Cleveland Sports Forum

all 3 of our teams tht played last night lost. 6-2 Columbus, 3-2 Akron, 6-1 Carolina. Since we have very very few offensive prospects the 5 run total is not surprising.

Offensive "stars" -- Cord Phelps 2h, HR#4. Goedart 1st AAA homer; Adam Abraham and Thomas Neal 2hits, Neal is at 292; Tony Wolters cracks 200 with a double and he walks, Urhsela 2 hits; Lowery double #10.

Pitching lines of note mostly from relievers: AAA Cody Allen 1 scoreless, 2 K. AA Bryce Stowell back from one of his frequent injuries, 1 inning, 1 hit, 2 K [for his limited season: 8 innings, 4 hits, no runs, 17k]; Trey Haley 2 innings, 4K 1 run on 3 hits.

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Felix Tarnished tonight; 9 runs on 5 hits and 5 walks in 2 2/3. Meanwhile Danny Salazar perfect through 2; TJ House shutuout through 3. Tony Wolters keeps at it, a double and a steal in his first 2 trips (that's 4 steals this week, 0 previously). Columbus with the not off.

Sterling wound up being charged with 12 runs in his less than 3 innings, 2 homers. a bunch of walks, wild pitches, not his day. Danny Salazar stretched out to 3 perfect innings. Kyle Blair relieved and was ripped apart. The pitching star was TJ House with 7 1-run innings for Akron. He doesn't get listed on BA's "lines of the day" since he didn't even rate on the Tribe top 30 this year. But he was a well-regarded prospect before and should be again.


CLE AA Chen, Chun 1B 3 1 1 0 .329 3B(1), BB (19)
CLE HiA Wolters, Tony SS 3 0 2 0 .211 2B (9), BB (17), SB (4)
CLE LoA Lindor, Francisco SS 4 2 1 0 .301 BB (13)
CLE LoA Rodriguez, Luigi CF 5 0 2 0 .276
CLE LoA Smith, Jordan DH 5 0 3 1 .266
CLE LoA Sterling, Felix 2.1 5 12 12 5 1 4.89 L (2-3); Also 2 HBP; ugly outing of the day/week/month
CLE MAJ Hagadone, Nick 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 2.08
CLE MAJ McAllister, Zach 6.1 8 2 2 0 3 3.96

As far as catchers go, Chen's been on my radar since we drafted him. I hope he does better than McBride who was on my radar when we drafted him. Chen was me position player two years ago.

Regrettably, Joe, Chen, like McBride, is no longer a catcher. He has caught a couple games this year. He's a 1b who is hitting for good average but not homers (he has hit 1 of them) .

We only have one on this list. #17.

.


Top 25 prospects update

With Harper, Trout and Moore in the majors, we have a new top three

Updated: May 24, 2012, 2:58 PM ET

By Keith Law | ESPN Insider

It's early for any kind of major update to the offseason top 100 prospects ranking, but with all the promotions we've had so far -- not to mention a few unfortunate injuries -- the top 25 names have changed quite a bit since February. I've made a few adjustments to the order, based more on early scouting reports than performances to date, since we're still in small-sample territory.

Any player currently in the majors is ineligible for the list, which removed four of the preseason top 10 as well as two other likely candidates for the new top 25. I've removed three pitchers, Manny Banuelos, Casey Kelly and Carlos Martinez, who are currently on the disabled list with arm injuries, as well as Arodys Vizcaino (out for the year after Tommy John) and Anthony Rendon (also on the shelf with yet another ankle injury). Joe Ross might have appeared on the honorable mention list, but is also on the shelf.

1. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Baltimore Orioles (age 19)
Current level: High Class A (Frederick)
Preseason ranking: 11

The Orioles' bizarre, ultraconservative handling of Bundy aside, he didn't just dominate inferior competition in low Class A, he did it with the stuff and polish that could, in another organization, have had him in the big leagues this year or at the start of 2013. (The club finally promoted him to Frederick on Wednesday after he threw 30 scoreless innings for Delmarva to open the year, with 40 strikeouts and just five hits allowed.)

