August 17: Carrasco Dominant Again, Kipnis Keeps on Rolling

AAA COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (W, 5-1)

• JOSE CONSTANZA (26, OF):  2-2, 2 BB, 2 SB.  Batting .378 in last 10 games with 5 BB and 4 SB.  Now has 32 SB on the season to go along with a .309 BA and a .360 BA (333 ABs).
• EZEQUIEL CARRERA (23, CF):  3-4, 2B, RBI.  Last 4 games: 7-18 (.389), 2 2B, 3 RBI.  On season with Clippers (86 ABs):  .279 BA, 5 2B, 10 RBI, 5 SB.
• JORDAN BROWN (26, OF):  2-4.  First game back with Columbus after getting demoted from Cleveland.  Batted .226 (7-31) in 9 games with the Tribe.
• JARED GOEDERT (25, 3B):  1-4, RBI.  A Jekyll and Hyde season: batted .321 with 9 2B, 15 HR, and 32 RBI in 134 ABs before the AAA all-star break and just .231 with 12 2B, 3 HR, and 13 RBI since.
• CORD PHELPS (23, 2B):  1-4, 2B, RBI.  Batting .300 in his last 10 games with 2 2B, 2 HR, and 10 RBI.
• WES HODGES (25, 1B):  2-4.  Last 10 games: .316 BA, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 9 K.  Season: .274 BA, 25 2B, 10 HR, 49 RBI, .316 OBP.
• CARLOS CARRASCO (23, SP):  7 IP, 0 ER (1 unearned), 5 H, 0 BB, 6 K.  Last 10 starts: 2.89 ERA, 54 K, 17 BB, .234 BAA in 56 IP.  Season (23 starts): 3.71 ERA, 119 K, 44 BB, .252 BAA in 135.2 IP.  A key to his recent success has been a combination of a higher K rate, a lower HR allowed rate  (16 in 23 starts overall, 4 in last 10 starts), and a lower opponent batting average.
• JOSH JUDY (24, RP):  IP, 2K.  In 39.1 IP this season in AAA: 3.20 ERA, 46 K, 12 BB, .277 BAA.
• VINNIE PESTANO (25, RP):  IP, 2 K.  Last 10 appearances (10 IP):  1.80 ERA, 16 K, 3 BB, .189 BAA.  Has struck out 54 in 40.1 IP in AAA in 2010.

AA AKRON AEROS (W, 8-7: Completion of game suspended on 07/25)

• JORDAN HENRY (22, CF):  3-5, 2B.  More below.
• JASON KIPNIS (23, 2B):  3-4, RBI.  More below.
• BEAU MILLS (24, 1B):  4-5, 2B, SB.  More below.
• JERAD HEAD (27, OF):  3-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI.  More below.
• JOHN DRENNEN (23, OF):  2-3, RBI.  More below.
• ROB BRYSON (22, RP):  2.2 IP, 2 H, 3K.  Through 7 AA appearances: 8.2 IP, 2.08 ERA, 11 K, 9 BB, .223 BAA.
• NICK HAGADONE (24, RP):  2.2 IP, BB, K.  Last 10 AA appearances: 25 IP, 2.88 ERA, 23 K, 15 BB, .228 BAA.

AA AKRON AEROS (L, 7-9)

• JORDAN HENRY:  2-4, RBI.  Last 10 games: .375 BA, .479 OBP, 4 RBI.  In 211 AA ABs, batting .303 with a .393 OBP and 9 SB.
• JASON KIPNIS:  1-3, 2B, RBI, BB.  Batting .375 in his last 10 games with 6 extra-base hits, 11 RBI, and a .468 OBP.  Season in AA (231 ABs): .346 BA, 16 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 6 SB, .426 OBP.  High-A and AA Combined: .325 BA, 28 2B, 7 3B, 15 HR, 67 RBI, 8 SB, .408 OBP.  I can’t say much more about this guy; the numbers speak for themselves.
• LONNIE CHISENHALL (21, 3B):  1-3, 2B, RBI, BB.  8-17 (.471) in last 5 games with 3 extra-base hits, 9 RBI, and 6 BB (.609 OBP).
• BEAU MILLS:  1-4, HR, 3 RBI.  Last 4 games: 5-17 (.294), 3 extra-base hits, 5 RBI.
• JOHN DRENNEN:  1-3, 2B.  Last 9 games: 15-38 (.395), 4 extra-base hits, 6 RBI, 2 BB, SB.  In 380 AA ABs this season: .303 BA, 20 2B, 6 3B, 5 HR, 50 RBI, .353 OBP.
• JERAD HEAD:  2-4.  First game back in AA after getting demoted from AAA, where he posted a .270 BA with 7 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, and a .338 OBP in 63 ABs.  Solid in AA this year: .314 BA, 15 2B, 12 HR, 33 RBI, .366 OBP.
• MATT PACKER (22, SP):  5 IP, 9 ER, 9 H (3 HR), BB, K.  A disastrous outing for Packer, who when a combined 14 IP in his first 2 starts in AA with 10 K, 4 BB, 9 H, and 1 ER allowed.

