Re: Minor Matters

1591
Tony Wolters, one of the youngest players in the Carolina League, started the season hitting like one of the youngest players in the league: 5-54 with 4BB vs 19K. Major turnaround, he's 6 for his last 19 plus 6BB vs 2K. Last night 2 singles and a walk. Teammate Jesus Aguillar with 4 hits one a double and avg up to 325.

Salcedo fans alert: 3 errors last night and ofer at the plate. Hitting 258.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... a_lynafa_1

Re: Minor Matters

1596
One of Tony's stablemates posted this comment. He and the Tribe both like Soto, or they wouldn't have put a 20-year old (who missed a chunk of last season) in the AA rotation.

Every year that goes by, it seems that folks become more enamored with guys that can throw at the speed of sound, and the wily pitchers with big-time make-up get lost in the shuffle. Then, guys like Giovanni Soto come around. Listen, and listen carefully: Giovanni Sota is a special, special pitcher. When the Indians acquired him for one Jhonny Peralta, it went mostly unnoticed. Soto was a kid with intangibles, but had a weird delivery, and could barely touch 88 on the gun. Nothing has changed, except for one thing: you really need to take this kid seriously. Soto is 20-years-old, and just gets it. When he walks out to the mound, it looks like he owns it. To say that he has the mentality to be a top-of-the-line starter is an understatement. He owns the mound when he pitches. He has a strange delivery, but he can replicate it, so it’s not an issue, and makes his pitches exceedingly deceptive. While he rarely pops the gun at 90+, it looks like the ball comes out of a cave at his release, and while major league hitters will figure it out, he absolutely commands the strike zone, and can make hitters look utterly idiotic. In his last two starts, he’s gone 12 2/3, giving up nine hits and a run, while walking two and striking out 13. He’s struck out 30 so far on the year in 27 innings, while walking only five. Remember folks, this guy’s fastball is Cody Allen’s changeup. Mark it down: Giovanni Soto will be pushing for a spot in the Indians’ rotation by 2013, and will get it. He’s going to be a good one folks, so enjoy the minor league ride while you can. I don’t think it’s going to be a long one.

Re: Minor Matters

1597
I had Soto last year. Maybe I should have waited for this year. This year I chose Salazar over Murata.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

1598
Salazar is hurt again. Murata is bouncing all over the organization.

Trying to remember who I picked. Robel Garcia for position player; I did Urshela last year. I am not sure if I got around to choosing a pitcher.

It would be nice if Dillon Howard and Jake Sisco were pitching. I have not read if they're hurt, or just working in XST.

Re: Minor Matters

1599
Salcedo fans alert: 3 errors last night and ofer at the plate. Hitting 258. Shocking that he has not made the majors or the hall of fame yet.
Image
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EDWARD SALCEDO

One game does not kill a career!!!!

Salcedo is a natural shortstop. The Braves have an abundance of talented shortstops. The Braves think that Salcedo can be their thirdbaseman of the future. The Braves moved him to third base last year. He's still learning the new position.

Salcedo is heading in the right direction. In fairness to Salcedo, this is only his second full season in pro ball. Don't forget that the Indians signed him at age 16. Because of the age fiasco, Salcedo lost 2+ years of pro ball experience. The Braves signed him at age 18. Braves gain, Indians loss in my opinion.

Salcedo's offense has been rather good for missing nearly three years of baseball. He wasn't permitted to play any organized baseball in the Dominican Republic while his documents were being reviewed.

The Braves took the bull by the horns and went the extra mile asking MLB to launch an investigation to confirm his age and identity.

Atlanta considered Salcedo the equivalent of a high first round pick, which is good because they forfeited their 2010 first rounder to sign Billy Wagner and didn't receive compensation picks for Rafael Soriano. Already standing 6'-3", Salcedo is considered to be one of the best offensive players to come out of the Dominican in quite some time.

Annnnnnd the rest of the story---------------

http://throughthefencebaseball.com/brav ... ros/20659/

2010 ; Age 18/19, A ball Rome Sally League 54 games (1/2 season)
Offense: 54G, 193AB, 23R, 38H, 5DBL, 4TPL, 2HR, 16RBI, 6SB, 5CS, 11BB, 56K, .197BA, .239 OBP, 28E

2011: Age 19/20, A ball Rome Sally League 132 games (first full season)
Offense: 132G, 508AB, 83R, 126H, 27DBL, 6TPL, 12HR, 68RBI, 23SB, 10CS, 41BB, 105K, .248BA, .315OBP, 40E

