Jose Ramirez keeps hitting as he moves up the ladder

Diminutive middle infielder rises through system on the strength of his bat
Jose Ramirez (Photo: Lianna Holub)By Jim Piascik

April 18, 2013 ShareThis

When you think of the prototypical baseball player, a few images probably come to mind: tall, muscular, fast, top physical condition, etc.

In other words, baseball players are not supposed to look like you, me, and Jose Ramirez.

[ This is for Seagull's eyes only ]

Ramirez is roughly my size at 5’9”, 165 pounds and generally does not fit the stereotype of a baseball player.

[ I did a size comparison with Dustin Pedroia. Dustin is 5'8" 180 lbs. Pedroia did not develop his power potential until he was 24 years old. Ramirez still has some room for growth and power potential.]

Going into the 2012 season, he was unknown even in his own organization and went unranked in IBI’s Top 100 prospects.

Amazing the difference one year can make.

After a year where he had a .354/.403/.462 line, three home runs, 15 steals, and a 26:24 SO:BB in 67 games at Low-A Lake County, Ramirez has established himself as an elite prospect and now seems on the fast track through the system. How can this be?

"He's just a ballplayer," Akron Aeros manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "He knows how to play the game."

Notice the words “Akron Aeros manager” there. The front office thought so much of Ramirez that they allowed him to skip High-A Carolina entirely, starting him off in Double-A.

The jump from High-A to Double-A is considered the hardest outside of making the transition to the major leagues, so making that jump even harder cannot be taken lightly.

"I was surprised that they sent him here," Rodriguez said. "The Carolina League is a very tough league to play. I think it's as close as you're going to get in the minor leagues to the big leagues."

"He's really confident in his abilities," hitting coach Jim Rickon said. "He's got a really good feel for the game as a young 20-year-old. It's special.

"The feel he has to put an approach together at that age is awesome to watch."

Ramirez made the front office's decision to let him skip the Carolina League easier with his performance in winter ball. While playing in the Dominican Winter League, a very competitive league with plenty of high-level talent, Ramirez was a full-time starter and was more than competent.

He posted a .312/.389/.362 line with 22:18 SO:BB and 10 steals in 38 games in the Dominican and feels confident that the experience will help him in Akron.

“The league in the Dominican is ranked at a high level of experience,” Ramirez said, with starting pitcher Paolo Espino serving as his translator. “It's a good experience because I was facing [a lot of] big league pitchers.”

So what about Ramirez’s hitting approach allows him success against this upper-level pitching?

"He's got tremendous bat-to-ball ability," Rickon said. "I was lucky enough to watch him play last year as well... He gets good pitches to hit and when he gets them, he puts a good swing on it. He doesn't try to do too much.

"He knows who he is as a player and how he fits on the team. He helps you win with what he brings to the table."

Ramirez has a ton of talent, though if he was perfect, he would already be in Cleveland. Rodriguez sees a few things that Ramirez can work on, including using more than his raw speed on the basepaths.

"I was expecting more speed," Rodriguez said. "[But] I think he will improve. It doesn't necessarily have to be the speed, but the mechanics of running. That will make him faster, getting jumps on the pitchers, and because his baseball sense is so good I can see him getting better and better."

That rawness in Ramirez’s toolset is a byproduct of being so young -- he is only 20 years old -- but it is also a result of him not being the most physically gifted player. Part of the reason he was so unknown before he forced his way into the conversation last year is how he grades out to scouts.

"As a scout, you try to put numbers [on him]," Rodriguez said. "His arm is well-below average, his defense is barely average, he's [an] average run[ner]. [But] he's just a good ballplayer. He knows how to play the game."

Most of the time, scouts can get a good picture of a player. Every once and awhile, though, players can slip through the cracks, which is exactly what happened with Ramirez.

Since he got his shot last year, all Ramirez has done is hit. He got a hit in 52 of 70 games in 2012. He has a hit in nine of 13 games this season, including a six game hitting streak to start the year. So will Ramirez ever slow down?

"I hope I get a hit every single game," Ramirez said. "But baseball, it goes good sometimes, bad sometimes. Hopefully I get a hit every single game. I'm going to try."

No secret here. Jose is my most favored Cleveland Indian organizational ballplayer. With that being said, I hope I don't bring some bad karma to the kid.

Tribe needs players that are "game changers" not slap hitting midgits that can't hit a gap if their life depended on it. Nice to see a physically challanged player generate some interest but you can keep all the Jose Constanzas and the Jose Ramirezs and I'll take some bigger guys that can hit the ball for extra bases and produce runs.

I'll take some bigger guys that can hit the ball for extra bases and produce runs.

