*** Around the Minors - July 1st ***

From The My Sportsbook

by Phil Leichner, Minor League Baseball Staff Writer

Hatboro, PA (My Sportsbook) - The Detroit Tigers quest for a fifth starter may soon be over. Although Gary Knotts and Nate Cornejo have shared duties in this role much of the season, the Tigers organization cannot ignore the numbers Wil Ledezma is putting up with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. Ledezma leads the Eastern League in nearly every statistical category for pitchers. So far this season, Ledezma's 9 wins, 2.01 earned run average, 1.04 WHIP and 98.2 innings pitched rank first in the league. His 83 strikeouts ranks second behind Portland's Chris Smith. Despite his current success, the journey for this young lefty has not always been smooth due in large part to three injury riddled seasons and a stint in the majors when he may not have been ready.

Ledezma began his career with the Boston Red Sox after he was signed as a non- drafted free agent in 1998. He started his career in the Dominican Summer League where he appeared in 11 games. The lefty posted a 2-4 record with a 4.40 ERA. The following season at just 19 years of age, Ledezma went 5-1 in the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Pitching as both a starter and reliever, he garnered a 3.30 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 20 walks in 13 appearances.

In 2000, the 23-year-old was promoted to the Augusta Green Jackets of the Single-A South Atlantic League. Ledezma struggled to a 2-4 record in 14 games. His ERA was over five and his walk total nearly doubled from the year before to 36. The southpaw did manage to average a strikeout an inning for the season (60 strikeouts/ 52.2 IP). A reoccurring theme in Ledezma's career would surface in April as he found himself on the disabled list with a left shoulder strain. The Guarico, Venezuela native, came back to play the next two months but found himself back on the DL July 22nd. Ledezma spent the rest of the season on the DL and over the next two years, he appeared in only six games for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox placed Ledezma on the disabled list yet again in June of 2001 and was sidelined for the remainder of the season because of a left elbow stress fracture. After he recovered from the injury, Ledezma was back with the Green Jackets. Before he landed on the disabled list with a low back strain, he started in five games for Augusta. Ledezma would spend the remainder of the season on the DL, despite making a one-game rehab appearance in the GCL. At the end of the season, the Red Sox made him available in the Rule 5 Draft that would take place in December.

The injuries that plagued Ledezma throughout his career didn't hinder the Detroit Tigers from selecting him on December 16th. Under the Rule 5 Draft, all players selected must be placed on the 25-man roster or be offered back to the original club for $25,000 (half the draft price). Unfortunately, Ledezma never made it past Single-A ball in his four years at the minor league level and the Tigers were forced to place him in the big leagues only four months after signing him. The move was a microcosm of the Detroit season as Ledezma and the Tigers endured one of the worst seasons by any team in baseball history.

The transition was a difficult one for Ledezma as he struggled in 34 games with the club. Ledezma made his first major league start versus the Chicago White Sox on July 8th and didn't allow a run in five innings. As the season went along, he saw his ERA escalate to a career high of 5.79, while opposing hitters batted .297 against him. Ledezma's strikeout to walk ratio had also dropped from 2002 (38:8) to (49:35) while in the majors. He finished the season 3-7 with 84 IP to his credit and a very valuable learning experience under his belt.

This season Ledezma seems to have put the sub-par season behind him and has focused his attention on dominating the Eastern League. On June 21st, he threw 8 1/3rd innings where he allowed one earned run and struck out three to record his eighth decision of the year. In his last outing, against the Altoona Curve, he pitched his first career complete game shutout, a 2-0 decision. In the game, Ledezma allowed just two hits and struck out five to improve to 9-2 on the season. If he continues on his torrid pace, he could find himself with Triple-A Toledo before the end of the season or even a return to Comerica Park.