The K-Scribe: Four Hits And A Cloud Of Dust

Kinston evened out their record last night at Historic Grainger Stadium with a 5-0 shutout fresh off of getting rolled over on opening night, 7-1. Here are three things you should know about their first two games:

Nick Hagadone, Bryce Stowell, Matt Langwell and Steve Smith combined for a four-hit shutout.  This is an extremely talented pitching staff, top-to-bottom. Hagadone is going to be special, and today will likely be the beginning of a quick journey to Cleveland. He went 4 2/3 of shutout ball, with four K's and two walks. Defense did come into play in keeping that shutout, but I'll get into that in a minute. Bryce Stowell and Matt Langwell are both sleeper prospects. Stowell still may end up starting, should any of the Big 5 move up, and showed his stuff Friday night going 2 2/3 shutout innings with five K's to get the win. Langwell and Steve Smith both went an inning without giving up a run. Overall, K-Tribe pitchers struck out 12, walked 4 and gave up 4 hits. This should be a common theme in the early part of the season.

Abner Abreu is more than just an offensive player. Dash SS Eduardo Escobar found that out the hard way Friday night. Escobar tried to score from second, and Abreu nailed him with an assist from right field. This kid is no joke.

Center fielder Jordan Henry already has five walks. His OBP is nearly .800. For those counting at home, he's on pace for around 350 walks this season. Don't you just love early season projections! On a serious note though, Henry is a cerebral player with above-average speed. If he continues to find ways to get on base and harass opposing pitching, he could have a breakout season.

Alex White is on the hill tonight in his organizational debut with the K-Tribe. He's a #1 pick and a hometown boy. Well, at least he won't feel any pressure.

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Minor Happenings: 2009 Tony Awards

"Minor Happenings" 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.

Before we have some fun wrapping up the 2009 Indians minor league season with some awards, I have a few quick notes to mention. First off, I will be traveling to Arizona this weekend and will be there for five days next week covering the Instructional League and also the Arizona Fall League. So lookout for a couple of notebooks next week chronicling all I see during my visit to the desert.

Also, Paul Cousineau and I will be on the cyberwaves tonight with our season finale of Smoke Signals. We will talk about these very awards as well as what is in store for the Indians this offseason and in 2010. And last, I am not going anywhere as I will continue to have many updates over the next several weeks/months as we press on through the offseason. Be sure to check back often for updates!

Onto the 2009 Tony Awards....

Offensive Player of the Year

The Nominees:

Jesus Brito (3B - Arizona/Mahoning Valley):
.353 AVG, 52 R, 19 2B, 10 3B, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 2 SB, 32 BB, 41 K, .998 OPS

Jordan Brown (1B/OF - Columbus):
.336 AVG, 65 R, 35 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 67 RBI, 2 SB, 30 BB, 64 K, .913 OPS

Lonnie Chisenhall (3B - Kinston/Akron):
.258 AVG, 72 R, 31 2B, 3 3B, 22 HR, 92 RBI, 3 SB, 44 BB, 96 K, .797 OPS

Matt LaPorta (1B/OF - Columbus):
.299 AVG, 63 R, 23 2B, 2 3B, 17 HR, 60 RBI, 1 SB, 42 BB, 56 K, .917 OPS

Matt McBride (1B/OF - Kinston/Akron):
.287 AVG, 72 R, 44 2B, 0 3B, 18 HR, 99 RBI, 1 SB, 29 BB, 57 K, .829 OPS

Carlos Santana (C - Akron):
.290 AVG, 91 R, 30 2B, 2 3B, 23 HR, 97 RBI, 2 2B, 90 BB, 83 K, .943 OPS

The Skinny:

Brito took the rookie level Arizona League by storm where he hit .366 with a 1.081 OPS in 35 games, and when he was promoted to Single-A Mahoning Valley didn't skip a beat hitting .333 with a .875 OPS in 25 games. He came out of nowhere to put up an excellent season, but in the end it was only half of a season. LaPorta was in Cleveland for about a third of the season so it hurt his stock for such an award, but even still in his two-thirds of a season in Columbus he was one of the top performers in the league and in the Indians system.

McBride was unconscious the first month of the season in Kinston before spending the rest of the year at Double-A Akron and having some success there. He had a wonderful season when you look at his stats as a whole, but a lot of his numbers are inflated because of a ridiculous 31 game stretch to open the season in Kinston where he hit .405 with 6 HR, 36 RBI and a 1.120 OPS. In his 98 games in Akron he was very pedestrian hitting just .247 with 12 HR, 63 RBI and a .728 OPS.

Brown bounced back from a subpar season in 2008 when he hit .281 with a .754 OPS at Buffalo, and in the process added another trophy to his collection after leading the International League in hitting. Before his callup to Akron in early August, Chisenhall was one of the top players in the High-A Carolina League - if not the best pure hitter in the league. Had he not been called up, Chisenhall likely would have been named the league's MVP. Santana had a dominating year at Akron and was the leader in their charge to the Eastern League Championship, and along the way he won his second consecutive league MVP award.

And the Tony Award goes to: Carlos Santana

Remember, this award is given out strictly on the merits of the player's offensive performance so defense is not included in the equation (otherwise Santana would be the runaway winner). This award came down to the trio of Brown, Chisenhall and Santana, and at the beginning of August it looked like it would go down to the wire between these three. Things changed in August as Brown missed about three weeks with a shoulder issue which hurt his overall production numbers and Chisenhall was promoted to Akron where he struggled in 24 games there hitting .183 with a .625 OPS.

Meanwhile, Santana continued to pile up the numbers and produce, and was a model of consistency all season. There were some question marks going into the season on whether or not he was for real since the Dodgers gave up on him pretty easily for Casey Blake, but this year he proved all the doubters wrong and few question marks remain. The scary part is Santana has only tapped into his potential offensively where he has the potential to be a .280-.300 hitting, 25-30 HR, and 100 walk catcher in the big leagues. He is no doubt the Indians best prospect, and should be the regular everyday catcher in Cleveland by the end of next season.

Pitcher of the Year

The Nominees:

Eric Berger (LHP - Kinston/Akron):
10-9, 2.50 ERA, 27 GS, 144.0 IP, 125 H, 61 BB, 133 K, 1.29 WHIP, .233 BAA

Paolo Espino (RHP - Lake County/Kinston):
11-8, 3.01 ERA, 28 G, 134.2 IP, 110 H, 36 BB, 117 K, 1.08 WHIP, .220 BAA

Jeanmar Gomez (RHP - Kinston/Akron):
12-6, 3.30 ERA, 26 GS, 147.1 IP, 134 H, 45 BB, 124 K, 1.21 WHIP, .242 BAA

T.J. House (LHP - Lake County):
6-11, 3.15 ERA, 26 GS, 134.1 IP, 127 H, 49 BB, 109 K, 1.31 WHIP, .250 BAA

Alexander Perez (RHP - Lake County/Kinston):
6-6, 2.99 ERA, 23 GS, 114.1 IP, 101 H, 33 BB, 107 K, 1.17 WHIP, .234 BAA

Hector Rondon (RHP - Akron/Columbus):
11-10, 3.38 ERA, 27 GS, 146.1 IP, 143 H, 29 BB, 137 K, 1.18 WHIP, .256 BAA

Josh Tomlin (RHP - Akron):
14-9, 4.16 ERA, 26 GS, 145.0 IP, 149 H, 27 BB, 125 K, 1.21 WHIP, .266 BAA

The Skinny:

Perez was sidelined for most of the last five weeks of the season with a minor arm injury, and House pitched much better than his numbers and record indicate. Both pitchers did about all you could ask from a couple of 19-year old pitchers in a league where opposing hitters were two to three years older than them on average. House and Perez more than solidified themselves as the Indians top two pitching prospects in the lower levels of the system and two to watch going forward.

