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2013 Indians 13th round pick: CA Sicnarf Loopstok
By Tony Lastoria
June 8, 2013

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In the 13th round of the 2013 Draft the Indians select catcher Sicnarf Loopstok from Western Oklahoma State College.

Born: 04/26/1993 - Height: 5'11" - Weight: 195 - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

Pre-draft ranks:

Baseball America: 338th

Jeff Ellis: If you like your players undefined, raw, and toolsy, then Loopstok is your man. He is a redshirt freshman from Aruba. He needs work in every area, but he has good speed and has plus right-handed power. He has an arm to be a catcher but could also play the infield thanks to his tools. He is listed by his junior college as a catcher, second baseman, and third baseman which shows just how toolsy and raw he is. Western Oklahoma is a growing Juco program and the coach there compared Loopstok's ability to current major leaguer Andrelton Simmons.

Never heard of Simmons before, but I see he is from Curaco and went to the same JC as Sic. Not very good big league offenisve stats. But all I really care about Loopstok is that he hangs around for a long time.

BA notes these prospect lines from Sunday:

CLE HiA Rodriguez, Luigi RF 1 2 1 0 .289 2B (11), 3 BB (16)
CLE HiA Smith, Jordan CF 4 1 3 0 .279 2B (14), BB (23), SB (9)
CLE AA Haley, Trey 0.2 2 2 2 3 0 9.22
CLE AAA Barnes, Scott 1 0 0 0 0 1 7.48
CLE HiA Anderson, Cody 4 2 1 1 2 3 2.63

The 2013 Mahoning Valley Scrappers are certainly an eclectic bunch. A combination of fresh draft picks, older free agents, and rising prospects, the Scrappers embody their nickname perfectly; they are the personification of scrappy.

Just trying to scratch and claw their way to the next level, each Scrapper has a different story.

For Nick Hamilton, son of Cleveland Indians’ radio personality Tom Hamilton, Mahoning Valley is the beginning of a dream turned reality.

“I’ve always imagined it this way,” Hamilton said, referring to his experiences as a draftee of the team he spent so much of his childhood with. “Being back in Northeast Ohio is a dream come true. Avon Lake isn’t too far away, so my family will swing through for a couple of games. I remember playing just a couple of miles away from here in college. It’s amazing to be here in Mahoning Valley.”

Underage Scrappers shutout losers in their opener. All starters were age 19 or 20 in a league dominated by college kids. Lugo with a strong 5 innings, 1 run on 2 hits. Starting lineup includes Czech-born catcher Martin Cervenka who nailed two basestealers; Australian DH Ryan Battaglia; Latin Americans Claudio Baustista at 2nd, Juan Herrera at SS, Robel Garcia at 3b and Jose Romero in rf. Norte Americanos Tyler Booth in cf, Josh McAdams in rf and Nellie Rodriguez at 1st.

When Chris Perez works rehab at Akron, does that go under Minor Matters?

Well he did and here's the report. One Godawful inning, 5 runs, 3 homers. Should be ready for Cleveland any day now.

Blake Wood's 1 rehab inning much less exciting.

Scrappers shut out again. Caleb Hamrick with a good 5 innings, 2 runs. They are hitting a few singles but they're probably just overmatched.

A low low level minor league baseball classic:

Scrappers top Jammers in wacky game

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Published: Thu, June 20, 2013 @ 12:10 a.m.

Scrappers finally break through

By Steve Ruman

sports@vindy.com

NILES

The good news is that the Mahoning Valley Scrappers finally pushed a run across the plate.

The better news?

The Jamestown Jammers appeared so frazzled by the occurrence, they proceeded to melt down in epic fashion.

As a result, the Scrappers picked up their first win of the season, a bizarre 7-6 victory over the Jammers in front of 3,088 home fans.

Just how strange was Tuesday’s New York-Penn League battle?

“Well, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak. “I’ve seen a lot of baseball, but I can’t say I’ve seen anything like what happened tonight.”

That’s saying a lot, considering Kubiak has been in professional baseball for nearly half a century.

About the inaugural run:

The Scrappers crossed the plate for the first time this season in the fifth inning. It occurred when Juan Romero laced a one-out double to left, then scored on a two-out base hit Claudio Bautista.

