Cleveland Sports Forum

Tony with the same report as mine but much more detailed

Bryson Myles (LF, Akron): 3-for-4, R, 2B, 3B. Myles is off to a good start this season hitting .423 with 1 HR, 3 RBI and 1.272 OPS in 8 games. Since returning home on Thursday he is showing a liking to the confines of Canal Park as he is 8-for-14 (.571) with a 1.714 OPS in four home games so far this season. Of interest is more than half of his hits going for extra bases as he already has six extra base hits. If he is able to showcase more consistent power this season and can stay healthy, he has the goods to see a significant increase to his prospect rating.

D.J. Brown (SP, Carolina): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R/ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR. Dylan Baker was supposed to start the game but came down with a lower right leg injury while warming up before the game, so Brown was called upon for a spot start. Given the circumstances, he put together one heck of an outing and may have opened some eyes to consider starting him again in the future. On the Baker front, hopefully the injury is not serious. He is day to day at the moment and will be re-evaluated in the next few days. If Baker has to miss any time then Brown's nice outing could give him an opportunity to fill in temporarily in the rotation.
•Carlos Moncrief (RF, Columbus): 1-for-5, R, 2B, RBI, 3 K. Moncrief is off to a bit of a tough start hitting just .171 with a .465 OPS in his first 10 games. Also, 5 of his 8 strikeouts have come in his last three games covering 14 at bats.
•Jesus Aguilar (1B, Columbus): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K. There are few hitters off to a hotter start this season in all the minor leagues than Aguilar. He is hitting .417 with a 1.266 OPS in his first 10 games with 7 of his 15 hits going for extra bases.
•Tim Fedroff (LF, Columbus): 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, K, SB. Fedroff may have slipped off the Major League radar, but he’s off to a solid start hitting .320 with a nice .393 on-base percentage. His value strictly derives from his ability to get on base, something he didn’t do last year and greatly diminished his value. Hopefully he is on his way up and catches the eye of the Indians or another team.
•Roberto Perez (C, Columbus): 1-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI, 3 K. A rather strange line for Perez as he pounded a three-run homer his first time up in the second, but then struck out his final three times up to the plate.
•Travis Banwart (SP, Columbus): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 K. After a nice outing his first time out on April 8th when he allowed one run in 6.0 innings, he really struggled with his command in this one walking three and threw 98 pitches in just 3.2 innings of work.
•Scott Barnes (RP, Columbus): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K. He is off to a solid start as he has allowed just one run in 6.2 innings over four appearances. He also has a .167 batting average against and a 3:7 walk to strikeout ratio.
•Vinnie Pestano (RP, Columbus): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. Since being optioned out to Columbus last week, Pestano has responded well and thrown two shutout innings of relief over two appearances. The performance is there at the moment, so hopefully his confidence and his stuff are starting to return.
•Mark Lowe (RP, Columbus): 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R/ER, 3 BB, 1 K. He was signed to a minor league deal a few weeks ago and has not pitched very well at the outset of the season. In four appearances covering 5.0 innings he has allowed 5 runs on 8 hits, 3 walks and has 6 strikeouts.
•Michael Bourn (CF, Akron): 1-for-4, BB, 2 K. Bourn was in center field the entire game and looks to be about ready to rejoin the Indians on Tuesday in Detroit. Rehab assignments are more about health and less about performance, but in five games he is just 3-for-20 (.150) with 5 strikeouts. Yuck.
•Jason Giambi (DH, Akron): 0-for-4, K. Giambi is not 0-for-6 with 3 strikeouts in his two rehab appearances with Akron. He is eligible to be activated on Tuesday, so it looks like Tuesday is shaping up to be an interesting day from a roster decision standpoint.
