August 22: Gardner Stellar Again, Constanza Continues Recent Tear

AAA COLUMBUS (L, 2-4)

• JOSE CONSTANZA (26, OF):  2-4.  9-game hit streak: 17-35 (.486), 3 extra-base hits, 4 RBI, 6 BB, 2 K, 5 SB.  Season stats (354 ABs):  .314 BA, 9 2B, 6 3B, HR, 30 RBI, 30 BB, 50 K, 33 SB (only 5 CS).
• EZEQUIEL CARRERA (23, CF):  2-4.  Last 8 games: .314, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 8 K, SB.
• AREGENIS REYES (27, 2B):  2-4, RBI.  In 9 games with Clippers: .333 (10-30), 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 3 K.
• CARLOS CARRASCO (23, SP):  7.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, BB, 8 K.  Last 10 outings: 56.2 IP, 3.02 ERA, 54 K, 16 BB, .230 BAA.

AA AKRON (Game 1 of doubleheader: L, 1-6)

• JORDAN HENRY (22, CF):  1-3, BB.  Last 10 games: .357 BA, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 8 K.
• LONNIE CHISENHALL (21, 3B):  2-3, 2 2B, RBI.  Last 10 games: .400 BA, 5 2B, HR, 13 RBI, 7 BB, 8 K, SB.
• COREY KLUBER (24, SP):  5.1 IP, ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K.  Last 2 outings: 11.1 IP, ER, 11 H, 3 BB, 7 K.
• NICK HAGADONE (24, P):  2 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K, Loss.  Has given up at least 1 run in each of his past 5 appearances (10.2 IP).

AA AKRON (Game 2: L, 1-2)

• JOHN DRENNEN (23, OF):  1-1, BB.  Last 10: .389 BA, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 BB, K, SB.
• CARLOS RIVERO 22, SS):  3-3, RBI.  Last 10: .342 BA, 2 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, BB, 7 K.
• MATT PACKER 22, SP):  5 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 4 K.  Through 4 AA appearances (24 IP): 4.50 ERA, 15 K, 6 BB, .282 BAA.

HIGH-A KINSTON (W, 9-2)

• BO GREENWELL (21, OF):  2-4, RBI.  August: .246 BA, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 7 BB, 17 K, 2 SB in 69 AB.
• KAREXON SANCHEZ (23, 2B):  1-3, 2B, 2 BB, SB.  After batting just .216 in July, he’s hitting .271 so far in August (70 AB).
• CHUN CHEN (21, C):  0-1, RBI, 2 BB, SB.  9-game hit streak ends, but still manages to produce.  Batting .414 with a .538 OBP in last 10 games.  High-A totals: .312 BA, .427 OBP, 12 2B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 3 SB, 26 BB, 30 K in 125 ABs.
• DONNIE WEBB (24, OF):  1-2, BB.  Last 6 games: .421 BA (8-19), 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, SB.
• JUAN DIAZ (21, SS):  1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, SB.  7-game hit streak: .435 BA (10-23), 3 extra-base hits, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB.
• JEREMIE TICE (23, 1B/3B):  1-2, 2 BB.  Last 10 games: .250 BA, 3 extra-base hits, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 10 K.
• ABNER ABREU (20, RF):  2-3, RBI.  Last 10 games: .400, 4 extra-base hits, 9 RBI, BB, 9 K, SB.
• JOSEPH GARDNER (22, SP):  5 IP, 2 runs (1 earned), 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K.  Last 5 starts: 29 IP, 6 ER, 23 H, 9 BB, 21 K.  Season with Kinston: 20 starts (112 IP), 2.81 ERA, 98 K, 42 BB, .201 BAA.  Not bad for a guy in his first season of pro ball (3rd round pick in 2009 draft).
• TYLER STURDEVANT (24, RP):  IP, H, 3 K.  3.92 ERA, 24 K, 9 BB, .238 BAA  in 20.2 IP in high-A this season.

