Cabrera overpowering in Toros' triumph

Cubs right-hander strikes out 10, walks six over four hitless innings

12/16/12 11:07 PM ET

Dominican Winter League

Toros 8, Escogido 6

Cubs right-hander Alberto Cabrera overcame six walks by striking out 10 over four hitless innings as the Toros snapped a six-game losing streak. Indians prospect Jose Ramirez and Esteban German both drove in three runs and Braves outfielder Jose Constanza went 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for Este. Yankees outfielder Melky Mesa and Red Sox infielder Mauro Gomez had two RBIs apiece for Escogido.

Estrellas 5, Gigantes 3

Cubs prospect Junior Lake capped a five-run fifth inning with a grand slam, powering the Estrellas past the Gigantes. Felix Pie chipped in two hits, an RBI and a run scored for Oriente, while Mariners outfielder Carlos Peguero delivered a two-run double for Cibao.

Licey 5, Aguilas 3

Juan Miranda capped a two-RBI day by doubling home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as the last-place Tigres dropped the Aguilas into a first-place tie. Dodgers infielder Hanley Ramirez contributed an RBI single, stole a base and scored twice for Licey, while Elian Herrera (Dodgers) went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored in a losing effort.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Ponce 2, Caguas 1, 15 innings

Robinson Cancel hit a walk-off single to end a nearly five-hour marathon as the Leones became the last team to register double-digit victories this season. Nationals farmhand Zach Walters collected three hits and leadoff man Henry Ramos doubled twice and walked twice for Ponce, which got eight strong innings from former Rockies Minor Leaguer Tomas Santiago. Astros prospect Roberto Peña had two hits, including an RBI double, for the Criollos.

Santurce 3, Carolina 1

Former Braves prospect Jason Lowey gave up a run on five hits over 7 2/3 innings as the Cangrejeros climbed one game over the .500 mark. Luis Rivera and Luis Figueroa hit RBI singles in a three-run fifth for Santurce, while former Major Leaguer Jesus Feliciano went 2-for-4 and scored the Gigantes' lone run.

Mayaguez 4, Manati 1, 1st game (9 innings)

Nelvin Fuentes scattered three hits over three innings of scoreless relief as the Indios won the opener of a doubleheader. Fellow Twins prospect Eddie Rosario doubled, singled and scored twice for Mayaguez, while Red Sox infielder Ivan De Jesus went 3-for-3 with a solo homer for the Atenienses.

Manati 10, Mayaguez 4, 2nd game (5 innings)

Red Sox infielder Ivan De Jesus went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI, helping the Atenienses earn a split of their twinbill. Mets prospect Juan Centeno tripled, drove in two runs and scored twice for Manati, while Twins prospect Eddie Rosario was 3-for-4 for the Indios.

Mexican Pacific League

Obregon 6, Mexicali 5

Leadoff man Alfredo Amezaga went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, sparking the Yaquis to their second straight win. Fellow Major League veteran Willy Taveras doubled twice, scored twice and drove in a run for Obregon, while former Angels farmhand Ricky Alvarez homered, tripled and collected four RBIs for the Aguilas.

Hermosillo 10, Culiacan 5

Jorge Cantu went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and three runs scored as the Naranjeros used a nine-run fourth inning to roar past the Tomateros. Edgar Quintero also collected three hits, including a three-run homer, and Jesse Gutierrez was 3-for-4 and scored twice for Hermosillo. Leadoff man Carlos Alvarez slugged a grand slam as part of a three-hit night for Culiacan.

Navojoa 8, Los Mochis 6

Former Major Leaguer Ben Broussard smacked a pair of solo homers and scored three times to power the Mayos to their fifth straight win. Kraig Binick had three hits and also drove in two runs for Navojoa, while Luis Suarez went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Cañeros.

Mazatlan 4, Guasave 0

Former Padres prospect Ryan Hinson allowed four hits over seven innings to lower his ERA to 0.68 and pitch the Venados to their second win in a row. Former Reds Minor Leaguer Humberto Sosa smacked a three-run homer and Major League veteran Henry Mateo went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a run scored for Mazatlan. Jose Rodriguez had two of the Algodoñeros' five hits.

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Dominican Winter League
•Juan Diaz (SS, Estrellas de Oriente): 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 K: Diaz is a .260 hitter, so he’s doing exactly what he does. He’s the forgotten shortstop in the system, but there’s a reason for it: he has the least amount of upside. He likely could end up in Cleveland this year, but you have to believe that any time with the Indians is short-term, unless there are injuries or trades.

•Mike McDade (1B, Toros del Este): 2-for-4, 1 K: McDade bounced back from his streak-breaker with two more hits, and has his winter league average back up to .290. It’s nothing special that has me thinking all-star game, but he’s certainly doing himself some justice as a guy with some potential.

•Jose Ramirez (2B, Toros del Este): 4-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, SB (9): So, I mentioned the term slump yesterday with regards to Ramirez, and well, look what happened. Ramirez rolls out a four-hit, two run, one SB game. Ramirez is clearly someone that can hit the baseball at this level (which is varied). It’ll be fun to watch him go through the upper levels. Can he continue this rise through the system?

•Carlos Santana (DH, Leones del Escogido): 0-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K: Santana managed to get on base twice, and score a run, which is what he can do when he’s not hitting. Of course, he also struck out twice. He has to fix this trend, but it’s only the winter league. Shouldn’t look too much into it, as some are.

Puerto Rican Winter League

•Matt Langwell (RP, Gigantes de Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H: This, to me, is a typical Matt Langwell outing. He didn’t dominate, but he forced a ground out and a double play, and got in and out. It’s what he does, and he’s currently sitting at a 1.23 ERA.

•Rob Bryson (RP, Criollos de Caguas): 1 IP: Bryson has been…dare I say it…dominant in his time in the winter leagues. In 13 1/3 innings, Bryson has struck out 16, and 11 in the last ten games, while only walking 7 (two in the last ten). He has yet to give up a run, and looks pretty solid. Langwell and Bryson are the Indians fallback. Not bad depth to have, that’s for sure.

•Roberto Perez (C, Indios de Mayaguez): 1-for-3: My favorite minor league Indian is Roberto Perez, and he’s hitting .286 so far in the winter leagues. Of course, this is more likely because of the league, and not the hitter.

Australian Baseball League

•Ryan Battaglia (C, Team Australia): 0-for-1: Battaglia was the only member of the Tribe organization that made it to the Australian League All-Star game, and he didn’t get much of a chance to do anything. Still, it was a nice honor

By Jim Pete
December 17, 2012

The St Louis Cardinals land a gem in Alexander Reyes

Posted December 13th, 2012 by DPL & filed under DPL News, Featured Post, Transactions.

