Minor Happenings: Phelps making big league case

Cord Phelps (Photo: Lianna Holub)

"Minor Happenings" is a weekly column which recaps the important developments and news in the Indians farm system. While most of the information in this report is from my own research and through interviews I have conducted with organizational personnel, some information in this report is collected and summarized from the various news outlets that cover each team.

Another week of action in the Indians farm system has quickly come and gone, and that means yet another edition of Minor Happenings to run down all the notable happenings from the week that was in the minors.

We also have a draft coming up, which means lots of coverage on the horizon for the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft.  It is hard to believe it is less than four weeks away….which means another 50 players will be born into the Indians family and into the lore on this site.  Of course only roughly half will of those 50 picks will sign on the dotted line, but once they do they will be followed as prospects for years to come.  Jeff Ellis did a mock draft for the site yesterday, and we will have more mock drafts and articles leading up to the draft, and of course loads of coverage on draft day.

Things for me are slowly getting back to normal, and with that I will soon be going out and catching some games in person to interview players, coaches, and so on.  I’m hopeful I can start doing that by the end of the month or beginning of June.  Lord knows I am chomping at the bit to talk to some guys off to some hot and cold starts!

Onto the Happenings…

Indians Minor League Player of the Week

(for games from May 5^th to May 11^th)

Cord Phelps (Infielder – Columbus)

.417 (10-24), 6 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 8 K, 1.381 OPS

When you peruse the Triple-A Columbus roster for the most impactful Major League ready player in the infield, no it is not third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall or second baseman Jason Kipnis, but instead is actually infielder Cord Phelps.  Chisenhall and Kipnis may have more upside and the better big league careers in the long run, but right now at least in the short term Phelps is the best option available to the Indians who could impact the big league team in a very positive way.

So far this season in 30 games Phelps is hitting .318 with 5 HR, 20 RBI and a .987 OPS.  As a switch-hitter with an ability to take a walk (26 BB, 32 K, 107 AB) who also has some pop, he would be a much welcomed addition to the big league roster.  With incumbent second baseman Orlando Cabrera starting to show his age at the plate and in the field it is possible that at some point down the road the Indians look to cut back on Cabrera’s playing time and bring up Phelps to take up some of the second base at bats.

The beauty of Phelps is he can play several positions, so even if Cabrera is still playing four to five games a week at second base, the Indians could find Phelps enough regular work at other positions where he could play four to five games a week himself if he proves worthy of the time.  He is not an everyday option at third base or shortstop, but he has the versatility and ability to fill in at each position once or twice a week.  He would be a clear step down defensively from Jack Hannahan at third base or Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop, but he would potentially be as good or better than both of them at the plate.

Phelps is a good ace in the hole for the Indians, and when they do decide to bring him up they will have to add him to the 40-man roster though the obvious move would be to designate infielder Adam Everett for assignment when the time comes.  Those who remember Gregg Jefferies who played many seasons for several teams from the late 80s to the end of 90s, this is the kind of player Phelps could be.  He is athletic, versatile, switch-hits, has some speed, and has some pop in his bat where he may not be a regular at any one position, but can be a regular in the lineup at a different position every night.

Honorable Mentions:

Ezequiel Carrera (OF – COL): .385 (10-26), 9 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K, 5 SB, 1.005 OPS

Tim Fedroff (OF – AKR): .462 (12-26), 1 R, 3 2B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1.058 OPS

Matt McBride (1B – AKR): .407 (11-27), 7 R, 1 2B, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, 1.337 OPS

Tyler Holt (OF – KIN): .429 (6-14), 1 R, 1 2B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 8 BB, 0 K, 1.136 OPS

Anthony Gallas (OF – LC): .444 (12-27), 6 R, 5 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K, 1.130 OPS

Brett Brach (RHP – KIN): 1-1, 2 G, 2.19 ERA, 12.1 IP, 5 H, 5 BB, 8 K, .128 BAA

Infirmary Report

Here is an update on several players in the Indians system who are rehabbing from injuries or recently been injured:

Infielder Jason Donald recently returned to action with Triple-A Columbus from a left hand injury which sidelined him most of spring training and for most of the first month of the regular season.  After just a few games back in action this past week he was injured again on Tuesday night when a base-runner took a hard slide into him at second base to break up a potential double play.  He had an MRI on the knee and the results are still unknown, but he is wearing a brace on his left knee and is expected to be out for at least two to three weeks.

Infielder Jared Goedert started a 20-game rehab assignment with Double-A Akron this week.  He is recovering from a rib cage strain (oblique) that he suffered back in spring training that resulted in him being placed on the 60-day disabled list to start the season.  He should finish his rehab with Triple-A Columbus and is set to come off the 60-day disabled list at the end of the month, so the Indians will need to make a decision in the next two weeks on who to remove from the 40-man roster to add him back or if they will designate him for assignment.

Outfielder Nick Weglarz is still recovering from his left knee injury in spring training.  He is expected to start playing rehab games in Arizona soon, and could be back with Triple-A Columbus by the end of the month.

Right-handed pitcher Anthony Reyes is pretty much ready to be activated from extended spring training where he has been working to get stronger from his Tommy John surgery that he had two years ago.  The big problem has been finding somewhere to pitch him as the rotations in Cleveland and Columbus are bursting at the seams, and they still have to get right-hander Mitch Talbot back into the mix in the next two weeks.  In the meantime he just in a purgatory state and just biding his time until the Columbus rotation thins out and a spot opens up for him or the Indians trade or release him.

First baseman Nick Johnson is recovering well from his right wrist injury.  He is on the verge of playing some rehab games, and if things go well could be in Triple-A Columbus by the end of this month or beginning of June.  The Indians will need to make a decision on him in the next seven weeks since he has an opt-out clause in his contract where he can request his release if not on the 40-man roster by July 1^st.

Right-handers Hector Rondon and Alexander Perez are both rehabbing from their Tommy John surgeries last season.  Both will likely start pitching in rehab games with rookie level Arizona when their season starts in late June, and if all goes well it is possible both could see time with a regular affiliate in late July or August.  Both will be limited pitching in affiliate ball this year, and most of their work will likely come in the fall in Instructional League or another fall/winter league.

High-A Kinston outfielder Delvi Cid is back on the disabled list as he has struggled to overcome recurring back spasms.  The back spasms and a groin injury sidelined him in spring training and delayed the start of his season by a month, and after just three games of action with Kinston he is sidelined again for an undetermined amount of time.

Zach Attack

Triple-A Columbus right-handed pitcher Zach McAllister is back pitching to the level he was prior to last season, which is great news for the Indians especially considering they picked him up from the Yankees last August for outfielder Austin Kearns.  Once again the Indians look like they made a trade that at the time was considered low profile that may pay big dividends down the road just like the Eduardo Perez for Asdrubal Cabrera, Ben Broussard for Shin-Soo Choo, and Casey Blake for Carlos Santana trades of the past.

