Minor Happenings: The 2007 Tony Awards

Well, another minor league season has come and gone here at TheClevelandFan.com and SportsTimeOhio.com. With that, it is time to put the wraps on the season with the second annual Minor League Tony Awards. While this is the final edition of Minor Happenings for this season, look for intermittent editions between now and spring to recap all the developments and news over the course of the offseason.

Offensive Player of the Year

The Nominees: Ben Francisco (Buffalo), Jordan Brown (Akron), Asdrubal Cabrera (Akron/Buffalo), Matt Whitney (Lake County/Kinston), Nick Weglarz (Lake County)

The Skinny: Ben Francisco won the International League batting title and hit .318 with 12 HR, 51 RBI, 22 stolen bases and an .878 OPS. Jordan Brown won the Eastern League batting title and was also named Eastern League MVP hitting .333 with 11 HR, 76 RBI, 11 stolen bases, and a .906 OPS. Prior to being called up to Buffalo and then to Cleveland in August, Asdrubal Cabrera arguably was the Eastern League MVP and hit .310 with 8 HR, 57 RBI, 25 stolen bases and an .828 OPS in combined time at Akron and Buffalo. Whitney enjoyed a renaissance this season, and splitting the season in Lake County and Kinston hit .299 with 32 HR, 113 RBI and a .909 OPS. Nick Weglarz established himself as a young up-and-coming legit power hitting prospect, hitting .274 with 24 HR, 83 RBI and an .891 OPS.

And the Tony Award goes to: Matt Whitney

While the batting title for Ben Francisco was impressive, he also spent roughly a third of the season in Cleveland, and the same goes for Asdrubal Cabrera. Weglarz had a great year as a 19-year old in his first full season by belting 24 home runs and drawing 83 walks (.393 OBP), and Jordan Brown won the Eastern League MVP and batting title. But, the clear winner here is Whitney. He just had an unbelievable season and led the entire Indians system in home runs and RBI, and also was in the top five in all the minors in home runs. Whitney was finally healthy this year, and his numbers were greatly helped by a strikeout rate that improved from one every 2.6 at bats last year to one every 4.2 at bats this year.

Pitcher of the Year

The Nominees: Aaron Laffey (Akron/Buffalo), Jim Deters (Kinston), Josh Tomlin (Lake County/Kinston), Reid Santos (Akron), Jensen Lewis (Akron/Buffalo)

The Skinny: Aaron Laffey pitched at Akron and Buffalo and combined to go 13-4 with a 2.88 ERA, 99 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP in 131.1 innings pitched. Jim Deters won the Carolina League ERA title, going 12-4 with a 2.24 ERA, 66 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP in 112.1 innings pitched. Josh Tomlin split time in Lake County and Kinston and went 11-4 with a 3.36 ERA, 109 strikeouts and a 1.21 WHIP in 131.1 innings pitched. Reid Santos split the season in the bullpen and starting rotation at Akron and Buffalo going 8-3 with a 2.72 ERA, 85 strikeouts and a 1.15 WHIP in 96 innings pitched. Jensen Lewis flew through the upper levels of the system, and went 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA, 61 strikeouts and a 0.94 WHIP in 52 innings pitched.

And the Tony Award goes to: Aaron Laffey

Overall, the pitching in the system - from a performance standpoint - was down this year. Top pitching prospects Adam Miller and Chuck Lofgren had very ordinary years and proved to be human. Even still, there were a few very good performances. Jensen Lewis had a fantastic season and adapted to the new bullpen role perfectly, and Reid Santos was a great swing guy for Akron. Deters and Tomlin also had impressive years from a numbers standpoint, but in the end, Laffey is the clear winner. Laffey just had an outstanding year, and after a rough first couple starts in Buffalo rattled off nine wins in a row. In six June starts, Laffey went 6-0 with a ridiculous 0.87 ERA, holding batters to a .199 batting average in the process and striking out 38 batters in 41.1 innings pitched. Laffey's success this season actually started last year where he went 12-4 with a 3.16 ERA in 29 combined games (23 starts) at Akron and Buffalo in 2006.

Comeback Player of the Year

The Nominees: Michael Aubrey (Kinston/Akron), Matt Whitney (Lake County/Kinston), Chris Gimenez (Kinston/Akron)

The Skinny: Michael Aubrey came back from a bad leg injury he suffered last year as well as numerous other injuries practically played the entire season at 75-80% and still hit .277 with 12 HR, 45 RBI and an .813 OPS. Coming into this season, Matt Whitney had been written off as a top prospect, but he rebounded this season to hit .299 with 32 HR, 113 RBI, and a .909 OPS. Chris Gimenez came back from a career threatening staff infection and thumb injury the past two seasons and hit .264 with 26 HR, 66 RBI, and an .899 OPS.

And the Tony Award goes to: Matt Whitney

Aubrey made a valiant effort playing through pain this season, so much so, that after every game his body from the ribs down was covered in ice packs. It also marked the first time since his professional debut in 2003 that he finished the season playing and not on the disabled list. Also, Chris Gimenez had a fantasic year, one which he never thought he would see two years ago when he was laid up in a hospital bed with a serious staff infection and seconds away from having his leg amputated (more on this in a feature on Gimenez this weekend). But, again, Whitney's resurgence this season as a top power prospect wins out. Whitney was once one of the top young players in the Indians system, but after a bad leg injury in spring 2003, his career had taken a serious detour the past four years where he only hit a combined .230 with 21 HR and 96 RBI in 225 games from 2003-2006.

Biggest Breakthrough

The Nominees: Jordan Brown (Akron), Chris Gimenez (Kinston/Akron), Josh Rodriguez (Kinston), Jared Goedert (Lake County/Kinston), Nick Weglarz (Lake County), Todd Martin (Mahoning Valley)

The Skinny: Jordan Brown jumped from good prospect status coming into the season to one of the more elite after he hit .333 with 11 HR, 76 RBI and a .906 OPS in his MVP-winning season this year at Akron. Chris Gimenez showed very good power potential and versatility this year, hitting .264 with 26 HR, 66 RBI, and an .899 OPS. Josh Rodriguez is now arguably the best middle infield prospect in the system, and hit .262 with 20 HR, 82 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and an .811 OPS. Jared Goedert was arguably the best hitter in minor league baseball in April and May, and on the year hit .317 with 20 HR, 74 RBI, and a 1.020 OPS. Nick Weglarz showed unbelievable raw power and plate discipline for a 19-year old kid in a full-season league, and hit .274 with 24 HR, 83 RBI, and an .891 OPS. Todd Martin showed he might be a late bloomer, hitting .360 with 8 HR, 40 RBI and a .956 OPS for short-season Mahoning Valley.

And the Tony Award goes to: Nick Weglarz

Jordan Brown cemented himself as probably the Indians best pure hitting prospect in the system, and he also validated his 2006 Carolina League MVP season from last year. Also, Chris Gimenez and Todd Martin showed versatility combined with power and an advanced approach at the plate. But, the three big breakthroughs this season belonged to Josh Rodriguez, Jared Goedert and Nick Weglarz. Rodriguez and Goedert now give the Indians some legit middle infield prospects, something which has really been lacking the past few years. Goedert was amazing in April and May, and if not for a shoulder injury that plagued him the last half of the season he might have run away with this award. Weglarz was consistent all year, and surprisingly in his first year in a full-season league and only being 19-years old he got stronger as the year went on as he hit .333 in August with nine home runs and had a .300+ average after the All-Star break. Also, Weglarz is a left-handed hitter but he hit left-handers better than right-handers where he hit .287 against lefties (33-115) with six home runs and a .907 OPS. Against righties, Weglarz hit .273 (89-326) with 18 home runs and an .892 OPS.

Biggest Disappointment

The Nominees: Trevor Crowe (Akron), Ryan Goleski (Akron), JD Martin (Akron), Brad Snyder (Buffalo), Steven Wright (Lake County/Kinston)

The Skinny: Trevor Crowe struggled the first half of the season, but caught fire in the second half and still only hit .259 with 5 HR, 50 RBI, 28 stolen bases, and a .694 OPS. Ryan Goleski followed up his awesome 2006 campaign (.306/27/106/.948) with a real clunker this year hitting only .257 with 9 HR, 73 RBI, and a .702 OPS. JD Martin was supposedly healthy and ready to reclaim his position as a top pitching prospect in the system, but was sidelined in June with an elbow injury (again) and finished the year 2-3 with a 4.25 ERA, 23 strikeouts and a 1.37 WHIP in only 42.1 innings pitched. Brad Snyder had a disappointing year in Buffalo and hit only .263 with 10 HR, 35 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and an .802 OPS. Steven Wright's professional career got off to a rocky start as he went 7-9 with a 5.67 ERA, 114 strikeouts and a 1.42 WHIP in 114.1 innings pitched.

