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by joez
Minor Happenings: Chen is showing the power at Akron
By Tony Lastoria (IBI)
April 25, 2013 ShareThis
"Minor Happenings" is a bi-weekly column which recaps the important developments and news in the Indians farm system. Information in this report is compiled from my own research and through discussions with industry personnel inside and outside the Cleveland Indians organization. Unless otherwise noted, the intellectual property contained in this report is owned by IndiansBaseballInsider.com LLC, and any unauthorized reproduction of the information is prohibited.
In this week’s second edition of Minor Happenings, I take a look at the hot start that Double-A Akron first baseman Chun Chen is off to, what has changed with his approach, and when he may get to Columbus (or Cleveland). I also have a ton of comments from the front office on several things regarding the Triple-A Columbus roster on things such as the presence of so many six-year free agents as well as the plans for Carlos Carrasco and others. Finally, I touch on the return of Austin Adams and Trey Haley, the release of Delvi Cid and who may be replacing him, the blistering bat of Jerrud Sabourin, the potential of Dylan Baker and much more.
Onto the Happenings…
IBI Minor League Hitter of the Week
(for games from April 18th through April 24th)
Chun Chen (First baseman/Designated hitter - Akron)
.389 AVG (7-for-18), 3 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 SB, 1.333 OPS
Things are looking up these days for Double-A Akron first baseman/designated hitter Chun Chen. Even though he is in Akron again for the third straight season, he is off to a much needed very good start hitting .339 with 3 HR, 16 RBI, and 1.052 OPS in 17 games.
Chen, 24, had a good showing last season at Akron when he hit .308 with 5 HR, 43 RBI and .820 OPS, but the Indians sent him back to Akron to get him more seasoning at first base and to also work on showing more consistent power at the plate. The lack of power last season hurt his stock because he is a limited defender that lacks much versatility, and at a position like first base some solid average power is a must if you are not an elite defender.
With the pickup of first baseman Mike McDade off of waivers in the offseason and some free agent depth signed to round out the roster early in the season at Triple-A Columbus, Chen did not have a spot for him at the start of the season in Columbus. Like Tim Fedroff and Jared Goedert last season, he is starting the season down a level than he probably should be, and his performance will dictate a quick callup. If he keeps performing and stays healthy, he should be in Columbus by the end of May – if not sooner.
Chen has worked hard to get back to a more consistent approach where he works the middle of the field. That is when he is at his best, and that is when the doubles start piling up and the occasional home run also flies out. That is the biggest change for him in the early going from last season, though he has also been a little more aggressive with his swing which has helped the power numbers as well. Last season he worked so hard at making more consistent contact, drawing walks, and limiting strikeouts, that while he showed improvement in all of those areas, it sapped some of his power. Now that he is more comfortable and consistent with his approach, everything seems to be falling in line.
As to what value Chen has going forward remains to be seen. He’s proven to have a solid bat where he could probably be a good complimentary type player in the big leagues. He is not a core player or a lineup mainstay in the making, but he could be a solid bottom third of the lineup guy a la Ryan Garko (when he was good) that puts up good, professional at bats, can hit close to average, and drive balls into the gaps and a few out of the park.
The question is where he plays defensively as he is not a Major League defender at first base and would only be an option there on a limited basis, and with catching only an emergency alternative at the moment he is more or less just an option at designated hitter right now at the big league level. That’s what hurts him, and what will make it tough for him to get to Cleveland.
That being said, if Chen continues to hit at the rate he has and the improved power numbers prove to be real by the midpoint of the season, then he will definitely be in the discussion for a call to Cleveland if the Indians need some offense. That’s why it is so important he keep up with his current pace – especially with the power numbers.
Honorable Mentions:
Tim Fedroff (OF, COL): .318 AVG (7-for-22), 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 SB, 3 CS, .923 OPS
Chris Wallace (C, AKR): .435 AVG (10-for-23), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K, .960 OPS
Jerrud Sabourin (1B, CAR): .478 AVG (11-for-23), 1 R, 0 2B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 1 K, 1.034 OPS
Logan Vick (OF, LC): .389 AVG (7-for-18), 5 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K, 1.133 OPS
Eric Haase (C, LC): .304 AVG (7-for-23), 3 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 10 K, .993 OPS
Previous winners:
04/11/13 to 04/17/13 – Joey Wendle (Second baseman, Carolina)
04/04/13 to 04/10/13 – Francisco Lindor (Shortstop, Carolina)
Director’s Cuts
Indians Vice President of Player Development Ross Atkins had some thoughts that he shared with Jim Rosenhaus recently about the Columbus roster.
