July 30: Young Hurlers Dominate in Akron, Kinston

There were several notable pitching performances in the Indians farm system on Friday, and we’ll start with the combined shutout tossed by 3 Akron hurlers.  21 year-old lefty KELVIN DE LA CRUZ started the game, going six strong innings, giving up 3 hits and 3 BB while striking out 7.  This was one of his best starts of the season in AA, as he currently holds a 4.73 ERA and has allowed 47 walks while striking out 59 in 15 starts (72.1 IP).  Before getting the call to Akron, he posted a 2.91 ERA with 28 Ks and 8 BB in 6 starts (34 IP) with Kinston.  The biggest obstacle impeding De La Cruz’s pursuit of success has been his control; over his last 10 starts, he has given up 3 or more walks 7 times (included are 2 5-BB outings).  Although he walked 3 on Friday, he was largely unhittable and struck out batters at a greater rate than his season average.  He’s an intriguing young talent, since he’s a 6’5″ lefty and is already in AA at age 21 (he turns 22 on August 1), but he will have to minimize those walks in order to be consistently solid.  Reliever CHEN LEE (age 23) followed De La Cruz with a shutout inning in which he walked 1 and struck out a pair.  On the season, he has a 3.93 ERA with 62 Ks and 19 BB (.246 BAA) in 55 IP, but he’s allowed no earned runs over his last 10 appearances (15 IP) while striking out 22, walking 4, and allowing only 4 hits.  He’s shown tremendous improvement during the past month or so, so I look forward to seeing what he does over the balance of the season.  CONNOR GRAHAM (age 24) tossed the final 2 frames for the Aeros, allowing 1 hit while striking out 3.  On the season, he’s walked 36 while striking out 41 in 59 IP (3.51 ERA), but over his last 10 appearances, he’s shown some improvement; during that stretch, he’s logged 16 Ks and 5 BB in 15 IP (2.40 ERA).

Kinston starter JOSEPH GARDNER (age 22) got back on track Friday against Wilmington.  In his last outing on July 25 (also against Wilmington), he got knocked around in 4 innings, giving up 6 earned runs on 7 hits (2 HR) and 2 BB.  On Friday, he pitched 5 fine innings, allowing only 2 hits and 2 BB while striking out 5.  This last outing is in line with his overall performance this season (2.97 ERA, 82 K, 35 BB, .197 BAA in 88 IP with Kinston), so that previous rough outing against Wilmington is nothing to worry about.  In fact, he demonstrated an excellent ability to adjust to his opponent between these last 2 outings, and that is an invaluable skill.  If Gardner does not get the call to Akron this season (to fill a spot if Alex White gets promoted, for instance), he should be with the Aeros next season… he certainly has good stuff on the mound and has pretty much mastered high A ball.

Clippers reliever VINNIE PESTANO (age 25) pitched another lights-out inning on Friday, striking out the side against Buffalo.  The appearance mirrored his last outing against Pawtucket, in which he also fanned all 3 batters that he faced.  Over his last 10 games (11.1 IP), Pestano has allowed no runs while compiling 16 Ks to only 3 BB.  His season totals with AAA Columbus stand at a 1.62 ERA with 45 Ks, 10 BB, and a BAA of .214 in 33.1 innings of work.  It appears that he’s developing into a fine reliever and should find a home with the Indians before too long.  Considering that he’s 25 and has dominated at the AAA level, he’s due for a shot in the show.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 1-3):  The Clippers stumbled into an offensive black hole on Friday, scrounging only 2 hits against wily veteran Ramon Ortiz.  JOSH RODRIGUEZ, coming off a 2-HR game, went 1-4 with a double.  JARED GOEDERT drove in Rodriguez with a single to account for the Clippers’ only run.

AA Akron Rundown (W, 6-0):  The Aeros’ offense rewarded their pitchers’ strong day by giving them more than enough run support.  JORDAN HENRY continued to get on base at a torrid pace, going 1 for 3 with 2 BB.  He’s now batting .533 (8 for 15) with an OBP of .682 over his last 5 games…  JASON KIPNIS went only 1 for 5 on the day, but he swiped his 5th bag of the season and scored a run.  He is batting .349 with 3 2B, a 3B, 2 HR, and 7 RBI over his last 10 contests…  LONNIE CHISENHALL continued his recent streak of consistent play, going 1 for 3 with an RBI.  Over his last 5 games, he is batting .400 (8 for 20) with 8 RBI.  His season average is now up to .278…  BEAU MILLS went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a BB.  He’s now recorded a hit in 6 straight games and 3 of those are 2-hit performances (9 for 24, .375 BA).  He also has 3 2B, a HR, and 6 RBI in that stretch.

High A Kinston Rundown (W, 4-0):  Second baseman KAREXON SANCHEZ led the charge offensively for Kinston, going 3 for 5 with a double and a solo HR.  He went 0 for 10 over his previous 3 games, so let’s hope that he’s heating up again after his recent hot streak…  Third baseman KYLE BELLOWS also had a nice game, going 2 for 3 with a triple, an RBI, and a BB.  He’s now hitting .444 (8 for 18) over his last 5 games with a 2B, 2 3B, a HR, 7 HR, and 2 BB…  ABNER ABREU went 2 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  He’s batting .308 over his last 10 games with 2 2B, 2 3B, and 7 RBI…  CORY BURNS logged his 19th high A save of the season with a perfect 9th inning appearance.

Class A Lake County Rundown (L, 0-1):  There were few offensive bright spots in this game, but ADAM ABRAHAM continues to shine.  He went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and is now batting .421 over his last 10 games…  GREG FOLGIA went 2 for 3 and is now hitting .432 over his last 10 contests…  Starting pitcher BRETT BRACH pitched well enough, allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits (1 HR) and 1 BB while striking out 3 in 7 innings.  This makes two strong starts in a row for Brach (he pitched a complete game shutout in his last outing on 07/24), so I look forward to seeing what he does in his first August start…  Newly acquired starting pitcher GIOVANNI SOTO will make his Lake County debut tonight against South Bend.

Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 0-5):  It was rough going for the Scrappers against Jamestown, as they accumulated only 5 total hits on the day.  DANIEL DeGEORGE continued his recent tear, going 2 for 3 at the dish.  He’s now batting .367 over his last 10 games and .615 (8 for 13) over his last 4…  Starting pitcher ALEX KAMINSKY really didn’t do all that badly.  In 4 innings of work, he allowed 2 earned runs on 6 hits, no walks, and 6 Ks.  I like his control and ability to strike batters out.

July 29: McBride Bursts into AAA, White Solid Again

Just hours after getting the call from AA Akron to AAA Columbus on Thursday, outfielder MATT McBRIDE (age 25) put on yet another power display in his debut for the Clippers.  Against Buffalo, he went 4 for 5 at the dish, hitting a double, a HR, and driving in 3 runs.  Such a showing is consistent with his performance of the last month or so with Akron, where he hit .364 with 11 HR in 23 July games.  Although he started the season slowly, his AA line stood at .285 with 25 doubles, 17 HR, 64 RBI, and a .349 OBP (30 BB, 62 K).  As the season winds down and the Indians look toward the future, considering the future of Austin Kearns in particular, it will be interesting to see if McBride can compete with the likes of Michael Brantley, Nick Weglarz, and company for a spot with the Tribe in 2011.  But if he keeps up his torrid pace, it might not be much of a competition.