Alexander Reyes becomes the latest pitching phenom to reach an agreement and start his professional career. Reyes is 18 years old stands 6’3″ 190lb with an easy delivery, a live arm and projection of 3 plus pitches.

Alex grew up in Elizabeth New Jersey with mother and father Dignora/Tomas and older brothers Adriel and Tomas Jr. and attended Alexander Hamilton Prep H.S. from 2009-2011. He played baseball for Elizabeth in Union-County where his primary position was on the mound but also played short-stop and had success at the HS level.

In June 2011 NJ.com posted a story saying “Alex Reyes, Elizabeth, 6-2, 165, Junior Lanky right-handed junior consistently pitched in the upper 80′s, striking out 69 in 49 innings. Also batted .409.”

Growing up in NJ wasn’t an ideal situation for Reyes due to weather restrictions during the winter and an unstable practice regimen. Reyes and his family made a tough decision that would ultimately turn to good fortune.

During the fall of 2011 the family decided it was in Alex’s best interest to develop his baseball skills in their native island of Dominican Republic. He packed his bags in December 2011 and arrived in the DR eager to start his development in his fathers home town of Palenque, San Cristobal with former Washington Nationals scout Juan Valera. During his first few months on the island the Reyes family was turned on to notable trainer Basilo “Cachasa” Vizcaino who’s had a great track record in signing young players in their development stages, most notable top prospects Gary Sanchez-NYY and Adalberto Mondesi-KC among others. Cachasa was amazed with the type of package Reyes was, from his size, ability and projection to the aptitude in making adjustments and the make-up the young prospect carried himself with. During his year in DR Alex grew a few inches and put on 15-20lb. His arm strength increased and his pitching ability began to show polish by the day.

Reyes shows a present plus fastball and 2 other solid pitches, projecting him to be a quality starter down the road. His FB velocity sits 91-93 (95)mph; CB has tight rotation and can throw it for strikes; CH is deceptive with movement down in the zone. He commands his pitches and pounds the strike zone with a good feel for pitching.

Multiple teams expressed interest in the young hurler and followed his progression during his last 6 months in the DR. The St Louis Cardinals were not discouraged with the market, the clubs Dominican scouting supervisor Angel Ovalles and area scout Rodny Jimenez did their due diligence in evaluating Alex’s consistency, make-up and background before they made a recommendation to acquire the hurler.

The Stl Cardinals and Reyes agreed to a $950,000 contract. Alex will more than likely start in the rookie level Gulf Coast League in 2013, but has the opportunity during spring training to open some eyes and move quickly through the system. The contract is pending MLB approval.

Cardinals keeping busy in winter leagues

Molina joins team in Puerto Rico; Taveras shines in Dominican

By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com | 12/17/12 6:28 PM ET

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina earns the 2012 GIBBY for Defensive Player of the Year for having another Gold Glove season

ST. LOUIS --

Winter-ball seasons from Venezuela to Australia have been in session for weeks now, though the recent arrival of one perennial All-Star garnered extra attention in Puerto Rico over the weekend.

Yadier Molina, as he often does during the offseason, returned to his native country to participate in a brief winter-ball stint. He made his season debut with the Gigantes de Carolina on Saturday and is expected to remain on the active roster for approximately two weeks.

Molina's winter-ball appearance allows him the opportunity to play in front of adoring fans in Puerto Rico. It also gives Molina a head start in his preparation for Spring Training, which this year will be interrupted by the World Baseball Classic.

Though full Classic rosters won't be released until mid-January, Molina has already publicly committed to playing for the Puerto Rican squad, which will also include Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran.

In 11 at-bats over the weekend, Molina collected two hits and an RBI for a Carolina team that is currently 13-15 and 5 1/2 games behind division leader Caguas. Molina is not the organization's only representative on the club, either.

Outfielder Anthony Garcia, who earned Midwest League postseason All-Star honors after hitting .280 with 74 RBIs for Class A Quad Cities this season, has appeared in 25 games for Carolina. Through those 74 at-bats, Garcia has hit .270 with five extra-base hits and 10 RBIs.

So far this offseason, 35 players from the Cardinals organization have appeared in fall or winter-ball games, including eight who wrapped up play in the Arizona Fall League last month. Five of those 35 players spent time on the Cardinals' Major League roster in 2012. That includes Molina and pitchers Eduardo Sanchez, Victor Marte, Maikel Cleto and Sam Freeman.

The standout winter-ball performer, though, was the same individual who dazzled during the regular season. After earning Player of the Year honors in both the Texas League and the Cardinals' Minor League system, Oscar Taveras extended his year by playing in the Dominican Republic.

As a member of the Aguilas Cibaenas club, Taveras went 46-for-144 (.319 average) with 12 doubles, four homers and 16 RBIs. He played primarily in right field.

Taveras' winter-ball stint ended Dec. 9, allowing the 20-year-old to return home, rest and recharge before the start of Spring Training. Taveras is expected to receive an invitation to Major League camp a year after hitting .321 in 124 games with Double-A Springfield in 2012.

Taveras, who is ranked by MLB.com as the organization's top prospect, could break through and onto the Cardinals' Major League roster in 2013, though he is projected to begin the year in Triple-A. His arrival is already the topic of widespread anticipation.

"He's the most prolific hitter I've seen in this organization since, probably, Albert [Pujols]," general manager John Mozeliak said earlier this offseason. "When his time comes, I imagine he's here for a while. I think we just have to see how we can best use his skills. He's still developing, but he's certainly made strides this year in a very positive way."

Other players from the Cardinals' system to impress in winter ball include: Jermaine Curtis (Mexican League), Mike O'Neill (Arizona Fall League), Kolten Wong (Arizona Fall League), Nick Additon (Mexican League), Seth Blair (Arizona Fall League), Silfredo Garcia (Venezuelan League) and Kevin Siegrist (Arizona Fall League).

Gimenez's big night sparks Tigres' rout

Veteran catcher collects four hits, drives in three runs for Aragua

12/18/12 12:57 AM ET

Venezuelan Winter League

Aragua 12, La Guaira 4

Minor League free agent Hector Gimenez was 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs to lead the Tigres. Veteran infielder Ronny Cedeno, who spent the 2012 season in the Mets organization, homered and scored twice, while Twins' No. 7 prospect Oswaldo Arcia had two hits and drove in a run. Giants catcher Hector Sanchez slugged a three-run homer in the loss for the Tiburones.

