I want to like Yandy. He's a great hitter for a past era; not sure he can be a 21st century major leaguer the way he hits.

Benson? Who knows; we'll see what he develops. He's 7 years younger and might be a five tools guy. And might yet flop completely. I have always put way too much stock in guys who can theoretically "do it all". A list of my breakout picks over the years is almost always kids who hit dead ends early. But I'll never learn!

Yandy really reminds me of veteran Julio Franco. Maybe that’s why I like him so much. I always loved Hoo hoo Julio. I think Yandy is gonna end up same kind of guy. And that kind of guy can play on my team any time. Yandy was slumping early, has been coming out of it lately. As soon as he looks back in a groove I’d bring him up. If nothing else to platoon with Alonso. DH him against lefties, with EE at 1st. Not like Alonso is doing much. If team had any balls they’d bench Kip.

By the way, I also got to watch first 6 innings of Akron game yesterday. McKenszie threw mostly fastballs. And he was, well, wildly effective.

Hey I really have nothing against Yandy Diaz. I hope he becomes a really good major leaguer for as long as Julio Franco was.
I don't see the analogy with a young Whooo-lee-oh however. Franco came up very young as a shortstop who stole bases, hit with some power, and didn't walk a lot. By the time Julio's 27th birthday came along [plus 30 days, i.e. at the end of 1985 season] his career totals were already:
2453 AB 707 hits 99 doubles 27 triples 37 homeruns 74 steals 156 walks 258 strikeouts
Julio stood 6-0 160. Yandy has a bigger body, 6-2 185; hits in the minors for a higher average and gets on base a lot more; doesn't steal bases and we've discussed the extra base power; and turns 27 in exactly two months. Yes, Juiio's power picked up over his career, but he was no slouch even in those first four seasons.

I'm trying to think of a hitter who's more Yandy-like in his career path. To be super-optimistic I'd say singles hitting Tony Gwynn or Pete Rose. But a real match would have to be someone whose big league career didn't get started until he was 27.

How about Casey Blake? also 3rd baseman. had about 150 at bats in the majors only, until he became an Indians regular at age 29. Up to then he had hit 3 homeruns as a big leaguer and his numbers advanced over the next few years. I was a fan of Casey who I considered as the perfect "major league average" [that' a good thing] third baseman.

I specifically said he reminds me of “a veteran Julio Franco”. Because Julio used to look to go the other way all the time at that point in his career. With gap power. One would occasionally go over wall once in a while.

In yesterday’s game Yandy drilled a ball the other way right on the screws. RF’er didn’t have to move. It was hit so hard if it was one way or the other 10 feet he would have had no chance. That’s the way it goes some times.

I'm also more optimistic about Yandy.

The usual issues kids deal with is pitch selection and making contact. See Lewis Brinson etc. Lindor came up with those skills and...oh wait became a major power hitter with some adjustments that took him more than a year in the bigs.

Yes, there's a lot more guys these days using launch angle and the 3 outcomes (walk, strikeout and homer) but trends do have a way of being overdone. The value of guys who make contact is about to rebound IMO.

The Indians are a good example of a team that just plays better when it keeps the line moving rather then just homers.

Indians Prospective @indiansPro

Lake County Captains transactions

RHP Tommy DeJuneas placed on 7-day DL
RHP Riley Echols promoted from Mahoning Valley

Akron RubberDucks transactions

RHP Aaron Civale activated from 7-day DL
RHP Michael Peoples activated from 7-day

OF Dorssys Paulino placed on 7-day DL
RHP Nick Pasquale placed on 7-day DL

Columbus Clippers transactions

RHP Mitch Talbot activated from 7-day DL
LHP Jeff Beliveau accepted outright assignment
RHP Louis Head placed on 7-day DL
LHP Matt Whitehouse inactive

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Interesting to see how the RubberDucks rotation rounds out with a plethera of starters:
(Alphabetical)
LHP Sean Brady
RHP Shao-Ching Chiang
RHP Aaron Civale
RHP Triston McKenzie
RHP Jake Paulson
RHP Michael Peoples