ALEX WHITE (age 21) had another solid outing on Thursday, “starting” after Kerry Wood pitched an inning of rehab work.  White threw 5.1 innings, allowing 1 earned run (including 4 unearned) on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8.  It’s all the more impressive that White made this appearance on only 4 days rest, after tossing 7 strong innings against Reading on July 24.  Although he has only 57 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched at the AA level this season, White has showed some lethal stuff as of late, striking out 29 batters in his last 25.1 innings on the mound.  During that same stretch, he has walked only 3 batters and allowed only 3 earned runs.  At this point, I am not sure how much more he has to prove at the AA level.  He’s been downright dominant and deserves a shot in AAA sooner rather than later.  This guy is demonstrating that he has the stuff to be a key component of the Tribe’s rotation for years to come.

I’m not convinced that JOSH RODRIGUEZ‘s (age 25) early success with Columbus was a flash-in-the-pan.  He’s cooled off as of late, but he had a great day at the plate yesterday, only to be overshadowed by Matt McBride’s monster AAA debut.  Rodriguez went 3 for 5, slugging 2 home runs and driving in 3.  Over his last 7 games, he’s hitting .308 with a 2B, 4 HR, and 10 RBI to go along with a 7:5 K to BB ratio.  His AAA season stats stand at .314 with 12 doubles, 10 HR, and 48 RBI (28 BB and 42 Ks).  I like how he hits both RHPs and LHPs well, for both average and power (.323 with 5 HR in 65 ABs against LHPs and .310 with 5 HR in 129 ABs against RHPs).  If Rodriguez maintains his recent hot streak while CORD PHELPS (age 23) remains cool in the aftermath of his recent hitting streak (3 for 16 since July 25), he should become the Tribe’s clear-cut top AAA second baseman.

A trio of Kinston Indians pitchers combined to shut out high A Wilmington on Thursday.  T.J. HOUSE (age 20) started on the mound for the Indians, giving up 2 hits and 2 walks in 6 innings while striking out 4.  In his last 2 starts combined, he’s allowed 1 earned run on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 9 in 12 innings of work.  One key to his recent success appears to be that he’s issued fewer free passes than usual.  If he keeps minimizing those walks, his success should continue.  TYLER STURDEVANT (age 24) relieved House, tossing 2 innings of 3-hit ball.  Through 5 appearances with Kinston (7.1 IP), he’s allowed only 1 earned run on 9 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7.  Surprisingly, he failed to tally a single K in Thursday’s outing, but that will be rare for him.  CORY BURNS (age 22) closed the door on Wilmington, recording his 30th save of the season (18th with Kinston) with 1 inning of work in which he allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 3.  Burns has a 2.23 ERA between Lake County and Kinston this season with 62 strikeouts and 12 walks in 40.1 innings (.221 BAA).   Those are strong numbers for a guy in only his second season of professional ball; the Indians drafted him in the 8th round of the 2009 draft out of the University of Arizona.

The Rundown:  Thursday was a busy, productive day in the Indians’ farm system, so without further ado…  Clippers left fielder JORDAN BROWN continues to be an RBI machine.  He added 2 more to his season total (now 63, even after missing the first 39 games of the season) in a 2 for 5 performance at the dish.  He deserves a shot with the Tribe…  Teammate JARED GOEDERT looks to be turning around his recent slump.  Third baseman went 2 for 5 yesterday with a double.  He’s batting .282 over his last 10 games with 5 2B, a HR, 3 RBI, and 8 walks to 7 Ks…  Outfielder MICHAEL BRANTLEY continued his dominance in AAA, going 2 for 3 with a solo HR, 2 SBs, and 2 BBs.  He’s 3 for 6 with 4 BBs in 2 games since his most recent demotion from Cleveland…  LOU MARSON had another good game on Thursday, going 2 for 4 with a HR and 2 RBI.  He’s now batting .333 in his last 10 games and .381 (8 for 21) in his last 6.  In those last 6 contests, he also has 3 2B, a HR, 6 RBI, and 4 BB to 2 Ks.  If he keeps playing this well, he could become valuable in a trade package unless the Indians want to keep him around as insurance in case something happens to Carlos Santana…   Aeros third baseman LONNIE CHISENHALL just keeps on heating up.  On Thursday, he went 3 for 4 with a 3B and 3 RBI.  He’s now hitting .325 in his last 10 games and .412 (7 for 17) over his last 4.  In those last 4 games, he’s also logged a 3B, a HR, and 7 RBI.  His season average is now up to .277…  First baseman BEAU MILLS pulled his season BA up to .240 after going 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored on Thursday.  He’s hitting .333 in his last 10 games with 6 doubles, a triple, 2 HR, and 10 RBI…  JORDAN HENRY continues to be an on-base machine.  Against Reading on Thursday, he outfielder went 1 for 2 with 2 BBs and a run scored.  Over his last 10 games, he is batting .371 and getting on base at a .450 clip.  Over his last 5 games, he’s batting .500 (8 for 16) with an OBP of .619…  In Wilmington, catcher CHUN CHEN had another impressive day for Kinston, going 2 for 3 at the plate with a BB and a run scored.  He’s now batting .344 with a .465 OBP in his last 10 games (4 2B, a HR, and 8 RBI as well).  In his last 4 games, he’s hitting .429 (6 of 14) with an OBP of .556 (HR, 2 2B, 4RBI)…  Third baseman JEREMIE TICE remained hot on Thursday, going 2 for 4 at the plate with a solo home run.  He’s hitting .390 over his last 10 games with 5 2B, a HR, and 8 RBI…  ADAM ABRAHAM of Lake County went 1 for 4 on Thursday, doubling, driving in a run, and drawing 2 walks.  Over his last 10 games, he’s hitting .436 with 5 2B, 5 HR, 16 RBI, and 4 BB to 5 Ks (.488 OBP).  He’s on fire…  Outfielder DELVI CID somehow managed to swipe another base on Thursday, his 49th of the season, even though he went 0 for 6 with a K.  Just imagine if he could get on base at a rate better than his current season average of .238 and .293 OBP…  MATT PACKER made yet another impressive start for the Captains, tossing 7 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 5 hits and no walks while striking out 7.  Over his past 10 starts, he’s posted a 1.14 ERA with 63 Ks and 10 walks in 63 innings of work while holding opponents to a .219 batting average.  What is this lefty still doing in A ball?  Get him up to Kinston, and now…  PRESTON GUILMET followed Packer with 2 innings of shutout ball in which he allowed 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out a pair.  He’s now struck out 44 batters in 29.1 innings of work for the Captains this season while maintaining a 2.45 ERA…  The only notable performance in the Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ doubleheader (game 1 was the remainder of Wednesday’s suspended contest) was that of second baseman DANIEL DeGEORGE, who went 5 for 7 with a double, a stolen base, and 2 runs scored between the two games.  He’s batting .279 on the season with the Scrappers, but .367 over his last 10 games with a .441 OBP.

