CHEECHREBORN
Big Sexy
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With the current trades leaving the Indians in a position where it seems like it will be forever until we can even sniff the playoffs again; I felt the need to take a journey through the Indians' minor league system to see exactly where we stand now and in the future.
Matt LaPorta 24 Years Old Corner Outfield
Acquired via CC Sabathia trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Great Power to all fields
+ Big and strong with the ability to handle more advanced pitching right now
+ Good pitch recognition skills and patience to wait for his pitch to hit or take a walk
+ He has excellent bat speed that helps not only with his power, but also lets him wait longer to swing so he can get a better read on pitches
+ Good hand-eye coordination should allow him to hit for average or close to it at the major league level.
+ Very good work ethic
+ Great deal of character and is great in the clubhouse
+ Complete package with the charm, looks, power and ability to be the face of a franchise
- Not a natural outfielder
- Lacks speed
- Takes poor routes to ball in the outfield
- Will strikeout a lot like most power hitters
Michael Brantley 22 Years Old Centerfield
Acquired via CC Sabathia trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Ideal leadoff hitter
+ One of the best players in the minors at making consistent contact
+ His bat-to-ball ability is phenomenal
+ Has displayed an elite level approach at the plate striking out just 27 times in 420 at bats this past season ranking second in the entire minor leagues with a strikeout per plate appearance ratio of 17.7 (27 K in 479 PA)
+ Has an extraordinary ability to consistently put the bat on the ball
+ Has plus speed to steal a base at anytime
+ Brantley's best comp may be as a Kenny Lofton type offensive player, a hitter who can steal 30-40 bases and can pound the gaps and hit the occasional home run and pile up 40-50 extra base hits in a season.
+ Projects as a doubles type hitter as his power is still expected to develop more along the way
+ Just a shade under 6'3" and is 195 pounds and expected to get even bigger
+ Moves like a gazelle out in the outfield
+ Versatile enough where he can play all three outfield positions
- Has had trouble getting good jumps on balls which has limited his range somewhat
- Has an average to below average arm, so he will never be an elite defensive outfielder
- Currently lacks power, but is not necessary as a leadoff hitter
Nick Weglarz 21 Years Old Corner Outfield
Drafted in third round of 2003 draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+Tremendous Power
+Long Arms with good bat speed
+He is a developed hitter with above-average hand-eye coordination
+Values and understands on-base percentage
+Very disciplined at the plate; able to lay off borderline pitches when ahead in the count
+Rarely chases pitches
+40 HR potential
+Was named team MVP of Team Canada
- As with most big sluggers, he is a below average runner and lacks much athleticism.
-Strikes out a lot
-Moved to outfield because of deep first base depth so he is a below average fielder
-Does not hit for a high average
Chuck Lofgren 23 Years Old Pitcher
Drafted in 4th round in 2004 draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Was once considered one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in all the minors
+ Physical starting pitcher who has a good four-pitch mix
+ Fastball that sits at 90-93 MPH and has topped out as high as 95 MPH in the past
+ Slow curveball that tops out at around 75 MPH
+ Changeup and slider which sit in the low 80s
+ Possesses one of the best swing-and-miss fastball statistics in the Indians system, which is heavily influenced by the deception in his delivery
+ Competitor on the mound
+ Likes to attack hitters on the inside part of the plate with his fastball
+ Very good at changing speeds and mixing his pitches
+ Impressive work ethic which is second to none and a direct result of his commitment to routine and being very mature for his age
+ Student of the game in that he understands and appreciates the history of the game, and he is very grounded ego-wise
+ Aptitude is off the charts.
