• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

2021 Series #36 | Indians @ Tigers | Aug. 13-15

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Juan Hillman qualifies as a minor league free agent after this season... hence why I said 'might' earlier.

Doubtful he returns to the CLE organization in order to repeat AA level again when he leads all the AA levels in Wins and is posting his best season statistically.

I'd honestly would advise Hillman to go to a new organization, especially one that needs SPs at the major league club. I don't think he will ever see the big leagues with the Indians...
 
I can see Hillman getting some time in a big league rotation at some point. He’s still young but seems like he’s been around forever.
 
I can see Hillman getting some time in a big league rotation at some point. He’s still young but seems like he’s been around forever.

We drafted him out of high school and was on our top 30 prospect list too at one point, hence why he has been around forever it seems like. I just don't think he has the talent levels of the other guys in front of him on the depth chart, if he did, I think we would have seen him up this season with all the injuries we had ya know?
 
I'd honestly would advise Hillman to go to a new organization, especially one that needs SPs at the major league club. I don't think he will ever see the big leagues with the Indians...
agree with this... Hillman hasn't improved in the manner foresaw when drafted.. I still like his change up.. but, that's about all he throws that might be considered ML-esque..

Not sure why Juan Hillman is a subject discussed in an Indians/Tigers thread..
 
agree with this... Hillman hasn't improved in the manner foresaw when drafted.. I still like his change up.. but, that's about all he throws that might be considered ML-esque..

Not sure why Juan Hillman is a subject discussed in an Indians/Tigers thread..

Cause people started discussing MLB to AA pitchers for next season....
 
Your likely looking at a 2022 AAA rotation of: Eli Morgan, Trevor Stephen, Cody Morris, Konnor Pilkington along with other possible in house options.

Those options include:
Scott Moss (if still on the roster has an option).
Peyton Battenfield
Adam Scott
A returning Joey Cantillo might be in AA or AAA.
A returning Carlos Vargas will likely be in AA but is also a possibility.
Other arms like Juan Hillman/ Kirk McCarty might still be around too.
I'm thinking they should transition Eli to the bullpen. With the Indians this year opposing hitters are batting .200/.551 against him the first time through the order. In their second at-bats they're hitting .350/1.252. That screams relief pitcher to me and with the five-man rotation we have now plus Morris, possibly Mejia, and the recent acquisitions of Battenfield and Pilkington I don't see Morgan being a future rotation member unless we have a slew of injuries next year before some of these other guys are ready.

I could see Sandlin taking Shaw's spot next year and Eli taking over Wittman's role. Batters are hitting .385 against Morgan with RISP so he's a guy you bring in to start and inning an maybe throw another inning at most. He'll be 26 next May so I don't know how much more he can improve.

You think Stephan is a future starter? I see him as a guy who comes in for an inning and throws 98 mph gas.
 
There aren't that many pitchers that throw 180+ innings anymore. Heck, there aren't many that throw the 162 needed to qualify.

23 pitchers in the AL qualified in 2018...21 in 2019...23 so far in 2021.

If TMac is our #5..which I expect...he will be pitching behind four guys that, if healthy, should be able to go at least 180 IP...and be able to be used judiciously.

But in any case...even full health for the entire rotation...we will need at least two more SPs in a best case scenario...which is why none of the regular rotation will be traded this off season.
Good points CATS, and I agree. If Triston can give a full season's worth of IP then I hope they don't trade anyone out of the rotation because I'm trying to think of a better one from top to bottom than Bieber, Plesac, Civale, Quantrill, and McKenzie.
 
I'm thinking they should transition Eli to the bullpen. With the Indians this year opposing hitters are batting .200/.551 against him the first time through the order. In their second at-bats they're hitting .350/1.252. That screams relief pitcher to me and with the five-man rotation we have now plus Morris, possibly Mejia, and the recent acquisitions of Battenfield and Pilkington I don't see Morgan being a future rotation member unless we have a slew of injuries next year before some of these other guys are ready.

I could see Sandlin taking Shaw's spot next year and Eli taking over Wittman's role. Batters are hitting .385 against Morgan with RISP so he's a guy you bring in to start and inning an maybe throw another inning at most. He'll be 26 next May so I don't know how much more he can improve.

You think Stephan is a future starter? I see him as a guy who comes in for an inning and throws 98 mph gas.
Once Stephan can be optioned to the minors, I think it make a lot of sense (at least initially) to see what he can do as a starter in AAA.
 
Good points CATS, and I agree. If Triston can give a full season's worth of IP then I hope they don't trade anyone out of the rotation because I'm trying to think of a better one from top to bottom than Bieber, Plesac, Civale, Quantrill, and McKenzie.
Does Kershaw, Buehler, Scherzer, Urias & Price stack up (A: yes)
 
Good points CATS, and I agree. If Triston can give a full season's worth of IP then I hope they don't trade anyone out of the rotation because I'm trying to think of a better one from top to bottom than Bieber, Plesac, Civale, Quantrill, and McKenzie.
The Dodgers with Kershaw, Scherzer, Buehler, Urias, and Price is by far better. The Brewers with Woodruff, Burnes, and Peralta is a hell of a 1-2-3...
 
The Dodgers with Kershaw, Scherzer, Buehler, Urias, and Price is by far better. The Brewers with Woodruff, Burnes, and Peralta is a hell of a 1-2-3...
I meant Cleveland rotations. That's my bad.
 
BieGOAT
Civale
Quail
Plesac
TMac

AAA
Morgan
Morris
Pilkington
Bettenfield
Logan Allen Jr.

AA
Cantillo (to start with)
Vargas (to start with)
Hillman
Logan Allen Jr.
Hankins

We go so much fricking pitching. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WE.
You don't even have Tanner Burns listed and he's a pretty f'n good SP prospect. I'd rank him above LT Allen. Give me a Columbus rotation of Morris, Pilkington, Battenfield, Burns, and LT Allen. Akron's rotation may look something like Espino, Cantillo, Vargas, Hankins, and Torres. Outside of Cantillo, that's some gas. Then consider this year's draft. Good Lawd there's some SP in this system! Imagine the clusterfuck it would be had Cantillo, Vargas, Hankins, and Torres not been injured.
 
I'm thinking they should transition Eli to the bullpen. With the Indians this year opposing hitters are batting .200/.551 against him the first time through the order. In their second at-bats they're hitting .350/1.252. That screams relief pitcher to me and with the five-man rotation we have now plus Morris, possibly Mejia, and the recent acquisitions of Battenfield and Pilkington I don't see Morgan being a future rotation member unless we have a slew of injuries next year before some of these other guys are ready.

I could see Sandlin taking Shaw's spot next year and Eli taking over Wittman's role. Batters are hitting .385 against Morgan with RISP so he's a guy you bring in to start and inning an maybe throw another inning at most. He'll be 26 next May so I don't know how much more he can improve.

You think Stephan is a future starter? I see him as a guy who comes in for an inning and throws 98 mph gas.
Sorry Wham, I don't share the idea that Eli should go to the BP. Other than mop up duty he just doesn't have the talent to hold off the surge that is coming IMO. An organization as deep in pitching as Cleveland should not have a pitcher like Morgan on the roster. This year was an anomaly. The top 3 starters went down with injury while Hentges and Mejia struggled. It was a perfect storm that allowed Eli to get a few starts.

Stephan has been a starter before Cleveland picked him up. What may keep him from being stretched out is the same SP depth that should keep Morgan out of the rotation.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top