July 28: Indians Acquire Soto for Peralta, Several Captains Shine in Slugfest

The Indians made another move on Wednesday, trading third baseman Jhonny Peralta to the Detroit Tigers for minor league pitcher GIOVANNI SOTO (age 19).  Soto is a promising left-handed pitcher who had a solid year so far in the Class A Midwest League with Western Michigan.  In 16 starts (82.2 innings pitched), he maintained a 2.61 ERA, striking out 76 while walking 25 and tossing 2 complete game shutouts.  Opponents were batting .248 against him with only two longballs.  Soto has tremendous potential and his dominating performances in A ball at only 19 suggest that he’s ready for the next level.  With Peralta under-performing this season and likely having his best days with the Indians behind him, I am quite happy with this trade and I look forward to seeing what Soto does going forward.  He’s been assigned to Lake County.  The Indians recalled LUIS VALBUENA from AAA to take Peralta’s roster spot.  Andy Marte is now the club’s starting third baseman.  Awesome.

A few Captains stood out in the team’s 16-14 slugfest loss to Western Michigan last night.  A favorite of this blog, ADAM ABRAHAM (age 23) led the charge for Lake County, going 3 for 5 with a double, a HR, a walk, and 5 RBI.  Over his last 10 games he’s now batting .425 with 4 2B, 5 HR, and 15RBI.  Shortstop CASEY FRAWLEY (age 22) also had a tremendous game, going 2 for 4 with 2 HR, 2 BB, and 5 RBI.  The second-year player, drafted in the 17th round of the 2009 draft out of Stetson, is batting .300 over his last 10 games with 2 2B, a 3B, 2 HR, and 11 RBI with 7 walks to 9 strikeouts.  On the season, he’s hitting .264 with 21 doubles, 5 triples, 8 HR, 51 RBI, and 8 stolen bases (67 Ks to 33 BBs).  Switch-hitting right fielder GREG FOLGIA (age 22) also impressed, going 3 for 5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI.  Over his last 10 games, Folgia is hitting .316 with 3 2B, 2 HR, and 11 RBI.  However, he’s struck out 11 times while only drawing 2 walks.  In 228 at-bats with Lake County this season, he’s hitting .224 with 10 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, and an OBP of .297.  This is only his second season of professional ball, as he played with Mahoning Valley in 2009 after the Indians picked him in the 40th round out of the University of Missouri, Columbia.

CHUN CHEN (age 21) continues to settle in with high A Kinston.  The young catcher had a stellar day at the plate on Wednesday, going 2 for 3 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored.  Over his last 10 games, he’s batting .281 with a .419 on-base percentage and 4 doubles, 1 HR, 8 RBI, as well as a stolen base.  After getting off to a slow start with Kinston, his high A average is now up to .278.  One of the impressive things about Chen is that he demonstrates excellent patience at the plate, drawing 12 walks while striking out 11 times through 16 high A games (54 at-bats).  Although I’d like the see him in an Indians uniform someday, the presence of Carlos Santana in the big leagues forestalls some of my excitement about Chen’s potential.  If he continues to improve, he may at the very least end up being a key component of a trade package at some point.  Or Santana’s replacement after the Tribe trades him or lets him go during free agency.  Oh, yes.  I am clearly a diehard Cleveland fan.

Speaking of young catchers in the Indians farm system, it appears that LOU MARSON (age 24) might finally remembering why he was a key piece of the trade that sent Cliff Lee to the Phillies in 2009.  On Wednesday, he went 2 for 3 at the dish, doubling, driving in a pair, and drawing a walk.  Although he’s batting only .193 in 109 at-bats after getting demoted from Cleveland after posting a similar .191 average through 141 at-bats in the show, he’s hitting .281 over his last 10 contests with 3 doubles and 6 RBI to go along with a 5:7 K to BB ratio.  I’m going to withhold any optimism here until Marson shows that he can sustain such modest numbers over a substantially longer period of time.  Even if he does get it together in AAA, he has a formidable roadblock in the form of Santana ahead in the majors.  Marson had his chance with the Indians over the last two seasons and he didn’t capitalize on his opportunity.

The Rundown: JEANMAR GOMEZ put together his third consecutive quality start, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits and 1 walk in 7 innings of work for Columbus against Buffalo on Wednesday.  He struck out 4 and picked up the win…  On the offensive side, JOSH RODRIGUEZ helped the Clippers win by going 1 for 3 at the dish, walking twice, doubling, and driving in a pair.  He’s now hitting .307 on the season in AAA, cooling off considerably after a hot start in June (.380 BA in 70 ABs)…  Outfielder MICHAEL BRANTLEY had a decent showing in his return to Columbus, going 1 for 3 at the plate with 2 walks…  Kinston third baseman KYLE BELLOWS impressed again on Wednesday, going 2 for 4 with a double, a HR, and 3 RBI against Winston Salem.  In the series, he’s 6 for 12 with a 2B, a 3B, a HR, and 6 RBI through 3 games…  Captains starting pitcher CLAYTON COOK pitched decent on Wednesday, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits (1 HR), 1 walk, and 1 strikeout in 4.2 innings.  Hardly a dominating outing, but at least serviceable…  Outfielder DELVI CID had another one of his trademark games, going 1 for 5 with a run scored, a walk, and a stolen base (48 on the year).  He struck out 4 times, making that 12 punchouts in his last 10 games and 91 in 93 contests this year (359 at-bats).  His season average sits at .242 while he gets on base at only a .297 clip.  I love his talent on the basepaths, but it’s going to be wasted if he can’t improve on his ability to get on base…  Akron had the day off on Wednesday and the Mahoning Valley game against Jamestown was suspended (it will be finished on 07/29).

July 27: Tomlin Stellar in MLB Debut, Hodges Designated for Assignment

JOSH TOMLIN (age 25) made his major league debut on Tuesday for the Indians, and in impressive fashion.  He went seven strong innings against the New York Yankees, allowing 1 run on only 3 hits and no walks while fanning a pair.  Although that start might have surprised some, those who followed his progress this season were likely not among them.  On the season with the Clippers, he made 20 appearances (17 starts), posting a 2.68 ERA with 80 Ks and 33 BB in 107.1 innings of work while opponents batted a paltry .212 against him.  In short, he earned that start with the Tribe and that performance merits an encore.  Although I like Jeanmar Gomez, it’s difficult to argue with Tomlin’s numbers this year.  He isn’t much of a strikeout pitcher, but he’s evidently difficult to hit well and gives up only a moderate number of walks.  Those facts point to continued success down the road.

WES HODGES (age 25) is no longer with the Indians organization.  Today, the Tribe designated him for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Tomlin.  Hodges will likely find a new home before too long, as he demonstrated some potential at the plate as recently as the 2008 season and recently showed some signs that he was regaining his old form.  Unfortunately, Hodges really had nowhere to fit in with the big league club.  His atrocious defense forced the Indians to convert him from third to first and even then he still struggled in the field.  With Matt LaPorta settling in at first base and Travis Hafner still somehow clinging to the DH slot (with a bevy of other guys able to fulfill that role), the Tribe simply no longer needed Hodges.  It’s just perplexing that the organization is still hanging onto Andy Marte.  Sure, the guy has a better glove, but it’s abundantly clear at this point that he just can’t hold his own at the plate (he’s hitting .193 in 83 at-bats this season).  I’ve always been a Hodges fan, so I wish him nothing but the best of luck wherever he signs.