- Placed on the temporary inactive list and sent him to extended spring training in Winter Haven for almost all of June to "clear his head" as he was on an emotional roller-coaster all season dealing with some personal issues at home with a serious illness to a close family member
- Repeated Double-A and struggled a lot and saw a big dip in his performance
- Last season he was clearly not the same pitcher he was in 2006 at Kinston as he was wild and ineffective really from the outset of spring training
-Has had trouble finding the strike zone of late
- Inconsistent release point hurt his command and led to a lot of walks and also him leaving many pitches up in the zone that opposing hitters hammered
- Needs some refinement with his delivery, and he needs to work on being more efficient with his pitcher
Carlos Santana 23 Years Old Catcher
Acquired via Casey Blake Trade
Strength and Weaknesses:
+ Excellent potential offensively
+ Ability to hit for a high average
+ Can hit with power
+ Exhibits outstanding plate discipline
+ Switch-hitter who has 20-25 home run power and is an RBI machine
+ Has a great feel for the bat and strike zone
+ Finds the sweet part of the bat more often than others
+ He is a competitor, and a very aggressive attack the ball kind of hitter
+ Is very athletic and has a lot of strength
+ Built like a Greek god and is very strong in his arms and wrists
+ Drew 89 walks to only 85 strikeouts in 463 at bats
+ Has a good motor and can steal a base from time to time
+ Smart runner, often getting good jumps going from first to third and second to home
+ Has the work ethic and untapped talent to become a good defensive backstop
+ Showcases excellent arm strength with a lightning bolt for an arm
- Only his second year catching
- Needs to work on receiving the ball
- Needs to work on calling games
- Needs to work on blocking balls
Chris Perez 24 Years Old Reliever
Acquired from Cardinals via Mark DeRosa Trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+Tall and strong
+ Has a 90-95 MPH fastball that touches 98
+ Has a hard breaking slider, and he even mixes is a curveball now and then
+ His K’s and opponents batting averages are great
+ All of his pitches rate as plus to plus-plus pitches
- Lack of command, and it’s a rather glaring one.
- In 84 professional innings, he’s allowed just 43 hits, but has walked 60, hit 13 batsmen and thrown 13 wild pitches
Trevor Crowe 25 Years Old Outfielder
Drafted in the first round of 2005 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Has the ability to hit for average with some pop
+ Very good plate discipline and pitch recognition skills
+ Very good approach at the plate
+ Student of the game that understands his skill set as a player
+ Has a contagious swagger, and is a very high energy and explosive player who has an engine that never stops
+ Above average arm
+ Good speed
+/- Average center fielder
- Has yet to put it together for a full season, although injuries have been most to blame
- Lacks quickness to play center
Beau Mills 22 Years Old Firstbasemen
Drafted in the first round of 2007
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Incredible offensive talent
+ Excellent power and strength
+ Hits the ball hard and has a nice line drive stroke where he gets good loft to hit balls a long way and punish mistakes
+ Covers the plate well, and hits the ball well to all fields
+ Good at making adjustments at the plate
+ When he gets good extension, he crushes balls
+ Had the highest hard hit percentage in the entire Indians farm system last year.
+ Has a good major league body and size for a corner infield position
+ Smart on the basepaths and makes good decisions
+ Indians feel Mills' makeup, presence, demeanor, and level of intensity are off the charts amazing.
+ Plays the game at a great speed with a great intensity level like Grady Sizemore
+ Is tough mentally and physically
+ Strives for perfection in his swing by being in the batting cage for extended periods daily
- Moved to firstbase from third base to help with a shoulder issue he had
- Likes to extend his arms when he swings which makes him susceptible to being tied up with inside pitches
- Needs more work with his footwork, both moving around the bag and in his fielding mechanics.
- Needs to get better reads and jumps on balls.
Lonnie Chisenhall 20 Years Old Third Basemen
Drafted 1st round of 2008 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Very intelligent baseball player
+ Very gifted and loves to play
+ Line drive gap-to-gap hitter
+ Very patient, polished approach to hitting and plus bat speed
+ Has a very good swing plane, is quiet in the box, and is short to the ball
+ Shows good command of the strike zone and puts up some quality at bats against left-handed pitchers.
