2021 Minor League Thread

[CATS44]

Honestly we are pretty much going to keep the roster the same until about June then we will start to make changes...

I'm with you and Kluber Society on this.

Right now, both Bauers and Naylor are hammering RHers, and it wouldn't do to use Miller as a platoon bat.

I should say here that I'm not as high on Miller as a few of the other MIF prospects. Not that I dont think highly of him, just that I'm higher on others. But he is the only one that I can envision as being able to help the big club this year.

High OBP, esp if its driven by contact more than walks, translates better to MLB than power. It also translates much better to part time at bats.

But it isn't like Miller is young for a prospect. He is 24 and spent an entire season at AA. His natural progression would have put him in Cleveland right now, if he was good enough. If there had been a MiLB season last season, he might have been here by late June, if he was good enough and there was a need.

So a June debut sounds about right, with the same two caveats.

 

[B Mac]

I believe that Hammy often gets the word from the organization to say certain things on the broadcasts to start prepping the diehards for upcoming changes. He spent 5-6 minutes of time last night talking about Owen Miller and singing his praises. He ended his dialogue by simply saying we will see him very soon.

That was all I needed to hear to know that a change is coming.

 

[sportscoach]

I'm with you and Kluber Society on this.

Right now, both Bauers and Naylor are hammering RHers, and it wouldn't do to use Miller as a platoon bat.

I should say here that I'm not as high on Miller as a few of the other MIF prospects. Not that I dont think highly of him, just that I'm higher on others. But he is the only one that I can envision as being able to help the big club this year.

High OBP, esp if its driven by contact more than walks, translates better to MLB than power. It also translates much better to part time at bats.

But it isn't like Miller is young for a prospect. He is 24 and spent an entire season at AA. His natural progression would have put him in Cleveland right now, if he was good enough. If there had been a MiLB season last season, he might have been here by late June, if he was good enough and there was a need.

So a June debut sounds about right, with the same two caveats.

Miller it feels like has a floor of a guy like Mark Loretta which is fine with me. I don't doubt he will be able to play in the pros, but will he be more than an utility guy. That is something only time will tell...

 

[MadThinker88]

Just a reminder:
1) a delayed call up (made in until late April) is enough to get another year of service/ player control.

2) a delayed call up (made in late June) is normally enough to avoid Super 2 arbitration status..

 

[sportscoach]

I believe that Hammy often gets the word from the organization to say certain things on the broadcasts to start prepping the diehards for upcoming changes. He spent 5-6 minutes of time last night talking about Owen Miller and singing his praises. He ended his dialogue by simply saying we will see him very soon.

That was all I needed to hear to know that a change is coming.

I think we all felt we would see Miller sometime this season after the service time period. With both Vargas and Perez out for an extended time, we could move one to the 60 day DL or cut/move Bauers or Chang... Though in no way would I want to lose Chang organizationally

 

[AZ_]

I believe that Hammy often gets the word from the organization to say certain things on the broadcasts to start prepping the diehards for upcoming changes. He spent 5-6 minutes of time last night talking about Owen Miller and singing his praises. He ended his dialogue by simply saying we will see him very soon.

That was all I needed to hear to know that a change is coming.

Well, I mean he’s hitting .450

That helps get him on the radar. All depends on if he can handle 1B.

 

[CATS44]

I think we all felt we would see Miller sometime this season after the service time period. With both Vargas and Perez out for an extended time, we could move one to the 60 day DL or cut/move Bauers or Chang... Though in no way would I want to lose Chang organizationally

Just a question, Coach...

At what age will you want to lose Chang?

For the life of me, I do not see the enchantment for Chang.

Outside of 24 homers in an otherwise uninspiring 2017 and a stint in the 2018 Arizona Fall League, he's never done anything particularly noticeable. He's never had a full season OPS of .800 nor put up a high OPS. Meanwhile, his K rate has steadily risen.

He doesn't hit the ball hard, in fact well below average. He isn't a GG caliber MIF. And in August he turns 26.

I'm not sure he wouldn't pass thru waivers. And if he did, which prospects would you want to move down...all the way down thru every level...to make room for him in Columbus?

In any case, he will be gone in six months. Surely, the org won't keep him on the 40 man at the expense of a good prospect esp when he is out of options next year.

I kinda doubt he will even make it thru this season.

 

[MadThinker88]

Just a question, Coach...

At what age will you want to lose Chang?

For the life of me, I do not see the enchantment for Chang.

Outside of 24 homers in an otherwise uninspiring 2017 and a stint in the 2018 Arizona Fall League, he's never done anything particularly noticeable. He's never had a full season OPS of .800 nor put up a high OPS. Meanwhile, his K rate has steadily risen.

He doesn't hit the ball hard, in fact well below average. He isn't a GG caliber MIF. And in August he turns 26.

