Around the Farm: April 21, 2012

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday's performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday's game.

Nick Weglarz (DH, Akron): 1-for-2, R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K.

Weglarz connected for his first homer of the season and reached base in three of four plate appearances. A few years ago this would have been the norm for him, but of late it has become the exception. Even after the two walks and homer he is still hitting just .171/.293/.286 in 10 games for Akron. When you combine his start this season to his year last season at Akron when he hit .179/.360/.306 in 41 games, you have to wonder if the injuries have taken their toll on him. You also can only wonder what could have been had he not had the injuries as maybe the Indians’ problems in left field would have already been solved a long time ago.

Jared Goedert (LF, Akron): 2-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB.

Good things came in twos for Goedert last night and he was perfect as he reached base in all four of his plate attempts. In 14 games with Akron he is hitting .429/.525/.592 and really has no business being in Double-A and should be in Triple-A. The problem for him is that a similar player to him – Russ Canzler – is in the same role at Columbus playing left field and first base, and Lonnie Chisenhall is at third base. So until one of those guys gets hurt or are traded/promoted, it looks like Goedert is in Akron to stay awhile. And Akron gets to benefit.

Jake Lowery (DH, Carolina): 2-for-3, 2B, BB, K.

Last night was the 7^th time in 14 games that Lowery has had a 2-hit night and he is off to a good start this season hitting .327/.397/.481, which is great to see. But one concern is the strikeouts he is racking up so far in the season as he has now struck out 20 times in 52 at bats. In addition to this he amazingly has now struck out at least one time in all 14 games this season. I can’t recall the last time I have seen a streak like that, and I am sure it is one he would like to end.

• Cord Phelps (2B, Columbus): 1-for-5, R, 3B, 2 RBI, BB. Hey, remember me Cleveland? While everyone is so focused on Lonnie Chisenhall in Columbus, Phelps is off to a good start himself hitting .343/.395/.529 in 16 games.
• Lonnie Chisenhall (3B, Columbus): 1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K. Chisenhall is racking up the extra base hits and RBI in Columbus, but he is also piling up the strikeouts as that is now 14 strikeouts (2 walks) in 16 games.
• Russ Canzler (LF, Columbus): 5-for-6, 2 R, 3B. This was a much needed big game for Canzler as he entered the game hitting .176 with just 9 hits in his first 13 games, but after the 5 hit night pushed his average up 70 points to .246.
• Trevor Crowe (DH, Columbus): 2-for-5, R, 2 RBI, BB, K. Crowe just continues to sizzle at Columbus as he now has had 2 or more hits in 7 of his 14 games.
• Tim Fedroff (CF, Akron): 1-for-3, 2 R, 3B, BB. After a blazing hot start, Fedroff has cooled some as he is just 5-for-26 in his last 7 games.
• Ryan Spilborghs (RF, Columbus): 3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, RBI, BB, K. The Indians have two solid options in Spilborghs and Crowe to come up and replace Aaron Cunningham in Cleveland as the fourth outfielder….although Johnny Damon may be the one to bump Cunningham off the roster.
• Luke Carlin (C, Columbus): 3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, K, PB. Carlin came off the DL on Friday with 3 hits and 3 RBI. Not a bad way to make your presence known.
• Zach McAllister (SP, Columbus): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 8 K. McAllister earned his first win of the season, but really labored as he threw 100 pitches (60 strikes) in just 5.0 innings of work.
• Chun Chen (C, Akron): 2-for-4, RBI. Chen has been catching some of late, but that is out of necessity since backup catcher Michel Hernandez was moved up to Columbus earlier in the week when Luke Carlin went on the DL. Carlin has since been activated off the DL and Hernandez should be activated in Akron again soon.
• Adam Abraham (1B, Akron): 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI. Abraham socked his first homer of the year, and after a 1-for-12 start is starting to warm up a little with a triple, homer and 3 RBI in his last two games.
• Giovanni Soto (SP, Akron): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 6 K. Soto pitched very well before tiring in the 6^th inning. Through the first 5 innings he allowed just 1 run on 3 hits with no walks and 6 strikeouts.
• Tyler Holt (CF, Carolina): 2-for-4, 3 R, 3B, RBI, BB, K, 2B. Holt with another stat stuffing game and just biding his time until some movement in the upper levels allows the Indians to call him up to Double-A Akron.
• Jesus Aguilar (1B, Carolina); 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI. Aguilar is another guy that could be in Akron very soon as he is hitting .353/.433/.529 in 14 games and most importantly has 6 walks and just 9 strikeouts in 51 at bats.
• Dwight Childs (C, Carolina): 2-for-4, R, HR, RBI, K. Childs has had limited opportunities as he has now played in just 5 games this season, but he has made the most of them by homering in two of those games.
• Brett Brach (SP, Carolina): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K. Brach left the game after just one inning of work and 19 pitches as he was unable to come back out for the second inning. No, he did not get hurt. A one hour and 23 minute rain delay after the first inning did him in.
• Francisco Jimenez (RP, Carolina): 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Jimenez is one of the most important and vital pitchers in the Indians’ lower levels. He is not a high profile prospect, but his versatility to pitch in short and long relief save the Mudcats in this game and he was awarded the win.
• Shawn Armstrong (RP, Carolina): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K. Armstrong has yet to allow a run in 5 combined appearances with Lake County and Carolina as he has thrown 10.0 shutout innings and yielded just 4 hits and has 12 strikeouts, though has 8 walks.
• Francisco Lindor (SS, Lake County): 0-for-5. After a good start Lindor has fallen into a mini slump where the hits are just not falling. In his last 6 games he is just 4-for-25 (.120) at the plate.
• Luigi Rodriguez (CF, Lake County): 0-for-5. That is three straight 0-fers for Rodriguez, who is now 0-for-13 in his last 3 games, which has pushed his batting average below .300 for the first time this season (.290).
• Alex Lavisky (C, Lake County): 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB. Lavisky continues his encouraging start with another double and RBI. In 13 games he now has 7 doubles, 1 homer, and 12 RBI. The downside is his walk last night was the first one for him on the season (14 strikeouts).
• Bryson Myles (RF, Lake County): 2-for-3, R, 3B, RBI, BB. Myles has a hit in 6 of his last 8 games, and over that span is 10-for-28 (.357) during that span.
• Todd Hankins (3B, Lake County): 2-for-4, 2 RBI. Hankins is getting a chance to play a little more with Jordan Smith on the shelf for a short bit after jamming his finger, and he responded with his first multi-hit game of the season last night.
• Felix Sterling (SP, Lake County): 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Last night was his worst outing in four starts, but still a solid effort. He is off to a good start this year as in 20.0 innings he has allowed 11 hits and 9 walks and has 19 strikeouts.
• Cole Cook (RP, Lake County): 3.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 4 K. The bad news for Cook this year is in 10.2 innings he has allowed 17 hits and 16 runs (10 earned). The good news is his strikeout rate is way up with 12 strikeouts in those 10.2 innings.

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