Tsao throws 44 pitches, has no decision as Sox win

Chin-hui Tsao made his final tuneup Monday before he leaves for the Athens Olympics.

The Sky Sox right-hander, who has been hampered by tendinitis in his shoulder most of the season, started and went 1q innings against the Sacramento River Cats as Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd watched from behind home plate.

Tsao didn't figure in the decision as Colorado Springs won 8-7 on a Rene Reyes single off Wayne Gomes with one out in the ninth as 2,412 looked on at Sky Sox Stadium.

Tsao threw 44 pitches, 24 for strikes. He allowed three runs on four hits, striking out two and walking two. His fastball topped out at 97 mph, according to a radar gun.

"Obviously, he's inconsistent," O'Dowd said of the Taiwanese star. "He looked like he hadn't pitched a lot."

Tsao, who is rated by Baseball America as the Rockies' No. 1 prospect, said he felt no pain.

"My arm is good," said Tsao, who had last pitched in a game for the Sky Sox on July 10. "It feels normal. I didn't feel any pain. My back started getting a little sore and everything was up."

Tsao got through the first inning relatively unscathed. He got Freddie Bynum to ground out, struck out Mike Edwards, walked Dan Johnson and struck out Graham Koonce.

Things unraveled for Tsao in the second. Nick Swisher belted a line drive home run over the right field fence to lead off the inning. Tsao got Mike Rose to ground out, but then walked Matt Watson. Jon Weber followed with a tworun home run for a 3-0 Sacramento lead.

Tsao's next two pitches resulted in a Mike Rouse single and a Bynum double. Tsao got Edwards to ground out before Vladimir Nunez replaced him.

Rockies team doctors will examine Tsao today. If there are no problems with his arm, he will leave Wednesday for Athens, where he will pitch for Taiwan. The baseball competition runs from Sunday to Aug. 25.

"He'll be on a pitch count," O'Dowd said. "Sixty pitches his first start, 75 his second, 90 his third."

Tsao is scheduled to rejoin the Sky Sox after the Olympics. No decision has been made on whether Tsao will be promoted to the Rockies in September when major league rosters are expanded from 25 players to a maximum of 40.

"We have to see what our situation is at that time," O'Dowd said.

Extra bases

Baseball Canada released a statement Monday on the Rockies' decision not to let prospect Jeff Francis pitch in the Olympics.

"We are disappointed with the decision the Rockies have made, as we felt the Olympics would be a tremendous opportunity for Jeff and that our club would benefit from his participation," said Greg Hamilton, director of national teams for Baseball Canada.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0250 or [email protected]

Copyright 2004
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.