+ Has unbelievable poise for his age and is a clutch performer
+ Makes good adjustments at the plate
+Great Arm and athletic defender
+/- Average Speed
- Still adjusting to wood bats
- Transitioning from SS to 3B
- Was kicked off college team in 2007 after pleading guilty to Burglary and Grand Larceny
Wes Hodges 24 Years Old Third Base
Drafted in Second Round of 2006 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Very disciplined hitter with great bat-to-ball ability
+ Has a nice, short line drive stroke that allows him to cover the whole plate with good power potential to all fields
+ Has no trouble catching up to good fastballs
+ Has become better at recognizing pitches
+ Makes good adjustments at bat to at bat
+ Indians feel he is one of the most intelligent hardworking baseball players in the system and a true student of the game
+ Aptitude is off the charts and he has an unbelievable ability to make adjustments
+ Very professional and is very committed
+ Has no fear and is not intimidated by expectations.
+ Has good hands and a strong arm
- Has displayed questionable range and ability to come in on groundballs
- His hip flexors are tight, which hinders him at times to get down low on groundballs
- Had 28 errors at third base for Double-A Akron last year
Luis Valbuena 24 Years Old Second Base
Acquired from Seattle in Franklin Gutierrez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Good approach at the plate
+ Has demonstrated good bat-to-ball ability with a quick bat with a nice line-drive stroke
+ Not intimidated by anyone when he steps into the box
+ Profiles as a top of the order hitter because of his ability to work counts, never give away an at bat, take walks and make consistent contact
+ Strikeout to walk ratio of 1.4:1 and 6.3 AB/K ratio, and showed an improvement with his approach last season with a 6.6 AB/K ratio
+ Continues to get stronger
+ Above-average defensive second baseman
+ Very good range
+ Strong arm and consistently has accurate throws
- Lacks really any versatility to play another position
- Some concern about his body because of his very stocky build which could give him some problems with his weight down the road
Jordan Brown 26 Years Old First Basemen
Drafted in 4th round of 2005 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Pure hitter with incredible hand-eye coordination and a passion for hitting
+ Persistent hitter who is a tough out
+ One of the best hitters in minor league baseball at bat-to-ball ability and making hard, consistent contact
+ Very disciplined hitter and gets on-base at a very good clip
+ Very consistent
+ Good gap power and piles up doubles, and his bat profiles well in the majors
+ Projects to be a high average hitter with the ability to hit 15-20 HR a year
+ Scouts rave about his sweet swing and approach at the plate and consider him a major league ready hitter right now
+ Compared to Sean Casey, Mark Grace, and John Olerud because of the good gap power, sweet swing, and ability to hit for average.
+ One of the hardest workers in the system as he is not gifted with great physical abilities but his outstanding work ethic and intelligence help make up for it.
+ Has become a good defensive first baseman which is a testament to his strong work ethic and athleticism
+ Has developed into one of the best strike zone managers in baseball
- In his four year career has been oft injured (hand injury, chronic left knee injury)
- Lacks homerun power usually required of first basemen
Carlos Carrasco 22 years old Starting Pitcher
Acquired from Phillies via Cliff Lee Trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+Fastball - ranges anywhere from 91 - 96 mph
+Ranks as a 5 star prospect by Baseball Prospectus
+ Has 3 above average pitches
+ Very high strikeout rate
+/- Projects as a number 3 starter
-Gives up a lot of hits and walks
- Doesn't have a definitive "out-pitch"
Jason Knapp 19 Year Old Starting Pitcher
Acquired via Phillies in Cliff Lee Trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Fastball that sits between 94-97 MPH
+ Strong durable frame should allow many innings pitched
+ Height allows him to throw ball downhill at batters
+ Has the ability to be a front of the line starter in the future
+ Very competitive on the mound and not afraid to go after hitters
Lou Marson 23 Years Old Catcher
Acquired via Phillies in Cliff Lee trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Has an easily repeatable stroke that produces line drives to all fields
+ Game-calling and receiving skills are above average
+ Arm grades as average to slightly above, and he ranked third in the high Class A Florida State League by throwing out 36 percent of basestealers.
