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 17: Carrasco Dominant Again, Kipnis Keeps on Rolling

AAA COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (W, 5-1)

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

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

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

AA AKRON AEROS (L, 7-9)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 31: Brown Promoted, Indians Acquire Kluber

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 27: Tomlin Stellar in MLB Debut, Hodges Designated for Assignment

JOSH TOMLIN (age 25) made his major league debut on Tuesday for the Indians, and in impressive fashion.  He went seven strong innings against the New York Yankees, allowing 1 run on only 3 hits and no walks while fanning a pair.  Although that start might have surprised some, those who followed his progress this season were likely not among them.  On the season with the Clippers, he made 20 appearances (17 starts), posting a 2.68 ERA with 80 Ks and 33 BB in 107.1 innings of work while opponents batted a paltry .212 against him.  In short, he earned that start with the Tribe and that performance merits an encore.  Although I like Jeanmar Gomez, it’s difficult to argue with Tomlin’s numbers this year.  He isn’t much of a strikeout pitcher, but he’s evidently difficult to hit well and gives up only a moderate number of walks.  Those facts point to continued success down the road.

WES HODGES (age 25) is no longer with the Indians organization.  Today, the Tribe designated him for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Tomlin.  Hodges will likely find a new home before too long, as he demonstrated some potential at the plate as recently as the 2008 season and recently showed some signs that he was regaining his old form.  Unfortunately, Hodges really had nowhere to fit in with the big league club.  His atrocious defense forced the Indians to convert him from third to first and even then he still struggled in the field.  With Matt LaPorta settling in at first base and Travis Hafner still somehow clinging to the DH slot (with a bevy of other guys able to fulfill that role), the Tribe simply no longer needed Hodges.  It’s just perplexing that the organization is still hanging onto Andy Marte.  Sure, the guy has a better glove, but it’s abundantly clear at this point that he just can’t hold his own at the plate (he’s hitting .193 in 83 at-bats this season).  I’ve always been a Hodges fan, so I wish him nothing but the best of luck wherever he signs.

Outfielder MICHAEL BRANTLEY is back in Columbus.  During his recent 17-game stint with the Indians, he hit .156 in 70 at-bats.  If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that he struck out only 4 times during that span while drawing 7 walks.  Word is that Tribe manager Manny Acta expects him to be back in Cleveland soon.  It’s way too early to give up on Brantley, but I’m not sure how much more he can do in AAA (.315 BA with a .391 OBP in 241 at-bats this year).  Meanwhile, JORDAN BROWN had another solid game for the Clippers on Tuesday, going 1 for 3 and driving in a run while taking over first base duties from Hodges.  Despite missing the early part of the season (39 games), he’s still racked up 61 RBI.  He has driven in 15 runs in his last 10 games (.366 BA) and 8 in his last 3 contests.  He isn’t getting any younger (he’s 26), so the Indians should give him the call and take a long look at him before they even think about promoting Brantley again.

Another great game for JORDAN HENRY (age 22) yesterday.  The Aeros outfielder went 3 for 4 at the plate with 2 doubles and a run scored.  Including the July 25 game that got postponed, Henry is batting .692 (9 for 13) in his last 4 contests.  I like his ability to get base hits and take walks while striking out little.  Before getting the call from Kinston to Akron in June, he logged a .333 batting average with 30 walks to 27 strikeouts in 162 at-bats.  With Akron, he only has a .265 average so far (although that is quickly rising), but has walked 18 times while striking out 23 times (136 at-bats).  After a slow start to July, he’s hitting .371 over his last 10 games.  During that stretch, he’s drawn 5 walks while striking out 3 times.  He hits for no power, though, compiling only 8 doubles, 1 triple, and no home runs in 77 games (298 at-bats) between high A and AA this season.  And although his tall, slim 6’3″ 175 lb. frame suggests that he could add some muscle and power during the coming years, he won’t need it if he continues to be an on-base machine.

