Michael Aubrey

Michael Aubrey- First baseman
Age: 25 Height: 6'0" Weight: 195 Bats: Left Throws: Left

	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	OBP	SLG	OPS
2007 Kinston/Akron	.277	65	256	37	71	16	0	12	45	16	42	0	.332	.480	.813
Career	.301	243	906	134	273	60	2	39	178	86	135	4	.375	.501	.876

History: Aubrey was a 1^st round pick by the Indians in the 2003 Draft out of Tulane University. Aubrey's season last year once again got off the wrong way because of an unfortunate hamstring injury he suffered at the end of spring training. The hamstring injury was yet another injury to his laundry list of injuries over his career, and the Indians took it slow with him in his recovery and didn't push him. When he was finally 100% running the bases in extended spring training games, they moved him to Kinston near the end of May where he tore up the league in a brief two week stint there by hitting .400 (20-50) with 5 HR, 11 RBI and a 1.292 OPS in 13 games. The Indians quickly moved him to Akron where he stayed the rest of the year.

Strengths & Opportunities: The question is not whether Aubrey can hit, it is whether he can stay healthy because when he plays he performs. In 243 career minor league games, he has hit .301 with 39 HR, 178 RBI, and .876 OPS. When he is healthy, he is a superior defender and good hitter with gap power. But, staying on the field to put up those numbers has been his problem. Aubrey has endured many long spells on the disabled list with leg and back issues and those 243 games played have come over four and a half seasons (roughly 630 possible games). In 2005, chronic back issues limited Aubrey to just 28 games and his season ended in May. In 2006, for the second straight year, he was lost early in the season when he injured himself sliding into second base and suffered a surface fracture on his right knee joint.

Throughout the 2007 season Aubrey had trouble running and clearly showed he was favoring his hamstring and groin which he had injured earlier in the year. For really the first time, Aubrey played through the pain and managed to stay on the field for most of the rest of the season. This approach to get him to stay on the field and battle through the injuries was in part due to the Indians pushing him to play every day and to see if he could play through the injury issues. Aubrey was regularly found in the trainer's room hours before and after every game for treatment, and after games he looked like he went through a war as he had huge ice packs practically wrapped around his entire lower body to help treat the nagging abdominal, groin and hamstring issues.

At the end of the year Aubrey did suffer an abdominal strain which sidelined him a short time, but he was healthy enough to come back and play for the stretch run and in eight playoff games hit .344 with 2 HR and 10 RBI. The Indians were encouraged with the way Aubrey was able to stay healthy and on the field for most of the last three months of the season, and as they hoped, Aubrey took the opportunity in the offseason to get more at bats and games in by playing in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). Aubrey played well in the AFL and showed off his offensive potential by hitting .275 with 5 HR, 11 RBI and an .858 OPS in 91 at bats.

Outlook: If Aubrey can find a way to stay healthy, he still may be able to salvage his once promising baseball career and be an impact player. But, the man has been a china doll since being drafted by the Indians, and this year might be Aubrey's last chance in the organization (last option year). Aubrey made it through the Arizona Fall League this offseason unscathed, which is encouraging, and barring another injury setback he will most likely split time at first base and designated hitter in Buffalo this year.

Video: Aubrey at the plate

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