McAllister, 23, has made six starts for Columbus this year and is 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA.  In 39.0 innings pitched he has allowed 36 hits, 6 walks, and has 29 strikeouts.  He has really been on a roll his last four starts going 4-0 with a 1.92 ERA and in 28.0 innings has allowed 6 runs, 25 hits, 2 walks, and has 21 strikeouts.  This is a big change from last year where pitching mostly for Triple-A Scranton WB he went 9-12 with a 5.29 ERA (149.2 IP, 185 H, 45 BB, 99 K) in 27 total starts between the Yankees and Indians organizations.

McAllister’s confidence has returned and he is once again working the strike zone to near perfection.  While he is a physical specimen at 6’6” 240 pounds, he is not an overpowering pitcher as he generally sits 87-91 MPH with his sinking fastball though has touched 94 MPH in the past.  He is more of a command and control specialist with a deep mix of pitches he can throw for strikes as in addition to his fastball he also throws a slider, cutter, curveball and changeup.   He is an intelligent pitcher who just knows how to pitch and has a feel for working to both sides of the plate.  His biggest step forward this year has been the improved command of his pitches and the effectiveness of his cutter and slider.

McAllister is now without a doubt Major League starting depth, and yet another option at the big league level for the Indians who are now nine starters deep with Fausto Carmona, Justin Masterson, Josh Tomlin, Alex White, Carlos Carrasco, Mitch Talbot, Jeanmar Gomez, McAllister, and Dave Huff.  The depth and youth the Indians have in the starting rotation is almost unheard of, and one big reason they can sustain the success they have had in the early part of the season.

Barnes a future option

Another big league starting pitching option looming on the horizon for the Indians is Triple-A Columbus left-hander Scott Barnes.  Due to the depth of the staff both in Cleveland and Columbus it is highly unlikely that he will ever see time in the big leagues this season unless a catastrophe occurs, but he is on the radar as an option in the near future.  He is up for roster protection after this season and will surely be added to the 40-man roster as the Indians believe he is a starting pitching option for them in the future.

The Indians acquired him back in July of 2009 for Ryan Garko, and again it could pay off as another low key trade that pays big dividends for them in the future.  He worked through some struggles last season and really finished strong with a good showing in the Arizona Fall League and has come out this season pitching like a man on a mission.  He opened the season in Double-A Akron and dominated in two starts (11.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 17 K) before quickly being called to Columbus where in four starts he is 2-1 with a 6.23 ERA (21.2 IP, 23 H, 13 BB, 20 K).

The numbers so far for Barnes at Columbus have not been pretty, but the beauty of the situation is he is under no pressure to get to the big leagues this year and can use the rest of the season to get acclimated to the Triple-A level, gain confidence, and work on his limitations (slider, emotions).  His fastball has been up to 96 MPH this year and his changeup continues to impress, but his command – mostly his fastball arm side - has been off a little since his promotion to Columbus though some of it is likely the result of dealing with some nerves in his first exposure to Triple-A.  He is a very intense, emotional pitcher and sometimes it can get the best of him.

Brach continues to perform

High-A Kinston right-handed pitcher Brett Brach is about as consistent as they come.  Coming into the season, in 39 career games (37 starts) he owned a 10-11 record with a 2.97 ERA, and in 200.1 innings had allowed 181 hits, 49 walks, and had 153 strikeouts in combined time from 2009-2010 with short season Single-A Mahoning Valley, Low-A Lake County, and Kinston.  This season in seven appearances (5 starts) between Kinston and Double-A Akron, he is 4-2 with a 1.34 ERA, and in 33.2 innings has allowed 19 hits, 12 walks, and has 23 strikeouts.

Brach, 23, is a performer.  Armed with an 89-92 MPH sinking fastball and average secondary pitches, he lacks the stuff to be considered a high end prospect.  But sometimes even those who lack the sexiness of a 98 MPH fastball or devastating slider can get noticed and make their mark as a prospect.  This is something Brach is doing as he consistently gets hitters to pound the ball into the ground and he throws strikes.  In a lot of ways he looks to be an overlooked over-achiever much like right-hander Josh Tomlin was in his early days in the system.

At the moment Brach’s 1.63 ERA at Kinston is 3^rd best in the Carolina League.  He has always pitched well with his sinker-changeup combination as he gets good separation in velocity between the two pitches, but he has made some strides so far this season with his fastball command and his breaking balls.  He has done a better job keeping the ball down in the zone and has really challenged hitters going right at them with his pitch to contact mentality.  His slider and curveball have been effective in allowing him to get ahead in the count with first pitch strikes.  He may never be a high end prospect, but he is starting to make a name for himself as an innings eating potential back of the rotation big league pitching prospect.

Miller’s slider

Now that High-A Kinston right-hander Adam Miller has been activated, just about every appearance he makes and every pitch he throws is going to be over-analyzed.  He struggled in his first outing on April 30^th allowing four runs, four hits, one walk and had one strikeout in one inning of work, but in the two outings since then on May 3^rd and May 8^th he has thrown two scoreless innings and allowed one hit, two walks, and has two strikeouts.  The time between his appearances has resulted some in trying to maintain his health but mostly because of all the rainouts Kinston has had.

Miller, 26, is sitting in the low 90s with his fastball at 90-93 MPH and has been up to 95 MPH.  The big thing he is working on at the moment is regaining the feel of his slider, a pitch that was once considered the best in his arsenal and a plus-plus devastating weapon.  Since the last digit in his right middle finger is now stationary and does not bend, he has to find a feel for the slider since the tip of his finger always lays flat and is unable to curl around the ball or put pressure on it.  He has made unbelievable strides with his health, now the key is getting that slider back to being a usable, consistent weapon.  Once he and the Indians are comfortable with how the slider is coming along, he should quickly move up to Double-A Akron.

Award Winners

Low-A Lake County swept the Midwest League awards this week as outfielder Anthony Gallas was named the Midwest League Player of the Week and left-handed pitcher Mike Rayl was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for the period from May 2^nd to May 8^th.

Gallas, 23, is a Strongsville native and Kent State University graduate and during the period hit .433 (13-30) with 5 2B, 3 RBI, and scored 6 runs.  In 29 games he is hitting .348 with 3 HR, 12 RBI, and a .969 OPS, and ranks 5^th in the league in hitting (.348), 5^th in OPS (.969), 2^nd in hits (39), 1^st in doubles (15), 5^th in total bases (63), and 6^th in runs (22).  As an undrafted free agent signing last June, he has come on strong and quickly made a name for himself because of his performance and wide skill set as a defender, runner, and hitter.  With every game he is starting to look a lot like another Brian Barton who broke onto the scene back in 2005 in Lake County as an undrafted payer.

