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 21: Cid, Chen Extend Hitting Streaks

AAA COLUMBUS (L, 4-8)

• EZEQUIEL CARRERA (23, CF):  2-3, BB.  Last 7 games: 9-31 (.290), 2 2B, 4 RBI.  Through 99 ABs with the Clippers: .263 BA, 2 2B, 3B, 10 RBI, 6 BB, 22 K (.308 OBP).
• JARED GOEDERT (25, 3B):  1-3, BB.  Last 4 games: 4-14 (.286), RBI, 3 BB.
• JORDAN BROWN (26, 1B/OF):  2-4, HR, 3 RBI.  Since return to AAA: 5-17 (.294), 4 K.
• PAOLO ESPINO (23, SP):  4 IP, 8 ER, 9 H (3 HR), 2 BB, 3 K.  In 4 AAA starts: 23.2 IP, 5.32 ERA, 17 K, 7 BB, 6 HR allowed, .258 BAA.

HIGH-A KINSTON (L, 7-8)

• KYLE BELLOWS (21, 3B):  2-5, 2B, RBI.  Last 2 games: 4-9, 2 RBI after going 0 for previous 9.
• ABNER ABREU (20, OF):  3-4, 2B, RBI.  Last 10 games: .333, 4 extra-base hits, 7 RBI, BB, 9 K, SB.  Season (369 AB): .249 BA, 20 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 50 RBI, 116 K, 17 SB (.281 OBP), 9 SB.  Low BB and high K rates alarming, and haven’t really improved over the course of the season.
• CHUN CHEN (21, C):  1-4, 2B, BB, RBI.  9-game hit streak:  12-28 (.429), 4 extra-base hits, 4 RBI, 7 BB, 6 K, SB.
• JUAN DIAZ (21, SS):  2-3, RBI.  Last 6: 9-19 (.474), 3 RBI, 2 BB.
• KAREXON SANCHEZ (23, 2B):  2-5, RBI.  Pre-all-star break: .280 BA, 18 extra-base hits, 29 RBI, 43 BB, 49 K, 7 SB in 211 AB.  Since: .234 BA, 14 extra-base hits, 16 RBI, 24 BB, 57 K, 0 SB.
• DONNIE WEBB (24, OF):  1-3, 2B, RBI, BB.  Last 10: .313 BA, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 10 K, SB.
• T.J. HOUSE (20, SP):  4 IP, 3 ER (3 unearned), 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K.  Last 2 outings combined: 9 IP, 8 ER, 15 H, 3 BB, 8 K.
• CHRIS JONES (20, RP):  3.1 IP, 5 K, H, BB.  Last 5 outings: 13.1 IP, 15 K, 3 ER, 4 BB, 8 H.  Season in high-A (61 IP): 1.62 ERA, 56 K, 22 BB, .205 BAA.
• CORY BURNS (22, CP):  .2 IP, 2 H, K, 2 unearned runs.  An rare blown save, granted he gave up no earned runs.

LOW-A LAKE COUNTY (L, 6-3)

• TYLER HOLT (21, CF):  1-4, 2B, RBI.  Through 7 games with Captains: 4-23, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K.
• DELVI CID (21, OF):  1-4, RBI.  8-game hit streak: 12-33 (.364), 3 RBI, 3 BB, 11 K, 4 SB.
• GIOVANNI SOTO (19, SP):  4 IP, 4 ER, 5 H (2 HR), 3 BB, 3 K.  First poor start with Lake County after 4 impressive outings: 23 IP, 6 ER, 12 H, 7 BB, 24 K.

SHORT-SEASON MAHONING VALLEY (W, 2-1)

• NICHOLAS BARTOLONE (19, SS):  1-4, RBI, SB.  Last 3 games: 4-13, 2 2B, 2 RBI.
• JONATHAN BURNETTE (22, OF):  1-4, 2B.  Last 10 games: .317, 5 extra-base hits, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 9 K.  Season (226 AB): .288 BA, 15 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 28 RBI, 13 BB, 51 K.
• MOISES MONTERO (20, C):  2-4, 2B.  Last 3 games (part-time player): 5-13, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI.
• JORDAN COOPER (21, SP):  5 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K.  Last 4 starts: 19 IP, 4 ER, 17 H, 6 BB, 10 K.
• NATHAN STRIZ (21, RP):  IP, K.  Second professional appearance (IP, K, BB on Aug. 18).

