Around the Farm: April 12

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday's performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday's game.

Dave Huff – LHP, Columbus: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 1 K.
Huff’s line was pretty good through six innings as he allowed just one run on five hits and one walk. That’s a pretty good night for any pitcher. He went back out for the seventh and final inning of the night in what was a seven inning game because of the doubleheader, and things quickly fell apart. He gave up a hit to the leadoff hitter of the inning and then walked the next two batters. Jensen Lewis came in to try and put out the fire, but allowed all three inherited runners to score. On the night Huff threw 99 pitches, 60 of which were strikes. There is still some concern with the low strike percentage as he only threw 61% of his pitches for strikes last night and 55% for strikes the start before that.

Kelvin De La Cruz – LHP, Akron: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 5 K.
If you look at almost all of De La Cruz’s numbers after his first two starts there is not a lot not to like. His velocity is where it needs to be, and his numbers look pretty impressive with a 0.90 ERA, .097 BAA, and 10.8 K/9. That’s a nice, positive start to his season. That all said, the 7 walks in 10 innings (6.3 BB/9) is concerning, and was his biggest issue last season. He has worked around the walks so far, but eventually they will come back to bite him, and he needs to get that consistency back to his game that he lacked last year.

• Corey Kluber – RHP, Columbus: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 3 K. Pretty solid season debut for Kluber and what to be expected. Showing no side affects from the line drive to the head from a few weeks back.
• Jess Todd – RHP, Columbus: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR. In three games Todd has a line of 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R/ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 3 K. Ouch. Perhaps a hangover from missing opening day roster?
• Jensen Lewis – RHP, Columbus: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K. Lewis did not give up an earned run, but allowed three inherited runners to score. In three games so far he has a 0.00 ERA, but that is very deceiving as to how good he has been as in 3 innings he has allowed 5 hits and 3 walks. Houdini!
• Cord Phelps – 3B/DH, Columbus: 3-for-8, R, 2 K. In 6 games so far Phelps has played just 1 game at 2B while playing 2 games at 3B, 2 at DH, and 1 at 3B.
• Lonnie Chisenhall – 3B/DH, Columbus: 3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB. Solid two games for The Chiz, and very good start to season with 5 doubles in 6 games (plus a homer).
• Jordan Brown – 1B/LF, Columbus: 2-for-6, R, HR, RBI, 3 K. Brown’s 7 strikeouts in 18 at bats in the early going a sign he is pressing.
• Luis Valbuena – SS, Columbus: 3-for-7, R, HR, RBI, 2 K. Say what you will about Valbuena but he showed last year and so far this year in a small sample size he has no problems facing Triple-A pitching.
• Jason Kipnis – 2B, Columbus: 1-for-7, K. Kipnis’ .190/.308/.333 start is not what he had in mind for the first week, but he has shown in the past he can get really hot really fast.
• Matt McBride – 1B, Akron: 1-for-4. A slow start for McBride as in 6 games he is hitting just .208/.240/.250. He is really the only true power threat in the Akron lineup, and with his lack of production so far no wonder the Aeros have had troubling scoring.
• John Drennen – DH, Akron: 0-for-3, K. Drennen and the rest of the Akron outfielder’s playing time has been affected due to the presence of outfielder Grady Sizemore who is with the club on a rehab assignment.
• T.J. House – LHP, Kinston: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 1 BB, 4 K. House had to leave after just 2.2 innings because of a very high pitch count.
• Marty Popham – RHP, Kinston: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K. About as perfect a relief outing as you can get. Popham could be one of first callups to the Akron pen.
• Jose Flores – RHP, Kinston: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 3 K. Returned Rule 5 pick has a disaster of an outing to blow a K-Tribe win.
• Tyler Holt – CF, Kinston: 3-for-3, R, BB. 3 SB. Holt with a fantastic game reaching base four times and being a nuisance on the basepaths with 3 steals.
• Bo Greenwell – LF, Kinston: 2-for-5, R, HR, 2 RBI. Like last April, Greenwell is off to a very good .368/.400/.526 start…Mr. April?
• Abner Abreu – RF, Kinston: 1-for-4, R. While he has 6 strikeouts in 18 at bats so far, you have to be encouraged by the .333/.400/.500 start in 5 games. Confidence is key with him, and he needs it early.
• Adam Abraham – 3B, Kinston: 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB. One of the more under-rated players in the organization, Abraham is not flashy and more one of those unsung guys who are great teammates and put up solid numbers.
• Michael Goodnight – RHP, Lake County: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K. Two very good starts so far for Goodnight this year where in 10.0 innings he has allowed 3 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks, and has 8 strikeouts.
• Nick Bartolone – SS, Lake County: 0-for-4, K. I’d say Bartolone could use a day off after an 0-for-16 slide his last 4 games, but almost the entire Lake County lineup is struggling.
• Jason Smit – RF, Lake County: 2-for-4, R, RBI, K. Smitty is red hot hitting .522/.577/.739 in his first 6 games this year.
• Anthony Gallas – LF, Lake County: 2-for-3, 2B, SB. A multi-hit night for the Cleveland native, one of only two players in the Captains lineup to do that.

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