Outfielder MICHAEL BRANTLEY is back in Columbus.  During his recent 17-game stint with the Indians, he hit .156 in 70 at-bats.  If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that he struck out only 4 times during that span while drawing 7 walks.  Word is that Tribe manager Manny Acta expects him to be back in Cleveland soon.  It’s way too early to give up on Brantley, but I’m not sure how much more he can do in AAA (.315 BA with a .391 OBP in 241 at-bats this year).  Meanwhile, JORDAN BROWN had another solid game for the Clippers on Tuesday, going 1 for 3 and driving in a run while taking over first base duties from Hodges.  Despite missing the early part of the season (39 games), he’s still racked up 61 RBI.  He has driven in 15 runs in his last 10 games (.366 BA) and 8 in his last 3 contests.  He isn’t getting any younger (he’s 26), so the Indians should give him the call and take a long look at him before they even think about promoting Brantley again.

Another great game for JORDAN HENRY (age 22) yesterday.  The Aeros outfielder went 3 for 4 at the plate with 2 doubles and a run scored.  Including the July 25 game that got postponed, Henry is batting .692 (9 for 13) in his last 4 contests.  I like his ability to get base hits and take walks while striking out little.  Before getting the call from Kinston to Akron in June, he logged a .333 batting average with 30 walks to 27 strikeouts in 162 at-bats.  With Akron, he only has a .265 average so far (although that is quickly rising), but has walked 18 times while striking out 23 times (136 at-bats).  After a slow start to July, he’s hitting .371 over his last 10 games.  During that stretch, he’s drawn 5 walks while striking out 3 times.  He hits for no power, though, compiling only 8 doubles, 1 triple, and no home runs in 77 games (298 at-bats) between high A and AA this season.  And although his tall, slim 6’3″ 175 lb. frame suggests that he could add some muscle and power during the coming years, he won’t need it if he continues to be an on-base machine.

After a couple of brief starts with the AZL Indians, ANTHONY REYES tossed 3 strong innings in his first rehab start with the Aeros on Tuesday.  He held Bowie scoreless, allowing only 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 1.  I look forward to seeing him back in Cleveland, so I will be monitoring his progress closely.  ROB BRYSON (age 22) relieved Reyes, pitching 1 inning of scoreless ball, giving up 1 hit and 1 walk while fanning 1.  He now has 4 Ks in 2 innings of work in AA.  CONNOR GRAHAM (age 24) followed Bryson with 2 scoreless innings and 2 strikeouts.  Although he’s given up 36 walks to 38 Ks on the season with Akron, Graham has been better as of late, striking out 14 and walking 5 in his last 15 innings of work (10 appearances).  BRYAN PRICE (age 23) finished the shutout for the Aeros, giving up 3 hits and striking out 4 in 3 IP.  In 48.2 innings of work with Akron, he has struck out 54 batters while walking 13.  He’s been downright dominant in his last 5 outings, allowing no earned runs on 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 13 in 11.2 innings.

The Rundown:   Columbus third baseman JARED GOEDERT went 1 for 3 last night, but also drew two walks while belting a solo jack.  He now has 17 home runs during his tenure in AAA and 24 total on the season…  JOSE CONSTANZA of the Clippers went 3 for 4 on Tuesday, scoring a run and stealing a bag.  He’s swiped 27 bases this season while getting caught only twice.  During his last 10 games, he’s batting .326 (362 OBP) with 5 steals…  Aeros outfielder MATT McBRIDE smacked another home run on Tuesday, a 3-run shot.  He now has 17 on the season to go along with 64 RBI and a respectable .285 average.  He’s hitting .361 with 3 HRs and 13 RBI in his last 10 games…  AA third baseman LONNIE CHISENHALL earned another mention here with a 1 for 3, RBI performance last night.  He has 4 hits in his last 13 at-bats, including a home run and 4 RBI…  Third baseman KYLE BELLOWS (age 21) of the high A Kinston Indians looked good on Tuesday, going 3 for 5 with a triple and 3 RBI.  He is batting only .237 over his last 10 games and .254 on the season with Kinston, so let’s hope that this youngster is turning a corner…   Teammate JEREMIE TICE remained hot, going 2 for 5 against Winston Salem on Tuesday, doubling and driving in a pair of runs.  He is now hitting .390 over his last 10 games with 6 doubles and 8 RBI…  Kinston right fielder ABNER ABREU went 0 for 2 on Tuesday, but drew 3 walks and scored 2 runs.  That is pretty remarkable because he usually walks very little; in 73 high A games this season, he’s drawn a total of 16 free passes (including yesterday’s 3).  If this is any indication that he’s starting to be more selective at the plate, that .252 batting average will soon begin to rise…  Both the Lake County Captains and Mahoning Valley Scrappers had Tuesday off.

July 26: Chisenhall Goes Deep, Young Relievers Impress

Aeros third baseman LONNIE CHISENHALL (age 21) continued his recent trend of solid performances on Monday, going 1 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI against Bowie.  Over his past 10 games, he’s batting .293 with 2 2B, 2 HR, and 8 RBI with 4 walks to 8 strikeouts.  He’s been held hitless in only 2 of those games, indicating that he’s perhaps becoming more consistent.  I’d like to see him hit for a little more power (he hit 22 home runs between AA and AAA last season), but he also needs to continue improving his batting average and take a few more walks.  Although he hits both lefties and righties for power, his BA against lefties is only .221 as opposed to .296 against righties (he bats lefty).  He’ll need to remedy that if he hopes to make it to the show as more than a platoon player.  In the meantime, let’s see if he can make his recent solid performances into something more impressive.

Clippers relief pitcher VINNIE PESTANO (age 25) had another impressive outing on Monday, pitching 1 scoreless inning, striking out the side.  He’s given up no runs in his past 10 appearances (11.1 IP), allowing only 5 hits and 3 walks during that span while striking out 14.  On the season with Columbus, he’s appeared in 29 games, posting a 1.67 ERA with 27 hits (.220 BAA), 10 walks, and 42 strikeouts in 32.1 innings of work.  Before getting the call to AAA, he maintained a 2.70 ERA while allowing 12 hits (.235 BAA) and 2 walks with 18 strikeouts while with the Aeros.  He’s allowed only one longball all season long, and that came while he was still in AA.  One constant need of the big league squad during the past few years has been relief pitching, so one has reason to be excited about this righty, especially since he can rack up the strikeouts (60 in 45.2 IP between AA and AAA this season).  He should be on the Indians’ radar for a call-up should they need any bullpen help during the remainder of the season.

The Indians have another promising young relief pitcher in PRESTON GUILMET (age 23) of the Lake County Captains.  On Monday, he pitched 3.2 strong innings against Peoria, striking out 4 while allowing only 1 hit.  On the season, he’s recorded a 2.63 ERA while allowing 20 hits (.204 BAA) and only 3 walks while striking out 42 batters in 27.1 innings (19 appearances).  Guilmet is in only his second season of professional baseball; The Indians selected him in the 9th round of the 2009 draft (275th overall pick) out of the University of Arizona.  He worked as a starter with Mahoning Valley in 2009, but has found greater success as a reliever this year (4.09 ERA with 16 BBs, 62 Ks, and a BAA of .255 in 70.1 IP last year).  He’s had a few rough outings as of late, but I am excited to see what this strikeout machine does during the coming weeks.