I don't think it's a stretch to say that a redraft of 2011's tremendous class would have Bundy on top, which would have made him the first prep right-hander to go first overall.

2. Jurickson Profar, SS, Texas Rangers (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Frisco)
Preseason ranking: 7

It's hard to rank a guy much lower than this when he has front-line tools and has failed to reach base in just two games this year, the last one on April 7. His combination of OBP, speed and defense will push Elvis Andrus out of the way -- talk of moving Profar to accommodate Andrus underestimates just how good Profar is going to be.

3. Manny Machado, SS, Baltimore Orioles (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Bowie)
Preseason ranking: 4

He still has more offensive upside than Profar given his power potential, but it's not a lock that Machado stays at short (I like his chances to do so), whereas Profar is a no-doubt shortstop. And Machado has been gradually heating up as the season has gone on, if we slice the small sample into tiny ones.

4. Travis d'Arnaud, C, Toronto Blue Jays (age 23)
Current level: Triple-A (Las Vegas)
Preseason ranking: 6

Yes, it's Las Vegas, which is a notorious hitters' park, but he's on a tear right now, hitting .341 with five homers in his last 10 games. The combination of plus defense, power and enough OBP makes him a potential All-Star.

5. Wil Myers, RF/CF/3B, Kansas City Royals (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Omaha)
Preseason ranking: 13

I doubt Myers ends up at third base for the Royals, but there's nothing wrong with maintaining his flexibility and possible trade value. He'll hit enough to be an impact guy at any position.

6. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Seattle Mariners (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Jackson)
Preseason ranking: 24

Still just 19 and holding his own in Double-A (2.06 ERA), although he's not quite as polished as Bundy or Miller. Seattle did the right thing in jumping him past hitter-friendly High Desert in the high Class A California League.

7. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (age 21)
Current level: High Class A (Bradenton)
Preseason ranking: 10

Working primarily off his fastball, Cole is handling high-A hitters without too much trouble, but we won't learn much about how close he is to the majors until he's properly challenged in Double-A.

8. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Reno)
Preseason ranking: 21

#FreeTrevorBauer.

9. Shelby Miller, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Memphis)
Preseason ranking: 5

One comment I've heard on Miller this season is that he might just be bored; he's been solid (outside of a bad outing Monday night in Tucson, another great hitters' park), but not spectacular, and his fastball is down about a full grade, sitting 90-93 mph.

10. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (age 20)
Current level: High Class A (Bradenton)
Preseason ranking: 15

He's gradually stretching out, flashing the plus breaking ball but not showing it consistently yet; he's got the size and velocity to be a top-10 starter in the majors but looks like he's a good three to four years away from approaching his peak.

11. Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins (age 19)
Current level: Low Class A (Beloit)
Preseason ranking: 28

He's cooled off since the scorching early start, and striking out a lot more than you'd like, but he has enormous raw power (.551 slugging this year) and enough ability to hit to see him as a middle-of-the-order bat down the road with a .260-.280 average but 30-40 jacks.

12. Archie Bradley, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks (age 19)
Current level: Low Class A (South Bend)
Preseason ranking: 19

Doing everything you'd expect of him given his age and experience, but not on the fast track of Bundy, his former Oklahoma prep rival.

13. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Arizona Diamondbacks (age 20)
Current level: Double-A (Mobile)
Preseason ranking: 25

Skaggs is closer to the majors than Bradley but has a touch less upside; you can't go wrong choosing either arm. I would have to think Skaggs is next in line for a call after Bauer, and his command and control are actually ahead of Bauer's right now.

14. Bubba Starling, CF, Kansas City Royals (age 19)
Current level: Extended spring training
Preseason ranking: 15

He was the hardest guy to rank on the list, as he still has huge tools but hasn't played yet this spring. It wasn't necessarily a bad decision by the Royals to take him fifth overall last June, but since he's nearly 20 I'd like to see him in games sometime soon.

15. Christian Yelich, OF, Miami Marlins (age 20)
Current level: High Class A (Jupiter)
Preseason ranking: 48

The power so far this year has been a surprise (.551 slugging), but he can really hit -- as in, one of the best pure hit tools in the minors right now. Playing center now but virtually no chance to play there in the majors because of his poor arm.