LOW-A LAKE COUNTY (L, 7-12)

• TYLER HOLT (21, CF):  2-3, 2B, BB, SB.  3 for last 7 with 2 2B after going 0 for previous 8.
• DELVI CID (21, OF):  0-2, BB, SB.  Snapped an 8-game hitting streak, but SB was number 63 of the year.
• CASEY FRAWLEY (22, SS):  1-4, 2B, BB, 3 RBI.  Last 4 games: 6-15, 2 extra-base hits, 4 RBI, 2 BB, SB.
• ADAM ABRAHAM (23, 3B):  1-5, HR, 2 RBI.  Last 10 games: .286 BA, .348 OBP, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K.

SHORT-SEASON MAHONING VALLEY (L, 4-0)

• JONATHAN BURNETTE (22, LF):  1-3.  Batting .321 in 78 August ABs with 8 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, and 4 BB.
• BRIAN HEERE (23, OF):  1-2, BB.  6-game hit streak: 9-17 (.529), 2 RBI, 4 BB.

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 8: Nuno Solid Against South Bend, Moncrief Continues to Rake

In a day in which ALL of the Indians’ minor league affiliates (above rookie ball) lost their respective games, there are understandably few individual performances to highlight.  After all, the five teams mustered a whole 18 runs between them, with Mahoning Valley accounting for 8 of those.  But I’ll do my best…

Lake County Captains starting pitcher VIDAL NUNO (23) pitched a good game on Sunday, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits and no walks while striking out 8 in 6 innings of work.  The 2 home runs that he allowed were his downfall, as he pitched an otherwise stellar game.  Longballs are a general problem for him, though, as he also gave up 2 in his last outing and has allowed a total of 10 in 70 innings pitched this season.  As a matter of fact, he’s given up just as many HRs as BBs this season.  If he can cut down on the HRs, he has BB and K numbers (10 and 72) that suggest he could be more effective.  His .289 BAA is also on the high side, as is his 5.01 season ERA.

Mahoning Valley Scrappers outfielder CARLOS MONCRIEF (21) continued to impress, going 3 for 5 on Sunday with a stolen bag and a run scored.  Over his last 6 games, he is batting .500 (12 for 24) with a .538 OBP, 2 SB, a HR, and 2 RBI.  Moncrief is a former pitcher in the midst of his first season after converting to the outfield.  He had a rough start to the season, batting .167 in June and .204 in July before exploding in August (.419).  On the season, the left-handed batter is hitting .234 with 6 2B, 5 HR, 16 RBI, and 6 SB.  He’s showing some talent right now, so I am interested to see how things continue to progress.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 3-6):  The Buffalo Bisons completed their 4-game sweep of the Clippers in this one.   Starting pitcher PAOLO ESPINO, whose debut with the Clippers on August 3 went well (7 IP, 2 runs, 6 hits, 0 BB, and 4 K), had a rough outing on Sunday.  In 5.2 innings, he allowed 4 runs on 6 hits and 3 BB while striking out 2.  The home run ball has been a problem for Espino, who gave up 2 on Sunday and 1 in his previous start…  JOSE CONSTANZA batted leadoff and went 2 for 4 with a BB.  He went 6 for 15 in the series with Buffalo, with 2 RBI and 2 BB…  Recent acquisition ARGENIS REYES went 2 for 4 with an RBI, lifting his BA with the Clippers to .545 (6 for 11) after 3 games…  WES HODGES went 1 for 3 with a BB.  He’s 2 for 12 since getting re-acquired by the Indians just a few days ago…  The biggest bat in the Clippers lineup on Sunday was that of 27 year-old outfielder JERAD HEAD, who went 3 for 4 with 2 2B, an RBI, and a run scored.  He went 6 for 16 in the series with Buffalo with 3 2B and 2 RBI.  He’s batting .283 with 6 2B, a HR, and 10 RBI in 53 at-bats with the Clippers after hitting .299 with 15 2B, 10 HR, and 28 RBI in 177 AA at-bats earlier this season.