Anzoategui 9, Zulia 7

Padres infielder Alexi Amerista fell a triple shy of the cycle, driving in three runs for the third-place Caribes. Former Major Leaguer Jose Castillo homered and had three RBIs while Marlins farmhand Gorkys Hernandez scored three times. Braves Minor Leaguer Ernesto Mejia went yard twice in the loss for the Aguilas.

Magallanes 3, Margarita 2
Indians prospect Ezequiel Carrera broke a tie game with an eighth-inning RBI single for the Navegantes. Free agent Juan Rivera had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and Jose Altuve (Astros) raised his average to .346 with a pair of singles and scored once. Phillies prospect Cesar Hernandez singled home a pair of runs for the Bravos.

Dominican Winter League

Licey 7, Cibao 3

Former Braves prospect Donell Linares hit a three-run double to pace the Tigres. Ronny Paulino hit his first homer of the winter, a two-run shot, and Yankees farmhand Juan Cedeno allowed a hit over two shutout innings of relief to earn the win. Blue Jays prospect Moises Sierra went yard in the loss for the Gigantes.

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Venezuelan Winter League

•Ezequiel Carrera (LF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI. Carrera has now hit .310 in 23 games this year. He's gone 27-for-87 overall while also hitting three doubles, one triple and two home runs.

•Paolo Espino (SP, Caribes de Anzoategui): 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R/ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 5 K. Unfortunately, Espino had a very poor outing on Monday. All of the runs he allowed were earned, and he also allowed five home runs in less than three innings. It's a shame too because in his previous start, Espino allowed only one run in seven innings of work. After Monday's contest, his ERA has ballooned all the way to 6.00.

Asia Winter Baseball League

•Chun Chen (China Red): 14 G, .317 AVG (13-for-41), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 10 K, .833 OPS. Chen has been playing quite regularly this winter for China Red of the Asia Winter Baseball League. He has done quite well in 14 games, and what is most encouraging is the fact that he has launched two home runs already, especially since he only hit five during the entire 2012 season. For Chen to move forward as a prospect, he will need to regain the previous power that he displayed, so his performance so far has to be a considered a major positive.

By Steve Orbanek
December 18, 2012

Published 13/12/2012 Press Leones del Caracas / By Diego Naranjo

Caracas. ,

the Caracas Lions continued their visits to the various health centers that are located in the capital city. This time out the smiles of children who were hospitalized at the JM de los Rios when they received gifts from the hand of some players and personalities of the currency.

The gifts were presented by Gregorio Petit, Jesus Aguilar and Luis Angel Sanz by the consequent Lezama and representatives of Caracas. "It was a truly rewarding experience, but strong," said Gregorio Petit, who was able to enter the area of ​​intensive therapy. "When I went to intensive impact things you saw, children with serious health problems but much appreciated gift we gave them."

"It was a great experience to see the happy faces of all those children," said pitcher Luis Angel Sanz, who like Jesus Aguilar, was also present at the visit to San Juan de Dios Hospital last week.

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JESUS AGUILAR

Published 05/12/2012 Press Leones del Caracas / By Diego Naranjo

Caracas .-

For the second consecutive day of the Caracas Lions gave smiles of hope to the neediest children. This time it was the turn to the patients of the Hospital San Juan de Dios, who enjoyed the most of the presence of team players with the most titles in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.

The joy of children lit hospital facilities, especially when receiving gifts pitcher Luis Angel Sanz and first baseman Jesus Aguilar, Lezama popular addition, the beautiful "Lionesses" and the mascot of the club. No doubt it was an unforgettable morning, not only for hospital patients but for the team, which already has several years doing this kind of social activities.

Manny collects four hits in Aguilas' win

12-time All-Star scores twice, drives in a run, extends streak to eight games

12/19/12 2:52 AM ET

Manny Ramirez is 13-for-35 during his hitting streak, raising his average 55 points to .283.

Dominican Winter League

Aguilas 4, Licey 1

Manny Ramirez went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to eight games as the Aguilas shut down last-place Licey. Fellow Major League veteran Miguel Tejada doubled twice and drove in a run for Cibaeñas, which got five solid innings from Twins right-hander Samuel Deduno. Dodgers infielder Hanley Ramirez drove in the Tigres' only run.

Gigantes 4, Estrellas 3

Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz homered with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Gigantes avoided a third straight loss. Marlins prospect Marcell Ozuna provided the rest of Cibao's offense with his ninth homer, while Brad Snyder delivered a two-run double for the Estrellas.

Escogido 6, Toros 5, 12 innings

Dodgers newcomer Wilkin Castillo singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning as the last-place Leones outlasted the Toros. Red Sox infielder Mauro Gomez slugged a three-run homer and scored twice for Escogido, which got six one-hit innings from Pirates Minor Leaguer Kris Johnson. Esteban German drove in three runs and scored twice in a losing effort.

Venezuelan Winter League

Margarita 8, La Guaira 6, 1st game

Padres prospect Matt Clark drove in four runs, scored twice and fell a triple shy of the cycle as the Bravos halted a three-game slide in the opener of a doubleheader. Major League veteran Henry Blanco also homered and chipped in two RBIs for Margarita, while Royals catcher Salvador Perez collected three more hits for La Guaira.

La Guaira 5, Margarita 3, 2nd game

Giants outfielder Gregor Blanco tripled, doubled, drove in a run and scored once, helping the Tiburones earn a split of their doubleheader. Former Minor Leaguer Junior Guerra got the start for La Guaira and allowed a run on four hits over four innings. Daryl Thompson, who spent the season with the Twins' Triple-A affiliate, hurled four scoreless frames for the Bravos, who got homers from Javier Brito and Max Ramirez.

Magallanes 3, Aragua 0

Sergio Perez allowed six hits over seven innings for his league-leading eighth win as the first-place Navegantes blanked the Tigres. Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored for Magallanes, which has won three in a row. After driving in five runs in his previous two games, Hector Gimenez had two of Aragua's seven hits.

Lara 5, Caracas 1

Hernan Iribarren, who spent the season with the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate, went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs in the Cardenales' second straight victory. Braves right-hander Luis Avilan pitched 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief to get the win, while Angels farmhand Luis Rodriguez was 4-for-4 with a walk and scored the Leones' lone run.

Caribes 3, Zulia 2

Niuman Romero went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Orioles newcomer Jose Gil homered as the Caribes ended a three-game losing streak. Former Major Leaguer Ramon Ramirez allowed two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings for his fifth win, while Braves prospect Evan Gattis extended his homer streak to three games for Zulia.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Carolina 1, Manati 0

Astros prospect Enrique Hernandez homered in the top of the ninth inning as the Gigantes blanked the Atenienses for their second straight win. Phillies prospect Julio Rodriguez got the start for Carolina and tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, while former Orioles farmhand Orlando Alfonso struck out five over eight shutout frames for Manati.