And the Tony Award goes to: Brad Snyder

Trevor Crowe seemed all but certain to win this award at the season's midpoint when he was hitting .225 with a .624 OPS at the All-Star break, but a strong second half where he hit .314 with an .811 OPS saved him. Steven Wright struggled a lot this season, but his 114 strikeouts in 114.1 innings pitched show he may still have some value and a bullpen role in the future may better suit him. Also, it is tough to get down on JD Martin (and Tony Sipp for that matter) when his season was cut short due to injury. The two clear disappointments were Brad Snyder and Ryan Goleski. Goleski is very consistent, but in a bad way as every good season is followed up with a clunker. In 2004 at Lake County he hit .295 with 28 HR, 104 RBI and an .895 OPS, but followed that up in 2005 in Kinston to hit .212 with 17 HR, 67 RBI and a .658 OPS. After that season, in 2006 at Kinston and Akron he combined to hit .306 with 27 HR, 106 RBI and a .948 OPS, but this year only hit .257 with 9 HR, 73 RBI and a .702 OPS. Snyder just had a bad season in Buffalo and never seemed to be able to get it going. After stalling as a prospect and his valued 40-man roster spot likely needed for another player this offseason, Snyder's days with the Indians appear to be numbered. If I had to pick between Snyder and Goleski and keep only one, at this point it would be Goleski, which says a lot on how disappointing Snyder was this season since I have been a huge Snyder fan over the years and still was one coming into this season.

Team of the Year

The Nominees: Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A), Akron Aeros (Double-A), Kinston Indians (Advanced Single-A)

The Skinny: Buffalo finished the season 75-67 and missed the playoffs by one game. Akron finished the year 80-61 and made the Eastern League playoffs winning their first round series before losing in the Championship Series. Kinston finished the year 87-52 overall and won both the first and second half division titles, but were eliminated in the first round of the Carolina League playoffs.

And the Tony Award goes to: Akron Aeros

This is the first year in some time that at least one team in the Indians system did not win a league championship. Buffalo was in first place for most of the first half of the season, but despite a valiant late-season charge the final two weeks of the season, a tough stretch in July and August where they went 13-21 was their undoing and led to them missing the playoffs by one game. Most of the Indians best performers this year were in Akron and Kinston, and their record and success showed as a result. Kinston dominated the Carolina League all season, but in the playoffs fell in the opening round two games to one in a short three game series. Akron was somewhat shorthanded at the end of the season and in the playoffs, but still made it to the Eastern League Championship Series for the third consecutive season and fourth time in five years. Akron also boasted some of the top prospects in the system in Jordan Brown, Asdrubal Cabrera, Brian Barton, Aaron Laffey, Jensen Lewis, Chuck Lofgren, and others for most of the year.

All-Minor League Indians

Note: This is not a top prospect listing by position, but a listing based on performance in 2007. A quick glance through, you can kind of see where the organization's strengths and weaknesses are as far as depth by position goes.

1st Team:

Catcher: Chris Gimenez (.264, 26 HR, 66 RBI, .899 OPS)
First Base: Matt Whitney (.299, 32 HR, 113 RBI, .909 OPS)
Second Base: Jared Goedert (.317, 20 HR, 74 RBI, 1.020 OPS)
Shortstop: Asdrubal Cabrera (.310, 8 HR, 57 RBI, 25 stolen bases, .828 OPS)
Third Base: Wes Hodges (.288, 15 HR, 71 RBI, .840 OPS)
Left Field: Nick Weglarz (.274, 23 HR, 82 RBI, .892 OPS)
Center Field: Ben Francisco (.318, 12 HR, 51 RBI, 22 stolen bases, .878 OPS)
Right Field: John Van Every (.307, 12 HR, 57 RBI, 6 stolen bases, .916 OPS)
Left-handed Starter: Aaron Laffey (13-4, 2.88 ERA, 131.1 IP, 99 K, 1.13 WHIP)
Left-handed Reliever: Reid Santos (8-3, 2.72 ERA, 96 IP, 85 K, 1.15 WHIP)
Right-handed Starter: Jim Deters (12-4, 2.24 ERA, 112.1 IP, 66 K, 1.09 WHIP)
Right-handed Reliever: Jensen Lewis (3-0, 1.73 ERA, 52 IP, 61 K, 0.94 WHIP)

2nd Team:

Catcher: Matt McBride (.287, 8 HR, 66 RBI, .780 OPS)
First Base: Jordan Brown (.333, 11 HR, 76 RBI, 11 stolen bases, .906 OPS)
Second Base: Adam Davis (.266, 6 HR, 41 RBI, 22 stolen bases, .747 OPS)
Shortstop: Josh Rodriguez (.262, 20 HR, 82 RBI, 21 stolen bases, .811 OPS)
Third Base: Andy Marte (.267, 16 HR, 60 RBI, .766 OPS)
Left Field: Cirilo Cumberbatch (.299, 6 HR, 45 RBI, 5 stolen bases, .808 OPS)
Center Field: Brian Barton (.305, 10 HR, 66 RBI, 21 stolen bases, .822 OPS)
Right Field: Stephen Head (.256, 16 HR, 79 RBI, 6 stolen bases, .789 OPS)
Left-handed Starter: Scott Lewis (7-9, 3.68 ERA, 134.2 IP, 121 K, 1.25 WHIP)
Left-handed Reliever: Garrett Rieck (3-1, 2.00 ERA, 36 IP, 31 K, 1.17 WHIP)
Right-handed Starter: Josh Tomlin (11-4, 3.36 ERA, 131.1 IP, 109 K, 1.21 WHIP)
Right-hander Reliever: Jeff Stevens (6-3, 2.81 ERA, 83.1 IP, 102 K, 1.00 WHIP)

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Season Ending Conversation With Ross Atkins

Ross Atkins first year as the Director of Player Development just finished up, as he was named to the post in October 2006 after former director John Farrell left to join the Boston Red Sox organization as their pitching coach. The minor league season wrapped up a few weeks ago, but for Atkins the season lasts pretty much 365 days a year as he will be following the young prospects in his system over the course of the next several months while they play in the Instructional League and also in fall/winter leagues.

Atkins is a former pitcher in the Indians system, where he played for five seasons from 1995-1999. He reached as high as Double-A Akron, and in his five year minor league career was 37-32 with a 4.13 ERA in 141 games. When his playing career ended, he immediately began working in the Indians minor league system in 2000 as a pitching coach, and also served as a translator and English instructor for Danys Baez during his transition from Cuba to the United States during his first pro season.

After the 2000 season, Atkins was named as the Assistant Director of Player Development under former Director of Player Development John Farrell from 2001-2003. From there, Atkins spent three years from 2004-2006 as the Indians Director of Latin Operations where he oversaw all aspects of the Indians operations in Latin America.

Atkins recently returned from Florida where he was down in Winter Haven to get a firsthand look at the players currently participating in the Instructional League. For information on the Instructional League and what it is, our very own Dennis Nosco wrote about it earlier today and will be checking back in over the course of the next few months with information on the Instructional League and Rule 5 Draft.

With Atkins back in Cleveland, I had a chance to sit down and talk to him on the phone briefly about some of the things from a player development perspective that most fans, as well as I, are unsure about. Here is a short question and answer from the conversation:

Q: Do you side more on the scouting angle where you rely on the eyes of scouts, or do you use the currently en vogue computer analysis methods more? Mix? With the hiring of Keith Woolner (formerly of Baseball Prospectus) as "Manager of Baseball Research and Analysis" does this mean the organization is getting more serious about statistical analysis, especially as it relates to player development?

Ross Atkins (RA): Obviously, we use a mixture. You can't say that one is heavier than the other. Actually what you are doing is everything you can to gather all of the information and weight it appropriately depending on the situation. It is all circumstantial and situational. There are also medical factors and mental factors, so there is so much more than just scouting and objective data. You weight it all appropriately and try to make the best decision you can. The more consistent you make the decisions the same way, hopefully the better off you will be. With Woolner, it takes our objective analysis to another level.

Q: What type of guidelines are in place for how you decide a player should be moved up or down? Does a player need to play somewhere for a certain length of time or have a certain number of at bats before they are moved up even if they are performing very well?

RA: The guidelines are always based on what is best for the player, never what is good for a team. What is best for the player and his development, and is he currently being challenged. When he is no longer being challenged is when we feel it is appropriate for them to advance. Now, that is not a rule as there are always exceptions to that, but that is the guideline we use.

Q: Going into spring training each year, do you have an idea going in where most of the players will be assigned? Or, is this something that is actually sorted out during camp? What goes into deciding where a player is to be assigned when camp breaks?

RA: We have a very good idea before spring training starts where guys will be heading. The offseason can change that, and certainly games or strides they make in the offseason can change that. But spring training typically does not change that, other than injury. So performance in spring training does not change those things as far as prospects are concerned.

Q: What is the setup like out in Latin America? Is it just one actual complex players are grouped at somewhere centralized, or is it a collection of several different small academies in various spots throughout the country?

RA: We have an academy in the Dominican Republic and we have a presence in Venezuela. The Dominican Republic academy houses up to 60 players, and we typically keep about 35 depending on the time of the year. We are shuttling players in and out of there for tryouts. We do the same thing in Venezuela, but we don't have an affiliated team. We do not house that many players, as we can only house 35 total and we typically have 10-15. (Note: Atkins also commented that when he was the Director of Latin Operations he lived there at least one month all year, and the other time he lived in Miami, FL and would visit the academies as much as three times a month.)