Tomlin finished second in Akron franchise history with 14 wins in a season, and was the anchor of the Akron pitching staff all season. He was also 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two postseason starts. He went out and put up quality outing night after night, and in the process piled up a lot of innings and wins. Espino rebounded from a rough 2008 campaign to go 9-6 with a 2.59 ERA in 22 starts in Kinston. He had a promising bounce back year in a return trip to Kinston, and improved his prospect status as a result where he probably still fits best as a reliever down the road.

Berger picked up right where he left off last year in his professional debut in Mahoning Valley and Lake County (2-0, 2.11 ERA, 10 GS). Gomez made his mark with a perfect game in May, but he had a breakout season overall as a prospect and was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year. Rondon breezed through Double-A and dominated the league, and had a lot of immediate success when he was promoted to Columbus midseason.

And the Tony Award goes to: Hector Rondon

This was a three-man race between Berger, Gomez and Rondon. Rondon was the runaway choice as the organization's Pitcher of the Year through the first half of the season, but the consistency of Berger and Gomez all season made it a lot closer by the end of the season. Berger had only a handful of tough outings and all year he seemingly went out every fifth day and went five to six innings while holding the opposition to one or two runs. He even adjusted well to a midseason promotion to Akron where after struggling in his first outing he settled in and was business as usual the rest of the season. Gomez was largely consistent all season, though he was extra special in May (2.91 ERA) and June (2.83 ERA). He took arguably the biggest step of any pitcher in the organization and is now considered major league starting depth next season (he will be rostered this offseason).

There was no clear cut winner from a numbers perspective as just based on numbers, Berger, Gomez, and Rondon should all share honors as Pitcher of the Year. But, of all the pitchers Rondon showed the most and when he was on he was filthy. When all was said and done, Rondon had the best year of any pitcher in the organization. His final numbers suffered from what looks like some fatigue the final two weeks of the season when he got knocked around in two of his final three starts for Columbus.

Rondon used a breakout performance in the second half of the season last year in Kinston as momentum where from the start of spring training this year he had people buzzing over him. This season his fastball showed much improved life, his command and control was noticeably better, and his secondary pitches continued to improve. He pitches to contact as he is almost always in the zone, so he gives up some hits but also limits the walks, and he has the stuff to put hitters away and make them swing and miss. He's the best pitching prospect in the upper levels of the Indians system, and should make a big contribution to the Indians pitching staff in 2010.

Reliever of the Year

The Nominees:

Brian Grening (RHP - Mahoning Valley/Lake County/Akron/Columbus):
4-0, 3 S, 1.68 ERA, 28 G, 48.1 IP, 35 H, 20 BB, 58 K, 1.14 WHIP, .206 BAA

Frank Herrmann (RHP - Akron/Columbus):
4-4, 2 S, 2.95 ERA, 49 G, 106.2 IP, 110 H, 18 BB, 62 K, 1.20 WHIP, .269 BAA

Francisco Jimenez (LHP - Arizona/Lake County):
8-0, 1 S, 2.28 ERA, 19 G, 47.1 IP, 40 H, 7 BB, 59 K, 0.99 WHIP, .230 BAA

Josh Judy (RHP - Kinston/Akron):
4-3, 14 S, 2.83 ERA, 41 G, 54.0 IP, 39 H, 18 BB, 70 K, 1.06 WHIP, .201 BAA

Matt Langwell (RHP - Lake County):
1-4, 4 S, 1.97 ERA, 45 G, 68.2 IP, 54 H, 22 BB, 68 K, 1.11 WHIP, .217 BAA

Chen Lee (RHP - Kinston):
4-6, 2 S, 3.35 ERA, 45 G, 83.1 IP, 67 H, 28 BB, 97 K, 1.14 WHIP, .220 BAA

Vidal Nuno (LHP - Arizona/Mahoning Valley):
5-0, 2.39 ERA, 17 G, 64.0 IP, 53 H, 15 BB, 59 K, 1.06 WHIP, .223 BAA

Vinnie Pestano (RHP - Akron):
2-3, 24 S, 2.86 ERA, 34 G, 34.2 IP, 30 H, 13 BB, 31 K, 1.24 WHIP, .234 BAA

Carlton Smith (RHP - Akron):
6-2, 3 S, 2.72 ERA, 37 G, 79.1 IP, 68 H, 23 BB, 40 K, 1.15 WHIP, .230 BAA

Steve Smith (RHP - Lake County/Kinston):
2-3, 26 S, 2.33 ERA, 49 G, 54.0 IP, 43 H, 15 BB, 63 K, 1.07 WHIP, .216 BAA

Erik Stiller (RHP - Akron):
8-3, 3.23 ERA, 41 G, 69.2 IP, 56 H, 30 BB, 68 K, 1.23 WHIP, .215 BAA

Neil Wagner (RHP - Akron):
1-3, 2 S, 2.95 ERA, 61.0 IP, 48 H, 32 BB, 69 K, 1.31 WHIP, .214 BAA

Steven Wright (RHP - Akron/Columbus):
10-0, 2 S, 2.48 ERA, 38 G, 87.0 IP, 77 H, 20 BB, 68 K, 1.11 WHIP, .234 BAA

The Skinny:

As you can see with the above listing there were a lot of outstanding relief performances in the system this year. So rather than limit it to the top six or seven guys, I included all of the very deserving performances this year.

To make a few quick notes about some of the nominees, Pestano was in the midst of an outstanding record-breaking season in Akron as the closer before his season ended prematurely in mid-July because of an elbow injury. Grening pitched at four different levels and showed versatility not only being able to pitch in any role, but being able to fill in as needed on a whim. Carlton Smith, Stiller, and Wagner had excellent years in what was an outstanding collection of bullpen arms in Akron. Herrmann and Wright both transitioned well to a bullpen role and could be on the verge of a major league opportunity at some point next season. As a 48th round pick Nuno was the surprise of the 2009 Draft, and Langwell was a consistent force all season in Lake County. The Indians were extremely happy with Lee's transition to pitching in his professional debut stateside after signing out of Taiwan last September.

And the Tony Award goes to: Josh Judy

The three best performances of the season based on numbers, stuff, role, and improvement belong to Jimenez, Steve Smith, and Judy. Like with Brito, Jimenez came out of nowhere to put up some eye-popping numbers where in 19 combined outings for Arizona and Lake County he piled up 59 strikeouts to just seven walks in 47.1 innings pitched. Smith took the bull by the horns as the closer in Lake County and went from an afterthought as a prospect when the season started to someone who is now a legit bullpen prospect and a guy to keep an eye on going forward. He doesn't throw hard, but uses his very good control and an excellent changeup to get hitters out.

In the end, Judy just took things to a completely different level this year. He was already an intriguing relief pitching prospect after a breakout campaign last year in Lake County when he was 12-1 with a 3.26 ERA and had 97 strikeouts in 88.1 innings, but there were some doubters who wanted to see if he could continue that success and improve this season. Several Indians officials felt he was one of the most improved pitchers in the system this season, mostly because his fastball location improved a lot and his breaking ball was a lot better. He has the demeanor to handle pitching late in games, and is a backend bullpen prospect the Indians are intent on developing for their big league pen.