Santurce 5, Caguas 4

Former Major Leaguer Luis Figueroa homered to snap an eighth-inning tie in the Cangrejeros' third straight victory. Minor League veteran Sergio Miranda went 3-for-5 with an RBI for Santurce, while Giants prospect Johnny Monell was 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs in a losing effort.

Mayaguez 7, Ponce 2

Twins prospect Daniel Ortiz went 3-for-3 and drove in two runs to lead the Indios to their second win in a row. Red Sox prospect Jeremy Kehrt allowed a pair of unearned runs on three hits over six innings but did not figure in the decision for Mayaguez, while Rangers prospect Jared Hoying accounted for half of the Leones' four hits.

Mexican Pacific League

Guasave 7, Hermosillo 1

Twins prospect Chris Colabello smacked a two-run homer and Jose Rodriguez homered and drove in three runs to power the Algodoñeros past the Naranjeros. Former Padres farmhand Orlando Lara yielded an unearned run on five hits over 5 1/3 innings for the win, while Jesse Gutierrez singled in Hermosillo's lone run.

Mazatlan 9, Obregon 8, 10 innings

Former Major Leaguer Henry Mateo capped a three-hit night by singling in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning as the Venados scored in each of their final four at-bats to beat the Yaquis. Former Angels Minor Leaguer Jose Orozco slugged a two-run homer, singled and scored three times for Mazatlan, while Iker Franco iht a three-run blast for Obregon.

Navojoa 2, Culiacan 1, 10 innings

Wes Bankston drew a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning as the Mayos outlasted the Tomateros en route to their sixth straight win. Amadeo Zazueta went 3-for-3 with a run scored and former Dodgers farmhand Florencio Bustillos pitched five shutout innings for Navojoa. Marlon Byrd doubled and singled for first-place Culiacan.

Mexicali 12, Los Mochis 7

Former Mets Minor Leaguer Michel Abreu went 3-for-5 with a homer and seven RBIs as the Aguilas handed the last-place Cañeros their sixth straight setback. Chris Roberson scored three times and Geronimo Gil added two hits and two RBIs for Mexicali. Jason Botts collected three hits, drove in two runs and scored twice for Los Mochis.

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Venezuelan Winter League

•Ezequiel Carrera (LF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 1-for-4, 1 R. Carrera has gone 28-for-91 (.308) in 24 games this winter, and the left-handed hitting outfielder has been especially hot as of late. In his last five games, he's gone 8-for-19 with a home run and a double.

•Asdrubal Cabrera (SS, Leones del Caracas): 2-for-5, 1 2B. Cabrera appeared in his fifth game on Tuesday, and he proceeded to collect two hits, including his first extra-base hit of the winter season. Cabrera has really been tremendous in the five games as he's collected two hits in four of the contests. Overall, the switch-hitting shortstop has gone 8-for-23 with two RBI.

Dominican Winter League

•Juan Diaz (SS, Estrellas de Oriente): 1-for-4, 1 K. Diaz appeared in his 38th game of the winter season Tuesday and collected one hit. Unfortunately, he also recorded a strikeout, and the switch-hitting shortstop has now struck out 26 times this winter and drawn only five walks.

•Carlos Santana (DH, Leones del Escogido): 0-for-5, 3 K. Santana seemed to be starting to find some rhythm at the plate, but unfortunately, Tuesday's performance was Santana's worst so far in 17 games. The switch-hitter has now gone 13-for-61 (.213) with four doubles, five RBI, 11 walks and 15 strikeouts. The walks are certainly there but so are the strikeouts.

•Jose Ramirez (2B, Toros del Este): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 BB. Ramiez has definitely cooled down considerably at the plate, but he still managed to get one hit Tuesday and his average sits at .316 in 36 games. Over his last five games, Ramirez has gone 5-for-28, which is about a 180-degree difference from his performance during the rest of the season, so hopefully Ramirez is just stuck in a mini slump that he'll soon exit.

•Mike McDade (1B, Toros del Este): 0-for-2, 1 K. McDade has now gone hitless in two of his last three games played, but the switch-hitter has still had a respectable winter, going 20-for-71 in 22 games.

Puerto Rican Winter League

•Joseph Colon (SP, Cangrejeros de Santurce): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R/3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. This was not one of Colon's better starts as he struggled with his control and allowed a lot of base runners. However, he still managed to limit the damage, got two ground ball double plays and allowed only three earned runs when all was said and done. Overall, the right-hander now has a 3.41 ERA in 29 innings of work.

•Matt Langwell (RP, Gigantes de Carolina): 1.1 IP. Four batters faced. Four outs. That was the story of Langwell's performance on Tuesday. The right-hander has been great all winter, and he now sports a 1.13 ERA in 16 innings of work.
•Giovanni Soto (RP, Gigantes de Carolina): 2 IP, 1 K. Soto put together two perfect innings on Tuesday, and the left-hander now has a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings this winter. It seems as if Soto continues to get better with every performance; he has not allowed an earned run since allowing two in his second appearance this winter. Since then, Soto has pitched 12 1/3 innings and yet to yield an earned run.

Corey Smith Joins The Caribes

18/12/2012 5:46:57 PM |

The imported, who played with La Guaira in 2010-2011, joined the Caribes


CARACAS. -

Finally, the Anzoategui Caribbeans will not end the season with bats of pure Venezuelans when it was announced that the tribe signed the services of US slugger Corey Smith , who already has experience in the league, with the La Guaira Sharks in 2010-2011 . The utility infielder is coming off a 2012 season in the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox , independent league baseball, and the Mexican league. Overall, he batted .274 (548-150) with 28 home runs, 99 runs scored and 82 batted in. In 2010-2011, when he came with Sharks, Smith batted .232 (69-16) with two homers, seven batted in and five runs scored in 20 games. Possibly soon Smith will take the place of Jay Gibbons , who remains enrolled in the 34-man roster, although he was dismissed by the club.

Gutierrez, Peguero lead Seattle winter ball contingent

By Greg Johns / MLB.com | 12/18/12 6:00 PM ET

SEATTLE --

Franklin Gutierrez and Carlos Peguero continued their strong offseasons, as the two Mariners outfielders turned in excellent weeks in Winter League play.

Gutierrez has hit .382 over his last nine games with Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan League, raising his average to .313 in 18 games overall. The former Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder is looking to show he's healthy again after playing just 40 games for the Mariners last season due to a torn pectoral muscle and a concussion.