- Footwork and lateral movement behind the plate need improvement
- Arm action sometimes can get long, as he’ll lead with his elbow
- Below-average runner, though not bad for a catcher.
Justin Masterson 24 Year Old Starting Pitcher/Setup man
Acquired via Boston in Victor Martinez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Big righty with an ideal pitcher's build
+ Has a three-fifths arm angle with a slinging-type motion
+ Phenomenal plus-sinker with an excellent heavy drop -- he can vary its speed from 84-94 mph
+ Very good slider that sits in the low 80s
+ Improving 77-81 mph four-seam circle change
+ Mix of pitches results in a high groundball-to-flyball ratio, resulting in a lot of double plays.
+ Very good command of the zone
+ Prepares well for every game and pitches with confidence on the mound
+ Good fielder with a quick and deceptive pick-off move
+ Strong character, Masterson is one of the most likable persons and teammates
+/- Ceiling is a #3 starter or a dominant set-up man.
Bryan Price 22 Year Old Starting Pitcher
Acquired via Red Sox in Victor Martinez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Arm without a lot of mileage
+ Projectable frame
+ Smooth 3/4 delivery
+ Fastball sits between 92-95 mph with a nice tail running in on righties
+ Price's fastball can reach the high 90s for an inning burst if used in relief
+ Two-seamer sits around 89-92 mph, also has nice inward movement against right handed batters.
+ Mixes in a plus 83-87 mph slider, which he relies on as his out pitch
+/- Command can be erratic at times when he gets rattled, but for the most part Price has great command and control
- Changeup has fluctuated from 79 to 85 mph, as it's still a work in progress -shows it a bit too much
- A lot of seemingly unnecessary movement and long arm action in delivery
- Not a lot of deception.
Nick Hagadone 23 Year Old Starting Pitcher/Reliever
Acquired via Red Sox in Victor Martinez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Big lefty whose fastball sits around 92-94 mph and tops out at 98 mph with very good life + Aggressive, throws strikes and gets ahead in the count
+ Mixes in a biting 82-83 mph plus slider, and an improving 80-81 mph changeup
+ Very good control
+ Team leader and a hard worker
+/- Closed in college but could make it as a starter if his changeup keeps improving
+ Not a lot of miles on his arm
- Needs to work on keeping his delivery consistent
- Had TJ Surgery in early June 2008, and returned to the mound in Greenville almost exactly one year later
Next year looks to be a rough year, but if we can start to transition for the 2011 season by giving some of these players significant playing time then I think we could be extremely competitive as long as we can bolster our starting rotation.
My projection for the 2011 starting lineup
Grady Sizemore- CF - Hopefully he can return to previous years forms and be the leadoff hitter we were hoping he would be
Jordan Brown- 1B- Scouts rave about his sweet swing and approach at the plate and consider him a major league ready hitter right now
Shin-Soo Choo- LF - Steady line-drive swing with developing power and above average speed
Matt LaPorta- RF- Is expected to be the Indians power hitter for years to come
Lonnie Chisenhall 3B- Is a line drive, gap to gap hitter who has been described as being very poised and clutch.
Beau Mills- DH- Is also expected to be a great power hitter, but is less advanced than LaPorta at this time.
Asdrubal Cabrera- SS- Will have more experience than the other remaining starters so he will be in this spot by default
Luis Valbuena- 2B - Makes consistant contact, can work the count, and never gives up during an at-bat
Carlos Santana- C- Still improving at this point and could easily rise in the order with his high upside
After looking at this a second time I think that we could potentially have a platoon in the Outfield of LaPorta, Choo, Brantley, Sizemore, and Weglarz. Sizemore, LaPorta, and Choo would get the majority of the starts, but I think that when Sizemore's contract is up we could move him and Weglarz would be able to fill in.
