Weekend Update 2/28: Minor League Camp Battles Loom

A lot of the attention early in the Indians big league camp has been on the battles for the 5th starter, last reliever, and final bench player. But, there is another interesting battle brewing with the start of minor league camp just a week away.There will be many position battles in minor league camp this spring, particurly on the pitching staff for Kinston and Lake County as close to 40-50 players could be vying for what should be just 24 pitching spots available (12 on each team). I'll talk about all of that in the coming weeks as minor league...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #20 Jordan Brown

20. Jordan Brown - First BasemanBorn: 12/18/1983 - Height: 6'0" - Weight: 205 - Bats: Left - Throws: LeftYearAgeTeamLvlGABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBBAOBPSLGOPS200521Mahoning VyA-197515191037372.253.291.387.678200622KinstonA+12547371137267158751594.290.362.469.831200723AkronAA127483851613621176635611.333.421.484.905200824BuffaloAAA1094205211830375135673.281.337.417.754  Career 380145122343593123622115218920.300.372.455.827History:  Brown was a 4th round pick in...

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Smoke Signals 2/26: Stephen Head On Tonight!

Smoke Signals is back on the air tonight (Thursday February 26th) from 9:30-10:30pm EST. Amazingly, we are now two weeks into spring training, but still have almost five weeks to go (wow). Paul and I will hit on all the developments of the past week in big league camp and also some thoughts on some of the early returns from the first two Cactus League games the Indians have played in.The call in number for the show is 646-716-8012 and you can e-mail a question on anything...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #21 Trevor Crowe

21. Trevor Crowe - OutfielderBorn: 11/17/1983 - Height: 6'0" - Weight: 190 - Bats: Switch - Throws: RightYearAgeTeamLvlGABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBBAOBPSLGOPS200521Mahoning VyA-12519132116684.255.345.392.737 21Lake County A4417818468202318257.258.327.326.653 21AkronAA310110000030.100.100.100.200200622Lake County A25000000010.000.000.000.000 22KinstonA+602195172152431484629.329.449.470.919 22AkronAA39154203672113202416.234.318.325.643200723AkronAA13351887134264550627128.259.341.353.694200824AkronAA491984564162428272913.323.404.485.889  BuffaloAAA35146254012251315435.274.350.486.836  Career 3771479256406861520164196250102.275.361.394.755History: ...

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Marte Clears Waivers

Infielder Andy Marte cleared waivers today, and has been outrighted to Triple-A Columbus. He will be back in major league camp on Thursday as a non-roster invitee.The fact that all 29 other major league clubs passed on him by not claiming him pretty much nails it home that no one believes he has any value at the moment as a major league caliber player. Sure, if he were a street free agent lots of teams would be in line to probably sign him to a non-roster deal.....but no one wants him on their 40-man roster as a potential major league option. Not...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #22 Josh Tomlin

22. Josh Tomlin - Right-handed PitcherBorn: 10/19/1984 - Height: 6'1" - Weight: 195 - Bats: Right - Throws: RightYearAgeTeamLvlWLERAGGSSVIPHERHRBBKBB/9K/9WHIP200621Mahoning VyA-822.091515077.15618515691.78.00.91200722Lake CountyA1033.3026150103.2103381019891.67.71.18 22KinstonA+113.5865027.22411012203.96.51.30200823KinstonA+952.984093102.2823410161091.49.60.95 23BuffaloAAA103.861107.0632131.33.91.00  Career 29112.9488453318.127110427632901.88.21.05History: ...

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Spring Training Update 2/24

I don't know how often I will have these updates until I get to Arizona for the final week and a half of spring training, but here is some info from today's intrasquad game:The final score was 8-6, and here are some of the highlights:Trevor Crowe 2-3, HR, RBIJosh Barfield 1-3, HR, 3RBIKelly Shoppach 2-2, 2RS, 2B, HR, 3RBIBeau Mills 2-3, 2RS, 3B, RBILuis Valbuena 1-2, 3B, 2RBIAsdrubal Cabrera 3-3, RSOn the pitching side, David Huff, Kirk Saarloos, Ryan Edell, Adam Miller, and Hector Rondon all had scoreless outings.Also, the final rosters for the...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #23 Zach Putnam

23. Zach Putnam - Right-handed PitcherBorn: 07/03/1987 - Height: 6'2" - Weight: 225 - Bats: Right - Throws: RightYearAgeTeamLvlWLERAGGSSVIPHERHRBBKBB/9K/9WHIP200821U of MichiganC902.581212076.26222423782.79.21.11200821Mahoning VyA-013.723309.2740584.77.41.24History: Putnam was a 5th round pick in the 2008 Draft out of the University of Michigan. Coming into his final year at Michigan last year, Putnam had a strong track record before going through a minor shoulder problem...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #24 Josh Rodriguez