Rookie of the Year

The Nominees:

Casey Frawley (2B - Arizona/Mahoning Valley):
.301 AVG, 27 R, 10 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 2 SB, 16 BB, 41 K, .761 OPS

Jordan Henry (OF - Mahoning Valley):
.286 AVG, 48 R, 12 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 23 RBI, 22 SB, 49 BB, 37 K, .743 OPS

T.J. House (LHP - Lake County):
6-11, 3.15 ERA, 26 GS, 134.1 IP, 127 H, 49 BB, 109 K, 1.31 WHIP, .250 BAA

Chen Lee (RHP - Kinston):
4-6, 2 S, 3.35 ERA, 45 G, 83.1 IP, 67 H, 28 BB, 97 K, 1.14 WHIP, .220 BAA

Vidal Nuno (LHP - Arizona/Mahoning Valley):
5-0, 2.39 ERA, 17 G, 64.0 IP, 53 H, 15 BB, 59 K, 1.06 WHIP, .223 BAA

Roberto Perez (C - Arizona/Mahoning Valley/Lake County):
.313 AVG, 37 R, 14 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 4 SB, 25 BB, 51 K, .842 OPS

The Skinny:

This is a new award this year, and is given out to players who made their professional debut this season. This mostly pertains to 2009 Draft picks, but there were a couple of 2008 Draft picks (House, Perez) who signed late last year and did not play, and also Lee was an international free agent signing after the season last year. Of note, outfielder Jason Kipnis is not included in this listing because of his limited time with Mahoning Valley because he signed so late.

Perez came out of nowhere to put up an impressive batting line, though a lot of that was in the Arizona League which is very favorable to hitters. Even still, he showed some ability with the bat and the Indians were very happy with the entire package he showed behind the plate defensively and in handling a pitching staff. Frawley was an unheralded draft pick who not only hit in Arizona but also hit in Mahoning Valley, and his production defensively and offensively at second base for Mahoning Valley was a significant improvement over the guy he replaced in Lurvin Basabe.

Lee had over three times as many strikeouts than walks and averaged more than a strikeout an inning, and showed he is ready to take on Double-A and perhaps Triple-A hitters in 2010. Henry is a pure center field prospect, and he showed all the tools with excellent range, a solid arm, outstanding plate discipline, and lots of speed. He finished the year with 12 more walks than strikeouts, though at this stage is more a slap hitter looking to put the ball in play and just get on base. Nuno came in and was very ordinary in Arizona (0-0, 5.14 ERA, 4 G), but upon being called up to Mahoning Valley took off and put together an impressive showing there (5-0, 2.39 ERA, 13 G).

And the Tony Award goes to: T.J. House

House benefits in this case by having a full season to play this year as the only other player to play more than half a season this year was Lee in Kinston. But make no mistake about it, House is very deserving. He only finished 6-11 on the year, but many times he did not get any run support in games and he often went five or six innings and allowed one or two runs. The Indians paid a big price to woo him from going to college at Tulane, and their investment at this point looks like it has paid off. He has the makings of three above average pitches, with the potential to add more velocity to his fastball which already sits in the low 90s. His slider is a plus pitch and a weapon for him, and he made some strides with his changeup this year.

He pitches well beyond his years and it showed itself on the mound and in the dugout this year when he was not pitching as he was always tuned into the game action watching the pitchers and hitters from both teams to try and pickup an advantage to use on hitters the next time he faces them. House is one of the Indians best pitching prospects in the lower levels of the system, and is someone we will continue to hear a lot about the next few years.

Comeback Player of the Year

The Nominees:

Jordan Brown (1B/OF - Columbus):
.336 AVG, 65 R, 35 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 67 RBI, 2 SB, 30 BB, 64 K, .913 OPS

John Drennen (OF - Akron):
.273 AVG, 55 R, 29 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 45 RBI, 1 SB, 33 BB, 69 K, .774 OPS

Paolo Espino (RHP - Lake County/Kinston):
11-8, 3.01 ERA, 28 G, 134.2 IP, 110 H, 36 BB, 117 K, 1.08 WHIP, .220 BAA

Chuck Lofgren (LHP - Akron/Columbus):
9-11, 4.15 ERA, 25 GS, 141.0 IP, 118 H, 48 BB, 93 K, 1.18 WHIP, .223 BAA

Matt McBride (1B/OF - Kinston/Akron):
.287 AVG, 72 R, 44 2B, 0 3B, 18 HR, 99 RBI, 1 SB, 29 BB, 57 K, .829 OPS

The Skinny:

Drennen looked like he was on the outs as a prospect after a very disappointing 2008 campaign in Kinston when he hit .235 with a .631 OPS, but he came back strong this season and had a very solid year. He's been in the Indians system for awhile now and he just turned 23 years old in late August, so his days as a prospect are far from over. He was consistently good all season, and was simply electric in September where in 13 combined games in the regular season and playoffs he hit .377 with 6 home runs.

Lofgren was left for dead by a lot of pundits last year after his career seemingly bottomed out with a subpar season and poor performance in the Arizona Fall League (0-3, 32.14 ERA, 10 games, 7.0 IP, 19 H, 18 BB, 6 K), but he came back this year in better shape and a determination to re-establish himself as one of the Indians top pitching prospects. He dominated at Akron the first two months of the season, and he actually pitched much better than his Columbus numbers indicate as he was the victim of two awful outings against Toledo.

McBride's 2008 season was wrecked because he was still recovering from shoulder surgery the previous offseason. He came back at 100% this year, and a position change to the outfield and first base did not affect him as he came out smoking hot in Kinston hitting over .400 the first month of the season. Espino struggled through a rough season in 2008 because of a shoulder injury and problems with consistency, but came back this year with a renewed focus and put himself back on the prospect map.

And the Tony Award goes to: Jordan Brown

Brown bounced back from a disappointing 2007 campaign in Buffalo with a performance this year that was very similar to his MVP seasons in 2006 and 2007. In fact, his season this year is almost a carbon copy of the MVP season he had at Akron in 2007 where he hit .333 with 11 HR, 76 RBI, and a .906 OPS. He actually hit a little better this season than he did in 2007 at Akron, and it shows he is back and that 2008 was an outlier. He has proven to be a very capable hitter, piles up doubles, shows the occasional ability to take the ball out of the yard, and has an exhausting approach at the plate that wears a pitcher down because he battles on every pitch. His defense was scrutinized this season, but someone will find a place for his bat in a big league lineup next season at some point, be it in Cleveland or somewhere else (he will be rostered, but could be traded).

Biggest Breakthrough

The Nominees:

Jesus Brito (3B - Arizona/Mahoning Valley):
.353 AVG, 52 R, 19 2B, 10 3B, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 2 SB, 32 BB, 41 K, .998 OPS

Bo Greenwell (OF - Mahoning Valley/Lake County):
.296 AVG, 34 R, 18 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 9 SB, 23 BB, 25 K, .766 OPS

Francisco Jimenez (LHP - Arizona/Lake County):
8-0, 1 S, 2.28 ERA, 19 G, 47.1 IP, 40 H, 7 BB, 59 K, 0.99 WHIP, .230 BAA

Vidal Nuno (LHP - Arizona/Lake County):
5-0, 2.39 ERA, 17 G, 64.0 IP, 53 H, 15 BB, 59 K, 1.06 WHIP, .223 BAA

Alexander Perez (RHP - Lake County/Kinston):
6-6, 2.99 ERA, 23 GS, 114.1 IP, 101 H, 33 BB, 107 K, 1.17 WHIP, .234 BAA

Steve Smith (RHP - Lake County/Kinston):
2-3, 26 S, 2.33 ERA, 49 G, 54.0 IP, 43 H, 15 BB, 63 K, 1.07 WHIP, .216 BAA

Russell Young (LHP - Lake County/Kinston):
6-7, 3.46 ERA, 26 GS, 143.0 IP, 143 H, 25 BB, 90 K, 1.17 WHIP, .260 BAA

The Skinny:

Young came out of nowhere to go from a depth starting option when the season opened in April for him in Lake County, to being one of the rocks of the Kinston staff by season's end. He is more of a crafty lefty, but over the course of the season he proved to be an interesting pitching prospect because of his command of the strike zone and is yet more pitching depth the Indians have in the middle levels of the system. Drafted out of high school three years ago, Greenwell took a significant step in his growth as a player this year. He only played half a season, but his raw abilities are starting to translate and he showed his potential in Mahoning Valley and Lake County this year.