16. Zack Wheeler, RHP, New York Mets (age 21)
Current level: Double-A (Binghamton)
Preseason ranking: 27

The only thing between him and potential No. 1-starterdom is just throwing more strikes. The raw stuff is there.

17. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians (age 18)
Current level: Low Class A (Kane County)
Preseason ranking: 35

He's rising fast and could be top 10 by the end of the year. Very advanced for his age, more than holding his own in low-A even though he's 15 months younger than Starling.

18. Nick Castellanos, 3B, Detroit Tigers (20)
Current level: High Class A (Lakeland)
Preseason ranking: 37

He's destroying the Florida State League (.411 BA) and getting better as the season goes along; the defense is adequate, slightly awkward at times but good enough that he should stay there long-term. No power yet, but that will come with age and once he gets out of the power-dampening FSL.

19. Julio Teheran, RHP, Atlanta Braves (age 21)
Current level: Triple-A (Gwinnett)
Preseason ranking: 18

His breaking ball still isn't where it needs to be, and he needs it to improve so hitters can't just try to time the hard but flat fastball -- but he is just 21 in Triple-A with good control, and the velocity is about as easy as it gets.

20. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs (age 22)
Current level: Triple-A (Iowa)
Preseason ranking: 36

Rizzo is shorter to the ball now and even hitting lefties (.327 BA/.377 OBP/.592 SLG in just 53 PA with 12 strikeouts), as well as providing plus defense at first.

21. Oscar Taveras, RF, St. Louis Cardinals (age 19)
Current level: Double-A (Springfield)
Preseason ranking: 53

His swing is unorthodox -- you might even call it ugly -- but it works, well enough to see the bat profiling in an outfield corner, with an average high enough that the OBP is strong even if he draws only 40-50 walks a year.

22. Danny Hultzen, LHP, Seattle Mariners (age 22)
Current level: Double-A (Jackson)
Preseason ranking: 30

Hultzen is nothing spectacular, but he's very close to major league ready, with a changeup as his best shot for an out pitch and above-average command of all of his pitches.

23. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies (age 21)
Current level: Double-A (Tulsa)
Preseason ranking: 26

Now that the preseason hysteria that had some folks calling for Arenado to get the starting third-base job in Denver has died down, he looks more like the prospect he always was: a high-contact hitter who should hit 20-25 homers at sea level with adequate defense at third.

24. Mason Williams, CF, New York Yankees (age 20)
Current level: Low Class A (Charleston)
Preseason ranking: 34

He's not walking, but he's also making a ton of contact, and he's barely begun to fill out physically. There's a lot of projection involved in this ranking but he's a favorite of many scouts (and of me) because of the substantial upside here.

25. Billy Hamilton, SS, Cincinnati Reds (age 21)
Current level: High Class A (Bakersfield)
Preseason ranking: 64

There's a lot of skepticism out there about where Hamilton's ultimate ceiling lies; he's an 80 runner on the 20-80 scale with 42 steals already this season, and can use his speed to create extra opportunities to reach base, but he lacks power and there's a fair chance he moves either to second or center field. He's an absurd prospect for fantasy players but doesn't look like the kind of player who'll generate four or five wins a year at his peak unless he becomes a plus defender (perhaps in center) and shows he can get strong enough to consistently drive major league pitching.

Here are a handful of prospects to watch for before my midseason update: Jackie Bradley, Jr., CF, Red Sox; Matt Barnes, RHP, Red Sox; Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Astros; Zach Lee, RHP, Dodgers; Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Blue Jays; Austin Hedges, C, Padres; Matt Davidson, 3B, Diamondbacks.

Appel No. 1 in first mock draft

Astros leaning toward a safer choice with the first overall pick

May 20, 2012, 12:03 AM ET

By Keith Law | ESPN Insider

We're 20 days away from this year's Rule 4 draft, and virtually nothing is settled at this point, starting with the first overall pick. As always, this is based on my conversations with sources throughout the industry, not my personal rankings of players.

Houston Astros

Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

The Astros' decision is still apparently up in the air, but the general feeling is that they'll take the college arm over the higher-upside, higher-risk outfielder, Byron Buxton … or that they'll take the best player who'll cut a deal below the $7.2 million slot figure and transfer the money to later picks.