Last night’s Akron Aeros game was postponed because of rain and will be made up as half of a doubleheader today (08/22).

August 20: Tribe Acquires RHP Zach McAllister, Chisenhall Earns BA Weekly Honors

The Indians received their “player to be named later” from the New York Yankees, as the other half of the trade that sent major league outfielder Austin Kearns to New York.  ZACH McALLISTER (22) is a promising young pitcher that has had a rough go of it in AAA this season.  In 24 starts with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he recorded a 5.09 ERA with 88 K, 38 BB, and a .308 BAA in 132.2 IP.  Not only has he been quite hittable, but he’s been a frequent victim of the gopher ball (20 HR allowed this season).  But he’s only 22 and has a solid minor league career.  In 2009 with AA Trenton, he posted a 2.23 ERA with 96 K, 33 BB, and a .220 BAA (only 4 HR allowed) in 121 IP.  In 2008 between low-A and high-A, he recorded a 2.09 ERA with 115 K, 21 BB, and a .233 BAA (9 HR allowed) in 151 IP.  He has solid control and his track record suggests that he’s better than his 2010 stats suggest.  I suspect that he will turn things around before too long.

AAA COLUMBUS (L, 5-7)

• JOSH RODRIGUEZ (25, 2B):   2-4, 2B.  Pre-all star break: .333 BA, 10 2B, 6 HR, 22 RBI, 21 BB, 29 K in 138 AAA ABs.  Since: .220 BA, 7 2B, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 15 BB, 35 K in 123 ABs.
• JARED GOEDERT (25, 3B):  1-3, 2 BB.  Last 10 games: .270 BA, 5 extra-base hits, 5 RBI, 4 BB.
• JOSE CONSTANZA (26, OF):  1-4, 2B, BB.  Last 10 games: .410 BA, 4 extra-base hits, 7 BB, 5 SB.
• CORD PHELPS (23, 2B):  2-5, RBI.  Last 10: .317 BA, 2 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 BB.
• JOSH JUDY (24, RP):  2 IP, 0 ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K.  Last 3 outings: 3.1 IP, 0 ER, H, 2 BB, 6 K.
• VINNIE PESTANO (25, RP):  IP, H, K.  Last 5 outings: 5 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 8 K.

AA AKRON (L, 1-5)

• LONNIE CHISENHALL (21, 3B):  1-3.  8-game hit streak: 12-28 (.429), 3 2B, HR, 12 RBI, 7 BB, SB.  Earned the #5 spot on Baseball America’s most recent prospect hot sheet with last week’s excellent string of performances and looks poised to continue his recent success.
• TIM FEDROFF (23, OF):  2-3, solo HR, BB.  Last 9 games: 11-31 (.355), 4 extra-base hits, 2 RBi, 7 BB, 7 K.
• ALEX WHITE (21, SP):  5.1 IP, 2 ER (2 unearned), 8 H, 3 BB, 5 K.  Through 4 August starts: 5.91 ERA, 14 K, 8 BB, .302 BAA in 21.1 IP.  A couple of weeks ago I speculated that he might be tiring near the end of his first professional season and it’s appearing that I might be correct.  Still, his overall season stat line between high-A and AA is solid: 2.57 ERA, 112 K, 45 BB, .224 BAA in 143.2 IP.
• CONNOR GRAHAM (24, RP):  1.2 IP, 3 K.  Keeps on looking good.  Last 3 starts: 5.2 IP, 0 ER 2 H, BB, 7 K.
• CHEN LEE (23, RP):  IP, K.  Last 10 appearances: 12 IP, 11 K, 2 BB, 4 H, 1 unearned run.

HIGH-A KINSTON (W, 6-4):

• CHUN CHEN (21, C):  2-5.  8 game hit streak: 11-24 (.458), 3 extra-base hits, 3 RBI, 6 BB, SB.
• KYLE BELLOWS (22, 3B):  2-4, RBI.  Last 10: .316 BA, 3 2B, 7 RBI.
• ABNER ABREU (20, OF):  1-4, 2B, 2 RBI.  Last 8 games: 9-28 (.321), 3 extra-base hits, 6 RBI, SB.
• JUAN DIAZ (21, SS):  1-3, 2B, BB.  Last 10: .361 BA, 4 extra-base hits, 4 RBI, 2 BB, SB.
• DOUG PICKENS (25, OF):  2-3, RBI.  Last 9: .333 BA, 2 extra-base hits, 6 RBI.
• DONNIE WEBB (24, OF):  1-3, 2B, BB.  Last 10: .344 BA, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB.
• RYAN LANGWELL (24, RP):  1.1 IP, 2 K.  Last 5 outings (5.1 IP): 4 K, BB, 0 H, 0 R.  Season with Kinston (49.2 IP): 2.17 ERA, 50 K, 13 BB, .213 BAA.  Hasn’t given up any runs in a month (11 scoreless IP since July 22).
• CORY BURNS (22, CP):  IP, K, SV.  Business as usual: high-A save number 25, number 37 overall in 2010.  72 K in 48.1 innings.