Nuno showed versatility as a starter and reliever, and performed at a level much higher than originally anticipated. Next year will be telling in what the Indians really have in him, but he certainly jumped right into the conversation as a pitching prospect. The question is whether his advanced pitching ability took advantage of some inexperienced hitters at the short-season levels. Smith had a near record-breaking season in Lake County falling just short of the saves record for the club. Beyond the saves, he proved to be tough on both lefties and righties, and showed a good fastball-changeup combo which gave hitters fits.

Brito showed an ability to put the bat on the ball and make consistent, hard contact and really emerged as a lower level hitting prospect to keep an eye on in 2010. He has some good power to where the Indians believe he could eventually become a 20 home run a year hitter in the big leagues. Jimenez is small in size, and looks a lot in build like Tony Sipp. He doesn't have the stuff Sipp has but has shown a much better handle of commanding the zone than Sipp did at 21 years old and he could be a fast-moving left-handed reliever in the system next year because of that.

And the Tony Award goes to: Alexander Perez

Perez did not make as big a splash this season as left-hander Kelvin De La Cruz did last year, but there is no doubt he elevated his prospect status as one of the top pitching prospects in the organization and potentially a top ten prospect overall in the system. He is a prime example of why stats don't always show what you have in a pitcher as had you looked at his numbers in the GCL last year when he was 2-4 with a 4.26 ERA you may have overlooked him. He has always had an advanced ability to throw his changeup and curveball, and as he matures his fastball could become a third weapon in his arsenal. His ability to throw strikes and get hitters out with plus secondary stuff was the key to his success this year, and going forward it is all about developing his confidence in his fastball.

Biggest Disappointment

The Nominees:

Matt Brown (OF - Kinston):
.268 AVG, 22 R, 9 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 2 SB, 27 BB, 34 K, .703 OPS

Kelvin De La Cruz (LHP - Arizona/Kinston):
2-2, 4.58 ERA, 5 GS, 19.2 IP, 16 H, 7 BB, 24 K, 1.17 WHIP, .222 BAA

Stephen Head (OF - Columbus):
.247 AVG, 30 R, 16 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 1 SB, 17 BB, 35 K, .668 OPS

Wes Hodges (3B - Columbus):
.269 AVG, 34 R, 26 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 8 SB, 21 BB, 65 K, .704 OPS

Ryan Miller (LHP - Lake County/Kinston):
0-3, 10.22 ERA, 18 G, 34.1 IP, 35 H, 42 BB, 41 K, 2.24 WHIP, .259 BAA

Carlos Rivero (SS - Akron):
.242 AVG, 50 R, 24 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 58 RBI, 1 SB, 50 BB, 73 K, .652 OPS

The Skinny:

A quick note to mention that disappointment is not necessarily the player himself not doing well as injuries can have a huge impact on the success of their season. For the most part, injury had a huge part in many of these players having a disappointing season.

Brown got off to a hot start in Kinston, but was slowed by an injury which sidelined him for most of the last three months of the season. Head missed a lot of time the first half of the season because of a lingering knee issue from spring training, and while he showed flashes of the ability that made him a 2^nd round pick in 2005, he just never could get his season going offensively because of it. Miller did not really have a physical injury, his was more psychological as he struggled with his command and things just unraveled on him this year with 42 walks in 34.1 innings and an unheard of 2.24 WHIP.

Hodges and De La Cruz, two of the higher rated prospects coming into the season, were affected by injury as well. De La Cruz got off to a rocking start as he dominated in his first two outings in Kinston, but an injury while working out between his second and third start resulted in a serious elbow injury that sidelined him for most of the rest of the season and in the process he lost an entire year of development. Hodges struggled with a hand and shoulder injury in May and he was just never able to get completely healthy all season. He missed a considerable amount of time sidelined with the injuries and even when he came back he played a lot of games as the designated hitter, so he was unable to make much progress if any this year on his defense at third base.

And the Tony Award goes to: Carlos Rivero

If you look back on the Indians top prospect lists going into this season, the only player who did not suffer a significant injury who was unanimously in just about every Top 15 listing for the Indians and struggled with his performance was Carlos Rivero. A lot of people expected him to build on his strong finish in Kinston last year, but he fizzled for the most part at the plate this year. He is still very young, but this is the third year in a row he has had a lot of hype but failed to deliver the goods. He likely will return to Akron next year in the hopes that a return visit there will result in him finally getting things going offensively. It also may help to repeat a level and let his age catch up to the league as he has often been two or three years younger than the league average. Because of that it is way too early to give up on him as a prospect, but the kid gloves are off and a lot more is expected of him going forward. He did show some improvement over the course of the season and played much better in the second half, but when the season ended he played nowhere near the level he was anticipated to play at when the season began.

All-Indians Minor League Team

Note: This is not a top prospect listing by position, but a listing based on performance in 2009. Players acquired in the July trades were not eligible to be listed, and for full season teams a player had to have spent at least a half season in the minors. Also, anyone who opened the season no longer a rookie was not considered (Andy Marte).

1st Team:

C: Carlos Santana (.290 AVG, 23 HR, 97 RBI, 90 BB, .943 OPS)
1B: Jordan Brown (.336 AVG, 15 HR, 67 RBI, 30 BB, .913 OPS)
2B: Cord Phelps (.261 AVG, 4 HR, 53 RBI, 17 SB, 93 BB, .749 OPS)
SS: Mark Thompson (.260 AVG, 11 HR, 54 RBI, 13 SB, 39 BB, .769 OPS)
3B: Lonnie Chisenhall (.258 AVG, 22 HR, 92 RBI, 44 BB, .797 OPS)
LF: Matt LaPorta (.299 AVG, 17 HR, 60 RBI, 42 BB, .917 OPS)
CF: Jordan Henry (.286 AVG, 0 HR, 23 RBI, 22 SB, 49 BB, .743 OPS)
RF: Abner Abreu (.305 AVG, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 11 BB, .839 OPS)
DH: Matt McBride (.287 AVG, 18 HR, 99 RBI, 29 BB, .829 OPS)
LHS: Eric Berger (10-9, 2.50 ERA, 27 GS, 133 K, 1.29 WHIP, .233 BAA)
RHS: Hector Rondon (11-10, 3.38 ERA, 27 GS, 137 K, 1.18 WHIP, .256 BAA)
MRL: Francisco Jimenez (8-0, 1 S, 2.28 ERA, 19 G, 59 K, 0.99 WHIP, .230 BAA)
MRR: Brian Grening (4-0, 3 S, 1.68 ERA, 28 G, 58 K, 1.14 WHIP, .206 BAA)
CL: Josh Judy (4-3, 14 S, 2.83 ERA, 41 G, 70K, 1.06 WHIP, .201 BAA)