Well, Seagull, within the last year we had our shot at no less than six of them via the free agency route and we never landed one of them. All are young, all are toolsy, all have high ceilings.

When's the last time we've groomed a home grown corner outfielder with the qualitities you are looking for? Manny Ramirez? Joey Belle?

I think we're looking for love in all the wrong places

To be honest, I think the type of player you are looking for is low priority around here. Cleveland's drafts have not been too kindly for us. Now that they have the middle infielders, maybe the priorities will shift to corner outfielders and corner infielders in the upcoming drafts. Who knows? We've tried to draft what you are looking for over the past ten or so years but came up miserably empty handed. Maybe these new sabermatic geniuses can come up with something in the future. Something we were unable to do since the Belle and Ramirez era concluded.

Around the Farm: April 18, 2013

Chen's two home runs top the night on the farm
Chun Chen (Photo: MiLB)By Arthur Kinney

April 19, 2013 ShareThis

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

Chun Chen (Akron, 1B) - 2-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 E
Chun Chen has hit well all season, but tonight represents his first major power hitting night of the season. While two homer, three RBI nights are rare, Chen needs some more flashes of the power that he displayed tonight if he wants to remain a legit corner infield option. With Nick Swisher signed long-term at the big-league level and Jesus Aguilarhaving already caught up to him, his shot to make it as a utility/DH option is now.

Chris Wallace (Akron, C) - 4-6, 2 R, 1 RBI
Yes, I realize he's a minor league veteran, but a four-hit night cannot be ignored so easily, regardless of who achieves it. If he can keep this up (okay, not the four-hit nights, but the good hitting in general), he can serve a few purposes. First, with the rate of injury to Indians catchers, he could be up with the Big Club before season's end. Second, he can provide a stable catching option at Akron that allows the Indians to not have to promote any of their A-ball prospects before they're truly ready for the opportunity to play AA ball. Third, he can help the Aeros win. While winning is not the most important thing in the minors, it a) is always a good thing (better than losing) and b) creates a winning mentality in the prospects that carries over to when they get called up to the Big Club.

Shawn Morimando (Carolina, SP) - 6 IP, 4 H, 3 K
This was sheer donminance, pure and simple. Morimando owned the Five County Stadium mound tonight. While this was by far the best of his three outings thus far this season, he has been putting up some good numbers all season (1.29 ERA, .188 BA against). The one transformation in his game that will hopefully continue was in his control. Tonight's three strikeout, no walk outing comes off the heels of a combined 0.38 K/BB ration in his first two outings of the season. If the solid command he showed tonight can prove to be more than a flash in the pan, Morimando could be a starter to look out for in Carolina this season.

•Daisuke Matsuzaka (Columbus, SP) - 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R (both earned), 8 BB, 4 K, 1 WP - The big concern with this outing is the continuance of Matsuzaka's control issues. The suspension of this game (due to rain) may be a blessing in disguise at it gets Dice-K off the mound with no further damage caused and allows him to work on his control away from the glare fo the crowd.

•Jose Ramirez (Akron, 2B) - 2-6, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB - Just Jose Ramirez being Jose Ramirez. If you were at Canal Park tonight, you saw why he's so highly regarded within the system.

•Carlos Moncrief (Akron, RF) - 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - On most nights, this would be a top-of-the-article performance. Tonight, just another stellar Aeros offensive performance.

•Giovanny Urshela (Akron, 3B) - 2-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI. 1 K - Gio Urshela continues to get more comfortable at the AA level

•Paolo Espino (Akron, SP) - 5 IP, 9 H, 3 R (all earned), 7 K - Not a solid outing, but should have held up the way the Aeros hit tonight.

•Cole Cook (Akron, RP) - 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R (all earned), 2 K, 2 HR allowed, 1 WP, Hold - Second rough outing in a row for Cook. The fact that this performance merited a hold is a testament to the Aeros offense.

•Edward Paredes (Akron, RP) - 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (both earned), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR allowed, Blown Save - Paredes has had two bad outings out of his six so far this year, both against the Baysox. This man must be kept off the mound against the Orioles org at all costs.

•Brett Brach (Akron, RP) - 3 IP, 3 H, 4 R (all earned), 2 BB, 1 HR allowed, 1 WP, 1 HBP, Blown Save - Same issue as Paredes with facing Bowie, but he's only had one good outing this year (his first), so it may be a recent form issue for him.

•Francisco Lindor (Carolina, SS) - 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 SB - Lindor not only got on base regularly tonight, but also into scoring position.

•Jerrud Sabourin (Carolina, 1B) - 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 CS - A solid night for Jerrud, even with the caught stealing.

•Logan Vick (Lake County, CF) - 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K - No Captains managed a multi-hit game tonight, but Vick made the most of his with a fourth inning homer off of the Dragons' Drew Cisco.