LOW-A LAKE COUNTY (W, 5-3)

• CASEY FRAWLEY (22, SS):  3-3, solo HR, BB, SB.  Last 10 games: .385 BA, 4 extra-base hits, 7 RBI, 2 BB, SB.  Slumped in July, batting just .206 88 ABs, but has rebounded in a big way in August with a .338 through 65 ABs.  Season stats: .269 BA, 22 2B, 8 3B, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 8 SB, 42 BB, 79 K.
• ADAM ABRAHAM (23, 3B):  1-5, 2B, 3 RBI.  Last 10: .317 BA, 3 extra-base hits, 7 RBI, 4 BB, SB.
• DELVI CID (21, OF):  1-4, RBI.  7-game hitting streak: 13-29 (.448 BA), 3 BB, 4 SB.  Still striking out a lot, though: 12 times in last 10 games and 114 times in 454 total ABs in 2010.
• JASON KNAPP (19, SP):  4 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 7 K.  Season debut with Captains after 5 starts with AZL (rookie) Indians (12. IP, 1.45 ERA, 18 K, 4 BB, .119 BAA).  Acquired as part of the trade that sent Cliff Lee to Philadelphia in 2009.

SHORT-SEASON MAHONING VALLEY (L, 4-6)

• CARLOS MONCRIEF (21, OF):  3-5, 2B, RBI.  Last 10 games: .316 BA, 5 extra-base hits, 5 RBI, 8 BB.
• JONATHAN BURNETTE (22, OF):  1-5, RBI.  Has at least 1 hit in each of his past 10 games, batting .317 during that stretch with 4 extra-base hits, 6 RBI, and 3 BB.
• AARON FIELDS (22, 2B):  1-3, 3B, 2 RBI, BB.  4 RBI in last 3 games; only playing part-time (56 ABs in 2010: .232 BA)
• KIRK WETMORE (21, P):  3.1 IP, o ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K.  Last 2 outings: 7.1 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 8 K.  Through 44.2 IP in 2010: 6.65 ERA, 38 K, 22 BB, .291 BAA.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

August 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 11: Kaminsky Keys Scrappers’ One-Hitter, Packer and Cid Continue to Impress

ALEX KAMINSKY (22) and four other Mahoning Valley pitchers combined to one-hit the Staten Island Yankees on Wednesday.  Kaminsky pitched the first 5 innings, giving up 1 hit and 1 BB while striking out 4.  His season stats with the Scrappers now stand at a 1.95 ERA, 45 Ks, 16 BB, and a .210 BAA through 11 starts (55.1 innings).  Although Kaminsky has impressed since making his debut with Mahoning Valley shortly after the Indians drafted him in June of this year, some numbers suggest that he’s improved.  For instance, he’s walked only 3 total batters in his last 4 outings (20 IP) after he walked 13 in his previous 7 starts (35.1 IP).  He hasn’t given up more than 2 runs in an outing since June 30th and has held is opponents under 2 runs in 7 of his 11 starts this season.  The 22 year-old righty out of Wright State certainly earned his selection to the NY-Penn League All-Star squad.

Good news and bad news out of AA Akron.  First, the bad.  Rehabbing starter ANTHONY REYES (28) had another terrible outing.  In 1 inning of work, he allowed 7 earned runs on 6 BB and 1 hit while striking out 1.  After a solid rehab appearance on July 27, he’s had two ugly outings, allowing a combined 16 runs on 7 hits and 10 BB in 2.2 IP.  His command appears to be nowhere to be found.  Reyes is recovering from right elbow surgery and hadn’t pitched since August 1 because of back soreness…  Okay, the good news.  The guy who relieved Reyes, lefty MATT PACKER (22), looked good again, tossing 7 scoreless innings in which he allowed 3 hits, 3 BB, and struck out 4.  This was his second appearance for Akron.  In his first one, he gave up 1 earned run (2 total) on 6 hits and 1 BB while striking out 6 in 7 innings.  Packer received the call directly from Lake County to Akron, bypassing high A Kinston.  With Lake County, he posted an excellent stat line of a 1.60 ERA, 92 K, 14 BB, and a .218 BAA in 95.2 IP (24 appearances, 13 starts).

