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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 30: Young Hurlers Dominate in Akron, Kinston

There were several notable pitching performances in the Indians farm system on Friday, and we’ll start with the combined shutout tossed by 3 Akron hurlers.  21 year-old lefty KELVIN DE LA CRUZ started the game, going six strong innings, giving up 3 hits and 3 BB while striking out 7.  This was one of his best starts of the season in AA, as he currently holds a 4.73 ERA and has allowed 47 walks while striking out 59 in 15 starts (72.1 IP).  Before getting the call to Akron, he posted a 2.91 ERA with 28 Ks and 8 BB in 6 starts (34 IP) with Kinston.  The biggest obstacle impeding De La Cruz’s pursuit of success has been his control; over his last 10 starts, he has given up 3 or more walks 7 times (included are 2 5-BB outings).  Although he walked 3 on Friday, he was largely unhittable and struck out batters at a greater rate than his season average.  He’s an intriguing young talent, since he’s a 6’5″ lefty and is already in AA at age 21 (he turns 22 on August 1), but he will have to minimize those walks in order to be consistently solid.  Reliever CHEN LEE (age 23) followed De La Cruz with a shutout inning in which he walked 1 and struck out a pair.  On the season, he has a 3.93 ERA with 62 Ks and 19 BB (.246 BAA) in 55 IP, but he’s allowed no earned runs over his last 10 appearances (15 IP) while striking out 22, walking 4, and allowing only 4 hits.  He’s shown tremendous improvement during the past month or so, so I look forward to seeing what he does over the balance of the season.  CONNOR GRAHAM (age 24) tossed the final 2 frames for the Aeros, allowing 1 hit while striking out 3.  On the season, he’s walked 36 while striking out 41 in 59 IP (3.51 ERA), but over his last 10 appearances, he’s shown some improvement; during that stretch, he’s logged 16 Ks and 5 BB in 15 IP (2.40 ERA).

Kinston starter JOSEPH GARDNER (age 22) got back on track Friday against Wilmington.  In his last outing on July 25 (also against Wilmington), he got knocked around in 4 innings, giving up 6 earned runs on 7 hits (2 HR) and 2 BB.  On Friday, he pitched 5 fine innings, allowing only 2 hits and 2 BB while striking out 5.  This last outing is in line with his overall performance this season (2.97 ERA, 82 K, 35 BB, .197 BAA in 88 IP with Kinston), so that previous rough outing against Wilmington is nothing to worry about.  In fact, he demonstrated an excellent ability to adjust to his opponent between these last 2 outings, and that is an invaluable skill.  If Gardner does not get the call to Akron this season (to fill a spot if Alex White gets promoted, for instance), he should be with the Aeros next season… he certainly has good stuff on the mound and has pretty much mastered high A ball.

Clippers reliever VINNIE PESTANO (age 25) pitched another lights-out inning on Friday, striking out the side against Buffalo.  The appearance mirrored his last outing against Pawtucket, in which he also fanned all 3 batters that he faced.  Over his last 10 games (11.1 IP), Pestano has allowed no runs while compiling 16 Ks to only 3 BB.  His season totals with AAA Columbus stand at a 1.62 ERA with 45 Ks, 10 BB, and a BAA of .214 in 33.1 innings of work.  It appears that he’s developing into a fine reliever and should find a home with the Indians before too long.  Considering that he’s 25 and has dominated at the AAA level, he’s due for a shot in the show.

AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 1-3):  The Clippers stumbled into an offensive black hole on Friday, scrounging only 2 hits against wily veteran Ramon Ortiz.  JOSH RODRIGUEZ, coming off a 2-HR game, went 1-4 with a double.  JARED GOEDERT drove in Rodriguez with a single to account for the Clippers’ only run.

AA Akron Rundown (W, 6-0):  The Aeros’ offense rewarded their pitchers’ strong day by giving them more than enough run support.  JORDAN HENRY continued to get on base at a torrid pace, going 1 for 3 with 2 BB.  He’s now batting .533 (8 for 15) with an OBP of .682 over his last 5 games…  JASON KIPNIS went only 1 for 5 on the day, but he swiped his 5th bag of the season and scored a run.  He is batting .349 with 3 2B, a 3B, 2 HR, and 7 RBI over his last 10 contests…  LONNIE CHISENHALL continued his recent streak of consistent play, going 1 for 3 with an RBI.  Over his last 5 games, he is batting .400 (8 for 20) with 8 RBI.  His season average is now up to .278…  BEAU MILLS went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a BB.  He’s now recorded a hit in 6 straight games and 3 of those are 2-hit performances (9 for 24, .375 BA).  He also has 3 2B, a HR, and 6 RBI in that stretch.

High A Kinston Rundown (W, 4-0):  Second baseman KAREXON SANCHEZ led the charge offensively for Kinston, going 3 for 5 with a double and a solo HR.  He went 0 for 10 over his previous 3 games, so let’s hope that he’s heating up again after his recent hot streak…  Third baseman KYLE BELLOWS also had a nice game, going 2 for 3 with a triple, an RBI, and a BB.  He’s now hitting .444 (8 for 18) over his last 5 games with a 2B, 2 3B, a HR, 7 HR, and 2 BB…  ABNER ABREU went 2 for 4 with a 2B and an RBI.  He’s batting .308 over his last 10 games with 2 2B, 2 3B, and 7 RBI…  CORY BURNS logged his 19th high A save of the season with a perfect 9th inning appearance.

Class A Lake County Rundown (L, 0-1):  There were few offensive bright spots in this game, but ADAM ABRAHAM continues to shine.  He went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and is now batting .421 over his last 10 games…  GREG FOLGIA went 2 for 3 and is now hitting .432 over his last 10 contests…  Starting pitcher BRETT BRACH pitched well enough, allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits (1 HR) and 1 BB while striking out 3 in 7 innings.  This makes two strong starts in a row for Brach (he pitched a complete game shutout in his last outing on 07/24), so I look forward to seeing what he does in his first August start…  Newly acquired starting pitcher GIOVANNI SOTO will make his Lake County debut tonight against South Bend.

Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley Rundown (L, 0-5):  It was rough going for the Scrappers against Jamestown, as they accumulated only 5 total hits on the day.  DANIEL DeGEORGE continued his recent tear, going 2 for 3 at the dish.  He’s now batting .367 over his last 10 games and .615 (8 for 13) over his last 4…  Starting pitcher ALEX KAMINSKY really didn’t do all that badly.  In 4 innings of work, he allowed 2 earned runs on 6 hits, no walks, and 6 Ks.  I like his control and ability to strike batters out.

July 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).

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.