Cleveland Sports Forum

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday’s performances by Cleveland prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday’s game.

Michael Bourn (Columbus, starting CF) - 0-4 - Bourn finally gets his second start of a rehab stint that has been stretched out far longer than anyone expected by a rainy start to the season in Columbus. While the numbers aren't really all that important, it would be encouraging to see something better than 1-for-7 (.143) in two games at the Triple-A level before he returns to Major League play.

Jesus Aguilar (Columbus, DH) - 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 K - The RBI Machine seems to have finally shaken off the fatigue from last season's 10-month grind, and in grand fashion. His five-RBI night increases his season total to seven in his first five games of the season. If he continues to perform this well at the All-Star Break, he will make it very hard on Chris Antonetti to not bring him up to The Show, assuming there's somewhere in the Tribe lineup to place him. [Yes Tony if Aguillar has 40 homers and 100 RBI in the first half, he will be promoted.]

Dylan Baker (Carolina, SP) - W (1-0), 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K - Dylan Baker flat out dominated the Frederick Keys lineup in his 2014 season debut. For a guy who went only 7-6 with a 3.63 ERA in Low Single-A Lake County last year, a debut like this is exciting to see. While it is early, an outing like this is a much more promising sign than many of the debuts we have seen from Indians farm system starting pitchers this season. Even more promising is this outing came after he missed the first few days of the season because he was recovering from a slight setback to his throwing program this spring which set him back about a week.

David Cooper (Columbus, 1B) - 2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI - While Cooper's numbers were not quite as gaudy as Aguilar's, he also got two hits and scored twice. This was David's first multi-hit game of the season. Hoprfully it isn't his last.

Travis Banwart (Columbus, SP) - W (1-0), 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR - Banwart bucks the trend of poor opening starts for Indians minor league pitchers and leads the Clips to their first win of the season.

Jordan Smith (Akron, RF) - 0-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SB - A prime example of the importance of plate disciplne and speed on the basepaths. While he failed to get a single hit, he scored two-thirds of the RubberDucks' runs in their 4-3 loss to the Altoona Curve by getting on base via the walk.

Tony Wolters (Akron, C) - 2-4, 1 2B, 1 K - Wolters had the lone multi-hit game of the night for Akron, raising his early season batting average to .467 in four games. While it obviously won't stay that high, it is still a good sign about what he is capable of this season at the plate.

Bryson Myles (Akron, LF) and Tyler Holt (Akron, CF) - 2 SB each - While their stat lines may not have been otherwise ATF-worthy, two players on the same team stealing two bases in the same game certainly is.

Anthony Gallas (Carolina, RF) - 2-5, 2 RBI, 2 K - Gallas has his first big offensive night of the season with this multi-RBI effort.

Erik Gonzalez (Carolina, SS) - 3-5, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 SB - Gonzalez continues his trend of alternating good games and bad games at the plate with this very good outing. While seeing such nights out of Erik is exciting, the key for him will be performing well more consistently than he has been thus far this season.

Mitch Brown (Lake County, SP) - ND, 4.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R (earned), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 HBP - Brown had a solid effort [sic]in his 2014 regular season debut Tuesday night in Clinton, IA, but came up one out short of being eligible for the win, which went to reliever Alexis Paredes, who picked up the win despite getting only one out.

Trevor Frank (Lake County, CP) - S (2), 1 IP, perfect, 1 K - Trevor Frank, who pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his second save of the young season.

Thanks for that update civ.

Tito will find a way to keep Morgan busy when Bourn returns. He's great at manipulating the bench. Elliot Johnson could lose out for a roster spot; he's kind of a second Aviles and I guess could be spared, although some RH depth doesn't hurt.

That makes sense. I agree, Aviles and Johnson are duplication of services.

Game time coming up already as we near noon. Padres going with a lefty Eric Stults against McAllister so Francona goes with his RH lineup:

Cabrera leads off with his fine 130 average
Swisher follows doing much better at 200
Kipnis one of 3 lefties in the order
Santana the DH in the opener
Raburn back out there in left
Brantley the second lefty.
Gomes catching the opener, so Santana will try to handle Bauer
Aviles at third. No way does Chisenhall start against any lefthander
Murphy probably won't start often against lefties, but as hot as he is, he's out there
Elliot Johnson not in the lineup vs the lefty.

Some info on Stults:
Eric Stults is scheduled to get the ball opposite McAllister in the opener and looking to regroup from a poor season debut. The left-hander, who had a career-high 11 wins last year, was tagged for five runs and seven hits in four innings of Friday's 8-2 loss at Miami. He's 3-10 with a 5.31 ERA while allowing opponents to hit .318 over his last 17 road starts.
Stults allowed two runs and four walks in six innings while not getting a decision with the Chicago White Sox in a 3-2 road loss in his only meeting with the Indians in 2012.

There will be another lefty in the second game. Which means Johnson will be out there somewhere. Chisenhall will stay on the bench. Gomes may DH.

both starters in game 1 were lousy in their 2014 debuts. Zach goes through the Padre first on a yield of a singe.
Indians' trio of Asdrubal, Nick and Jason perform as they did last night and do 1-2-3

Both Kluber and now McAllister are much different pitchers than their first outings.

I suspected at the time, and I submit, that they were too hyped up (being young guys) on their first start.

I heard Hamilton say that Mickey Callaway said that the starters would start throwing strikes. That is totally what's happening - both guys (Kluber and McAllister) are going RIGHT at the hitters.

Scoreless after 3. Zach has allowed a double and little else. Cleveland had 3 on 1 out in the 2nd but Aviles and Murphy left them there. Then Asdrubal, Nick and Jason did there 1-2-3 thing again.

Raburn singles in the 4th; Brantley GIDP.

Stults is just as improved from his first start as is McAllister.

2 out double gave SD a chance in the 5th but McAllister ended it. Only 58 pitches through 5 innings.

By the way, I know what happened on that call at first base in the 2nd civ

As an umpire, I know the rule, unlike Hamilton evidently, lol.

Here's what happened.

The umpire originally missed the call, he thought Murphy beat the play so called him safe. HOWEVER he did see that he missed the base. He is STILL safe technically, UNTIL an appeal is made. This is an appeal play (missed base), (If no appeal is made, and Murphy walks back to first base, he is safe)

So anyways, tagging Murphy after he missed the bases is technically a LIVE BALL APPEAL. So then the ump called him out correctly.

Tribe up 2-0 on a
Kipnis homer. To of 7th now.

Another Padre misplay opens the door a crack: "Swisher safe on throwing error by 3B Amarista"
And Kipnis pushes it open the rest of the way "Kipnis homers on a fly ball to Right Center Field. Swisher scores"

Santana walk and Raburn double threatens more but Brantley and Gomes strike out.

Three quick outs recorded by Zach Mac in the 7th. 2-0 Tribe with 2 innings to go.

Cabrera, who I hope will get the nightcap off, launches his salary drive season with a batting average of 111 and an OPS of 348 in this first 8 games. Yes, it's early, but unfortunately he just keeps on putting up worse numbers every year.

792 in 2011, 761 in 2012, 701 in 2013.