2nd Team:

C: Roberto Perez (.313 AVG, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 25 BB, .842 OPS)
1B: Beau Mills (.267 AVG, 14 HR, 83 RBI, 31 BB, .724 OPS)
2B: Casey Frawley (.301 AVG, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 16 BB, .761 OPS)
SS: Argenis Martinez (.293 AVG, 0 HR, 20 RBI, 15 SB, 17 BB, .710 OPS)
3B: Jesus Brito (.353 AVG, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 32 BB, .998 OPS)
LF: Nick Weglarz (.227 AVG, 16 HR, 65 RBI, 75 BB, .808 OPS)
CF: Jose Constanza (.282 AVG, 0 HR, 46 RBI, 49 SB, 75 BB, .719 OPS)
RF: Donnie Webb (.293 AVG, 7 HR, 63 RBI, 36 SB, 42 BB, .778 OPS)
DH: Nate Recknagel (.270 AVG, 14 HR, 75 RBI, 55 BB, .809 OPS)
LHS: Chuck Lofgren (9-11, 4.15 ERA, 25 GS, 93 K, 1.18 WHIP, .223 BAA)
RHS: Jeanmar Gomez (12-6, 3.30 ERA, 26 GS, 124 K, 1.21 WHIP, .242 BAA)
MRL: Vidal Nuno (5-0, 2.39 ERA, 17 G, 59 K, 1.06 WHIP, .223 BAA)
MRR: Matt Langwell (1-4, 4 S, 1.97 ERA, 45 G, 68 K, 1.11 WHIP, .217 BAA)
CL: Steve Smith (2-3, 26 S, 2.33 ERA, 49 G, 63 K, 1.07 WHIP, .216 BAA)

Honorable Mention:

C: Wyatt Toregas (.284 AVG, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 16 BB, .769 OPS)
1B: Ole Sheldon (.267 AVG, 13 HR, 54 RBI, 32 BB, .833 OPS)
2B: Karexson Sanchez (.234 AVG, 11 HR, 57 RBI, 25 SB, 70 BB,.725 OPS)
SS: Carlos Rivero (.242 AVG, 7 HR, 58 RBI, 50 BB, .652 OPS)
3B: Kyle Bellows (.240 AVG, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 8 SB, 20 BB, .716 OPS)
LF: Bo Greenwell (.296 AVG, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 9 SB, 23 BB, .766 OPS)
CF: Michael Brantley (.267 AVG, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 46 SB, 59 BB, .711 OPS)
RF: John Drennen (.273 AVG, 8 HR, 45 RBI, 33 BB, .774 OPS)
DH: John Allman (.294 AVG, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 7 SB, 34 BB, .816 OPS)
LHS: T.J. House (6-11, 3.15 ERA, 26 GS, 109 K, 1.31 WHIP, .250 BAA)
RHS: Paolo Espino (11-8, 3.01 ERA, 28 G, 117 K, 1.08 WHIP, .220 BAA)
MRL: Ryan Edell (4-7, 3.71 ERA, 32 G, 128 K, 1.35 WHIP, .281 BAA)
MRR: Steven Wright (10-0, 2 S, 2.48 ERA, 38 G, 68 K, 1.11 WHIP, .234 BAA)
CL: Vinnie Pestano (2-3, 24 S, 2.86 ERA, 34 G, 31 K, 1.24 WHIP, .234 BAA)

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Smith Makes Most Of Opportunity

It was a season full of surprises and disappointments in the Indians farm system this year, but one of the bigger surprises was that of Low-A Lake County right-handed pitcher Steve Smith.

Smith, 23, had a sensational season as the Captains closer going 2-3 with 26 saves and a 2.36 ERA in 47 games. In 53.1 innings pitched he allowed 42 hits, 12 walks, and had 62 strikeouts. He finished 2nd in the South Atlantic League in saves (26), 6th in appearances (47), and 3rd in games finished (42).

Had Smith not received a promotion to High-A Kinston the last week of the season he likely would have finished as the league leader in saves. In addition to that he also missed an opportunity to break the Captains record for saves in a season held by former right-handed closer Matt Davis who had 26 in 2006, and instead settled for a tie with Davis.

It was a solid year for the Indians 25th round pick in the 2008 Draft out of Ouachita Baptist University (AR). Smith really seemed to grow into the closer’s role this year and in turn may have found a niche in the Indians system.

"I enjoyed it,” said Smith about closing for the first time in his career. “This was my first year in the closer's role. My senior year in college I closed a few games in the middle of the week when I was not starting on the weekends. I really liked it, and I think I have that bulldog mentality for it. It was just getting an opportunity."

Smith came in this season as an under-rated guy, and someone a lot of fans probably knew nothing about. As a lower round pick and from an obscure college his performance on the mound this year opened some eyes and helped establish him as a solid relief prospect in the Indians system.

"In spring training I didn't really know what their plan was for me,” said Smith. “Whether I would be a bullpen guy here [in Lake County] or stay in extended [spring training], I don't think they really knew what to expect. I didn't get to throw a whole lot last year as I had a lot of innings coming in. I just wanted to come in, keep my head down, and keep my mouth shut and throw good baseball. As far as the year goes, yeah, I think I had a good year. I think I proved I can pitch and can have success."

The Indians in the past have not developed closers in the minor leagues, but with the success of Smith and some other relievers in the role this year, maybe that has begun to change somewhat. He finished the year 26-for-28 in save opportunities, good for an outstanding 93% success rate.

Even though he only blew two save opportunities, he learned a lot those two games. It is often said you don’t know what you have in a closer until you see how he reacts to that first blown save. Only then will you truly see how mentally tough that pitcher is and if he can handle the failure that comes with the job from time to time. Smith showed a lot of mental toughness shaking off the blown saves and going right back out there the next time and getting the job done.

"You know what, I think you just have to have a short term memory,” said Smith. “Regardless, the sun is going to come up the next day. Someone once told me that when Mariano Rivero - who is obviously the best closer of all time - blows a save he is thinking about his next save once he crosses the white line. It's going to happen. Closing I think has a lot to do with your mentality and not necessarily the actual stuff that you have. Plus, knowing your manager has faith in you to put you back out there in the same situation when it comes up again says a lot."

Lake County Pitching Coach Tony Arnold was delighted to work with Smith all year, and he liked what he saw from his closer this season.

“His makeup makes him be able to handle the role he is in,” said Arnold. “He has come out and saved a game or blown a save, but he comes right back through that door ready to get better the next day and is focused and he doesn't get down. He has the mentality you like to see in a kid like that."

Smith doesn’t have great stuff per se as a pitcher. His fastball sits around 88-90 MPH, but he complements it with a very good changeup. He has an excellent feel for his changeup, and Indians personnel believe it will be a plus pitch for him in the near future. His best qualities though are his outstanding makeup and mental toughness, which is so important when pitching in the late innings of a close game.

"Steve is a kid who is not real big, but he will still touch 90 MPH with his fastball,” said Arnold. “His changeup is probably an average to plus pitch right now. I mean, he has a great feel for it and it is almost Doug Jones-ish. That is who he reminds me of, I mean Jones was a little bit bigger than Steve is now, but Doug pitched with his changeup and that is predominantly what Smitty [did] here. His changeup is what makes him who he is.”

For Smith to become a better relief prospect he knows he needs to sharpen up his fastball command and develop another pitch. Guts and guile can only take you so far. If you lack put away stuff, you need to be a surgeon out there on the mound hitting your spots and throwing consistent, quality strikes. This is something he worked with Arnold on all season, and is something he will continue to hone in on in the offseason.