Rayl, 22, made one start during the period and threw seven scoreless innings allowing one hit, no walks, and struck out a career high 11 batters.  On the season he has made seven starts and is 4-0 with a 2.29 ERA, and in 35.1 innings has allowed 23 hits, 9 walks, and has 39 strikeouts.

Random Notes

Triple-A Columbus third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting .281 with 2 HR, 21 RBI, and a .793 OPS in 31 games.  He has really turned things around after a slow start and in his last ten games is hitting .350 with a .897 OPS.  The biggest change is he is once again using the entire field and spraying line drives all over the place.  When he is on his game – like in spring training – he has a nice line drive stroke going from gap to gap.

With infielder Jason Donald out again for awhile, Triple-A infielder Luis Valbuena may now be the first option the Indians will call upon for a utility need should they decide to part ways with Adam Everett.  In 25 games for Columbus he is hitting .277 with 4 HR, 16 RBI and a .805 OPS, and he is playing all over the field as he has appeared in 13 games at shortstop, four at third base, four in the outfield, and one at second base.  He is currently primarily playing outfield for Columbus due to the depth of infielders on the team, though is not foreign to the position as he has played there in the past in winter ball.

Double-A left-handed pitcher Nick Hagadone showed he was human this past week in allowing his first earned runs of the season.  In ten appearances he is 2-1 with a 1.74 ERA, and in 20.2 innings has allowed 14 hits, 6 walks, and has 23 strikeouts.  His one blemish this year has been his appearance on May 7^th where in 1.2 innings he allowed three runs on two hits and two walks, but he actually threw well that outing as he was the victim of some very poor calls on balls and strikes by the home plate umpire.  Even with the tight strike zone he kept his composure, and overall his ability to harness his adrenaline and emotions has been a big key in cutting down on the walks this year.

Double-A Akron third baseman Kyle Bellows is really struggling at the plate this season where in 27 games he is hitting just .177 with 0 HR, 9 RBI, and a .496 OPS.  He’s been a big disappointment offensively, though the concerns with his offense were known going into this season.  Defensively he continues to be an excellent defender at third base, and that defensive ability is going to keep him in the organization for a long time to hopefully allow him time to iron out his flaws offensively.

High-A Kinston left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz continues to dominate the Carolina League where in six starts he is now 1-0 with a 1.27 ERA (28.1 IP, 16 H, 10 BB, 42 K).  He picked up his first professional win this past week in his last start on May 7^th when he went five shutout innings allowing three hits, three walks, and had eight strikeouts.  In his last start he relied mostly on his fastball as he had trouble locating his curveball and changeup, which is a clear sign that he needs to move up to Double-A as he needs to be challenged to throw his secondary stuff more and not just get by with fastballs when needed.

High-A Kinston outfielder Jason Smit has had a rough introduction to the Carolina League since his promotion from Low-A Lake County last week.  In five games with Kinston he is hitting .167 with 0 HR, 2 RBI and a .536 OPS, while in 26 games for Lake County he hit .344 with 2 HR, 11 RBI and a .938 OPS.  At Kinston he will split time between the outfield and first base.

Low-A Lake County outfielder Carlos Moncrief is off to a very good start where in 32 games he is hitting .260 with 4 HR, 19 RBI and a .838 OPS.  He is still working his way back as an everyday position player since he spent his first two seasons in the organization as a pitcher.  He has the power bat and arm that projects well as a prototype right-fielder, and his performance so far this season is encouraging and he is showing signs of development.

Low-A Lake County middle infielder Argenis Martinez is a slick fielder who is one of the best defensive infielders in the entire Indians system, if not the best.  In 25 games this year he is hitting .244 with 0 HR, 13 RBI and a .628 OPS.  At 5’11” and 160 pounds he moves swiftly and is an acrobat in the field showing excellent range to track down almost any ball, good footwork and hands, and a solid throwing arm.  Even with all that potential defensively, he still needs to show he can hold his own offensively if he wants to move up to the higher levels of the system.

The Indians recently released infielder Ron Rivas and right-handed pitcher Orlando Pereira.  Neither release is a surprise as Rivas was an error-machine last year for Kinston and even after a big showing in spring training had been playing sparingly this season.  Pereira was a young pitcher from Venezuela who topped out at the rookie level.

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).

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Goodyear Notebook: 3/20

(Photo: Tony Lastoria)

Wolters in good spirits in wake of injury

It happens every spring.

With around 150 players in minor league camp, a handful of players are bound to get a few bumps and bruises along the way.  The hope is that of the injuries sustained during spring training that none of them are serious and will keep players out for very long.

Shortstop Tony Wolters, 18, is one of those players who has been sidelined with an injury this spring, but is not expected to be out of action for very long.

Last weekend Wolters complained of some discomfort in his right hand after taking some swings and an x-ray revealed he had broken the hamate bone in his hand.  He went to Cleveland on Monday and Dr. Tom Graham completed the surgery on Wednesday to remove the hamate bone.  He returned to Arizona on Thursday night and remains positive and upbeat that he will be back playing soon.

“I feel pretty good,” said Wolters.  “I’m just here to watch the guys play.  I am excited for them, but I want to be out there.  I’ll be back out there soon.”

Wolters worked hard in the offseason with a personal trainer as it was the first time in his career that he was able to concentrate 100% on baseball.  He came into camp in the best shape of his career, but apparently he suffered the hand injury just before the start of camp while taking some swings in the cages.

“I started feeling it about three weeks ago but thought it would go away,” said Wolters about the injury.  “I felt some cracking going on during batting practice so I went in and told them about it.  I went in and got an x-ray and they said it was broken.”

Wolters is back in camp with a soft cast on his right hand and has been reduced to a spectator’s role while his hand recovers from surgery.  He is expected to go back to Cleveland soon to be re-evaluated by Dr. Graham and determine if everything is going as expected post-surgery and what his rehab plan will be.

For now all Wolters knows is that he will be in a soft cast until about the end of the month.  Since the injury is to his throwing hand and the bottom hand with his swing, some precaution will surely be taken to ensure he comes back fully healthy and does not have any setbacks.

“They haven’t really given the outline of it, but [the rehab will] probably be strengthening of the hand and rubbing out the scar tissue,” said Wolters.  “Just trying to get the feel back is going to be one of the main things.”

Beyond the hand injury for Wolters, his first spring training experience is going well.

“I love coming here and seeing all the guys,” said Wolters.  “I have made a lot of friends and I am meeting everyone, so I feel I know almost everyone here.  I am getting really comfortable with that.  I felt good coming into spring training and feel like I came into camp in the best shape I have ever been in.  I am really excited.  [The hand injury] was kind of a disappointment, but I am trying to take the positive out of it.”

Wolter’s first spring training pales in comparison to the excitement he had to get his career going last year when he got to play at rookie level Arizona for a few games and then went to short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley for the last week or so of the season.  He did not pay with Mahoning Valley but practiced and also travelled with them.