Q: Former Farm Director John Farrell preached a pitch-to-contact philosophy, is this something you still mandate? Has it evolved at all, or have you taken it in a new direction or approach?

RA: Our pitching coordinator and hitting gurus have not changed. Our hitting coordinator is new, but our fielding coordinator was the hitting coordinator. So, our hitting and pitching philosophies have not changed at all with the transition from Farrell to myself.

Q: With the success of several young players with the major league club who started this year in the minor league system, does this give you a sense of fulfillment that you and your staff on the player development side of things did a good job this year?

RA: This is something more for someone like John Farrell to hang his hat on, as he was the farm director for the past five years. Nothing I came in and did made Asdrubal Cabrera, Aaron Laffey or Jensen Lewis' path any easier. I think it is the hardwork that has been in place over the past 15 years starting with Mark Shapiro, then Neil Huntington, and then John Farrell. I happen to have my name on the title right now, but I am benefiting from the last 15 years of hardwork. I do feel some fulfillment because I have been here for 12 years, but if it were to go to one person it can't.

Q: This year, the Lake County squad had a heavy influence of Latin players, which was much higher than previous years if I recall correctly. Is this a change in philosophy by you to push some of these young kids, or a byproduct of what you are comfortable with at the lower levels considering your experience with these players when you oversaw them as Director of Latin Operations?

RA: It is always based on who are the highest upside players with the ability to compete at that level, and who has the best chance to become a major leaguer. It depends every year based on the draft and what is coming out of Latin America and what was in Winter Haven and Mahoning Valley the year prior.

Q: Last, who are some of the players that have gained the attention of the organization this year that maybe were not on the radar screen before this season? In other words the dark horses, the come from nowhere guys, or guys who were expected to be good who are playing at an exceptional level now that we should start paying attention to?

RA: Some really promising years were from the guys in Cleveland. Obviously those guys had quicker paths than anticipated, and Aaron Laffey, Jensen Lewis, and Asdrubal Cabrera are the most exciting and forefront. Looking at the lower levels, a guy like Jared Goedert we did not expect that kind of production out of, and Jordan Brown was not out of nowhere by any chance. Matt Whitney would be one of those guys because of all the injuries and adversity he has been through. Matt Whitney, Jared Goedert, Hector Rondon, and Carlos Rivero had very encouraging years.

Atkins also mentioned that while the player development portion of the Indians new spring training complex is expected to be open in Summer 2008, the Indians will still have a Gulf Coast League (GCL) team in Winter Haven for the 2008 season, and in 2009 the GCL team will move to the Arizona complex where we will move to the Arizona League. Also, when asked if there was a shift in the way the organization handles giving young players opportunities at the major league level this year, Atkins maintains there has been no change although directed me to General Manager Mark Shapiro for more insight on the topic.

Thanks to Ross Atkins and his staff for all the help this year. The Indians minor league season will kick back up again next spring, and TheClevelandFan.com and SportstimeOhio.com will be all over it.

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Gimenez Back To Form After Serious Setback

Indians do-everything prospect Chris Gimenez may be one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. Yes, just about any young man in the minors is great to talk to because they appreciate the attention, but when talking to some players their shyness or introverted personality can show at times.

Not Gimenez.

He is not only a nice guy, but an engaging personality who will talk your ear off (not that it is a bad thing).

In addition to having an incredible personality, Gimenez is also a physically imposing specimen. The guy is ripped and built like a linebacker in the NFL, and arguably may be the strongest player in the Indians system. In a lot of ways, his overall look and build is a lot like Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner. That's how big and strong he looks.

Sometimes though, the bigger you are, the harder you fall. But, what knocked Gimenez down was not a string of poor performance, but a string of serious injuries in 2005 and 2006.

Gimenez was selected in the 19th round of the 2004 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Nevada. After being drafted, Gimenez debuted at short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley that year and put up outstanding numbers and hit .300 with 10 HR, 38 RBI and a .946 OPS in 71 games. He also set several team records in the process, ranking in the top ten in several season categories and most notably second in home runs (10), first in on-base percentage (.419), and first in slugging percentage (.527).

After his brilliant season in Mahoning Valley, Gimenez made his full-season debut with Single-A Lake County in 2005. But, shortly into his campaign at Lake County, Gimenez's life and career took a dramatic turn when he suffered a rare type of staph infection. Gimenez made a slide into second base legging out a double, and scraped up his knee in the process which is not unusual for a player to do when sliding.

"Actually, it was really weird how it happened," said Gimenez about the staph infection. "I had hit a ball and was running to second base and slid into it. You get the normal raspberry on your knee, just like you have a thousand times before. I played the rest of the game and went home that night, and woke up the next morning which was a Sunday game at 12:30 and we had a 12:00 stretch, so we did not take batting practice or any of that stuff. So basically I went out and stretched, and I was warming up with one of my good buddies Brian Finegan, and I noticed that my knee was tight. I was like 'what the heck is going on' and it kept getting worse and worse and I was like 'what the heck did I do to me knee?' Well then it got to the point where I felt it was serious so I had to go find our trainer, and went and sat in the dugout and I happened to look down and my knee was a beach ball."

After the slide into second base, Gimenez threw dirt on the raspberry to stop the bleeding. While not the smartest thing to do, it is something he had done as a high school player to stop cuts and scrapes from bleeding since you can be removed from a game if you have blood on your jersey.

"Apparently there was something in the dirt that had gotten into my knee and was not cleaned out completely," said Gimenez. "I remember when I was in high school I have permanent marks [on my body] that are dirt stained because they wouldn't let you play if you had blood on your uniform. So I would slide headfirst and scrape my arms up and then I would just grab dirt and shove it in there so it wouldn't bleed anymore so I could play. For all the times I have done that on a high school field where God knows what kind of chemicals, spit and whatever is in there it just happened to happen that I slide in the wrong spot at the right time I guess."

When Gimenez and his trainer looked at his beach ball sized knee, they knew something was wrong. But the question was ... what?

"They didn't know what it was, as they thought it was a burst bursa sac at first," said Gimenez. "There is a fluid sac in there, and sometimes you will slide real hard and it will burst that sac and [leak the fluid], and it is fine as you just need to get it drained and you are good to go. That's what they originally thought it was. Well, I tried to play the game and I felt like peg-leg out there because it was so swollen that I couldn't even bend my knee. I hit a groundball and just walked straight to the dugout, I didn't even go to first base. Sarby (Mike Sarbaugh) our manager had taken me out, and then I went into the training room and they said it might be an infection."

Things got worse from there, and after his knee did not respond to ice treatment later that day they knew it was a staph infection.

"We iced it for 45 minutes, and this is something that I will never forget because after we iced it for 45 minutes we took the ice off and it was like it had been in a microwave," said Gimenez. "I guess that is what happens when you have staph infections, is they create heat. For ice being on your body for 45 minutes you would think it would be stone cold and it was like I had just gotten right out of a hot tub. So that is when the trainer knew I might have a staph infection. I had always heard of people getting staph infections and having things cut off, so it kind of freaked me out a little bit. He explained to me that we would go see a doctor when I got back [to Lake County]. The worst part is we had a ten hour bus trip back and a day off. [When we got back] I went to the hospital and they took some un-Godly amount of fluid that is not supposed to come out of my knee. They had it tested, and when they got the culture test back they said it was a rare type of staff infection so I needed to be admitted to the hospital quickly."

As Gimenez was laid up in Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland for almost two weeks, the infection got worse and worse where it eventually started spreading up his leg and into his groin area. When this happened, the situation became critical and life-threatening. If the infection spread to the groin area it would give it a clear path to the heart, and could result in death. So, the doctors gave Gimenez the news and informed him that if the infection did not start to subside overnight, that the next day he would have to have his leg amputated.

Thankfully, Gimenez's body started responding to the medicine that was being pumped into his body, and literally minutes before doctors were about to send him into surgery to remove his leg, the staph infection started to subside.

"When I was in the hospital, my infection had spread from my leg to my groin area," said Gimenez. "We did not know, actually, the severity of it until the red streaks started spreading to the groin area and that is when the doctors were like 'okay, this is a problem because if it goes there it goes straight to your heart and you are dead.' My doctor came in and said if the infection did not stop or go down in the next few hours there is a pretty good chance they would have to amputate the leg. So I am lying in bed all night and did not sleep a wink just thinking 'I'm not going to be able to walk again, I can't play golf or play baseball, my girlfriend is going to break up with me because I have one leg, my dad is going to have to buy one of those vans with the wheelchair coming out of it.' Just all these things were running around in my head. It was just kind of a huge mess, but thankfully I did not have to get it cut off."

After the two week ordeal that Gimenez went through emotionally and physically with the staph infection in 2005, the thumb injury he suffered in 2006 seems like nothing and pales in comparison.