Minnesota Twins

Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County H.S. (Baxley, Ga.)

They were presumed to be on San Francisco right-hander Kyle Zimmer until the past few weeks, when Zimmer's velocity slipped and he missed a start with a hamstring injury. Appel seems to be the other option here, or perhaps prep right-hander Lucas Giolito now that teams are getting more and more comfortable with reports on his elbow injury, which caused him to miss most of the year.

Seattle Mariners

Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake H.S. (Studio City, Calif.)

They were supposedly on Florida catcher Mike Zunino, but now the word is they want pitching and are on Giolito, Max Fried (Giolito's high school teammate) and Oklahoma State southpaw Andrew Heaney. But I'm also hearing Puerto Rican prep shortstop Carlos Correa is a possibility. It's worth noting that their first-round pick last year, Danny Hultzen, stunned almost everyone, so if we think the Mariners are on someone, they probably are not.

Baltimore Orioles

Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU

Baltimore is looking for the best player available; that could be Gausman, who I currently have ranked as the top pitcher in the draft, or Correa or any of the players named above, although the Orioles are not really linked to Giolito.

Kansas City Royals

Mike Zunino, C, Florida

I've heard them on Gausman, and every college arm, and of course, they'd look at Buxton if he fell. They've also been camped out on hard-throwing prep right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. for his past few outings, when he has been peaking at just the right time.

Chicago Cubs

Albert Almora, CF, Mater Academy Charter (Hialeh Gardens, Fla.)

The Cubs also have their eyes California prep lefty Fried and Puerto Rico's Correa. Almora, who has an advanced feel for hitting and good range in center, is the likely favorite here.

San Diego Padres

Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

Correa has as much upside as anyone in this draft, with incredible hand-eye coordination and athleticism, but it's likely he ends up at third. This could also be San Francisco right-hander Zimmer or Clemson third baseman Richie Shaffer, and they're just waiting with open arms if someone should fall.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State

Most people saw Marrero as a top-five pick coming into the season, but he didn't have a great year for the Sun Devils. However, the entire industry seems to think the Pirates want him here. I have also heard them on Mississippi State right-hander Chris Stratton.

Miami Marlins

Max Fried, LHP, Harvard-Westlake H.S., Studio City, Calif.

Fried, who is very polished for a prep pitcher, and Texas high school outfielder Courtney Hawkins are the most likely picks here, with some rumors around Duke righty Marcus Stroman (Heath Bell's replacement?) and Oklahoma prep righty Ty Hensley (perhaps just because his father and Stan Meek are friends).

Colorado Rockies

Courtney Hawkins, OF, Carroll (Texas) H.S.

Hawkins might have the quickest bat of anyone in this draft, though he sometimes struggles to make contact. I'm also hearing Ty Hensley and David Dahl here. I would have to think they'd re-evaluate if someone such as Fried fell this far.

Oakland Athletics

Lance McCullers, Jr., RHP, Jesuit H.S. (Tampa)

McCullers has been moving up boards with some strong showings of late and has more scouts believing he can remain a starter. The A's are also considering Florida prep shortstop Addison Russell; Las Vegas high school slugger Joey Gallo and his crazy power; Shaffer; Hawkins, if he's here; and some of the college arms. Where they pick, it makes sense for them to be on a lot of guys, as they're just outside the top tier of 8-10 names.

New York Mets

Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M

Wacha doesn't have a ton of upside, but his advanced changeup and likelihood of reaching his ceiling make him appealing. Also hearing the Mets on Louisiana high school shortstop Gavin Cecchini and Hawkins or Fried if either should get here.

Chicago White Sox

Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson

Shaffer has the most raw power of any college hitter in this class and has a very good chance of being a solid big league regular, but probably not a star. It'll be interesting to see if ownership allows the scouting department to spend up to the new, higher slot numbers, since they almost never exceeded the old figures. I've also heard them tied to Ohio prep lefty Matt Smoral.