On Carlos Carrasco’s suspension and his plan: “It is a tough situation for Carlos. What we have done is we have talked to him and spent a lot of time with him on really focusing on things that he can control at this point. I don’t think he hit [Youkilis] on purpose, and Carlos will tell you that. I am hopeful he didn’t. But we are putting that past us, and now we are focusing on getting Carlos to really make Triple-A his Major Leagues. He has got to be the best pitcher in the International League or be extremely disappointed with his results because he is that talented. I think he needs to take his own expectations and own standards to another level so that he can become that guy that is pitching in the middle or at the top of a rotation because his stuff is good enough, his athleticism is good enough, and his work ethic is good enough. Now it is that genuine belief that he belongs and becoming a lot more consistent with his fastball command and his effectiveness. It is easy to talk about a guy just going up to the Major Leagues and knowing they are good enough. There are very few Josh Tomlin’s in the world that is that easy for it because it is difficult. Carlos’s transition has not been that smooth but I am confident that he is going to be a lot better than he has been in the Major Leagues. There is a lot of upside. One of the things we have talked about before with Carlos is since his elbow injury he is throwing the ball harder. He was 95-97 MPH with every pitch in his last outing, but we need to make that happen in the next opportunity he gets in the Major Leagues. This will be a good opportunity for him to challenge himself here and start to raise his own ceiling and expectations.”
On the high amount of six-year free agents on the Columbus roster: “Ideally, we would love to have every team full of Cleveland Indians scouted, signed and developed prospects at every level, but the reality of that is not very realistic for that to always occur. We have done a great job of balancing out our talent over the years just by being patient with some guys. Now that we have made a few more free agent acquisitions, some holes will be filled for a few years that we will have a chance to really make sure that guys are finished off in Triple-A and that much more complete when they get [to the big leagues]. It is always a balance of when is an ideal time to transition a player. Two years ago we had guys like Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis and three years ago Carlos Santana playing in Triple-A, now we have guys like Cedric Hunter and Omir Santos. We have already promoted Yan Gomes and Nick Hagadone, two of our younger prospects. So things are constantly transitioning, and ideally we would have less six year free agent signs – the guys that haven’t quite become that complete major league player yet and are still looking for another opportunity while they provide some depth and insurance in Triple-A. But like I said, if you don’t have the prospects there to play them and you don’t have the guy that is ready to serve as Major League depth, then you absolutely need those players. I think really more than anything it is a sign of successfully transitioning guys like Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana, and Zach McAlister to the Major Leagues and thus now having some voids at the Triple-A level. Our depth in our system really is in our lower levels. If you look at our A-ball rosters and our Double-A rosters there is a lot of talent and a lot of prospects. I honestly believe our Triple-A team is going to look a little bit different at the end of this year too.”
On the possibility of one of the six-year free agents impacting in Cleveland: “The industry has those stories every year. Every organization doesn’t have a story of a six year free agent that ends up becoming a core piece to a Major League team, but the industry does every year. It is certainly possible it could be our year with one of those guys like Fernando Nieve, Matt Capps, Jeremy Hermida, Diasuke Matsuzaka and Cedric Hunter. These guys are extremely talented and you know as well as anybody this is an exceptionally difficult game to play, and when you are playing at the highest level a lot of things have to go right and it is not just talent. I feel good about the balance and we do feel good about having a positive story.”
On Jeremy Hermida: “Jeremy has been very consistent [especially] for a guy with as much Major League service as he has to handle going back to Triple-A. Not just handle it professionally because you expect that - because if they don’t do that you are making a change. He really brings his A-game and brings that elite competitive ness to the first at bat through the fourth at bat of every game. He is playing good defense, he is off to a great start offensively, and he has been a good influence.”
On some of bullpen arms in Columbus: “We have already transitioned Nick Hagadone. The guys that are there are really talented. It is a talented group. A guy like Matt Capps has been there and done that and is coming off an injury, and he has made a really positive impact on the organization already just with how he handles himself, how he goes about his business, and the conversations he is having with the prospects like Scott Barnes and Giovanni Soto have really been productive. There is a nice balance of prospects and more veteran players in the bullpen, but a lot of depth behind an already strong Major League bullpen.”
Adams, Haley return
What a nice sight over the weekend it was to see the return of Double-A Akron right-handed pitchers Austin Adams and Trey Haley.
Adams made his season debut on Friday night and to date he has worked in two games out of the pen totaling 2.0 innings and allowed 1 hit, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, and has 4 strikeouts. Haley made his season debut on Saturday and to date has pitched in two games and totaled 3.0 innings and allowed 2 hits, no runs, 1 walk, and has 2 strikeouts.
Adams is coming back from shoulder surgery which cropped up in spring training last year and sidelined him for all of the 2012 season. He looks healthy and has shown confidence in his shoulder – something that can be hard to overcome for a pitcher in fear of reinjuring himself. The fastball is not yet back up to the level it was prior to surgery, but he is popping in around the mid-90s and the command is something that will take some time to return.