Still, yet again a situation at second base resulted in Gimenez getting another freak injury that pretty much cost him another season of development. While sliding to breakup a double play, his thumb had gotten lodged under the second base bag as he slid through the base, and he ended up tearing all the ligaments in his thumb. He ended up being sidelined for almost half the season as a result, although he is now 100% recovered from the injury.

"They decided they wanted me to catch, so I went back to Lake County," recalled Gimenez. "About a month into the season, Fernando Pacheco had hit a groundball with me on first and a runner on third so I went to breakup the double-play. I slid into second base and I went to roll into the guy, and my thumb got caught underneath the bag. I kept going and my thumb stayed there and I tore just about every ligament in my thumb on my throwing hand. I'm just a pretty balls out guy, and if I get a chance to do something crazy, I'm all for taking guys out. Luckily I had one little strand of ligament left so they did not want to do surgery as there was a possibility it could heal. So we waited two weeks. I was in a cast, and we left it in a cast for a month with no surgery. I was out for over two months, and then came back from it and did really well. So, it was kind of a freak deal."

Fast forward to 2007, Gimenez finally made it through a season healthy, and his offensive abilities that he showed in Mahoning Valley in 2004 showed this year in Kinston and Akron. Without any setbacks this year, Gimenez sort of resurrected himself as a top hitting prospect in the system with excellent power potential, hitting .264 with 26 HR, 66 RBI and a .899 OPS in 113 combined games in Kinston and Akron. He was also a mid-season Carolina League All-Star after he hit .288 with 15 HR, 37 RBI and had a 1.031 OPS the first half of the season.

In addition to the hitting, however, Gimenez also has become very versatile as a player where he can play catcher, first base, third base, and the outfield. That sort of versatility will make Gimenez very valuable down the road when he looks to make the Indians roster as a bench player out of the minors. Hitting will always be the X-factor for him, but being able to play multiple positions is a plus.

"Actually, I really enjoy it," said Gimenez when asked about playing everywhere on the diamond. "That is the most exciting part, as it is kind a new challenge every day. You are not just stuck going to left field and taking 25 fly balls. It is kind of refreshing knowing that you are not always going out to the same patch of grass or dirt everyday. I need work everywhere, but at times I think catching and other times third base are my best positions. I played third base for a month this year and I thought I did very well considering the fact I had not played there in two years. I think if I was to stick to a position I can do well since you are getting all your reps there."

If Gimenez had a primary position at the moment, it would have to be catcher. That is the position he played the most this year, and is the position he was converted to back in 2005. It is still a work in progress for him as he never really played much catcher in high school or college, but he is coming along well with the transition to a new and very challenging position.

"I caught a little bit in high school," said Gimenez. "I caught my sophomore and junior year in high school, and didn't play my senior year because I was hurt. I learned the basics of it in high school, and I never really caught in college aside from catching bullpens as a freshman. I was an outfielder, and never really got back to catching until I got into pro ball. I worked with Armando Camacaro (veteran catcher in the Indians farm system), and he has helped with the mechanics and other things. And, when you are catching you are more into the game than you are in when you play, say, left field."

Earlier this year, after a very good showing the first few months of the season in Kinston, Gimenez was promoted to Double-A Akron on June 29th. Gimenez got off to a blistering start in Akron, homering and doubling in his first game and also winning the Eastern League Player of the Week Award for the week of 7/16. But, after that hot start, Gimenez cooled quickly. Gimenez ended up being sent back to Kinston on August 6th, and the fizzling performance his last few weeks in Akron was a result of him pressing and trying to do too much.

"Honestly, I think it was me trying to do too much and getting out of my gameplan a little bit," said Gimenez. "It is kind of like in Kinston where you play teams so many times, and they start to get the book on you. And you have to make adjustments, and I was just getting out of my gameplan. I would have probably walked a million times because they barely threw me any strikes, but I would just swing at them because I was struggling and pressing and trying to do a little more than I should have been doing. It kind of just snowballed on me, and hopefully next year I will get a chance to go back up there (Akron) and prove myself and turn things around."

According to Gimenez, one of the more noticeable differences in going from advanced Single-A to Double-A is obviously the pitching. Pitchers have better command of their pitches to where they really will throw almost anything in any count. Also, the game is just a bit quicker and the players much sharper.

"It really is different," noted Gimenez. "The game is still the same as it is still baseball, but it is definitely a little quicker. Guys are a little sharper in Double-A than they are in [Single-A]. Defensively, it seems like the [outfield] gaps shrink as you go up. The biggest difference for me is guys not throwing a straight fastball as everybody has a cutter or sinker where at Kinston you really only run into one or two guys who have that but really no one can control it. Up there [in Akron] they will throw you a 3-0 slider, and up there they can throw two pitches for strikes. That was the biggest thing for me, is in advantage counts you look for a fastball at Kinston where there you may have to sit offspeed because that is probably what you are going to get. The strike zone shrinks a little bit and guys tighten up their game."

Gimenez has taken note of how once you get to Double-A, anything can happen. With guys like Aaron Laffey, Jensen Lewis and Asdrubal Cabrera starting this year in Akron and now major components of the Cleveland Indians roster, a lot of players now view Akron as a springboard to the majors. While Triple-A Buffalo is the highest stop on the minor league ladder, it also is more of a holding ground for leftovers from the major league team. Double-A Akron is arguably the last true stop and major hurdle in the system for players to get past to get to the big show.

"That's the thing, you never know," said Gimenez. "In our organization you are really one step away when you get to Akron. They do mostly take guys from Buffalo, but Akron is always a very prospect oriented team. The best thing about it is you are facing a lot of guys with big league time or working their way back up.

"One of the players Gimenez had a chance to play with at Akron this year that found their way to Cleveland was shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. Gimenez was impressed with Cabrera's abilities in the field and at the plate, but even more so with Cabrera's confidence and the way he carried himself.

"It was amazing playing next to him," said Gimenez, who mostly played third base at Akron next to Cabrera. "He would say things to help me out. We'd play a fielding game everyday during batting practice, and if you made an error during batting practice you would lose because he is not going to make one. Honestly, that helped me out a ton just getting better working on groundballs with my footwork and making perfect throws. He is very intense when he does it, and has a good head on his shoulders."

Over the course of the season, Gimenez worked on many things at the plate to try and improve as a hitter. One of the things he worked on all year was trying to get himself to consistently swing down and through the ball to create backspin on the ball so it carries more.

"For me the biggest thing is I have a tendency to get the bat in the right position and then as soon as I get there I don't follow my swing path as I will cut it off and rotate my shoulders instead of staying down through the ball," said Gimenez. "So, I pull off on a lot of stuff because of it and I don't get that true backspin like I was getting at the beginning of the year. I was backspinning balls like crazy to right-center and left-center field. For me, that is where I need to stay as for me to be successful I need to stay in the middle of the field. I get a lot of topspin on my balls, so I need to get there and stay down through the ball as that is what creates that friction off the bat and backspin. Really, just working on throwing the barrel at the ball because I tend to use my shoulders more than my hands. As soon as I started using my hands balls just started jumping everywhere."

Gimenez credits a lot of his success this year and the improvements he has made as a hitter to Kinston Hitting Coach Jon Nunnally. As I mentioned in a previous article, the players in Kinston really respect Nunnally and the rapport he has with them is amazing, especially considering this is only his second year as a coach with the Indians. Nunnally's upfront style has certainly won the players over.

"Nunnally has done an amazing job," said Gimenez. "He is by far the best hitting coach I have ever had in my life, bar none. He says things that just sticks with you. Best part is he is honest where he won't let you get away with things where other guys will say 'yeah, that was a good swing', where he will say 'no, that was not a good swing' or 'you can do better than that.' He really keeps you on your toes, and to me you need that from a hitting coach because you don't need guys telling you it was a good swing when in reality it wasn't. Then you start training yourself thinking it was a good swing so you are going to swing like that every time when in reality you are doing it wrong. Learning what I have learned from him this year has helped me a ton."

With the season over, Gimenez is able to get some much needed rest before he gets started playing in the Arizona Fall League this October. Looking back on the season though, Gimenez knows he made some noise and will force the Indians to make a roster decision on him this offseason since he is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. With his versatility and power, a team may just take a shot at drafting him if the Indians leave him unprotected.

But, considering Gimenez's makeup, power and versatility, chances are he will be sticking in the Indians system for awhile.

Read More

2007 Draft: Five Questions

(NOTE: Updated on July 21^st)

Five questions per.  That was all I gave myself. 

In this follow-up article about the Indians’ 2007 draft I find out how Cleveland’s unsigned draft choices are doing in their summer leagues, what their strengths are, where they are in their negotiations with the Indians, what they think their chances are of signing with the Cleveland before August 15^th and more…in just 5 questions each.  Well, some of them were multiple part questions! 

Before I get started I want to thank all the draftees who were kind enough to talk to me and all the people who helped me get in contact with them.    