•Joe Colon (Lake County, SP) - 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 earned), 1 BB, 2 K - Not the smoothest start to Colon's 2013 regular season, but hardly disastrous.

•Felix Sterling (Lake County, RP) - 0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R (all earned), 2 BB, 1 K, 2 WP, 1 HBP, Loss - The only good thing I can say about this outing is that it will provide the otherwise-solid Sterling with a test of his ability to put a bad outing behind him (a necessary skill for relievers).

29 other teams have minor league reports that look exactly like this. Every system has players that have good days.

History says players in the Indians system do not project as Major League impact players.

Hey, it's spring time and hope springs eternal.

Around the Farm - Indians Baseball Insider
Trevor Bauer

By Michael Hattery

April 20, 2013

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

Note: Both Carolina and Lake County were postponed due to inclement weather.

Trevor Bauer (SP, Columbus): 7 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 SO.

Bauer’s start against Toledo was one of the most positive so far. Beyond the line itself the most encouraging signs was the seven strikeouts and only one walk. His location looks to have been improved over his last few starts as he threw over 60% of his pitches for strikes. If anything is clear from the first two weeks of this Indians season, it is paramount that Bauer develop, and do so in a rapid manner. Trevor’s ability to continue to improve his fastball control is a major piece of this process, which means that a 60% strike percentage needs to become the floor rather than a positive sign from him.

Jesus Aguilar (1B, Akron): 2-4, 4 RBI

Another big offensive night for Jesus that did not include a homerun, which has been a really positive progression to observe. Aguilar had two hits with runners in scoring position, a single for a run and then a two-run double. Aguilar’s quick start has him at 21 RBI’s in only 14 games; or a staggering one RBI every 2.6 at-bats. While it is sure that it won’t continue at this pace, it is nice to see someone in the system actually driving in runs.

Jose Ramirez (2B, Akron): 1-4, 3 R, 3 SB, 1 BB

It seems like this guy almost never has a bad night. Ramirez is rocketing through the system with a positional player adjusted pace comparable to that of Cody Allen’s recent ascension. Friday night Jose matched his season total in stolen bases, and once again found a way to affect the ballgame. I would like to see his righty/lefty (244/.400) split improve but it is early and so far the step up to Double-A has not fazed him.

•Cedric Hunter (CF, Columbus): 2-4, RBI. The only Clipper with more than one hit on Friday night. While Hunter is really just minor-league depth at this point in his career, continuing production might (best case scenario) provide him with a September call-up.

•Preston Guilmet (RP, Columbus)- 1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 SO. Guilmet surrendered his first two runs of the season allowing a hit to Ben Guez and bomb to John Lindsey. Just a blip on the radar for the back of the bullpen stud.

•Tyler Holt (CF, Akron): 0-3, 2 BB, 1 R. Holt did not start the season the way one would hope, but his approach seems to be improving. While Tyler did not get a hit he did have his second consecutive two-walk game, so he is still finding a way to get on base for the Aeros middle of the order.

•Chun-Hsiu Chen (DH, Akron): 0-2, 2 BB. Chen followed up his two-homer explosion with a somewhat quiet night but, like Holt, he was able to work two walks and contribute value offensively.

•Tony Murata (SP, Akron): 5.2 IP, 4 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO. Murata had an iffy start according to the stat sheet. His WHIP was solid at a sub 1.00, and like the rest of Akron’s staff surrendered a large amount of unearned runs. On this night the staff combined for 10 unearned runs which is a staggering number caused by 5 errors as well as 3 passed balls.

•Shawn Armstrong/Jose Flores (RP, Akron): 2.1 IP, 7 R, 0 ER. Two Akron relievers were afflicted with the torture of a bad defensive effort behind them. Armstrong in particular struggled, surrendering two walks in two-thirds of an inning pitched.

•Austin Adams (RP, Akron): 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO. In his first outing back from rehabilitation, Adams was wild but also showed how good his stuff can be. The three strikeouts and single hit show that location was really the only issue. In any other situation the three walks would be a concern, however, considering it was his first outing back it is a non-factor. It is just great to see this guy back out on the diamond.