24. Josh Rodriguez - Shortstop/Second BasemanBorn: 12/18/1984 - Height: 6'0" - Weight: 185 - Bats: Right - Throws: RightYearAgeTeamLvlGABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBBAOBPSLGOPS200621Mahoning VyA-45157264211442414332.268.337.465.802200722KinstonA+133493841292092082689521.262.351.460.811200823AkronAA1375327512822107497712212.241.335.359.694  Career 315118218529953233115515925035.253.342.415.757History:  Rodriguez was a 2nd round pick in the 2006 Draft out of Rice...

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Official Cervenka Press Release

Here is the press release that came in from the Indians regarding Cervenka shortly after I posted yesterday's piece:The Cleveland Indians today signed amateur CA MARTIN ČERVENKA to a non-drafted free agent minor league contract. Červenka, 16, is a right-handed hitting catcher from Prague, Czech Republic and was signed by Peter Gahan, the club’s Australia and Europe scouting supervisor.To continue his development while finishing high school Červenka and the Indians have agreed upon a specific playing plan for the next two seasons. Červenka will...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #25 Jeanmar Gomez

25. Jeanmar Gomez - Right-handed PitcherBorn: 02/10/1988 - Height: 6'3" - Weight: 168 - Bats: Right - Throws: RightYearAgeTeamLvlWLERAGGSSVIPHERHRBBKBB/9K/9WHIP200517DSL IndiansR531.331310161.047929461.36.80.92200618GCL IndiansR432.48119054.15015212342.05.61.14200719Lake CountyA1174.8027270140.2152751946942.96.01.41200820KinstonA+594.5527270138.11547014461103.07.21.45  Career 25223.8678731394.1403169371132842.66.51.31History:  Gomez was signed as a non-drafted...

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Weekend Update: Indians Sign European Catcher

It is time for another weekend rundown of the happenings from the past week in the Indians farm system. Spring training is already underway for the big league players, but minor league camp has yet to start, although the start of camp is creeping up fast. Some players will report to early camp which starts this Wednesday February 25th, but most of the players will report on Thursday March 5th (pitchers) and Saturday March 7th (position players).**********The Indians signed...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #26 Cord Phelps

26. Cord Phelps - Second BasemanBorn: 01/23/1987 - Height: 6'2" - Weight: 200 - Bats: Switch - Throws: RightYearAgeTeamLvlGABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBBAOBPSLGOPS200821Stanford UC632597691163135841386.351.445.5871.032200821GCL IndiansR13000001020.000.000.000.000200821Mahoning VyA-35141244410222115224.312.376.454.830History: Phelps was a 3rd round pick in the 2008 Draft out of Stanford University. His professional debut was slowed by a sprained ankle he suffered prior to the College...

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Indians Trade Velasquez For Reliever

In a suprise move today, the Indians traded away 20-year old infielder Isaias Velasquez to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for 30-year old right-handed reliever Juan Salas.Velasquez was signed almost four years ago by the Indians at 16 years of age out of Panama, and just this past season played at short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley where he hit .281 with 1 HR, 18 RBI and a .711 OPS in 64 games. Velasquez has yet to play on a full season team, though likely would have been the starting second baseman for Single-A Lake County this year. The void at...

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Smoke Signals 2/19: Nick Weglarz

Paul and I are back on the cyberwaves tonight Thursday February 19th from 9:30-10:30pm for another edition of Smoke Signals. We'll be talking Tribe and discussing some of the events from the past week since the start of spring training (which is basically a whole lot of nothing!). We will also have outfield prospect Nick Weglarz on around 10pm for our weekly on-air interview for the second half of the show. The link to listen live or download the podcast is provided below:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheClevelandFan/2009/02/20/Smoke-SignalsPlease...

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Indians Top 100 Prospects: #27 Alexander Perez

27. Alexander Perez - Right-handed PitcherBorn: 07/24/1989 - Height: 6'2" - Weight: 156 - Bats: Right - Throws: RightYearAgeTeamLvlWLERAGGSSVIPHERHRBBKBB/9K/9WHIP200718DSL IndiansR122.901310049.24116313642.411.61.09200819GCL IndiansR244.26109050.23724516492.88.71.05 Career 363.5923190100.178408291132.610.11.07History: Perez was signed as an undrafted free agent in May 2007 out of the Dominican Republic. Last year, he finished 2nd in the Gulf Coast League with a .204 batting...

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