August 19: McBride Continues to Excell in AAA, Chisenhall and Head Drive Akron to Victory

AAA COLUMBUS (L, 5-9)

• MATT McBRIDE (25, OF):  1-4, HR, 2 RBI.  That was his 3rd HR in 62 AAA ABs, to go along with a .371 BA, 3 2B, and 7 RBI.  Overall in 2010 (AA and AAA):  .296 BA, 28 2B, 20 HR, 71 RBI, .394 OBP.
• WES HODGES (25, 1B):  2-4, RBI.  Last 9 games: .361, 3 extra-base hits, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 11 K.
• DREW SUTTON (27, LF):  3-3, 2B, BB, SB.  Last 9 games: .333, 5 extra-base hits, 6 RBI, 3 BB.
• ZACH PUTNAM (23, RP):  2 IP, H, BB, 2 K.  Last 4 outings (6 IP):  0 R, 5 K, 2 H, BB.  Season in AAA (16 IP): 5.06 ERA, 15 K, 5 BB, .274 BAA.

AA AKRON (W, 15-10)

• JORDAN HENRY (22, OF):  2-6, 2 RBI.  Last 9 games: .375, 6 RBI, 5 BB.
• LONNIE CHISENHALL (21, 3B):  2-5, 2B, 3 RBI.  Last 7 games:  .440 (11-25), 3 2B, HR, 12 RBI, 7 BB, SB.  His pre and post-all star splits are quite telling: .267 BA, 12 2B, 8 HR, 37 RBI, .341 OBP in 266 ABs before the break and .285 BA, 6 2B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, .343 OBP since.  Season (389 AB):  .272 BA, 18 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 71 RBI, .342 OBP.  He’s a lock for this week’s BA prospect hot sheet.
• JERAD HEAD (27, OF):  3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB.  On fire since return to AA: 6-11, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB in 3 games.  He’s went deep in back-to-back contests.  Season in AA: .323 BA, 15 2B, 15 HR, 39 RBI, .379 OBP.
• CARLOS RIVERO (22, SS):  2-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI.  Last 7 games: .345 (10-29), 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, BB.
• MIGUEL PEREZ (26, C):  2-5, 2 2B.  In 114 AA ABs this season: .289 BA, 10 2B, 10 RBI, 4 BB.
• LUCAS MONTERO (25, OF):  In 34 AA at-bats in 2010: .235, 2B, 3B, 3 BB, 10 K.  Last 4 games: 7-16 (.438).  In 321 ABs with Kinston before promotion: .265 BA, 12 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 47 BB, 80 K, 24 SB.

LOW-A LAKE COUNTY (W, 5-4)

• ADAM ABRAHAM (23, 3B):  2-3, solo HR.  Current 8-game hitting streak: 12-34 (.353), 5 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K.  Batting .314 so far in August after a .317 July, but power is down (1 HR in August, 6 in July).  Pre-all star break: .182 BA, 6 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 8 BB, 33 K in 143 ABs.  Since: .321 BA, 12 2B, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 20 BB, 39 K in 196 ABs.
• CASEY FRAWLEY (22, SS):  2-4.  Last 9: .333 (12-39), 3 extra-base hits, 6 RBI.
• GREG FOLGIA (22, OF):  1-4, HR, 2 RBI.  Last 7 games: .400 (12-30), 6 RBI.
• BRETT BRACH (22, SP):  6 IP, 2 ER, 2 H (HR), BB, 4 K.  Last 6 starts: 43 IP, 31 K, 8 ER (1.67 ERA), 3 BB, 32 H.  Season in low-A (19 starts): 2.87 ERA, 81 K, 22 BB, .264 BAA in 106.2 IP.  As of late, his Ks are slightly up, and his BBs and BAA are both down.
• RAMON CESPEDES (19, RP):  IP, K.  Through 4 appearances in low-A: 4.05 ERA, 5 K, 3 BB, .259 BAA.  Last 2 outings (2.2 IP) scoreless with 3 K.  11 appearances with AZL (rookie) Indians prior to promotion: 0.39 ERA, 28 K, 3 BB, .117 BAA in 23 IP.

SHORT-SEASON MAHONING VALLEY (L, 5-7)

• NICHOLAS BARTOLONE (19, SS):  2-4, 2B, RBI.  Last 3 games: 4-12, BB.  Through 42 short-season ABs: .262 BA, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K, SB.  With AZL (rookie) Indians before promotion: .303, 3 2B, 9 RBI, 9 BB, 18 K, 15 SB in 132 AB.
• DIEGO SEASTRUNK (22, C):  4-4, 2B, RBI.  Last 3 games: 8-12, 2B, HR, 5 RBI.  In 113 short-season ABs: .221, 6 2B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 17 BB, 22 K.  Has shown steady progress: .105 in 19 June ABs, .204 in 54 July ABs, and .300 in 40 August ABs.
• TYLER CANNON (22, SS):  2-3, RBI, BB.  Through 95 ABs with Scrappers: .200, 6 2B, 3B, 15 RBI, 10 BB, 19 K, SB.
• MICHAEL GOODNIGHT (21, SP):  2.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 3 K.  A rough second start, but first outing showed promise (3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K).
• KYLE C. SMITH (22, RP):  IP, H, 4 K (that’s not a typo).  Last 4 appearances: 6 IP, 11 K, 5 BB, 5 H, 0 ER.