LUIS VALBUENA (age 24) exploded again on Monday, following his 5-6, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI performance on Saturday with a 2 for 3, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, and 4 run outing against Pawtucket last night (He did have an 0-4 day on Sunday sandwiched in there).  At this point, Valbuena has little left to prove at the AAA level.  He’s spent parts of the past 3 seasons with the big league club, so outbursts such as last night’s tend to solidify my previous assertion that Valbuena might very well be one of those AAAA guys that is too good for AAA but can’t carry that success over to the show.  If he keeps playing this way, we won’t have to wait too long for the Indians to call him up again and test whether or not I am correct.

The Rundown:  Aeros first baseman BEAU MILLS had another good day at the dish on Monday, going 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.  He’s now batting .293 over his last 10 games with 5 2Bs, 1 3B, 2 HR, and 11 RBI…  Akron outfielder JOHN DRENNEN continued his recent hot streak, going 2 for 4 against Bowie.  He’s batting .393 over his last 7 games (11 for 28)…  JORDAN HENRY picked up where he left off after Sunday’s game got rained out.  The Aeros outfielder went 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored…  JASON KIPNIS went 1 for 4 at the plate with a double, RBI, and a walk.  He’s batting .452 with an OBP of .531 over his last 10 games…  The Clippers’ JORDAN BROWN is on fire after going 3 for 3 with a HR, 4 RBI, and 2 BB against Pawtucket on Monday.  In the 4-game series, he posted a .625 BA (10 for 16) with 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, and 3 BB.  He’s a bit on the older side for a minor leaguer (26), but that’s just plain impressive…  Teammate WES HODGES went 2 for 5 with an RBI.  He also had a good series against Pawtucket, going 5 for 13 (.385) with a 2B, an RBI, and 2 BB…  CORD PHELPS saw his hitting streak came to an end at 13 games yesterday after he went 0 for 4 at the plate.  His season average with Columbus (in 130 at-bats, mind you) is down to .362…  Kinston Indians left fielder BO GREENWELL was one of the few to do anything against Winston Salem at the plate on Monday, going 2 for 4 with 2 singles on the day…  Fellow outfielder ABNER ABREU also posted a 2 for 4 day, but also struck out twice…  Lake County Captains center fielder DELVI CID remained true to form, going 1 for 5 (2 Ks) and stealing a bag – his 47th of the year…  Akron Aeros starting pitcher PAOLO ESPINO had a recent streak of solid outings end as he got shelled by Bowie.  He went 4.1 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 11 hits and 1 walk while striking out 7.  I like the number of punchouts, but they mean little if the opposing team is still banging out 11 hits.  Espino has been impressive for most of the season, so he should be able to shrug off this subpar outing.  After all, they do happen every now and then.

July 25: Promising Performances in the Lower Reaches of the Indians Farm System

ADAM ABRAHAM (age 23) makes his 5th straight appearance in this blog.  On Sunday, the Lake County Captains first baseman continued his recent tear, going 2 for 4 with a solo HR while making a spot start at third base.  He’s now homered in back-to-back contests and 4 times in his last 7 games.  In his last 10 games with the Captains, he’s batting .385 with 4 2Bs, 4 HRs, and 10 RBI.   My only criticism is that he has only 1 walk during that time to go along with 7 strikeouts.  After a dismal start to the season, batting .146 in April and .167 in May, he hit .286 in June and .284 so far in July to bring his season average up to .232.  He’s far from a surefire prospect, but his recent play suggests that he has the potential for further development, especially if he starts being more patient at the plate.

Third baseman JEREMIE TICE (age 23) of the Kinston Indians is adapting to high A ball.  He started the season with Lake County, where he batted .282 with 19 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, and 51 RBI (19 walks to 59 strikeouts) in 66 games (245 at-bats).  On Sunday, he went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI for Kinston, making his overall stat line in high A .294 with 6 2Bs, a HR, and 8 RBI in 13 games (51 ABs).  Over his last 10 games, he is batting .333.  His main problem continues to be the strikeouts, as he has whiffed 13 times during his time with the Indians, as opposed to drawing only 1 walk.  He will need to improve his eye at the plate if he hopes to take the next step.  The Indians drafted Tice in the 6th round of the 2008 draft (201st overall), out of the College of Charleston.

Lake County Captains starting pitcher VIDAL NUNO (age 23) put together an impressive start against Peoria on Sunday.  He pitched 6 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 5 hits and no walks while striking out 8.  The young lefty is in only his second season of professional ball after getting drafted by the Indians out of Baker University (Kansas) in the 48th round (1,445 overall) of the 2009 draft.  On the season, he has posted a 4.88 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts), striking out 58 and walking only 8 in 55.1 innings of work.  That excellent K:BB ratio bodes well for his future, but he must cut down on the number of hits that he allows (.284 opponent batting average).  He has improved steadily over the course of this season, posting a 8.10 ERA in May, a 6.00 ERA in June, and a 3.25 ERA in July.  He clearly has some good stuff and I look forward to seeing how he does for the balance of the season.

A trio of Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitchers put together a solid day on the mound against State College on Sunday.  Starter ALEX KAMINSKY (age 22) went 6 strong innings, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts.  His season ERA with the short-season Scrappers dropped to 1.96 in 8 starts (41.1 IP).  Left-handed relief pitcher JAMES REICHENBACH followed with 2 innings of shutout ball, allowing no hits and no walks while striking out 3.  His season ERA now sits at 3.66; he’s struck out 16 and walked 6 in 19.2 innings of work.  JAMES EHLERT finished the game for the Scrappers, striking out 1, walking none, and allowing no hits in 1 inning.  Ehlert’s been stellar this season, posting a 2.41 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 4 walks in 10 appearances (18.2 IP).  Despite this fine combined performance, Mahoning Valley still lost 1-0.

Several hitters in the Akron Aeros lineup got off to great starts in yesterday’s game before it got postponed in the 4th inning because of inclement weather.  JASON KIPNIS was 2 for 2 with an RBI while BEAU MILLS was also a perfect 2 for 2 with a rare stolen base.  JOHN DRENNEN had 1 hit in 2 at-bats, driving in a run and scoring one himself.  Centerfielder JORDAN HENRY was off to a scorching start at the dish, going 3 for 3 with a double and a run scored.  The Aeros are scheduled to finish the game on August 17th.

The Rundown:  Clippers outfielder  NICK WEGLARZ went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI against Pawtucket on Sunday, lifting his average over the past 10 games to .389…  CORD PHELPS just keeps on hitting.  The AAA second baseman went 1 for 3 with a walk on Sunday, extending his hitting streak to 13 games.  He’s batting .444 in his past 10 games with only 3 strikeouts to 7 walks…  JOSH RODRIGUEZ went 1 for 3 with a walk, driving in a run and scoring another after homering in his previous 2 games…  Columbus’s JORDAN BROWN (age 26) went 2 for 5 with a double, 3 RBI, and a stolen base.  He’s hitting .295 with 5 doubles, 2 HR, and 12 RBI in his last 10 games…  Teammate JOSE CONSTANZA (age 26) continues to put together a solid year for the Clippers, as he went 3 for 5 with a run scored on Sunday.  He’s batting .318 in his last 10 games and .307 on the season.  I like that average, but he’s got to start taking a few more walks (18 in 254 at-bats this season)…  Kinston catcher CHUN CHEN went yard yesterday.  He finished the day 1 for 4 with a walk.  After getting a slow start to high A ball, he’s hitting .281 in his last 10 games with Kinston.  Although he’s struck out 8 times during that stretch, he’s also walked 9 times…  KAREXON SANCHEZ had an impressive day, going 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored.  Both hits were triples.  He’s struck out 8 times in his last 10 games while drawing 10 walks and batting .278…  Kinston outfielder BO GREENWELL also did well at the plate on Sunday, hitting 2 singles in 4 at-bats.

