outfielder Steve Pearce. Pearce had been brilliant at three stops in 2007, including 34 games here at Triple-A, where he had hit .320 with six home runs and 15 RBI. However, returning to Triple-A this year Pearce is hitting just .241 with three home runs, 20 RBI, and 16 runs scored in 137 at-bats over 36 games. While the Pirates were criticized for their slowly pushing Pearce along, with many feeling he should have had the opportunity to make the majors this year, Pearce is proving them wrong.

When will the Rockies either make room for Joe Koshansky or deal him? Koshansky was banished to Triple-A this year despite already having successfully mastered the league last year. He continues to hit there again this year, as he is hitting .286 with a .384 OBP, six home runs, 27 RBI, and 24 runs scored. While the stagnation has not set Koshansky back yet, at some point, there must be a move that gets Koshansky into the bigs, either in Colorado or elsewhere.

Brilliant in Double-A, Eric Hurley struggled last year upon his promotion to Triple-A, and his performance back there this year has been even worse. Through eight starts with the Oklahoma RedHawks, Hurley is 1-3 with a 6.54 ERA. His strikeout-to-walk ratio has been stellar, at 50:17, but he has simply been very hittable, allowing hitters to post a .302 batting average against him. Only two of Hurley’s starts this season have been quality starts.

Moving down to Double-A, Phillies’ speedster, and 2004 first round pick, Greg Golson is off to a fine start this season for the Reading Phillies. Through 35 games so far, Golson is hitting .313 with four home runs, 19 RBI, 27 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases. Golson does need to work on his strike zone judgment though, as he has just ten walks so far while having struck out 43 times. A few more walks would go a long way here…

The Orioles’ David Hernandez continues to lead the Double-A Eastern League in strikeouts, with 46, but he continues to struggle to stay late into his starts. Only twice in seven starts has Hernandez completed more than five innings, and never more than 6 1/3 innings. Until Hernandez learns how to do more than simply strike batters out, he is going to struggle and he will be unable to advance past Double-A.

Lucas May has been swinging a hot bat since the calendar flipped over to May, with a .333 batting average, three home runs, ten RBI, and six runs scored. Overall for the season, May is hitting .327 with seven home runs, 24 RBI, and 20 runs scored. The question the Dodgers will have though in regards to May is which position he is going to play as he advances, as his current position of catcher is ably held down, and will be for the foreseeable future, by Russell Martin.

While Justin Masterson has been getting the love, including the brief call-up, Michael Bowden has been outpitching him. Through seven starts, Bowden is 2-3 with a 2.68 ERA, with 38 strikeouts and just 12 walks in his 37 innings so far. He has held the opposition to a .193 batting average so far his season, and he has done an excellent job of keeping the ball in the park, having allowed only two home runs so far.

Lastly, in the lack of run support department, we have Clayton Kershaw, who is 0-3 despite having a record of 1.08. In 33 1/3 innings, Kershaw has struck out 37 and walked just 11, with Southern League opposing batters held below the Mendoza Line against him. Kershaw will likely be up at some point this year for the Dodgers, pitching out of their pen while they try to keep his innings low.