Farm Report

-- Indy's Ian Snell (1-1, 0.45 ERA), who struck out 17 batters the last time he faced Toledo, was paid back yesterday by the Ohio nine with his first loss, 4-1. He was still tough on them, allowing only one earned run in six innings of work. Oh, Snell whiffed just four this time around; guess the Mud Hens got over their awe.

Snell explained that "They were really aggressive on the first pitch. I had to mix my stuff instead of just throwing fastball(s)."

-- Mixed reviews on the young studs at Altoona. Pedro Alvarez is hitting .214/3/8 with 28 Ks and just 3 BBs in 56 ABs; Gorkys Hernandez, after a horrendous start, is batting .264/2/7 with 26 whiffs and 8 walks after 125 at-bats. Seems like both guys could use a little more plate discipline and a sharper eye.

-- The Pirates released Chris Snelling, a 27 year-old outfielder they picked up earlier in the season as an organizational insurance policy. He hit .250/0/4 at Indy; between 2002-08 he made stops in four MLB towns, batting .244/7/20. He had been playing in Mexico before the Bucs got him for future considerations from the Padres.

Although he was born in Miami, Snelling grew up in Australia and played for its national team. He hit two of the 'Roo Crew's four home runs in its victory over Mexico during the 2009 WBC.

Snelling was highly thought of in his younger days, often being compared to Lenny Dykstra due to his aggressive play (and inability to stay healthy.) He was once traded for Jose Vidro, and for Ryan Langerhans another time.

-- Team president Frank Coonelly denied an ESPN Peter Gammons report saying that the Pirates had "essentially completed a deal" with fourth round pick LHP Zackry Dodson, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Post-Gazette.

Gammons said the commish nixed the deal for the Texan high-schooler because it was way over slot; Coonelly countered that he doesn't have that authority. Sounds as if Dodson values his services a bit more highly than the Pirates do at this point of the courtship.