High-A Kinston’s game against the Potomac Nationals was postponed because of rain.

August 16: Espino Earns IL Weekly Honors, Gardner Solid Again for Kinston

AAA Columbus Clippers starting pitcher PAOLO ESPINO (23) was named the International League’s Pitcher of the Week after a brilliant August 14 start against Louisville in which he tossed 7 innings of shutout ball, allowing only 3 hits and 2 BB while striking out 8.  In 3 starts with the Clippers this season, he has a 2.75 ERA with 14 K, 5 BB, and a .203 BAA in 19.2 innings of work.  This comes after a promotion from AA Akron, where he posted a 4.00 ERA, 92 K, 35 BB, and a .245 BAA in 101.1 IP.

HIGH-A KINSTON (W, 2-1)

• JOSEPH GARDNER (SP, 22):  5 IP, ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K.  An unusually wild outing for Gardner, but still stellar.  Last 4 starts (24 IP): 5 ER, 15 H, 9 BB, 17 K.   He’s now 10-5 on the season with Kinston, posting a 2.86 ERA, 94 K, 42 BB, and a .198 BAA.  He’s among my favorite Indians pitching prospects.
  
• TRAVIS TUREK (RP, 22):  2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K.  4.04 ERA with 39 K, 27 BB, and a .282 BAA in 71.1 IP this season, but 8.80 ERA with 10 K, 5 BB, and a .379 BAA in last 15.1 IP.  Last 2 outings more promising, though: 4 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 5 K.
• MATTHEW LANGWELL (RP, 24):  IP, K.  Has been so far in excellent in August (0 R, 2 H, BB, 4 K in 5.1 IP) after a rough July (6 ER, 10 H, 4 BB, 11 K in 11.1 IP).
• CORY BURNS (CP, 22):  IP, 3 K, SV.  Last 10 appearances: 9.2 IP, 0 ER (2 unearned), 3 H, 4 BB, 12 K, 7 SVs.  Season with Kinston: 1.76 ERA, 43 K, 12 BB, .198 BAA, 23 SVs.  Has 35 total saves in 2010 (12 with Lake County).
• CHUN CHEN (C, 21):  2-3, RBI, BB.  Last 4 games:  6-14 (.429), 2 BB.  Batting .300 with a .403 OBP in 110 high-A ABs in 2010.
• JEREMIE TICE (1B/3B, 23):  1-4, 3B, RBI.  Last 10 games: .282.  Batting .281 with 30 2B, 11 HR, and 66 RBI in 370 at-bats with Lake County and Kinston this season.  The down side: 91 Ks, only 22 BB.
• JUAN DIAZ (SS, 21):  2-4.  Batting .333 in last 10 games and .247 overall in 150 high-A ABs in 2010.  Batted .295 in 254 high-A California League ABs before getting traded.

LOW-A LAKE COUNTY (W, 11-10, 11 innings)

• DELVI CID (OF, 21):  1-5, 2 BB, 2 SB.  Last 4 games: 7-17 (.412) with 3 BB and 3 SB.  He now has 61 SBs in 112 games this season.  Has really turned his season around after batting just .213 with a .271 OBP before the all-star break (235 ABs); he’s hitting .304 with a .358 OBP since (207 ABs).  Meanwhile, his K rate has decreased (91 to 47) and he has been stealing more bags (29, up to 32).
• ARGENIS MARTINEZ (2B, 20):  1-6, RBI, BB, SB.  Currently has a 10-game hitting streak.  Batted just .171 in 152 ABs before the all-star break, but is hitting .271 in 133 ABs since.  The SB was his 20th of the season.
• GREG FOLGIA (LF/RF, 22):  5-7, RBI, SB.  8-10 in last 2 games, batting .359 with 6 RBI in his last 10 contests.
• JASON SMIT (OF, 20):  4-6, 2 2B, 3 RBI, SB.  Has an 8-game hitting streak in which he’s 12-32 (.375) with 5 extra-base hits, 7 RBI, and 2 SB.  In August, he’s batting .333 with 8 extra-base hits and 14 RBI in 63 ABs.  His K to BB ratio is gradually evening out (21:1 in May, 18:1 in June, 26: 6 in July, 4:16 in August).
• CHRIS KERSTEN (1B/DH, 24):  1-4, solo HR, BB.  Has exactly 1 hit in 8 of his past 9 games, 4 of which are home runs.  He’s hit 10 in 191 ABs with Lake County this season to go along with a .257 BA and 30 RBI.  He started the season with Kinston, but was demoted after batting .167 with 3 HR and 4 RBI in 96 ABs (42 K).
• KYLE SMITH (2B/SS, 22):  3-6, 2B, 2 RBI.  Batted .293 in 188 ABs before the all-star break, but only .203 in 118 ABs since.
• AARON LAFFEY (SP, 25):  IP, H, 3 K.  A solid first rehab assignment for Laffey, who was suffering from left (pitching) shoulder fatigue.
• FRANCISCO JIMENEZ (RP, 21):  2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 K, win.  Last 3 appearances:  7.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 9 K.
• TREY HALEY (SP, 20):  5 IP, 2 ER (4 unearned runs), 6 H (HR) , 2 BB, 7 K.  Last 10 appearances (40.2 IP): 6.42 ERA, 41 K, 27 BB, .280 BAA.  Season (23 outings, 103 IP):  5.50 ERA, 85 K, 67 BB, .272 BAA.