HIGH-A KINSTON INDIANS (Game 1 of doubleheader: W, 3-1)

• DONNIE WEBB (24, OF):  2-4, 2 RBI.  More below.
• CHUN CHEN (21, C):  1-2, BB.  More below.
• JUAN DIAZ (21, SS):  1-2, BB, SB.  More below.
• DOUG PICKENS (25, OF):  1-2, BB.  More below.
• AUSTIN ADAMS (23, SP):  5 IP, ER, 2 H (HR), 4 BB, 4 K.  Stellar since getting the call to high-A: 1.40 ERA, 36 K, 11 BB, .217 BAA in 45 IP.

HIGH-A KINSTON INDIANS (Game 2 of doubleheader: W, 5-3)

• DONNIE WEBB:  1-3, SB.  Last 10 games: .303, 3 2B, 2 RBI.  Season with Kinston (200 ABs): .245 BA, 11 2B, 4 HR, 26 RBI, .330 OBP.
• CHUN CHEN:  1-2, 2B, RBI, BB, SB.  Last 10 games: .344, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 7 BB.  Season with Kinston (114 ABs): .307 BA, 11 2B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, .414 OBP.
• JUAN DIAZ:  1-3, HR, 2 RBI.  Started slow with Kinston, batting .222 in 99 July ABs, but batting .321 so far in August and .378 over his last 10 contests.
• DOUG PICKENS:  1-2, RBI.  Has at least 1 hit in 6 of his last 7 contests, batting .292 in that span (7-24) with 5 RBI.  Season with Kinston (280 ABs): .236 BA, 10 2B, 6 HR, 35 RBI, .301 OBP.
• BO GREENWELL (21, OF):  1-3, BB.  Solid if unspectacular so far for Kinston (165 ABs): .309 BA, 6 2B, 9 RBI, 7 SB, .384 OBP.
• MARTY POPHAM (23, SP):  5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H (HR), 2 BB, 6 K.  Last 3 outings: 15 IP, 8 ER, 19 H (3 HR), 4 BB, 19 K.
• BRIAN GRENING (25, RP):  IP, 2 K.  Season with Kinston (23 appearances): 43 IP, 3.77 ERA, 53 K, 24 BB, .200 BAA.  In AA before demotion to high-A earlier this season: 14.2 IP, 4.91 ERA, 15 K, 11 BB, .236 BAA.
• CORY BURNS (22, CP):  IP, H, 3 K, SV.  High-A save #24 on the season and #36 overall for Burns.  He’s been dominant in high-A this season: 31.2 IP, 46 K, 12 BB, .200 BAA.  In his last 2 outings (2 IP), he’s struck out 6.

The low-A Lake County Captains had a scheduled day off on Tuesday while the Mahoning Valley Scrappers enjoyed the second day of their two-day all-star break.

With the 2010 draft signing deadline just passed, I will write something up on the Indians’ top picks sometime soon.  The Tribe was able to get most of its top choices signed, including first rounder (#5 overall) Drew Pomeranz (LHP) and second rounder (#55 overall) LeVon Washington (OF).

August 14: Espino and White Stellar on the Mound, Chisenhall Goes Deep

In an effort to save some time, I’m trying out a new format today.  We’ll see how it goes.  Of course, your feedback is always welcome.  Featured performances are italicized.

AAA COLUMBUS (W, 1-0)

• PAOLO ESPINO (23-SP):  7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 8 K (3 starts in AAA (19.2 IP): 2.75 ERA, 5 BB, 14 K, .239 BAA)
• JOSE CONSTANZA (26-OF):  2-4, SB (Last 10: .368 BA, .429 OBP)
• MATT McBRIDE (25-LF):  2-2, RBI (13 games in AAA (51 ABs): .373 BA)
• DREW SUTTON (27-2B):  1-3, 2B (7 games with Columbus (24 ABs): .292 BA, .370 OBP)
• BRYCE STOWELL (23-RP):  IP, 2 K (14 appearances in AAA (16 IP): 3.38 ERA, 13 BB, 25 K, .167 BAA)
• VINNIE PESTANO (25-RP):  IP, 2 K, SV (36 appearances in AAA (39.1 IP): 1.83 ERA, 12 BB, 52 K, .215 BAA)

AA AKRON (W, 12-2)