Cincinnati Reds

Kyle Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco

Zimmer's hamstring issue has clouded his draft status a bit, and while he throws hard he doesn't have a lot of downward plane on his fastball. The Reds have been linked mostly with college arms so far, with Zimmer heading a group that would include Heaney, Stroman and Stratton.

15. Cleveland Indians

Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State

The best college lefty in the draft has had impressive results in a tough conference, but he's not overpowering. As with the Reds, I'm hearing college arms here, too, including Wacha and Heaney, but I think scouting director Brad Grant proved last year -- when he grabbed high school shortstop Francisco Lindor in the first round -- that he's not afraid to take a prep player.

Washington Nationals

Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi State

Hearing arms here, mostly college but including a possible prep arm such as Lucas Sims. Stratton has put up impressive strikeout numbers in the SEC, but needs to prove he can pitch more off his fastball in pro ball.

Toronto Blue Jays

Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe, H.S. (Lake Charles, La.)

The younger brother of Red Sox third-base prospect Garin Cecchini is a better hitting and fielding prospect. Also hearing the Jays linked to Florida prep righty Nick Travieso, Louisiana high school catcher Stryker Trahan, Mississippi high school outfielder D.J. Davis and Gallo. In other words, the Blue Jays sound like they're going for ceiling.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Ty Hensley, RHP, Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe H.S.

A big, hard-throwing Midwestern arm with a hammer curveball. Don't tell me that doesn't sound like a Dodgers pick to you. Arizona prep outfielder Mitch Nay could also be a fit.

St. Louis Cardinals

Stryker Trahan, C, Acadiana H.S. (Lafayette, La.)

This is the compensation pick the Cardinals got from the Angels for Albert Pujols. St. Louis is linked to lots of bats, including Cecchini if he's here, Davis, Russell and Stanford's Stephen Piscotty. Haven't heard Gallo here, but he'd make a lot of sense if they believe he'll hit. Sims is one pitching possibility.

San Francisco Giants

Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke

His lack of height will scare some teams off, but the stuff is very real. Florida southpaw Brian Johnson is also a possibility here, as is Piscotty.

Atlanta Braves

Tanner Rahier, Palm Desert (Calif.) H.S.

Rahier is one of the most advanced prep bats in this class and at least has a chance to stick at short, though his body looks like that of a third baseman. I heard Missouri State righty Pierce Johnson a lot here before he got hurt. Atlanta is also in on Brian Johnson, Davis and Smoral if the team is sufficiently comfortable with the reports on the foot injury that caused him to miss some time.

Toronto Blue Jays

Nick Travieso, RHP, Archbishop McCarthy H.S. (Southwest Ranches, Fla.)

This is a compensation pick the Blue Jays got for failing to sign first-rounder Tyler Beede a year ago. (Beede ended up at Vanderbilt.) In addition to Travieso, I've also heard Toronto linked to Georgia high school right-hander Duane Underwood, but more likely in the sandwich round.

St. Louis Cardinals

Stephen Piscotty, 3B, Stanford

Stanford tends to stress an extremely mechanical approach to hitting that often robs hitters of power and flexibility, but it hasn't hindered Piscotty as much as previous Cardinal prospects. As noted earlier, the Cardinals are looking for bats.

Boston Red Sox

D.J. Davis, OF, Stone County (Miss.) H.S.

They could play the board and go for a college guy here, hoping to get Davis at 31, but I doubt he gets by the Rangers and Yankees.

Tampa Bay Rays

Carson Kelly, 3B, Westview H.S. (Portland, Ore.)

Kelly is a two-way prospect who has strong hands but a noisy lower half. He's the best player available for the Rays, a team with a history of drafting top talent from the Pacific Northwest, such as 2011 supplemental first-rounders Jeff Ames and Blake Snell.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Pierce Johnson, RHP, Missouri State

He could have gone in that 13-16 range if healthy, but a forearm strain has left his status unclear. He could still go that high if the medicals come back clean.

Milwaukee Brewers

Clint Coulter, C, Union H.S. (Camas, Wash.)

This Arizona State commit may not stay behind the plate, but there's little doubt that he'll hit, and he has the arm strength to shut down the running game. (This is a compensation pick from the Tigers for Prince Fielder.)

