Election Day Winners and Losers:

CLE AFL Lindor, Francisco DH 3 1 1 0 .256 BB (6), CS (4) [terrible basestealing % in AAA and AFL]
CLE AFL Wolters, Tony 2B 3 0 1 1 .225 BB (4), CS (1) [playing more 2B than catching in Arizona]
CLE DL Ramirez, Jose SS 4 0 0 0 .125 [only hits well in North America]
CLE VL Aguilar, Jesus 1B 4 1 1 2 .256 HR (2)
CLE VL Moncrief, Carlos RF 2 0 0 0 .280
CLE VL Urshela, Giovanny 3B 3 0 1 1 .391 [joining the 40-man roster any day now]
CLE PRL Ramirez, J.C. 0.2 1 1 1 0 1 2.70 [this is some old guy, right?]
CLE PRL Soto, Giovanni 1 0 0 0 1 1 0.00 [LH reliever]
CLE VL Araujo, Elvis 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.00 W (2 - 0) [LH reliever looking good, could make the roster]

Winter ball report from Wednesday:

CLE AFL Lindor, Francisco SS 4 0 1 0 .256 BB (7), CS (5) [his daily caught stealing]
CLE AFL Smith, Jordan LF 4 1 2 1 .304 2B (6)
CLE DL Naquin, Tyler CF 4 0 0 0 .225
CLE DL Ramirez, Jose SS 3 1 0 0 .114 BB (2)
CLE PRL Perez, Roberto C 4 2 2 1 .375 2B (2)
CLE VL Aguilar, Jesus 1B 4 0 2 0 .279
CLE AFL Baker, Dylan 4.2 4 1 1 0 2 6.00
CLE AFL Head, Louis 0.2 2 0 0 0 0 3.38
CLE AFL Maronde, Nick 1.1 0 0 0 0 4 9.00 [he's either terrific or terrible; still on the 40-man roster]
CLE VL Rodriguez, Ramon 1.1 3 1 1 1 1 1.59


and an old "favorite"
ARI DL Marte, Andy 3B 3 0 1 0 .371 BB (6)

Lindor is 2 for 7 in steal attempts. I guess he might as well keep trying. The Arizona League is for practicing skills.

Another unimpressive Arizona stat line: Dylan Baker in 12 innings has allowed 16 hits and struck out 4.

On the other hand the unheralded Grant Sides has worked 9 1/3 innings, scoreless, 4 hits, 11 strikeouts. The 25 year old has only pitched 1 career inning above Class A, so don't get too excited. Our 40 man roster has 4 openings and not too many qualified candidates so Sides may win a promotion.

Thursday games:

CLE AFL Lindor, Francisco DH 4 2 2 1 .267 2B (5)
CLE AFL Wolters, Tony C 2 0 0 2 .214 BB (5) [may be eligible for 40man roster, but not earning it]
CLE VL Aguilar, Jesus 1B 4 1 1 1 .277 3B(1)
CLE VL Moncrief, Carlos RF 4 2 1 3 .278 HR (1), BB (8)
CLE VL Monsalve, Alex PH-C 2 0 1 0 .250
CLE VL Urshela, Giovanny 3B 3 0 1 0 .389

CLE ABL Grening, Brian 4.2 7 5 5 2 3 4.18 L (1 - 2) [never heard of him]
CLE AFL Sides, Grant 1 3 2 2 0 0 1.74 [first blip of the fall]
CLE DL Melo, Carlos 0.2 2 2 2 2 0 27.00 [one of the hardest throwers in the minors, zero command]
CLE PRL Ramirez, J.C. 2 0 0 0 0 3 1.69
CLE PRL Romero, J.C. 1 1 1 0 1 1 0.00
CLE PRL Soto, Giovanni 1 3 1 1 0 1 1.80 W (1 - 0)

Anyone seen an article on who's eligible for Rule 5 draft if not protected? Top of farm system is so devoid of talent (although lower levels are impressive) I don't think we have enough guys worth protecting. Is there a labor agreement requirement to fill out the 40 spots? If so, they ought to be combing the waiver wire and planning to draft a couple at the Rule 5 fire sale.

