As noted earlier today, the Indians made some final roster cuts today in minor league camp. Aside from maybe another player or two being cut over the next few days, it looks like these are the final cuts this spring:
Tom Mastny (RHP)
Mark Thompson (SS)
Dallas Cawiezell (RHP)
Adam White (OF)
Chris Nash (1B)
Matt Brown (OF)
Michael Pontius (RHP)
Matt Willard (INF)
Lurvin Basabe (2B)
Rolando Petit (C/1B)
Guido Fonseca (RHP)
Stephen Head (1B/OF)
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Indians Release 12 Minor Leaguers
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7 comments:
The only name that sticks out is Stephen Head because of his draft status. Wish he would be been more consistent and avoided the injury bug more often.
Matt Brown has got some skill but had an injury plagues season last year. Mark Thompson had a good season last year so he is a surprise as well.
Cawiezell and Pontius are surprises, at least in seeing BOTH of them released. Both have very good arms, and if I recall, Pontius was a highly regarded prospect just a season or two ago. What happened with these guys, Tony?? It is strange to see two arms that can throw mid-90s released....
In my view Head is somewhat like Michael Aubrey in that if he can just stay healthy he can maybe put it together and show something as a bit player in the bigs. Very surprised about this one, though in some ways it may have been time for the Indians to just move on.
Brown is the biggest surprise. He felt as good as he had in years in spring training, but it turns out he was unfortunately a byproduct of a crowded outfield situation and having missed so much time due to injury last year. With Abreu and Cid going to Kinston and likely Jordan Henry, there was no starting spot for him. Guys like Roman Pena stick around....though again, it isn't because Pena is a better prospect, but that he may fit better as an org guy in a backup/filler role than Brown would have.
Thompson is of no surprise. When he repeated almost the entire year at Lake County last year the writing was on the wall. If you want to gage interest the org has in players the two things to watch are 1.) who repeats a level who otherwise should be moved up and 2.) who is being bounced around as roster filler everywhere. When a guy is going between Kinston, Akron and Columbus all season as a filler guy, this is an org guy and not a prospect in their mind. They don't move around prospects like this, they keep them at one level to develop. They send the org soldiers to fill short term needs at higher levels.
I know people kept saying on the message boards I was crazy to say Cawiezell would be released, but when I saw the listing last year where he was on their bubble list at the end of spring training, I am not surprised at all about this. I expected it because of the depth of pen arms at AAA/AA. In a different less deep system, he probably gets another year. As for Pontius, his injury last year really effed him. He told me he was all the way back this spring, and the velocity was just about there.....but sometimes team's just move on from guys. Injuries are a death sentence to most minor leaguers. A lost year of development almost always kills a career as not only did the player lose the year but the team just drafted and signed 50+ new players in the amatuer draft and Latin free agency.
Maybe Thompson can take his attitude to the real world now. We'll see how well that works out for him.
why was tom mastny even back in camp in the first place??? what a waste of space.
Tell us how you really feel Tim! LOL And Dave, I hear ya on Mastny. When I saw him in camp he looked out of place and disinterested.
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