• ALEX WHITE (21-SP):  6 IP, 3 H, BB, ER, 3 K (A nice rebound after giving up 11 ER in his last 2 starts (10 IP))
• LONNIE CHISENHALL (21-3B):  3-4, HR, 5 RBI (5-11 in last 3 games, now has 15 HR and 66 RBI in 2010)
• JORDAN HENRY (22-CF):  2-4, RBI, 2 BB (5-12, 4 BB, 3 RBI in last 3 games)
• JASON KIPNIS (23-2B):  1-3, RBI, BB (8 game hit streak, 8 RBI during that stretch)
• BEAU MILLS (24-1B):  2-5, 2B, 2 RBI (4 for last 10 with 2 2B, 22 2B and 61 RBI in 2010)
• JOHN DRENNEN (23-OF):  2-5, RBI (8-18 in last 4 games, .299 BA, 49 RBI in 2010)
• CARLOS RIVERO (22-SS):  2-5 (7-19 in last 5 games with 4 RBI)
• TIM FEDROFF (23-OF):  3-5 (.343 in last 9 games)
• CRISTO ARNAL (24-2B):  2-5 (.324 in last 9 games)
• JUAN APODACA (24-C):  2-3, 2 BB (In 7 games with Akron: .500 (9-18), 10 BB (.679 OBP))

HIGH A KINSTON (L, 1-3)

• JOSEPH MAHALIC (21-SP):  5 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 0 ER (2 unearned), K (Last 10 starts (47.1 IP): 30 BB, 25 K, 25 ER)
• ABNER ABREU (20-OF):  2-4, SB (4-10 in last 3 games)
• DONNIE WEBB (24-OF):  1-3, 2B, BB (7 game hit streak (.320 BA))
• BO GREENWELL (21-OF):  2-4, RBI (.318 BA, .393 OBP in 154 ABs in 2010 with Kinston)
• CHUN CHEN (21-C):  1-3, BB (.282 BA, .389 OBP in 103 ABs in 2010 with Kinston)

LOW A LAKE COUNTY (L, 2-4)

• BRETT BRACH (22-SP):  7 IP, 8 H, 0 BB, 2 ER (1 unearned), 6 K (Last 1o starts (62.2 IP): 2.15 ERA, 8 BB, 56 K, .258 BAA)
• DELVI CID (21-OF):  1-3, SB, BB (59 SB in 2010)
• JASON SMIT (20-1B/OF):  1-3, 2B, BB (6 game hit streak, .318 BA during that stretch)
• ARGENIS MARTINEZ (20-2B):  1-4, 3B, RBI (10-29 (.349 BA) in last 9 games with 7 BB (.472 OBP))
• TYLER HOLT (21-CF):  1-4, 3B, RBI (Professional debut – drafted out of Florida State)
• OWEN DEW (21-P):  2 IP, H (HR), 2 K (Low A debut – 2.64 ERA, 4 BB, 25 K, .206 BAA in 9 starts (47.2 IP with Mahoning Valley)

SHORT-SEASON MAHONING VALLEY (L, 3-4)

• CASEY GAYNOR (23-P):  5 IP, 5 H, ER,BB, 3 K (Last 4 appearances: 18.2 IP, 13 H, 5 BB, 14 K)
• DIEGO SEASTRUNK (22-C):  3-4, RBI (.190 BA in 105 ABs in 2010, .229 BA in last 10 games)
• BRIAN HEERE (23-OF):  3-3, 3B, RBI, BB (9-28 in last 9 games)

August 13: Moncrief Continues Hot Streak, Goodnight Solid in Pro Debut

Pitcher-turned-outfielder CARLOS MONCRIEF (21) continued his recent tear on Friday, going 2 for 4 with 2 2B and an RBI.  After a rough June (.167 in 42 ABs) and July (.204 in 98 ABs), Moncrief exploded in August, batting .396 through 48 at-bats.  He’s evened out his K:BB rate some (11:4, 17:11, and now 10:7), so that’s a good sign that he’s developing.  He’s also pounding out more extra-base hits.  In 42 June at-bats, he logged only 2, 8 in 98 July at-bats, and now 6 so far in 48 August at-bats.  His season average is up to .245, to go along with 9 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 16 RBI, and 6 SB.

A 2010 Tribe draftee, MICHAEL GOODNIGHT (21), made his professional debut with the Scrappers on Friday night.  The 6’4″, 215 lb. right-handed pitcher started the game against Lowell, pitching 3 scoreless innings in which he gave up 1 hit and struck out 3.  The Indians previously drafted Goodnight out of high school in 2008, but he opted to attend Houston instead.  They selected him again this year in the 13th round, as a draft-eligible sophomore.  In 2009 with Houston, he posted a 4.43 ERA with 58 K, 31 BB, and 68 hits allowed in 65 innings.  In 2010, he compiled a 5.36 ERA with 90 K, 54 BB, and 90 hits allowed in 85.2 IP.  The ERA, BB, and hits allowed are all problematic at this point, as Goodnight has some control issues.  But he throws reasonably hard (low-mid 90s) and can strike batters out.  Clearly, the Indians see some potential in him and his (walk-free) debut with the Scrappers was promising.

Kinston starting pitcher T.J. McFARLAND (21) had a solid outing spoiled by poor defense on Friday.  In 6 innings of work, he allowed 5 runs (only 1 earned) on 7 hits and no walks while striking out 6.  The 3 errors committed by his defense should not mar this solid start, one of many that he’s made this season.  In 21 appearances (16 starts), the young lefty has compiled a 2.74 ERA with 80 K, 31 BB, and a .250 BAA in 115 innings.  The Indians drafted McFarland in the 4th round of the 2007 draft out of high school.  He had a rough 2008 campaign with the GCL (rookie league) Indians (5.07 ERA, 38 K, 15 BB, .314 BAA in 55 IP), but improved last year with Lake County, compiling a 3.58 ERA with 85 K, 42 BB, and a .275 BAA in 120.2 IP.  I’m not as excited about him as I am about Joe Gardner, for instance, but he’s showing some growth.