Gutierrez, 29, has four doubles, a home run, nine runs and nine RBIs this winter. The Venezuelan Winter League runs through the end of December.

Peguero, 25, returned to action after taking a month off in the Dominican Winter League and went 8-for-21 (.381) in five games for Gigantes del Cibao. Peguero, who grew up in the Dominican, is batting .367 with three doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs in 14 games.

Right-handed reliever Danny Farquhar, a 25-year-old prospect acquired by the Mariners in the Ichiro Suzuki trade with the Yankees last July, continued his strong winter in the Venezuelan League with three appearances last week without an earned run allowed over 4 2/3 innings.

Farquhar, a Louisiana native, is 2-1 with three saves and a 1.50 ERA in 21 outings for Cardenales de Lara. He's held opponents to a .217 batting average with six walks and 30 strikeouts and has the second-highest strikeout-per-nine innings ratio among relievers in the VWL at 11.25.

Yoervis Medina, another Mariners prospect, gave up one earned run in 3 1/3 innings over three outings last week for Lara. Medina, who pitched for Double-A Jackson last season, is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 25 1/3 innings over 22 appearances this winter, with nine walks and 21 strikeouts.

Gabriel Noriega, a 22-year-old outfielder who split time between Jackson and Class A High Desert last year, has seen significant time with Lara this winter, and is batting .252 (43-for-123) in 43 games.

Several Mariners prospects have been competing in the Australian Baseball League, and first baseman Ji-Man Choi and right-handed pitcher Seon Gi Kim played in the ABL All-Star Game on Sunday, with Choi going 0-for-2 with two walks and Kim pitching a scoreless inning with one hit.

After allowing six runs in his first two starts, Kim has given up just three runs in his last 12 2/3 innings to lower his ERA from 7.36 to 4.05. Choi is batting .298 with one home run and nine RBIs in 16 games. Both played for Class A Clinton last year.

La Guaira needs a strong start today from Jeanmar Gomez


VENEZUELAN LEAGUE PROFESSIONAL

La Guaira reeling from their pitching

Will emergency starters vs rivals be enough to qualify for post season

Wednesday December 19, 2012 12:00 AM

La Guaira Sharks will face major challenges of the season with a rosary in his hand.

And not only by the need to get wins. Reason? Pitching-Achilles heel of the team which has to be addressed the four games that remain before Christmas.

"Jeanmar Gomez starts tomorrow (today) against Magallanes, on Thursday will Alberto Bastardo against Zulia, on Friday launched Shairon Martis (Lara) and Saturday's game (Lara) have to use a committee of pitchers from the bullpen, "said the manager Marco Davalillo.

"It depends on the rest who have been in our bullpen, we will take appropriate decisions for how to act that day."

The outlook is not encouraging for the Sharks, who before last night's games had the worst ERA (5.30) among the eight teams that live in the local tournament. They also began the day in sixth place, a game behind the fifth spot that will qualify for the post season and just two game out of third.

But the absence of Tyson Brummett (end of contract), Les Walrond (marriage license in the U.S.) and Andre Rienzo (death of grandmother) forced the coaching staff to make adjustments at the most inopportune time during the crucial preliminary round, giving the responsibility to open a duel Bastardo first time this year (0-2, 4.22 ERA in 21.1 innings).

As if that were not enough, La Guaira must decide at the last minute their opener on Saturday, according to the results and managing their bullpen in foreplay. This is not good news when you remember that Gomez will be limited to 75 pitches today, while Martis will be back after two weeks off for personal commitments. To top it off, yesterday had to use as a starter the reliever Pedro Liriano, so you should give him rest for several days, generating a new low to middle relief.

Not the start La Guaira was looking for out of Gomez. Jeanmar lasts 1.2 innings, 7 runs, 4 earned, 6 hits (one homer), 1 walk, and 1 strikeout.

Corcino almost unhittable in extra-inning win

Reds prospect strikes out four, pitches five shutout frames for Leones

12/20/12 2:25 AM ET

MLB.com Top Prospects: Daniel Corcino has the makings of a very good three-pitch mix, with a fastball in the mid-90s

Dominican Winter League

Escogido 4, Estrellas 0, 11 innings

Reds prospect Daniel Corcino yielded a hit and two walks while striking out four over five innings before the Leones outlasted the Estrellas. Dodgers newcomer Wilkin Castillo capped a three-hit night -- and Escogido's four-run 11th -- with a two-run single. Felix Pie had two hits for Oriente, which got five one-hit innings from former Major Leaguer Evan MacLane.

Toros 6, Aguilas 5

Blue Jays newcomer Eugenio Velez smacked a three-run homer to spark a six-run ninth inning as the Toros stunned the first-place Aguilas. Braves outfielder Jose Constanza and Minor League veteran Jamie Romak both had two hits and scored a run for the winners. Astros farmhand Jonathan Villar delivered a two-run triple and Juan Carlos Perez doubled twice and scored a run for Cibaeñas.

Licey 5, Gigantes 4

Ronny Paulino had two hits, including a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning, as the last-place Tigres held off the Gigantes. Angels infielder Erick Aybar homered and singled for Licey, while Mariners outfielder Carlos Peguero had a solo shot and an RBI single for Cibao.

Venezuelan Winter League

Magallanes 13, La Guaira 4

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus and Astros infielder Jose Altuve drove in two runs apiece as part of a 19-hit attack in the Navegantes' fourth straight win. Free agent Juan Rivera went 4-for-5 with an RBI for first-place Magallanes, which got two-run homers from Nationals catcher Jesus Flores and Carlos Maldonado. Renny Osuna doubled, singled and walked for the Tiburones.

Caracas 10, Margarita 1

Mariners outfielder Franklin Gutierrez went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, came within a triple of the cycle and scored twice as the Leones crushed the Bravos. Minor League veteran Jose Duarte singled twice, walked, scored three runs and drove in one for Caracas. Padres prospect Matt Clark picked up a pair of doubles and drove in a run for Margarita.

Lara 7, Aragua 6

Royals infielder Alcides Escobar hit a grand slam and Braves farmhand Jose Yepez added a two-run blast, powering the Cardenales to their third win in a row. Royals Minor Leaguer Paulo Orlando was 3-for-4 and scored twice for Lara, while Hector Gimenez went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs for the Tigres.