AAA Columbus and AA Akron had scheduled days off on Monday.  Short-season Mahoning Valley also did not play because of the New York-Penn League all-star break.

August 15: Kipnis and Chisenhall Remain Hot, Kluber Rebounds

AAA COLUMBUS (W, 7-3)

• YOHAN PINO (SP-27):  6 IP, 0 R, 9 H, 2 BB, 5 K.  Pre all-star break: 5.61 ERA, 76 K, 35 BB, .278 BAA in 17 starts (94.2 IP); Post all-star break: 4.60 ERA, 18 K, 8 BB, .275 BAA in 5 starts (29.1 IP).
• JOSE CONSTANZA (OF-26):  1-3, BB, SB.  Last 3 games: 7-11, 2 BB, 2 SB.  Batting .368 in his last 10 games and .306 in 330 ABs this season.
• EZEQUIEL CARRERA (CF-23):  1-3, 2 RBI.  4-14 in last 3 games after going 0-15 in his previous 4.  Batting .256 in 82 ABs with Columubus.
• CORD PHELPS (2B-23):  1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB.  9-25 (.360 BA) in last 6 games with 2 extra-bast hits and 8 RBI.
• MATT McBRIDE (OF-25):  2-4, HR.  His first HR in August, 2nd total in AAA (55 ABs) and 19th overall in 2010.  Now batting .382 in AAA.
• WES HODGES (1B/DH-25):  1-4, solo HR.  In last 6 games, batting .375 (9-24) with 3 extra-base hits and 7 K.

AA AKRON (W, 7-0)

• COREY KLUBER (SP-24):  6 IP, 0 R, 6 H, BB, 4 K.  First 2 starts with Akron: 8 IP, 9 ER, 19 H, 6 BB, 9 K.  Looks like the “real” Kluber has arrived, and he’s not that bad (3.45 ERA with 136 K, 40 BB, .259 BAA in 122.2 IP with San Diego’s AA affiliate earlier this season).
  
• JASON KIPNIS (2B-23):  2-2, HR, 2 RBI, BB.  9 game hit streak, batting .378 during that stretch (14-37) with 5 extra-base hits and 10 RBI.  Last 4 contests: 8-15 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, and 3 BB.  This guy is the real deal.  In 224 AA ABs, he’s batting .339 with 28 extra-base hits, 34 RBI, and 6 SBs.
  
• LONNIE CHISENHALL (3B-21):  2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB.  Last 4 games: 7-14 with 8 RBI and 5 BB.  He’s been streaky all season long, but he’s still batting .273 with 33 extra-base hits (15 HR), and 66 RBI in 374 ABs with Akron this season.  34 BB to go along with 56 K isn’t all that bad, either.
  
• JORDAN HENRY (CF-22):  2-5, 2B.  Last 3 games: 7-14 with 3 RBI and 2 BB.  .325 BA and .438 OBP. in last 10 contests.
• JOHN DRENNEN (OF-23):  2-5, RBI.  Last 10 games: .372 BA, 7 RBI.  He’s 10-23 (.435) in last 5.
• TIM FEDROFF (OF-23):  1-3, 3B, BB.  6 for his last 12 and batting .342 in last 10 contests.
• CRISTO ARNAL (2B-24):  1-3, BB.  8-game hit streak, batting .324 in last 10 games.
• OMAR AGUILAR (RP-25):  IP, BB, 2 K.  3.29 ERA, 67 K, 30 BB, and .214 BAA in 54.2 IP in 2010.  1.80 ERA, 16 K, 9 BB, and .171 BAA in last 10 appearances (10 IP).

HIGH A KINSTON (L, 4-6)

• ABNER ABREU (OF-20):  2-4, 3B, 2 RBI.  Last 4 games: 6-14 (.429) with 4 RBI.
• KAREXON SANCHEZ (2B-22):  2-4.  Last 5 games: 7-19 (.368).
• KYLE BELLOWS (3B-21):  2-4.  Batting .333 in last 10 games with 4 2B and 7 RBI.