2012: Age 20/21, A+ ball Lynchburg Carolina League 24 games (starting second full season)
Offense: 24G, 93AB, 15R, 24H, 7DBL, 0TPL, 3HR, 13RBI, 7SB, 2CS, 6BB, 22K, .258BA, .310OBP, 9E
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: Minor Matters

1600
Nearly all the offense provided by the minor league vets as Columbus wins 12-8. 2 singles for Carrera,other big days by Huffman, Laroche and Pettit. Slowey stinks as usual 6 runs in 5 2/3. Herrmann retires 4 in a row. Scott Barnes pitches a bad 1 2/3, but at least he's back in there.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... a_colaaa_1

Aeros start 21 year old Class A releiver Mason Radeke who goes 3 allows 3 unearned. Rob Bryson, now age 24, 2 shutout, 2 k (for the year 2.70, 17 K in 13.1). Matt Langwell fans the side (age 26, 0.71, 15K in 12.2)

Fedroff single, walk. Weglarz 1-4, 2K.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_akraax_1

Carolina with the day's stars: Jesus Aguillar with 2 longballs, that makes 5 for the year and 4 in the last week, for the week his OPS is 1349, candidate for BA Hot Sheet. On the mound: Mike Rayl 6 2-hit shutout innings, ERA down to 2.67. Trey Haley 2 perfect with 2 K, scorelss since his recent return to the hill.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... a_lynafa_1

2 run homers by Robel Garcia and Jordan Smith, solo shot and a single by Alex Monsalve; while LRod and Lindor go hitless. Elvis 5 2/3 2 runs, 3 K, ERA 2.61. Jeff Johnson loses in relief again.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_dayafx_1

Re: Minor Matters

1601
As he well deserves Jesus Aguillar with an appearance on the Baseball America Hot Sheet at No. 6

No. 6 JESUS AGUILAR, 1B
INDIANS

Team: high Class A Carolina
Age: 22
Why He's Here: .360/.414/.880 (9-for-25), 8 R, 1 2B, 4 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO

The Scoop: The life of a righthanded-hitting first baseman is pretty rough one. You go through your minor league career knowing that you're going to have do everything short of setting yourself on fire at each level to get noticed. As a very sizeable 250+ pounds, Aguilar faces an ever tougher path to the big leagues because a move to the outfield isn't really an option. But if you're going to be a first baseman, the first job is to make sure you hit like a first baseman, [unlike the Indians' major leagaue 1b] and Aguilar has been doing that. After a very strong season in low Class A Lake County last year, Aguilar has been just as good in the early going this season. He's getting on base about 40 percent of the time this season, which pairs nicely with impressive power. If he keeps this up, a midseason move up to Double-A doesn't seem unrealistic.

2012 Stats

Re: Minor Matters

1602
Balanced to some extent by listing on the Not So Hot Sheet:

• Ronny Rodriguez, ss, Indians: Rodriguez runs well, has a strong arm and flashes surprising raw power, but the light bulb has yet to turn on. Rodriguez, 20, remains crude, which he showed this past week going 1-for-21 (.048) to drop his season line with high Class A Carolina to .188/.225/.282 in 89 plate appearances. Rodriguez has the defensive tools to be a quality fielder, but even there he shows his crudeness and has already made eight errors.

Re: Minor Matters

1603
BA likes Lindor too:

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Francisco Lindor must have come close again? One of youngest players in Midwest League even hit his 2nd homer and brought his steal total up to 9. And he's known for his glove! Pretty exciting prospect for the Indians, although unfortunately still years away, I suppose.

Ben Badler: He's been tremendous. When you have a plus defender at shortstop with the potential for a true plus hit tool, that's special

Re: Minor Matters

1604
Lindor responds to praise from BA with another homer: 3 for the little guy; and another steal: 10 for the quick guy. Not sure I can wait 4 years for the 18 year old.

Ronny Rodriguez responds to the criticism from BA with 4 hits, 2 of them doubles, but does make error #9.

Will Roberts promoted to Carolina with a fine 6 inning debut, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, he's no strikeoutpitcher at any level, gets 2 K.

Chen like Choo with his first homer of the season. Ditto for Juan Diaz, Akron SS.

Other notables: Luigi Rodriguez with a walk, single and 8th steal. Dont' want to wait 4 years for hm to supplant Brantely, but he's the only CF in the system with much talent.

Jordan Smith 4th triple. Delvi Cid 2 hits and 9th steal. Aguillar a double and 3 K. Giovanny Ursehals who started well at Carolina has been out a week or more.

Joe Colon 7 shutout 3 hit walkless innigs for the Captains. Bryan Price tagged for 3 runs in 2 1/3 of relief for Akron.

Clippers rained out. Akron loses, the A teams win.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_bowaax_1

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

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_dayafx_1