Zulia 4, Caribes 3

Reds farmhand Felix Perez drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning as the Aguilas rallied past the Caribes and ended a three-game losing streak. Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis started Zulia's comeback with a two-run double in the fifth, while Marlins outfielder Gorkys Hernandez went 4-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in a losing cause.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Santurce 6, Carolina 3

Former Major Leaguer Luis Figueroa went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored as the Cangrejeros scored five times over the final two innings to beat the Gigantes. Luis Matos delivered a two-run single in the ninth for Santurce, which has won three in a row. Leadoff man Jesus Feliciano had three hits and scored a run for Carolina.

Ponce 6, Mayaguez 3

Former All-Star Javier Vazquez struck out 11 over six solid innings as the last-place Leones beat the Indios. Red Sox prospect Henry Mateo went 3-for-3, scored three runs and fell a triple shy of the cycle for Ponce, which got four hits, two RBIs and two runs scored from Nicolas Ortiz. White Sox newcomer Angel Sanchez was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for Mayaguez.

Manati 5, Caguas 0, 1st game

Josh Romanski, who spent most of the season with the Yankees' Double-A affiliate, struck out five and gave up four hits over five innings as the Atenienses took the opener of a doubleheader. Royals prospect Alex Llanos had two hits and two RBIs for Manati, while Lou Montanez and Andy Gonzalez had two hits apiece for Caguas.

Manati 4, Caguas 1, 2nd game

Ruben Gotay's two-run single sparked a four-run sixth inning as the Atenienses completed a doubleheader sweep of the first-place Criollos. Mariners prospect Brian Moran struck out four over three innings of one-hit relief for Manati, while former Minor Leaguer Michael Nix tossed five scoreless frames for Caguas.

Mexican Pacific League

Culiacan 3, Navojoa 1

Alejandro Armenta struck out nine and allowed a run on six hits over eight innings to win his third straight start as the Tomateros shut down the Mayos. Adan Amezcua doubled, walked and scored a run for Culiacan, while Kraig Binick accounted for two of the six hits for Navojoa, which had a six-game winning streak snapped.

Hermosillo 5, Guasave 4

Karim Garcia hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Erick drilled a walk-off blast in the ninth as the Naranjeros climbed over the .500 mark. Astros right-hander Edgar Gonzalez gave up one hit over six scoreless frames for Hermosillo, while Twins prospect Chris Colabello homered for the third time in five games for the Algodoñeros.

Mazatlan 7, Obregon 1

Henry Mateo went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot as the Venados won their fourth straight. Fellow former Major Leaguer Walter Silva struck out seven and gave up a run on four hits over seven innings for Mazatlan, while Adan Muñoz singled home the Yaquis' only run.

Los Mochis 8, Mexicali 3

Jason Botts hit a two-run homer to extend his RBI streak to six games and fell a triple shy of the cycle as the Cañeros ended a six-game slide. Saul Soto, Ramon Orantes and Sandy Madera also had two RBIs apiece for Los Mochis, while Geronimo Gil delivered a two-run single for the Aguilas.

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Dominican Winter League

•Jose Ramirez (SS, Toros del Este): 1-for-4, 1 BB, CS. Ramirez has seen his average start to slowly fall, and it's now down to .314. However, on the positive side of things, he did record a hit to give himself a modest three-game hit streak, which could be the start of something.
•Mike McDade (1B, Toros del Este): 2-for-3, 1 K. With two more hits Wednesday, McDade has now gone 22-for-74 in 23 games. Unfortunately, he also notched another strikeout, and the switch-hitter now has 17 strikeouts against just five walks this winter.

•Carlos Santana (DH, Leones del Escogido): 0-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K. On Wednesday, Santana did more of what he's done a lot of this winter: walk and strikeout. While his offensive numbers have been pretty futile (13-for-65), Santana has now walked 12 times and struck out 16 times. You have to love the walks, but the strikeouts are discouraging.

•Juan Diaz (SS, Estrellas de Oriente): 1-for-4. Diaz has now played in 39 games this winter, which is more than any other Indian and about 1/3 of a full minor league season. His average sits at .259 (30-for-116), which seems to be on par with what we should expect offensively from Diaz.

Venezuelan Winter League

•Ezequiel Carrera (LF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 0-for-3, 2 R. Carrera scored his 17th and 18th runs of the winter season on Wednesday. It's hard to say what the future holds for the left-handed hitting outfielder, but he's had a solid winter season as he's gone 28-for-94 in 25 games.

•Jeanmar Gomez (SP, Tiburones de La Guaira): 1.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R/4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR. Gomez would definitely like to have this one back. While his defense did him no favors, Gomez still was unable to limit the damage, which ultimately resulted in him being pulled before making it out of the second inning. Gomez had pitched quite well in his previous three outings, but Wednesday's catastrophe resulted in his ERA ballooning from 0.87 to 3.75.

•Asdrubal Cabrera (SS, Leones del Caracas): 0-for-3, 1 BB. Cabrera was unable to get a hit on Wednesday, but he did draw his first walk of the season, and the switch-hitting shortstop has now gone 8-for-26 in six games this winter.

•Jesus Aguilar (PH-1B, Leones del Caracas): 1-for-1. Look who happened to make an appearance in Wednesday's Leones del Caracas game. Aguilar had last been seen in winter ball on Dec. 5, so it had been quite awhile for the hulking first base man. Thankfully, it looks as if he is not rusty as he recorded a single in his lone pinch-hit appearance.

By Steve Orbanek
December 20, 2012

Andrew Campbell cranked a homer on an 0-2 count to open Thursday. (Ben Southall / SMP Images)

Brisbane grab opening win in capital city

Campbell's leadoff homer sets tone for Bandits

By Jessica Munoz / Canberra Cavalry12/21/2012 7:34 AM ET

CANBERRA, 20 December -

In the first Thursday game at the Fort at Narrabundah, the Canberra Cavalry, driven by Rolfe Renault, dropped a tough loss to the Brisbane Bandits 5-2. This is only the Cavalry's third loss in 11 games as the Cavalry fall to a full game behind the first place Perth Heat.

The game started out rough for the Cavalry when the leadoff batter, Andrew Campbell, hit a long ball over the fence to give the Bandits a 1-0 lead.

Both the Cavalry and Bandit bats remained quiet until the fifth inning. The Bandits added another run in the top of the fifth when a sacrifice fly drove the runner in from third to make it 2-0. The Cavalry answered back in similar fashion when, after back to back singles from Ben Warner and Kody Hightower put runners on the corners, Koehi Shibata drove a run in on a sacrifice fly and closed the gap 2-1.

The Cavalry continued their comeback in the sixth. With two outs Jack Murphy kept the inning going with a single then Michael Wells followed suit with a single of his own to put runners on the corners again with two outs. The Cavalry then evened the score when a slow roller by Marcus Knecht plated Murphy to tie the game at two.