LOW A LAKE COUNTY (W, 5-2)

• GIOVANNI SOTO (SP-19):  5 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 4 K.  In 4 starts with Lake County (23 IP): 2.35 ERA, 24 K, 7 BB, .162 BAA.  Overall low A total in 2010 (105.2 IP): 2.56 ERA, 100 K, 32 BB, .231 BAA.
• DELVI CID (OF-21):  4-5, RBI.  Last 7 games:  11-29 (.379), 3 SB.
• ADAM ABRAHAM (3B-23):  2-5, RBI.  Last 5 contests: 8-22 (.364).  He hit .182 with 2 HR and 11 RBI in 143 ABs before the all-star break and is hitting .321 with 8 HR and 36 RBI since (184 ABs).
• GREG FOLGIA (RF-22):  3-3, RBI.  Batting .324 in last 10 games with 6 RBI.
• ROBERTO PEREZ (C-21):  1-4, solo HR.  Last 10 contests: .323 BA, 8 extra-base hits, 7 RBI, 9 BB (.475 OBP).  Batting .232 with 30 extra-base hits and 36 RBI in 323 ABs in 2010.
• JOSE FLORES (RP-21):  IP, 2 K, SV.  In 31.2 IP this season, he has a 1.99 ERA with 41 K, 5 BB, and a .211 BAA (4 SVs).

SHORT-SEASON MAHONING VALLEY (W, 10-8)

• CARLOS MONCRIEF (CF-21):  1-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB.  Last 10 games: .378 BA, 5 extra-base hits, 4 RBI, .500 OBP.
• NICHOLAS BARTOLONE (SS-19):  2-5, SB.  In 8 games with Mahoning Valley (35 ABs), he’s batting .257 after batting .303 in 132 ABs with the AZL Indians (rookie ball).
• JONATHAN BURNETTE (OF-22):  2-4, BB.  Last 10 contests:  .325 BA, 5 extra-base hits, 6 RBI, .386 OBP.  Batting .292 in 209 ABs in 2010, with 24 extra-base hits and 27 RBI.
• KEVIN RUCKER (OF-20):  1-4, solo HR, BB.  5-14 in last 4 games with 2 solo HR.
• BRIAN HEERE (OF-23):  2-5.  Last 10 games: .333 BA and .421 OBP.
• MOISES MONTERO (C-20):  2-5, HR, 3 RBI.  In 80 ABs this season, he’s batting just .163 with 2 extra-base hits.
• SCOTT EHLERT (RP-22):  1.1 IP, H, 3 K, SV.  In 16 appearances (24.1 IP): 4.07 ERA, 35 K, 9 BB, .258 BAA.

August 12: Young Hurlers Carrasco, Rayl, and Cook Impressive in Thursday’s Starts

Clippers starting pitcher CARLOS CARRASCO (23) threw a gem on Thursday against Syracuse.  In 6 innings of work, he gave up 1 run on 3 hits and no walks while striking out 8.  He’s having a pretty good season overall in AAA, posting a 3.92 ERA with 113 K, 44 BB, and a .255 BAA in 128.2 innings.  He’s been excellent, though, since the AAA all-star break: 2.08 ERA, 24 K, 6 BB, and a .170 BAA in 5 starts (26 IP).  He has a propensity to give up some walks, but he’s been able to, for the most part, minimize them as of late (2 or less given up in 8 of his last 10 starts).  The Indians acquired Carrasco in the deal that sent Cliff Lee to Philadelphia in 2009, and his performance this season suggests that he has the potential to be, perhaps, a middle-of-the-rotation guy at the next level.

MIKE RAYL (21), a starting pitcher for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, had an absolutely dominant outing on Thursday against Staten Island.  In 5.2 innings of work, he gave up 1 run on 1 hit and 3 BB while striking out 9.  The tall lefty is having a stellar second professional season, as he has maintained a 3.10 ERA with 38 K, 14 BB, and a .240 BAA in 11 starts (52.1 innings).  In 2009, he posted a 3.74 ERA with 41 K, 10 BB, and a .267 BAA in 33.2 innings for the AZL (rookie league) Indians.  His K rate dropped this season, but he’s lately shown signs of getting back in that groove ( 18 K in his last 14.2 innings on the hill).  I like how consistent he’s been, as he’s only had one truly bad outing on the season; he’s allowed 2 earned runs or less in 10 of his 11 starts.