•Ronny Rodriguez (SS, Akron): 2-for-4, R. So I wonder how many fans that attended this game were upset to see Rodriguez in at shortstop instead of Lindor? Lindor can’t play every day of course, and perhaps the complaints were at a minimum considering two Indians big leaguers were in the lineup on a rehab assignment.
•Tony Wolters (2B, Akron): 2-for-4, R, RBI, K. Wolters is off to a nice starting going 11-for-29 (.379) at the plate with a 3:6 walk to strikeout ratio. He also gave way to the catching position for the day and got some work at second base. His ability to play middle infield and catch is a unique skill and one he should put on display quite regularly this season at Akron.
•Alex Lavisky (C, Akron): 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI. Lavisky played in just his second game this season. His role is clearly defined at the moment as an extra on the roster who will play about once or twice a week, and he made the most of his limited playing time with a two-run bomb to left in the third inning.
•Kyle Davies (SP, Akron): 6.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, HR. Okay, I know that had Ronny Rodriguez made a nice throw to get the final out of the fourth inning that Davies would have escaped the inning without any damage. However, I am just not a fan of every run going down as an unearned run because the pitcher couldn’t work his way out of a jam – and gave up a home run to boot. I know the rules say otherwise, but I have never been a fan of some of the reasoning behind so runs that are “unearned”.
•Logan Vick (CF, Carolina): 0-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, K. Vick has had a rough go of things in the early going as he is just 2-for-29 at the plate (.069) and has 13 strikeouts; however, he does have 8 walks.
•Jeremy Lucas (C, Carolina): 1-for-4, R, HR, 4 RBI, BB. Lucas has been one of the best early season performers in the Carolina lineup and been a leader on the team. He is hitting .324 with 1 HR, 8 RBI and 1.013 OPS in 9 games, and has a nice 6:6 walk to strikeout ratio.
•Anthony Gallas (RF, Carolina): 3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI. After a slow start to the season where he went just 1-for-11 in his first three games, he has since gone 10-for-27 (.370) and looks like he is starting to heat up.
•Rob Nixon (RP, Carolina): 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. Wow did Nixon need an outing like this. His perfedt outing helps lower his season ERA to 8.31 and combined with his scoreless outing last time out should provide a nice confidence booster for him.
•Eric Haase (C, Lake County): 0-for-3, 2 K, 2 PB. Not only was it a tough game at the plate for Haase with the two strikeouts in three hitless at bats, but he also surrendered two passed balls behind the plate as well.
•Grant Fink (3B, Lake County): 1-for-3, RBI, K. Fink continues to be a consistent performer in the early going for Low-A Lake County. While he is hitting .355 (11-for-31), he has yet to showcase his good power as he is homerless and just two of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases.
•Josh McAdams (RF, Lake County): 0-for-3, 2 K. McAdams has now played in just two games and has struck out in three of his four at bats this season. If the Indians are not going to play him regularly they are better off sending him to Arizona in order to continue to work at developing his hitting skills.
•Mitch Brown (SP, Lake County): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 2 K. Brown has allowed a lot of traffic in the early going with 8 hits and 4 walks in just 7.1 innings, so there are concerns things will eventually catch up with him. That said, it is encouraging to see him battle and work to limit the damage.
•Matt Whitehouse (RP, Lake County): 3.1 IP, 4 HR, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K. Whitehouse has really struggled in the early going as he has allowed three or more runs in each of his two outings thus far. One encouraring part of his performance is the 2 walks and 7 strikeouts in 6.1 innings, so if he keeps up that K/BB and K/9 ratio then his numbers should eventually improve.