After a couple of brief starts with the AZL Indians, ANTHONY REYES tossed 3 strong innings in his first rehab start with the Aeros on Tuesday.  He held Bowie scoreless, allowing only 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 1.  I look forward to seeing him back in Cleveland, so I will be monitoring his progress closely.  ROB BRYSON (age 22) relieved Reyes, pitching 1 inning of scoreless ball, giving up 1 hit and 1 walk while fanning 1.  He now has 4 Ks in 2 innings of work in AA.  CONNOR GRAHAM (age 24) followed Bryson with 2 scoreless innings and 2 strikeouts.  Although he’s given up 36 walks to 38 Ks on the season with Akron, Graham has been better as of late, striking out 14 and walking 5 in his last 15 innings of work (10 appearances).  BRYAN PRICE (age 23) finished the shutout for the Aeros, giving up 3 hits and striking out 4 in 3 IP.  In 48.2 innings of work with Akron, he has struck out 54 batters while walking 13.  He’s been downright dominant in his last 5 outings, allowing no earned runs on 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 13 in 11.2 innings.

The Rundown:   Columbus third baseman JARED GOEDERT went 1 for 3 last night, but also drew two walks while belting a solo jack.  He now has 17 home runs during his tenure in AAA and 24 total on the season…  JOSE CONSTANZA of the Clippers went 3 for 4 on Tuesday, scoring a run and stealing a bag.  He’s swiped 27 bases this season while getting caught only twice.  During his last 10 games, he’s batting .326 (362 OBP) with 5 steals…  Aeros outfielder MATT McBRIDE smacked another home run on Tuesday, a 3-run shot.  He now has 17 on the season to go along with 64 RBI and a respectable .285 average.  He’s hitting .361 with 3 HRs and 13 RBI in his last 10 games…  AA third baseman LONNIE CHISENHALL earned another mention here with a 1 for 3, RBI performance last night.  He has 4 hits in his last 13 at-bats, including a home run and 4 RBI…  Third baseman KYLE BELLOWS (age 21) of the high A Kinston Indians looked good on Tuesday, going 3 for 5 with a triple and 3 RBI.  He is batting only .237 over his last 10 games and .254 on the season with Kinston, so let’s hope that this youngster is turning a corner…   Teammate JEREMIE TICE remained hot, going 2 for 5 against Winston Salem on Tuesday, doubling and driving in a pair of runs.  He is now hitting .390 over his last 10 games with 6 doubles and 8 RBI…  Kinston right fielder ABNER ABREU went 0 for 2 on Tuesday, but drew 3 walks and scored 2 runs.  That is pretty remarkable because he usually walks very little; in 73 high A games this season, he’s drawn a total of 16 free passes (including yesterday’s 3).  If this is any indication that he’s starting to be more selective at the plate, that .252 batting average will soon begin to rise…  Both the Lake County Captains and Mahoning Valley Scrappers had Tuesday off.

July 26: Chisenhall Goes Deep, Young Relievers Impress

Aeros third baseman LONNIE CHISENHALL (age 21) continued his recent trend of solid performances on Monday, going 1 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI against Bowie.  Over his past 10 games, he’s batting .293 with 2 2B, 2 HR, and 8 RBI with 4 walks to 8 strikeouts.  He’s been held hitless in only 2 of those games, indicating that he’s perhaps becoming more consistent.  I’d like to see him hit for a little more power (he hit 22 home runs between AA and AAA last season), but he also needs to continue improving his batting average and take a few more walks.  Although he hits both lefties and righties for power, his BA against lefties is only .221 as opposed to .296 against righties (he bats lefty).  He’ll need to remedy that if he hopes to make it to the show as more than a platoon player.  In the meantime, let’s see if he can make his recent solid performances into something more impressive.

Clippers relief pitcher VINNIE PESTANO (age 25) had another impressive outing on Monday, pitching 1 scoreless inning, striking out the side.  He’s given up no runs in his past 10 appearances (11.1 IP), allowing only 5 hits and 3 walks during that span while striking out 14.  On the season with Columbus, he’s appeared in 29 games, posting a 1.67 ERA with 27 hits (.220 BAA), 10 walks, and 42 strikeouts in 32.1 innings of work.  Before getting the call to AAA, he maintained a 2.70 ERA while allowing 12 hits (.235 BAA) and 2 walks with 18 strikeouts while with the Aeros.  He’s allowed only one longball all season long, and that came while he was still in AA.  One constant need of the big league squad during the past few years has been relief pitching, so one has reason to be excited about this righty, especially since he can rack up the strikeouts (60 in 45.2 IP between AA and AAA this season).  He should be on the Indians’ radar for a call-up should they need any bullpen help during the remainder of the season.