Milwaukee Brewers

Lucas Sims, RHP, Brookwood (Ga.) H.S.

Sims generates a lot of arm speed from his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame and features a low-90s fastball and a sharp, if inconsistent, curveball. This is probably the dream scenario for Milwaukee -- landing a bat and an arm, with one of their top choices for each -- although I understand they'd like to get one college guy in these first two picks.

Texas Rangers

Zach Eflin, RHP, Hagerty (Fla.) H.S.

If Elfin hadn't missed a little time with a strained triceps, there's no way he gets here. At 6-5, 200 pounds, he has a ton of projection and has touched 95 mph this spring. Could see Underwood here, too.

New York Yankees

Addison Russell, SS, Pace H.S. (Pensacola, Fla.)

I've heard them with Davis, if he gets here, and Washington prep outfielder Mitch Gueller as well. The Phillies are on Gueller hard in the sandwich round.

Boston Red Sox

Joey Gallo, 3B, Bishop Gorman H.S. (Las Vegas)

This selection is compensation from the Phillies for Jonathan Papelbon. Gallo, who could be a first-rounder as a pitcher for his power arm or for his 80-grade power, shouldn't get this far, really. Have also heard the Sox linked with North Carolina prep third baseman Corey Seager, but both kids could carry high price tags.

Scouting Red Sox and Indians prospects

Keith Law Blog

May, 18, 2012

I took a brief break from draft work to drop in on a high Class A game between Salem and Carolina in Zebulon, N.C., on Wednesday night, getting looks at a number of Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians prospects.

• Salem's Jackie Bradley Jr. (Red Sox) looked good, finally healthy after a lost 2011, although his stat line probably overstates where he really is in terms of mechanics and approach. His swing is back to where it was in 2010 before the hand injury; he gets his front foot down late but has his old bat speed back and enough rotational action for gap power. His approach has improved both in differentiating pitches and, more important, in greater willingness to use the whole field instead of just trying to pull the ball, since power will likely never be a large part of his game. He showed plus range in center as well. He's 22 in high-A and came from the best conference in college baseball; that resume, combined with his performance, should have him on the fast track for a promotion to Double-A Portland in the next month or so.

• Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox) doesn't share Bradley's performance, but he's a much more exciting prospect, holding his own at age 19 in that same league, with substantial power to come down the road. His BP was extremely impressive, with huge power out to left-center; his game swings weren't quite as loose and easy, but the path is there for big power when he starts to square up more balls. The one negative was his recognition of off-speed stuff; he's right on the better velocity, but the breaking ball moving away from him had him way out in front.

Bogaerts plays shortstop now but has no chance to remain there in the majors, as he's already big for the position and is going to outgrow it quite soon; he'll profile as a potential impact bat at third base with 25-30 home run power.

• Brandon Jacobs (Red Sox) can square up a fastball and put a charge into it, although his plate discipline leaves a lot to be desired for a player who'll be limited to left field. Jacobs sets up with a wide base and doesn't stride, staying very upright and balanced, driving the ball to all fields, and he has the best hand acceleration of all the prospects on that Salem club. But his approach at the plate, both ball-strike differentiation and recognition of breaking stuff, remains weak, so even if he reaches his power potential of 20-odd homers a year, he'll have a hard time producing enough overall to profile as an everyday corner outfielder.

• Sean Coyle (Red Sox) also seemed to struggle with picking up pitch types, getting out in front in the game when his swing in BP was much more balanced. He'll play the whole year at 20, young for high-A, but as a 5-foot-8 second baseman who's not a great defender, his only path to the majors is by improving his contact rates. He does have the raw bat speed and short-enough swing path to do this in time.

• Salem starter Ryan Pressly (Red Sox) was a pleasant surprise, especially since the starter would have been Matt Barnes were it not for some rainouts over the previous week. Pressley was 91-96, still hitting 95 late in the outing, and showed three off-speed pitches but nothing above average. The curveball was less consistent than the slider but at times had two-plane break at 78-82, while he threw a very flat slider at 82-86 that only showed good tilt two or three times over the course of the night. He barely used his changeup, but the last one he threw had some fade to it.