AAA Columbus Rundown (W, 12-4):  A few big bats in this one for the Clippers, starting with leadoff man JOSE CONSTANZA.  Constanza went 4 for 4 on Friday with 3 RBI, a run scored, a BB, and missed the cycle only by a home run.  He’s batting .316 in his last 10 games with 7 RBI and a .381 OBP…  Second baseman CORD PHELPS went 2 for 5 with a HR, 5 RBI, and 2 runs scored.  He now has 3 2-game hits in a row and is batting .333 in his last 10 games…  JARED GOEDERT went 2 for 5 with a pair of 2Bs and 2 RBI.  He’s 7 for his last 20 (.350) with 5 extra-base hits in that stretch of 5 games…  DREW SUTTON went 1 for 5 with a 2-run home run, his first jack with the Indians organization.  In 6 games with the Clippers, he’s batting .286 with 5 RBI (3 K, 3 BB)…  First baseman/DH WES HODGES now has at least 1 base hit in each of his last 4 games, 3 of which are multi-hit efforts.  He went 2 for 4 on Friday with a run scored.

AA Akron Rundown (W, 11-7):  Quite a few big bats to note in this one, so let’s get to it.  As always, JORDAN HENRY led the charge, going 3 for 5 with a 3B and a pair of RBI.  In his last 7 games, he’s batting .333 (9 for 27) with a .455 OBP…  JASON KIPNIS is riding a modest 7-game hitting streak after going 2 for 5 with a HR, 2 RBI, and a SB on Friday.  He’s 11 for 32 in that stretch (.344) with 4 extra-base hits and 7 RBI…  LONNIE CHISENHALL went 1 for 3 with 2 BB and a run scored.  He’s drawn 5 walks in his last 3 games after taking none in his previous 7…  First baseman BEAU MILLS went 2 for 5 with a 2B on Friday, snapping a 4-game hitless streak (0 for 18)…  Shortstop CARLOS RIVERO went 2 for 4 with a 2B and 2 RBI.  He’s now 5 for his last 14 (.357) with 4 RBI…  Second baseman CRISTO ARNAL extended his current hitting streak to 6 games with a 2 for 4 performance in which he hit a 3B and drove in 3 runs.  During that stretch, he’s batting .304…  Catcher JUAN APODACA went 1 for 3 with a BB.  He’s now batting .467 with a .652 OBP in 6 games with Akron.  Right fielder JOHN DRENNEN went 2 for 5, pulling his season average up to .297; he’s batting .367 in his last 8 contests (12 for 33).

High A Kinston Rundown (L, 1-6):  Little to note here, as the Indians’ offense took the night off.  ABNER ABREU went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a BB.  He’s now 2 for his last 6 after being 2 for his previous 33…  KAREXON SANCHEZ went 1 for 3 with a BB.  He’s now 4 for his last 11.

Lake County Rundown (L, 2-3):  Another quiet game, although first baseman JEFF KERSTEN went 1 for 4 with a 2-run home run.  The longball was his 3rd in his last 4 games and he’s recorded exactly 1 base hit in each of his past 6 contests…  Reliever PRESTON GUILMET had another nice appearance, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings in which he gave up 1 BB and struck out 4.  In 40 IP this season, he’s struck out 57 batters while walking only 7 (2.03 ERA).

Mahoning Valley Rundown (W, 3-2):  KEVIN RUCKER went 1 for 3 with a 2B and a run scored in this one.  He’s 5 for his last 17 (.294) after going 0 for 13 before that…  JONATHAN BURNETTE went 1 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  He’s batting .350 in his past 10 games with 9 extra-base hits and 9 RBI in that span.

August 7: Chisenhall Hits Two Home Runs for Akron, Popham Lights Out for Kinston

Akron Aeros third baseman LONNIE CHISENHALL (21) had an excellent day at the plate on Saturday, going 3 for 5 with 2 solo home runs against New Britain.  Chisenhall had been mired in a 1 for 19 slump before the game, so the outburst was much-needed.  He now has 14 HR on the season for Akron, including 4 in his last 8 games.  As exciting as last night’s performance was, I’ll try to temper my enthusiasm.  There is much to like about Chisenhall’s talent, but he’s shown little consistency in AA this year and while he’s having a solid year, a .271 BA, 14 HR, and 57 RBI line is a bit disappointing considering his potential.  We’ll see if yesterday’s game marks the beginning of another hot streak or if he lapses into another frustrating cold spell.