Our lousy farm teams continue to win an occasional game. 1 win, 4 losses on Sunday. Highlights and lowlights:

Jake Sisco 6 1/3 - 5 -1 -1 0 -5 Loses 1-0
Dylan Baker 6 - 7-2 -2 -0-6 Loses 2-1
T J House 5 2/3- 5 -2- 2- 1 -9 Wins!
Rob Bryson 1 2/3 0 -0 -0-1-3

For Akron 2 hits apiece by Aguillar, R Rodriguez and Urshela (now 300, and his 5th error); triple by Ramirez
For Carolina, 3 hits and a walk by nonprospect Sabourin, now hitting over 400, maybe he's a prospect? Double and triple by catcher Charlie Valerio. Prospects: Naquin 1 hit, Lindor none, Smith none (.143)

Boscores:

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20130421

Some notable stat lines from MOnday:

CLE AA Aguilar, Jesus 1B 5 1 2 0 .292
CLE LoA Rodriguez, Luigi CF 5 1 3 2 .263
CLE AA Adams, Austin 1 0 0 0 0 1 9.00
CLE HiA Anderson, Cody 6 4 0 0 2 3 1.64 W (3-0)

One homer hit by our four farm teams Monday evening, Bryson Myles with his 3rd for Carolina. That ties him for the organizational power lead with Chun Chen at Akron. Juan Diaz has 2 for Columbus along with some of the retreads playing for Clippers.

Most unimpressively, the team leader for Lake County is Logan Vick with 1. Eveyone else on the Captains is tied for second with zero.

Here are yesterday's box scores. We netted two 3-0 victories, by the Clippers and the Mudcats. Joe Martinez was the starter and winner for Columbus. Cody Anderson whose line appears above worked for Carolina. Other starters yesterday were not good:

Luis DeJesus in Lake County 5 5 6 5 3 2
Matt Packer in Akron 3 2/3 2 5 0 4 2

Jesus Aguillar made his 6th error, which is pretty high total for a 1st baseman.
Matt McDade with three singles for Columbus, now hitting 224.

Matt Langwell had a good spring training and a good April in AAA, 2 shutout innings yesterday with 3 strikeouts. ERA remains flawless.

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20130422

Lake County hitters, embarrassed to learn they had only 1 homerun for the season, go deep twice today and score a rare win, 8-5.

Maybe prospect catcher Eric Haase homered and singled, he's batting 300, best on this team. He's a 20-year old drafted in the 7th round in 2011.

7th rated prospect Luigi Rodriguez homered and singld, batting 274 in his return to this level.
2hits by big deal Dorsyss Paulino who's been a big zero so far this year.
Levon Washington returns from yet another injury, draws 2 walks.

Ryan Merritt 5-7-4-4-1-5

Other games in progress tonight. We lead in all 3 1-0, 4-0 and 2-0. Pitching:

DiceK 4 1 0 0 2 4
Espino 5 0 0 0 2 4 he's only 26 pitching in AA, seems to have been around since Steve Hargan
Jacob Lee 2 1 0 0 0 1 9th rounder in 2012, could possibly be a prospect, probably not.

Early offense tonight from:

Jose Ramirez walk, single, steal No. 7
Chun Chen single twice, steal No. 4, that's a surprising total for the 3rd year AA 1b-dh
Tyler Naquin his 4th double, that makes 6 xb hit in 72 Total AB, not bad but not exciting; he also has 5 walks vs 19 K and has not a very lot to prove that he has any chance to be as good as his draft position warrants.

Yesterday's notable lines. Note the absence of pitchers. We have hardly any of them. It is nice to see some outfielders having good days at the plate.

CLE AA Ramirez, Jose SS 4 2 2 1 .263 BB (7), SB (7)
CLE AA Rodriguez, Ronny 2B 4 2 2 1 .254 3B (2)
CLE HiA Naquin, Tyler CF 5 2 3 2 .324 2 2B (5)
CLE HiA Smith, Jordan RF 4 0 2 0 .172
CLE LoA Paulino, Dorssys SS 5 2 2 1 .235
CLE LoA Rodriguez, Luigi RF-CF 5 2 2 2 .274 HR (1)

Launching Off With The Aeros: 4/16/13 – 4/22/13

Youth and inexperience continue to plague Akron

Akron AerosBy Jim Piascik (I.B.I.)

April 23, 2013 ShareThis


The Akron Aeros nearly got over .500 in a week for the first time, but fell short after they dropped four of seven. The Aeros held leads deep into the game but stumbled to close out games, something manager Edwin Rodriguez remarked upon Sunday afternoon.

"When the players get to Double-A," Rodriguez said. "They have the talent to be here, but they have to develop the mental toughness and the ability to concentrate in those situations. The tougher it gets, the more they have to keep themselves in control."

Akron is currently 6-12 and at the bottom of the Eastern League, a risk Rodriguez and the organization took willingly when so many young players were assigned to the Double-A level.

"When we talked about it in Spring Training," Rodriguez said. "We knew that we were taking a chance for that to happen. So hopefully a month from now, maybe before then, we can have a more consistent game from the younger players."

The Aeros will try to turn things around with two more home games against the Trenton Thunder Tuesday and Wednesday before heading out to Binghamton and Altoona on a seven game road trip.