See where Bourn and Giambi are raking in Akron.

Cant wait for this season to be over.

Not a very good day on the farm, played 3, lost 3. Box scores:

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20140414

Dorsyss Paulino with what he certainly hopes is a career day, never to be matched: 0-5 at bat with 3 strikeouts, and a whopping four errors afield.
Other lowlights: Luis Lugo 2 innings, 5 runs, 4 earned.
Ronny Rodriguez 0-4 with 2k at Akron.

Highlights:
Lindor single, walk, second steal
Naquin single, first steal (but 2 K)
Gonzalez 2 hits, and third steal
Monsalve 2 hits, including his first homer
Gallas, double and homer
Haase, HR and walk
NellieRod single, 2 walks
Van Schamman 5 no hit innings at Akron

Mid-lights:
Gabriel Arias 4 innings 2 runs at Akron
Morimando 5 innings, 3 runs, 2 homers forCarolina
Josh McAdams 1-2, first hit of the season, and ejected after 2nd ab

Haase at 1.056 and Rodriguez 1.030 are among OPS Top 10 in the Midwest League.

In the more pitching friendly Carolina League, Lucas at 964, Levon Washington at 938 and Gallas at 912 rank 5,6 and 7
[N.B. Just realized that the usually injured Washington has once again disappeared from the lineup last three days; don't get excited about Gallas, he's 26 years old in Class A; Lucas a 23-year-old C turned 1B is probably not a prospect either]

No offensive leaders in the Eastern League, although Bryson Myles would be near the top with his 1.272 if he had played enough to qualify. [if he had the three necessary at bats and they were all outs, he'd still rate No. 3]

Jesus Aguillar is on top of the leader board in the IL with his 1.266 OPS; he has 4 doubles, 3 homers, avg of 417, and 5 walks vs 9 K.

BA notes these lines, polite enough to overlook Paulino [apparently Columbus played, too, how did I miss that one?]

CLE AA Rodriguez, Ronny SS 4 1 2 0 .172
CLE AA Wolters, Tony 2B 4 1 2 1 .379
CLE AA Naquin, Tyler RF 5 0 1 1 .200 2B (3)
CLE AAA Aguilar, Jesus 1B 4 2 2 1 .417 2B (4), BB (5)
CLE AAA Moncrief, Carlos RF 5 1 1 1 .171 2B (2)
CLE AAA Ramirez, Jose SS 5 0 1 0 .244 2B (2), CS (1)
CLE AA Armstrong, Shawn 1 0 0 0 0 1 2.08
CLE AAA Adams, Austin 1.1 2 1 1 0 1 6.75
CLE AAA Barnes, Scott 2 2 0 0 1 1 1.35 W (1-0)
CLE LoA Brown, Mitch 2.2 2 3 0 2 2 1.23 L (0-1)

All our minor league team games have been postponed. They really should shorten the baseball season. Later starts by two weeks and earlier finishes by two weeks.

It's all about the $$$, JOE.

Yeah! I know JR. If they want to keep the schedule the way it is, all of the Midwest and Eastern teams should be playing games in the south or the west the first two weeks of the season. At least for the first two weeks of the season. I can't see where this kind of weather is good for the fans or the players.

I don't know if minor league teams make much money. I think it's all about squeezing 140 games into a tight time schedule that ends by Labor Day.

Carolina Mudcats 2B: Gonzalez, Er (2, Diaz, L), Gallas (6, Martin, K).
3B: Gonzalez, Er (2, Diaz, L), Valerio (1, Martin, K).
SB: Gonzalez, Er (4)

Eric picking right up where he left off this winter

GAME 2

Carolina Mudcats 2B: Gonzalez, Er (3, Mercedes, S).
RBI: Gonzalez, Er (7).

A productive day for Gonzalez

He's having a great start. Aguillar is also picking up where he left off in winter ball and looking beyond his spring training 0fer while with the big league club. Despite not playing winter ball, Nellie Rodriguez is the other position player starting strong; yesterday while the Captains were shutout twice, NRod went two for 3 and added 3 walks: big guy willing to be patient and play little ball if that's all that's available. He also has 3 homers

7 games yesterday, with 3 makeup doubleheaders. Here are the boxes:

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20140416

As further proof, if any was needed, that I am the Forum's biggest minor league fan not the Forum's minor league expert, my pick for worst Tribe farm team, the Mudcats, swept their 2 games and own the system's best record. Pitching lines for Tribe prospects:

CLE AA Anderson, Cody 3 4 1 1 2 2 3.60 not so hot
CLE AA Crockett, Kyle 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.00 still scoreless
CLE AAA Adams, Austin 2 1 0 0 0 2 4.91
CLE AAA Bauer, Trevor 6 5 0 0 1 9 0.75 W (1-0) 3 starts, 3 gems
CLE LoA Kime, Dace 4 4 3 3 2 1 13.06 L (0-3) compared to previous efforts, this was his masterpiece

Also a third consecutive stellar performance by lefty Ryan Merritt for Carolina:

5 2/3 3 0 0 3 6 0.56 W (2-0)

paulino went errorfree after his 4 on Tuesday. His teammates made 5 more in their opener, none in the nightcap but lost both. Paulino is now hitting 222, Anthony Santander half of that at 111.

BA analysis of opening day rosters reveals Tribe has youngest players in 2 leagues:

Jose Ramirez, 21, in Columbus.
Francisco Lindor, 20.5, in Akron.

Meanwhile, Bryce Harper remains the youngest in the NL, in his 3rd season. And established superstar Mike Trout is still 5th youngest in the AL.

I would bring up Bauer and trade masterson for some sore armed teenager. We can get on with the rebuild.