The Indians have another promising young relief pitcher in PRESTON GUILMET (age 23) of the Lake County Captains.  On Monday, he pitched 3.2 strong innings against Peoria, striking out 4 while allowing only 1 hit.  On the season, he’s recorded a 2.63 ERA while allowing 20 hits (.204 BAA) and only 3 walks while striking out 42 batters in 27.1 innings (19 appearances).  Guilmet is in only his second season of professional baseball; The Indians selected him in the 9th round of the 2009 draft (275th overall pick) out of the University of Arizona.  He worked as a starter with Mahoning Valley in 2009, but has found greater success as a reliever this year (4.09 ERA with 16 BBs, 62 Ks, and a BAA of .255 in 70.1 IP last year).  He’s had a few rough outings as of late, but I am excited to see what this strikeout machine does during the coming weeks.

LUIS VALBUENA (age 24) exploded again on Monday, following his 5-6, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI performance on Saturday with a 2 for 3, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, and 4 run outing against Pawtucket last night (He did have an 0-4 day on Sunday sandwiched in there).  At this point, Valbuena has little left to prove at the AAA level.  He’s spent parts of the past 3 seasons with the big league club, so outbursts such as last night’s tend to solidify my previous assertion that Valbuena might very well be one of those AAAA guys that is too good for AAA but can’t carry that success over to the show.  If he keeps playing this way, we won’t have to wait too long for the Indians to call him up again and test whether or not I am correct.

The Rundown:  Aeros first baseman BEAU MILLS had another good day at the dish on Monday, going 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.  He’s now batting .293 over his last 10 games with 5 2Bs, 1 3B, 2 HR, and 11 RBI…  Akron outfielder JOHN DRENNEN continued his recent hot streak, going 2 for 4 against Bowie.  He’s batting .393 over his last 7 games (11 for 28)…  JORDAN HENRY picked up where he left off after Sunday’s game got rained out.  The Aeros outfielder went 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored…  JASON KIPNIS went 1 for 4 at the plate with a double, RBI, and a walk.  He’s batting .452 with an OBP of .531 over his last 10 games…  The Clippers’ JORDAN BROWN is on fire after going 3 for 3 with a HR, 4 RBI, and 2 BB against Pawtucket on Monday.  In the 4-game series, he posted a .625 BA (10 for 16) with 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, and 3 BB.  He’s a bit on the older side for a minor leaguer (26), but that’s just plain impressive…  Teammate WES HODGES went 2 for 5 with an RBI.  He also had a good series against Pawtucket, going 5 for 13 (.385) with a 2B, an RBI, and 2 BB…  CORD PHELPS saw his hitting streak came to an end at 13 games yesterday after he went 0 for 4 at the plate.  His season average with Columbus (in 130 at-bats, mind you) is down to .362…  Kinston Indians left fielder BO GREENWELL was one of the few to do anything against Winston Salem at the plate on Monday, going 2 for 4 with 2 singles on the day…  Fellow outfielder ABNER ABREU also posted a 2 for 4 day, but also struck out twice…  Lake County Captains center fielder DELVI CID remained true to form, going 1 for 5 (2 Ks) and stealing a bag – his 47th of the year…  Akron Aeros starting pitcher PAOLO ESPINO had a recent streak of solid outings end as he got shelled by Bowie.  He went 4.1 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 11 hits and 1 walk while striking out 7.  I like the number of punchouts, but they mean little if the opposing team is still banging out 11 hits.  Espino has been impressive for most of the season, so he should be able to shrug off this subpar outing.  After all, they do happen every now and then.

July 25: Promising Performances in the Lower Reaches of the Indians Farm System

ADAM ABRAHAM (age 23) makes his 5th straight appearance in this blog.  On Sunday, the Lake County Captains first baseman continued his recent tear, going 2 for 4 with a solo HR while making a spot start at third base.  He’s now homered in back-to-back contests and 4 times in his last 7 games.  In his last 10 games with the Captains, he’s batting .385 with 4 2Bs, 4 HRs, and 10 RBI.   My only criticism is that he has only 1 walk during that time to go along with 7 strikeouts.  After a dismal start to the season, batting .146 in April and .167 in May, he hit .286 in June and .284 so far in July to bring his season average up to .232.  He’s far from a surefire prospect, but his recent play suggests that he has the potential for further development, especially if he starts being more patient at the plate.

