Two Hillcats promoted

By Andy Bitter

Published: July 29, 2008

The Hillcats lost two of the best bats in the Carolina League on Tuesday when third baseman Jim Negrych and outfielder Jamie Romak were promoted to Double-A Altoona.

It was part of a busy day for Lynchburg, which announced six roster moves.

Reliever Moises Robles joins Negrych and Romak in heading to Altoona. The Hillcats received left-hander Brian Holliday and infielder Ray Chang from the Curve and infielder Danny Bomback from Low-A Hickory.

Negrych’s and Romak’s departures leave a void in the heart of the Lynchburg lineup.

Negrych, the team’s No. 3 hitter, was batting .370 entering Tuesday, 57 points better than anybody else in the Carolina League. The Hillcats’ lone all-star game representative had 143 hits in 104 games with 36 doubles, five home runs and 62 RBIs. His .448 on-base percentage also led the league.

Romak, who joined the Hillcats a month late after undergoing offseason elbow surgery, led the league with 18 home runs in 77 games hitting in Lynchburg’s cleanup spot. He was batting .279 with 25 doubles and 57 RBIs and his .911 OPS was second in the league to Negrych’s .956.

Their roster replacements have gotten limited playing time this year. Chang, a four-year minor league veteran who began the season in the Padres’ system, had just six at bats in five games with the Curve. He’s a career .258 hitter.

Bomback, a 42nd-round pick in 2007 out of Florida Atlantic, hit .247 in 59 games for Hickory.

Holliday returns to the Hillcats after making two spot starts for the Curve. He had one good outing (7 IP, 1 ER) and one poor one (3 2/3 IP, 5 ER) at Double A. He could slide into the rotation, especially if the Pirates follow through on their plan to move former first-round pick Daniel Moskos to the bullpen to monitor his innings.

Robles, who started the year in Hickory, appeared in 19 games for Lynchburg, posting a 2.00 ERA and recording six saves.

The Pirates made room for Romak in the outfield at Altoona by promoting Jason Delaney to Triple-A Indianapolis. Delaney, an all-star for Lynchburg last year, was hitting .292 with seven home runs, 43 RBIs and a .403 on-base percentage for the Curve.