Cleveland Sports Forum

VT'er wrote:And who is Esmil Rogers??

We picked him off the designated for assignment list from Colorado last week. He is 26. He throws hard and has movement but has had trouble with his command. Pitching in Coors Field probably didn't help him. I liked the pickup.

Nick Hagadone gets his first Major League win after putting The Reds in the lead in the top of the 10th with two wild pitches to let Joe Smith's runner score the go ahead run.

Asdrubal handed him the pitching victory with his 2 run walk off in the bottom of the 10th.

And Asdrubal Cabrera took care of the memories of his three error game with an exclamation point tonight.

In the "scissors, paper, stone" of Baseball, walk off come from behind home runs rule.

Hagadone's first ML victory after his terrifying inning brings to mind Gilda Radner's-

ITS ALWAYS SOMETHING!

I just watched the Asdrubal HR at MLB.com, and in the front row of the stands there is a large Indians fan getting the face of a large Reds fan after the ball clears the fence. Hmmm, perhaps you can take credit for the win, sir?

WoW! I turned off the game after the wild pitch gave the Reds a 2-1 lead with Chapman coming in. I thought that game was over until I read the box scores this morning. Great win. Back in first. Life is good again.

3 blown saves by Chapman in 11 tries. If he were on the Tribe he'd be raked over the coals. But since he throws 100 we still hear that he;s great and that Perez gets by with smoke and mirrors. Perez may not be the thrower Chapman is, but he's the better pitcher.

BA now reports that Schubert signed for $250,000, about $100,000 over the slotted level for his spot in the draft.

Meanwhile No. 9 pick Jacob Lee inked for $2,500, the pool amount was $127,000. The glowing comments on this RHP:

Arkansas' No. 4 prospect last year, Lee wasn't drafted after an up-and-down spring. He was better as a sophomore, with more consistent velocity in the 89-91 mph range and even touching 93. His curveball remains his best pitch, earning 55 grades for its shape and consistency, and his changeup is fringe-average to better. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder lacks upside but is a solid senior sign.

Bigger money, but not much bigger, to nab No. 10 choice Josh Martin, Tribe had to throw $5,000 at him; the pool amount was $125,000

Martin is a veteran workhorse who broke through with a 12-1, 2.96 season as a senior. Scouts don't love his delivery, but he'll touch 92-93 mph at times with his fastball and throws strikes with his curveball.

Tribe has two of its Top 10 choices unsigned, both high schoolers for whom the saved money will give them a chance to close deals.

4th rounder Devon McClure: Arkansas' top prep hitter, McClure put himself on the map in 2011 when he won several matchups with eventual Indians supplemental first-rounder Dillon Howard. McClure has consistently hit the top arms he has faced (including Trey Killian this year), and gave up football to sign a baseball-only scholarship offer to Arkansas. Few expect him to get to Fayetteville, though. Some scouts compare McClure to Austin Jackson, while others are unsure if he can stay in center field. Like Jackson, McClure takes a big swing and is just an average runner, at times turning in below-average times to first. He'll have to improve his instincts to play center as well as Jackson, but he should have more power. McClure has excellent bat speed and the handsy looseness scouts look for in hitters, and many project him to hit for plus power. Teams that aren't as high on McClure say he has an inconsistent motor and modest speed. Even teams that give him a chance to stay in center realize they are mostly buying the bat.

No. 8 Caleb Hamrick. Another attractive Texas high school pitcher who probably can't be diverted from college, Hamrick is a 6-foot-3, 225-pounder who repeatedly has reached 93 mph with his fastball this spring. The Dallas Baptist recruit usually works at 88-91 mph with his heater and pairs it with a promising slider. Also a righthanded-hitting slugger, he has participated in the last two International Power Showcases.

Then there are some hard to sign lower round picks who the savings also could be used for:

Andrew Calica, 17th round, OF. Ranked #173 in Baseball America's Top 500.
Calica has raised his profile with scouts by playing hard, having fun and consistently performing at a high level. He is a quick-twitch athlete with a chance for four average tools and below-average power. The switch-hitting Calica isn't physical at 6 feet, 170 pounds, but he swings hard and has a knack for making hard contact to all fields. He has a chance to be an average hitter as he matures. Calica is just an average runner, but he has good outfield instincts that give him at least a chance to stick in center field. He is an aggressive defender who isn't afraid to lay out for balls in the gaps, and he has an average arm. Some scouts think Calica (who is also a standout student) would be best served by developing his body and refining his game for three years at UC Santa Barbara, but a team could make a run at him in the fifth-round range.

33rd rounder but rated much higher: pitcher Corey Raley. Ranked #158 in Baseball America's Top 500.
A dual-threat quarterback at Uvalde HS, Raley rushed for 1,470 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall. He hasn't played in many showcase events, and Uvalde is off the beaten scouting path in Texas, yet word of Raley's athleticism still spread this spring. His best tool is his well above-average speed, as he's capable of getting from the right side of the plate to first base in 4.0 seconds. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder has the arm and actions to stay at shortstop, though his bat will need time to develop. That figures to happen at Texas A&M rather than in pro ball, because it may take a seven-figure offer to get Raley to sign. His brother Brooks was a two-way standout for the Aggies and now pitches in the Cubs system. Another brother, Russell, starred at Oklahoma and now coaches for the Sooners.

34th round cather Matt Fultz

Ranked #395 in Baseball America's Top 500.
An offensive-minded catcher with legitimate lefthanded power, Fultz could have played his way into the first 10 rounds. While he continued to show a nice swing and pop this spring, scouts were disappointed with the way his body and intensity regressed. They have serious questions as to whether the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder can stay behind the plate. He has a below-average arm and will have to work hard to improve his catch-and-throw skills. If not, he'll have a lot less value as a first baseman. At this point, he may wind up at Kansas State rather than getting picked high enough to turn pro.

Good question.

That is , who is Esmil Rogers? Sorry for screw up.

I hate these keyboards. Lousy. As a court martial reporter, I could not turn in a 14" page with a typo. Now, that's about all I could turn in with these lousy things. (And you'd be amazed how many times I typed that last line)!

J.R. seeing a good game thus far in the 88 degree gametime temps.

Tribe has played longball via Damon and Cabrera for a 5-0 lead.