“It was awesome coming out here for the Arizona League and getting to play with some of the guys I knew and playing against some of the guys from the other teams I knew,” said Wolters.  “It was amazing and I loved it and it was what I expected.  When I went to Mahoning Valley it was an honor to get to go somewhere and have my first road trip.”

Once Wolters is healthy and ready to start playing games – hopefully in about five weeks – he can start getting to work on improving his game as a defender and hitter.  His two favorite players growing up that he patterned his game after are Ozzie Smith and Craig Biggio because of how they played the game on and off the field.

“I have been working crazy hard on my defense,” said Wolters.  “There are a lot of things that Travis Fryman and Anthony Medrano have been telling me like that I need to start practicing to funnel and go to my core.  I practiced that probably more than hitting in the offseason.  I really feel like it is coming natural to me now and I am actually getting better at it.”

Wolters knows that he also needs to get better at the plate.  He implies it really boils down to him finding his swing again, something that has eluded him since some of the showcase games early last year.

“I have been doing this board thing with my hitting coach and it has actually really helped me with my lower half and staying back,” said Wolters about his hitting.  “I can’t wait to go see what my swing is like now because I have been doing it without a bat.  I just need to find my swing.  I know it’s in there as I had it in the Aflac game and all those other games.  I brought my hands from down [low] and up [higher], and I just need to find that timing and everything again.  It will come along as I just need at bats.”

The main goal for Wolters right now is to get healthy as hamate procedures can be tricky as they can affect every player differently.  He knows this, but is determined to get back on the field and have a good first full season in the organization.

“I just want to get healthy and find out what kind of player I am,” said Wolters.  “Just kind of find my swing, get better and stronger, and try to improve all of my skills and try to become the baseball player I want to be.  It is a step by step process, but I am really pushing myself.”

Washington temporarily sidelined

Another top pick from the Indians’ 2010 Draft class has been sidelined this spring as outfielder LeVon Washington is working his way back from a minor knee injury.

“My knee just started hurting out of nowhere,” said Washington.  “I have been up here since January.  I had an MRI on my hip and had a torn labrum [that I hurt in rookie ball].  I played through it in Instructional League.  I would be 100% if my knee wouldn’t have started bothering me right now.”

Washington has been rehabbing the knee the past few weeks as he has been limited in the early going this spring where he has not participated in drills or games yet, but is expected to be back in action at the end of the week.

“I’m just doing a lot of stretching and making it stronger,” said Washington.  “I’m doing a lot of oval tub, ice, ultrasound, and a lot of medicine to help with the inflammation.”

Washington played shortstop in high school, but an arm injury has relegated him to the outfield and is where the Indians plan to play and develop him going forward.  He prefers to play shortstop but knows he can’t because he no longer has the arm strength to play there.

While Washington’s arm strength has declined, he is adamant that his speed has not taken a step back.  He knows that there have been some comments over the past year that he may have lost a step, but according to him he just chose not to run as much last year in order to stay healthy for the draft.

“I want to steal a lot of bags this year,” declared Washington.  “A lot of people say I can’t run as fast as I did in high school and that I lost a step, but I can still run and that’s what I want to prove this year.  I didn’t run by choice as I stole only eight bags in college in order to try and stay healthy for the draft.”

Washington has the tools to be an impact caliber leadoff hitter.  He has a tendency to over swing, so one of the early adjustments the organization has asked him to make is to work on keeping his head down on the ball and make more consistent contact.  Once he is cleared to start playing in games this spring he plans to start working on that adjustment and just doing whatever he can to improve this season.

“I am liking [pro ball] so far and having fun,” said Washington.  “I wish I was playing right now, but my goal it to just be healthy the whole year.  I think good things will happen if I am.”

Notebook:

Weglarz out:  The injuries are starting to pour in late in spring training, and outfielder Nick Weglarz is the latest to get bitten by the injury bug.  He collapsed to the field on Thursday while running the bases and had to be helped off the field.  He ended up suffering a torn meniscus to his left knee and is on his way to Cleveland to seek a second opinion from Dr. Rick Parker to determine if surgery is needed or not and how long he will be out.  First baseman Jordan Brown suffered the same injury last year and ended up missing about eight weeks, so Weglarz will probably be out at least until mid-May.

Bryson has broken foot:  Right-handed pitcher Rob Bryson was back at camp on Saturday with a cast on his right foot.  In talking to him he suffered the injury the day before he was set to come to spring training while he was training and running poles at his high school facility when he stepped in a hole.  He is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, and then go on a throwing program.  Provided he has no setbacks, be will probably be out until sometime around the All Star break.  What an unfortunate injury as he looked to be in great shape and got much stronger in his upper half over the offseason.

Columbus recap: Shortstop Ronald Rivas went 1-for-1 with a HR and 2 RBI, and shortstop Juan Diaz went 2-for-3 with a 2B.  Right-hander Bryce Stowell was up to 96 MPH but struggled with his control in his two innings of work with three walks and two strikeouts with just one first pitch strike to the nine batters he faced.  Left-hander Matt Packer was tagged for three runs on five hits, two walks, and a strikeout in two innings (91 MPH high, 88 MPH average).

Akron recap: Third baseman Kyle Bellows had an impressive day at the plate as he homered in both plate appearances.  Right-hander Tyler Sturdevant pitched well and showed a nice cutter going two innings and allowed one run and one hit (94 MPH high, 92 MPH average).  Right-hander Kyle Landis is continuing his comeback and went one inning and allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits, two walks, and had one strikeout (92 MPH high, 88 MPH average).

Kinston recap: The offense was quiet for Kinston as only outfielder Brian Heere did anything noteworthy by going 1-for-3 with a 2B and 2 RBI.  Oh, and Alex Lavisky was a late sub and had one plate appearance and doubled.  Right-hander Tony Dischler threw two innings and allowed one run on no hits, one walk, and had one strikeout (90 MPH high, 87 MPH average).

Lake County recap: First baseman Jesus Aguilar continues to have a very good camp with the bat going 2-for-2 with a walk.  Left-hander Elvis Araujo was impressive in his one inning of work by not allowing a run or hit (95 MPH high, 92 MPH average).  Right-hander Andrew Shive who is one of the players the Indians acquired in the Kerry Wood trade went one inning of shutout-hitless relief (89 MPH high, 87 MPH average).

Cid is back: Outfielder Delvi Cid had been slowed early in camp because of a mild groin strain, but has been cleared to start participating in games and played a few innings on Sunday.

Ouch!:  Infielder Argenis Martinez was blasted with a pitch to his left collar bone and neck area from right-hander Kyle Landis yesterday.  He quickly crumpled to the ground and after a minute or two was able to walk off the field under his own power.  Hopefully he is okay as it sounded awful.

Davis gonzo: In case anyone missed it, the Indians decided not to sign right-handed pitcher Jason Davis and he left camp on Friday.