Lake County Captains starter CLAYTON COOK (20) had yet another solid outing on Thursday.  In 5 innings of work against Fort Wayne, he allowed 1 run on 5 hits and 1 BB while striking out 4.  In 22 starts this season for the Captains (116.1 IP), he’s recorded a 3.40 ERA with 82 K, 35 BB, and a .246 BAA.  In 10 starts since the all-star break (56.1 innings), he’s shown some improvement: 2.72 ERA, 42 K, 14 BB, and a .226 BAA.  I like that he’s increased his K rate, lowered his BB rate, and given up fewer hits as the season has progressed.  The Tribe selected Cook in the 9th round of the 2008 draft and he’s been stellar in each of his first 3 seasons of professional ball (2.52 ERA, 26 K, 8 BB, .217 BAA in 25 innings for the GCL (rookie league) Indians in 2008 and 2.79 ERA, 64 K, 26 BB, and a .224 BAA in 67.2 innings for Mahoning Valley in 2009).

Kinston relief pitcher MATTHEW LANGWELL (24) continued his solid season in high A yesterday, pitching a scoreless inning in which he gave up 1 BB and recorded his 4th save.  In his 2010 campaign, he’s posted a 2.28 ERA with 47 K, 13 BB, and a .222 BAA in 47.1 innings.  He hasn’t given up a run in his last 10 outings (11 IP), while striking out 9 and walking 2.  The Indians drafted Langwell out of Rice University in the 11th round of the 2008 draft as a starter, but after a disastrous beginning with Mahoning Valley, the Indians converted him to relief work and he’s been solid since then.  In 2009 with Lake County, he struck out 68, walked 22, and posted a .217 BAA in 68.2 innings of work.  Despite moving up a level this season, he’s maintained a similar K rate while lowering his BB rate.  He’s a bit on the older side for high A ball, but he’s done quite well this season and I look forward to seeing what he can do when he gets the call to the next level – he’s ready for it.  He’s not the flashiest or most dominant reliever, but I like his solid, reliable performance out of the Kinston bullpen.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 3-4):  CORD PHELPS went 2 for 4 in this one with a solo HR – his 5th in AAA this season and 7th overall (385 total at-bats).  He’s 5 for his last 13…  MATT MCBRIDE went 1 for 4 with a 2B and a BB.  He’s hitting .347 in 12 games (49 at-bats) since getting promoted from AA in late July…  EZEQUIEL CARRERA snapped a 4-game hitless streak (0 for 15) with a 2 for 6 showing on Thursday, including a 2B.

AA Akron Rundown (W, 3-2):  JASON KIPNIS had a big bat again on Thursday, as he went 3 for 5 with a 3B and an RBI against Reading.  He’s batting .366 in his last 10 games with 6 extra-base hits and 8 RBI.  The triple was his 7th on the season between high A and AA…  LONNIE CHISENHALL went only 1 for 4, but that was an RBI double.  He also walked and stole a base.  The 2B was his first hit since his 2-HR game on August 7…   Catcher JUAN APODACA went 1 for 2 with 2 BB and a run scored.  With the Aeros, he’s batting .500 (6 for 12) with an OBP of .684.  In 5 games with Akron, he’s walked 7 times and at least once each game…  JORDAN HENRY went 0 for 3 with 3 Ks, but drew 2 BBs and scored a run.  It’s good to see that he can still get on base even if he’s not swinging the bat as well as usual…  Left-handed starting pitcher SCOTT BARNES had a nice outing, going 6 innings in which he allowed 1 run on 2 hits (a solo HR) and 3 BB, striking out 5.  Barnes continues to issue a few too many free passes (21 in his last 60.2 IP), but he’s giving up fewer runs and fewer hits (3.26 ERA and .218 BAA in his last 10 games as opposed to 4.66 and .235 on the season).

High A Kinston Rundown (W, 3-1 / W, 6-5):  In game 1 of the doubleheader, KAREXON SANCHEZ went 2 for 4 with a double.  He’s 3 for his last 8 after going 0 for 11 before that…  Third baseman KYLE BELLOWS went 2 for 4 with a 2B and 3 RBI…  Shortstop JUAN DIAZ went 3 for 4 with a 2B.  He’s batting .458 in his last 6 games (11 for 24) with 5 RBI…  Left fielder DONNIE WEBB went 2 for 3 with a 2B.  He is 6 for his last 18 (.333) with 3 2Bs in that stretch…  Starting pitcher AUSTIN ADAMS started the game (on Wednesday) and tossed 3.1 scoreless innings before weather suspended the game.  In 40 innings pitched with Kinston, he’s recorded a 1.35 ERA with 32 K, 7 BB, and a .227 BAA…  TYLER STURDEVANT picked up on Thursday where Adams left off, earning the win as he tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in which he struck out 3, walked 2, and gave up 2 hits.  After walking only 8 batters in 35.2 innings with Lake County earlier this season, he’s already issued 8 free passes in just 13.2 IP with Kinston.  Fortunately, he’s still whiffing batters at a high rate (15 in 13.2 IP)…  CORY BURNS picked up his 22nd save with Kinston and his 34th overall in 2010.  In 17 IP since the all-star break, he’s posted a 1.59 ERA with 12 saves, 24 K, 5 BB, and a .169 BAA after posting a 2.13 ERA with 10 saves, 16 K, 7 BB, and a .245 BAA in 12.2 IP before the break.