Third baseman JEREMIE TICE (age 23) of the Kinston Indians is adapting to high A ball.  He started the season with Lake County, where he batted .282 with 19 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, and 51 RBI (19 walks to 59 strikeouts) in 66 games (245 at-bats).  On Sunday, he went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI for Kinston, making his overall stat line in high A .294 with 6 2Bs, a HR, and 8 RBI in 13 games (51 ABs).  Over his last 10 games, he is batting .333.  His main problem continues to be the strikeouts, as he has whiffed 13 times during his time with the Indians, as opposed to drawing only 1 walk.  He will need to improve his eye at the plate if he hopes to take the next step.  The Indians drafted Tice in the 6th round of the 2008 draft (201st overall), out of the College of Charleston.

Lake County Captains starting pitcher VIDAL NUNO (age 23) put together an impressive start against Peoria on Sunday.  He pitched 6 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 5 hits and no walks while striking out 8.  The young lefty is in only his second season of professional ball after getting drafted by the Indians out of Baker University (Kansas) in the 48th round (1,445 overall) of the 2009 draft.  On the season, he has posted a 4.88 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts), striking out 58 and walking only 8 in 55.1 innings of work.  That excellent K:BB ratio bodes well for his future, but he must cut down on the number of hits that he allows (.284 opponent batting average).  He has improved steadily over the course of this season, posting a 8.10 ERA in May, a 6.00 ERA in June, and a 3.25 ERA in July.  He clearly has some good stuff and I look forward to seeing how he does for the balance of the season.

A trio of Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitchers put together a solid day on the mound against State College on Sunday.  Starter ALEX KAMINSKY (age 22) went 6 strong innings, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts.  His season ERA with the short-season Scrappers dropped to 1.96 in 8 starts (41.1 IP).  Left-handed relief pitcher JAMES REICHENBACH followed with 2 innings of shutout ball, allowing no hits and no walks while striking out 3.  His season ERA now sits at 3.66; he’s struck out 16 and walked 6 in 19.2 innings of work.  JAMES EHLERT finished the game for the Scrappers, striking out 1, walking none, and allowing no hits in 1 inning.  Ehlert’s been stellar this season, posting a 2.41 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 4 walks in 10 appearances (18.2 IP).  Despite this fine combined performance, Mahoning Valley still lost 1-0.

Several hitters in the Akron Aeros lineup got off to great starts in yesterday’s game before it got postponed in the 4th inning because of inclement weather.  JASON KIPNIS was 2 for 2 with an RBI while BEAU MILLS was also a perfect 2 for 2 with a rare stolen base.  JOHN DRENNEN had 1 hit in 2 at-bats, driving in a run and scoring one himself.  Centerfielder JORDAN HENRY was off to a scorching start at the dish, going 3 for 3 with a double and a run scored.  The Aeros are scheduled to finish the game on August 17th.

The Rundown:  Clippers outfielder  NICK WEGLARZ went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI against Pawtucket on Sunday, lifting his average over the past 10 games to .389…  CORD PHELPS just keeps on hitting.  The AAA second baseman went 1 for 3 with a walk on Sunday, extending his hitting streak to 13 games.  He’s batting .444 in his past 10 games with only 3 strikeouts to 7 walks…  JOSH RODRIGUEZ went 1 for 3 with a walk, driving in a run and scoring another after homering in his previous 2 games…  Columbus’s JORDAN BROWN (age 26) went 2 for 5 with a double, 3 RBI, and a stolen base.  He’s hitting .295 with 5 doubles, 2 HR, and 12 RBI in his last 10 games…  Teammate JOSE CONSTANZA (age 26) continues to put together a solid year for the Clippers, as he went 3 for 5 with a run scored on Sunday.  He’s batting .318 in his last 10 games and .307 on the season.  I like that average, but he’s got to start taking a few more walks (18 in 254 at-bats this season)…  Kinston catcher CHUN CHEN went yard yesterday.  He finished the day 1 for 4 with a walk.  After getting a slow start to high A ball, he’s hitting .281 in his last 10 games with Kinston.  Although he’s struck out 8 times during that stretch, he’s also walked 9 times…  KAREXON SANCHEZ had an impressive day, going 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored.  Both hits were triples.  He’s struck out 8 times in his last 10 games while drawing 10 walks and batting .278…  Kinston outfielder BO GREENWELL also did well at the plate on Sunday, hitting 2 singles in 4 at-bats.