The seventh inning would be a tough one for the Cavalry. The Bandits answered back scoring three runs off relief pitcher Eric Massingham. Massingham would go a third of an inning giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and striking out one. Kyle Perkins would come in to relieve in the jam and assist in a great double play to end the inning. Perkins would go one and two thirds innings giving up only one hit and striking out one.

Ben Warner started the rally in the top of the ninth with a single. Kody Hightower followed up with a single of his own. Unfortunately that's where the game would end after Jeremy Barnes would be called out on a controversial third strike for the third out of the inning and the game.

The standout player in the Cavalry line up would be Ben Warner going 3-4 with a double and a scored a run.

The Cavalry return to action tomorrow night in the second of four games. The Cavalry will be sporting special Canberra Hospital Foundation jerseys that will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to the Canberra Hospital Foundation. Come out and support a great cause. The game is slated for a 7pm start.

Boscan clubs five RBIs in Leones win

Catcher goes 2-for-3, homers to fuel 10-run Caracas outburst

12/21/12 2:12 AM ET

J.C. Boscan is hitting .271 with 10 RBIs in 26 games for Caracas in Venezuela. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Venezuelan Winter League

Caracas 10, Magallanes 5

Cubs catcher J.C. Boscan went 2-for-3 with a homer and five RBIs while Jesus Guzman (Padres) and Franklin Gutierrez (Mariners) went yard for the Leones. Major League veterans Juan Rivera and Eliezer Alfonzo also both homered for the Navegantes.

Lara 4, Aragua 3

Mets farmhand Oswaldo Navarro knocked a two-run walk-off homer for the Cardenales, scoring Marlins prospect Jesus Solorzano. Navarro finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Jose Yepez (Braves) also went deep. Jose Martinez (Astros) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run out of the two-hole for the Tigres and leadoff man Jonel Pacheco went 3-for-4 with a longball.

Margarita 2, Caribes 1

Cubs outfielder Dave Sappelt ripped the go-ahead homer in the ninth and Jonathan Herrera (Rockies) homered in the seventh to put the Bravos on top. Niuman Romero (Orioles) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored out of the leadoff spot for the Caribes in the loss.

Zulia 4, La Guaira 3

Evan Gattis (Braves) went 2-for-3 with a three-run shot in the first, his 14th homer in Veneuela, to fuel a four-run inning that would be enough for the Aguilas. Freddy Galvis (Phillies) also went 2-for-4 with a run. Giants outfielder Gregor Blanco smacked his first homer for the Tiburones.

Puerto Rican Winter League

Santurce 10, Mayaguez 7 (Game 1)

Sergio Miranda (Braves) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs while Jeff Dominguez (Marlins) also contributed a pair of RBIs for the Cangrejeros. Daniel Ortiz (Twins) starred for the Indios in the loss, going 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored.

Mayaguez 6, Santurce 2 (Game 2)

Twins prospect Eddie Rosario went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI and Randy Ruiz (D-backs) hit a home run and drove in three runs to lead Mayaguez to a doubleheader split. Neftali Soto (Reds) went yard for Santurce.

Caguas 3, Ponce 1

Fernado Hernandez (Blue Jays) allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out four over seven frames to improve to 4-1 for the Criollos. Carlos Rivera knocked a two-run homer in the fourth for Caguas. Jorge Jimenez homered to provide the lone run for Ponce.

Carolina 7, Manati 6

Anthony Garcia (Cardinals) went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs and Osvaldo Martinez (Dodgers) doubled twice and scored once for the Gigantes. Major League vets Ruben Gotay (3-for-5, two doubles) and Ramon Vazquez (three-run homer) paced the Atenienses.

Mexican Pacific League

Mazatlan 1, Obregon 0 (11 innings)

Mario Santana singled in a run in the 11th to break the scoreless tie. Chris Walker went 3-for-5 for the Venados. Former A's outfielder Doug Clark doubled for the Yaquis.

Hermosillo 6, Guasave 2

Terry Tiffee (Braves) delivered an RBI and Jesse Gutierrez went 2-for-3 with his 18th homer, a two-run shot in the fourth, for the Naranjeros. Japhet Amador went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs t lead the Algodoneros.

Culiacan 4, Navojoa 2 (10 innings)

Abel Martinez drove a go-ahead single to break a 1-1 tie and put Navojoa on top in the top of the 10th, but a pair of Yankees brought Culiacan the victory with homers in the bottom half. Ronnier Mustelier knocked a leadoff shot, and three batters later, Ramiro Pena hit a two-run walk-off homer. Pena finished 3-for-5.

Mexicali 11, Los Mochis 7

Luke Montz (A's) and catcher Luis Juarez did the heavy lifting for Mexicali, with Montz going 3-for-5 -- including his ninth homer -- with four RBIs and Juarez smacking a three-run blast in the seventh. Former Rangers outfielder Jason Botts knocked a three-run homer and Sandy Madera went 3-for-5 with his 11th shot for Los Mochis.

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Venezuelan Winter League

•Asdrubal Cabrera (SS): 1-for-4, 1 BB. Cabrera has done pretty well in Venezuela this offseason, still holding a .300 average after last night. He faded down the stretch, so hopefully this winter ball work will get him in shape for 2013.

•Ezequiel Carrera (LF): 0-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB. Nothing really new from Carrera last night, as he found his way on base and got a steal. Carrera will factor into the fourth outfielder race this spring and has done well enough for himself this winter.

•Hector Rondon (RP): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO. Rondon allowed a run in four straight outings before last night, but after a week off, he came back strong. Rebounding like this is encouraging, as despite his change of address, everyone should be rooting for Rondon's comeback story.

Puerto Rican Winter League
•Roberto Perez (C): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B. Perez launched his second extra-base hit of the winter last night, which is something. Only having two extra-base hits in 16 games is also something, though less positive. I love Perez's defense, but a little more pop would go a long way for him.

Australian Winter League

•Andrew Campbell (LF): 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB. Campbell continued his impressive winter last night with his second home run of the season. If he can find a way to translate this level of production (.292/.365/.415) stateside in 2013, then he should avoid the roster bubble and turn some heads.

•Ryan Battaglia (DH): 0-for-3, 2 BB, 1 SO. An oh-for night is not pretty, but Battaglia off-set it with the two walks. He also is having a decent season in Australia (.263/.364/.474) and needs to translate it back here this spring.