All of the guys who haven’t yet signed (and the three who signed last Monday) from the Indians’ 2007 draft are HS seniors, junior college players or college sophomores or juniors at 4-year schools.  All of these kids have the option to play in college next year if they don’t sign.   The guys with the most leverage in negotiations are obviously the younger ones who have the most years left in college, starting with Chris Jones, our 15^th round pick, who can re-enter the draft next year after spending a year at St. Petersburg Community College in Florida, his home state.    Some of these guys throw really hard, like Joey Mahalic, Josh Judy (both of whom signed this week) and Bryce Brentz, all of whom have been ‘bringing it’ at up to 94 mph this summer and Dallas Cawiezell (high of 95 mph), who has yet to give up an earned run and is striking ‘em out at almost 2 an inning in his wood bat summer college league.  Some, like Miles Morgan and Jason Hessler, two injured college pitchers who missed most or all of the year, are keenly aware that the Indians have a history of success at rehabbing injured pitchers.   

Until they announced the signings of Joey Mahalic, Josh Judy and Brian Juhl at the beginning of this week, the Indians had signed the fewest 2007 draft picks of any team in the major leagues.  As I indicated in my previous article (Safe!), I think this is by design. Most of the Indians’ unsigned draft choices appear to be summer draft-and-follows.  That is, the Indians will scout these guys on their summer teams and then make them bonus offers as we approach the August 15^th deadline to sign players.  Most of these summer draft-and-follows who sign with the Indians probably won’t play professionally this summer and will have their first exposure to professional baseball in a mini-camp to be held shortly after the August 15^th deadline and then, this fall, in the instructional league in Winter Haven, Florida. 

Not all of our draftees are considering turning pro at this point in their baseball careers.  I learned that some of them, like OF Bobby Coyle (U. Arizona scholarship), LHP Eric Jokisch (Northwestern) and RHP Stihl Sowers (East Carolina) are accepting college baseball scholarships instead of signing out of high school and a number of our later round, college draftees, including junior catchers Travis Howell, Doug Hogan and Doug Pickens, sophomore infielder Scott Savastano and junior closer Daniel Edwards have already decided not to sign and to return to college next year.  Kyle Leiendecker, a 6’2” 175’ LH HS pitcher from Indiana drafted in the 25^th round had his decision made for him by fate.  Kyle’s mother indicated he has a stress fracture in his lower back that he noticed in his final HS game and that Kyle was advised by doctors not to throw all summer.  The Indians said that, given his injury, he wouldn’t be able to pass their physical and so they wouldn’t try to sign him.   He is going to recuperate over the summer and then pitch for Indiana University next year.  I am sure our loss will be IU’s gain.

Eighteen of our draft choices (including Walter Diaz, who told me his agent had worked out a deal and was signing soon) have already signed.   A couple of other pitchers (including our 4^th round draft pick, T.J. McFarland, see his interview below) have said they have a deal worked out but have not signed yet.

For the rest of the Indians’ unsigned draft picks it appears that each of them is still open to signing with the Tribe if the bonus money is right.  For some, this may mean a sizeable bonus as a number of these guys are having pretty good summers and have great college scholarships waiting for them if they don’t sign.  Here are all the stats I have been able to dig up (through July 14, 2007) from the summer leagues some of these guys are playing in.

Position Players
Name, Position	Team/League	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	3B	HR	BB	SO	SB	BA
Matt Hague, OF/1B	Falmouth/Cape Cod	91	15	28	14	3	2	2	16	19	2	.308
Ryan Royster, OF	Brainerd/Northwoods	61	9	18	8	1	3	1	8	14	8	.295
Adam Zornes, C	Bourne/Cape Cod	36	6	11	8	1	0	1	4	12	0	.306
Tyler Kuhn, SS	Luray/Valley	108	26	33	11	5	2	2	11	15	3	.306
Matt Willard, SS	Wisconsin/Northwoods	77	8	13	5	1	0	0	12	28	1	.169
Pitchers
Name, Position	Team/League	G	W	L	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA
Dallas Cawiezell, RHRP	Alexandria/Northwoods	14	1	1	15	6	2	0	0	5	28	0.00
Shaeffer Hall, LHSP	Duluth/Northwoods	3	1	0	23	16	4	4	1	1	19	1.56
Josh Judy, RHSP	Haymarket/Valley	6	2	3	36.2	36	17	13	2	6	53	3.19
Tommy Luce, RHRP	Duluth/Northwoods	6	0	1	4.1	7	2	1	0	1	5	2.08

NOTE: Cawiezell has 8 saves in 9 chances and was named to play in the Northwoods mid-season All-star game. Luce has two saves.  Judy and Kuhn were named to the North team in the Valley League All-star game. Shaeffer Hall was tearing up the Northwoods league in three starts sandwiched around his orientation at Kansas University (where he has accepted a baseball scholarship) until he suffered a mild strain in his elbow that caused him to shut it down for the rest of the summer.

Below are the interviews with the guys I could get in touch with who were still interested in signing with the Indians.  Matt Hague (11^th round, Hague article with answers to some of the questions I would have asked him) and Cole St. Clair (7^th round), declined to be interviewed during their contract negotiations with the Indians. 

I was able to interview 22 draft choices (including McFarland) who are still considering signing with the Indians.  The questions in each interview appear in bold and the answers in normal text.  The order simply represents the order in which these guys were drafted.

T. J. McFarland – 6’3”, 190’ -LHP– Stagg HS, Palos Heights, IL. (Drafted in the 4^th round)
Committed to the University of Missouri

1. Are you playing summer ball and, if so, how is that going? I am playing for the Illinois Sparks, the same team I have played for in the past.  It is mostly weekend tournaments and I get my work in during the week to stay in shape.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what can you tell us about your fastball velocity increase?  My command of my pitches is my biggest strength.  I throw a fastball, a curve, a slider and a changeup.  It’s interesting, scouts told me in January they thought I could throw 93.  I think playing basketball this winter (I almost didn’t play so I could work on my baseball) has made a big difference in my leg strength.  (NOTE: T. J. throws 91-92 and hits 93 mph).  

3. Tell us about your arm injury last year and how it affected your prospect status.  It was just tendonitis.  I rehabbed it and haven’t had any problems this year.  It’s fine.  I guess scouts had mentioned early on in my high school career that when I graduated I could get drafted but it was so far away it never really sank in.  

4. In your local paper (Orland Park Prairie) you were quoted as saying that you expected to sign right away with the Indians.  What happened? The plan was to have me sign immediately after the draft and get down to the Gulf Coast League Indians right away to get acclimated to living away from home (the longest I have ever been away from home is probably a week) and get some innings in.  The problem was that no over-slot bonuses were being paid in the period right after the draft.  It seems like everyone is waiting for the first team to get an over slot bonus approved by Major League Baseball and then a number of teams will be more willing to try. 

5. What are the Indians’ plans for you now?  We have agreed on a bonus which is over slot.  The goal seems now to be to get me signed and to Winter Haven by the beginning-to-middle of August and get some innings in in the Gulf Coast League.  Depending how I do down there they may then move me up to Mahoning Valley since their season runs a little longer than the Gulf Coast season does.   Then they will send me to the instructional league.

Chris Jones – 6’2”, 165’ -LHP– Gaither HS, Tampa, FL–Committed to St. Petersburg CC (Drafted in the 15^th round). NOTE: John Mirabelli has called out Chris, who plays for the Midland Redskins (Cincinnati, OH) summer league team, as one of the possible stud prospects and good late round picks in the Indians’ 2007 draft class.

1. How is summer ball going? It’s going well.  Area scout Mike Soper has been to see me a couple of times and he confirmed that I was going to pitch this Saturday (July 7^th) because I think a number of Cleveland people are going to be at the game.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what has your fastball velocity (average and high) been this summer?  My strength is that I throw strikes, have good control and a good curveball.  My fastball velocity averages 88-89, touching 91 mph. 

3. Are the Indians trying to sign you right now or did they say they were going to scout you and then make a bonus offer later?  They are going to scout me this summer and make an offer probably more towards August 15^th.

4. Based on what the scouts told you what round did you think you would be drafted in?  I had no clue since I was injured early in the season. I was surprised when I was drafted as high as I was.

5. Based on what you now know, what is the percent chance that you will sign with the Indians before August 15^th?  I really don’t know.  It depends on the bonus they are offering.

Miles Morgan – 6’4, 225’, RHP – Sophomore – Texas Tech  (17^th round)
Miles missed almost the entire season with a shoulder injury and the Indians have been known in recent years for selecting pitchers who are injured as they have an excellent record on rehabbing these guys. Miles will also most likely be able to get a medical red-shirt and so would still be a sophomore in college eligibility in the 2008 draft.

1. I know you were injured and missed most of this season and are now going through rehab.  How's that going?  My rehab is going great. I have been throwing for about a month now and everything is starting to fall in place with mechanics and arm strength.

 2. What do you consider your strengths as a player?  My strengths as a player may be my understanding of the game and being confident with my pitches.

