Mills And Gimenez Recognized

On Sunday the Indians announced the year-end organizational winners of their Minor League On-Base Program “On-Base-Where Careers Take Off”, sponsored by Continental Airlines. The on-base program stresses pitch recognition and patience at the plate for all position players within the organization’s Player Development System.

Players are rewarded with a cash recognition for their performances based on three different non-traditional hitting categories at each of the six Indians Minor League affiliates (AAA Buffalo, AA Akron, A Kinston, A Lake County, A Mahoning Valley, Rookie GCL Indians). The three hitting categories are: on-base percentage, percentage of hard hit at-bats and walk percentage based on total plate appearances. These categories represent the ability to make solid contact, the best approach to hitting and the best overall ability to hit.

The following are the list of organizational winners in each of the three categories. For their efforts, the winners will receive a round trip voucher for anywhere in the continental United States from Continental Airlines.

Hard Hit Percentage: BEAU MILLS - 52 %
Walk Percentage: CHRIS GIMENEZ – 16%
On-Base Percentage: CHRIS GIMENEZ - .421

First baseman Beau Mills led the entire Indians Minor League system in hard hit percentage, as he hit the ball hard in 52 percent of his at-bats. On the year Mills batted .293 (141-125; 8th/Carolina League) in 125 games with the Kinston Indians. He finished T-1st in the Carolina League and led the Organization with 21 home runs, 2nd in RBI (90), and 3rd in CL in slugging percentage (.506) and extra-base hits (58). Mills hit safely in 15 straight games (7/7-7/23) batting .367 (22-60) with 11 runs scored, 4 doubles, 3HR and 14RBI, in addition to owning a consecutive on-base streak of 21 games. Mills was the Indians 1st round (13th overall) selection in the 2007 draft. In his first two professional seasons he owns a .282 (205-727) average with 122 runs scored, 54 doubles, four triples, 27HR and 132RBI.

Catcher Chris Gimenez led the entire Indians Minor League system in both walk percentage (16% of plate appearances) and on-base percentage (.421). Combined between Akron and Buffalo he walked 75 times in 372 plate appearances while batting .304 (113-372; 2nd in Organization) with 69 runs scored, 24 doubles, two triples, 9HR and 45RBI. While at Akron, he batted .339 (60-177) with 15 doubles, a triple, 6HR and 26RBI in 55 games for the Aeros. During one stretch, Gimenez reached base safely in 26 straight games during which time he hit .400 (34-85) with 30RS, 9 doubles, a triple, 2HR and 11RBI. He was promoted to AAA Buffalo on June 19th and hit .272 (53-175) with 23RS, 2 doubles, a triple, 3HR and 19RBI in 54 games for the Bisons. Gimenez was the Indians 19th round selection in the 2004 draft. In five professional seasons he owns a .270 (466-1727) average with 294 runs scored, 116 doubles, 8 triples, 69HR and 255RBI.

Posted in: Beau Mills,Chris Gimenez