By Jim Piascik
December 21, 2012

Winter Ball Notebook:

Santana's struggles continue

By Steve Orbanek

December 21, 2012

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It’s hard to believe, but the end of the winter league season is in sight. Today marks the final day of the regular season of the Dominican Winter League while the Venezuelan Winter League and Puerto Rican Winter League come to a close on Dec. 30.

While the DWL’s regular season comes to a close now, the league will actually continue playing but will just reduce its number of teams from six to four.

The current four top teams are: Aguilas Cibaenas, Estrellas de Oriente, Gigantes del Cibao and Toros del Este. However, no more than one game separates the bottom four teams, so a lot could still change tonight.

There are two ways to look at this in regard to the Indians players still playing in the DWL. On one hand, it would be nice to see them get some more winter ball experience, but on the other hand, it would also be nice for them to get some rest they have essentially been playing baseball nonstop for a year.

We’ll have to wait until tonight to see exactly what happens though.

So, with that being said, here are some thoughts deep and shallow in regard to winter ball participants this past week…

— Call me crazy, but I’ve been really excited over the performance of Andrew Campbell in the Australian Baseball League. The ABL is clearly not the steepest level of competition, but it’s hard to argue with the numbers that Campbell is putting up. In 19 games, the left-handed hitter has gone 19-for-65 with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, eight walks and 11 strikeouts. The numbers are certainly impressive and essentially a 180-degree turnaround from the .172/.248/.224 line that Campbell hit in 33 games this past year in the Tribe’s minor league system. Campbell’s performance this past season and in the ABL are both small sample sizes, so perhaps his normal performance might fall somewhere in between. Though, unfortunately, even the ABL is considered much easier competition than the Arizona Rookie League and the New York-Penn League, so it’s probably too early to draw any conclusions. He’s sure put together a solid winter though.

— Carlos Santana has been a frustrating player to follow this winter. So far, the switch-hitter has played in 18 games, yet he’s gone hitless in half of those games. Overall, Santana has gone 13-for-65 (.200) with four doubles, five RBI, 12 walks and 16 strikeouts. The only thing that Santana has really consistently done this winter is strikeout and draw walks. His struggles are even more discouraging because he is a Major League hitter, who has had success at every level. While 18 games is a small sample size, it’s not that small that a Major League hitter should be barely hitting .200. Santana’s winter season could continue or come to a close, depending upon whether Leones del Escogido makes the next round in the DWL, but at this point, it may just be better for Santana to go rest up and get ready for the coming season. It seems as if he could be tiring, and unfortunately his statistics have become quite tiring to look at.

— Jose Ramirez is such an iron man. The switch-hitting second baseman has now played 37 games this winter and gone 43-for-137 (.314). His average has taken a bit of a hit, but it’s still quite impressive, especially when you consider that Ramirez is barely 20 years old. He spent much of the season as a 19-year-old playing in the Midwest League, and he certainly more than held his own. It’s been encouraging to see such a young player work so hard and put in so much time this winter. It could be argued that no single Indians player saw his stock increase more this year than Ramirez, and some of that can be attributed to his fabulous winter season. Ramirez’s team, Toros del Este, is on the bubble in regard to making the DWL’s next round, and while he certainly deserves a break, he will likely continue to work just as hard if his team does advance.

— Mike McDade has started to heat up a bit recently at the plate. In his last five games, the switch-hitting first baseman has gone 6-for-17. Overall, he’s gone 22-for-74 (.297) in 23 games this winter. If there has been an area that McDade has struggled, it’s been plate discipline as he has just five walks and has struck out 17 times. McDade seemed to make great strides in that area during the 2012 season as he drew 50 walks and struck out 96 times. Previously, plate discipline has been a major area of concern for the big first baseman as evidenced by his previous minor league walk and strikeout totals (2009: 32 BB/109 K, 2010: 27 BB/141 K, 2011: 28 BB/ 104 K). Like I always say, it’s hard to buy into winter statistics too much, but McDade’s performance this year seems to at least suggest that his plate discipline may not have improved as much as the 2012 season indicates.

— Has any Indians pitcher been more dominant this winter than left-handed pitcher Giovanni Soto? Aside from his second appearance in which he allowed two earned runs, Soto has been nearly perfect, and his ERA now sits at 1.29 in 10 games and 14 innings of work. What’s been most exciting about Soto this winter is the fact that he has been used in numerous ways. He’s pitched as many as three innings at a time, but he’s also been used as a situational lefty. For example, last Friday, Soto entered a game in the top of the eighth inning to face the right-handed hitting Randy Ruiz with two outs and the bases loaded. Soto has been especially tough on right-handed hitters this winter as they have just a .083 average against him in 36 at-bats. The move was the right one on Friday too as Soto proceeded to get Ruiz to strikeout to strand the bases loaded. With the loss of Tony Sipp, the Indians are certainly in need of left-handed relief pitchers, and believe it or not, Soto could fit the bill. It would not be totally shocking to see him in Cleveland sometime this year, provided the Indians do indeed need relief help.

— Right-handed pitcher Matt Langwell had a rare slipup this past week as he allowed two runs, one earned, in a game last Saturday. However, Langwell recovered nicely and has since pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Overall, Langwell now has a 1.13 ERA in 13 games and 16 innings of work. Langwell often gets overlooked because of his lack of overpowering stuff, but he’s another guy who just continues to perform at every level, and winter ball is no exception. It would be nice to see Langwell get the call to Cleveland sometime this year as his performance certainly qualifies himself as someone who is more than deserving,

— First baseman Jesus Aguilar made a rare appearance this past week as he was brought in to pinch-hit in Wednesday’s game, and he proceeded to rip a single in his only at-bat. It was Aguilar’s first appearance in a winter ball contest since Dec. 5. Overall, Aguilar has gone 15-for-56 with seven doubles, three home runs, three walks and 24 strikeouts. The power is definitely there as Aguilar’s slugging percentage of .554 indicates, but he unfortunately has not gotten consistent playing time. On two occasions this winter, Aguilar missed at least two weeks of the season, so he’s never really been able to settle into a groove. It’s unfortunate too as a lot of Indians fans were probably looking forward to watching the hulking right-handed hitter do his thing.

— No Indians player has played in more games this winter than switch-hitting shortstop Juan Diaz. In 39 games, Diaz has gone 30-for-116 with five doubles, one triple, two home runs, 13 RBI, five BB and 26 strikeouts. What’s crazy is that Diaz, who is currently riding a five-game hit streak, is probably not done either as Estrellas de Oriente has already clinched a spot in the next round of the DWL. Like Ramirez, Diaz has also been an iron man this season. Unfortunately, iron man status likely won’t be enough to get Diaz to the Major Leagues to stay. The defense is there, but the bat still has to come around.