Updates on Giolito and Fedde (Latos starts for Syracuse tonight)

With all the talk of right-hander Reynaldo Lopez's outstanding start at Atlanta last week, many might have wondered what's going on with the No. 1 pitching prospect.

Remember him? That's right. Right-hander Lucas Giolito.

After a couple of losses at Triple-A Syracuse, Giolito has had two tremendous starts in a row.

On Aug. 12, Columbus beat Syracuse 1-0, but Giolito went six innings and scattered three hits, allowing one run with one walk and five strikeouts. The lone run was a solo homer from shortstop Erik Gonzalez. Giolito took the hard luck loss to fall to 1-2.

Then on Aug. 17, Giolito had a no-decision in Toledo's 4-3 defeat of the Chiefs. But Giolito was even better, tallying seven innings, allowing one run on seven hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts. He fired 110 pitches, 74 for strikes.

His ERA is now 2.86. The 10 strikeouts were Giolito's most since June 10 when he struck out 12 against Akron.

Giolito has all the tools to be that next major league ace, he just needs to find that killer instinct on the mound, like Max Scherzer demonstrates, to put him over the top.

Meanwhile, right-hander Erick Fedde has a 2.17 ERA in his last 10 starts, going 3-2 with 52 strikeouts in 54 innings.

In his first three starts at Double-A Harrisburg, he has gone 1-1 with a 6.15 ERA due to his second start where he allowed seven runs in a loss to Erie.

But he bounced back against Richmond yesterday, going five innings and scattering nine hits and three runs with three walks and three strikeouts.

My educated guess is his next offseason work will be in the Arizona Fall League, pitching for the Nationals' affiliate in Glendale, but no official work has been passed down.

Update: Mat Latos starts tonight for Triple-A Syracuse at Pawtucket. Giolito scheduled to start tomorrow night.