AA Akron Rundown (L, 3-11):  Starter ALEX WHITE had his second consecutive poor outing, giving up 7 runs (all earned) on 8 hits (2 HRs) and 2 BB while striking out 4.  White just hasn’t been himself as of late.  The 6 total BB issued in his last 3 outings contrasts starkly with the total of 3 that he issued in his previous 7 outings.  The 2 HRs that he gave up on Sunday were the first since June 25…  Second baseman JASON KIPNIS‘s bat remained hot as he went 1 for 3 with a 2B and a BB on Sunday.  He’s now hitting .345 so far in August with a .424 OBP…  TIM FEDROFF went 2 for 4 with a 2B.  He’s batting .333 over his last 10 contests (12 for 36)…  Part-time catcher MIGUEL PEREZ got the start on Sunday and went 2 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  In limited action this season (101 at-bats), he’s hitting .277 with 8 2B and 9 RBI for the Aeros.

High A Kinston Rundown (L, 3-8):  After a strong start on August 3 that merited a discussion here (6 IP, 2 H, 0 runs, 1 BB, 8 K), JOSEPH MAHALIC pulled the other half a Jekyll-Hyde act on Sunday.  In only 3.2 innings of work, he gave up 4 runs on 3 hits (1 HR) and 8 BB while striking out 1.  Much of this season has been a roller coaster ride for Mahalic and his control issues appear to be the culprit; he’s walked 48 in 87.1 innings of work while striking out 58 and allowing a .281 BAA…  Center fielder BO GREENWELL went 1 for 4 with a SB.  He’s recorded at least 1 hit in each of his last 6 games and in 9 of his last 10…  Catcher CHUN CHEN batted cleanup and went 1 for 4 with a 2B.  He’s batting .343 in his last 10 games with 6 2B and a .415 OBP.

Class A Lake County Rundown (L, 2-5):  Another offensive disappointment for Lake County, as the team mustered only 2 runs on 4 hits in this one.  Second baseman ARGENIS MARTINEZ had the only notable performance at the plate, going 1 for 2 with 2 BB and a SB.  In his last 10 games he’s batting .333 with 7 SBs.

Short Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 7-8):  Shortstop NICHOLAS BARTOLONE had a stellar debut with the Scrappers, going 2 for 5 at the plate with a pair of RBI.  Before getting promoted to Mahoning Valley, the 19 year-old recorded a .303 BA with 3 2B, 9 RBI, and 15 SB in 132 at-bats with the AZL (rookie league) Indians…  GIOVANNY URSHELA went 1 for 4 with a 2B, an RBI, and a run scored.  He’s batting .405 over his last 10 games with 9 RBI…  Outfielder JONATHAN BURNETTE went 2 for 5 with a 2B.  He’s batting .289 over his last 10 games with 4 2b, 3 HR, and 5 RBI…  JESUS AGUILAR had another fine game in his thus far short stint as a Scrapper, going 2 for 2 with a 2B, 2 BB, and an RBI on Sunday.  In 8 games with Mahoning Valley, he is batting .379 (11 for 29) with 4 2Bs and 4 RBI (5 BB, 5 K)…  Switch-hitting DIEGO SEASTRUNK went 1 for 4 with a 3-run home run.  In his first season of professional ball, the 22 year-old Rice University graduate is batting .176 with 5 2B, 3 HR, and 11 RBI in 91 at-bats for the Scrappers.  He has a respectable K to BB figure  of 18:15.

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 4: Burnette Goes Deep Twice, Kipnis and Rodriguez also Homer

Mahoning Valley Scrappers outfielder JONATHAN BURNETTE (22) had an outstanding game on Wednesday, going 3 for 4 with 2 solo HRs and a 2B.  Although he’s batting only .200 (.243 OBP) over his last 10 games, his bat has started to come to life in his last 5 games, as he is 7 for 18 (.389) during that stretch with 2 2B and a .425 OBP.  On the season, he’s logged a .285 average with the Scrappers, along with 9 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, and 20 RBI (.324 OBP).  I’m not a big fan of the K to BB ratio (28:9), but he is only in his first season of pro ball after getting drafted by the Indians in the 18th round of this year’s draft.  It appears that his recent slump is behind him and I am mildly excited about his potential.