Today: It will be my last day out here in Goodyear, and should actually be a rainy one as the forecast is calling for a high in the low-to-mid 60s with 70% chance of rain.  I will have one more notebook tomorrow, but the updates will not stop there as I have lots of articles to come over the next few days on players I have talked to in camp.  I will also continue to provide more detailed recaps from the spring games.

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).

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Minor Happenings: Popham a No-Hit Wonder

"Minor Happenings" is a weekly column which covers the important developments and news in the Indians farm system. While most of the information in this report is from my own research and through interviews I have conducted with organizational personnel, some information in this report is collected and summarized from the various news outlets that cover each team.

The minor league regular season has come to a close, and with that this year's Minor Happenings updates will soon as well.  That said, with three teams in the playoffs there is still lots to talk about through the end of this month, so the Happenings should continue to be strong through the end of the month when we wrap it all up with the year end Tony Awards.

The postseason excitement kicks up tonight for three Indians' affiliates as Triple-A Columbus, High-A Kinston, and Low-A Lake County open up first round play.  On the hill tonight will be left-hander David Huff (Columbus), left-hander T.J. McFarland (Kinston), and right-hander Brett Brach (Lake County).  The full schedule and probables for the first round can be seen here.

Also, just a quick reader note to mention that I have tons of interviews in the queue that will start to get out over the course of the next several weeks.  New players like Alex Lavisky, Cole Cook, Tony Dischler, Chase Burnette, and Michael Goodnight, along with others like Zach Putnam, Josh Judy, Trey Haley, Roberto Perez, Marty Popham and others will all be posting between now and really the end of the year.  So be on the lookout for these 20-25 player features coming throughout the fall.

Speaking of fall, Instructional League kicks up in a week, so I should be posting the roster and schedule soon.  Also, I will be going out there to Arizona the final week in mid-October to see how the players are doing as well as catching a game or two of the Arizona Fall League to see how our young, top prospects are doing there.

Good luck to the Tribe farmhands tonight and throughout the playoffs....and with that onto the Happenings...

Indians Minor League Player of the Week
(for games from August 26^th to September 6^th)

Marty Popham (Right-handed pitcher – Kinston
1-0, 2 G, 0.00 ERA, 13.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 K, .050 BAA

Talk about ending the season on a good note.  High-A Kinston right-handed pitcher Marty Popham did that and then some when he along with two other pitchers left-hander Chris Jones and right-hander Cory Burns combined on a 10-inning no-hitter on Sunday.

Popham, who just turned 23-years old last month, was on his A-game as he was perfect through six innings.  He lost his bid for a perfect game when he walked the leadoff hitter in the seventh inning, and his shutout bid was put in danger when a wild pitch pushed the walked batter into scoring position with no outs, but he was able to settle down and although he walked another batter he was able to retire the side with no one scoring or getting a hit.

Popham was outstanding all night, throwing all of his pitches for strikes, and he was removed after the seventh inning as he had reached his pitch count since he was at 95 pitches.  With the game at a scoreless 0-0 tie, the no hitter was passed onto Jones who threw two shutout-hitless innings in the eighth and ninth inning, and then after gaining the lead in the 10^th thanks to a Doug Pickens RBI, Burns was summoned to close out another K-Tribe win and he responded with a scoreless-hitless inning.

The no-hitter was the seventh in Kinston history, and the first one since lefty Keith Ramsey threw a perfect game on almost the same date six years ago in September 2004.  Going back to 1945 it was just the third extra innings no-hitter in league history, and the first since Durham’s Chris Czarnik pitched an amazing 14 no-hit innings back on May 24, 1990.

Honorable Mentions:

Josh Rodriguez (SS – COL): .375 (15-40), 4 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K, 1.030 OPS
Jose Constanza (OF – COL): .356 (16-45), 8 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K, .909 OPS
Eze. Carrera (OF – COL): .341 (15-44), 5 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 BB, 7 K, 6 SB, .908 OPS
Miguel Perez (C – AKR): .367 (11-30), 7 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K, .875 OPS
Chun Chen (C – KIN): .368 (14-38), 7 R, 5 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 9 BB, 5 K, 1.158 OPS
Donnie Webb (OF – COL): .368 (14-38), 13 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 10 K, .993 OPS
Jeremie Tice (1B – KIN): .326 (14-43), 9 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 4 BB, 8 K, 1.039 OPS
Tyler Holt (OF – LC): .344 (11-32), 5 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 10 BB, 5 K, 3 SB, 1.020 OPS
Jesus Aguilar (1B – MV): .400 (16-40), 4 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 8 K, 1.017 OPS
Alex Kaminsky (RHP – MV): 1-1, 2 G, 11.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, .184 BAA
Francisco Jimenez (LHP – LC): 0-0, 3 G, 0.00 ERA, 10.1 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K, .167 BAA
Joe Gardner (RHP – KIN): 1-1, 2 G, 0.87 ERA, 10.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 9 BB, 6 K, .176 BAA
Austin Adams (RHP – KIN): 2-0, 2 G, 0.90 ERA, 10.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 13 K, .216 BAA
Matt Packer (LHP – AKR): 1-0, 2 G, 0.69 ERA, 13.0 IP, 11 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 16 K, .239 BAA
Steven Wright (RHP – AKR): 1-1, 3 G, 0.90 ERA, 10.0 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, .250 BAA

Previous Winners:

08/20 to 08/26: Jason Knapp (RHP – Lake County)
08/13 to 08/19: Carlos Carrasco (RHP – Columbus)
08/06 to 08/12: Alex Kaminsky (RHP – Mahoning Valley)
07/28 to 08/05 T.J. House (LHP – Kinston)
07/22 to 07/28: Adam Abraham (3B – Lake County)
07/15 to 07/21: Jason Kipnis (2B – Akron)
07/08 to 07/14: Jesus Aguilar (1B – Arizona)
07/01 to 07/07: Matt McBride (OF – Akron)
06/24 to 06/30: Michael Brantley (OF - Columbus)
06/17 to 06/23: Jason Kipnis (2B – Akron)
06/10 to 06/16: Jared Goedert (3B – Columbus)
06/03 to 06/09: Josh Rodriguez (INF – Columbus)
05/27 to 06/02: Paolo Espino (RHP – Akron)
05/20 to 05/26: Kyle Bellows (3B – Kinston)
05/13 to 05/19: Carlos Santana (C – Columbus)
05/06 to 05/12: T.J. McFarland (LHP – Kinston)
04/29 to 05/05: Trey Haley (RHP – Lake County)
04/22 to 04/28: Jason Donald (INF – Columbus)
04/15 to 04/21: Bo Greenwell (OF – Lake County
04/08 to 04/14: Carlos Santana (C – Columbus)

Director’s Cuts

Indians Farm Director Ross Atkins recently shared some thoughts on how players deal with the end of the minor league season as well as some thoughts on several players throughout the system:

On Carlos Carrasco: "The [adjustments he has made] and that are easier to see that are more tangible are his ability to command his ball and control the running game.  You see those in any given start at this point as compared to six months ago.  The ability to hold the ball and not have a track meet with a good base-stealing team is clearly something that he has improved on.  I also think all of his pitches are better right now than they were six months ago, but the fastball command is what jumps out though there is still work to be done there.  It is not necessarily delivery related at this point as in our mind it is his ability to control his emotional intensity.  Every young competitive athlete is going to improve because of their competitive nature, but with someone as talented as Carlos it comes down to two things.  One, how good does he want to be and does he want to be as good as his potential.  And two, can we expedite that given that he is only 22 turning 23 years old."

