And last, and least, Arizona team lost 10-5. 2 hits each by Hunter Jones and Mark Brownk, one of his a triple, and Ramirez. Luigi Rodriguez who's hitting well in CF with a 3run homer, his 2nd.
Plenty of bad pitching.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... k_clerok_1

MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT
AAA Columbus Clippers
Mud Hens 4, Clippers 1 Infield prospect Jason Donald and starting pitcher Scott Barnes both left the game with injuries in a loss at Toledo. Barnes' injury, according to the Columbus Dispatch, appears to be serious. The 6-4 lefty went down in a heap with a left knee injury after fielding a bunt in the sixth inning. Columbus manager Mike Sarbaugh said that coach Lee May Jr. heard the knee pop from where he was standing in the dugout. In the top of the sixth, Donald pulled up at second with an apparent injury to his right hamstring after legging out a double, and left for a pinch runner. He later said he just had a cramp.
Notes: Barnes is 7-4 with a 3.68 ERA. He has appeared in 16 games and made 15 starts. He has fanned 90 batters in 88 innings. He was an eighth-round pick by the Giants in 2008 and was traded to the Indians organization in 2009 for Ryan Garko.

Drew Pomeranz-RP, United States: .2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, BB, K: It was a rough outing for Drew Pomeranz in the MLB All-Star Future's Game on Sunday. Pomeranz entered with a lead and having seen his five predecessor's carve through the World lineup. And after retiring Yonder Alonso on three pitches, the wheels fell off for Pomeranz. He exited having given up three runs and the fourth and final run would be charged to Pomeranz, but the the U.S. offense would save him from taking the loss

Jason Kipnis-2B, United States: 1-for-2, R, RBI, HR: Jason Kipnis participated in the 2011 MLB All-Star Future's Game on Sunday instead of playing for the Clippers. And on the biggest stage, and in the area of his old stomping grounds, Kipnis shined. Starting at second and leading off for the U.S. team, the former Sun Devil product hit a solo home run to cap off a lengthy at-bat in the first inning.

Aeros win 5-3. Mills 3 hits, including a homer, 3 rbi. Juan Diaz 3 hits.

Joe Gardner 5.2 5 3 3 3 5 he's made no progress this season

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x&did=milb

Captains rally with 4 in the 8th for 6-4 win. Jesus Aguillar leads the way as usual, double, 2 singles, 2 rbi. Urshela stays hot with 3 hits. Carlos Moncrief with a rare single, and a double. Bryce Stowell can move up any day now, faces 5 retires all, 4 on strikes.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_lcoafx_1

Jake Lowrey raps two double s and walks twice. Cody Elliott with 3 hits. Casey Serna with 2. Scrappers lose 7-4. No pitchers of note on the roster.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_wptasx_1

Big day for Trey Haley, in his 4th season he debuts in Kinston, with 2 innigns, 1 run on 2 hits, 2 K and 1 walk. Clay Cook shellacked for 10 hits and 8 runs in 4 innings. 9=1 final.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... a_frdafa_1

Rising star Elvis Arajao with a sharp performance: 5 scoreless innings, 4 hits, 2 walks, 5 K.

Rising star Luigi Rodriguez, 18-year-old switch hitting CF with 2 doubles, 2 singles and a steal. Hitting .395. In his last 5 games: 21-7-11-9 2 doubles, 2 homers, 5 steals.

Manny Carmona fans 3 in one inning. That makes 26 in 16.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... k_clerok_1

Civ- I appreciate those updates on Tribe prospects from all those various sources you pull together here.

July 12, 2011
Roster holes developing
The Clippers hit the Triple-A All Star break on Monday with a 9 1/2 game lead over Louisville in the International League West Division. That doesn't mean everything is rosy.

When the regular season resumes Thursday night in Huntington Park, Columbus is going to need some reinforcements for its series with Indianapolis and beyond.

It is clear that right-handed starting pitcher Jeanmar Gomez is headed to the parent Cleveland Indians after the break The Tribe pulled him from the IL All Srar roster for the game against the PCL on Wednesday in Salt Lake City.