JASON KIPNIS (23) of AA Akron continues to have an excellent season.  On Wednesday, the second baseman went 2 for 4 with a solo HR and a 3B.  His 2 hits and 1 run provided the Aeros’ only offense in the game.  Over his last 10 contests, Kipnis is batting .366 with 2 2B, 3 3B, 1 Hr, and 8 RBI (.409 OBP) and in his last 3 games, he’s 6 for 11 (.545) with 2 3B and 3 RBI.  As good as he was with high A Kinston earlier this season (.300 with 12 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 31 RBI, .387 OBP in 203 AB), he’s been even better with Akron (.337 with 13 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 24 RBI, .413 OBP in 184 ABs).  His AA split stats suggest impressive consistency: he’s batting .348 against lefties and .330 against righties, while he hits .357 at home and .314 on the road.  He’s definitely one of the most promising and exciting prospects in the entire Indians farm system.

AAA second baseman JOSH RODRIGUEZ (25) also went yard on Wednesday, going 1 for 4 with a solo shot and a BB.  Over his last 10 games, Rodriguez is batting .325 with 3 2B, 3 HR, and 8 RBI (5 BB, 9 K).  He’s surpassed pretty much anyone’s expectations this season by logging a .315 BA with 14 2B, 11 HR, and 40 RBI in 216 AAA at-bats (29 BB, 47 K).  The Indians’ second round draft pick out of Rice University in 2006 (57th overall), Rodriguez did hit 20 HR for high A Kinston in 2007, but his career batting average was in the .250-range.  As he is getting on the older side for a prospect, I hope that the Tribe gives him a shot in the show before he’s overtaken by Kipnis.

Kinston starting pitcher T.J. HOUSE (20) put together his 3rd straight dominant outing on Wednesday, shutting out Myrtle Beach through 7 innings on 3 hits, 1 walk, and 3 Ks.  In his last 3 contests combined (20 IP), he’s allowed only 1 run on 6 hits and 4 walks while striking out 12.  The young lefty appears to be turning a corner and, provided he continues to produce somewhere near the level he has lately, we should see him in AA Akron next season.  This year with Kinston, he’s maintained a 3.68 ERA while striking out 90, walking 49, and allowing a .252 BAA in 110 innings of work.  The BB rate has declined as of late, so that’s a further sign that he’s improving.

BRETT BRACH (22) also had a fine outing on Wednesday, this one for Class A Lake County.  In 7 innings of work, he allowed 1 run on 7 hits and no walks while striking out 4.  Like House, he’s had 3 straight dominant starts, allowing 2 runs on 17 hits and 2 BB in his last 23 innings of work.  His control has improved a bit as of late (fewer BBs issued), negating the fact that he’s given up a fair amount of hits.  In his last 10 starts, he’s given up 2 or fewer earned runs in 8 outings and 7 of those were 1 or no runs.  On the season with Lake County, he’s recorded a 2.91 ERA with 62 Ks, 21 BB, and a BAA of .274 in 86.2 IP.  Barring any setbacks, he should start next season with Kinston.

AAA Columbus Rundown (W, 9-8):  The Clippers survived a very offensive game with Louisville with the help of some big bats.  CORD PHELPS had his first multi-hit game since July 28th, as he went 3 for 5 with 2 2B, and an RBI.  He’s still batting .340 0n the season with Columbus (.412 OBP)…  JARED GOEDERT went 1 for 3 with a 2B, a BB, and a pair of RBI.  He’s been slumping since late July, witnessing his BA drop to .288 after a scorching June and a mostly solid July…  Catcher RICHARD MARTINEZ, who got the call up from high A Kinston to replace Lou Marson in the wake of the Santana injury, went 2 for 4 with 2 2B and 4 RBI in his second AAA game.  He went 0 for 3 with an RBI and a BB on Tuesday.  Between Mahoning Valley and Kinston, he was batting well under the Mendoza line with 5 2B and 16 RBI in 181 ABs…  BRYCE STOWELL had another impressive relief appearance on Wednesday, striking out 3 while allowing 1 hit and 1 walk in 1.2 IP.  He’s had a great year, logging a 1.36 ERA with 92 K, 32 BB, and a .195 BAA in 59.2 IP between Kinston, Akron, and Columbus.  For Columbus alone, he’s recorded a 3.75 ERA with 18 K and 13 BB in 12 IP.  The walks are a bit concerning, but considering he was much less liberal with the BBs at both Kinston and Akron, I won’t worry too much about it.