July 24: White Stellar Again, Brach and House Also Impress

ALEX WHITE (age 21) pitched another gem for the Aeros on Saturday, allowing earned 1 run on 8 hits and no walks in 7 innings of work.  He struck out 7.  The righty’s AA ERA now sits at 1.48 through 73 innings (12 starts).  Although his K rate dropped after his promotion from high A Kinston to Akron (41 Ks in 44 IP for Kinston, 49 Ks in 73 IP for Akron), he’s struck out 21 batters over his last 3 starts (20 innings).  He hasn’t given up any home runs since June 25 and has allowed only more than 1 earned run in 1 of his last 10 starts (3 earned runs on June 19 against Portland).  Perhaps the most impressive stat is that he’s walked only 3 batters in his past 7 starts (42.1 innings).  With his strikeout rate on the rise, his free passes on the decline, and opposing batters finding it difficult to hit him (.207 average in his last 10 starts), White is showing why the Indians selected him in the first round of the 2009 draft (15th overall).  He has a legit shot of cracking the Indians starting rotation next season and settling in as a solid #2 starter within the next couple of years.

Lake County Captains starting pitcher BRETT BRACH (age 22) was also very impressive yesterday.  He tossed a complete game shutout against Peoria, allowing 7 hits, walking 1, and striking out 5.  In 14 starts for the Captains (72.2 innings), he’s maintained a 3.22 ERA with 55 strikeouts and 20 walks while posting a .287 opposing batting average.  Brach was selected by the Indians in the 10th round of the 2009 draft out of Monmouth University.  In his first season of professional ball, he made 15 starts for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, recording a 2.19 ERA with 20 walks and 61 strikeouts in 78 innings of work while holding opposing batters to a .215 batting average.  He began this season with a pair of relief appearances for Kinston (1 earned run, 2 Ks, 1 BB in 2.2 IP), but was sent to Lake County to start.  He’s shown some improvement over the course of the season, raising his K rate (42 Ks in his last 10 starts, 54.2 IP) and cutting down his opponents’ batting average (.259 over his last 10 starts).  Although he’s far from the most flashy or promising pitching prospects in the Tribe’s minor league system, his performance this season merits some attention.

T.J. HOUSE (age 20) of the Kinston Indians also pitched very well on Saturday.  He threw 6 innings against Wilmington, allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 5.  On the season, he’s posted a 4.18 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 97 innings.  Although his BAA (batting average against) is a serviceable .268, the high number of walks that he has issued is a bit alarming (46).  He started off the season strong, but has slipped as of late, recording a 4.38 ERA in his last 10 games while witnessing a drop in his K rate (only 34 in 49.1 IP) and a jump in his BAA (.284).  Fortunately, the lefty is only 20 and already in high A ball, so he has time to get back on track.  Saturday’s performance suggests that his turnaround might have already begun.

LUIS VALBUENA (age 24) of the Columbus Clippers had the best day at the dish of any Indians MiLB player yesterday.  Against Pawtucket, he went 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, a HR, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored.  Although Valbuena has been impressive in AAA this year (.326 average, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HRs, 15 RBI, 14 BB, and 18 K in 86 at-bats), he struggled mightily in the big leagues earlier this season, recording a dismal .166 BA with 6 doubles, 2 HR and 14 RBI along with a 37:20 K to BB ratio in 49 games (151 at-bats).  Although his 5’10”, 195 frame suggests that he has little power, he has hit at least 10 home runs in 4 of his 6 seasons of professional ball (he hit 10 in 2009 for the Tribe, along with a .250 BA and 31 RBI).  His solid performance in AAA over the past 3 seasons indicates that he has the ability to hit for average, but it’s beginning to appear that he might be one of those AAAA-type guys, very good in AAA, but just doesn’t have what it takes for the MLB.  He’ll likely get another shot in the bigs before too long, but he’s running out of time with the Tribe, especially since he has to compete with the likes of Kipnis, Rodriguez, and Phelps.

The Rundown:  Quite a few Indians minor leaguers had good showings at the plate on Saturday, so I’ll just get to it.  A regular star on the field and in this blog, Aeros second baseman JASON KIPNIS, had another good game, going 2 for 6 and scoring 2 runs against Reading.  He’s now batting .329 on the season in AA…  Teammate BEAU MILLS went 1 for 4 at the dish, smacking a HR, driving in 3, and drawing a walk.  Mills is now hitting .278 over his past 10 games, pulling his season average up to .234, with 8 HRs and 53 RBI.  He’s just getting started…  Akron outfielder MATT McBRIDE continued to rake, going 2 for 4 yesterday with 2 doubles and 2 RBI.  He’s now batting .371 over his last 10 games and .285 on the season…  LONNIE CHISENHALL also had a good game, smacking 2 doubles and driving in 1 run in 5 at-bats.  Over his past 10 games, he is hitting .306…  Outfielder JOHN DRENNEN (age 23) went deep for the Aeros, collecting 2 hits in 5 trips to the plate while driving in 3 runs.  He’s posted a healthy .311 average in AA this season, with 4 HRs and 41 RBI…  CORD PHELPS now owns a 12-game hitting streak, as he went 2 for 3 on Saturday with 3 runs scored for the Clippers…  JOSH RODRIGUEZ had only 1 hit in 4 at-bats against AAA Pawtucket, but it was a big one, a 3-run jack.  He also drew a walk…  First baseman WES HODGES continued his recent turnaround, logging 2 hits in 4 at-bats on Saturday, driving in 1 run and drawing a walk…  EZEQUIEL CARRERA (age 23), a center fielder acquired from the Mariners in the recent Russell Branyan trade, went 3 for 4, walking once, doubling, and driving in 3 runs.  The 5’10”, 175 lb. lefty has no power (0 HRs in 260 minor league at-bats this season) and does not run much (12 stolen bases), but his ability to get base hits (.281 BA on the season) and take a walk (25 walks to 39 strikeouts) makes him worth tracking…  Starting pitcher DAVID HUFF had a serviceable outing for the Clippers on Saturday, allowing 3 earned runs on 11 hits and 1 walk in 7 innings of work while striking out 5.  The young lefty has done little to impress during his brief time in the majors over the past couple of seasons, but, like Valbuena, he will get another shot with the Tribe before too long…  After a rough debut with AA Akron on July 20 against Altoona (issuing 4 straight free passes, walking in a run before getting pulled from the game without recording a single out), ROB BRYSON rebounded nicely against Reading on Saturday, allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 in an inning of work.  This guy has tremendous potential as a relief pitcher with his ability to strike out hitters, so I’ll be following his performances…  Last but not least is my daily ADAM ABRAHAM report.  Yesterday, the Captains first baseman went 1 for 3 against Peoria, slugging a HR and driving in a pair of runs.  He’s now batting .351 over his past 10 games with 3 HRs and 9 RBI.