3. The Indians have a great track record for rehabbing injured pitchers.  Are you aware of that and will that impact the decision you make? I am aware of Cleveland being great with guys that are coming off the back end of rehab and that may play a factor in my decision.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in? Well, being hurt and only pitching 4 innings this year I did not expect to be drafted at all…well, maybe in the late, late rounds.   When I received the call I was very shocked and thankful because the honor of being drafted and with the Indians taking a chance that high makes me feel good.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th?  My main focus right now is to get healthy and 100% because if I’m not 100% then I am not helping the Indians or myself.

Jared Clark – 6’4, 195’, OF/RHP – Junior – Cal St. Fullerton  (21^st round)
Jared missed the entire season with a torn ACL.  He will also most likely be able to get a medical red-shirt and so would still be a junior in college eligibility in the 2008 draft.

1. I know you were injured this season.  How is your ACL rehab going, are you playing on a summer league team and, if so, which one in which league and how is that going?  My rehab is going great. I have been throwing for about a month now and everything is starting to fall in place with mechanics and arm strength.  My six months date is coming up on the 9th of July so that is exciting.  I think I am going to be cleared to hit next week with my physical therapist and that is something that I have been waiting for for a long time.  No summer ball for me.  I will not be cleared in time for that. 

 2. What do you consider your strengths as a player?  My strengths as a player would be my arm in the outfield, power, and the ability to hit the ball to all fields with power.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you? I have not talked with the Indians that much because I believe they are waiting until we get closer to my recovery and closer to the deadline.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in? Based on what scouts told me before the draft I definitely did not think I was going to be taken in the 21st round, I was thinking more of late 40s, so (being drafted in the 21^st round) was pretty surprising to me. It made me feel pretty good.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th? I do not have an answer for you yet for on this question.   I am not fully recovered and have not talked to the Indians much. 

Shaeffer Hall – 6’0”, 180’, LHP – Freshman - Jefferson (MO) College (23^rd round).

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I was playing in Duluth in the Northwoods League.  (NOTE: The Duluth manager is part-time Indians scout Adam Stahl).  Right now I am just at home hanging out and staying in shape.  Duluth was a great place to play and I had a blast playing there.  I had to shut it down, though, as I had a mild elbow strain.  It is feeling a little better with rest and the doctor said the MRI looked good.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what is the normal and top velocity of your fastball?   I get a lot of ground balls and work ahead in the count with good control and command.  I throw a fastball, a curveball and a changeup.  My fastball usually sits pretty solidly at 88-89 mph.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   I am being scouted as a summer draft-and-follow.  The Indians also saw me play during my college season.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?   Since I was a draft-and-follow last year with the Rangers, they owned my rights until a week before this year’s draft and other scouts didn’t really talk to me.  So, I really had no idea what the scouts were thinking about where I would be drafted.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15th.   I don’t know.  I haven’t talked to the Indians for a while.  Besides Mr. Stahl being my manager, the Indians did come out toward the end of my time in Duluth when my elbow was hurting but I haven’t heard much from them since I came home.

Adam Zornes – 6’0”, 215’, C – Junior – Rice (drafted in the 24^th round)
Adam got a late start playing in the Cape.  During the latter part of the season he was first round pick Joe Savery’s catcher when Savery pitched on Sundays for Rice.

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I have been playing for a couple of weeks now with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League.  So far I have been hitting the ball well.  The Indians asked me to come up here and work on some things with my hitting.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a player?   My strength is my catching.  I have a good arm, am a solid defender (NOTE: his pop times are in the range of 1.8 to 2.0). Offensively, I have power potential and the Indians see that. 

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   Summer draft and follow. 

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted?   I talked to a few teams when the scouts came down to Rice to interview us but I really wasn’t sure.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15th.   I think there is a pretty good chance of me signing.  I saw the Indians right before I came up to the Cape when I caught Cole St. Clair when he threw a bullpen for the Indians’ area scout and the scouting director.  I talked to the scouting director and he said they were seriously interested in signing me. 

Bryce Brentz – 6’0”, 185’, RHP – South Doyle HS, Knoxville, TN (30^th round).
NOTE: I talked to Bryce on Thursday (July 19) and he said he is still waiting for the Indians’ offer.

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I am playing for the Knoxville Yard Dogs and we just got back from a wood bat tournament in East Cobb (GA).  Indians’ scout Mr. Chuck Bartlett saw me there and has pretty much stayed in touch with me from before the draft to now.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what is the normal and top velocity of your fastball?   I have a fresh arm.  I haven’t pitched that much and, for the most part, I was a closer on our HS team, playing mostly in the outfield but pitching in a starting role when our two regular starters couldn’t start.  I hit 94 mph a couple of times at the end of my HS season and also this summer.  My normal fastball sits at 92 mph pretty consistently.   The Indians talked to me about having me start for awhile but eventually turning me into a closer.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   I am being scouted as a summer draft-and-follow.  Mr. Bartlett is coming up to talk to my family in the next week or so.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?   A number of teams (Marlins, Braves, Devil Rays, Padres and Brewers) talked to me about being an outfielder.  Only the Yankees and the Indians talked to me about being a pitcher and, eventually, a closer and the Yankees called me after the first day of draft about what I would accept if they made me a 6^th round pick (essentially slightly above slot).  I think the Indians might also give me a chance to hit.  After talking to the scouts before the draft I thought I would be a later round pick, maybe in the high 20s or low 30s. 

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15th.   Right now I would say 50-50, depending on the bonus offer.  My parents and I have talked a lot about signing versus going to college and decided to factor into my bonus request what my college expenses would be.  That way we can put that money away up front and I can start college when I want once I am done playing.  If I don’t sign I have heard a lot of great things about the Middle Tennessee program and I would love playing there if things don’t work out.  Either way, I will be fully dedicated.

Jason Hessler – 6’3”, 220’, RHP – Junior - St. Joseph’s University (31^st round)
Jason hurt his shoulder and had shoulder surgery in the fall.  He missed his entire junior season and is currently on the disabled list for his summer team, the Maryland Orioles.  He should regain his junior year of eligibility next year as a medical redshirt.

1. I know you were injured and the 2007 season and are now going through rehab.  How's that going?  I spent the entire winter and spring rehabbing but expect to start playing in the next couple of weeks for the Maryland Orioles.  That depends on the coach, however, as he tends to be careful in using pitchers coming off of injuries.

 2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and, before you were hurt, what was the high and average velocity of your fastball?  I would say it is aggressiveness and being able to work the entire strike zone. I have a fastball, curveball, changeup and split.  Before my injury my average fastball was 89-91 mph with a high of 94.

3. The Indians have a great track record for rehabbing injured pitchers.  Are you aware of that and will that impact the decision you make? My college coach, Shawn Penders, used to work for the Indians and he told me of their good record at rehabbing injured pitchers.  I had not heard about that before.  That is a plus for the Indians, in my opinion.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in? The Indians have been in contact with me through their area scout. They told me I would be drafted late as a summer draft and follow.  Their area scout called and said he would be down to see me play once I get off the disabled list.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th?   There is a pretty good chance of me signing, I think.  I really want to sign and get my pro career started. 

Joey Mahalic – 6’3”, 205’ RHP/3B – Wilson HS, Portland, OR (drafted in the 32^nd round).
Committed to Oregon State (two-time defending national champion)
NOTE: The Indians announced after this story ran the first time that Joey signed for a package (bonus and scholarship) that his father said was over $200,000.  Joey is reporting to the GCL Indians where he will be in the starting rotation.

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I am playing for the Northwest Stars--- in a wood bat league of college baseball players.  After the draft, I pitched 5 innings in the state of Oregon High School All-Star Game against the senior high school all-stars:  I allowed no earned runs and was awarded MVP Pitcher of the Tournament.  Then I pitched in the state of Oregon vs. state of Washington High School All-Star Game:  I pitched 3 innings--no runs, no hits, no walks and was awarded MVP Pitcher of the Tournament. 

2. What do you consider your strengths as a player and what is the normal and top velocity of your fastball?   Best fastball so far is 93 mph (he hit 94 mph on June 27th, the day after the interview!).  I allowed only one extra base hit the entire high school season--it was a double.  My strengths are my control with great ball movement and competitiveness.  No one outranks me as a competitor.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   The Indians will observe and then discuss signing later. 

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?   I thought I would be a high draft choice in the first 5 rounds. 

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th?   The door is still open for the Indians.  If they like what they see this summer, my joining the Indians will be strongly considered. 

Tyler Kuhn – 5’10”, 185’, SS/2B – Sophomore – West Virginia U. (drafted in the 33^rd round)

1. How’s summer ball going for Luray?   Great.  I am happy about my hitting (hitting .300) and felt good about going to the all-star game. 

2. What do you consider your strengths as a player?   No one tool is above average.  I am the typical SS/2B,leadoff/#2 hole hitter.   I cover a lot of ground on defense.  At the all-star game there were three Indians’ scouts present.  They timed me in the 60 yard dash at 6.68.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   The Indians wanted me to play as a summer draft-and-follow.  They said that they wouldn’t have enough at-bats for me on their rookie league teams this summer and didn’t want me to get into a situation where my pro career was a short one because I couldn’t develop because I wasn’t playing.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted?  The Indians were the team that was on me the most, all the way from last fall.  They called me when the draft was in the early 20s (rounds) to ask me about my signability.  [NOTE: as a draft-eligible sophomore Tyler as a lot of leverage as he has two years left in college if he chooses not to sign this summer]. 

