News
Parisi showing Cardinals he's back
Righty allows one run in five innings for Rafters
By Robert Emrich / Special to MLB.com
11/16/09 7:19 PM EST
Cardinals right-hander Mike Parisi wants everyone to know he's healthy, and he made sure to prove that on Monday.Parisi allowed one run on three hits on 50 pitches in five innings in what was likely his final start of the Arizona Fall League season as the Surprise Rafters defeated the Peoria Javelinas, 6-4.
Parisi, limited to five games in 2009 after Tommy John elbow ligament surgery in '08, picked up his third win in the AFL. The Manhattan College product, selected in the ninth round of the '04 Draft, pitched in 12 games for St. Louis in '08 and is aiming for a return in 2010.
"I want to go into Spring Training and show them what I have, and the rest is up to Mo [general manager John Mozeliak], Tony [LaRussa] and [Dave] Duncan," Parisi said. "That's all I can do is go in prepared and show everyone like I did here that I'm back, 100 percent."
Parisi's time rehabbing and working back from surgery has allowed him to develop a cutter. The pitch was suggested to him by Duncan during his time in the Majors. Parisi believes it is working for him, labeling it one of his best pitches. He throws it primarily in fastball counts to give batters a different look.
Zach Kroenke allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts in the ninth en route to his second save for the Rafters (13-16), while fellow Yankees prospect Brandon Laird went 3-for-3, including a double, and scored a run for the Rafters.
Ike Davis (Mets) drove in a pair of runs and Jarrod Dyson (Royals) contributed an RBI double.
Joe Dunigan (Mariners) went 3-for-4 and scored once, Taylor Green (Brewers) drove in two with a pair of singles and Casper Wells (Tigers) added a run-scoring base hit in the ninth for the Javelinas (17-12).
Josh Butler (Brewers) allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings for the loss. Former Seattle first-round pick Phillipe Aumont struck out three batters and walked two in one inning of work.
Robert Emrich is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