Kinston starting pitcher MARTY POPHAM (23) was nothing short of outstanding on Saturday, as he shut out Lynchburg through 5 innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 BB while striking out 10.  The Indians selected Popham in the 20th round of the 2008 draft out of Union College (621st overall) and he was solid with the GCL Indians (rookie league) in 2008 and short-season Mahoning Valley in 2009.  In 2010, the Indians have bounced him around a bit, as he’s appeared in games for Lake County, Akron, and Columbus, in addition to Kinston.  In his 12 high A appearances (8 starts), he’s recorded a 4.19 ERA with 53 Ks, 12 BBs, and a .282 BAA in 53.2 innings of work.  In a spot start for Akron earlier this season, he allowed 1 run on 5 hits and no BB while striking out 6 in 6 innings of work.  The guy appears to have some talent, and Saturday’s lights-out performance showed that.

In an impressive offensive performance by Kinston on Saturday that gave Popham more than enough run support, outfielder BO GREENWELL (21) stood out.  Batting leadoff, Greenwell went 4 for 5 with 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base.  Over his last 10 games, he’s batting .368 with 3 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, and 2 SB.  On the season between Lake County and Kinston, he’s batting .320 with 19 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 44 RBI, and 21 SB (46 BB, 62 K) in 381 at-bats.  With Kinston, he’s hitting .338 with a .409 OBP in 133 at-bats.  The left-handed batter has yet to display much power, but he has shown a knack for getting base hits and stealing a few bags.  He’s only hitting .205 against lefties (.394 against righties) in high A, so that’s some reason for concern.  The Indians selected Greenwell in the 6th round of the 2007 draft (197th overall) out of high school; he’s the son of former major leaguer Mike Greenwell.

Outfielder MICHAEL BRANTLEY (23) was recently recalled to Cleveland from AAA Columbus.  It was an unsurprising move (Manager Manny Acta said after his last demotion that he’d be back before too long, and he raked while with Columbus in his most recent stint there), and Brantley made his presence felt against Minnesota on Friday, going 2 for 4 with a BB and 2 runs scored.  He went 0 for 4 last night.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 2-6):  The Clippers continued their recent slump, losing their 3rd straight to Buffalo and dropping their 7th of their last 8 contests.  Part of the problem may be that the Clippers have been without outfielder NICK WEGLARZ, who is on the DL and hasn’t played since July 26 because of a thumb injury.  He’s eligible to be activated on August 10.  He was on fire before the injury, batting .412 with 5 2B, 4 HR, and 5 RBI…  The only notable Clippers performance on Saturday was that of a new guy, ARGENIS REYES (27).  The Indians recently acquired Reyes and AA catcher Juan Apodaca (see below) from the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations.  On Saturday, Reyes went 2 for 4; he’s 4 for 7 in 2 games with the Clippers after batting .256 in 43 at-bats for Pawtucket this season.  There’s nothing much to be excited about here.

AA Akron Rundown (W, 10-6):  A nice night at the dish for a few Aeros against New Britain.  Newly acquired catcher JUAN APODACA (24) went 2 for 2 with 2 BB and a run scored in his second game with the Aeros; he went 1 for 3 with a BB on Friday.  Acquired to add catching depth to the Indians farm system after Carlos Santana’s recent season-ending injury, Apodaca was batting .209 with a .306 OBP in 43 at-bats for AAA Pawtucket before the Sox traded him…  Second baseman JASON KIPNIS went only 1 for 5, but he drove in 2 and scored a run.  In his last 10 contests, he’s driven in 9 runs while batting .350…  First baseman BEAU MILLS went 2 for 4 at the plate, doubling and drawing a walk.  He now has 20 2B on the season to go along with a .240 BA; he’s batting .273 so far in August…  Right fielder JOHN DRENNEN went 2 for 5 with a 2B and 3 RBI.  He’s batting only .146 over his last 10 games, but is 4 for his last 13…  Outfielder TIM FEDROFF went 2 for 4 with a 2B and a SB.  He’s batting .324 in his last 10 games and is 4 for his last 12…  Relief pitcher STEVEN WRIGHT tossed a pair of scoreless innings for the Aeros, allowing 1 walk while striking out 3.  In 44.2 innings of work for Akron this season, he’s posted a 4.43 ERA with 32 K, 16 BB, and a .273 BAA.

High A Kinston Rundown (W, 9-2):  Although Greenwell paced the Indians’ offense on Saturday (see above), a few other players had notable performances.  Third baseman KYLE BELLOWS went 2 for 5 with a 2B and an RBI.  He was 0 for 9 in the previous 3 games, but was still batting .297 in his last 10 overall (including 8 RBI in that span)…  JEREMIE TICE went 3 for 3 with a BB and 3 runs scored.  In his last 10 games, he’s hitting .316…  Second baseman RON RIVAS went only 1 for 4 with a 2B, but he drove in 3 runs and scored another.  He’s hitting an even .300 over his last 10 contests with 7 RBI.