"My changeup has always been my pitch, but I had kind of lacked a little bit of fastball command and this year that is what I focused on more,” said Smith. “I know I can get guys out with my changeup, but to be able to move up [in the system] I need to be able to develop my fastball command better because I don't throw hard. The changeup is only good when hitters have that threat of the fastball. It’s about just being able to put it where I want to. Also, late in the season Tony and I [worked] on a cutter. That's really coming along well. So I just want to hone in on the cutter and be able to put it down and away from righties and down and in on lefties, and spot my fastball and put it exactly where I want to."

Unearthing a player like Smith from a school out in the middle of nowhere is scouting at its best. Indians Area Scout Steve Abney covers the mid-west states of Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska and has recently unearthed some good late round talent with the likes of Smith, Greg Folgia (40th round 2009), and Vidal Nuno (48th round 2009). He used a connection he had with former pitching coach Dirk Kinney at Ouachita Baptist University to find Smith.

"We are a Division II school,” said Smith. “We had a good year, and had a 102 wins in two seasons and we went to the World Series. Steve Abney is my scout, and he was good friends with my pitching coach Dirk Kinney, so I think that probably helped me a little bit. But I like to think the cream rises to the top wherever you are at."

Coming out of high school Smith was primarily a first baseman, so he was not heavily recruited and he rarely pitched. But baseball is unique as there is talent to be found in even the smallest of schools, and sometimes a player can be a late bloomer. Players are not only drafted out of the big Division 1 programs, but also out of every high school imaginable and any college that has a baseball program. No matter how small the school may be, if you have talent word will get around and scouts will find you.

"I didn't even pitch in high school,” recalled Smith. “I was the #3 or #4 guy and mostly played first base, but I wanted to pitch and felt like I could pitch. My college coach saw me get to throw in games over the summer, and going to a smaller school I got the opportunity to do that. I started in college and was a starter all four years."

Smith had the opportunity to go to Liberty University - another Christian college and a Division 1 school in Virginia - and also the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, but they wanted him to attend and play baseball at junior college first before going to school there. So Smith chose to go to Ouachita Baptist University.

"I'm a spiritual guy and I wanted to go to a place where I would have some spiritual surroundings to keep me strong,” said Smith. “Obviously I falter and I am not perfect. I am not claiming to be an angel. But I believe God has a plan for all of us. Everybody told me if you sign to go there then you are giving up any chance to play pro ball. I just refused to believe that because like I said, if you go in there and perform and you put yourself in a situation to be seen, then all it takes is one opportunity."

Making the most of his opportunity is what Smith did this season, and he looks poised to crack the High-A Kinston bullpen to start the year next year. His performance and makeup led to a very successful season, one the Indians surely noticed.

"I think a lot of guys go into spring training trying to make teams,” said Smith. “I just want to go in [next year] with a good attitude, throw strikes, keep my mouth shut, and just prove to them I can pitch at that level no matter what. I think just showing a lot of mental maturity helps because I am not a big guy and I don't have overpowering stuff, so I don't stand out and I understand that. But I still know how to get guys out, and that is what I really want them to see."

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Minor Happenings: Brantley The Next To Be Called?

"Minor Happenings" 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.

Lots to talk about and share this week, which means Minor Happenings will be broken up into two parts this week. Due to the attention being put squarely on the draft in last week's edition there is some catching up to do this week, plus I had a chance to talk with a lot of people recently about a lot of things (as you will see below).

Anyway, be sure to check out the piece posted on High-A Kinston right-hander Paolo Espino earlier in the week. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, take a look at the "Ghost of Prospects Past" piece on Mark Lewis that Andrew Clayman wrote as well.

Last night, Paul Cousineau and I had the pleasure of talking to 2009 Indians 6^th round draft pick 1B Ben Carlson as well as the esteemed Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus on our weekly radio show Smoke Signals. We talked with Carlson for about 15 minutes, and talked about a litany of Indians prospects with Goldstein for over 30 minutes. Check it out!

Also, I was in Lake County and Akron this past week and talked to the likes of Mike McGuire, Chris Jones, Nick Weglarz, Jerad Head, John Drennen, and Vinnie Pestano at length, so look out for feature pieces on them in the coming weeks. I'll be in Mahoning Valley on Wednesday night, so hope to bump into some of you Scrapper fans there!

Last, a Player of the Week announcement was not made last week, so we have some catching up to do this week with making a selection for the week of June 4-10 and one for the week of June 11-17 (which will be posted tomorrow).

Onto the Happenings...

Indians Minor League Player Of The Week
(for games from June 4 through June 10)

Michael Brantley (Outfielder - Columbus)
.500 AVG (10-for-20), 7 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K, 3 SB

Triple-A Columbus outfielder Michael Brantley is the youngest player on the team in Columbus this year and just celebrated his 22nd birthday on May 15th, but even though he is the youngest player on the team and one of the youngest players in all the International League he plays the game and handles himself like a 28-year old veteran. As a club official told me back in spring training, "Michael Brantley has been incredibly professional and we are blown away by the talent level...he has been unbelievable." His outstanding makeup and maturity is a big reason why his early season struggles with performance and injury did not affect him and end up snowballing into a year long slump.

Still only 21 years old when the season started, his age and inexperience showed early in the season as he got off to a slow start in Columbus adjusting to the new level in Triple-A. He also battled through a hamstring injury he suffered in the first week of the season which lingered for most of the month before he took almost a week off to get past it. Those two factors combined were a big reason why in 17 games in April he only hit .217 (15-for-69) with 0 HR, 5 RBI and a .574 OPS. He came back with a solid May hitting .261 (30-for-115) with 2 HR, 9 RBI, and a .726 OPS in 30 games played, and in 16 games so far in June he is hitting .348 (23-for-66) with 1 HR, 8 RBI and an .822 OPS. His strong performance the past seven weeks has raised his batting average 72 points from .200 to .272 and his OPS by 165 points from .544 to .709 from where they were at on April 27th. He already has three home runs on the season, which is one shy of his career high and we are not even half way through the season. Also, his 20 stolen bases rank him 2nd in the International League and he has been caught only twice good for a 90.9% success rate.

His maturity and ability to handle tough situations well is something that could play into the equation where he fills the every day center field role in Cleveland sooner rather than later. The team is in sort of a holding pattern with star center fielder Grady Sizemore on the disabled list with a sore elbow, and in the meantime they have gotten by with playing outfielders Trevor Crowe and Ben Francisco out in center field on a temporary basis while they await Sizemore's hopeful return. Sizemore is reportedly close to returning to the team as he will start swinging the bat this weekend, and if he has no setbacks he could be back in a week or two. But, if he has a setback and the soreness lingers he is expected to have surgery on the elbow which will sideline him for at least six weeks. If this happens, expect Brantley to get a call to Cleveland to fill the huge void in center field and at the top of the lineup. While he still has some issued to work through with his route running, he would still be a much better fit out there defensively over Crowe and Francisco. He would also be a welcomed addition to the lineup and provide some excellent speed and on-base ability which has been sorely lacking since Sizemore went on the disabled list.

Last year while in the Milwaukee Brewers system playing with Double-A Huntsville in the Southern League he was tabbed as having the best strike zone judgment and considered the best base-runner by Baseball America. He works hard and battles at the plate, almost never giving away an at bat. He is tough to strikeout and makes consistent contact (28 BB, 32 K, 250 AB), and his power is still emerging. He will never be a 12+ home run a year guy, but he is expected to put up power numbers similar to former Tribe fan favorite Kenny Lofton who averaged nine home runs a year and 42 extra base hits a year in the ten seasons during the prime of his career from 1992 to 2001.