Lefty starter Scott Barnes, meanwhile, suffered a knee injury in Sunday's loss at Toledo. The gloomy mood in the clubhouse left one feeling that Barnes would not pitch anytime soon. The Indians also have a double-header Monday at Minnesota. Zach McAllister or David Huff might be needed for one of those games.

Huff is supposed to pitch Thursday against Indy. The Clipper rotation beyond that will include Corey Kluber and Justin Germano. Joe Martinez also has started games this season, but that leaves the Barnes slot unfilled.

Akron has two rising prospects in its rotation - Joe Gardner and Austin Adams. Paolo Espino, who finished last season with the Clippers as a sterter, is a stronger possibility if the Indians don't want to rush Gardner or Adams. He is 4-0 with a 2.79 ERA in 20 games (three starts).

The Clippers could use a middle infielder on Thursday as well. Second baseman Jason Kipnis is playing with the IL stars in Salt Lake City and won't arrive in Columbus until late in the afternoon on Thursday. Mike Sarbaugh, the Clippers and IL team manager, doesn't plan to play Kipnis.

Jason Donald is the key to the equation. He left Sunday's game in Toledo after pulling up in the sixth inning at the tail end of a double. Sarbaugh called the issue a hamstring strain. Donald called it a cramp.

If Donald can play shortstop, Sarbaugh would have Cord Phelps for second base and Jared Goedert for third. Otherwise, outfielder Jerad Head would move to the infield. Head has played in the infield in his career, but not much lately. He filled in at second on Sunday and helped turn a double play. In either case, the roster is paper thin.

Kipnis also is on the Cleveland radar. I would be shocked if he finished the IL season with the Clippers.

Two players in Akron who could or should show up in Columbus over the next few weeks - first baseman Beau Mills and outfielder Nick Weglarz. Mills, a former first-round draft pick is batting .286 with 7 home runs and 38 RBI in 53 games.

Weglarz, the top outfield prospect in the organization, still is coming back from a spring training knee injury. He is hitting .205 with 2 homers and 10 RBI in 28 games.

Posted by Jim Massie on July 12, 2011 2:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kipnis, Pomeranz eager for Tribe future

By Anthony Fenech / MLB.com | 07/10/11 7:12 PM ET

PHOENIX -- Drew Pomeranz and Jason Kipnis could get used to this.

"I mean, look at this," Pomeranz said, looking into his corner locker at Chase Field on Sunday. "I have basically a whole room for my locker here."

"It's just stupid the things that they have," Kipnis said in admiration. "Seeing this is another reason for motivation to get to the big leagues as if you need any more."

And the pair of Indians farmhands, both competing for the United States team in Sunday afternoon's XM All-Star Futures Game, have plenty of motivation to get to the big leagues.


"It's fun to watch some guys that I played with go up to the big leagues and contribute," said Kipnis. "They know what they're doing up there; they're in a close race and playing well."

Sunday's game was a homecoming of sorts for Kipnis, who played two seasons at Arizona State and was the Indians' second-round pick in 2009.

"I'm excited to be back here," he said before the game. "I've always wanted to play on this field so it's going to be a fun day for me."

And the 24-year-old showed just how excited with a leadoff home run to right field in the first inning off World starter Julio Teheran.

Kipnis is hitting .297 on the season at Triple-A Columbus, with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs. He also has 11 stolen bases.

"I've been having a great year," he said. "I've had a lot of fun, and I feel like I'm maturing on and off the field.

"There's little things that I wanted to take care of, I think the Indians knew that, I'm working on those things and we're getting there."

The 22-year-old left-handed Pomeranz, like Kipnis, is getting there.

And last year's first-round pick of the Indians (No. 5 overall) is back here, at the All-Star Game, where he was this time last year in Anaheim as a Golden Spikes Award finalist.

"It's pretty cool," he said. "I got to be around it, and that's why I'm pretty excited to come here and be around all the events and stuff like that."

Pomeranz has a 1.87 ERA in 77 innings halfway through his first professional season at Class A Kinston. He's recorded 95 strikeouts in 77 innings and has allowed opponents a .219 batting average.

"It's been pretty much like any normal baseball season," he said. "I've enjoyed it and felt like I had a pretty good first half."

