Kluber, 24, has spent the entire season to date at AA San Antonio going 6-6 with a 3.45 ERA (122.2IP, 121H, 59R/47ER, 40BB, 136K, .259 avg) in 22 games/21 starts. He currently leads the Texas League in strikeouts (136), strikeouts per 9.0IP (9.98K/9.0IP) and is 2nd in innings pitched (122.2IP). Over his last 4 starts he is 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA (26.0IP, 18H, 5R/ER, 8BB, 30K) and the Texas League recently named him the player of the week.
The Padres selected Kluber, a 6-4, 215-pound right-hander, in the 4th round of the 2007 June draft out of Stetson University (FL). In 2009 between A Lake Elsinore and AA San Antonio he went a combined 9-13 with a 4.56 ERA (154.0IP, 155H, 90R/78ER, 70BB, 159K) in 28 starts. He tied for seventh in strikeouts among all of minor league baseball with 159 in 2009. Kluber will report to AA Akron in the coming days.
Westbrook went 6-7 w/a 4.65 ERA in 21 starts (127.2IP, 133H, 66ER, 44BB, 73K) this year with the Indians after missing the entire 2009 season due to right elbow surgery. The 2004 American League All-Star had a record of 69-69 with a 4.29 ERA in 218 games/179 starts with the Indians (1191.1IP, 1269H, 568ER) from 2001-2010 after being acquired from the NY Yankees on June 29, 2000.
With Westbrook leaving the active roster, the Indians have recalled outfielder Jordan Brown from Triple-A Columbus. Brown, 26, has spent the entire year at AAA Columbus, batting .309 (84-272) with 25 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 63RBI. His average is the third highest in the International League, while his RBI total is tied for fifth despite not beginning his season until April 29 after right knee surgery in early March. Since June 14, he's hit .339 (59-174) with 17 doubles, four home runs and 40RBI in 42 games to raise his average from .255.
The 6-0, 205-pound left-handed outfielder was originally selected by the Indians in the fourth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Arizona. He spent the entire 2009 season at Triple-A Columbus leading the International League with a .336 average (140-417) and was named a mid-season and post-season All-Star selection. He will make his Major League debut when he appears in a game and will wear #35 and be making his debut at the Major League level.
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8 comments:
got a little stirring in your pants with the news of the brown call-up, huh?
I will say I am very happy, yes, to see Brown recalled. Well deserved.
I hope Kluber is a better prospect than guys like Scott Barnes and Jess Todd because if the Indians spent $2.0 mil for Westbrook's escalators, that is a lot of money for someone who is still just a longshot to be a solid ML starter.
I honestly didn't think they would trade Westbrook.
Yeah, they did not need to trade Westbrook. And even though he is traded he could still come back next year and it doesn't affect his potential signing status with Indians. But being realistic, it's a longshot he comes back as he will likely get multi-year offers from other suitors.
The Indians saved significant money in this deal, so that combined with the very good prospect they got in return made it worth it to them. Plus, the money savings may potentially allow them to sign an extra draft pick or two now.
If it now allows them to sign Wolters, and is the difference in whether that happens or not ...then that makes it all worthwhile in my opinion..
Does this give us a little more money to take another shot at Bobby Whal or some HS players like that who rejected our earlier offers... now we can through another $1/4 to $1/2 million at them?
I talked to Wolters the other day....will include him in a signing update. I get the feeling he is 50-50. I am pretty certain every guy who officially turned them down is off the board for good, money and interest has already been alocated elsewhere. But, doesn't mean things can chance I guess, just doubt it, especially with Wahl who is very committed to going to school.
I think the Indians planned on signing a lot of these picks even before the trades, but now I would be very disappointed if they didn't have the funds to make a big splash. I still haven't figured out how much money they saved exactly with these trades. I think in the neighborhood of $3-5M.
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