Lake County Captains outfielder DELVI CID (21) performed well again on Wednesday, going 2 for 4 with 2 2B, 2 RBI, a BB, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base.  Although his season average is sitting only at .252, he had a rough April and May before turning things around in June (.289), doing well enough in July (.280), and raking so far in August (.333).  He did have a recent 1 for 12 streak over the course of 3 games (Aug. 6 – Aug. 8), but he’s been looking good again in his last 3 games, going 5 for 13.  He now has 58 stolen bases on the season, and has been caught 13 times.  I’d still like to see him narrow that K to BB ratio, though (9 to 3 in his last 10 games).

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 3-7):  First baseman WES HODGES had a nice game, going 2 for 4 with a 2B (his 25th of the season).  He’s 5 for his last 8 with 2 2B.  Is he finally heating up?…  Second baseman CORD PHELPS had another solid if unspectacular game, going 2 for 4.  He has at least 1 base hit in 7 of his last 8 games and is hitting .331 on the season for Columbus (181 at-bats)…  DREW SUTTON, whom the Indians claimed off of waivers from the Reds on August 6, went 2 for 3 on Wednesday with 2 RBI and a BB.  In 13 at-bats so far for the Clippers, the 27 year-old middle infielder is 3 for 13.  He batted .262 with 16 2B, a 3B, 3 HR, and 27 RBI in 263 for AAA Louisville earlier this season.

AA Akron Rundown (L, 6-7):  On-base machine JORDAN HENRY continues to get the job done.  He went 1 for 4 on Wednesday with a BB and a stolen base.  He’s cooled off a bit as of late, but he’s still done an excellent job of turning his season around.  Before the AA all-star break, he was batting only .228 with a .316 OBP (101 ABs); since then, he’s hitting .345 with a .439 OBP (84 ABs)…  JASON KIPNIS went only 1 for 5, but he doubled and drove in a pair of runs.  He has at least one base hit in 8 of his last 9 games and is batting .333 (12 for 36) during that span with 7 RBI…  Outfielder JOHN DRENNEN had a stellar game, going 3 for 5 with a 2B and a run scored.  The left-handed batter is hitting .295 on the season in 356 at-bats, but only .250 since the AA all-star break (80 ABs)…  Recently acquired catcher JUAN APODACA continues to thrive with the Aeros; he went 1 for 3 with a 2-run HR and a BB.  Since getting traded to the Indians organization, he’s batting .500 (5 for 10) with 5 BB (.667 OBP)…  Shortstop CARLOS RIVERO went 2 for 4 with a 2-run HR.  He’s batting only .228 on the season in AA (356 at-bats), and .211 in his last 10 games.

Class A Lake County Rundown (L, 6-10):  Shortstop CASEY FAWLEY caught my eye again, as he went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored on Wednesday.  He’s now 7 for his last 13 with 3 RBI.  Over his last 10 games, he’s hitting .359 with 8 RBI despite having a stretch of 3 hitless games mixed in there…  Third baseman ADAM ABRAHAM went 2 for 4 with a 2B, 2 RBI, and a BB.  Before the all-star break, he was batting just .189 with 2 HR, 6 2B, and 11 RBI (8 BB, 33 K) in 143 at bats.  In 166 ABs since the break, he’s hitting .319 with 12 2B, 8 HR, and 35 RBI (19 BB, 27).  That’s tremendous improvement across the board…  First baseman CHRIS KERSTEN went 1 for 4 with a solo jack against Fort Wayne.  He’s now homered in consecutive games and has the frame (6’4″, 225 lbs.) to hit more…  Left-handed relief pitcher FRANCISCO JIMENEZ made another dominant appearance, pitching 3 scoreless innings in which he gave up no hits, 1 walk, and struck out 3.  He has a 4.11 ERA in 65.2 IP for the Captains this season, as well as 54 K, 19 BB, and a .266 BAA.