The starting pitching rotation is anyone's guess and really depends on how these prospects develop and what we can do through free agency. If you actually read this entire post then I applaud you haha
Matt LaPorta 24 Years Old Corner Outfield
Acquired via CC Sabathia trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Great Power to all fields
+ Big and strong with the ability to handle more advanced pitching right now
+ Good pitch recognition skills and patience to wait for his pitch to hit or take a walk
+ He has excellent bat speed that helps not only with his power, but also lets him wait longer to swing so he can get a better read on pitches
+ Good hand-eye coordination should allow him to hit for average or close to it at the major league level.
+ Very good work ethic
+ Great deal of character and is great in the clubhouse
+ Complete package with the charm, looks, power and ability to be the face of a franchise
- Not a natural outfielder
- Lacks speed
- Takes poor routes to ball in the outfield
- Will strikeout a lot like most power hitters
Michael Brantley 22 Years Old Centerfield
Acquired via CC Sabathia trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Ideal leadoff hitter
+ One of the best players in the minors at making consistent contact
+ His bat-to-ball ability is phenomenal
+ Has displayed an elite level approach at the plate striking out just 27 times in 420 at bats this past season ranking second in the entire minor leagues with a strikeout per plate appearance ratio of 17.7 (27 K in 479 PA)
+ Has an extraordinary ability to consistently put the bat on the ball
+ Has plus speed to steal a base at anytime
+ Brantley's best comp may be as a Kenny Lofton type offensive player, a hitter who can steal 30-40 bases and can pound the gaps and hit the occasional home run and pile up 40-50 extra base hits in a season.
+ Projects as a doubles type hitter as his power is still expected to develop more along the way
+ Just a shade under 6'3" and is 195 pounds and expected to get even bigger
+ Moves like a gazelle out in the outfield
+ Versatile enough where he can play all three outfield positions
- Has had trouble getting good jumps on balls which has limited his range somewhat
- Has an average to below average arm, so he will never be an elite defensive outfielder
- Currently lacks power, but is not necessary as a leadoff hitter
Nick Weglarz 21 Years Old Corner Outfield
Drafted in third round of 2003 draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+Tremendous Power
+Long Arms with good bat speed
+He is a developed hitter with above-average hand-eye coordination
+Values and understands on-base percentage
+Very disciplined at the plate; able to lay off borderline pitches when ahead in the count
+Rarely chases pitches
+40 HR potential
+Was named team MVP of Team Canada
- As with most big sluggers, he is a below average runner and lacks much athleticism.
-Strikes out a lot
-Moved to outfield because of deep first base depth so he is a below average fielder
-Does not hit for a high average
Chuck Lofgren 23 Years Old Pitcher
Drafted in 4th round in 2004 draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Was once considered one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in all the minors
+ Physical starting pitcher who has a good four-pitch mix
+ Fastball that sits at 90-93 MPH and has topped out as high as 95 MPH in the past
+ Slow curveball that tops out at around 75 MPH
+ Changeup and slider which sit in the low 80s
+ Possesses one of the best swing-and-miss fastball statistics in the Indians system, which is heavily influenced by the deception in his delivery
+ Competitor on the mound
+ Likes to attack hitters on the inside part of the plate with his fastball
+ Very good at changing speeds and mixing his pitches
+ Impressive work ethic which is second to none and a direct result of his commitment to routine and being very mature for his age
+ Student of the game in that he understands and appreciates the history of the game, and he is very grounded ego-wise
+ Aptitude is off the charts.
