Small update today with some last minute cuts from Farm Director Ross Atkins and some injury updates. As an FYI, I will be posting a very lengthy Q&A with Atkins on Tuesday or Wednesday this week sort of wrapping up the season, so be sure to look out for that.
Then, starting on Thursday, I will start to unveil the 2010 Tony Awards. I’ll give it the typical year end awards treat where a different award is announced each day rather than lumping them all into one gigantic post. Over the course of eight days I will name the Hitter of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Reliever of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Biggest Breakthrough, Biggest Disappointment, and the All Tony Team. These year end awards are just for fun, and just a way to reward and acknowledge these players 100% on performance.
About the time the Tony Awards wrap up, I will be getting ready to go out to Goodyear, AZ for the Fall Instructional League and Arizona Fall League and will have lots of firsthand information from my five day visit there.
Last, congrats again to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers and Low-A Lake County Captains on winning their respective league titles. Hopefully the other affiliates can join in on the fun next year.
Onto the Happenings…
Director’s Cuts
Indians Farm Director Ross Atkins was out of pocket this week at the Farm Director’s Meetings in Colorado. He did take some time to look back on the accomplishments of both Triple-A Columbus and Low-A Lake County:
On Columbus and Lake County winning league titles: “I really couldn’t be happier for Mike Sarbaugh and Ted Kubiak. Sarbaugh’s team pretty much dominated the playoffs and had incredible offensive displays and incredible bullpen and starting pitching. Ted Kubiak’s team in Lake County just grinded through the playoffs and in some cases beat some lineups where on most days they probably had no business beating, but they really pitched well and really grinded through a tough playoff schedule and format. So I am very happy for those staffs and of course all the players. There is no question, no matter where it is when you do it or how you do it, when you are the last team standing and get to put a ring on your finger, there is a reason they jump around and spray champagne on each other because it is a lot of hard work and perseverance to get there.”
On the Triple-A National Championship: “I think it is certainly more impressive to win a five game series as usually the best team wins in a five game series. Not to take anything away from the National Championship, but on any given night in baseball anything can happen but over the course of a five game series really the stronger team is going to end up on the better side of that. It certainly is a good accomplishment, and how they did it was in dominate fashion. But if I had to choose the more impressive accomplishment, it would be the International League [title].
On Jason Kipnis: “If nothing else, [his performance with Columbus] certainly makes him feel a lot more confident about being in Triple-A to start the season, which is most likely where he will be [next year]. He really handled himself great from a mental standpoint with how well he handled Triple-A pitching in a tough environment when the games are on the line. Hitting for the cycle that night was impressive, and the home run was way out of the ballpark. He was the catalyst and the power that night, and was fun to watch from a player in his first full season.”
On Kipnis’ affect on roster decisions going forward: “You always have to [think about that], as you always have to think about where every piece of the puzzle fits and what is the best way for them to [come together]. We can’t operate inside a vacuum with these guys. We have to factor in where they are gong to play and who they are going to play next to and when they are going to transition. So absolutely his progress will ultimately at some point impact the progress of another player. It is one of the unique things about professional sports, and certainly in baseball as sometimes you are playing along side of someone that you are competing with where the ultimate goal is to get to the major leagues.”
On Lake County: “We took their best starter, their best reliever, and took their best offensive player roughly at the midpoint of the season, and then someone just stepped up and filled in those roles and became the next best starter, the next best reliever and the next best offensive player. You couldn’t write it up any better when it happened that way. And then the pieces around like the Preston Guilmet’s, Brett Brach’s, Vidal Nuno’s and of course Giovanni Soto and what he did this year, they really stepped up to the plate. They really got incredible performances from players in their first professional season and those in their first introduction into pro ball like Chase Burnette and Tyler Holt as those guys stepped right into the middle of the lineup and performed well. I think when you create a positive environment where guys are working hard and working toward one common goal, in the end it is one of the most beautiful things in minor league baseball. They are ultimately all playing to try to get to the next level and make it to the major leagues, but that night and in those series’ at the end of the season they are playing together and for one another to win a ring. Watching those young players celebrate in Lake County was really cool, and they had a ton of fun with it and a lot of emotion was involved.”