July 23: Young Guns Power Clippers, Captains to Victory

Lake County Captains starting pitcher MATT PACKER (age 22) pitched another gem on Friday.  He went 6.2 innings, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 7 strikeouts.  Over his last 10 starts (61.2 IP), he’s posted a 1.17 ERA while striking out 61, walking 10, and holding opponents to a .228 batting average.  In only one of those outings did he allow more than 1 earned run, and that was only a 2-spot.  The lefty was the Indians’ 32nd round pick in the 2009 draft, out of the University of Virginia.  After proving his mettle in A ball all season long, he’s ready for the next level.

JEANMAR GOMEZ (age 22) is showing why the Indians gave him a spot start a week ago.  He responded to being sent back to AAA Columbus after his first big league start (7 shutout innings) with another stellar performance on Friday, allowing 1 earned run on 6 hits and no walks while striking out 7 in 8 innings of work against the Pawtucket Red Sox.  After these two performances, he is likely the first in line should the Indians make the call to AAA for a starter anytime soon.  Over his last 10 starts, there has been a direct correlation between his strikeout totals and overall performance.  In the 4 outings where he posted more than 4 strikeouts, he allowed 4 earned runs in 26 innings of work for a 1.38 ERA.  In the 6 starts where he recorded 4 strikeouts or less, he gave up 28 earned runs in 33.2 innings for an ERA of 7.59.  Not every pitcher is a strikeout pitcher, nor can they all be, but Gomez thrives in general when he can make batters whiff.

Outfielder KEVIN RUCKER (age 20) of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers is quietly putting together a solid season.  The Indians’ 47th round pick in 2007 (1,381st overall), Rucker spent the 2007-2009 seasons in rookie-level ball before moving up to the Class A Short-Season Scrappers this year.  Last night, he went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk, raising his season totals to .308 with 2 doubles, a triple, and 7 RBI in 21 games (65 at-bats).  Over his past 10 games, he’s shown some growth at the plate, batting .387 and getting on base at a .429 clip.  However, he will have to continue cutting down on the strikeouts and try to take more walks; he’s posted a 19:4 strikeout to walk ratio on the season.

Akron Aeros outfielder TIM FEDROFF (age 23) continues to streak, going 2 for 5 at the plate on Friday with a solo home run.  During his past 10 games, he’s hitting .350 with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, and 6 RBI with 6 strikeouts to 2 walks.  Selected by the Tribe in the 7th round of the 2008 draft out of the University of North Carolina, he possesses little power (MiLB career high of 4 HRs in 378 at-bats last season) and modest speed (only 6 this season after 13 last year).  After batting .319 for the Scrappers in 2008, he hit only .278 for Kinston last year and .271 for Akron this season.  Although he’s struck out at a lower rate this year than last, he’s also drawn fewer walks.  If he hopes to make it to the major league level, he’ll need to become an on-base machine.

The Rundown:  CORD PHELPS extended his current hitting streak to 11 games on Friday with a single in 3 at-bats.  He also walked.  The Clippers second baseman is now hitting .432 in his past 10 games (.512 OBP) and .373 (.439 OBP) in 118 AAA at-bats.  At this point, he’s probably more likely to get a late-season call-up to the Indians than…  JOSH RODRIGUEZ (age 25), who went 1 for 4 with a solo jack in Friday’s game.  After a hot start in AAA, he’s cooled off considerably, batting only .227 with 2 doubles, 1 HR, and 7 RBI with 2 walks to 8 Ks in his past 10 games.  He’s batting .314 on the season for Columbus (172 at-bats) with 11 doubles, 7 HRs, and 29 RBI (23 walks to 36 strikeouts)…  BEAU MILLS went 0 for 4 on Thursday, but rebounded with a 2 for 4 performance on Friday, slugging a double, driving in 1 run, and stealing a base.  His season batting average is now up to .233…  Akron teammate MATT McBRIDE continued his power surge, smacking a 3-run home run on Friday.  He now has 16 on the season, 4 of those coming in his past 10 games – he’s hitting .324 during that stretch, with 2 doubles and 11 RBI…  Another appearance here for ADAM ABRAHAM, the Lake County Captains first baseman.  He went 2 for 3 on Friday against Burlington, raising his season average to .226.  He’s improved that season figure drastically over the past 10 games, batting .368 during that span with 4 doubles, 2 HR, and 8 RBI (not to mention a decent 4:7 K to BB ratio).  He’s one of my favorite guys in the lower echelons of the Indians farm system.

July 22: Kipnis, Weglarz Crack BA Hot Sheet

Two Indians minor leaguers, JASON KIPNIS and NICK WEGLARZ, received attention in this week’s edition of Baseball America‘s “Prospect Hot Sheet.”  AA second baseman Kipnis capped an excellent 7-game stretch on Wednesday with a 1 for 3, 2 BB performance against Altoona.  During that period, he batted .565 (13 for 23) with 3 doubles, 2 HR, and 5 RBI (also, a 4:5 K:BB ratio), earning the #3 spot on BA‘s hot list.  AAA outfielder Weglarz claimed the #13 spot after hitting another home run on Thursday, making that three games in a row with a jack.  In the past week, he hit .458 (11 for 24) with 3 doubles, 3 HR, and 4 RBI with a (3:5 K:BB ratio).  It’s one thing when a blogger following only one organization’s MiLB system takes note of individual performances over a given stretch of time, but it’s another thing altogether when those guys receive recognition from something as comprehensive and renowned as BA.  Both of these guys are demonstrating tremendous MLB potential right now…

Relief pitcher TYLER STURDEVANT (age 24) of the high A Kinston Indians continues to have a tremendous season.  On Thursday, he tossed two scoreless innings against Wilmington, giving up 2 hits and striking out 3.  It was only his third appearance for the Indians – he’s pitched 4 scoreless innings for that squad, logging 4 hits allowed, 1 walk, and 4 Ks.  He spent most of the season in Lake County, where he pitched 35.2 innings (16 appearances), holding opponents to a dismal .140 average while maintaining a 0.76 ERA, striking out 56, and walking only 8.  Although bit on the older side for high A ball, Sturdevant is only in his second professional season after getting drafted by the Indians in 2009 (27th round, out of New Mexico State).  With Mahoning Valley in 2009, he struck out 42 batters in 36 innings while posting a 2.75 ERA in 36 innings of work (19 appearances).  Sturdevant clearly has some lethal stuff on the mound, so it will be exciting to see how he progresses through high A ball.

A couple of pitchers on the Lake County Captains squad put together an impressive outing on Thursday.  Starter CLAYTON COOK (age 20) went six strong innings, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 4.  He’s had a nice season for the Captains, posting a 3.68 ERA with 66 strikeouts, 29 walks, and an opponent batting average of .249 in 18 starts (93 IP).  Over his last 10 starts, he’s shown improvement, posting a 2.91 ERA, .230 opponent batting average, and 41 strikeouts to 13 walks during that span (52.2 innings).  ANTWOINE HUBBARD (age 21) followed up Cook’s stellar start with 3 innings of shutout ball in which he struck out 4 while giving up 1 hit and 1 walk.  On the season, he’s tossed 43.1 innings over 21 outings, logging a 3.12 ERA and .230 opponent batting average while striking out 43 and walking 16.  This big right-hander can strike batters out, posting an average of 1 K per inning pitched during his two years of professional ball.  I’m not as high on him as I am Sturdevant, but the University of Oklahoma product has some potential.