- Placed on the temporary inactive list and sent him to extended spring training in Winter Haven for almost all of June to "clear his head" as he was on an emotional roller-coaster all season dealing with some personal issues at home with a serious illness to a close family member
- Repeated Double-A and struggled a lot and saw a big dip in his performance
- Last season he was clearly not the same pitcher he was in 2006 at Kinston as he was wild and ineffective really from the outset of spring training
-Has had trouble finding the strike zone of late
- Inconsistent release point hurt his command and led to a lot of walks and also him leaving many pitches up in the zone that opposing hitters hammered
- Needs some refinement with his delivery, and he needs to work on being more efficient with his pitcher
Carlos Santana 23 Years Old Catcher
Acquired via Casey Blake Trade
Strength and Weaknesses:
+ Excellent potential offensively
+ Ability to hit for a high average
+ Can hit with power
+ Exhibits outstanding plate discipline
+ Switch-hitter who has 20-25 home run power and is an RBI machine
+ Has a great feel for the bat and strike zone
+ Finds the sweet part of the bat more often than others
+ He is a competitor, and a very aggressive attack the ball kind of hitter
+ Is very athletic and has a lot of strength
+ Built like a Greek god and is very strong in his arms and wrists
+ Drew 89 walks to only 85 strikeouts in 463 at bats
+ Has a good motor and can steal a base from time to time
+ Smart runner, often getting good jumps going from first to third and second to home
+ Has the work ethic and untapped talent to become a good defensive backstop
+ Showcases excellent arm strength with a lightning bolt for an arm
- Only his second year catching
- Needs to work on receiving the ball
- Needs to work on calling games
- Needs to work on blocking balls
Chris Perez 24 Years Old Reliever
Acquired from Cardinals via Mark DeRosa Trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+Tall and strong
+ Has a 90-95 MPH fastball that touches 98
+ Has a hard breaking slider, and he even mixes is a curveball now and then
+ His K’s and opponents batting averages are great
+ All of his pitches rate as plus to plus-plus pitches
- Lack of command, and it’s a rather glaring one.
- In 84 professional innings, he’s allowed just 43 hits, but has walked 60, hit 13 batsmen and thrown 13 wild pitches
Trevor Crowe 25 Years Old Outfielder
Drafted in the first round of 2005 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Has the ability to hit for average with some pop
+ Very good plate discipline and pitch recognition skills
+ Very good approach at the plate
+ Student of the game that understands his skill set as a player
+ Has a contagious swagger, and is a very high energy and explosive player who has an engine that never stops
+ Above average arm
+ Good speed
+/- Average center fielder
- Has yet to put it together for a full season, although injuries have been most to blame
- Lacks quickness to play center
Beau Mills 22 Years Old Firstbasemen
Drafted in the first round of 2007
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Incredible offensive talent
+ Excellent power and strength
+ Hits the ball hard and has a nice line drive stroke where he gets good loft to hit balls a long way and punish mistakes
+ Covers the plate well, and hits the ball well to all fields
+ Good at making adjustments at the plate
+ When he gets good extension, he crushes balls
+ Had the highest hard hit percentage in the entire Indians farm system last year.
+ Has a good major league body and size for a corner infield position
+ Smart on the basepaths and makes good decisions
+ Indians feel Mills' makeup, presence, demeanor, and level of intensity are off the charts amazing.
+ Plays the game at a great speed with a great intensity level like Grady Sizemore
+ Is tough mentally and physically
+ Strives for perfection in his swing by being in the batting cage for extended periods daily
- Moved to firstbase from third base to help with a shoulder issue he had
- Likes to extend his arms when he swings which makes him susceptible to being tied up with inside pitches
- Needs more work with his footwork, both moving around the bag and in his fielding mechanics.
- Needs to get better reads and jumps on balls.
Lonnie Chisenhall 20 Years Old Third Basemen
Drafted 1st round of 2008 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Very intelligent baseball player
+ Very gifted and loves to play
+ Line drive gap-to-gap hitter
+ Very patient, polished approach to hitting and plus bat speed
+ Has a very good swing plane, is quiet in the box, and is short to the ball
+ Shows good command of the strike zone and puts up some quality at bats against left-handed pitchers.