In game 2 of Kinston’s doubleheader, KYLE BELLOWS had another nice showing, going 3 for 4 with a 2B, an RBI, and 2 runs scored.  He’s batting .333 in his last 10 games and .426 over his last 6 contests (12 for 26) with 7 RBI…  First baseman JEREMIE TICE went 2 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  The 2B was his 30th of the season between high A and A ball…  ABNER ABREU went 1 for 3 with a 2B, an RBI, and a run scored.  He’s been slumping lately, batting only .125 in his last 10 games…  Catcher/DH ALEX CASTILLO went 1 for 4 with a 2B, 2 RBI, and a stolen base.  He’s hitting only .236 in 72 high A at-bats after going 2 for 24 with AA Akron earlier this season.

Class A Lake County Rundown (W, 4-1):  Shortstop CASEY FRAWLEY is on fire, as he went 2 for 5 with a solo HR on Thursday to make it 4 consecutive games in which he has 2 or more hits.  In that span, he’s 9 for 18 (.500) with a 2B, a 3B, a HR, and 5 RBI…  ADAM ABRAHAM went 2 for 5, compiling his 4th multi-hit game in his last 6 contests.  He’s batting .333 in that span with 4 RBI…  Left fielder GREG FOLGIA also went 2 for 5, with a 2B and an RBI.  He’s batting .351 in his last 10 contests with 4 2B and 6 RBI…  Catcher ROBERTO PEREZ also had a nice game, going 1 for 2 with a 2B, 2 BB, and 2 runs scored.  He’s batting only .233 on the season, but is hitting .394 over his last 10 games with 5 2B, 9 RBI, and 9 BB…  Outfielder JASON SMIT went 1 for 3 with a 3B, an RBI, and a BB.  He’s hitting .324 in his last 10 games with 5 extra-base hits and 10 RBI.

Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 1-4):  Unfortunately, the Scrappers didn’t back up Mike Rayl’s excellent start (see above) with some offense.  JONATHAN BURNETTE lead the meager effort, going 1 for 3 with a BB.  He’s batting .359 in his last 10 games with 8 extra-base hits and 8 RBI…  Second baseman AARON FIELDS went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a stolen base.  In 50 at-bats with the Scrappers, he’s batting .240.  He’s in his first season of pro ball after playing for Wright State.

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.

August 2: Santana Injured, Cid Remains Hot

Last night, it appeared that the Indians’ future might have taken a devastating blow when Ryan Kalish of the Red Sox collided with Carlos Santana during a play at the plate and the latter’s leg buckled in a disturbing manner.  After lying on the ground for a few minutes, Santana was carted off the field, his leg in an air cast.  However, he didn’t leave the stadium during the game and the team’s medical crew’s initial examination revealed that Santana’s knee performed surprisingly well during their tests.  He will head back to Cleveland for an MRI today.  Hopefully the initial reactions to the injury were indeed exaggerated and Santana makes a speedy recovery.  Santana is the core of the Indians’ future, so his well-being is a priority for the club.  In the meantime, Chris Gimenez will assume catching duties and with Santana’s trip to the disabled list looming ahead (perhaps for the remainder of the 2010 season), LOU MARSON will likely receive the call up from AAA Colombus.  Although Marson struggled mightily during his 141-AB stay with the Indians earlier this season, his bat recently came to life in Columbus.  He’s hitting .303 over his last 10 games with 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, and an OBP of .395.

The Columbus Clippers and Akron Aeros had scheduled days off, while the Kinston game was suspended (rain) and will be finished later today.  So, today’s brief discussion will center on Lake County and Mahoning Valley.

Lake County outfielder DEVLI CID (age 21) continued his recent hot streak against South Bend on Monday.  He went 2 for 5 at the dish, doubling and driving in 3.  He also swiped his 54th bag of the season and has now logged a stolen base in 3 straight contests and in 6 of his last 7.  Over his last 4 games, Cid is batting .444 (8 for 18) with 6 RBI and 5 SB.  He’s struck out 3 times while walking once during that span.  His recent turnaround has been most impressive, as it was not that long ago that I expressed some serious concerns about his propensity to strike out and his difficulty in getting on base.  I look forward to seeing if his recent success fades before too long or if Cid has truly turned a corner.  I sure hope that it’s the latter case;  this guy has tremendous potential.

Recent call-up JESUS AGUILAR (age 20) has gotten off to a good start with the Class A Short-Season Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  The first baseman went 2 for 4 on Monday with a double.  It was his second start since his promotion; he went 1 for 4 with an RBI on Sunday.  He spent the earlier part of the season with the Indians’ Arizona League (rookie ball) affiliate, going .259 with 2 2B, a 3B, 7 HR, and 22 RBI (5 walks, 33K) in 112 at-bats.  He spent the previous two seasons with the Tribe’s Dominican Summer League (also rookie ball) affiliate, struggling in 2008 with a .209 BA, 12 2B, 4 HR, and 45 RBI (235 AB) before improving last year to .305 with 15 2B, 5 HR and 46 RBI (200 AB).  He’s struck out a lot this year, but I like his size (6’3″, 241 lb.) and that he’s only 20.

