Around the Farm: November 16

Cory Burns

Around the Farm (ATF) takes a quick look at some of the daily performances by Indians prospects. This is a special fall and winter ball version of ATF that recaps all the offseason action by Indians players in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) and the Caribbean Leagues.  The positions listed below are where the player was playing in the game.

Here is the rundown of what Indians players in fall and winter ball did yesterday.

Arizona Fall League

• Carlos Moncrief (RF): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, K. Moncrief’s 2-hit game finally got his batting average up to .200 in 7 AFL games.  Even with the poor batting average and high strikeout totals, he is doing some good things in the field and at the plate against players who are much more experienced.
• T.J. McFarland (SP): 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 7 K. McFarland was very good in his final AFL outing and last look for the Indians before they make a 40-man roster decision on him tomorrow. The AFL stats and performance of players generally means little, but you have to like what McFarland showed this fall going 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 8 starts (28.1 IP, 25 H, 1 HR, 13 BB, 22 K).
• Cory Burns (RP): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. In what was his final outing this fall, Burns finished strong throwing 6.0 shutout innings in his last 5 outings. Seemingly always overlooked, he once again proved that he can hang with the best in the minors.

Dominican Republic Winter League

• Jerad Head (1B, Tigres del Licey): 0-for-4, 2 K. Head has mostly played right field for his Licey team, but has played some first base. His ability to play almost any position on the field is his greatest asset.

Puerto Rico Winter League

• Giovanni Soto (RP, Gigantes de Carolina): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 0 K. Soto gave up a walk and hit to the three batters he faced, and one of them ended up coming around to score. That run was the first he has allowed in 4 outing this fall (4.0 innings).

Venezuelan Winter League

• Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 0-for-3. Carrera is now just 4-for-21 in his last 7 games, though in 16 games this fall he is still hitting a healthy .286/.342/.460.
• Paolo Espino (SP, Tiburones de la Guaira): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K. Espino’s second start this fall, and a complete 180 from his first start when he went 2.0 innings and allowed 6 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk. Assuming he is not rostered tomorrow by the Indians he could be pitching for scouts for other teams as a possible Rule 5 draft pick.
• Luis Valbuena (2B, Cardenales de Lara): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI. Valbuena continues to have a ho-hum fall and has not done anything in Venezuela or in the big leagues this year to warrant keeping him around with the Indians for much longer.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

Posted in: 2011 Arizona Fall League,Around the Farm,Winter Ball 2011