Todd Paquette ‏@IndiansAccounts · 11m11 minutes ago
Baseball America's 2015 #Indians top 10 prospect list
1) @Lindor12BC
2) @Bzimmer5
3) @ClintFrazierr
4) @Topsheff42
5) @Hoos_urPapi
6) Tyler Naquin
7) @elmejiajose
8) @31Mago
9) @b_bradley_44
10) Cody Anderson

Bradley at #9?

I really hope he is our 9th best prospect. That would mean we have some excellent prospects.

BA tries to pull a fast one on us and advances the Indians Top 10 and chat to today. But I have a quiet afternoon so had a chance to post dozens of prospect questions. The chat is already running late and with this a Friday I bet the house is gone about an hour. They used to hang in then and answer dozens of questions. Not expecting much today but I'll post what appears.

@Jaypers413 (IL): Thanks for the chat, Jim. Could you give us the rundown on Grant Hockin, and whether or not club officials and scouts see a potential frontline SP in him?

Jim Shonerd: Calling him a frontline guy is too strong, but there are things to like. He frequently get comped to Adam Plutko, helped by the fact Hockin was also a UCLA recruit. Intelligent on the mound. Commands four pitches. Very good delivery. But doesn’t really have plus pitch—his changeup or his slider are probably his best, depending on who you ask—so it’s hard to say he’ll be more than a No. 4 as things stand now.

John (PA): What's the word on Luis Lugo? K-rate above 10 in Low A is exciting, but it appears he was hit hard whenever contact was made. Thoughts?

Jim Shonerd: Yeah, Lugo’s ERA wasn’t great in low Class A (4.92), but he did go 5-0, 2.14 in August and, as you mentioned with his K rate, most of his peripheral numbers were good. His velocity picked up some this year, up to 92-93, and he’s an athletic, projectable guy, so there could be some more in there. Definitely still a guy worth watching.

Mike (Tampa): Your opinions of Dorssys Paulino's year, and if he's still residing in your 30?

Jim Shonerd: Underwhelming year, although he did at least hold his own in the 2nd half, hitting in the .260-.270 range from June onward. He’s definitely all about the bat, even more so now that the Indians have pulled him off shortstop and sent him to left field. It does look like the team pushed him too aggressively when they sent him to low A as an 18-year-old in 2013, but they think the position switch helped ease the burden. There’s a lot to like in his swing, and he could develop 20-25 homer power. Still has age on his side, so I wouldn’t give up on him yet.

Kelly (St. Cloud, MN): Did the Tribe get a steal in Plutko? Is he a future #5, or likely a reliever?

Jim Shonerd: He can be a No. 4 or 5, sure, although I’d bet against him being more than that. I guess you could call him a steal for being an 11th rounder, but we should also note that he did get the fourth-largest signing bonus ($300k) in that Indians 2013 draft class.

Here's the Top 10 that BA posted:

1. You know who SS
2. Zimmer CF or RF
3. Frazier CF
4. Sheffield LHP
5. Papi of/1B
6. Naquin CF
7. Mejia C [rates No. 3 on my list]
8. Gonzalez All over the IF
9. Bradley BA hates 1b-only guys
10. Cody Anderson, who had the worst stats of any starter in the Indians system other than, perhaps Dace Kime, but they still like him over: Urshela, Chang, Aguillar, Walters, Ramsay, Hockin, Greg Allen, etc. etc.

Grant (NYC): Was new acquisition James Ramsey considered for this list? Does he make the club next year?

Jim Shonerd: Was considered, and was actually the last cut from the list. [I.e. No. 11] Very well rounded but doesn’t really have a standout offensive tool. [i.e. may be a 4th OF, may be a AAAA guy] There’s definitely a chance he plays in Cleveland next year, but I wouldn’t expect him there Opening Day, barring either a rash of injuries or him crushing the ball in spring training. The entire outfield from last year’s team will be back (barring trades of course), and then you’ve got guys like Naquin and former FSU teammate Tyler Holt in the mix too. Also, Ramsey’s not yet on the 40-man, for what that’s worth.