Short-season Mahoning Valley Rundown (W, 2-0):  JONATHAN BURNETTE went 1 for 3 in Wednesday’s game, also drawing 2 walks.  He’s looked good as of late, going 6 for his last 17…  Right fielder KEVIN RUCKER went deep for the Scrappers, going 2 for 3 with a BB and 2 runs scored to go with his solo shot.  He’s now 4 for his last 30…  Left fielder BRIAN HEERE went 2 for 3 with a 2B, an RBI, and a BB.  After a poor June (.091 BA in 22 at-bats), he had a better July (.218 in 87 ABs) before turning it up so far in August (.316 BA in 36 ABs)…  Shortstop NICHOLAS BARTOLONE went 2 for 5, raising his average with the Scrappers to .316 (6 for 19) through 4 games with the Scrappers.

The Kinston Indians game was suspended due to weather and will be completed on Thursday, August 12.

August 10: Goedert Stellar in Doubleheader, Soto Continues to Dominate

Columbus Clippers third baseman JARED GOEDERT (25) had a nice doubleheader performance on Tuesday.  After having a pair of days off, he went 2 for 3 in the first contest, hitting a 3B.  In the second game, he went 2 for 3 with a 2B, a solo HR, and a BB.  Goedert was 0 for 9 in the previous 2 games with 5 Ks, so hopefully this signals a bit of a turnaround for him.  After hitting .308 in June, he cooled off to .286 in July before hitting .258 so far in August.  On the season between AA and AAA, he’s compiled an impressive line: .305, 33 2B, 25 HR, and 73 RBI in 390 at-bats.  This is easily his best season since 2007 when he split time between Lake County and Kinston, batting .317 with 19 2B, 20 HR, and 74 RBI in 290 at-bats.  He clearly has some talent, but I hope that he can recapture something of the excellence that he displayed earlier this season.

Lake County Captains starting pitcher GIOVANNI SOTO (19) keeps on getting better and better.  On Tuesday, the young lefty gave up 2 runs on 3 hits (including a HR) and 1 BB while striking out 9 batters in 7 innings of work.  Through 3 outings with the Captains, he has a 2.00 ERA with 20 K, 6 BB, and a .107 BAA in 18 innings.  In each outing, he’s given up fewer walks (3, then 2, and then 1) while pitching more innings in each game (5, then 6, and then 7).  Of course, I love the high punch-out rate and how few hits he gives up.  He’s been nothing short of spectacular on the season as a whole (2.50 ERA, 96 K, 31 BB, and a .226 BAA in 100.2 IP with Western Michigan and Lake County) and I look forward to seeing what he does as the season winds down.

Once-lauded prospect NICK HAGADONE (24) continues his transition to relief pitching.  The Indians acquired Hagadone in the trade that sent Victor Martinez to Boston in 2009 and he had a promising minor league career as a starter until he reached AA Akron.  With high A Kinston earlier this season, he posted a 2.39 ERA with 45 K, 29 BB, and a .206 BAA in 10 starts (37.2 IP), but his first 7 starts with the Aeros were ugly (5.19 ERA, 26 K, 18 BB, .253 BAA) and he was moved to a relief role.  In that capacity, he’s posted a 2.61 ERA with 10 K, 8 BB, and a .268 BAA in 10.1 innings of work.  The big lefty (6’5″, 230 lbs.) evidently has some good stuff, but he also has some control issues and didn’t pitch far into games as a starter.  If he keeps the BBs in check, he could be a strong relief pitcher.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 0-1/ W, 6-3):  The only notable performance in the first game of the doubleheader outside of Goedert’s (see above) was that of starting pitcher YOHAN PINO. Pino went 6 innings, giving up 1 earned run on 3 hits (a solo HR) and 1 BB while striking out 4.  Pino’s biggest problem his season is that he’s been very hittable (.274 BAA) and that a lot of those hits are home runs (22 in 118 innings of work this season).  He has a 5.64 ERA with 89 K and 41 BB with Columbus…  There are a few more highlights in the Clippers’ game two win.  First baseman WES HODGES went 3 for 4 with a 2B.  Since returning to the Indians on August 6 after getting DFA’d, he’s 5 for 19 (.263) with 4 Ks…  JERAD HEAD swung a big bat, going 2 for 3 with a 2B and a HR and 2 RBI.  He’s 8 for his last 14 with 4 RBI in that stretch.  He’s batting .304 with 7 2B, 2 HR, and 12 RBI in 56 AAA at-bats this season…  Catcher RICHARD MARTINEZ went 2 for 3 with a BB and a run scored, lifting his AAA average to .353 through 17 at-bats (6 for 17)…  Reliever BRYCE STOWELL pitched a scoreless inning in which he struck out 2 batters.  In 14 innings of work for the Clippers this season, he has a 3.21 ERA with 21 K, 13 BB, and a .170 BAA.  He hasn’t walked any batters in his last 2 starts, so that’s a good sign that he’s turning that part of his game around…  VINNIE PESTANO picked up his 10th AAA save of the season (13th overall) after pitching a perfect inning in which he struck out 2.  In 37.1 innings this season for the Clippers, he’s recorded a .193 ERA with 49 K, 12 BB, and a .224 BAA.

