Cleveland Sports Forum

Elvis Araujo survives a 5=run second, pitches four other shutout innings. 10-8 win in the desert. Luigi Rodriguez i.e. LRod, with two singles, a walk and two steals. Fellow teenagers: Robel Garcia and Jose Romero, 3b and 2b respectively, each slaps a double and a single, and both are hitting in the 300s. Romero unlike most teammates keeps his K total down.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... k_cinrok_1

10 errors already in short-season A??

Make it 11 after yesterday's game. Jordan Smith made his 7th, at 3rd base, but also banged out his 9th and 10th doubles, plus a single, batting now at .346. Lavisky with his 2nd homer of the weekend and of the NYPL season, and 9th overall. Scrappers win in 11. Bryson Myles returns to the lineup.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_jamasx_1

Luigi Rodriguez keeps ripping, two singles and a double, up to .375 (but caught stealing twice). Robel Garcia homers and walks, he's at 328. Robbie Aviles gets in an entire inning this time, 1 run. Moisses Ramirez 3 1/3, 0 runs, 6 K. 21 year old small RH.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... k_dodrok_1

Beau Mills numbers in Akron are quite good.

32 K's in 214 at bats is better than either Kipnis or Phelps K% (of course they are at AAA)

I think the Tribe is committed to Nick Johnson so I do not see a chance for him AAA any time soon but who knows.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... pid=460699

2011 Season
Team League AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS
AKR EAS .304 57 214 33 65 16 1 9 44 110 21 32 0 0 .363 .514 .877
Minors .304 57 214 33 65 16 1 9 44 110 21 32 0 0 .363 .514 .877

Levon Washington with a pair of hits and steals a base. Giovanny Urshela stays hot, three hits, one a double, and his second steal. Carlos Moncrief HR 9, Ronny Rodriguez HR 7. Aguillar 0-4, 2K. Joey Mahalic with a strong 3 innigs, ERA drops below 10.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_burafx_1

Marty Popham, nearing his 24th birthday, is too old for Carolina League and as our designated Pitch Anywhere They Need Him of 2011, I'd expect him to move into the Columbus rotation after yesterday's 5 2/3 innings, 3 hits, no walks, 11 K. Trey Haley 2 K in an inning, no walks, and 1 hit. Jesus Flores 1 K in the 9th. Holt two hits. In probably the first time in his life Abner Abreu with 2 walks and 0 strikeouts. Delvi Cid with his 14th steal which is pretty impressive since he missed the first month or more and is batting 177. A designated runner if such were allowed.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... a_kinafa_1

Variety of good stuff and bad stuff in the Akron boxscore.

First the good: Adam Miller works the longest stint in his return, 2 2/3 innings, retires all 8, 5 on strikes. Beau Mills over 300 for the first time in eons, singles, doubles homers and walks. Chun Chen singles, doubles and walks twice. Kyle Bellows who hit 159 for April and May is now hitting 299 for June and July after 2 hits -- he's said to be an excellent defender so could possibly be a prospect.

Not so good: Joe Gardner, 3rd rounder who pitched very well in 2010 and was No. 9 prospect, worked 5 1/3 innings, and walked 3 gave up 9 hits and 8 earned runs, while whiffing One. ERA now 4.69. Continuing with the theme that we have only 4 top prospects plus a ton of promising relievers, Nick Weglarz (No. 5 prospect) with another stinker game, 0-5 with 2 k and an error.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_haraax_1

Weglarz returned from a broken something in June and was not good but at least walked and hit some doubles and a couple homers. AVG: 218, OBP 436, SLG 449 OPS: 885. Sort of like Santana.

In July he hasn't done anything except strike out a lot AVG 130 OBP 273 SLG 152 OPS: 425

Tony on the Kipnis situation:

Kipnis watch continues

Now that third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall has been called up to Cleveland, all eyes are on the Indians’ other top position player prospect Triple-A Columbus second baseman Jason Kipnis and when he gets the call to Cleveland.

Kipnis had a good showing this past week in two different All Star games, hitting a lead off homer for the USA team in the All Star Futures Game last Sunday and going 1-for-2 with a double and walk in the Triple-A All Star game on Wednesday. He is hitting .292 with 11 homers, 51 RBI, and a .875 OPS in 85 games at Columbus, and all signs point to him being ready with the bat to contribute at the big league level. With the Indians desperate for hitting, he would surely help give the lineup a boost.