+ Has unbelievable poise for his age and is a clutch performer
+ Makes good adjustments at the plate
+Great Arm and athletic defender
+/- Average Speed
- Still adjusting to wood bats
- Transitioning from SS to 3B
- Was kicked off college team in 2007 after pleading guilty to Burglary and Grand Larceny
Wes Hodges 24 Years Old Third Base
Drafted in Second Round of 2006 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Very disciplined hitter with great bat-to-ball ability
+ Has a nice, short line drive stroke that allows him to cover the whole plate with good power potential to all fields
+ Has no trouble catching up to good fastballs
+ Has become better at recognizing pitches
+ Makes good adjustments at bat to at bat
+ Indians feel he is one of the most intelligent hardworking baseball players in the system and a true student of the game
+ Aptitude is off the charts and he has an unbelievable ability to make adjustments
+ Very professional and is very committed
+ Has no fear and is not intimidated by expectations.
+ Has good hands and a strong arm
- Has displayed questionable range and ability to come in on groundballs
- His hip flexors are tight, which hinders him at times to get down low on groundballs
- Had 28 errors at third base for Double-A Akron last year
Luis Valbuena 24 Years Old Second Base
Acquired from Seattle in Franklin Gutierrez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Good approach at the plate
+ Has demonstrated good bat-to-ball ability with a quick bat with a nice line-drive stroke
+ Not intimidated by anyone when he steps into the box
+ Profiles as a top of the order hitter because of his ability to work counts, never give away an at bat, take walks and make consistent contact
+ Strikeout to walk ratio of 1.4:1 and 6.3 AB/K ratio, and showed an improvement with his approach last season with a 6.6 AB/K ratio
+ Continues to get stronger
+ Above-average defensive second baseman
+ Very good range
+ Strong arm and consistently has accurate throws
- Lacks really any versatility to play another position
- Some concern about his body because of his very stocky build which could give him some problems with his weight down the road
Jordan Brown 26 Years Old First Basemen
Drafted in 4th round of 2005 Draft
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Pure hitter with incredible hand-eye coordination and a passion for hitting
+ Persistent hitter who is a tough out
+ One of the best hitters in minor league baseball at bat-to-ball ability and making hard, consistent contact
+ Very disciplined hitter and gets on-base at a very good clip
+ Very consistent
+ Good gap power and piles up doubles, and his bat profiles well in the majors
+ Projects to be a high average hitter with the ability to hit 15-20 HR a year
+ Scouts rave about his sweet swing and approach at the plate and consider him a major league ready hitter right now
+ Compared to Sean Casey, Mark Grace, and John Olerud because of the good gap power, sweet swing, and ability to hit for average.
+ One of the hardest workers in the system as he is not gifted with great physical abilities but his outstanding work ethic and intelligence help make up for it.
+ Has become a good defensive first baseman which is a testament to his strong work ethic and athleticism
+ Has developed into one of the best strike zone managers in baseball
- In his four year career has been oft injured (hand injury, chronic left knee injury)
- Lacks homerun power usually required of first basemen
Carlos Carrasco 22 years old Starting Pitcher
Acquired from Phillies via Cliff Lee Trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+Fastball - ranges anywhere from 91 - 96 mph
+Ranks as a 5 star prospect by Baseball Prospectus
+ Has 3 above average pitches
+ Very high strikeout rate
+/- Projects as a number 3 starter
-Gives up a lot of hits and walks
- Doesn't have a definitive "out-pitch"
Jason Knapp 19 Year Old Starting Pitcher
Acquired via Phillies in Cliff Lee Trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Fastball that sits between 94-97 MPH
+ Strong durable frame should allow many innings pitched
+ Height allows him to throw ball downhill at batters
+ Has the ability to be a front of the line starter in the future
+ Very competitive on the mound and not afraid to go after hitters
Lou Marson 23 Years Old Catcher
Acquired via Phillies in Cliff Lee trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Has an easily repeatable stroke that produces line drives to all fields
+ Game-calling and receiving skills are above average
+ Arm grades as average to slightly above, and he ranked third in the high Class A Florida State League by throwing out 36 percent of basestealers.