I'm not sure he wouldn't pass thru waivers. And if he did, which prospects would you want to move down...all the way down thru every level...to make room for him in Columbus?

In any case, he will be gone in six months. Surely, the org won't keep him on the 40 man at the expense of a good prospect esp when he is out of options next year.

I kinda doubt he will even make it thru this season.

Point of clarification: Chang is only out of options next year if he gets sent down for more than 20 days this season (non-rehab assignment).

I suspect Chang & Clement are currently fighting for the same roster spot on the 40 man after the season.
Clement is the better glove of the 2. Chang is the better bat of the 2.

 

[CDAV45]

You don't see the enchantment for Chang because he possesses what you seem to not care for, and that is power. Carrasco and other players have mentioned it. It's one of the most valuable things in today's game with all the shifting, but you have to be able to tap into it. Clearly Chang has struggled to do that in a platoon/part time role.

Defensively he has some versatility too, and that has value. While he isn't a GGer, he's pretty solid defensively. He makes the routine plays and rarely has an error unlike the 2 current SS. If they designate him he will be claimed and I'm ok with that.

Not every decision made by the organization is based off of Fangraphs or any other metric. They see talent in Chang, and honestly so do I, but like so many others he hasn't been able to realize that talent. That could be the result of his environment or just the fact that he's incapable.

 

[sportscoach]

You don't see the enchantment for Chang because he possesses what you seem to not care for, and that is power. Carrasco and other players have mentioned it. It's one of the most valuable things in today's game with all the shifting, but you have to be able to tap into it. Clearly Chang has struggled to do that in a platoon/part time role.

Defensively he has some versatility too, and that has value. While he isn't a GGer, he's pretty solid defensively. He makes the routine plays and rarely has an error unlike the 2 current SS. If they designate him he will be claimed and I'm ok with that.

Not every decision made by the organization is based off of Fangraphs or any other metric. They see talent in Chang, and honestly so do I, but like so many others he hasn't been able to realize that talent. That could be the result of his environment or just the fact that he's incapable.

Chang I feel like needs everyday play to really get better and he isn't going to get that here with the current roster and with guys coming up with higher talent levels, it's gonna squeeze him off the roster in my mind. This is Chang's last chance and everything is against him on paper outside of getting irregular MLB at bats...

 

[CDAV45]

Chang I feel like needs everyday play to really get better and he isn't going to get that here with the current roster and with guys coming up with higher talent levels, it's gonna squeeze him off the roster in my mind. This is Chang's last chance and everything is against him on paper outside of getting irregular MLB at bats...

I agree and I would also let him go. Even if he starts to realize his potential the dead end to his career in CLE is close due to the upcoming talent pool.

 

[Tondo]

Point of clarification: Chang is only out of options next year if he gets sent down for more than 20 days this season (non-rehab assignment).

I suspect Chang & Clement are currently fighting for the same roster spot on the 40 man after the season.
Clement is the better glove of the 2. Chang is the better bat of the 2.

Clement is a better hitter than Chang, his style translates better to MLB than Chang's.

 

[CATS44]

You don't see the enchantment for Chang because he possesses what you seem to not care for, and that is power. Carrasco and other players have mentioned it. It's one of the most valuable things in today's game with all the shifting, but you have to be able to tap into it. Clearly Chang has struggled to do that in a platoon/part time role.

Defensively he has some versatility too, and that has value. While he isn't a GGer, he's pretty solid defensively. He makes the routine plays and rarely has an error unlike the 2 current SS. If they designate him he will be claimed and I'm ok with that.

Not every decision made by the organization is based off of Fangraphs or any other metric. They see talent in Chang, and honestly so do I, but like so many others he hasn't been able to realize that talent. That could be the result of his environment or just the fact that he's incapable.

So, you don't like statistical analysis, and you ignore lack of results, in deference to so called power.

You see something in Chang that has not been there since 2017 at AA....and you claim that the Indians do, too.

I will tell you what the Indians are most likely seeing in Chang...and every action they are taking shows it.

They see an older non prospect...a warm body in a position to fill a spot on a 26 man roster, while the real prospects prepare to take over soon.

Miller isn't learning to play first base in the very near future, because the Indians are intrigued with Chang's 'power'.

And the Indians certainly don't see more potential in Chang than they do in Naylor, Gimenez, Miller, Freeman, Arias, Rocchio, and Jones...all of which play positions that Chang plays....and all are much younger.

You keep waiting for Chang's elusive power. But its gonna be a long wait, and you will have to watch for it at AAA in some other org. Chang is the definition of AAAA.

Hes here because nobody else is ready, but thats gonna change real soon.

 

[Derek]

Can we please keep this thread to prospect talk?

I come in here for farm updates.

If you want to talk about shuffling the roster, there are other threads for that.

 

[CATS44]

Its kinda difficult to talk about prospects, esp the upper level ones, without talking about how they might fit on the 26 and 40 man rosters.