Infirmary Report
I’ve been getting a lot of questions on right-hander Adam Miller of late. Everyone wants to know how he is doing, and what the plans are for him this offseason. Well, what I can say right now is he is still doing very well in his rehab and has had no setbacks since the one he had in the spring. He has worked extremely hard to get where he is, and is back on the mound pitching again. It is now not as much of a long shot as it seemed five months ago to consider him a pitching option for the big league team sometime next year, though he still has a long way to go. The Indians have not determined what his offseason plans will be, something they have to be careful with how they structure and approach since he is a minor league free agent and also a Rule 5 Draft candidate. Definitely good news, but again, a long way to go, and some other obstacles the Indians potentially have to hurdle (free agency and Rule 5 Draft).
Moving on to other players, Triple-A Columbus Nick Weglarz is recovering well from the sprained ligament in his right thumb and will be playing winter ball this offseason for Caracas out in Venezuela. Triple-A right-handed pitcher Bryce Stowell is recovering well from the right elbow soreness he suffered at the end of the season, and is expected to be fine for next season. Rookie-level left-handed pitcher Elvis Araujo is still making his way back from Tommy John surgery last year. The recovery has not gone as smoothly as it normally does, but he will pitch in the Parallel League in Arizona this fall.
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14 comments:
Tony, great stuff. Adam Miller is an intriguing story, especially the Rule V hurdle. If I am a GM of another organizatoin I grab him immediately. Miller would be the ultimate low risk, high reward guy. Too good to pass up.
With that said, is this a case of the rule about once a player is eligibel for the Rule V he is eligible for all future rule v's? In other words, is this a case where the Tribe can not protect him on their 40 this year whether they wanted to or not?
Could the Indians of activated him from the DL to the 25 man on August 31 and kept him ineligble for the draft that way? Just wondering?
Miller can be put on the 40 man before Dec 5th and protect him from rule 5 and free agency. The problem is there is somewhat limited space with other players who have a more legit shot of playing at Progressive at risk too (but not as much upside). So what to do?
There are two questions:
1) Free agency - wasn't he eligible last year too once we dropped him from the 40 man? He had 7 seasons (2003-2009) but do injuries year count? So could he have gone with another team and he decided to stay with us? If he stayed last year, I assume he will stay this year trying to help Cleveland who stayed with him this whole time. This is where a commitment to youth helps and hope he wasn't good friends with Toregas :-).
2) Rule 5 - The question is will a team keep him on the 25 man for the whole year. As he is not a starter really any more, I have a doubt that he would be picked (due to limited up side as a reliever/closer - not as much as his #1/2 starter he was). Yes, if we could be a good reliever from day 1 it would help his case for being picked. But, if control is the last thing to come back after TJ surgery -- what about a player who hasn't pitched really in years? Now a team could stash him on DL until mid-season and bring him back after he does extended spring training pitching simulated games. But, Indians would fight if Miller was really disabled just to get the rust off and bring him back just long enough to qualify as a season to keep him per Rule 5.
Hey Pete, according to the Rule V laws, once a player is exposed to Rule V he is eligible for all subsequent Rule V drafts. I am sure once a guy is given a ML Contract and on the 25 man, that is bypassed. As of today, Miller has not been given a ML deal and hasn't been brought onto the 25.
I am not certain that the Tribe would be allowed to protect Miller from Rule V?
If he is not protected and he is throwing not only from the mound but with velocity, there is no way he clears the draft. Josh Hamilton left exposed, only in A ball and re-injured at Hudson Valley, and was selected. Some organization will take a flyer on a guy with that high of a ceiling.
CRAP! I am committing the amatuer sin of calling it RULE V....excuse my ignorance...IT IS RULE 5!!!!
Mr. Negative .... Rule V/5 is for people who aren't protected on the 40 man roster not 25 man. That is why we protected likes of De La Cruz and Rondon in the past even though they were 2-3 years from the majors. So Miller can be put on the 40 man now (before mid-November some time) to set our roster for the Dec. Rule 5 draft and minor league free agency.
