Mainers in the minors are enjoying varying degrees of success as most enter the stretch run of their minor league baseball seasons.

Camden’s Mike MacDonald continues to adjust to life in the bullpen as a reliever – and starter – for the Toronto Blue Jays Double-A affiliate, and Triple-A affiliate.

Confused? So is MacDonald.

The 26-year-old righthander is currently 0-2 with one save and a 4.50 ERA for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League, but that total covers his stint at the start of the season (April) and his return on Friday. He has now appeared in five games with the Cats, pitching six innings with seven strikeouts and no walks, but allowing 10 hits and three earned runs.

In his most recent outing Friday, MacDonald threw 1 2/3 innings of relief in a win over Binghamton and has earned a save with three strikeouts, no walks and no hits.

The Blue Jays have been attempting to convert MacDonald into a reliever, but he hasn’t been able to settle into a regular role all season. In fact, just four days after notching a save on the day he was sent back to New Hampshire from Syracuse, MacDonald is scheduled to go back into the starting rotation.

MacDonald will pitch the first game of a doubleheader today with the chance to become the Fisher Cats’ all-time leader in wins. He is currently tied for the top spot with Gustavo Chacin and Ismael Ramirez with 16 apiece.

Previously, the former University of Maine standout appeared in 28 games with Triple-A Syracuse, pitching 28 games, eight as a starting pitcher. He went 1-3 with two saves and a 3.61 ERA and in 84 2/3 innings, allowed 88 hits and 20 walks while notching 59 strikeouts.

Greg Creek of Chelsea is hitless in his last three games, but is batting .264 overall with six home runs and 46 RBIs for the Mississippi Braves of the Southern League. The left-handed-batting third baseman for the Atlanta Braves’ Double-A franchise, who will turn 27 later this month, has played 102 games. The 2001 Maine Mr. Baseball award winner and another former UMaine star is second on the team in doubles with 19.

Thomas “Tip” Fairchild of Lewiston is not having the kind of season he hoped for with the Houston Astros’ Double-A affiliate.

The 24-year-old, righthanded pitcher is 2-8 in 10 starts with an 8.77 ERA with the Corpus Christi (Texas) Hooks. The former University of Southern Maine star has pitched 51 1/3 innings, allowing 64 hits and 26 walks to go with 38 strikeouts.

On Sunday, he lasted just one inning after giving up one earned run on one hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Curt Smith, a former Senior League World Series participant and championship team member from Curacao, is enjoying a stellar season with the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie Appalachian League. Smith is hitting .374 with seven homers, 39 RBIs and two stolen bases. Another former UMaine star, the 22-year-old first baseman went 2-for-4 Sunday with an RBI, his sixth in the last seven days.

Mark Rogers, the Milwaukee Brewers’ first draft pick and the fifth overall in the 2004 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, is in danger of missing his second straight season after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery two years ago. The Orrs Island native is still on the disabled list. He appeared in just 19 games in 2006, compiling 75 combined innings with the Class-A Advanced Florida State League’s Brevard County Manatees and the Arizona Fall League. The 22-year-old righthander was 1-2 overall before his injury.

Former UMaine pitcher Rusty Tucker was released after appearing in six games for the Huntsville (Ala.) Stars, Milwaukee’s Double-A franchise in the Southern League. He was 0-0 with a 3.24 ERA after pitching 8 1/3 innings of relief with three earned runs, five hits, three walks and nine strikeouts.

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