The only thing that may hold Brantley back from making a debut in Cleveland this year is he is still not a finished product in the outfield as he is still working to improve his jumps, reading the ball off the bat, and getting better with his situational throws. Nonetheless, if Sizemore is out for awhile, expect to see Brantley in Cleveland sometime soon.

Honorable Mentions:

John Drennen (OF - Akron): .360 AVG (9-for-25), 5 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K
Chuck Lofgren (LHP - Columbus): 1-0, 1 game, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Eric Berger (LHP - Kinston): 1-1, 2 games, 2.38 ERA, 11.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 7 BB, 5 K

Previous Winners:

05/28 to 06/03: Donnie Webb (OF - Lake County)
05/21 to 05/27: Jordan Brown (1B/OF - Columbus)
05/14 to 05/20: Paolo Espino (RHP - Kinston)
05/07 to 05/13: Lonnie Chisenhall (3B - Kinston)
04/30 to 05/06: Nick Weglarz (OF - Akron)
04/23 to 04/29: Matt McBride (1B - Kinston)
04/16 to 04/22: Eric Berger (LHP - Kinston)
04/08 to 04/15: Kelvin De La Cruz (LHP - Kinston)

Director's Cuts

Indians Farm Director Ross Atkins shared some thoughts this week on some of the players at Double-A Akron:

On Carlos Santana: "He has been great. When you look at those numbers what jumps out at you is the 10 home runs, but he has actually had a spell the last two or three weeks where he has been human. It is a lot like Victor where he has come back down to Earth a little bit, as he was playing in another league for most of the first half. I think even more noteworthy are the strides he has made as a defender and game-caller. The questions he is asking and the passion he has for wanting to be a good defender have all been very good signs, and he has made some encouraging strides so far."

On Beau Mills: "Beau has been a lot better. As we talked about a lot, guys at some point in their career will face challenges and obstacles they have to find ways to get over as the talent starts to bottleneck. Beau is very talented, but has had to make some subtle adjustments as pitchers learn how to attack him. He has gotten much quieter in his approach, and he looks much more comfortable over the last three weeks than he has looked all year. He is still driving the ball with authority, still the guy you want up in a key situation, and still one of the better players in that league. Beau is having a good year."

On Hector Rondon: "Actually, I think with his first major league spring training it was a big increase with when his workload started and where he normally is at this time of the year. So I think his shoulder was a little bit fatigued, and we figured it would be a good time to give him a blow and just skip a start. He came right back out [on Sunday] and was nice and easy and hitting 94 MPH and looked like the Hector Rondon we saw before the fatigue. He is right where he needs to be."

Coaches Corner: Tony Arnold

As mentioned above, I was in Low-A Lake County over the weekend. While there I had the chance to sit down with Captains Pitching Coach Tony Arnold and talk about a few of the pitchers on his staff:

On Mike McGuire: "He has done a really good job. He was predominantly a starter in college and has come in to a priority bullpen role here and he has really taken to it. He has been able to come in with runners in scoring position and on base and locate his stuff down low in the zone and pitch out of some jams. He has been able to go out and give us solid innings and easily getting to three innings if we need him to, and hold him back to an inning and a third or two innings when we give him breaks like we do with most of the priority guys. He made a start and went five innings with his pitch limit, which showed his versatility. His arm has been durable even though he had some problems in college. I think he has held up well, and it is incredible how he goes about his work ethic. He does a daily throwing program and he is working to get better in the weight room. He is a big guy so he has to work harder to maintain everything, and he does it."

On T.J. House: "He has been outstanding. If you look at his numbers with his win-loss record it doesn't match how well he has pitched. He has not had a lot of runs scored [when he is out there]. Every year it seems like there is one guy on the starting pitching staff where for some reason his start comes up and it is low run production day. T.J. has had that so far this year, so hopefully it flips for him soon. He has shown his age sometimes in innings. He is a very competitive kid and he wants to succeed and he tries to force the issue sometimes, and it has gotten him in trouble at times. He is working hard at controlling that and maintaining his stuff, and I think he is doing a really good job I think for a young kid in his first year of pro ball with all the hype around him he has handled all that well. He has been able to control his composure, maintain his stuff, and take us deep into games, which is what he has predominantly done in all of his starts."

On Alexander Perez: "He is a great kid number one. When he is between the white lines he is focused on getting the job done. Away from the white lines he does his work, he likes to have fun, and he is always upbeat even when he does not have a good outing. I think he had two outings in a row where he did not pitch as well as his other outings, but he was the same kid coming into the locker room with the same smile. He comes out and knows what his job is, he does it, and when he does well he is the same kid as when he didn't do so well. And that's good to see that in a young kid. As far as his stuff goes, his feel to pitch is very good. He locates his fastball to both sides of the plate and has some sink on it. It is unbelievable the command he has with his curveball and change. He can throw either one in any count he wants on any given day. He is 88-90 MPH almost every start."

On Steve Smith: "He is a kid who is not real big, but he will still touch 90 MPH with his fastball. His changeup is probably an average to plus pitch right now. I mean, he has a great feel for it and it is almost Doug Jones-ish. That is who he reminds me of, I mean Jones was a little bit bigger than Steve is now, but Doug pitched with his changeup and that is predominantly what Smitty has done here. He is working on fastball command, but I think it comes from trying to overthrow his stuff at times. His changeup is what makes him who he is. His makeup makes him be able to handle the role he is in. He has come out and saved a game or blown a save, but he comes right back through that door ready to get better the next day and is focused and he doesn't get down. He has the mentality you like to see in a kid like that."

On Santo Frias: "He has been up to 94-95 MPH almost each outing. In spring training [Minor League Pitching Coordinator] Dave Miller and [Lower Level Pitching Coordinator] Steve Lyons decided to let his arm slot drop back down to a more natural slot. I just think it fits him better, he is freer and easier, and he trusts his stuff more. When he was [over-the-top] I think he locked himself up a little bit. But when he stays slotted, his slider is really good. That's the pitch that has really been impressive as it is almost wipeout when he throws it. He has thrown the ball really well this year, and I think he has had two bad innings. When you look at him out there he is all arms and legs and it is like "is this kid gonna throw strikes', and then you go look at his numbers and his walks to strikeouts [ratio] is pretty good. I think he is making progress, and I think he is settling into a bullpen role."

On Trey Haley: "He is in the rotation and makes his start every fifth day. He has gotten better with each outing. The whole thing with him is he has a live body. He is loose, tall, and lanky, so it is just a matter of him maintaining the tempo and rhythm within his delivery so that his body and arm work at the same speed. When he does that [like has recently], he is gonna be fine. If he can do that consistently he could come quick. His stuff is electric, and he has a good feel for a curveball and his changeup will come. When you stand behind him you see the makings of a good changeup, and with his velocity all he has to do is throw something offspeed that he can command consistently down in the zone. To me he is a treat to work with, he is a good kid. He is like everybody where he is getting into a routine which is helping him to improve and get better each day. It is fun to watch, and hopefully by the end of the year we are watching something special."