And, since he was place on 40 man in November 2007, he has used 2 options (2008 and 2009) if we roster him, so we would have 2 options on him (2011 and 2012).
As for someone taking a risk, I can see that. But, the questions that I posed to access that risk are:
1) FA - Can we get him to agree to re-sign with us without having to worry about another team stealing him to a minor league contract.
2) Rule 5 - I would take a risk for drafting someone like him and stashing him on the roster. Yet, his upside isn't what it use to be and his control will be crap (yet he really only needs a fastball). So, it would be hard to stash him unless you can say he is disabled to work on his control (e.g. tired arm). For a team like Royals or Pitts, they may take that risk. But, not a whole lot of teams can do that. I suggested it for De La Cruz last year and others blasted me that a team wouldn't take someone so low in the minors. At least, he could pitch (probably better than Miller who has 2 years of rust).
In the end, there is some risk but maybe not as much as it would be if Miller pitched a whole season and showed he had some command (not just being able to pitch off the mound).
FYI - Rule 5 is for people not on the 40 man roster .... That is why we protected Rondon and De La Cruz and others even though they were only in single A ball.
So as long as Miller is on the 40 by November, he would be protected. And, he would have 2 more options (assuming he got a injury 4th year for 2009).
And, I don't deny there is risk in leaving Miller unprotected. Yet, for someone who hasn't pitched in 2 years, it is harder to get control than to hit.
It would be hard for me if I was a GM to pick Miller since he was out for 2 years, even if I really liked him pre-injury.
Pete, I know what the Rule 5 is for. I read in a list emailed to me a little rule that said "once a player is eligible for Rule 5 draft, he is eligible for all future RULE 5 drafts"
It is that side rule that I am seeking clarity. Why is it there and what does it mean?
The nuts and bolts of Rule 5 are very straight forward and easy to understand.
Also, Adam Miller was released by the Tribe last year and signed a 1-year minor league free agent on December 13, 2009 (released by Tribe on December 12, 2009). Wouldn't that just make him a minor league free agent at the end of the contract?
Once eligible a player is always eligible for rule 5 because it is based on how many years since signing he has gone (4/5 years depending if over or under 19 or so). But, a player can always be rostered on the 40 man to protect him from rule 5.
So one year a player can be subject to rule 5 because is only in A ball. And, then have a good showing in AA and be rostered as it is more likely that he will be taken if not.
Much appreciated Pete and your explanation makes total sense. The way the rule is written left room for a Sunday morning head scratcher. When reading baseball rules it is always a grey area that leads to confusion....like when the Rays brought up Labotan and put him on the DL for a roster spot in the post-season:
http://theprocessreport.com/2010/09/22/the-jose-lobaton-roster-exemption-part-2/
Best explained by the link.
Just a note of clarification, once a player is Rule 5 eligible he is eligible for every Rule 5 Draft going forward unless they are on a 40-man roster.
Also, the roster deadline date to freeze the 40-man is November 20th or 21st (one of those dates). Once that date passes you can not add any non-rostered player in your system to the 40-man until after the Rule 5 Draft.
Also, since Miller was removed from the 40-man last year and it was his first time being outrighted, he was not a free agent and had to accept his assignment to the Indians as they still controlled his rights. He is a six year minor league free agent now, so he is free to sign with whatever team he chooses, though I would be extremely surprised if he signed with anyone else besides the indians considering the relationship he has with the org and all they have done to get him back on the mound.
Thanks Tony. Something wasn't adding up about Miller being invovled in Rule 5 draft. I would assume he will sign with Cleveland again this off-season. Looking forward to the end of the year awards.
Yeah, I very much expect Miller to re-sign with the Tribe. Just too much of a good relationship and mutual respect for one another. I'm curious to see what happens in Rule 5 though because if other teams know that he may be in the mix again, they may take the $50K gamble and see what happens. Worst case he is 60-day DL all year and then gets a shot the next year and would have the same Rule 5 stipulations. Really no risk at all for a team to Rule 5 him.
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