Eric (Dallas, tx): lhp Ryan Merritt - are you bullish or cautious about his potential?

Jim Shonerd: Erring on the side of caution. He had an awesome year, you can’t take that away, and there are reasons to like him, but he’s more about feel than stuff. Fastball is 88-92 and doesn’t have a plus secondary pitch,[sounds like no reason to expect much] but he’s athletic and has the best command in the system. This year’ll be a big test to see how he fares against upper-level hitters.

Paul (Sandusky, OH): How many of the top guys in this system are likely to make the overall 100?

Jim Shonerd: Would estimate it like this—Lindor and Zimmer definitely; Frazier probably; Sheffield maybe.

Frank (Chicago): Is Jesus Aguilar still eligible for your list of 30? If so, has anything about his ceiling changed since the 2014 Indians list?

Jim Shonerd: Basically, yes still eligible, and no, he’s still the same guy. You’ll see him just outside the top 10 again, like last year. The encouraging thing this year was his approach improved (walk rate went from 9.9% of PAs to 12.8%), as he did a better job of not coming off his discipline when teams pitched him carefully. I do expect you’ll see him in the majors at some point again next year—the Indians’ lineup is so lefty heavy that they really value having a righty power bat like Aguilar around.

Amy (Boston): I was a bit surprised that Giovanny Urshela didn't make the list. He posted pretty solid numbers for a 22 year old at Triple A, especially with a good k/bb rate. What are your thuoghts on him and where will he rank in the top 30?

Jim Shonerd: He’s another guy who’ll land not far outside the top 10. You definitely have to be encouraged by a guy that young holding his own in Triple-A. He tapped into his power more this year, which improves his profile as a third baseman significantly. He’s strong enough to put on some shows in BP, though his in-game power won’t be more than average. And he’s certainly got the defensive ability, that’s never been in question.

[I will gladly accept a plus defender who can hit 270, 15 homers and not strikeout too much. He's offense may be somewhat below the Major League Average I also look for as in Casey Blake but his defense will be above and I want our team to stress pitching and defense.]

Ben (Leland Grove): Was it close between Zimmer and Frazier for the #2 spot, and ultimately what was the determining factor? thx

Jim Shonerd: It wasn’t a landslide, but I pretty much had Zimmer in mind for #2 all along. Still like Frazier’s tools a lot, but he had some warts exposed this year (mainly his approach). Zimmer doesn’t have as much power but does have more feel to hit—somewhat understandable since he’s a couple years older—and is a five-tool guy in his own right.

Michael Stern (Rochester NY): I was surprised to see Bradley ranked so low. For someone who can be an impact bat and who had such a sensational debut, what are the questions that kept him from being ranked higher? Was it just age? Thanks for the chat !

Jim Shonerd: High school first baseman are just a tough demographic. It’s not a good thing when you’re already at the bottom of the defensive spectrum as a teenager. Puts a ton of onus on the bat, but yes, Bradley’s does have the impact potential to make it work. [As I said, BA also downgrades 1st basemen. If I recall Lou Gehrig rated No. 7 on the 1925 Baseball America list.]

Roy (Indiana): Mitch Brown made enormous progress this year. How close was he to the Top 10? [He, too, certainly rated ahead of Cody Anderson who just flat out stunk at Akron.]

Jim Shonerd: The Indians are very, very excited about Brown. Really good bounce back year after a disappointing 2013. Biggest thing was he got his delivery in order and pitched more under control. His fastball-curveball combination is really good—his curve is the best in the system—and his repertoire is deep enough to give him a chance to be a starter. Could definitely shoot up this list next year.

Roy (Indiana): What are the chances Nelson Rodriguez Paul Hendrix or Eric Haase become useful major leaguers? Are we likely to see any of them in the Top 30?

Jim Shonerd: Rodriguez is the name to watch there. Basically a carbon copy with Jesus Aguilar, maybe with even more power. ]as we know

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Surprised me. I expected you next Tuesday. A few past regulars on this list have stalled the past couple years: Ronnie Rodriguez was worse in his 2nd year in Akron, Luigi Rodriguez repeated Carolina, and Dorsyss Paulino moved to the OF but still disappointed in Lake County. Still prospects?