AA Akron Rundown (L, 0-11):  COREY KLUBER is not looking good so far.  His second start for the Aeros on Tuesday was worse than his first one, as he gave up 6 runs (all earned) on 11 hits and 1 BB while striking out 5 in 4 innings of work.  While it was good to see him walk fewer batters in this start (1 as opposed to 5), he was still just too hittable (.487 BAA in those 2 starts)…  OMAR AGUILAR pitched a solid inning of relief, striking out 2 and walking 1.  In 52.2 innings of work this season in AA, Aguilar has struck out 64, given up 29 BBs, and maintained a .220 BAA while recording a 3.42 ERA…  Almost as good was ROB BRYSON, who pitched a scoreless frame in which he allowed 1 hit, 1 BB, and struck out 2.  He’s settling in at AA after a season at high A that saw him post a 2.25 ERA with 38 K, 8 BB, and a .108 BAA in 20 innings.

High A Kinston Rundown (L, 3-4):  First baseman JEREMIE TICE went 2 for 5 with an RBI.  In 102 high A at-bats, he’s hitting .294; .289 in his last 10 games.  On the season between Kinston and Lake County, he’s batting .285 with 11 HR and 66 RBI in 347 ABs…  Third baseman KYLE BELLOWS went 3 for 5 with an RBI.  He’s now batting .389 (7 for 18) in his last 4 games…  Shortstop JUAN DIAZ continued his recent turnaround, going 2 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  He’s 7 for his last 16 (.438) and is now batting .321 in August…  DOUG PICKENS went 2 for 4 with a 2B.  He’s 4 for his last 11…  Starting pitcher JOSEPH GARDNER was less dominant than usual on Tuesday, but still good.  In 7 innings, he allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and 1 BB while striking out 4.  The single walk was the fewest he’s allowed in an outing since June 26.

Class A Lake County Rundown (W, 4-3):  Shortstop CASEY FRAWLEY had another nice game, going 2 for 5 with a 3B and an RBI on Tuesday.  In his last 10 games, he’s hit 3 3Bs while batting .308…  First baseman JEFF KERSTEN had the biggest hit for the Captains, slugging a 2-run home run (his 7th on the season for the Captains and 10th overall)…  PRESTON GUILMET relieved Soto and although he blew the save by giving up a run, he earned the victory, tossing 2 innings in which he allowed 2 hits and struck out 3.  He’s now struck out 53 batters in 37.2 innings of work this season.

Short-season Mahoning Valley Rundown (W, 7-3):  CARLOS MONCRIEF continued to impress, going 1 for 2 with a 3B, 2 BB, and 2 runs scored on Tuesday.  He’s batting .517 in his last 8 games (15 for 29) with an OBP of .600…  GIOVANNY URSHELA went only 1 for 4, but drove in 2 more runs.  In 180 at-bats for the Scrappers, he’s batting .300 with 3 HR, 8 2B, and 30 RBI…  Outfielder JONATHAN BURNETTE had yet another nice game, going 2 for 5 with a 2B, a HR, and 2 RBI.  He’s hit 4 home runs in his last 7 games, as well as 4 2Bs, and is 5 for his last 14…  Second baseman and NY-Penn League All-Star DANIEL DeGEORGE went 2 for 4 with 2 2B and an RBI.  He’s 4 for his last 14…  Starting pitcher JORDAN COOPER threw a decent game, allowing 1 run on 1 hit (a solo HR) and 2 BB while striking out 3.  In 47.2 innings of work for the Scrappers this season, he’s posted a 3.78 ERA with 30 K, 12 BB, and a .291 BAA…  TAKAFUMI NAKAMURA relived Cooper and went 4 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and a BB while striking out 6.  On the season, he’s recorded a 4.09 ERA with 28 K, 6 BB, and a .256 BAA in 33 innings of relief work.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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