Class A Lake County Rundown (L, 0-2):  The Captains were shut out for the second straight game, which comes as a bit of a surprise considering their offensive prowess in the past few weeks.  ADAM ABRAHAM went 2 for 4 at the plate, though, and is batting .375 in his last 10 games with a .468 OBP…  Shortstop ARGENIS MARTINEZ went 1 for 3 with a SB and a BB.  He’s batting only .212 on the season and the SB was his 18th…  The Captains offense wasted another solid outing by starter CLAYTON COOK, who gave up 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits and 3 BB in 7.2 IP while striking out 5.  His season ERA with Lake County now sits at 3.48.

Short-Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (W, 9-6):  A few big bats erupted in this game against Aberdeen.  Outfielder and leadoff man CARLOS MONCRIEF went 2 for 4 with a solo HR and 3 runs scored.  He’s batting .324 in his last 10 contests…  Third baseman GIOVANNY URSHELA is on fire.  He went 3 for 4 on Saturday with a BB, a 2B, a HR, and 4 RBI.  He’s batting .378 in his last 10 contests with 3 HR and 8 RBI (3 BB, 2 K)…  First baseman JESUS AGUILAR continued to impress, going 1 for 3 with 2 BB and a 2-run HR.  In 7 games with the Scrappers, he’s batting .333 (9 for 27) with 3 2B, a HR, 3 RBI, and 3 BB…  Reliever NICK KIRK picked up the save for the Scrappers, allowing 3 hits and striking out 3 in 1.2 innings of work.  He’s now struck out 19 batters in his last 14.2 IP and 32 in 21.1 IP on the season.

August 6: Indians Re-Claim Hodges, AA and High A Hurlers Put Together Solid Performances

On July 27, I commented on the Indians designating AAA first baseman WES HODGES (25) for assignment.  A few days ago, the Rockies organization claimed him on waivers and he appeared set to begin playing with their AAA affiliate, the Colorado Springs SkySox.  Well, that didn’t actually happen; the Indians re-claimed Hodges and he’s back in Columbus.  After not playing for a week and a half or so, Hodges started last night for the Clippers against Buffalo, going 1 for 5 with a run scored and 2 Ks.  I’m not exactly sure what the Indians are doing here, why they are jerking Hodges around, but I do know that he is now riding a modest 6-game hitting streak.  I know that many are skeptical of his future with the Tribe, but I felt that the Indians scuttled him a bit prematurely… I’m glad to see him back.

In the Akron Aeros narrow 2-1 victory over New Britain on Friday, a pair of pitchers shined.  Starter SCOTT BARNES (22) went 7 shutout innings, allowing 2 hits and 1 BB while striking out 8.  The lefty’s overall numbers in AA this season aren’t exactly amazing (4.83 ERA with 99 Ks, 43 BB, and a .242 BAA in 110 IP), but he’s been better as of late, posting a 3.73 ERA with 44 Ks, 19 BB, and a .243 BAA in his last 10 starts.  He still tends to alternate solid outings with subpar ones, so he’ll need to work on becoming more consistent if he hopes to take the next step.  CONNOR GRAHAM (24) relieved Barnes and pitched 2 innings, allowing 1 unearned run on 1 hit and 2 BB while striking out 3.  He hasn’t allowed an earned run since July 8th (9 straight scoreless appearances) and has a 3.27 ERA in 63.1 innings of work with the Aeros this season, striking out 48, walking 38, and allowing a BAA of .258.  His numbers have been impressive over his last 10 appearances (15 IP): .60 ERA, 18 K, 5 BB, and a .190 BAA.

A pair of young Kinston pitchers performed well against Lynchburg on Friday, but endured a disappointing 2-1 loss.  AUSTIN ADAMS (23) started the game, going 5 solid innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits (including a solo HR) and no walks while striking out 5.  In 8 appearances (7 starts) for the Indians since getting promoted from Lake County, Adams has recorded a 1.47 ERA with 32 Ks, 7 BBs, and a .225 BAA in 36.2 innings of work.  The Indians’ 5th round draft pick out of Faulkner University in 2009 is quickly ascending the Tribe’s farm system after a solid showing in Lake County earlier this season (3.53 ERA, 61 K, 21 BB, .206 BAA in 52.1 innings).  Reliever CHRIS JONES (21) followed Adams with 3 innings in which he allowed 1 run on 1 hit and no walks while striking out 5.  The lefty pitched well with Lake County earlier this season, posting a 2.86 ERA with 20 Ks, 2 BB, and a .200 BAA in 22 IP before getting bumped up to Kinston.  In 50.2 innings in high A, Jones has struck out 46, walked 17, and held opponents to a .209 BA while maintaining a 1.60 ERA.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 5-7):  A few notable Clippers performances in this close loss on Friday to Buffalo.  Center fielder EZEQUIEL CARRERA, acquired in the trade that sent Russell Branyan to Seattle earlier this season, went 2 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  Since joining the Clippers, he’s batted .321 with a .379 OBP in 15 games (53 at-bats).  In his current 6-game hitting streak, he is hitting .417 (10 for 24) with a .462 OBP…  JOSH RODRIGUEZ went 2 for 5 with a double.  He’s batting .295 with 4 2B, 3 HR, and 7 RBI over his last 1o contests…  JOSE CONSTANZA went 2 for 4 with an RBI, raising his season average to .301.

