I guess it’s good to win these games–the ones where Gary Bennett and Aaron Miles go 7-10, and two relievers with a combined ERA over 20 preserve a slim deficit through regulation–but I can’t say it taught us a lot about the team, except that it sucks to root for a team where Preston Wilson, Gary Bennett, Aaron Miles, and So Taguchi can bat consecutively without bringing up the worst hitter on the bench.

Keisler was as good as could possibly be expected, but it’s pretty clear to me why he hasn’t stuck as a LOOGY despite having a live strikeout rate: he’s got no breaking ball. His curveball wasn’t just a curveball that hung; like there are cut fastballs, and knuckle-curves, he throws a Hanging Curveball. His fastball and changeup were very nice for a free lefty, with more movement and giddy-up than, say, Mark Mulder has ever shown as a Cardinal, and in general he makes a really good spot starter to have stowed away in Memphis. But he doesn’t have a slider or a curveball with which to immolate southpaws, so as a reliever he’s just a fringe arm with a platoon problem.

What I’m saying is: he needs to hook up with the Nationals.

Speaking of people who showed a fastball and nothing else, Tuesday was my first time paying close attention to New + Improved Jason Isringhausen. He looked disturbingly similar to the 2006 model–his curveball hit the dirt, and his cutter manifested itself as a high, slow fastball that typically, and thankfully, sailed out of the zone and away. The only difference–and it’s a big difference–is that he can and did throw his regular fastball, now hovering in the low 90s, for strikes. It’s a nice fastball, still, but I’m holding out hope that he regains his command of the Curveball of the Gods. I’m a little more ambivalent about the cutter.

Finally, to Exciting Prospect News: Blake King made his first start of the year in the Quad Cities; five scoreless innings, which is a little less exciting than his two inning/four walk/five strikeout relief debut, but more encouraging. Now, I like Blake King, but I reserve a prospect crush for players like Jose “Not Top-Twenty Alum” Martinez, who is now hitting .381/.381/.619 following a cameo role in Palm Beach’s 14-1 beatdown of St. Lucie. I realize that it’s been five games, but it’s good to see him get off to a hot start after stumbling out of the gate in 2006. And to complete the GUB minor league favorites trifecta, Rick Ankiel went 3-4 with a homer and a double for Memphis. Meanwhile, Skip Schumaker and So Taguchi are in the major leagues.

Speaking of the minors: I have an idea for a newer, more useful, less table-y version of Coming Attractions. So we’ll see how that works out.