AA Akron Rundown (L, 1-5):  Other than Kipnis’s big game (see above), the Aeros did virtually nothing in this one.  COREY KLUBER‘s Aeros debut was quite forgettable, as he gave up 4 runs (3 earned) on 8 hits and 5 walks in 4 IP while striking out 4.  I won’t read into this one too much.  Considering Kluber’s track record, that was an extremely wild showing on many levels.  Expect his next start to be much closer to his 3.45 ERA, 136 K, 40 BB, .259 BAA standard that he established in AA San Antonio this season.

High A Kinston Rundown (L, 1-5):  A disappointing loss in this one considering T.J. House’s excellent start.  Catcher CHUN CHEN went 2 for 4 with a 2B, raising his average over his last 10 games to .375 (.500 OBP)…  Center fielder BO GREENWELL went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a BB; he’s hitting .324 over his last 10 contests (.359 OBP)…  First baseman NATE RECKNAGEL was solid, going 2 for 4 with a 2B at the dish.  He’s batting only .222 in 171 ABs for Kinston this year, with 11 2Bs, 5 HR and 21 RBI…  Unfortunately, it was TYLER STURDEVANT who spoiled House’s dominant start.  Sturdevant had been mostly solid in 5 appearances with Kinston before Wednesday, but he gave up 5 runs on 3 hits and 2 BB in .2 IP against Myrtle Beach.  It was an exceptionally bad outing for Sturdevant, as he had been otherwise excellent this season (1.85 ERA, 64 K, 12 BB, .188 BAA in 43.2 IP, including Thursday’s debacle).  I expect him to bounce back very soon.

Class A Lake County Rundown (W, 8-2):  DELVI CID didn’t steal any bases on Wednesday, but he still went 1 for 4 at the plate with a 2B, an RBI, and a BB.  He’s batting .407 (11 for 27) in his last 6 games with a .462 OBP…  Third baseman ADAM ABRAHAM extended his current hitting streak to 8 games, going 2 for 3 with a 2B and 2 BB.  He’s hitting .415 over his last 10 games with 4 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBI, and a .510 OBP (8 BB, 6 K)…  Catcher ROBERTO PEREZ had another fine game at the plate, going 1 for 1 with a 3B and 2 BB.  He’s 6 for his last 13 (.462) with an OBP of .588.  He has a good batting eye, as he has nearly a 1:1 K:BB ratio on the season (68:67) in 293 at-bats…  Second baseman ARGENIS MARTINEZ went 2 for 4 with a 2B, 3 RBI, a BB, and a SB.  He’s hot right now: 5 for 9 in his last 2 games with 4 RBI.

Short-Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (W, 7-2):  A good game for the Scrappers on Wednesday, beginning with their starting pitcher, JORDAN COOPER.  Cooper went 5 innings against Tri-City, allowing no runs, 6 hits, and no walks while striking out 1.  In 9 starts for the Scrappers, he has a 4.01 ERA with 27 Ks, 10 BB, and a BAA of .302 in 42.4 IP.  He’s pretty hittable and the HR ball has been a bit of a problem (7 this season).  But he’s 21 and in his first season of pro ball, so we’ll see what happens…  Left-handed reliever NICK KIRK earned the save (his 5th of the season) after pitching 2.1 innings in which he allowed 3 hits and no walks while striking out 3.  In 19.2 innings pitched for the Scrappers this season, he has a 2.75 ERA with 29 Ks, 6 BB, and a .200 BAA.  He’s 23 and in his second season of pro ball (drafted out of the University of Northern Iowa in 2009), so he should be moving up soon…  The recently hot CARLOS MONCRIEF batted leadoff for the Scrappers and did some damage, going 3 for 4 with a BB, an RBI, and a run scored.  After a slow start to the season, the pitcher-turned-outfielder is looking good at the plate, finally raising his average above the Mendoza line to .213…  Outfielder BRIAN HEERE went 2 for 4 with a BB and 2 RBI.  The Indians drafted Heere in the 41st round of the 2010 draft out of the University of Kansas; he’s batting just .208 in his first professional season, but is showing some signs of life with a .257 BA over his last 10 games…  GIOVANNY URSHELA had a solid game, collecting 3 singles in 5 at-bats.  He’s hitting .333 over his last 10 games (12 for 36)…  Shortstop KEVIN FONTANEZ went 3 for 4 at the dish, doubling and driving in a run.  He’s batting only .214 on the season, but is now hitting .282 over his last 10 games (11 for 39).

