July Farm Report: Healthy Matthes reaping rewards
Soreness and stiffness in his left knee are a thing of the past for high Class A Modesto right fielder Kent Matthes. To ovecome these lingering demons, he had to endure a lost 2010 season, a medical washout of a year consisting of limited action that was ended by pain, surgery for a torn left patellar tendon and rehab.
This year, Matthes is reaping a big reward.
He is playing pain-free and producing in ways the Colorado Rockies envisioned when they drafted Matthes in the fourth round in 2009 out of the University of Alabama.
“I think that’s one of the reasons I went after the physical therapy and the rehab with such discipline,” Matthes said, “because I wanted to know what it felt like to play healthy because it’s been a while since my knee hasn’t bothered me.”
Matthes is hitting .331/.374/.637 with 21 home runs and 83 RBI. He’s tied for first in the California League with 221 total bases and has 20 walks and 76 strikeouts in 347 at-bats.
“(He) can hit it as far as anybody in the program,” player development director Marc Gustafson said.
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Well since the club had to move their first baseman to a trial and error period to third, why don’t move Matthes to Tulsa. He has earned it.
Matthes is now one of the Rockies better prospects. He’ll have to learn how to work pitchers for walks better, cut down the big swings and strikeouts as he advances, in other words make big adjustments, but if he does, he could one day be an answer to the Rockies power and production woes. A lot of work to be done but Matthes has a lot of promise.
Rockies Prospects and Futures
Oh you mean like Tulo does!
For those who are ready for Cook and Hammel to go, a replacement is almost ready down in Tulsa, RHP Dan Houston, who threw a 10-strikeout shutout Friday.
Houston dominated at A-Modesto and has now won 3 games at AA-Tulsa, for a total of 10 victories on the season. He’s a back-end-of-the-rotation guy but the Rockies need one of those.
Rockies Prospects and Futures