• The Carolina (Indians) lineup included a few names of note. Shortstop Ronny Rodriguez is the best prospect on the team, overmatched so far but showing the strong, simple swing that put him on the prospect map in the first place -- as well as surprising power in BP. Second baseman Tony Wolters' bat looked surprisingly slow, and even on his one hard-hit ball -- a double down the line -- he was behind a 93 mph fastball and just managed to shoot it the other way. Tyler Holt also struggled with velocity, and while his OBP is solid, he isn't going to drive the ball and is old for this level.

• Carolina starter Will Roberts -- of perfect game and buried the lede fame -- was very ordinary, 89-91 with no average second pitch. But reliever Trey Haley, a right-hander with a history of control problems as a starter, was 93-95 with crazy life (technical term) in two innings, and after hitting the first batter actually settled down and stayed around the zone, pairing it with a very hard, big, two-plane curveball at 78-80. Whether he's got enough control (never mind command) to start is unclear, but there's at least a relief prospect here, and at 21 he could mature into a potential starter after all.

Billy Hamilton: he's an 80 runner on the 20-80 scale with 42 steals already this season,

Billy Hamilton ... lots of steals ... Where have I heard this before?

Friday night boxes follow.

Lindor doubles, at 298; teammmate Luigi Rodriguez 3 singles and walk, at 291
Aguillar single, walk, 2 rbi, 300.
Carlos Moncrief double 9, homer 5, steal 8. avg 245, OPS 794
Thomas Neal single double 307.
MAtt Lawaon unretires to sub for Juan Diaz.
Jason Donald, single and homer.
LonnieChsenhall single and double, avg 350

David Huff 6 innings 3 runs; Herrman 1 IP 2 runs.
TJ McFarland loses his 2nd, 7 runs in one inning; Van Mile 3 innings 4 K, no runs.
Joe Colon 6 innings 2 runs.



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Long article on Lindor:

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... t_fra.html

Saturday games.

Kluber 6 2/3 5 runs, 2 earned. 6 k
Rayl 6 innings, 4 runs.
Cody Anderson 4 2/3 3 runs on 8 hits.
Stowell 1st run of season (in 9 innings, fans 2, that makes 19). Price 1 scoreless, Bryson 1 inning 1 run

Canzler 2 doubles; Goedart single homer 3 rbi, LaPorta 2 hits.
Wolters 3 hits, up to 224, fro May 301, OPS 772.. Aged Jeremie Tice 2 doubles, homer, 14 doubles, 10 HR.
Lavisky single, single, homer, drives in all 4 Captains runs.

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Sunday:

Morminado 3 innings, 4 earned runs on 4 walks and 7 hits, as Captains lose 10-1. Manny "Dont' Call Him Fausto" Carmona, 3 runs in 1 inning.

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Mudcats lose, too, 8-3 which happens frquently for teams like them without prospects. Wolters 3 walks. RonnieRod 2 singles and error 18. WIll Roberts a nothing much 4th rounder from 2011, 5 innings, 2 runs, 4 walks, 5 hit.s

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

BA notable lines from SUnday games:

CLE AAA Phelps, Cord 2B 4 2 1 3 .276 HR (5), BB (14)
CLE HiA Lowery, Jake C 4 0 1 1 .253 BB (17)
CLE HiA Rodriguez, Ronny SS 3 1 2 0 .250 BB (6), SB (1)
CLE LoA Lindor, Francisco SS 4 0 1 0 .290
CLE LoA Rodriguez, Luigi DH 4 0 1 0 .289
CLE LoA Smith, Jordan RF 4 1 1 0 .262

Early games today, Aeros won the first of 2 4-0 behind Wright, Landis, Bryson and Guilmet. Single and double for Chen and for suddenly offense force Kyle Bellows, 4th round draftee years back who has never hit until the past month. Clippers trailing 6-1 after 4. 4 unearned runs on errors by Donald at ss and LARoche at 3rd. ZachMac 5 innings, 2 earned on 2 hits 1 walk 4 K. Herrman 3 unearned in 1 innings, he walked one and gave up one hit. Scott Barnes one shutout inning.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... a_bufaaa_1

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_eswaax_1