On Jordan Brown: "Jordan has answered challenges well.  We pushed him on the defensive front and he has made positive strides at first base and he is an option in the outfield.  He has always had the ability to hit and is one of the best at it in our system just putting the bat on the ball and making hard contact.  He stabilized that Triple-A lineup and was the toughest out in that lineup.  Hopefully he will make the most of this opportunity [in Cleveland]."

On Corey Kluber: ""Corey has been solid.  His first couple of starts I think with the whirlwind of the trade with trying to live up to the expectations of the trade for Jake Westbrook he put a little bit of pressure on himself.  He has settled down and his last couple of outings in Double-A were very good and his outings in Columbus have been his best yet.  He has a solid average fastball that he commands well and probably a touch above average slider.  He is strong, durable, and a great athlete we feel has all the intangibles to be a major league starter."

On Kyle Bellows: "Objectively and subjectively he has been the best defensive third baseman in almost all of minor league baseball.  It is remarkable what he can do and really exciting and fun to watch.  All of the new defensive metrics say he is outstanding, and every scout and coordinator who comes through Kinston says the same.  Really what it comes down to is his throwing accuracy.  No matter where he picks up the ball and stands up he is always able to hit the first baseman in the chest.  It is remarkable how consistently he has done that this year.  And the bat is developing.  He is one of those individuals who is learning about the rigors of a long season as he has lost 20 pounds.  [Going forward], mostly it is going to be a process for him to learn how he can maintain his strength through the season which has definitely impacted his offense."

On Austin Adams: "It is a great story with Austin who is a converted shortstop.  He is a guy who reminded us a lot of Josh Tomlin when he first came into the system because of his athleticism and the strength in his lower half.  He is throwing 96-98 MPH.  He doesn't have Josh Tomlin's pitch ability, but Austin has had a very encouraging year as a starting pitcher in Kinston and in Lake County.  Every night he is flashing upper 90s fastballs, and as you know that is hard to come by.  We are hearing more and more of that in the system over the last six months, so that is a good thing."

On Juan Diaz: "He actually made a significant adjustment with us, which is unusual as we usually like to let guys play and show us what got them here and show us what they were doing and get to know them.  It was clear we had strong opinions with how he was approaching the ball left-handed as he had a very different approach left-handed than right-handed.  We asked him to make it more aligned with his right-handed approach and it seemed to help him.  He is a really fun player and has some exciting actions in the field and has more strength to the bat than I was anticipating.  There is no question he has major league shortstop value."

On Chun Chen: "He has not missed a beat from Lake County to Kinston.  He is catching a little bit more now than he was in Lake County, and that is a good thing as there is some development there.  He is the best hitter in the lineup and it really has been a break through year for him.  Hopefully he will play in the Arizona Fall League this year, and if he does not it will be because he is playing for his country in Taiwan.  He really has become a solid prospect for us."

On managing a Triple-A roster at this time of the year: “It never ceases to amaze us how challenging that is.  You think it is just Triple-A baseball and is a part of it, and you think you can manage things well and manage expectations well, but you just never can because it is just such a thrill for these young players to even think about the major leagues, some of them for the first time.  It is such a powerful point in their career that there is so much anxiety and emotion that unfortunately sometimes there are things that are unmanageable.  It is really a challenging time for Mike Sarbaugh and for the players just for the heightened excitement and the potential of being disappointed.  Sarbaugh has done a very unbelievable job being very honest and direct to the point that he can, and managing their expectations getting them focused on what they are doing."

On players wearing down at this point in the season: "We talk to the players, staff, and leadership group about it everyday about how we are helping overcome that mentality that when you are feeling tired and using that as an excuse for less performance.  It is not necessarily who is tired, but who has the most energy left at the end of the season.  There is no question that it is very taxing on a young player.  Obviously guys in the major leagues have learned to manage it and learned to establish their routines in a way where when they get to the end of the year they are feeling as good as they possibly can.  I think the biggest thing about it is first and foremost the comments they make to themselves about how they are feeling, and then the secondary issues with how they are resting, what they are eating, and if they are just getting up at this point in the season and thinking about their offseason."

On managing player exposure in the playoffs: “[Making the playoffs] is obviously something that is important to us, but first and foremost we never want to overexpose anybody.  We never want to put a player in a position especially at this point in the season where we are pushing the envelope from a pure physical standpoint.  Whether that be workload for a position player or innings for a pitcher, just not increasing what they have been doing all year.  Getting a team into the playoffs has huge value because you see a player's performance on that stage where they are absolutely doing what they can do to win and under more pressure.  There is definitely value there."

Indians Minor League Player of the Month
(for August)

Lonnie Chisenhall (Third baseman – Akron)
.296 (32-108), 20 R, 7 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 28 RBI, 15 BB, 25 K, .906 OPS

Double-A Akron third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall was on top of his game the final month-plus of the season, and his strong finish wipes away any thoughts of disappointment that had crept in after he struggled through the first two months of the season with just one home run and seven extra base hits in total.

It has been mentioned a few times already this year, but it bears mentioning again how much different Chisenhall was when he returned from a short stint on the disabled list in late May.  Prior to going on the disabled list on May 12^th, in 27 games to start the season he hit .261/.325/.315, and that poor slugging number was the result of just six doubles and zero home runs in 111 at bats.  When he returned on May 28^th, in 90 games he hit .284/.359/.493 and his power stroke returned as in 349 at bats he had 16 doubles, 3 triples and 17 home runs.  The 17 home runs are impressive as they came over just a stretch of three months and about one week of games.

Chisenhall, 21, still was not completely 100% all season with his shoulder, but it was a lot better than it was in the early stages of the season where he was unable to drive anything and had considerable pain.  Even with the lingering injury all year, his final line of .278 with 17 HR, 84 RBI and an .801 OPS in 117 games is very impressive, especially when you consider his defensive play on the field was never really affected.  He was limited at times to designated hitter duties because of the shoulder, but when he was on the field he was always on top of his game.

