Minor League Week 4 games (5/25 - 5/30/21)

[BimboColesHair]

@BimboColesHair

Any further updates on the returns of pitchers Cody Morris/ Adam Scott/ heck even Logan Allen??

Did you ever heard what the issue was with Scott Moss???

Moss was a forearm issue caused by a blister on his pitching hand that he tried to pitch through/change his release to pitch through. Frustrated he’s missed time with a chance to break into the MLB level and pitched through an issue that caused a different issue to happen. Luckily it was minor.

Morris is ramping it up, my educated guess is he’s still a week or 2 away. But that is using previous normal years as context, they might be extra careful with all their pitcher injuries this year. So is Cantillo, why I doubt his 8 week prognosis from a couple weeks back though they might be extra careful with his back issue like they were with McKenzie when he had his. TBD, but he’s doing more than someone they plan to do that with should be doing, if that’s the case.

Logan Allen has “dead arm” hinted at that when he got sent down that he was not healthy. McKenzie had/has that too, and it’s what Adam Scott is dealing with too. Not overly serious at all, just takes time to work through. Varies from player to player on a recovery time. Some take 2 weeks, some take 2 months. Most take about 4-6 weeks and then their teams give them an extra 2 weeks to see if their stamina/health sticks.

This was to be expected with the missed season for most of the depth guys, there’s a consistent variable in why injuries are up league-wide this year. Problem is you can’t have your MLB level guys hurting themselves off the field when dealing with those circumstances by being a jackass.

 

[MadThinker88]

FYI (from Justin Lada Twitter)

George Valera officially goes on the IL with an oblique strain. Not good for a Rule 5 eligible prospect with a few games at High-A and has a growing list of injuries in his young career.

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MT88 comments: Obviously not the news anyone wanted to see/hear, but it was more or less expected. George V has had a lot of injuries in his career to this point (hamate bone/ hamstring/ now oblique) since SS ball. Depending on his return & then performance, it makes for an interesting decision with the 40 man roster after the season.

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In other injury news (via TribeInsider)
LHP Ray Burgos on IL in LC (left elbow)
LHP Matt Turner on IL at LC (L elbow)
+OF Quentin Holmes activated at LC

& via Indians Prospective Twitter
Akron RubberDucks transaction LHP Jake Miednik placed on the 7-day IL (Left Forearm)

 

[CATS44]

Don't know what the issue is with Johnson, but he didn't show enough in alternate camp to get much PT in Cleveland when an OF was definitely needed. I dont think the cliff he has fallen off was very high in the first place.

We keep hearing that our youngsters never get a real chance to show what they can do in Cleveland, but first they have to show that they can do it in Columbus.

This was a year for several MLB ready prospects in which they could have easily been in Cleveland by now, but they have all fallen on their faces, or remained face down from their previous performances.

The club HAD to be rooting for Mercado to claim as his own this year. Poof.

Or, secondly, Zimmer. Poof.

Even giving Bauers first shot, they had to be hoping that Bradley and/or Johnson would force their hand. Poof. Poof.

They didn't even have to kick the door in, because it was already open.

 

[CDAV45]

Don't know what the issue is with Johnson, but he didn't show enough in alternate camp to get much PT in Cleveland when an OF was definitely needed. I dont think the cliff he has fallen off was very high in the first place.

We keep hearing that our youngsters never get a real chance to show what they can do in Cleveland, but first they have to show that they can do it in Columbus.

This was a year for several MLB ready prospects in which they could have easily been in Cleveland by now, but they have all fallen on their faces, or remained face down from their previous performances.

The club HAD to be rooting for Mercado to claim as his own this year. Poof.

Or, secondly, Zimmer. Poof.

Even giving Bauers first shot, they had to be hoping that Bradley and/or Johnson would force their hand. Poof. Poof.

They didn't even have to kick the door in, because it was already open.