AA Akron Rundown (W, 2-1):  Top prospect JASON KIPNIS remained hot, going 2 for 5 with a run scored.  He went 0 for 3 on Thursday, but is still batting .359 in his last 10 games (.405 OBP)…  Outfielder JORDAN HENRY went 0 for 4 in each of the past 2 games before Friday’s contest, but he went 3 for 4 with a BB against New Britain to regain his on-base machine form.  He’s hitting .421 with a .500 OBP over his last 10 games…  A solid but unspectacular game for first baseman BEAU MILLS, who went 1 for 3 with a BB.  After heating up a bit over the last couple of weeks, he was 0 for 7 in the last 2 games of the series with Altoona before Friday night.

High A Kinston Rundown (L, 1-2):  Little to note in this game, outside of the pitching performances by Adams and Jones (see above).  Second baseman KAREXON SANCHEZ had another solid game, though, going 2 for 4 at the plate.  He’s batting .370 over his last 7 games (10 for 27).

Class A Lake County Rundown (L, 0-3):  A rare quiet game for the Captains offensively on Friday night, although outfielder JASON SMIT went 2 for 3 with a stolen base.  He’s batting .450 over his last 5 games (9 for 20) with 2 2B, a HR, and 7 RBI…  Lake County starting pitcher TREY HALEY had a reasonably good outing, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and 3 BB while striking out 7 in 7 innings.  On a normal day, that would have been more than enough to pick up the win for the Captains, but the offense took the night off.  Haley is having a rough season with Lake County, recording a 5.27 ERA with 75 Ks, 61 BB, and a .266 BAA in 21 starts (94 IP).  He’s only 20 and showed some flashes of potential on Friday night (and in other starts this season), but the amount of free passes that he issues is troubling…  Reliever FRANCISCO JIMENEZ looked good on Friday, pitching 2 scoreless frames, allowing 1 hit and 1 BB while punching out 3.  He’s also had a rough season with Lake County, posting a 4.31 ERA with 51 K, 18 BB, and a .276 BAA in 62.2 IP.  In his last 10 appearances, he’s recorded a 5.66 ERA with 11 Ks, 9 BB, and a .313 BAA in 20.2 IP.

Short-Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 2-6):  Recent addition JESUS AGUILAR continued his hot start with the Scrappers, going 2 for 4 on Friday with a 2B.  In 6 games since his promotion to Mahoning Valley, he’s batting .333 with 3 2B in 24 at-bats…  Center fielder CARLOS MONCRIEF went 2 for 4 on Friday; he’s 7 for his last 15 and is batting .294 over his last 10 games…  Outfielder JONATHAN BURNETTE went 1 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  In his last 3 games, he has 5 extra-base hits (2 2B, 3 HR) and 4 RBI…  Third baseman GIOVANNY URSHELA went 1 for 3 at the dish with a BB.  He’s batting .351 over his last 10 games while striking out only twice and walking twice.  Over his last 5 games, he’s hitting .393 (11 for 28) with 2 HR and 4 RBI.

August 3: Talkin’ Starters: Espino, White, and Mahalic

RHP PAOLO ESPINO (age 23) made his AAA debut with Columbus on Tuesday, helping to fill the void after the recent promotions of Josh Tomlin and Jeanmar Gomez.  He pitched 7 fine innings against Louisville, allowing 2 runs (both earned) on 6 hits (one HR) and no walks while striking out 4.  Espnino’s final stat line in AA was a solid 4.00 ERA with 92 Ks, 35 BB, and a .245 BAA in 101.1 IP.  He’s not the most overpowering or dominant pitcher, but he appears fairly consistent and reliable.  The Indians selected Espino in the 10th round of the 2006 draft out of high school and he’s currently in his 4th year of professional ball.  I look forward to seeing what he does down the stretch, as he does a good job of issuing a modest amount of free passes and hits while also posting decent strikeout totals.

ALEX WHITE (age 21) of the Aeros, however, had a rare poor outing on Tuesday.  Against Altoona, he allowed 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out only 2 in 5 innings of work.  As this was an uncharacteristic performance for White, I won’t read too much into it.  This was his first subpar outing since June 19, when he allowed 3 earned runs on 8 hits (2 HR) and struck out only 1.  In the intervening 7 starts, he allowed 1 or no runs, giving up a total of 5 during that stretch; he struck out 37 and walked 5 during those 43 innings.  As this is his first season of professional ball and he’s tossed 127.1 innings between Kinston and Akron, it’s possible that he may be tiring.  But I’ll withhold further judgment on the matter until he pitches some more.

Kinston starter JOSEPH MAHALIC (age 21) was simply dominant in the Indians’ shutout of Myrtle Beach in game two of their doubleheader on Tuesday (game 1 was the remainder of Monday’s suspended game).  Mahalic went 6 scoreless innings against the Pelicans, giving up only 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8.  On the season, he’s posted a 4.20 ERA with 57 Ks, 40 BB, and a BAA of .282 in 83.2 innings of work.  He’s a bit streaky, though, as he tends to lump together a stretch of a few impressive starts interspersed with stretches of rough starts.  But his is 21 and in high A, so he has some time to develop.  The biggest task ahead of him will be cutting down on walks; he’s issued 3 or more in 6 of his past 10 games.  Tuesday’s game showed his potential, now he needs to make the necessary adjustments to make such performances more routine.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 3-4):  In this 12-inning game, there were no standout performances for the Clippers at the plate.  Third baseman JARED GOEDERT went 1 for 5 with a 2B and a run scored.  He’s batting only .179 with a .304 OBP over his last 10 contests…  CORD PHELPS went 1 for 4 with a 2B and a run scored.  He’s cooled off considerably since his 13-game hitting streak ended; he’s hitting only .205 with a .311 BAA over his last 10 games…  Outfielder JOSE CONSTANZA went 2 for 3.  He’s batting .300 over his last 10 games and his season average is at .302.  He’s been unspectacular with the Clippers, but consistently good…  Reliever VINNIE PESTANO logged another scoreless inning of work, striking out 1 and allowing a hit.  He hasn’t given up a single run since June.

AA Akron Rundown (L, 3-4):  Little to note in his one.  BEAU MILLS went 2 for 3 at the dish with a 2B, BB, and an RBI.  He’s hitting .333 over his lasts 10 games (12 for 36) with 4 2B, a HR, and 8 RBI (.395 OBP).  He’s done a nice job of shifting the momentum of his 2010 season in a positive direction after a very slow start (well, a slow April, May, and June)…  JORDAN HENRY went only 1 for 4 on Thursday, but still logged an OBP of .400 as he also drew a walk.  He’s gotten on base at a .568 clip over his last 10 games (.472 BA).

High A Kinston Rundown (L, 2-12 / W, 1-0):  A pretty quiet doubleheader for the Indians, outside of Mahalic’s tremendous performance on the mound (see above).  In game 1, catcher CHUN CHEN went 1 for 3 with an RBI.  He’s now batting .344 over his last 10 games with 10 RBI…  BO GREENWELL stroked 2 singles in 4 at-bats.  He’s hitting .297 over his last 10 contests…  Outfielder ABNER ABREU went 2 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI, raising his average over his last 10 games to .308 (.357 OBP)…  Second baseman KAREXON SANCHEZ was the only Indian to put together 2 good games on Tuesday, going 1 for 2 with 2 BB in the first game and 1 for 3 with a 2B in the second.  He’s hitting .333 (5 for 15) over his last 4 games with 2 2B, a HR, and 2BB…  In the second game of the doubleheader, closing pitcher CORY BURNS earned his 20th save with the Indians (32nd overall in 2010), tossing a hitless inning in which he struck out a pair.  He’s now whiffed 39 batters in 26.2 innings in high A ball.

Class A Lake County Rundown (W, 13-7):  Another offensive outburst for the Captains on Tuesday, although ADAM ABRAHAM had a fairly quiet game (1-4, BB)…  Center fielder DELVI CID again paced the Captains, going 2 for 5 with a BB, 2 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases.  He now has 56 on the season and 7 in his last 4 games.  He’s batting .474 (9 for 19) during that stretch with a .524 OBP…  Catcher ROBERTO PEREZ went 2 for 3 with a HR, 2 RBI, and 2 BB.  He’s hitting only .223 in 292 at-bats with the Captains this season, but he is 4 for his last 8…  Outfielder JASON SMIT had his second straight quality performance, going 2 for 4 with a 2B and 3 RBI.  He’s 4 for 9 in his last 2 games with 4 RBI…  Second baseman ARGENIS MARTINEZ went 3 for 5 with a 3B and an RBI.  He’s hitting only .202 in 247 at-bats with Lake County, and .262 over his last 10 contests…  DH/first baseman CHRIS KERSTEN went 2 for 5 with a 2B.  He’s logged at least 1 base hit in his last 9 games…  Every starter in the Lake County lineup got on base at least once, 8 of the 9 at least twice.  The only player to not log a base hit in the contest was GREG FOLGIA, who went 0 for 2 with 3 BB.

Short-Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 1-8):  The Scrappers didn’t do much in this one against Batavia.  Third baseman GIOVANNY URSHELA went 2 for 4, raising his season average to .270.  He’s batting .324 over his last 10 games with 2 HR and 5 RBI…  JONATHAN BURNETTE went 1 for 3 with a walk…  CARLOS MONCRIEF moved to just a shade under the Mendoza line (.199) with a 2 for 4 day.

As expected, the Indians put CARLOS SANTANA on the disabled list on Tuesday.  Doctors say that the has a severely sprained left knee and have not yet determined if surgery will be necessary.  LOU MARSON got the call up and provided the Indians only offense in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Boston, hitting a solo HR off of Josh Beckett.

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 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.