Cleveland Sports Forum

Hillbilly, have any of your resources told you anything about Hillman's turn around that the numbers alone don't reveal? Like maybe he's got a new off speed pitch, or a new delivery or something?

it's only over 4 games, but the numbers have been striking: 24 1/3 innings 4 ER on 14 hits 8 walks 19 strikeouts. Numbers are Bieber-Civale-Morgan-or-Oviedo like but he hadn't gone 4 starts in a row allowing no more than 2 runs each since his debut month in Mahoning Valley 2 summers ago.

You know, he came off the DL on June 5th and has been great ever since. I have not read anything, no. But one might think that he had something bothering him early on and after the DL stint it got worked out. But I have no idea.

I will say, one of the guys I follow on Twitter from Lake County games said after one of his recent starts that he was absolutely dominant that night other than 1 or 2 mistakes.

I kind of gave up on him. Would be nice if he got back on the radar. If nothing else for trade bait later on.

6-2 185. Not too skinny.

I was referring to McKenzie in the other folder as scrawny, not Hillman.

Hillman is on Twitter all the time making fun of how skinny McKenzie is. They are buddies.

Yes, I know, Hillman is not a member of the Skinny Pitcher Club.

Oh, sorry, thought for a sec that was a reply to me but I get ya now.

Lake County Captains transaction
LHP RC Orlan has completed his rehab assignment in Arizona and has been activated off the 7-day DL

Lynchburg Hillcats transaction
INF Gavin Collins has finished his Reahab Assignment in Arizona and will be activated from the 7-day DL

Akron RubberDucks transaction
(C) Logan Ice promoted from Lynchburg

Columbus Clippers transactions
LHP Jack Leathersich given release
RHP James Hoyt activated to roster
RHP George Kontos activated to roster
RHP Cole Sulser assigned to Akron
RHP Dominic DeMasi promoted from Akron

LHP Jack Leathersich given release

Good: I was afraid we might give him a shot and he's been terrible even in AAA.
Glad to see Kontos cleared waivers, not sure why we sent him away in the first place. He is no big deal but it's a lot easier for an aged pitching coach to distinguish "GK" from "OP" than "OT"

Some top pitchers and some unknowns working tonight:

Columbus TBD
Akron Civale 2.35 ERA
Lynchburg Morgan 2.06 ERA
Lake County McCarty 4.83 ERA but 1.53 in his last 5 starts
Mahoning Valley TBD

Yesterday in:

Columbus: Yandy a single, Mejia two singles; Haase a single and his 10th homer, his 5 in the last 10 games. He's hot at last: 405 over those 10 games with 18 RBI

Akron: only extra base hit a 2-run double by Marabell; Bradley and Castro each with a hit; bad day for Calica 4K
The 2 TBD specialists: DeMasi and Whitehouse were the starters for those two teams respectively. Both were effective

Lynchburg: Tully 6-9-4-3-2-4. James Karinchak disproves my claim he should be promoted to AA with his worst inning for the Hillcats: 3 hits, a walk, 2 runs, although still 2 K. At bat: Capel tripled and walked; Clement singled and walked twice; Longo singled

Lake County: Juan Carlos Mejia 7 solid innings, 8 hits 1 run, no walks, 6 K. 3.32 with 42 K in 43 IP. Was a reliever last year and did well. Is he a prospect? 21 year old 6-4 righty.
Jones singled and walked, the walking man Will Benson had 2 BB. he's third in the Midwest League with 54; 4th in K with 99

Mahoning Valley also lost to the Yankees. a friend's son was at the game in Staten Island and sent great photos of NY skyline from the park,
Hot shot IF Richie Palacios with nearly all the offense, a double, a single and walk. His MHV line: 400-469-600 8 BB 8 K

Arizona, good pitching by both teams, they allowed 1 run between them. Both starters put a lot of guys on but kept most of them there. Scoreless from relievers Turner 2 1/3, Pinto 1, Rholl 2, Sanchez 3 1/3, Rhell 2.
the Arizona close of Palacios, Raynel Delgado, also singled, doubled and walked. His similar line is 400-484-527 9 BB 10K

Thanks, Civ!

I crashed last night.

BA edition out today with some midseason reports. They post a first half All Minor League All Star team. And the top pitcher is Bieber based exclusively on his 1.29 ERA and ridiculous 72-6 K/BB numbers. That's the last we'll see of him on prospect ratings; he'll soon pass by the minimum major league IP total to lose his rookie/prospect status.

You're entitled to a day off now and then Hillbilly. I seem to share this with someone different every year. AG used to write florid game stories. Who were my other minor league update partners in past years?

Indians Prospective @indiansPro

Clippers 9 Bats 5

Haase 2-4 2R 2B HR 5RBI BB
Rodriguez 3-5 2B 2RBI
Chang 1-4 2B 2RBI BB
Edwards 1(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO

—

RubberDucks 8 Rumble Ponies 7 (11 Innings)

Tom 1-3 R HR 3RBI BB
Haggerty 2-4 R 2(2B) 2RBI
Salters 2-4 R 2B RBI
Milbrath 2(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO

—

Hillcats 9 Mudcats 7

Longo 2-4 R 2(2B) 4RBI
Clement 3-4 3R 2B HR 2RBI
Collins 1-4 R HR RBI BB
Brooks 2-5 2B 2RBI

—

Chiefs 4 Captains 1

McCarty 5(IP) 5H 3R 3ER 0BB 5SO
Broom 1.1(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 3SO
Mejia 1-3 RBI
Eladio 2-3 R

—

Yankees 5 Scrappers 2

Freeman 2-4 R RBI SB
Dominguez 1-3 R SB
Palacios 1-3 BB
Valladres 2.2(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 2BB 4SO

—

AZL (Indians 1) 5 Athletics 0

Yannuzzi 5(IP) 4H 0R 0ER 3BB 2SO
McCarthy 3(IP) 5H 0R 0ER 0BB 5SO
E. Rodriguez 1-3 R HR RBI BB
Lavastida 1-4 2RBI BB

—

AZL (Indians 2) 2 Royals 0

Feliz 6(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 5SO
Rocchio 3-3 R RBI 2SB
Naylor 1-3 RBI SB
Turner 1-3 R 2B
Holland 1-3 SB

—

DSL Rangers 9 Indians 3

Morillo 3(IP) 3H 1R 1ER 0BB 2SO
Peralta 2-3 3B 2RBI
Aguilar 1-3 R RBI BB
Marmol 2-3 R

—

DSL Cubs 3 Indians/Brewers 0

Cruz 3(IP) 5H 2R 2ER 0BB 1SO
Paulino 1-4
Contreras 1-3
Planchart 0-1 3BB

So Logan Ice was promoted even though he didn’t really deserve it yet. And the Mejia was not in lineup for Clippers last night.

It got everyone’s heads exploding on Twitter. Everyone thinks a big trade involving Mejia is happening.

I don’t agree but we’ll see.