In all fairness CATS, DJ's numbers up until this season have been nothing short of impressive. I believe he had some struggles against LHP and that they wanted him to get some reps against them in Columbus. It's no secret and all one has to do is type in his name to look at his numbers. The thing about DJ is that he was good with Washington. So good in fact that he won minor league player of the year over guys like Robles and Soto. Ironically, he performed better with each promotion until Cleveland. I have no idea what is going on with him this season. The same can be said Jones who has bashed the baseball when he makes contact and taken walks until this season. Now it doesn't seem like he could hit a beach ball. Bobby Bradley, our favorite punching bag, has even mashed the baseball in an elite fashion while at the same time drawing walks and striking out.

I know, and I agree that many prospects just won't make it at the highest level. Especially ones that don't have good bat to ball skills, but I think there is more going on here than that.

 

[CATS44]

In all fairness CATS, DJ's numbers up until this season have been nothing short of impressive. I believe he had some struggles against LHP and that they wanted him to get some reps against them in Columbus. It's no secret and all one has to do is type in his name to look at his numbers. The thing about DJ is that he was good with Washington. So good in fact that he won minor league player of the year over guys like Robles and Soto. Ironically, he performed better with each promotion until Cleveland. I have no idea what is going on with him this season. The same can be said Jones who has bashed the baseball when he makes contact and taken walks until this season. Now it doesn't seem like he could hit a beach ball. Bobby Bradley, our favorite punching bag, has even mashed the baseball in an elite fashion while at the same time drawing walks and striking out.

I know, and I agree that many prospects just won't make it at the highest level. Especially ones that don't have good bat to ball skills, but I think there is more going on here than that.

The question I have is how long are you willing to wait for Bradley and Johnson?

Two more months? Another year? Two?

And how long are you willing to wait on Bauers?

They are all less than a year apart in age.

 

[CDAV45]

The question I have is how long are you willing to wait for Bradley and Johnson?

Two more months? Another year? Two?

And how long are you willing to wait on Bauers?

They are all less than a year apart in age.

Age isn't the issue for me, and how long to wait is a legitimate question. DJ hasn't been given much of a chance at all. Neither has Bradley. Bauers has had plenty opportunity and if the others were anywhere near him in experience and performing like they are then I'd have no regrets seeing them go. Hell, I don't know if seeing them go now would be the cause of any regret.

 

[sportscoach]

The question I have is how long are you willing to wait for Bradley and Johnson?

Two more months? Another year? Two?

And how long are you willing to wait on Bauers?

They are all less than a year apart in age.

Bradley and Johnson essentially will get until they are out of options to prove themselves and with everyone missing a lot of time in the last season, they will be more patient than normal as well... Though part of me feels like, if you are going to bring up someone to the majors, get them in the middle of a hot streak and see how they do then... we almost all feel Johnson and Bradley should have gotten the nod to start the season. If they started to struggle then they needed to swap them... I think more moves will be made here soon... Chang and Clement could be swapped on paper, Gimenez and Miller etc... The last spots on the roster will be a revolving door until someone takes it...

 

[Benway]

Of course, once a player runs out of options they are locked into the big club (a la Jake Bauers) lest we lose an asset.

 

[DJJOE]

Don't know what the issue is with Johnson, but he didn't show enough in alternate camp to get much PT in Cleveland when an OF was definitely needed. I dont think the cliff he has fallen off was very high in the first place.

We keep hearing that our youngsters never get a real chance to show what they can do in Cleveland, but first they have to show that they can do it in Columbus.

This was a year for several MLB ready prospects in which they could have easily been in Cleveland by now, but they have all fallen on their faces, or remained face down from their previous performances.

The club HAD to be rooting for Mercado to claim as his own this year. Poof.

Or, secondly, Zimmer. Poof.

Even giving Bauers first shot, they had to be hoping that Bradley and/or Johnson would force their hand. Poof. Poof.

They didn't even have to kick the door in, because it was already open.

