-- SeaWolves manager Tom Brookens got to experience a first in his four-year managerial career over the weekend.
“I have not had the opportunity until the other day to call a player into my office and tell him he was going to the major leagues,” Brookens said.
That chance came on Saturday, when the Tigers purchased the contract of Erie right-handed closer Freddy Dolsi.
“That’s one of my favorite things,” said Brookens, who managed two seasons at short-season Single-A Oneonta (2005-06) and last season at low-A West Michigan. “It doesn’t happen too much from rookie ball to low-A. The Tigers are searching for some help up there in their bullpen, so he had some good outings for (Tigers manager) Jim Leyland in the spring and they liked him a lot when they saw him, and I think that carried over.”
Dolsi was assigned to the SeaWolves from high Single-A Lakeland on April 24. In three relief appearances with Erie, Dolsi notched two saves and threw three scoreless innings, allowing one hit.
“Freddy was slated to make this club in spring training, but his last couple of outings didn’t go well and he ended up going to Lakeland,” Brookens said. “He’s got great stuff and I think that’s what everybody sees. He’s got a good, live arm and great movement on his breaking pitches and his changeup. His big earmark is, can he do it consistently and throw strikes? He gets in trouble whenever he can’t throw strikes. …No matter how hard you throw, when you have to throw it over, they’re going to hit it.”
-- The Tigers also purchased the contract of former SeaWolves outfielder Matt Joyce from Triple-A Toledo on Monday.
Joyce, 23, the SeaWolves’ starting right fielder last season, was hitting .299 (29-for-97) with five homers and 21 RBIs in 28 games with the Mud Hens.
Joyce takes the roster spot of outfielder Jacque Jones, who was designated for assignment.
Joyce hit .257 with 17 homers and 70 RBIs in 130 games with the SeaWolves last season.
-- Brookens said the club will use a six-man rotation until the Tigers determine what Erie starter will relocate to the bullpen.
Left-hander Jon Connolly was reassigned to the SeaWolves from Triple-A Toledo on Monday and started Monday’s home game against the Trenton Thunder.
Connolly joins an Erie rotation that includes right-handers Andrew Kown, Ben Fritz and Josh Rainwater and left-handers Lucas French and Dan Christensen.
Kown, who was scheduled to start Monday’s game, had his start pushed back to today against Trenton.
“We’ll play it out here, and there will probably be a change somewhere in the rotation before we get too far along,” Brookens said. “Probably somebody will go to the bullpen, and who that is right now has not been decided. We’ll make that decision probably closer to the end of the homestand.”
Toledo activated right-hander Virgil Vasquez from its disabled list Monday.
-- Right-hander Eddie Bonine recorded his International League-leading sixth win for the Toledo Mud Hens in Sunday’s 8-4 home win over Rochester.
Bonine, who pitched with the SeaWolves last season, is 6-0 with a 3.43 ERA in six starts. In Sunday’s win, Bonine worked seven innings, allowing four runs and six hits.
Bonine has 24 strikeouts and just five walks in 39 1/3 innings.
Toledo right-hander Blaine Neal notched his league-leading 11th save in Sunday’s win. Neal is 0-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 13 games. He’s struck out 18 and walked three over 12 innings.
-- Ron Leonardi