Jim Shonerd: Yeah, had to shuffle the schedule a bit. Already covered Paulino. Luigi is still worth keeping an eye on, but he needs to stay on the field. And I’m afraid the arrow is pointed down for Ronnie. Has shown nice defensive versatility, but that’s pretty much what he looks like now—a utility type.

Jessica (NYC): Do you see Mike Papi improving from his lackluster first pro season?

Jim Shonerd: Yeah, I'm not worried about him. His bat should translate to pro ball fine.

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Jim, the Indians have lots of potential CF's in Zimmer, Frazier and Naquin, not to mention Greg Allen and maybe Silento Sayles. How do these guys' skills compare and who is most likely to wind up in center?

Jim Shonerd: That’s the big question, isn’t it? It’ll be fascinating to see what happens next year when Zimmer and Frazier are presumably teammates at Lynchburg. The Indians told me Naquin and Ramsey will split time at center with Columbus, and I figure Zimmer and Frazier will both get time in center as well. Allen can be a plus-defender in center but we’ll have to see how his bat comes around.

Elliot (Youngstwon OH): Who's a sleeper no one's talking about yet in the Indians system but could make some noise in the future?

Jim Shonerd: Yu-Cheng Chang is good name to throw out here. Signed out of Taiwan at age 18 in 2013 and was really good in the AZL this year. Real good approach at the plate and has some power projection. Very technically sound defender. Plays both shortstop and third base for now but probably ends up at third, long term.

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Shawm Morimando has been progressing steadily through the system. Does he have the command to be a big league starter?

Jim Shonerd: His command is pretty good for his age (pitched the season at 21), but has room to get better. Did show some improved arm strength this year, getting up to 94 mph, and has a solid four-pitch mix.

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Cody Allen and Kyle Crockett are couple relievers who breezed through the minors on their way to Cleveland the season after they were drafted. Anyone ready to follow their lead in 2015?

Jim Shonerd: Papi and Zimmer could both go pretty quick, but they won’t be in the majors next year—and the Indians didn’t get any ready-made relievers this time around either.

Candice (New York): Should Bradley Zimmer remind fans of Grady Sizemore in any way? Both have great set of tools and can handle CF.

Jim Shonerd: One of the Indians officials I talked to brought up Sizemore as a parallel for Zimmer, so yes you can make the comparison.

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Where does Erik Gonzalez fit into the crowded infield of Kipnis, Lindor and Ramirez?

Jim Shonerd: Wrestled with that when putting together the dreaded 2018 future lineup. The good thing is Gonzalez is versatile and athletic enough that you can probably plug him in anywhere defensively, though obviously he won’t profile as well at places other than shortstop. I do think the Indians will try to find a spot for him, but their mindset seems to be that they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it. But of course there’s also the thought in the back of your mind that he could be a trade chip.

Elliot (Youngstown OH): I was hoping to see Mejia rated higher. He was rated a 55 talent by BA last winter. After he held his own as an 18 year old against 22 year old competition, does ceiling look any higher?

Jim Shonerd: And here I’ve been worried about being too aggressive with Mejia. But yeah, he’s a really, really intriguing prospect. I’m very high on him. Feel for the barrel. Power. Athleticism. Cannon for an arm. But we have to remember he’s a 19-year-old catcher who hasn’t played in a full-season league yet. There’s a lot of developing left. But if he keeps on his current trajectory next season, he’ll be one of the top few guys on this list for 2016.

Kyle (Fruit Cove, FL): Any chance Dace Kime transitions to a bullpen role to put him on a faster track to Cleveland?

Jim Shonerd: The Indians are sticking with him as a starter, but if he struggles again next year it wouldn’t surprise me if they made that move.

By my count the discussion has by now covered 8 pitchers, 2 catchers (1 dismissed out of hand), 7 IF and 8 OF.

No discussion about Lindor, Sheffield, the dreaded Anderson. But they'll all addressed in the rating writeup that I'll post when I get time.