The one problem with all of this is the presence of incumbent second baseman Orlando Cabrera. The Indians saw what a disaster it was when they made the in-season switch last month to Cord Phelps as the regular second baseman and relegated Cabrera to more of a utility role. The move did not sit well with Cabrera who vocalized his displeasure about the second base change and did not take to third base well, and it backfired with Phelps as he struggled both offensively and defensively.

With Cabrera now settled into his second base spot again, it looks like the Indians have made a decision to stick with him for the long haul and he could be the second baseman for the rest of the season. Cabrera is a favorite of manager Manny Acta and he also brings a ton of leadership to a team in need of it. Even with his sub par play offensively and defensively the Indians appear inclined to stick with him at second base in order not to risk rocking the boat and damaging the psyche of the team as they make a playoff run.

What this means for Kipnis is he may not get to Cleveland at all this year. That was the plan going into the season as the Indians preferred he get a full season in at Triple-A in order to finish off his development defensively and because he is not even up for roster protection until after the 2012 season. However, contending has a way of changing things so those reasons are no longer as important in holding Kipnis back. The only reason at this point is Cabrera’s presence on the roster.

When the Indians call up Kipnis he will need to play every day, but there is no way that can happen as long as Cabrera is around as he needs to play every day too. It is just not a good fit to move Cabrera to a bench role as he would be very unhappy there and he is not very comfortable at third base, and while Kipnis played outfield in college he is not an option there at least right now at the big league level. There is really no option to play either at any other position on a regular basis, so second base is really it for both of them.

Ultimately, what this means is that for Kipnis to make it to Cleveland this season it probably will require that Cabrera be traded or released. It is very unlikely the Indians will release Cabrera as that could have a detrimental affect on the team since he is so close to a lot of the players, particularly with Asdrubal Cabrera who gives Orlando Cabrera a ton of credit for his breakout season. The only option appears to be a trade, though that appears remote at this time.

For now it really looks like the Indians have settled on Cabrera as the second baseman, and will also mix in Luis Valbuena some in a minor platoon where he plays against some right-handed pitching. If Cabrera has to be the everyday guy, a player like Valbuena is a much better fit to pair up with him since he doesn’t need to play everyday and he can play other positions.

So prepare for the possibility that Cabrera is the second baseman for the rest of the season and that Kipnis does not make it to Cleveland. It will make for an interesting couple of weeks as we get closer to the July 31st trade deadline to see what the Indians do with this growing dilemma at second base. Plans can always change.

Wonder who said that first ?

With Cabrera now settled into his second base spot again

Which means a 462 OPS in July. For the season 35 strikeouts against 12 walks. And tons of leadership ability.

Lots of 1-run ball games last night. Clippers win on 9th inning homer by Head (his 15th) after Hagadone and Judy let in 4 in the top of the inning. Aeros win 4-3 also a walkoff. Kinston wins 5-4 with 3 in the 9th, another walkoff. Captains win 10-9 with run in the top of the 12th. Scrappers lose 6-5. Our Dominican team wins 4-1.

Starting pitchers:

McAllister 5 4 2 2 2 5
Adams 7.1 8 3 3 1 6
Clay Coook 5 innings, 4 runs
Goodnight 4.1 innings 5 runs
Joe Colon 5 innings, 1 run
Lovera 5 innnigs, 0 runs

in relief: Chen Lee another 2 shutout innings; Hagadone charged with 4, Judy let some of them in.

AAA: Donald 2 hits, 2 errors. Phelps homer, 1 error. Kipnis 0-5 is now 4-33.

AA: Chun triple, 2 rbi. Drennen 1st hit since return from purgatory. Weglarz 0-3, 173

HiA: Gallas 2b, 2 singles, 3 bi. Holt 2 hits, walk. Abreu 2 hits, walk, 2 K. C Roberto Perez leaves game early.

LoA: Urshela leaves after being hit by a pitch. Brian Heere 5 hits. RRod 2 singles, triple,walk,3 bi.

MHV: Lowery HR#5, single; Jordan Smith two singles; Lavisky double




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http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... a_colaaa_1

CS pcts:

Jake Lowery at MHV: 9% (1 of 11)
Alex Lavisky at MHV: 20% (1 of 5), at Lake County 18%
Alex Monsalve at Lake County 19%
Roberto Perez at Kinston: 39%
Chun Chen in Akron: 35%