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th and will getting a chance to play in the same organization with Adam White (9^th round 2007 draft) and Justin Jenkins (5^th year senior signed before the draft) from your college influence your decision?   I want a chance to start pro ball and it is not about getting a large bonus.  I am just looking for slot money.  If we can get that done I want to be a Cleveland Indian.  No, while it would be great to play with Whitey and Justin again that aspect of it won’t influence my decision.  Those guys are great but they have already started their pro careers and I need to decide what is best for me.     

Josh Judy – 6’4”, 195’, RHP –Junior - Indiana Tech U. (drafted in the 34^th round).
NOTE: The Indians announced that Josh had signed after this story ran the first time.  Josh told me he will report to the GCL Indians.

1. I notice you are playing summer ball but have only made 3 starts.  What is up with that?  Also, were you heavily recruited out of HS?   Yes, I am playing for Haymarket Senators in the Valley League.  I started a little late because I was waiting to see what the results of the draft were before starting summer ball.  I actually made my 4^th start yesterday (July 2^nd).  On being recruited, no.  Indiana Tech was the only 4-year school to offer me a scholarship after they saw me at a summer showcase my coach put together.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what is the normal and top velocity of your fastball?   Mental toughness.  My high fastball velocity is 94-95 mph and I average 91-92.   

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   The Indians said after the draft they would scout me this summer.  They said that, right then, they didn’t have a lot of roster spots available on the rookie league teams, especially since they had one less team this year.  Their area scout has been to see me but it seemed like there would be more Indians people at my next start (Thursday, July 12^th) so something might be happening soon.   (NOTE: He signed two days after that start.)  

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?   I thought I'd go in the top 20 rounds.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15th.   It all depends on what they offer.  I haven’t thought yet what type of bonus it would take to sign me.

Brian Juhl – 6’1”, 210’, C – Junior – Stanford U. (drafted in the 35^th round)
Brian is a switch hitting catcher.   Hmmmm! Do we know any other switch hitting catchers?  Brian also knows a Stanford volleyball player who I coached in club volleyball so we had more than just baseball to talk about.

NOTE: The Indians announced after this story ran that Brian had signed.  I caught up with him at Lake County on Monday where he was signing some papers.  He said that they might start him out at Lake County.

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I am playing for Oahu in the Hawaii summer league.  I am playing pretty well so things are good and, of course, it’s great being in Hawaii.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a player?   My strength is my defensive game including handling pitchers and throwing.   Offensively, when I get my swing going from both sides, I can be a good hitter.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   I think the Indians were planning on me being a summer draft-and-follow.  I talked to the Indians’ area scout when I got to Hawaii but we didn’t talk much about signing at that time. I think they are planning to talk to me more about signing as it gets closer to August 15^th.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted?   Anywhere from the 8^th to the 14^th or 15^th rounds.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15th.   I would say probably 50-50 at this point.  I am ready for pro ball and would like to sign.  The area scout said that we will be talking in the next week or so.  I wouldn’t mind going back to Stanford at all.  It’s a great school. 

P. J. Zocchi – 5’11”, 210’, RHP –Junior - Clemson (drafted in the 36^th round).

1. How is summer ball going? I actually just got up to Harwich (Cape Cod League).  I plan to start throwing in games this weekend (July 14-15) as a reliever and then, after about a week, I hope to be starting.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what has your fastball velocity (average and high) been this summer?  My strength is that I am aggressive and throw strikes.  I also have been able to overcome adversity (NOTE: He had Tommy John surgery his freshman year).  My fastball velocity averages 88-91, touching 92 mph. 

3. Are the Indians trying to sign you right now or did they say they were going to scout you and then make a bonus offer later?  They have made me a bonus offer that was acceptable but said they didn’t have enough innings for me in the minors because all their rosters are full.  They suggested I come up to the Cape and pitch.  They told me if I impress them the offer could go up but it won’t go down.  My plans right now are to sign closer to August 15^th or maybe sooner if I decide to shut it down a little early at Harwich.

4. Based on what the scouts told you what round did you think you would be drafted in?  At the beginning of the year I was a starter at Clemson and I was thinking top 12 rounds.  Then I got moved out of the rotation and I knew that if I was drafted it would be in the late rounds.

5. Based on what you now know, what is the percent chance that you will sign with the Indians before August 15^th?  Very high.  As I said, I thought their bonus offer was acceptable when they made it and we’ll see if I can increase it with a good performance in the Cape.

Dean Kiekhefer – 6’0”, 155’, LHP –Oldham County HS, Kentucky – (drafted in the 37^th round).
Committed to University of Louisville, a college WS participant this year
NOTE: I talked to Dean on Saturday.  He said that the Indians’ area scout had been to see him pitch and John Mirabelli had been to see him on a separate occasion. They told him on Tuesday they would be in touch with him in a few days but, as of Saturday morning, he had not heard anything. 

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I am playing for Evansville Razorbacks (www.evansvilleblacksox.com/razorbacks.html) starting about July 1^st. 

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what is the normal and top velocity of your fastball?   Best fastball so far is 92 mph but normally sits at 86-89.  My strength would be my assortment of different pitches I can throw for strikes (99 K to 8 BB in senior year).  I have 3 different fastballs, 2 sliders, a curve and a changeup. 

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   The Indians will scout me with Evansville and talk about signing me later. 

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?   I thought I'd go somewhere between round 6 and 12.  I think where I was drafted may be partly because of the draft slotting system and the bonus we were asking for.   Teams are offering to pay for college after I am done playing but we also are looking for some money in addition to that.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15th.   Right now I would say it would be 15-20% based on where I was drafted and the bonus that we are talking about. 

Johnny Williams – 6’2”, 170’, RHP –Junior – Tampa (drafted in the 38^th round). 
Johnny pitched out of the bullpen later in the year for Tampa.

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I haven’t been playing yet but I am trying to play starting later this month so the Indians can get a chance to see me play.  I am trying to work something out with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League. [NOTE: Same team Indians’ draft choice catcher Adam Zornes is playing for.]

2. What do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what is the normal and top velocity of your fastball?   Best fastball so far is 93 mph but I normally sit at 89-90.  About my strengths, I am a fierce competitor.  My fastball is my best pitch but I also throw a curve and a slider.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   The Indians have told me all along that I am a summer draft and follow. 

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?   Early in the season I was thinking I might be drafted in the top 10 rounds.  Then I had some elbow soreness (classified as a minor strain, my elbow feels fine now in the bullpen sessions I have pitched this summer) and I think I dropped as a result of that.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th?   I want to sign.  As long as I get a reasonable bonus offer I think I would sign.  It is not all about the bonus for me.  I want to play professionally.  If the bonus is comparable to where I was drafted I think there is a high percentage chance of me signing.

Dallas Cawiezell – 6’6”, 255’, RHP –Junior – Valparaiso (drafted in the 40^th round). 
Dallas was the closer for the last two years at Valpo and is closing this summer for Alexandria.  He was named to the Northwoods All-star game which he was on the way to when we talked.
NOTE: I talked to Dallas on Thursday and he said he had just been talking to Derrick Ross and they were working on the details with the hope of reaching an agreement on a contract very soon.

1. How is summer ball going for Alexandria (Northwoods League)?   Alexandria is the perfect situation for me.  I get to close and I have two great setup men pitching in front of me that I have to give a lot of credit to for my success so far.

2. How do you like closing, what do you consider your strengths as a pitcher and what is the normal and top velocity of your fastball?   I like closing.  I try to simplify the 9^th inning as just being three outs like any other 3 outs.   My strength is being able to spot my fastball and my confidence in my ability, even in this league, where there are a lot of good pitchers.  I work off my fastball.  I am basically a two-pitch pitcher right now: fastball and splitter but I do have a get-me-over slider.  My splitter is basically up and down but does drift in a little to lefties.    I normally sit at 90-92 with my fastball and I have been up to 93-94 mph. NOTE: He hit 95 in the Northwoods League All-Star game and struck out the two guys he faced.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   The Indians (scout Derek Ross) have told me all along that I am a summer draft and follow.   I think the Indians will be sending a cross checker up to the Northwoods All-Star game Wednesday or a little later this season after the All-star break to watch me pitch.   

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?   Interestingly, the Indians didn’t contact me much early in the season.  It was mostly the Twins and the Mets and both said that I would be drafted late so I wasn’t surprised when I was drafted in the 40^th round, just a little surprised it was by the Indians.  The Indians did call me about coming in for a pre-draft workout but I was already on my way to Alexandria at that time.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th?   I want to play pro baseball.  Depending on the bonus I think it is 50/50 right now.  I won’t sell my family short by taking a small bonus but I am not all about the money, either. 
NOTE: I asked Dallas, who also was a hitter at Valpo and hit early in the year for Alexandria when he wasn’t pitching (he was actually in the Northwoods League homerun hitting contest before the all-star game), about facing Shaeffer Hall, another Indians’ draftee, when Shaeffer was pitching at Duluth in the same summer league.  His comment was that Shaeffer had some nasty stuff the time Alexandria faced him early in the season.