In the meantime it means that the walk totals may be high and the overall performance may not be up to par while Adams shakes off some of the rust. The Indians will be careful with him this season and simply pitch him out of the bullpen to get him back into the flow and get his innings in so he can continue to develop. He is still considered a starting pitching option down the road, though he probably will remain in the bullpen for the foreseeable future.
Haley’s injury that caused him to miss the first two weeks of the season was not significant at all as he simply had a blister problem on the index finger of his throwing hand that shut him down for two to three weeks in spring training. The shutdown stunted his throwing program and it had to be started over, so when the season began he was still about two weeks behind everyone and had to remain in extended spring training to throw so he could get ready for an assignment to Akron.
This season will be a big test for Haley. Everyone knows that he has the best arm in the Indians system and that he is a high end pitching prospect, but he needs to show he can pitch a full season and have consistent success and perform at an elite level. The stuff is there with the mid-to-upper 90s fastball that often touches triple digits and he has a very good curveball, but he has had some injury issues in the past few seasons that have affected his ability to stay on the field and be a consistent performer. The Indians are loaded with right-handed relief options in the big leagues, but there is always room for another, especially if that guy throws 100 MPH with ease.
It is just great to have both Adams and Haley back and on the Akron staff. Both of these pitchers have big league potential, and it will be fun to see how they fare this season. Welcome back!
Random notes
Double-A Akron outfielder Delvi Cid was released by the Indians this morning. In nine games with Akron he hit .143 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 stolen base and .440 OPS. He had an encouraging showing last season at High-A Carolina when he hit .281 with 5 HR, 29 RBI, 32 stolen bases and .774 OPS, but his inconsistent offense and lack of development there was not enough to keep him around even with his plus speed and good defense. With some outfielders in the lower levels potentially ready to move up to Akron (Tyler Naquin) very soon and some in extended spring training waiting for activation (Bo Greenwell), it was not a matter of if he would be released some time this season, but when. I do not anticipate Naquin getting the call to Akron just yet, so I have to think that Greenwell is going to be activated and take Cid’s spot on the roster. That is just speculation on my part.
High-A Carolina infielder Todd Hankins was placed on the disabled list on Tuesday with a right wrist fracture that he suffered after being hit by a pitch. He is a versatile player but had been playing every day at third base for Carolina, and in 16 games was hitting .216 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 4 stolen bases and .596 OPS. This is an unfortunate injury for him as in a best case scenario wrist fractures typically take at least two to three months to recover from. At this point, he might not be seen again this season, and even if he is seen again it may not come until late in the season. This is a bad break (no pun intended) for Hankins as he is a player on the roster bubble and his inability to play this season will allow another player to step in and do so and at the same time a half dozen or so new infielders will be drafted in June. His versatility and speed create value for him, but if you are not playing you are not developing or showcasing yourself, and for a bubble player that is not a good spot to be in.
High-A Carolina first baseman Jerrud Sabourin continues to sizzle at the plate hitting .413 with 0 HR, 6 RBI, and .960 OPS in 18 games to date this season. On top of that he has compiled an impressive 11-6 walk to strikeout ratio and played very good defense at first base. This is great to see after his very solid campaign last season at Low-A Lake County where he hit .297 with 3 HR, 66 RBI, and .748 OPS in 130 games, and was steady offensively, shined defensively, and was an incredible leader on what was a very young team. He’s carried that over so far to Carolina the first month of the season. That said, has his prospect status changed at all? Not much. He’s still a marginal prospect because of the position he plays and the demands of a run producing bat there. If he is able to sustain the high average and no pop approach as he dips into the upper minors, that could change, but there are not a lot of believers in the scouting community that his swing and bat speed will have much success as he transitions to the upper levels. That having been said, I’m thrilled to see what he is doing and hope he continues to prove everyone wrong. Like the front office said last week, because of his limited ceiling and low prospect status he has to continue to perform to get opportunities….and he is doing that and then some. Good for him and great to see.
Low-A Lake County right-handed pitcher Dylan Baker is 0-2 with a 4.20 ERA in three appearances this season, and in 15.0 innings has allowed 17 hits, 1 walk and has 16 strikeouts. There is actually a lot to like about his performance so far as outside of the high hit-rate he has done a great job of limiting walks (1) and home runs (0) while racking up strikeouts (16). That’s everything you want to see in those areas, and the high hit totals tell an early season tale that he is probably a little too much on the plate with his stuff. He has done a great job with making some adjustments with his mechanics to be more consistent in the zone and throw more strikes – but maybe too much. He has a good fastball that has hovered around 91-94 MPH this season and averaged right around 93 MPH, but his offspeed pitches need some work. He mixes in a good slider and a developing slider and changeup, but he is still working on incorporating them properly into his pitch sequence and being more consistent with all of them.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller