Aubrey On Fire
So far so good. First baseman Michael Aubrey is through his first few games and week of camp healthy, and he is putting on an impressive display of what he can do if he is healthy. In the intrasquad game on Tuesday, Aubrey doubled and hit a three-run bomb deep into right field. He followed that up in the spring training opener on Thursday by going 2-for-3 with an RBI and then on Friday going 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. He did not play in Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
There is no question the man can hit. But, can he finally overcome his injury issues? From the day he signed with the Indians, he has made the Indians medical staff work overtime. He suffered a sprained quadriceps a mere three days after signing his contract with the Indians in June 2003, which delayed the start of his professional career for a month where he eventually debuted at Lake County in late July and hit .348 with 5 HR, 19 RBI and had a .960 OPS in 38 games. In 2004, he had a great year hitting a combined .310 with 15 HR and 82 RBI in 98 game at Kinston and Akron, but also missed five weeks with a strained hamstring in the middle of the season. In 2005, Aubrey was sidelined again in May of that year with a stress fracture in his back and only played in 28 games. In 2006, he only played in 14 games because he still was recovering from his back and he strained his right knee. In 2007, Aubrey started the year on the disabled list because of a strained hamstring, and only played in a combined 65 games for Kinston and Akron.
Aubrey often played through a lot of pain the second half of the season last year, and was regularly seen after each game in the trainer’s room wrapped from the waist down in ice packs. He finished the season strong, and carried it over into the Arizona Fall League where he put up a good showing and seemed to re-establish himself somewhat as a prospect. This coming season will take his minor league career average of .301 to Buffalo for the first time.
Three Kids To Watch
Here are a couple of names in big league camp who will open the season in Buffalo, but who could make an impact at at the major league level at some point this season:
Outfielder Trevor Crowe could put his stamp on the left field position at some point this season if given a chance this year, and he could be someone who helps impact the club late in the year. He has outstanding plate discipline and excellent bat to ball ability, which is a need in the Indians lineup which is loaded with hackers up and down the lineup. Many in the Indians organization and even outside the organization believe Crowe is poised for a great year and is on the cusp of making his major league debut. Crowe struggled the first half of last season and hit under .200, but bounced back with a great second half where he hit well over .300 and carried that into the Arizona Fall League where he played very well. He reportedly has shaken the mental issues that plagued him at the plate early last season, and looks primed for a big year.
Right-hander Jeff Stevens is a reliever on the rise in the system, and he had a breakthrough season last year going a combined 6-3 with a 2.81 ERA and striking out 102 batters in 83.1 innings last year Kinston and Akron. Stevens also impressed this offseason in the Arizona Fall League and World Cup throwing a combined six scoreless innings. The Indians believe that his fastball is a big weapon, and that if he can become a little more consistent with his command of it he is ready to attack major league hitters.
Left-hander Reid Santos went 8-3 with a 2.72 ERA in 39 appearances at Akron last season where he split time in the starting rotation and bullpen. What the Indians love about Santos is that he is never bothered by any situation he is put in, and is not intimidated by the competition he faces. He has good makeup and his ability to pitch in virtually any role in the bullpen could be an asset this season and down the road.
Sowers Looking Sweet
Left-hander Jeremy Sowers is in a three-way fight to win the fifth starter's job and open the season in the Indians starting rotation. After Sowers had an impressive debut in 2006 when he went 7-4 with a 3.57 ERA in 14 starts for the Indians, he came to camp last year assured of a spot in the rotation but did not live up to expectations.
The main reason Sowers struggled so much was because it was the first time he had ever encountered failure and adversity as a baseball player since he dominated in college and breezed through the Indians minor league system in 2005 and 2006. One of the byproducts of this was as things began to snowball on him last year, Sowers lost his confidence and began to doubt himself as he went from attacking and going right after hitters to being more defensive. Also, the Indians noticed his velocity was down a few ticks.
When Sowers was optioned out to Buffalo last June, the Indians sent him there to refine his delivery and to find his confidence again. Near the end of the season, Sowers appeared to find his confidence and command again, and he has carried that into spring training this year as he has come back this season with renewed confidence. Also, his velocity has returned back to normal, which is so important for him as his ability to effectively change speeds helps set up his other pitches.
Last Of The Mujica?
Right-hander reliever Eddie Mujica was pitcher who logged a lot of miles driving back and forth between Cleveland and Buffalo last season. On five separate occasions he was called up to Cleveland from May 7-22, June 20-24, June 27-July 8, July 27-August 25 and September 4 through the end of the season. Mujica had a great 2006 campaign where he combined to go 4-2 with 13 saves and a 1.92 ERA in 44 combined games at Akron, Buffalo and Cleveland, and had a string of 46.1 consecutive innings without giving up a run. But last year, Mujica never had trouble locating his pitches well and seemed to struggle with the constant back and forth from Buffalo to Cleveland and back to Buffalo. He went 2-1 with 14 saves and a 5.02 ERA in 34 appearances at Buffalo, and in the few chances he pitched in Cleveland he was 0-0 with an 8.31 ERA in 10 appearances.
Mujica is in the mix to win the final spot in the Indians bullpen, but is a longshot with the more proven Tom Mastny and Jorge Julio likely to duke it out all camp for the spot. Mujica is all but certain to start the year in Buffalo again and he will probably will be on the Buffalo Shuttle to and from Cleveland a lot this year as a need comes up in the bullpen for a fresh arm or injury replacement. Mujica certainly has the stuff, as he has a good four pitch mix where he throws a fastball, slider, split-finger, and a changeup he just recently dusted off and started throwing again. Mujica did not help matters in his spring debut on Friday, as he blew a save in the ninth inning and took the loss in giving up three hits and two runs to the five batters he faced.
Slocum Works His Way Back
Right-hander Brian Slocum is working his way back into the Indians plans as a depth alternative in the starting rotation or bullpen. Slocum is coming off a forgettable 2007 campaign where an elbow injury and hamstring strain saw him go on the Buffalo disabled list in May and never return. He also had surgery to repair a deviated nasal septum in September because he was getting bad sinus headaches that were the result of some small fractures in his nose.
The injury plagued 2007 season killed the momentum Slocum had built from a breakthrough 2006 season where he went 6-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 27 appearances at Buffalo and made a few late season impressive starts for the Indians. Slocum is in camp and in great shape, but has been limited some by back spasms. He is slated to make his Grapefruit League debut today (Sunday), and is expected to open the season in the Buffalo bullpen.
Infirmary Report
Right-hander Adam Miller came out of his bullpen session last Sunday cleared and ready to resume throwing activities; however, the blister on his middle finger re-opened and as a result he was shutdown for about a week to allow the blister sufficient time to heal. Since Miller is not a candidate for a big league job, this is not much of a setback and the Indians can afford to be overly cautious. As long as the blister heals and he can get back into action sometime this week, he should still be ready to go for the start of Buffalo’s season the first week of April. At worst, he may be limited in his first start or two to a 75 pitch count as he is ramped up to a normal 95-100 pitch count.
First baseman Jordan Brown has been given the green light to resume full activities. Brown has been slowed in camp from offseason arthroscopic knee surgery that he experienced some tendonitis in at the outset of camp.
Random Notes
Indians 2007 first round draft pick Beau Mills made his spring debut playing first base on Friday with the Indians, and reportedly will play exclusively at first base the entire spring. He was expected to mostly play third base this year, so no word on why this has changed unless the Indians want to use camp to get him more acclimated to the position so he can play both there and at third base this coming season to keep him more versatile. … Outfielder Brad Snyder knows this is a big year for him in the Indians organization. He is out of options after this year, and he needs to stay healthy and show improved plate discipline (595 strikeouts in 1934 career at bats). His main focus this year is hitting the ball to all fields and not being so pull conscious, and also to put up better at bats and work on making more consistent contact so he puts the ball in play more. … Outfielder Nick Weglarz is in Australia playing for Team Canada and starting in left field and hitting in the middle of their lineup. He reportedly is up to 250 pounds, but in great shape looking like an NFL linebacker. … Baseball America recently released their Top 100 prospect list, and three Indians made the listing: right-hander Adam Miller (29th), left-hander Chuck Lofgren (71st), and third baseman Beau Mills (87th).
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