Around the Farm: November 30

Paolo Espino

Around the Farm (ATF) takes a quick look at some of the daily performances by Indians prospects. This is a special winter ball version of ATF that recaps all the offseason action by Indians players in 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 winter ball did yesterday.

Dominican Republic Winter League

• Juan Diaz (SS, Estrelles de Oriente): 0-for-0. Diaz did not record an official plate appearance as he was a late game defensive replacement since the starting shortstop was pinch hit for.

Venezuelan Winter League

• Paolo Espino (SP, Tiburones de la Guaira): 0.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R/ER, 0 BB, 1 K. It was a nightmare of an outing for Espino as he did not make it out of the first inning. He faced seven hitters in total, and after they went single, strikeout, double, single, single, triple, and single he was mercifully removed after recording just one out. He has now made 4 starts this fall and in two of them has allowed 5 runs or more in 2.0 or less innings, and in another outing allowed 4 runs in 4.0 innings. That is not very good and it may end up getting him released from his Venezuela team this winter.
• Jesus Aguilar (1B, Leones del Caracas): 1-for-3, RBI, K. Aguilar continues to play well this fall as in six games in Venezuela he is still hitting .286/.476/.571. The improved walk rate in Venezuela and the Arizona Fall League is nice to see.
• Rob Bryson (RP, Bravos de Margarita): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K. Another scoreless outing for Bryson and he has a nice 3.12 ERA in 12 appearances, but the 8 walks in 8.2 innings is not good at all.
• Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 0-for-4, K. Carrera has now played 28 games and piled up 114 at bats this fall. The .772 OPS is solid, but most importantly he is gaining much needed reps and game experience. He gets it, and it would have been nice had Matt LaPorta and Cord Phelps followed his lead to play winter ball and get some much needed extra work.

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: Around the Farm,Winter Ball 2011