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2011 Prospect Watching: Alderson, Thompson, Dubee, And More

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Mike Dubee —  R/R,  6′ 2″,  177 lb
Dubee was the Phillies 18th round pick in the 2006 draft, selected by the organization where his dad is the major league pitching coach.  He was traded to the White Sox in July 2007, then to the Pirates in 2009, for Andy Phillips.  He had an outstanding time in A+ Lynchburg, earning a 1.05 ERA in 23 starts.  He also pitched well after a promotion to AA Altoona, where he made 26 more starts and earned a 2.91 ERA.  Dubee returned to Altoona to begin the 2010 season, and except for a one-inning (2 walks, no hits, no runs) visit to Indianapolis, he pitched in middle relief for the Curve all season and did well.  He began with one run in 9.2 innings (0.93 ERA) in April, and 2 runs in 16 innings (1.13 ERA) in May.  Dubee had one tough outing at the end of June and another in July, when he gave up 4 runs in less than an inning, which boosted his ERA for those months.  He finished the regular season with 4 runs over 21 innings in August/Sept (1.71 ERA).  Overall, Dubee earned a 6-2 record and a 2.24 ERA, with 19 earned runs on 62 hits in 76.1 innings.  He walked 19 (2.2 walks/ 9 innings), and struck out 68 (8 K/ 9 innings).  He had two shaky outings in the Curve’s first round playoff series against Harrisburg, but pitched 1.1 scoreless innings in the championship round against Trenton.  At age 25, Dubee doesn’t seem to have anything more to prove at the AA level — hope to see him here in Indianapolis to open 2011.

Tom Boleska  —  R/R,  6′ 0″,  190 lb
Boleska was the Pirates’ 35th round pick in the 2007 draft.  He battled injuries in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, but stayed healthy in 2010.  He began the 2010 season in Bradenton, and started off slowly, with 9 runs in 10.1 innings in April (7.84 ERA), though 5 of those runs came in one game.  That dropped to a 3.26 ERA, with 7 runs in 19.1 innings in May.  He worked in fewer games in June, and allowed 3 runs in 7.2 innings.  In 6 games and 11.2 innings in July, Boleska did not allow any runs, giving him a 3.67 ERA for a total of 49 innings and a 2-3 record and 2 saves for the Marauders.  He had walked 9 and struck out 42 in that time.  Boleska was promoted to Altoona in late July, and he made another 12 relief appearances there.  He had one tough outing, when he gave up 5 runs on 5 hits in one inning, but other that that game, he allowed just 3 runs in 25.1 innings.  That was gave him a 1-1 record, 3 saves, and a 2.73 ERA with the Curve, with 25 hits and 8 walks in 26.1 innings, plus 18 strikeouts.  Boleska, age 24, could return to Altoona to begin the 2011 season, but he could move up to Indianapolis later in the season, if he continues to do well.  

Mike Colla — R/R,  6′ 2″,  220 lb
The Pirates chose Colla in the 14th round of the 2008 draft.  He pitched for A+ Lynchburg in 2009, and had a great first half of the season, and a rough second half.  He began the 2010 season with A+ Bradenton, where he made 33 relief appearances.  He began the season well, with 4 runs on 8 hits in 12.1 innings (2.92 ERA) in April.  Colla gave up runs in only 3 of his 11 games in May, but it was a total of 10 runs, on 19 hits in 15.2 innings for a 5.74 ERA.  He dropped back to a 2.19 ERA for June and the first half of July, with 6 runs in 24.2 innings.  Colla was promoted to Altoona after that.  His first appearance for the Curve was tough — 4 runs on 6 hits in 1.2 innings.  Then he pitched 5 scoreless innings over his next 3 outings, followed by an appearance with 3 runs in one inning.  He gave up only 3 runs in his next 8 appearances — 21.1 innings and a 1.26 ERA.  Colla also pitched 2 scoreless innings in one game in the Curve’s first playoff round.  He finished his Altoona stint with a 2-0 record and one save, and a 3.10 ERA.  In 29 innings, he gave up 10 earned runs on 27 hits, with 8 walks and 23 strikeouts.  Like Boleska, the 24-year-old Colla could start the 2011 season again in Altoona, but move up to Indianapolis later in the season.  

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