Buscher a hot prospect at third

By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune

Last update: July 17, 2007 - 9:28 PM

The Twins finally have a third base prospect on the rise at Class AAA Rochester, and it's not 2003 first-round pick Matt Moses.

Brian Buscher, 26, has emerged as perhaps the team's most pleasant minor league surprise this season.

Despite going 0-for-3 Tuesday, he is batting .333 with five home runs and 16 RBI in 25 games since being promoted from Class AA New Britain.

Twins minor league director Jim Rantz saw Buscher hit two home runs in the same game July 12, including one off the top of the scoreboard at Rochester's Frontier Field.

"Sometimes a change of scenery does wonders for a player," Rantz said, trying to explain Buscher's sudden emergence.

San Francisco picked Buscher in the third round of the 2003 draft out of the University of South Carolina. He had a middling season last year for the Giants' Class AA Connecticut affiliate, batting .259 with seven home runs and 49 RBI.

When the Giants left him unprotected in the Rule 5 minor league draft, the Twins selected him and sent him to New Britain. There, Buscher hit .308 with seven homers and 37 RBI.

Moses, 22, continued to struggle defensively for Rochester and posted disturbing totals in strikeouts (42) and walks (four).

Combining his numbers at two levels this year, Buscher has 36 strikeouts and 42 walks.

As for his defense?

"It's all right," Rantz said. "He's kind of a big, burly guy. His hands are all right, and his throws are right there. His range isn't like [Nick] Punto, but anything he gets to, he catches."

Tyner gets the nod

Jason Tyner was 4-for-9 for his career off Tigers starter Nate Robertson, and he got the starting nod in left field Tuesday over Jason Kubel (0-for-3 off Robertson) and Lew Ford (7-for-24).

"[Tyner] seemed to have some pretty good ballgames in a row," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Lefties, righties, he's staying in there. He's using the field. Having quality at-bats. With these tough lefties coming in there, he's handled that OK. I like the short swing, quality at-bats, so put him back out there."

Blackburn shelved

Nick Blackburn, who had a streak of 44 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run for Rochester, was placed on the seven-day disabled list this week because of a strained right forearm. The plan is to have him miss two starts, Rantz said.

"We don't think it's serious," Rantz said. "We're doing the precautionary thing."

Blackburn, 25, is 6-1 with a 2.09 ERA in 11 starts for the Red Wings.

Etc.

• Kevin Slowey tossed a three-hit shutout for Rochester on Tuesday, as the Red Wings defeated Syracuse 1-0. Slowey, who threw 73 of his 102 pitches for strikes, improved to 8-2 with a 1.59 ERA at Rochester.

• In a new book called "Before the Glory," authors Bill Staples and Rich Herschlag profile 20 players -- including Justin Morneau and former Twin Jim (Mudcat) Grant -- about their paths to the majors. Staples was at the Metrodome on Tuesday and said he spent two days in Vancouver interviewing Morneau for that chapter in the book.

• A youngster from Roseau named Benji, who has Burkitt's lymphoma, shadowed Gardenhire on Tuesday as part of the Make-A-Wish program. Benji, who turns 9 today, spoke with Gardenhire as he made out the lineup, stood with him during the National Anthem and joined him as the lineup cards were exchanged at home plate with the umpires before the game.

Joe Christensen • jchristensen@startribune.com