Lake County Rundown (L, 7-8):  The game ended up being a high-scoring one, but Lake County starter CLAYTON COOK started the game off well enough for the Captains.  In 6 innings, he allowed 3 runs on 9 hits and 1 walk while striking out 6.  Hardly a dominant outing, but a solid one for the 20 year-old righty.  In his last 10 starts, Cook has allowed more than 3 runs only once and exactly 3 runs only twice…  Outfielder GREG FOLGIA had another nice game, going 2 for 4 with a double and a pair of RBI.  He also drew a walk.  He’s now batting .444 in his last 10 games with 4 2B, 2 HR, and 10 RBI (.475 OBP)…  Right fielder JASON SMIT went 2 for 5, driving in a run and stealing  a bag.  He was 0 for his last 9 heading into this game and batting only .194 over his last 10 games, so this solid game might help break him out of that slump.  On the season with Lake County, he’s hitting .244 with 13 2B, 6 HR, 28 RBI, and an OBP of .286 in 234 ABs.  The most alarming statistic is that he’s drawn only 9 walks while striking out 70 times.  Not good…  Big first baseman CHRIS KERSTEN (6’4″, 225 lb.) had a solid performance, going 1 for 3 with a double, a BB, and 2 runs scored.  He’s old for A ball (24) and struggled with high A Kinston before getting demoted to Lake County (.167 BA in 96 AB with Kinston), so I won’t be getting to excited about this guy.  Like Smit, he strikes out a lot while walking little (12 BB, 85 K this year).  He’s batting .270 with 7 2B, 6 HR, and 23 RBI in 141 at-bats with Lake County, but that’s hardly impressive considering his age.

Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 3-6):  The Scrappers did little offensively in this game and the only hits collected by players not named Jesus Aguilar (see above) were the 2 by GIOVANNY URSHELA.  He went 2 for 4 with a 2-run home run.  He’s batting .314 over his last 10 games with 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, and a .361 OBP…  Scrappers starter OWEN DEW continued a solid first season of professional ball.  On Monday, he went 6 innings, 1 run on 3 hits (a solo HR did the damage) and 1 walk while striking out 4.  The 21 year-old Dew was the Indians’ 21st-round pick in the 2010 draft out of Central Florida.  He’s looked good so far with the Scrappers, posting a 2.53 ERA with 22 Ks, 4 BB, and a BAA of .195 in 8 starts (42.2 IP).

August 1: Chisenhall Homers Again, Big Bats Drive Lake County to Victory

Aeros third baseman LONNIE CHISENHALL (age 21) remained hot on Sunday, going 2 for 4 with a 2B, 2 RBI, and a HR in his second straight contest.  Over his last 10 games, he’s hitting .325 with 4 HR and 12 RBI.  My only concern about his recent performance (other than his continued shaky defense at third) is his lack of selectivity at the plate – only 1 BB to go along with 6 Ks in his last 10 games.  The K numbers aren’t all that alarming, but taking a few more walks would be beneficial.  Chisenhall has done some damage during his last 7 contests in particular, batting .379 with 3 HR and 11 RBI.  His season average is now up to .279, with 15 2B, 12 HR, 53 RBI, and 27 BB to 47 Ks.  He has the talent to continue his recent success and carry it into AAA and perhaps beyond.  The Indians selected Chisenhall in the 1st round of the 2008 draft (although he was previously selected in 11th round of the 2006 draft by Pittsburgh).

The bats came alive for Class A Lake County again on Sunday and some regular subjects of this blog put forth good games.  Center fielder and leadoff man DELVI CID (age 21) went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.  The SB was his 53rd on the season; he’s been caught 10 times.  In the last 2 games, he’s done a good job of cutting down on strikeouts (1 in 9 at-bats) while logging base hits (5 for 9) and continuing to be a monster on the basepaths (4 SBs).  It’s a small sample size, but it shows that he at least has the talent to steal lots of bags and get on base to do it, something that I recently expressed some concern about.  Shortstop CASEY FRAWLEY (age 22) broke out of a 3-game hitless streak (0 for 11) by going 3 for 4 on Sunday with 2 triples and 3 runs scored.  He’s batting only .242 over his last 10 games, but I like that he can take a walk (.366 OBP over that time).  If he can become more consistent at the plate (most of his production came in the form of big games as of late), he will be a solid ballplayer.  On the season, he is hitting .264 with 21 2B, 7 3B, 8 HR, 51 RBI, 7 SBs, and 36 BB to 39Ks (364 AB).  Outfielder GREG FOLGIA (age 22) continued his recent hot streak, going 3 for 5 with a 2B, an RBI, and a stolen bag.  He’s batting .500 (13 for 26) over his last 10 games, along with 2 HR, 3 2B, and 7 RBI.  On the season, though, Folgia (a switch hitter) has hit lefties well (.328 BA) but has struggled against righties (.213).    He’s hitting .242 with 11 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, and 30 RBI with 61 Ks to 22 BBs in 244 ABs for the Captains this year.  The biggest bat on Sunday, though, belonged to third baseman ADAM ABRAHAM (age 23) who went 2 for 4 with a double and 5 RBI.  This is his 2nd 5-RBI game in 5 games and he now has 18 RBI in his last 10 games, with 13 of those coming in his last 5.  In those past 5 games, he is batting .500 (11 for 22) with 2 HR, 2 2B, and 4 BBs to go along with only 2Ks.  His season average is now at .251 with 15 2B, 10 HR, and 42 RBI in 271 ABs (22 BB to 53 Ks).