Chisenhall won’t ever wow anyone with eye-popping numbers, but he is extremely consistent year-to-year (.794 OPS in 2008, .797 in 2009, .801 in 2010).  His consistency to go along with his above average defense makes him an exciting third base option for the Indians in the very near future.  He may not have the flash of an elite third base prospect like an Evan Longoria, but he has the potential to be a steady offensive and defensive performer and have a long big league career, much like former Indians third baseman Travis Fryman.

Honorable Mentions:

Jose Constanza (OF – COL): .358 AVG, 18 R, 5 2B, 4 3B, 10 RBI, 14 BB, 9 K, 6 SB, .914 OPS
Carlos Carrasco (RHP – COL): 1-2, 5 G, 2.43 ERA, 33.1 IP, 25 H, 9 ER, 3 BB, 30 K, .208 BAA
Jason Kipnis (2B – AKR): .309 AVG, 23 R, 7 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 10 BB, 27 K, .914 OPS
Chun Chen (C – KIN): .326 AVG, 18 R, 9 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 20 BB, 17 K, 1.019 OPS
Austin Adams (RHP – KIN): 2-1, 5 G, 1.64 ERA, 22.0 IP, 20 H, 6 BB, 16 K, .247 BAA
Cory Burns (RHP – KIN): 1-1, 10 G, 0.00 ERA, 7 S, 9.2 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 14 K, .176 BAA
Joe Gardner (RHP – KIN): 3-0, 5 G, 1.86 ERA, 29.0 IP, 22 H, 12 BB, 21 K, .218 BAA
Matt Langwell (RHP – KIN): 0-0, 8 G, 2 S, 0.00 ERA, 11.1 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 13 K, .111 BAA
Casey Frawley (SS – LC): .296 AVG, 17 R, 4 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 8 BB, 22 K, .849 OPS
Jose Flores (RHP – LC): 1-0, 11 G, 5 S, 1.76 ERA, 15.1 IP, 11 H, 1 BB, 16 K, .193 BAA
Brian Heere (OF – MV): .338 AVG, 8 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 21 BB, 11 K, .876 OPS
Carlos Moncrief (OF – MV): .305 AVG, 13 R, 5 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 12 BB, 28 K, .848 OPS
Giovanny Urshela (3B – MV): .338 AVG, 9 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 2 BB, 8 K, .834 OPS
Juan Romero (3B – AZL): .274 AVG, 12 R, 8 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 8 BB, 31 K, .894 OPS
Felix Sterling (RHP – AZL): 1-2, 5 G, 2.74 ERA, 23.0 IP, 19 H, 4 BB, 19 K, .235 BAA

Previous Winners:

July: Matt McBride (OF/1B – Akron)
June: Matt Packer (LHP - Lake County)
May: Chun Chen (C - Lake County)
April: Bo Greenwell (OF - Lake County)

Coach’s Corner: Dave Miller

Indians minor league pitching coordinator Dave Miller recently talked about some of the pitchers in the system and the encouraging years they had.  He also touched on the work he and several other coaches did with Fausto Carmona last year when he was struggling and was sent to Goodyear to get himself straightened out.

On Fausto Carmona: "I'm very proud of Fausto, especially in making the All Star team.  Fausto works really hard.  He got into a rut last year where his delivery kind of fell apart on him and he got away from using his changeup.  We just tried to get him back to what he used to do in the minor leagues.  He was great about it.  It was far away, we were in Goodyear, and it was 100 degrees everyday.  To Fausto's credit he came in every day on time, worked extra, we looked at a lot of video, and he never complained and was very coachable.  We made suggestions and he gave us feedback, and myself, Julio Rangel and Steve Lyons spent 17 days with him in Goodyear and also transitioned him back into Lake County and into Akron.  We give Fausto a lot of credit as he was in Goodyear where the rookie ball guys were and he had to swallow some pride and he really worked his tail off to get back to where he is now.  He is using his pitches and using his changeup and using his slider occasionally, so I am very proud of him.  He works very hard, is a great kid, and I am happy with what he has done this year."

On Carlos Carrasco: "Charlie Nagy and myself just tried to get Carlos to stay over the rubber a little bit more and stay back.  To get him in line with the plate and finishing better, and consequently he is staying behind the baseball better and down in the bottom of the strike zone better.  He has also brought a two-seamer into play which has really helped him keep the ball on the ground."

On Alex White: "Alex has good stuff, but [what's most impressive] is just his professionalism and the way he goes about his work.  It is very consistent and has a lot of discipline.  He is one of the most disciplined kids we have ever had coming out of college with his routines, his eating habits, and his strength and conditioning.  It is just very professional and he goes about it the right way. You see the results he has had as he had success in Kinston and when he got to Akron he got better.  This is a guy who really believes in himself and has a lot of confidence in his stuff pitching to contact, and he had a lot of success this year."

On Jason Knapp:  "Here is a kid who had surgery last year, and anybody who goes through surgery and misses the amount of time that he missed, mentally it is a challenge to do it.  For a 19-year old kid he worked his but off to get back to where he is today.  He is back to throwing 92-98 MPH.  He has huge upside, is a big kid with great arm strength, and very mature for a young kid.  We are expecting big things from him next year."

On Matt Packer:  "He kind of flew under the radar a little bit coming out of the draft from the University of Virginia.  He is a left-handed pitcher who was a reliever in college, and we started him off as a reliever in Lake County and then made him a starter.  Then we pushed him up to Akron and skipped Kinston, and he had a lot of success in Akron. So we are excited about him."

White Out

The Indians shut down Double-A Akron right-handed pitcher Alex White last week as they decided to skip his final two starts of the season to help protect his arm.  Having already reached his innings pitched threshold of 150 innings with 150.2 innings, the Indians were happy to call it a season and put him in plastic bubble wrap on the shelf for the remainder of the season and offseason where he is expected not to throw again until spring training.

There had been some thought that once Akron was eliminated from the playoffs that the Indians would send White to Triple-A Columbus to pitch in the playoffs, but the Indians made the common sense move to shut him down rather than risk injury by stretching him out another four starts and potentially 25 or so innings.  In the end he finishes the season with 10-10 record and a 2.45 ERA, and in 150.2 innings he allowed 123 hits, 46 walks, and had 117 strikeouts in 26 combined starts between High-A Kinston and Akron.

White had a very successful professional debut, and a lot of it was enhancing his pitching talents by developing other areas of his game.  He solidified his delivery by incorporating more of his lower half, which in turn allowed him to more consistently command his fastball better to both sides of the plate.  His refined delivery also helped his two secondary offerings his slider and splitter become more effective and repeatable.

White was initially assigned to Kinston to open the season to help him acclimate himself to the rigors of professional baseball and develop his slider he had recently added back into his repertoire.  In college he threw almost an exclusive fastball-splitter mix and would occasionally mix in his slider as a show pitch, but as a professional it is a much needed third pitch that the Indians wanted him to develop this year and use often in his pitch mix.  Over the course of the season he developed a good feel for the slider, much so that it became a weapon for him and one he quickly gained a lot of confidence in.