Pomeranz said his biggest challenges have been efficiency with his pitches and throwing all of them consistently for strikes.

"There are adjustments for sure," he said. "And I'm continuing to try and adapt as I go on."

Of the two, the outfielder-turned-second baseman Kipnis seems more likely to enjoy consistent Major League amenities than Pomeranz.

"They have my number," Kipnis said. "Whenever they want to give me a call, I'll be more than excited."

A couple leagues were back in action yesterday; Lake County lost 4-2 and Mahoning Valley won 2-1. Jeanmar Gomez pitched 4 innings allowed 1 run getting in work before his Indians' start on Sunday. Joseph Colon finished with 5 2-hit shutout innings for the Scrappers. Michael Goodnight for Lake County not very good: 5 innings 9 runs 3 walks, 3 runs, 2 K.

A bit of offense only as is generally the case for our offensively challenged farm system. For the Captains, Carlos Moncrief had 2 singles and stole a base. Ronnie Rodriguez singled, doubled , and committed his 19th error. Identical lines for Levon Washington (who is having a terrible year) and Jesus Aguillar (a good year), 4 AB, 2 K, nothing else. For the Scrappers Alex Lavisky singled and walked.

In AAA All-Star game Tribe 2nd baseman in waiting Jason Kipnis doubled and walked. Starting pitcher Zach Mac worked 2 shutout innings. In Eastern League All-Star Austin Adams with a scorelss innings, Corey Burns nabbed for a run on 4 hits in an inning. Slick-fielding SS Juan Diaz was 0-5

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_peoafx_1

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_mvsasx_1

Trying to think through our Top Prospects at this point, I struggle to name a Top 10. The serious prospects are White, Kipnis and Pomeranz. Two of them may no longer qualify by the end of the season. And Tony Wolters is hitting well but not fielding so well in low A ball. And Jesus Aguillar is hitting with power but I'm not hearing any comments about him. We are almost totally devoid of outfielders. Two exciting starts in the lowest of all leagues by Elvis Araujo and Luigi Rodriguez, and Felix Sterling is pitching well there again this year although not sure why he is back at that lowest level. A couple 2011 draftees are hitting well in MHV debuts. Our only solid depth is among relievers; who don't usually rate a "top prospects"


How about something like:

1. Alex White. P
2. Drew Pomeranz. P
3. Jason Kipnis. 2B
4. Nick Hagadone P
5. Chen Lee P
6. Elvis Araujo P
7. Zach Putnman P
8. Felix Sterling P
9. Tony Wolters SS.2B
10. Luigi Rodriguez OF
11. Zach McAllister P
12. Chun Chen C
13. Ezequiel Carrera OF
14. Joe Gardner P
15. Jesus Aguillar 1B
16. Nick Weglarz OF/DH
17. Jake Lowry C
18. Alex Monsalve C
19. Bryce Stowell P
20. Rob Bryson P
21. Austin Adams P
22. Scott Barnes P
23. Giovanni Soto P
24. Michael Goodnight P
25. Kelvin de la Cruz P
26. TJ House P
27. Alex Lavisky C
28. Bryson Myles OF
29. Jake Sisco P
30. Jordan Smith OF/3B

McAllister is probably too high. But to be honest fter abut No.7 they're all interchangeable.

Finally, someone got BA to comment on Aguillar:

Brian (Ohio): What do you think about Lake County's Jesus Aguilar? There are a lot of interesting prospects on that team, but he seems to be the brightest of the bunch.

Jim Callis: Just started working on our Midwest League Best Tools list, and Aguilar got a vote today from a manager as the best power prospect in the league. He's an all-bat guy who will have to cut down on the strikeouts as he advances, but the power is intriguing.

And some good reports on Kipnis:

Mike (CLE): Jason Kipnis sure had an impressive at-bat against Teheran in the futures game. Do you see any star projection there with the bat?

Jim Callis: Yes. If he can be an average defensive second baseman, his bat will make him an all-star.

RickSampson (Cleveland): If you are the Indians, do you call up Kipnis? Thoughts on his bat, enough to hit 15-20hrs, .290avg?

Jim Callis: Yes and yes.