Mahoning Valley Scrappers starting pitcher MIKE RAYL (age 21) put together his 5th straight quality outing on Sunday.  In 5 innings, he allowed 2 earned runs on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4.  Over his last 5 starts, he hasn’t allowed more than 2 runs in an outing.  Over those 26 innings, he’s struck out 12, walked 5, and allowed 8 runs (7 earned) on 22 hits.  In 9 starts with the Scrappers this season, Rayl has had only one bad outing (a 2 IP, 5-run shelling on July 3), but he’s been otherwise solidly consistent, giving up 2 runs or less in 8 outings.  His season ERA stands at 3.16 and he has 24 Ks in 42.2 IP with only 8 BB and a BAA of .268.  Although not a strikeout pitcher at this point, the big lefty (6’5″) has demonstrated some potential over his first two seasons of professional ball (3.74 ERA, 41K, 10 BB, .267 BAA in 33.2 IP in the Arizona Rookie League last year).

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 2-3):  Little to note for this game, beyond two performances at the dish for the Clippers.   Shortstop JOSH RODRIGUEZ continued his breakout season, going 3 for 5 with a 2B and an RBI.  He’s now batting .333 over his last 10 games with 3 2B, 4 HR, and 11 RBI (.409 OBP).  Between Akron and Columbus this year, he’s batting .319 with 21 2B, 11 HR, 50 RBI, and a .401 OBP…  MICHAEL BRANTLEY continues to show why he no longer belongs in the minors, going 4 for 5 with 3 2B and an RBI.  Since getting sent back down to AAA from Cleveland on July 27, he’s hitting .421 (8 for 19)..

AA Akron Rundown (L, 3-11):  ANTHONY REYES’ second rehab start with the Aeros was something of a disaster, as he allowed 9 earned runs on 6 hits and 4 BB in 1.2 innings of work.  As he is rehabbing in the wake of a major reconstructive surgery on his throwing elbow, I won’t worry too much about this outing, especially since his previous rehab start went relatively well (3 scoreless innings)…  Reliever CONNOR GRAHAM had another nice appearance, striking out 3 and allowing 1 hit in 1.1 inning of work.  He hasn’t allowed a run since July 11 (he gave up 4 unearned runs in that game) and during that stretch of 6 appearances (9 IP), he’s walked none and struck out 12 while allowing 4 hits…  Upcoming Wigwammers favorite ROB BRYSON also logged some time on the mound on Sunday, striking out 2 while walking 1 and giving up 1 hit in 2 innings of work.  Through 4 appearances with the Aeros (4 innings), he’s given up 1 earned run on 3 hits and 6 walks (4 in one outing) while striking out 6…  Other than Chisenhall (see above), only JORDAN HENRY had a notable day at the plate.  He went 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.  The outfielder is now batting .486 over his last 10 games and getting on base at a .571 clip.

Class A Lake County Rundown (W, 11-9):  Not much to note here beyond the offensive explosion discussed above.  On a day when good pitching was short in supply (for both teams), PRESTON GUILMET shined for the Captains, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings, striking out 2, allowing 1 hit and 1 walk while picking up the victory.  He’s now struck out 46 in 32.2 innings with Captains, maintaining a 2.20 ERA while walking only 6 batters.

Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 3-5):  Few highlights in this one, although JONATHAN BURNETTE went 2 for 4 with  a 2B and a run scored.  He has 3 hits in his last 2 games (8 at-bats) after going hitless in his previous 6 contests (21 at-bats).  He’s hitting .277 with 8 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, and 18 RBI with a .311 OBP in his first season of pro ball (155 AB)…  CARLOS MONCRIEF, who is making the transition from the mound to the outfield this season, hit a 2-run home run on Sunday.  He’s batting only .196 on the campaign (.281 OBP) with 6 2B, 4 HR, and 13 RBI in 143 at-bats.

Class A Advanced Kinston had the day off.

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

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

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

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

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

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