AAA Columbus Clippers starting pitcher PAOLO ESPINO (23) was named the International League’s Pitcher of the Week after a brilliant August 14 start against Louisville in which he tossed 7 innings of shutout ball, allowing only 3 hits and 2 BB while striking out 8. In 3 starts with the Clippers this season, he has a 2.75 ERA with 14 K, 5 BB, and a .203 BAA in 19.2 innings of work. This comes after a promotion from AA Akron, where he posted a 4.00 ERA, 92 K, 35 BB, and a .245 BAA in 101.1 IP.
HIGH-A KINSTON (W, 2-1)
- JOSEPH GARDNER (SP, 22): 5 IP, ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K. An unusually wild outing for Gardner, but still stellar. Last 4 starts (24 IP): 5 ER, 15 H, 9 BB, 17 K. He’s now 10-5 on the season with Kinston, posting a 2.86 ERA, 94 K, 42 BB, and a .198 BAA. He’s among my favorite Indians pitching prospects.
- TRAVIS TUREK (RP, 22): 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K. 4.04 ERA with 39 K, 27 BB, and a .282 BAA in 71.1 IP this season, but 8.80 ERA with 10 K, 5 BB, and a .379 BAA in last 15.1 IP. Last 2 outings more promising, though: 4 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 5 K.
- MATTHEW LANGWELL (RP, 24): IP, K. Has been so far in excellent in August (0 R, 2 H, BB, 4 K in 5.1 IP) after a rough July (6 ER, 10 H, 4 BB, 11 K in 11.1 IP).
- CORY BURNS (CP, 22): IP, 3 K, SV. Last 10 appearances: 9.2 IP, 0 ER (2 unearned), 3 H, 4 BB, 12 K, 7 SVs. Season with Kinston: 1.76 ERA, 43 K, 12 BB, .198 BAA, 23 SVs. Has 35 total saves in 2010 (12 with Lake County).
- CHUN CHEN (C, 21): 2-3, RBI, BB. Last 4 games: 6-14 (.429), 2 BB. Batting .300 with a .403 OBP in 110 high-A ABs in 2010.
- JEREMIE TICE (1B/3B, 23): 1-4, 3B, RBI. Last 10 games: .282. Batting .281 with 30 2B, 11 HR, and 66 RBI in 370 at-bats with Lake County and Kinston this season. The down side: 91 Ks, only 22 BB.
- JUAN DIAZ (SS, 21): 2-4. Batting .333 in last 10 games and .247 overall in 150 high-A ABs in 2010. Batted .295 in 254 high-A California League ABs before getting traded.
LOW-A LAKE COUNTY (W, 11-10, 11 innings)
- DELVI CID (OF, 21): 1-5, 2 BB, 2 SB. Last 4 games: 7-17 (.412) with 3 BB and 3 SB. He now has 61 SBs in 112 games this season. Has really turned his season around after batting just .213 with a .271 OBP before the all-star break (235 ABs); he’s hitting .304 with a .358 OBP since (207 ABs). Meanwhile, his K rate has decreased (91 to 47) and he has been stealing more bags (29, up to 32).
- ARGENIS MARTINEZ (2B, 20): 1-6, RBI, BB, SB. Currently has a 10-game hitting streak. Batted just .171 in 152 ABs before the all-star break, but is hitting .271 in 133 ABs since. The SB was his 20th of the season.
- GREG FOLGIA (LF/RF, 22): 5-7, RBI, SB. 8-10 in last 2 games, batting .359 with 6 RBI in his last 10 contests.
- JASON SMIT (OF, 20): 4-6, 2 2B, 3 RBI, SB. Has an 8-game hitting streak in which he’s 12-32 (.375) with 5 extra-base hits, 7 RBI, and 2 SB. In August, he’s batting .333 with 8 extra-base hits and 14 RBI in 63 ABs. His K to BB ratio is gradually evening out (21:1 in May, 18:1 in June, 26: 6 in July, 4:16 in August).
- CHRIS KERSTEN (1B/DH, 24): 1-4, solo HR, BB. Has exactly 1 hit in 8 of his past 9 games, 4 of which are home runs. He’s hit 10 in 191 ABs with Lake County this season to go along with a .257 BA and 30 RBI. He started the season with Kinston, but was demoted after batting .167 with 3 HR and 4 RBI in 96 ABs (42 K).
- KYLE SMITH (2B/SS, 22): 3-6, 2B, 2 RBI. Batted .293 in 188 ABs before the all-star break, but only .203 in 118 ABs since.
- AARON LAFFEY (SP, 25): IP, H, 3 K. A solid first rehab assignment for Laffey, who was suffering from left (pitching) shoulder fatigue.
- FRANCISCO JIMENEZ (RP, 21): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 K, win. Last 3 appearances: 7.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 9 K.
- TREY HALEY (SP, 20): 5 IP, 2 ER (4 unearned runs), 6 H (HR) , 2 BB, 7 K. Last 10 appearances (40.2 IP): 6.42 ERA, 41 K, 27 BB, .280 BAA. Season (23 outings, 103 IP): 5.50 ERA, 85 K, 67 BB, .272 BAA.
AAA Columbus and AA Akron had scheduled days off on Monday. Short-season Mahoning Valley also did not play because of the New York-Penn League all-star break.
Upcoming Wigwammers 