White, who just turned 22-years old last week, showed good rhythm and tempo on the mound all year.  He consistently kept the ball down in the zone, showed maturity beyond his years, and displayed an advanced understanding of how to plan and attack hitters.  It was definitely a banner first pro season for him, and it looks like he is on course to open the 2011 season at Triple-A Columbus and potentially make it to Cleveland sometime in the second half of next season, if not sooner.

Greenwell The New Center Of Attention

High-A Kinston outfielder Bo Greenwell had a strong finish to his season as he hit .389 with a 1.004 OPS with five multi-hit games in his final eight games of the season.  Overall, in 131 combined games between Kinston and Low-A Lake County this year he hit .301 with 6 HR, 57 RBI, had 25 stolen bases and a .776 OPS.

Greenwell’s strong season offensively prompted the Indians to make a move late in the season and to slide him over from his more customary left field position to center field.  Prior to the move he had only played a handful of games in center field, playing there mostly with the rookie level Gulf Coast League team in 2007 after signing out of the 2007 Draft.  Had he not signed with the Indians in 2007, it is a position that had he gone to school at the University of Miami, FL that he would have played in college as that is where Miami had planned to play him.

After he gained about 20 pounds of muscle going into the 2008 season the Indians decided to develop Greenwell more as a corner outfielder so abandoned playing him in center field.  But, two and a half years later they have decided to move him back to a primary center field role because it is a position he probably profiles better at because he lacks above average power to be a corner outfielder.  With his sound approach, a knack for getting on base, and plus speed he fits better offensively in center field.

Greenwell is still adapting to playing center field everyday where he still needs to pick up a lot of the nuances to the position like tendencies of the hitters, positioning, reading the ball off the bat, and route-running.  The organization’s idea was to test him out in center field the final few weeks of the season to see how he would handle it, and while nothing has been officially decided it looks like going forward that at least to start next season he will play center field.

Rough Year For Haley

Low-A Lake County right-handed pitcher Trey Haley had an interesting season.  From a performance perspective, he was all over the place as he struggled with walks in seemingly every outing and would have one good game only to follow it up with two or three bad ones.  In the end, in 27 starts he finished the season 5-11 with a 5.97 ERA, and in 116.0 innings he allowed 122 hits, 86 walks and had 97 strikeouts.

But with a raw talent such as Haley, numbers are only but a fraction of the evaluation process.  There is no question he has the stuff as he is armed with an elite mid-to-upper 90s fastball and a very promising curveball and changeup.  He is still very young as he just turned 20-years old in June, and he has the physical tools at 6’3” and 180 pounds to be a durable starting pitcher.  But even though he appears to have youth on his side, he is now getting to an age where he is going to have to start producing next year as he will pitch most of next season at 21-years old and likely at High-A Kinston.

Because Haley is so raw he is still more of a thrower rather than a pitcher, so he is still a work in progress.  It was a constant battle for him all season finding a consistent arm slot and throwing consistent strikes.  It is an ongoing issue that he and the Indians will likely continue to work on throughout the offseason and into spring training next season.  One notable area of improvement, however, is how he showed much better maturity and composure on the mound this season.  Last year when things would not go right he would quickly unravel and openly show his frustrations on the mound, but this season he mostly kept his cool and controlled his emotions much better.

Random Notes

Triple-A Columbus right-handed pitcher Bryce Stowell is done for the year, though the Indians expect him to be 100% healthy for the start of next season and he will not have surgery.  He left his last appearance on August 21^st with some discomfort in his right elbow, so the Indians quickly shut him down.  Had the season not been ending in the next week, he likely would have returned, but the Indians have taken the conservative approach and will have him continue to rest and rehab it this offseason.  Even though his season came to a premature end, he had one heck of a breakout season as he touched 100 MPH and finished the season 3-1 with 7 saves and a 2.14 ERA in 42 combined appearances between High-A Kinston, Double-A Akron and Columbus.  In 67.1 innings he allowed 42 hits, 36 walks, and had 102 strikeouts.

Double-A Akron right-handed reliever Omar Aguilar had a solid season going 2-7 with 7 saves and a 3.77 ERA in 47 games this year.  Over 62.0 innings he allowed 57 hits, 30 walks and had 72 strikeouts.  The Indians acquired him in the spring as compensation from the Milwaukee Brewers to trade the full rights of Rule 5 pickup left-handed pitcher Chuck Lofgren to them.  He has been hindered in the past with some injury issues, but he was relatively healthy all season and his improved performance was the result of the Indians eliminating his curveball he had picked up the previous season and shortening his high leg kick.  He instead relied on peppering the zone with his 92-97 MPH fastball and his slider and changeup, and he pitched exclusively out of the stretch using a slide step to help with his slow delivery times.

Hats off to High-A Kinston first baseman Jeremie Tice who finished off an excellent comeback campaign this season.  He struggled through the 2009 season with various injuries, most notably an elbow injury which hampered him most of the season.  He came back healthy this season and responded by hitting .282 with 14 HR, 79 RBI and an .810 OPS in 117 combined games between Low-A Lake County and Kinston.  Prior to joining Kinston in early July the Indians had him make the in-season switch from third base to first base, a switch he made smoothly and a new position that he looked natural at and comfortable playing.

Low-A Lake County outfielder Delvi Cid was a man of steal this season as he finished the year with 71 stolen bases, which ranked him first in all the minor leagues (seven more than the next player).  Even though he swiped such a high amount of bases, he is still a work in progress as a base-runner.  He still relies on outrunning the ball since he does not get good jumps when stealing bases.  As he develops and becomes a more heady base-runner, his thievery on the bases and overall success rate should only get better.  At the plate, he had a solid season hitting .253 with 2 HR, 33 RBI and a .618 OPS.  For him to be more of a factor as a prospect and on the bases he needs to work on getting on base more frequently, which is something that will require him to refine his approach at the plate and cut down on the strikeouts and draw more walks.  He had just 36 walks but struck out 132 times in 513 at bats.

Short-season Mahoning Valley third baseman Giovanny Urshela was not a household name coming into this season, but if you have been reading this site or read the 2010 prospect book you would know that he was a player the Indians were very high on.  The Indians showed that excitement by installing him as the everyday third base option at Mahoning Valley this year at just 18-years of age, and given the opportunity he did not disappoint as he more than held his own at the plate hitting .290 with 3 HR, 35 RBI and a .693 OPS in 58 games.  He struck out just 32 times in 221 at bats, and really showed progress as the year wore on to where as the youngest player on the team he was the leader of the lineup by season’s end.  In addition to that he played near flawless defense at third base and showed the tools to where he could be a gold glove caliber defender down the road.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI.  His new book the 2010 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is also available for purchase on Amazon.com or his site.

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