- Footwork and lateral movement behind the plate need improvement
- Arm action sometimes can get long, as he’ll lead with his elbow
- Below-average runner, though not bad for a catcher.
Justin Masterson 24 Year Old Starting Pitcher/Setup man
Acquired via Boston in Victor Martinez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Big righty with an ideal pitcher's build
+ Has a three-fifths arm angle with a slinging-type motion
+ Phenomenal plus-sinker with an excellent heavy drop -- he can vary its speed from 84-94 mph
+ Very good slider that sits in the low 80s
+ Improving 77-81 mph four-seam circle change
+ Mix of pitches results in a high groundball-to-flyball ratio, resulting in a lot of double plays.
+ Very good command of the zone
+ Prepares well for every game and pitches with confidence on the mound
+ Good fielder with a quick and deceptive pick-off move
+ Strong character, Masterson is one of the most likable persons and teammates
+/- Ceiling is a #3 starter or a dominant set-up man.
Bryan Price 22 Year Old Starting Pitcher
Acquired via Red Sox in Victor Martinez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Arm without a lot of mileage
+ Projectable frame
+ Smooth 3/4 delivery
+ Fastball sits between 92-95 mph with a nice tail running in on righties
+ Price's fastball can reach the high 90s for an inning burst if used in relief
+ Two-seamer sits around 89-92 mph, also has nice inward movement against right handed batters.
+ Mixes in a plus 83-87 mph slider, which he relies on as his out pitch
+/- Command can be erratic at times when he gets rattled, but for the most part Price has great command and control
- Changeup has fluctuated from 79 to 85 mph, as it's still a work in progress -shows it a bit too much
- A lot of seemingly unnecessary movement and long arm action in delivery
- Not a lot of deception.
Nick Hagadone 23 Year Old Starting Pitcher/Reliever
Acquired via Red Sox in Victor Martinez trade
Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Big lefty whose fastball sits around 92-94 mph and tops out at 98 mph with very good life + Aggressive, throws strikes and gets ahead in the count
+ Mixes in a biting 82-83 mph plus slider, and an improving 80-81 mph changeup
+ Very good control
+ Team leader and a hard worker
+/- Closed in college but could make it as a starter if his changeup keeps improving
+ Not a lot of miles on his arm
- Needs to work on keeping his delivery consistent
- Had TJ Surgery in early June 2008, and returned to the mound in Greenville almost exactly one year later
Next year looks to be a rough year, but if we can start to transition for the 2011 season by giving some of these players significant playing time then I think we could be extremely competitive as long as we can bolster our starting rotation.
My projection for the 2011 starting lineup
Grady Sizemore- CF - Hopefully he can return to previous years forms and be the leadoff hitter we were hoping he would be
Jordan Brown- 1B- Scouts rave about his sweet swing and approach at the plate and consider him a major league ready hitter right now
Shin-Soo Choo- LF - Steady line-drive swing with developing power and above average speed
Matt LaPorta- RF- Is expected to be the Indians power hitter for years to come
Lonnie Chisenhall 3B- Is a line drive, gap to gap hitter who has been described as being very poised and clutch.
Beau Mills- DH- Is also expected to be a great power hitter, but is less advanced than LaPorta at this time.
Asdrubal Cabrera- SS- Will have more experience than the other remaining starters so he will be in this spot by default
Luis Valbuena- 2B - Makes consistant contact, can work the count, and never gives up during an at-bat
Carlos Santana- C- Still improving at this point and could easily rise in the order with his high upside
After looking at this a second time I think that we could potentially have a platoon in the Outfield of LaPorta, Choo, Brantley, Sizemore, and Weglarz. Sizemore, LaPorta, and Choo would get the majority of the starts, but I think that when Sizemore's contract is up we could move him and Weglarz would be able to fill in.
The starting pitching rotation is anyone's guess and really depends on how these prospects develop and what we can do through free agency. If you actually read this entire post then I applaud you haha
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