DELVI CID (age 21) of the Lake County Captains has some speed.  The centerfielder swiped 3 bags on Thursday, also going 3 for 5 at the plate with 2 runs scored.  On the season, Cid has stolen 46 bases while being caught 9 times.  The downside here is that he’s batting only .249 with a .304 on-base percentage.  He also has no power, as he has only 9 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 HR on the year.  At 6’2″, 170 lbs., he has some room to grow and develop some power, but that won’t matter if he can’t cut down on the strikeouts (82 in 338 at-bats) and get on base more often (84 hits, 23 walks).  Although he’s still young, his batting average and on-base percentage have both steadily declined over the past 3 seasons, even as he’s increased his stolen base totals each of those years.  His speed is electrifying, but I will temper my enthusiasm about this guy until he shows that he can get on base more often.

The Rundown:  A handful of guys had a good day at the plate on Thursday for Kinston.  KAREXON SANCHEZ (age 22) had his third solid game in a row, going 1 for 2 with 3 walks, 2 RBI, and a run scored.  He’s hitting .286 over his last 10 games with an OBP of .457.  My favorite Indians catcher who is not Carlos Santana, CHUN CHEN (age21), went 1 for 4 with a pair of RBI.  Centerfielder ABNER ABREU (age 20) also went 1 for 4, but tripled and drove in 4 runs.  Rightfielder LUCAS MONTERO (age 25) went 1 for 3 with 2 RBI, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored…  Lake County first baseman ADAM ABRAHAM (age 23) continues to draw my attention with his performances.  On Thursday, he went 2 for 4 at the dish, slugging a double and driving in a pair of runs.

July 21: Weglarz Goes Yard Again, Young Guns Adams and Espino Impress

NICK WEGLARZ continues to swing a big bat.  After having a day off on Tuesday, he went 2 for 5 against Durham on Wednesday, slugging a solo home run and drawing a walk.  He’s now batting .400 over his last 10 games, including 3 HRs, 4 doubles, and 5 RBI to go along with a 4:6 K:BB ratio.  Weglarz has made a steady adjustment to AAA ball after his promotion from AA in May, increasing his OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) each month, from .693 in May to .733 in June, finally to 1.163 in July.  He will likely be unable to maintain such a torrid pace, but he’s showcased some big-league talent over the last few weeks that will not go unnoticed in the Indians organization.

Fellow Clipper WES HODGES (age 25) was 0 for 13 in the series with the Durham Bulls heading into the 12th inning of Wednesday’s contest.  That was until he unloaded a 2-run double that gave Columbus the 8-6 victory.  Hodges once appeared to be one of the more promising prospects in the Indians organization after a a 2007 season in which he posted a line of .288 with 22 doubles, 15 home runs, and 71 RBI for high A Kinston and a 2008 campaign that saw him play even better for AA Akron: .290 with 29 doubles, 18 HRs, and 97 RBI.  While defensive struggles forced a move from third base to first, his numbers at the plate have been less than impressive.  This season, he’s batting .265 with 22 doubles, 8 home runs, and 44 RBI in 90 games (347 at-bats) for Columbus.  With Matt LaPorta settling in nicely at first for the Indians and other guys out performing him in the minors, Hodges will need to step it up if he hopes to crack the Tribe lineup next season.

KAREXON SANCHEZ (age 22) of the Kinston Indians followed up a strong 2 for 4, HR, 2 RBI performance on Tuesday with 3 hits in 5-at bats on Wednesday, including a double, a home run, and 2 RBI.  The switch-hitting infielder is now batting .262 over 201 high A at-bats with 14 doubles, 9 HR, and 39 RBI.  While he has struck out 76 times this season, he’s also shown some patience at the plate, drawing 53 walks to make his on-base percentage a robust .391.  Although he’s yet to hit for average in his five-year minor league career, he hit 12 jacks for Lake County in 2008 and another 11 for that team in 2009 – decent power for a middle infielder.  At 22, he still has a couple of years to pull it all together, though.  But as things stand now, middle infield is one of the organization’s strengths, so he’s in for a quite a challenge as he pushes through the minor leagues.

Another Kinston Indian facing a tough battle for a future with the Indians is catcher CHUN CHEN (age 21).  To his credit, Chen impressed in 58 games with Lake County to start the season, batting .312 with 21 doubles, 3 triples, 6 home runs, and 39 RBI in 218 at-bats.  He’s struggled a bit since getting the call up to Kinston, hitting .263 with 3 doubles, a HR, and 6 RBI in 11 games (38 at-bats).  He had one of his better high A games on Wednesday, going 2 for 4 against Winston Salem, smacking a double and driving in a run.  With Carlos Santana entrenching himself in the big league squad, it will be interesting to track Chen’s development over the next couple of years.  He’s not exactly racing through the minors (this is his third season), so he’s probably at least a couple of seasons away from pushing for the call to the Show.

A couple of pitchers put together strong starts for Indians minor league squads yesterday.  AUSTIN ADAMS (age 23), the Tribe’s 5th-round pick in 2009, tossed 5 scoreless innings for Kinston, allowing only 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2.  In 5 appearances for the Indians (4 starts), he’s posted a 1.25 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 7 walks in 21.2 innings of work – opponents are batting only .203 against him.  I like his ability to strike batters out; before getting promoted to Kinston, he struck out 61 batters in 53.1 innings for Lake County.  His only problem there was the longball (he gave up 7).  He’s allowed only 1 so far in high A, which might help to explain his lower ERA in Kinston (1.25 versus 3.54).  Since I started this blog, starting pitcher PAOLO ESPINO (age 23) of the Akron Aeros has made two starts – and both have been noteworthy (see my July 16 Rundown).  On Wednesday, he pitched six solid innings against the Altoona Curve, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6.  For the second straight outing, he gave up no home runs, a welcome improvement considering that he gave up 6 in his previous 6 outings.  Although overshadowed by teammate Alex White, Espino is one to keep an eye on.

The Rundown:  A lot to get through today, so without further ado…  Another good day at the plate for Aeros first baseman BEAU MILLS on Wednesday.  He went 2 for 4 for the second straight game, legging out a rare triple.  There’s yet hope for him…  Clippers third baseman JARED GOEDERT put forth another nice effort, going 2 for 5 at the plate with a double, 2 RBI, and a walk.  He’s very good…  AAA second baseman CORD PHELPS logged only 1 hit in 6 at-bats in yesterday’s 12-inning game with Durham, but it was good enough to extend his current hitting streak to 10 games… ADAM ABRAHAM of the Lake County Captains continues to turn his season around.  The first baseman went 2 for 4 at the dish, doubling and driving in 2 against the Burlington Bees.  He’s now batting .385 (10 for 26) in his last 6 games with 4 doubles, 2 HR, and 7 RBI….  I’m liking the Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ JONATHAN BURNETTE more and more each day.  On Wednesday, the 22 year-old outfielder went 2 for 4 on Wednesday with a double and an RBI.  He’s now hitting .361 in his last 10 games and .409 (10 for 22) over his last 6.