The run ended a 22-inning drought to start the season. Dating back to last year, the scoreless streak extended 37 innings — all against the Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate.

At the time, the run appeared insignificant. Following a scoreless three innings, the Jammers erupted for six runs in the fourth off Scrappers starter Rob Whitenack. The right-hander surrendered five hits (two doubles), walked a pair and threw a wild pitch in the inning.

Whitenack was picked up by the Cleveland Indians on waivers from the Chicago Cubs this spring. He was making his Scrappers debut after struggling in three outings at Akron.

Trailing 6-1 in the sixth, the Scrappers scored their second run of the game without having to swing the bat.

After Josh McAdams grounded out to start the inning, Jammers reliever David Jagoditsh plunked four consecutive Scrappers batter on four straight pitches.

Scrappers first baseman Nick Hamilton, making his first start of the season, took the fourth pitch off his helmet to force in the run.

“I’ve never been in a situation like that before, where I went up there after three straight batters got hit,” Hamilton said. “I wasn’t thinking about the pitcher’s wildness. I was just looking for a good pitch to hit, and I didn’t even have time to really think of anything more.”

Jamestown’s wildness continued the rest of the night.

The Scrappers led off the botton of the seventh with back-to-back walks. Both runners scored on a triple by Robel Garcia to cut the deficit to 6-4. Garcia then scored on a throwing error by Jammers third baseman Beau Wallace.

The Scrappers tied the game in the eighth, again, without the benefit of a base hit. An error, a hit batsman and a walk loaded the bases, then Juan Herrera walked to tie the game at 6.

In the bottom of the ninth, two walks and an error loaded the bases. Then, in appropriate fashion, Romero walked, pushing the winning run across the plate.

“I’m no math major, but I looked up at the scoreboard and saw all those runs and realized the two teams had more runs than hits (12),” Hamilton said. “That’s unusual in a high-scoring game.

“This was a weird night.”

Afterward, Kubiak admitted that he was searching for a way to lift the spirit of his team, which he expected to be 0-3 at night’s end.

“I was out there getting my post-game pep talk ready, thinking about how I would tell these guys to keep their heads up,” Kubiak said. “I never had to make that speech.”

The Scrappers make play their first road game of the year tonight at Batavia.

Clippers and the Aeros lost.

Both Jose Ramirez and Ronnie Rodriguez with 3 hits for Akron. Urshala added 2. Reliever Jose Flores with an exciting scoreless inning, walked 3, fanned 2.

Trevor Bauer left after 3 2/3 shutout innings, walked 1, fanned 4. Tim Fedroff with 3 hits including his 4th homer. Juan Diaz 2 singles.

Carolina and Midwest Leagues off after All Start game. I forgot to note that both Lindor and Naquin had good days at the plate as all stars; Cody Anderson allowed 1 run in 1 inning.

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20130619

Feast or Famine on the Farm Thursday,

Columbus and Akron were both shutout. Mahoning Valley and Lake County score in double digits. Arizona Rookie team scores but loses big.

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20130620

From the bottom up: McClure with a double in Arizona. Frazier not playing yet. A 22-year-old college draftee Grant Fink is here while 19 year olds are in Mahoning Valley. Strange. Nearly all DSL grads for the rest of the lineup.

Last Year's No. 2 pick, Mitch Brown, who was terrible in Lake County, opened the AZL season in the same mode:

3 2/3-6-5-5-1-2

Scrappers benefitted from four consecutive bases loaded walks in an 8-run inning. 14-2 win lead by 4 hits from 2B Claudio Bautista, 3 from 3b Robel Garcia, 2 by SS Herrara, 2 by RF Romero 2 by Tom Hamilton's kid.

4 homers by Lake County: 2 by catcher Eric Haase, that makes 9 for him; he might be a prospect.
2nd of the season by Dorsyss Paulino who added 2 singles, up to season high 230; 5th by 2nd baseman Erik Gonzalez who added his 15 th double.

7 very solid innings from 2012 3rd rounder Dylan Baker, 2 unearned runs, no walks, 6 strikeouts

Ronnie Rodriguez with 2 hits as Aeros lose 1-0. Jordan Cooper 7 innings 1 run. Adams and Bryson scoreless frames.