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 31: Brown Promoted, Indians Acquire Kluber

Clippers outfielder JORDAN BROWN (age 26) finally got the call to the show on Saturday.  At the time of his promotion, he was batting .309, the third-highest batting average in the AAA International League after leading the league last season with a .336 clip.  Despite missing just over the first month of the season, Brown’s 63 RBI were tied for 5th most in the IL.  Although he doesn’t hit many home runs (6 in 272 at-bats this season), he has decent gap-to-gap power (25 doubles) and he just plain produces with runners in scoring position (.322, 56 RBI).  Brown, the Indians’ 4th round pick out of the University of Arizona in 2006, should be a steady, if unspectacular producer in the Tribe’s lineup, provided he receives consistent playing time.  Even with Austin Kearns gone (traded to the Yankees for a player to be named later), the Indians outfield is still a bit crowded.  Brown will start at DH today for the Tribe.

On Saturday, the Indians continued their recent salary dump by unloading Jake Westbrook in a 3-team trade.  Westbrook goes to St. Louis while the Indians receive pitching prospect COREY KLUBER (age 24).  Kluber has spent the entire 2010 season in AA, where he’s posted a 3.45 ERA with 136 strikeouts, 40 walks, and a .259 BAA in 122.2 innings of work.  Throughout his 4-year minor league career, Kluber has been solid, but unspectacular.  In the past, the righty has given up a lot of longballs, so the fact that he’s cut down on them this season suggests why his overall numbers this year are much improved (4.56 ERA, 14 HR, 70 BB, 159 K, .263 BAA between high A and AA last season).  Based on his performance this season, I am mildly excited about this trade. Kluber’s been assigned to AA Akron.  I like this trade.  Although I have long been a fan of Westbrook, I understand that he was over the hill and injury prone.  The Indians are rebuilding to compete in a couple of seasons from now and are looking to dump some salary, so I understand the move and look forward to seeing what Kluber can do going forward.

JEANMAR GOMEZ (age 22) was recalled from AAA Columbus to start on Sunday against the Blue Jays.  He impressed in his first MLB start on July 18, pitching 7 shutout innings against Detroit, and had 2 more solid starts since getting sent back down to AAA.  In the wake of the Westbrook trade and Mitch Talbot being put on the DL, both Gomez and yesterday’s starter, JOSH TOMLIN, will have the opportunity to establish themselves in the Tribe’s rotation.  Tomlin had another good outing last night, limiting Toronto to 1 run in 5.1 innings of work.

Newly acquired starter GIOVANNI SOTO (age 20) impressed in his debut with Lake County on Saturday (he was received from Detroit in exchange for Jhonny Peralta).  He went 5 strong innings against South Bend, allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 7.  The lefty was a mid-season All-Start this year because of his solid performance for Western Michigan (2.61 ERA, 76 K, 25 BB, .248 BAA in 82.2 IP).  I like his ability to whiff batters, but I’ll admit that the 3 free passes issued in just 5 IP bother me just a little.  But since he wasn’t particularly wild while with Western Michigan, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt here.  I definitely look forward to seeing what he does in his next start.

Lake County Captains third baseman ADAM ABRAHAM (he’s listed as a 1B, but has been playing 3B) continued his recent tear.  He went 3 for 4 on Saturday against South Bend, mashing a home run, driving in 2 runs, and walking.  Over his last 10 games, Abraham is hitting .474 (.535 OBP) with 4 HR, 5 2B, and 14 RBI (with 5 walks and 5 strikeouts).  Uh, yeah… that’s the definition of “en fuego.” After scuffling badly through April and May (.146 and .167 BA, respectively), he improved to .286 in June before exploding in July (.317 with 6 HR and 20 RBI).  The Indians selected Abraham in the 13th round of the 2008 draft out of the University of Michigan.  His first two seasons of professional ball were pretty unimpressive, but his recent performance suggests that he’s mastered A ball and is ready for Kinston.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 2-10):  The Clippers got crushed on Saturday, so there is little to note here.  Catcher LOU MARSON remained hot, going 1 for 3 with a 2-run shot and a BB.  He’s hitting .323 over his last 10 games with 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB, and only 2 Ks.  Where did that come from?…  MATT McBRIDE rebounded from an 0 for 3 showing on Friday with a 2 for 3, BB performance on Saturday.  In 3 games since getting the call to Columbus, he’s 6 for 11.