Draft Wrap

Indians Director of Amateur Scouting Brad Grant talked again this week about some of the players taken in last week's draft, mostly reinforcing a lot of what he said last week, but also giving some insight into their draft and signing process:

On Alex White: "He is still pitching for the University of North Carolina, and pitched very well the other night. We don't have him in the fold yet. We got a big, strong, athletic right-hander with three power pitches. We don't want to put a timetable [on him]. We are going to get him in the system and sit down with him and we are going to lay out a plan for him. He is 20 years old and has the power stuff right now, so we will get him out and rolling right away."

On Jason Kipnis: "He is an advanced college hitter. He has a very advanced, disciplined approach at the plate. He doesn't swing and miss much, and he has power too in that bat. We took him based on his hit-ability and that bat-to-ball ability, and will start him off in center field. He is an average runner, and we are going to start him out there and see where it takes him. He is a baseball player, plays the game with passion and very hard. I don't like to put comparisons on guys, but it is kind of the way Rusty Greer used to play the game. He goes at it hard, goes all out, and is fun to watch."

On Kyle Bellows: "He is a right-handed hitting shortstop we are excited about getting. We are likely going to progress him over to third base. It is a very good bat, and the power is starting to come with it. This year I don't think he had any home runs the first half of the season, and when it ended he had about ten. It is a guy who our scout Don Lyle - who has been a very successful scout - felt strongly about and felt was a guy we could fit into our system."

On Austin Adams: "They had him at shortstop and he was drafted there last year. They put him up on the mound this year and he did some pretty incredible stuff off the mound. He was 94 to 98 MPH and he does have a power curveball as well. We are going to get him into the system and see where pitching takes him."

On Kyle Smith (Kent State): He bounced back from a shoulder injury and pitched well in the Regionals. We are going to give him some time off and let him rest a little bit and then see where the summer takes us. He is a big, strong, physical right-hander with three average pitches. He has a good fastball, breaking ball and changeup.

On college players vs. high school players: "We certainly don't shy away from a high school player at all as there is certainly an advantage with taking a high school player. This year we went with more college players [in the draft] because that is where we felt the strength of the draft was. If there is an advantage with the college players it is that they are 21 years old and they don't have as much development time as a high school player."

On what's next: "We are already starting to scout for 2010. We start looking at players next week as the Team USA trials begin, all the summer showcases begin, and all the college legion leagues begin. So this will be a big part along with signing players for this year."

Lost & Found

Here is a quick update on some players who have been missing for most of the season rehabbing injuries:

Kelvin De La Cruz (LHP): He started his return to throw program on Thursday and has had no setbacks to date from his elbow injury. Since he has been off since April 27th, he will have to be built back up to start and likely will pitch out in Arizona until he is cleared to make his usual 85 pitches as a starter and then will probably go back to High-A Kinston. If all goes well, he should be back in Kinston sometime in mid-July.

Josh Rodriguez (2B/SS): He had a minor setback with his hamstring injury. He likely will not be ready until the end of this month or beginning of July.

Wes Hodges (3B): His rehab from his wrist injury is going well, and he should be back playing in about a week. He will likely play a few games at short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley late next week to get him ready for game action before being activated at Triple-A Columbus.

Stephen Head (1B/OF): He is coming back from his knee issue, has started his return to play program with sim games and will play a game or two in Mahoning Valley. He is about ready to go for full activity this weekend and should be activated any day at Triple-A Columbus.

Mike Pontius (RHP): He is doing physical therapy right now to strengthen his shoulder and getting it some better flexibility. They are taking it slow with him and will put a plan in place once they get a handle on what is going on and make sure he is no longer showing any symptoms. If all goes well, he should start a throwing program sometime this coming week.

Rob Bryson (RHP): He should be ready for game activity in late July. He is still rehabbing in Arizona, and will pitch there for his first several outings before assigning him to High-A Kinston or Low-A Lake County.

Roman Pena (OF): He is about 7 to 10 days from returning from the hand injury he incurred when he punched a door in the dugout in mid-May.

Jeremie Tice (3B): He recently had surgery to remove some loose bodies in his elbow. The Indians are playing it by ear and letting it calm down before putting a plan in place for him. He has been shutdown, and will not partake in any baseball activity for about six weeks before baseball activity will be picked back up again.

Adam Miller (RHP): He is doing hand therapy right now. He has not even started any baseball specific work as they are making sure that his finger heals and it gets all of its motion back before starting any throwing.

Sung Wei-Tseng (RHP): He is healthy and still in the organization. He is just working on his delivery, arm speed and developing as a pitcher.

More Injury Updates

Triple-A Columbus first baseman/outfielder Stephen Head is about to be activated from a month long stint on the disabled list because of an injured right knee. He initially hurt the knee in the opening stages of Cactus League play in spring training at the end of February when he slid into the wall in the outfield to soften the blow after he was running full speed to get to a ball. After coming down with the injury, he battled through it the rest of spring training and the first month of the season before finally going on the disabled list to get it healthy. He has been playing in simulated games recently, and has had no issues running the bases or playing in the field. The Indians want to make sure he is good to go and get his legs back under him at the plate and on the field, so they are sending him to play a game or two at short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley on Friday. In 16 games with Columbus, he is hitting .268 with 2 HR, 10 RBI and a .746 OPS,

Right-handed Hector Rondon has successfully returned from right bicep tendonitis, returning to action this past Sunday to go four shutout innings. When Rondon left his start early about two weeks ago there was a lot of concern up and down the Indians' organization for their prized right-hander, but thankfully the injury was not serious and he essentially missed one start and did not even have to go on the disabled list. As a precautionary measure, his pitch count was limited on Sunday, which is why he only went four innings.

Catcher Wyatt Toregas missed a few games late last week because of a bruised right hand after he was hit by a foul ball on his throwing hand which was exposed while catching. He was removed from the game after the injury occurred and then sat the next two games before getting back into the lineup last Sunday.

On Saturday, first baseman/outfielder Matt McBride returned from what was a week-long absence because of a left knee injury. The time off seemed to rejuvenate him as in his first game back on Saturday he went 2-for-3 with two walks including his first home run as an Aero (in his 22nd game). He followed that up in the next game on Sunday with a grand slam home run right down the left field line in the first inning.

Transactions Log

Here is the rundown of the recent notable transactions since the last update almost two weeks ago:

June 15: LHP Heath Taylor returned from 7-day DL and activated in Kinston.

June 14: OF Matt Brown placed on Kinston 7-day DL with left knee strain.

June 12: RHP Brian Grening transferred to Mahoning Valley from Akron, 1B/OF Matt McBride activated in Akron.

June 10: RHP Blaine Neal placed on Columbus 7-day DL with right calf strain.

June 9: RHP Joe Smith activated from Major League DL; LHP Tony Sipp optioned to Columbus.

June 6: RHP Michael Gosling signed to a minor league deal and activated in Columbus.

June 5: RHP Brian Grening transferred to Akron from Mahoning Valley; LHP Matt Meyer transferred to Akron from Kinston; RHP Scott Roehl placed on Akron 7-day DL with left elbow inflammation; INF/OF Robert Mackowiak signed to a minor league deal and activated in Columbus.

June 4: OF Matt Brown reinstated from 7-day DL and active in Kinston; INF Jose Camargo transferred to Lake County from Extended Spring Training; LHP Ryan Miller reinstated from 7-day DL and active in Kinston.

June 3: LHP Heath Taylor placed on Kinston 7-day DL with left shoulder strain.

June 2: INF Kyle Haines signed to minor league deal and activated in Akron; RHP Joey Mahalic placed on Kinston 7-day DL with right forearm tightness.

Part 2 of Minor Happenings will post tomorrow (Saturday) and will include the Player of the Week for June 11-17, affiliate notebook, and several updates on players and the draft.

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