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DSL Red Sox 2 #Indians 0

M. Garcia 4(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 2BB 2SO
Paz 2-3
Aguilar 1-2 2BB
Montero 1-3

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DSL Dodgers 7 #Indians/Brewers 2

Made 1-4 RBI
De La Cruz 1-4 R 3B
Peralta 1-3
Celesten 0-3 RBI

Our old friends in Buffalo score 3 in the top of the 9th to take a 5-4 lead. But Clips score 2 in bottom of 9 to win 6-5.

Zimmer 0-5
Guyer 2-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
Naquin 0-3
Yandy 1-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB
Chang 1-3, 2B, R, 2 BB
Mejia 2-5, 2B, R, RBI

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Ducks 8 Sea Dogs 2

Marabell 2-5, 3 RBI
Bradley 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
Castro 3-5, 2 R
Civale 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

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Potomac 9 Lynchburg 3

Morgan 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Longo 3-5, 2B, R

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Loons 5 Captains 4

Nelson 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Oscar 1-5, RBI
Jones 1-3, RBI, 2 BB
Benson 1-4, R

Indians Prospective

Lynchburg Hillcats transaction

OF Conner Capel placed on the 7-day DL
OF Tre Gantt promoted from extended spring training

Nice return by Civale. Sort of disappointing game by Morgan. I was kind of hoping Guyer continued to do zero, so we could be sure he would not be returning to the big league club. They're now waiting until next Thursday to decide what to do with him.

Scrappers season starts next Friday. Kids will be arriving in Niles from all over America the next few days. Current roster has about 15 names but some of them are just kids on hold from other teams.

I saw where Freeman made the Scrapper roster. Was happy about that. Gantt made it too, but now he's filling in for the injured Capel. (I mentioned the other day that he left game early. Was hoping it was precautionary but alas, no) There was 18 or so names on the roster last I looked. Saving remaining spots for draftees I read.

Lynchburg is playing early today, just underway. Plesac is starting. 1 scoreless for him so far.

Indians Prospective @indiansPro

Columbus was rained out. Lynchburg was supposed to play a double header but game 2 was rained out.

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Sea Dogs 3 RubberDucks 2

Peoples 4(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
Sever 1-4 RBI SB
Haggerty 0-2 RBI BB SB
Salters 3-4

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Hillcats 5 Nationals 3 (Game 1)
Karinchak 2(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 2BB 4SO
Persinger 2-3 R HR RBI
Wakamatsu 1-2 R 2B 2RBI BB
Ice 1-3 2B 2RBI

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Loons 4 Captains 1

Draper 5(IP) 6H 3R 3ER 1BB 1SO
Friis 2-5 RBI
Jones 1-3 2BB
Berardi 1-4 R

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DSL Rangers 5 #Indians 2
Paz 2-4 RBI
Rodriguez 2-5 R
Rocchio 1-4 R SB
Jimenez 5(IP) 5H 4R 3ER 2BB SO

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DSL #Indians/Brewers 7 Cubs 6

Peralta 2-3 2R 2B RBI BB
De La Cruz 1-1 R RBI
Made 1-4 R
Maestre 0-0 R 2BB SB

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Lake County Captains transaction
LHP Zach Draper promoted to Lake County
RHP Cameron Mingo assigned to Mahoning Valley

Indians RHP James Karinchak has not allowed a Run over his last 22.1 innings pitched between Lake County & Lynchburg:
- 16(G) 6SV 22.1(IP) 15H 0R 0ER 12BB 39SO 0.00 ERA 15.7 (SO/9)

Karinchak has yet to give up a run in (High A) ball and sports a 0.39 ERA on the season.

I have high hopes for Karinchak. His walks are too high, but not crazy. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him get another promotion [or two, or ??three] this summer.

Speaking of walks, has anyone heard anything about Brady Aiken?