Re: Minor Matters

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Chen starting at 1st base for Akron. I guess that's not so bad, since we have a pretty good catcher and a good backup in the majors and lots of prospective catchers behind him. And we are weak at 1st base. But he'd better hit much much better this year or his prospect status is gone completely.

28 year old Ryan Rohlinger at 2B and hitting cleanup for the Aeros, who need someone who can hit. They also have 26 year old Jared Goedart and 28 year old Ben Copeland in the starting lineup. Very likely the oldest AA opening day lineup. Indians have had big league clubs with a younger starting 9 than the 2012 Aeros.

Paolo Espino on the mound. He's 25 and a no hoper.

Re: Minor Matters

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Indians Roster Roundup

Posted Apr. 5, 2012 10:05 am by Ben Badler
Filed under: Roster Analysis
Loaded Roster

The Indians don’t have much high-ceiling talent in the upper levels of the farm system, but there are some intriguing names in the lower levels, particularly at low Class A Lake County. The Captains have Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect, shortstop Francisco Lindor, who will play his first full season after the Indians drafted him eighth overall last year. He should hit for average and get on base, though his game will be more about line drives than power. He and center fielder Luigi Rodriguez give Lake County a pair of promising youngsters up the middle. Lefthander Elvis Araujo needs to show he can handle a full-season workload, but he’s a power arm with an extra-large frame. A pair of late-round 2011 draft picks, Jordan Smith and Bryson Miles, could be sleepers in the outfield. LeVon Washington is also on the Lake County roster, but with Rodriguez also there and having passed him as a prospect, he’s going to have to prove himself after a disappointing 2011 season.

Leap Of Faith

The Indians have one of those problems that any team would love to have: too many shortstops and not enough places to play them all. They sent Lindor to Lake County and promoted Ronny Rodriguez to high Class A Carolina. They could have sent Tony Wolters to team with Lindor at Lake County after he spent the 2011 season at short-season Mahoning Valley, but instead they jumped him to Carolina. Wolters has a good approach at the plate, but the Carolina League is a stiff test for any 19-year-old.


Where Is That Guy?

The Indians' second-round pick in 2011, righthander Dillon Howard signed for $1.85 million at the deadline, too late to get started last year in an official game. The Indians wanted to see him open at Lake County, but a minor knee injury early in spring training followed by an illness got in the way. Howard, 19, will stay back in Arizona for extended spring training, then likely will report to Lake County once he's ready to throw at least 65 pitches in a start.

Time Is Running Out

When healthy, Nick Weglarz has generally shown that he can do the things that big-bodied left fielders need to do: get on base and hit for power. The problem for Weglarz is that staying healthy is not a skill he seems to have, as he has missed time with a smattering of injuries over the last several years. Knee and elbow issues limited his playing time last year and hampered him when he was on the field. He badly needs to rebound in Triple-A Columbus. Nick Hagadone took a step forward last year, but he’s now a 26-year-old reliever who needs to show he can hold down a middle-relief role in the big leagues. He’s headed back to Triple-A to open the season.

Re: Minor Matters

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First 2 days results:

Columbus 1-1. McAllister 2 homers and 3 runs in 6 innings. Slowey 7 innings, 1 run on 2 hits, 6K. Lee 1 inning with 2 K and nothing else. For the offense: Chisenhall 2 hits each game, and an error; Carrear and and LaPorta and Crowe each with one 2-hit game. Chris Ray with a loss in relief.

Akron: no talent but a 2-0 start. McFarland 5 innings, 1 run. Ryan Langwell 2 innings of relief, no marks other than 4 K. Price and Stowell and Guilmet also with some scoreless relief.
1st baseman Chun Chen in game 2 singled, walked twice and 1 of 2 steal successes. Weglarz in game 0-4 with 3 K. FYI, Langwell, Price and Stowell all are 25. This is clearly a very old AA roster.

Carolina: team still finding its way from Arizona.

Lake County: 1-1. Sterling 5 innings, 2 runs. Araujo 4 innings, 7 K, 1 earned run, 2 total. Cole Cook 5 runs, 2 earned in 1 1/3. Lindor with one hit and 2 steals in his first 2 games. LuigiRodriguez with 2 hits, one a triple and LevonWashington 2 hits in the opener. My man Garcia 2 errors in game 2, Lindor with 1 also. Jordan Smith a pair of hits in game 2.

Re: Minor Matters

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Mudcats can't hold an 8-0 lead after 5; Goodnight ran out of gas in the 6th, let in 5 runs. Ehlert yields 3 in the top of the 9th. Carolina offensive stars: Tyler Holt 4 hits including a triple, steals his 1st, caught stealing for already the 3rd time. Jake Lowrey a 2 run homer plus a walk. 2 doubles for oldtimer Jeremie Tice (he's 25). Aguillar and Cid also double. Wolters slips to 077.
Lowrey now bats with 2 outs and the tying run on 2nd.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... a_cmcafa_1