TJ House lets in 3 runs in 6 innings and Cord Phelps with 2 of the Clippers 5 hits in 3-0 loss.
Looks like he's following in Dillon Howard's footsteps.

Some talent bubbling up in Lake County.

Dorsyss Paulino, No. 3 prospect after a great teen age debut in short season leagues.

April not so hot in chilly Eastlake: 208/288/208/496 not a hit that wasn't a single
May heating up slowly: 223/264/330/594 collecting doubles now and then
June warmth before official summer: 267/262/483/745 forget about the walks, he's driving the ball again

Eric Haase, not on the Top 30 prospect list after a couple summers playing little in Arizona.

April 259.299/469/768 good start
May 224/297/418/715 step back
June 333/365/625/990 several steps forward.
Last 3 games: 12-5-6-6 four homers, a double and a lone single.

Here;s the Arizona roster:

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... 0&sid=milb

Notably absent is Dillon Howard who in his 3rd summer is not pitching anywhere. Roster notes:

Pitchers include North Americans: 012 top picks Mitch Brown and Kieran Lovegrove; 2013 top 10 picks Casey Shane and Tom Pannone; Asians Chen, Chiang and Kobayasihi; Latin Americans for all the rest of the spots.

4 catchers, three teens from south of the border; Shane Rowland a 2013 pick.
IF: 3 old guys picked in middle to late rounds in 2013: Fink, Giuffre and Smith (22 and 23) who perhaps will move up to Niles, Ohio. And a lot of teenagers: one Asian; 4 Latins.
OF: DVone McClure supposedly a good prospect from 2012 draft, age 19; superspeedster Silento Sayles 2013 pick; and a 4 19-20 year olds from past DSL teams.

Friday's box scores:

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20130621

13 runs for the Aeros , 11 for the Captains. Shutout victory for Arizona. Clippes score 2, Mudcats 1 and Scarppers 2 in defeats.

Friday highlights:

Salazar 5-4-3--3-0-9 2 homeruns
Langwell 2 shutout
Phelps and Fedroff 2 hits each

Jose Ramirez 3rd homer; Jake Lowry ditto
Ronnie Rodriguez 3 hits, 286
Aguillar single and double, 265
Moncrief double, triple, walk 289 In June: 382/440/676/1116

Naquin 3 hits, 19th double, 317 caught stealing
Lindor 2b 299
Jordan Smith single, HR #2 283 after slowApril
Morimando 5 1/3 -5-4-3-2-2


Paulino 2 hits, .235
Santander HR #3 241
Eric Haase single, walk 265


2013 draftees at MHV:
Sulser 3-1-0-0-1-5
Whtiehead 3-1-1-1-0-3
Doane 2-2-0-0-1-3
Bautisto single, double, homer 476 McAdams single and double

2012 draftee n AZL: Lovegrove 4 2/3 4-0-0-1-6
3 hits for 3B Mendoza; 2 by catcher Rowland
Erik Gonzalez single 2B #16

Here are the Sunday games:

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20130623

Some excellent pitching at the lowest levels of the minors over the weekend. For the Scrappers on Saturday big lefty Luis Lugo pitched 5 4 hit innings, the only run was unearned, one walk and one strikeout. 19-year-old righty Caleb Hamrick was better on Sunday. In 5 inning the only baseunner had a single and he struck out two. Meanwhile in Arizona, 20 year old lefty Luis Gomez threw four shutout innings, fanned 9, walked none, and allowed a couple hits.

Ronnie Rodriguez with 3 more hits on Saturday but then removed from the game and didn't play yesterday. Hope it's nothing serious; he has had an outstanding June, bringing his season average over 290 and cutting way back on strikeouts.

Tyler Naquin should be in Akron by now, but remains at Carolina, one hit yesterday keeps his average at 311 with 19 doubles and 5 homers; his offensive flaw is too many K and not a lot of walks. So maybe that's why he's still in A ball.

Lindor stroked 3 singles on Sunday, bringing his average up to the same 311 mark. 19-year-old is outdoing offensive expectations.

Lefty Matt Packer with another good start for Akron: 6 innings, 1 run on 7 hits, no walks, 9 strikeouts. ERA in his last nine starts is 1.61. 25-year-old was not good in his first try at Columbus in 2012. Ought to get another shot now.