Tommy Luce – 6’6”, 200’ RHP – Freshman - Seminole St. Col. (OK) – (drafted in the 41st round).
NOTE: Tommy is no longer listed on the Duluth roster as on 7/14/07.

1. How is your summer going playing for the Duluth Huskies and what role in the bullpen are you being used in? I really like playing for the Huskies. The coaching staff is great and I like all the guys, so it's pretty fun. My role in the bullpen is as a closer.

2.  How do you like pitching out of the bullpen and what is your fastball velocity when pitching out of the 'pen? I love pitching out of the bullpen. My velocity out of the bullpen is around 88-91, sometimes touching 92.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   The Indians told me that they wanted me to come up and play in the Northwoods League and they would watch me and maybe talk to me about an offer by August 15th.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted  in Based on what I was told before the draft, I was planning on going in the top 20 rounds. I guess things didn't work out like they were supposed to, but that's how the draft works sometimes.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15^th? The way things are looking right now, I'm probably going to go back to school for another year. But things could change in the next month.

Bryce Tafelski – 6’0”, 185’, OF – HS Senior – Scholarship to UC Santa Barbara – (drafted in the 42^nd round). 

1. Are you playing summer ball this year and, if so, who are you playing for?   I am playing again this summer for the California Wahoos, a team coached by Indians’ scout and cross checker Vince Sagisi.

2. What do you consider your strengths as a player and have the Indians indicated they will keep you as a catcher if you sign?   My strengths are mostly defensive right now, with my pop times (time from the ball hitting the catcher’s glove to the throw getting to the infielder’s glove on a stolen base attempt) and my agility behind the plate.  Yes, they plan to keep me at catcher if I sign.

3. Do the Indians seem intent on signing you right now or are they planning on scouting you as you play this summer and then talking about signing you?   Mr. Sagisi said that the Indians would make an offer by the end of July after seeing me play a little more. 

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted?   I thought I'd be drafted around the 10^th round. 

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what the percent chance is that you will sign with Indians before August 15th.   At the beginning of the summer I really was looking forward to signing.  Right now I would say probably 50-50 depending on the bonus offer.  Playing in college has probably entered my mind a little more as the summer has gone on. 

Ryan Royster – 6’1”, 170’, OF – Junior - UC Davis – (drafted in the 44^th round).

1. I notice you are hitting .300 in your league so far (and hitting your first HR last night!).  How do you think your summer is going? I feel it has been very positive and I have had a chance to make some improvements and adjustments as well as showcase my skills.

2. What do you think your strengths are as a player? I am blessed with good speed and a desire to win

3. Have the Indians indicated they wanted to sign you as soon as possible or are they going to scout you and make a bonus offer closer to the August 15th deadline?  I think it will be closer to the 15^th which will give them a chance to see all that I can offer to the organization.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?  I thought I would be a top 15 rounder.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what are the chances that you will sign with Indians before August 15th?  I am happy with my performance so far, but it is a much more complex process and I can only stay positive and continue to stay focused on my goal of being a Cleveland Indian.

I also asked Ryan a 6^th question about batting against the three Indians’ draft choices (Shaeffer Hall and Tommy Luce of Duluth and Dallas Cawiezell of Alexandria) who are pitching in the Northwoods League.  He said: “We faced Dallas and he has a great arm and would be a good addition to the organization (Cleveland). I have heard good things about all 3”.

Dan Evatt – 6’3”, 200’, OF – HS Senior – Grapevine (TX) HS – (drafted in the 45^th round).
I did not actually get to interview Dan but I received information through his school district that he is still negotiating with the Indians and expects to make a decision, not surprisingly, close to the August 15^th deadline.

Brock Simpson – 6’2”, 208’, OF – Junior - Kansas – (drafted in the 46^th round).

1. How is your summer league ball going? I was playing for El Dorado in the Jayhawk League but broke my hand a few weeks ago when I was hit by a pitch.  I am pretty sure I am going to be back in the next couple of weeks and then Indians’ scout Steve Abney (former KU pitching coach, current Indians area scout) is going to come and watch me play. 

2. What do you think your strengths are as a player? I am what they refer to as a tools player, even though the scouts think I could wind up in LF as a professional.  Maybe they don’t think my arm is strong enough for RF.  I run a 6.7 60 yard dash and I talked to the MLB scout from their scouting service and he said I was a 60 hitter with 50 power (on the scouting 20-80 rating system).    He said I projected to hit about .275 in the majors with some power.

3. Have the Indians indicated they wanted to sign you as soon as possible or are they going to scout you and make a bonus offer closer to the August 15th deadline?  I wanted to sign right away but Mr. Abney said they didn’t have any spots on their rookie league teams since they dropped a team this year and had a bunch of guys in extended spring training.  He said that if a roster spot opened up they might sign me early but now I think it will be closer to the 15^th which will give them a chance to scout me once I recover.  He said if they sign me late they will just send me to the instructional league in the fall.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?  Various scouts told me anywhere from rounds 10-20.  I liked that the Indians didn’t give me a round.  They just said they were interested in me and would find a round they could draft me in. 

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what are the chances that you will sign with Indians before August 15th?  For me, money is not an issue so I think the chances are pretty good.  Kids dream of playing professional baseball and I just want a chance to show my skills.  I am confident if I get that chance I will make the most of it, regardless of what the bonus is.

Matt Willard – 5’10”, 175’, SS – Junior - Arkansas – (drafted in the 49^th round).

1. How is your summer league ball going? Wisconsin (Northwoods League) is a great place to get my work in.  Indians’ scout Steve Abney has been to see me play.  This is my third summer playing in wood bat summer leagues and .   I am still working on adjusting to wood bats.

2. What do you think your strengths are as a player? I am a leadoff guy, a table setter.  My job is to get on base and steal some bases.  My time in the 60 yard dash is around 6.7.  My arm strength is good and I have played SS all my life and am confident in my ability to play SS. 

3. Have the Indians indicated they wanted to sign you as soon as possible or are they going to scout you and make a bonus offer closer to the August 15th deadline?  The Indians have told me I am a summer draft-and-follow.  Mr. Abney said they will talk to me later in the season about an offer.

4. Based on what scouts told you before the draft, what round were you expecting to get drafted in?  I expected to be a late round pick.

5. Based on what you know so far estimate what are the chances that you will sign with Indians before August 15th?  I would like to sign.  I told the Indians when I was drafted that I really wanted to sign and, if they offer me a contract I expect to sign it.

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Well, that’s it!  Now we wait to see how many of these guys are actually offered professional contracts and how many think the opportunity (and, let’s face it, the bonus) is right for them to begin their professional careers.  I think that you will see the Indians sign a bunch of guys in the days leading up to the August 15^th deadline.  How many they will sign is still unknown but I think the number will surprise the average fan of the baseball draft.  It could easily be 8-10 or more and may actually include a couple of surprises.  That is, they may sign a couple of guys who weren’t drafted by anyone this year but whom the Indians scouted in the Northwoods or Cape Cod League, very similar to the way the Indians acquired Brian Barton a couple of years ago.  Which good players are left who were not drafted this year?  I don’t know and, from the response I received from Baseball America’s Jim Callis, they haven’t done that analysis, either.   A couple of guys who do come to mind are Drew Hoisington, a junior outfielder from Toledo and Mihai Burlea, a 23 year old 6’6” native of Romania who is a junior at Northwestern College in Iowa.  There are probably a lot of others who might be the next Barton but I don’t know of anyone who has done the research to identify who it could be.

Only a couple of real questions remain, now:

(1) Will the Indians be able to sign Cole St. Clair?  When I look at what Jonathan Holt (5^th round, $138,000) and Bo Greenwell (6^th round, $123,000) signed for and the vibes I am getting from the whole situation, I get the feeling that the Indians, initially, are holding close to the slot line with St. Clair.  I would imagine he would be disappointed with that offer given that some publications were saying at the beginning of the season that he might be a first- or second-round pick.  I predicted in my previous article that the Indians would first try to stay within slot and then significantly up their offer to St. Clair as we get closer to August 15^th and I hold to that prediction.  Will they offer him enough money to sign?  Right now, I think it is a shade less than 50-50.

(2) Who else will the Indians make offers to?  I don’t think they will offer contracts to all the remaining draftees. I have my ideas on who they will make reasonable offers to based on bonus demands and how those guys have played this summer but I think you might be able to figure it out based on the interviews and statistics above.

I think this Indians’ draft class is intriguing.  Certainly John Mirabelli and his staff took an interesting approach to this draft.  I hope we get a chance to see a lot of these guys sign and then develop in the minors for the Indians.  The more we sign the better a chance we have of finding a later-round gem. 
More in my next article which will analyze how the Indians did in the 2007 draft after all the dust of August 15^th clears.

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