AA Akron Rundown (L, 6-8):  Second baseman JASON KIPNIS looked impressive again on Saturday, going 3 for 5 at the plate with a 2B and 2 RBI.  He now has at least one base hit in 6 straight contests and is batting .327 on the season with Akron (171 AB)…  LONNIE CHISENHALL went 1 for 5 at the dish with a solo HR to extend his current hitting streak to a modest 6 games.  Unfortunately, the third baseman also committed his 11th error of the season…  Again, JORDAN HENRY raked, going 4 for 5 with a 3B and an RBI.  Over his last 6 games, he’s hitting .632 with an OBP of .732.

High A Kinston Rundown (W, 10-2):  In a day when several Indians had a good day at the plate, outfielder DONNIE WEBB’s performance stands out.  The 24 year-old out of Oklahoma State University (the Indians’ 10th round pick in 2008) went 2 for 3 with a 3-run HR and a BB.  He’s not exactly impressing in high A this year (.253 with 7 2B, 4 HR, and 22 RBI in 146 AB), but he’s in his third season of pro ball and has time to turn it around yet…  Upcoming Wigwammers’ favorite Indians catcher not named Carlos Santana, CHUN CHEN, went 2 for 4 on Saturday with a double, 2 RBI, and a BB.  Over this last 10 games, Chen is hitting .375 with 4 2B, a HR, 11 RBI, and an OBP of .500…  Teammate BO GREENWELL also had a nice game, going 2 for 4 with a BB and his 5th stolen base of the season.  He’s now hitting .375 (9 for 24) over his last 6 games…  Middle infielder RON RIVAS rounds out the Kinston rundown, as he went 1 for 2 with a 2B, a BB, and 3 RBI on Saturday.  The 22 year-old is hitting .321 with an OBP of .429 over his last 10 contests.

A Lake County Rundown (W, 5-2):  DELVI CID showed his true potential on Saturday, going 2 for 4 at the dish with a B and a run driven in (no strikeouts!).  As one might expect, his stolen base numbers rose along with his OBP – he swiped 3 bags on Saturday to bring his season total to 52.  I sure hope that he’s turning a corner, as his talent on the basepaths is simply awesome…  Right fielder SETH FOLGIA went 1 for 3 with a solo HR and a BB.  He’s now batting .400 over his last 10 games with 2 2B, 2 HR, and 8 RBI.

Short Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (W, 5-0):  Three Scrappers pitchers combined to shut out Williamsport on Saturday, all of whom have been otherwise unimpressive this season.  Lefty KIRK WETMORE started the game, allowing 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out 5.  He has an ERA of 7.08 with 27 Ks, 20 BBs, and a BAA of .317 in 34.1 IP this season.  KYLE C. SMITH followed with 2 innings in which he allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 4.  In 19.2 IP with the Scrappers in 2010, he’s posted a 6.41 ERA with 15 BB, 29 Ks, and a .203 BAA.  I like the Ks and the BAA, but he’ll need to cut down on the BBs in order to be more successful.  JOHN GORYL pitched a single flawless frame to finish the game.  On the season, he has a 4.15 ERA with 10 Ks, 12 BB, and a BAA of .330 in 21.2 IP…  Third baseman GIOVANNY URSHELA was the star of the game at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a 2-run HR.  He’s hitting only .264 on the season with that lone HR to go along with 20 RBI and 5 2B (140 ABs), but he’s only 18 and in only his second season of professional ball…  Second baseman AARON FIELDS went 2 for 3 at the dish.  He hasn’t played much this year (only 33 AB), but has a .303 average.  This is his first season of pro ball after getting drafted out of Wright State…  JONATHAN BURNETTE was hitless in his previous 6 games (0 for 21) before he singled in a run on Saturday.  Let’s hope that the hit breaks his recent slump.

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.