Are our minor leaguers not facing the same sticky-fingered cheating that more accomplished MLB hitters can't handle? Perhaps the amazing rates at which our top prospects are striking out down there would return to earth in a MLB that is, at least, pretending some concern? Careers shouldn't go 'poof!' because of cheating.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Are our minor leaguers not facing the same sticky-fingered cheating that more accomplished MLB hitters can't handle? Perhaps the amazing rates at which our top prospects are striking out down there would return to earth in a MLB that is, at least, pretending some concern? Careers shouldn't go 'poof!' because of cheating.

Johnson .197, Bradley .171, Jones .189, Mercado .170. Zimmer .267 but 26 K's in 60 AB's. Jones has 55 walks and strikeouts in 90 plate appearances. Something funny is going on.

It's almost like the pitches are breaking so much that if you swing you strike out and if you don't you walk. That seems to be the case for Jones and Zimmer. For example, Zimmer has 36 walks and strikeouts in 70 plate appearances. Johnson either walks or strikes out 50% of the time (43-for-86).

 

[CATS44]

And, yet, so many of our high contact rate prospects don't seem to be having much trouble hitting a baseball.

Freeman, Clement, Polacio, Fermin, all are producing at the moment.

And there are contact hitters at the MLB level that don't seem to have problems hitting pitches wrapped in the latest sticky coating....Brantley comes to mind.

Currently there are 63 MLB batters who have K rates of 20% or less. About 40 of them are on pace for 2.5 fWAR, most of them a lot higher. Most of the rest are on pace for 2 fWAR.

The best way for a team to beat the pitchers with all their supplements is to load up on contact hitters. The way to do that is to corner the market on youngsters that make contact....like the Indians are doing.

************

Guys like Chang, Johnson, Bradley, et al may be retained until all their options are exhausted...but for every one of those option years, one of our younger prospects is lost.

So I guess that instead of asking how long are you willing to wait on one of them, the question should be how many prospects are you willing to lose while you wait.

 

[CDAV45]

And, yet, so many of our high contact rate prospects don't seem to be having much trouble hitting a baseball.

Freeman, Clement, Polacio, Fermin, all are producing at the moment.

And there are contact hitters at the MLB level that don't seem to have problems hitting pitches wrapped in the latest sticky coating....Brantley comes to mind.

Currently there are 63 MLB batters who have K rates of 20% or less. About 40 of them are on pace for 2.5 fWAR, most of them a lot higher. Most of the rest are on pace for 2 fWAR.

The best way for a team to beat the pitchers with all their supplements is to load up on contact hitters. The way to do that is to corner the market on youngsters that make contact....like the Indians are doing.

************

Guys like Chang, Johnson, Bradley, et al may be retained until all their options are exhausted...but for every one of those option years, one of our younger prospects is lost.

So I guess that instead of asking how long are you willing to wait on one of them, the question should be how many prospects are you willing to lose while you wait.

You make this argument frequently and having contact hitters will never be a bad thing IMO. What I question is if the top offenses are riddled with contact hitters or more impactful/less efficient hitters? I haven't looked at the evidence so I don't know which ideal it supports, but one would think that the extreme shifting would have a negative effect on the contact hitters more so than others. Pure speculation on my part at this time.

So I guess the question from me is do the top offenses hit for more power or is it the offenses that consistently barrel the ball? I'll have to look and get back to you on that one, but the proof is in the puddin'.

 

[DJJOE]

And, yet, so many of our high contact rate prospects don't seem to be having much trouble hitting a baseball.

Freeman, Clement, Polacio, Fermin, all are producing at the moment.

And there are contact hitters at the MLB level that don't seem to have problems hitting pitches wrapped in the latest sticky coating....Brantley comes to mind.

Currently there are 63 MLB batters who have K rates of 20% or less. About 40 of them are on pace for 2.5 fWAR, most of them a lot higher. Most of the rest are on pace for 2 fWAR.

The best way for a team to beat the pitchers with all their supplements is to load up on contact hitters. The way to do that is to corner the market on youngsters that make contact....like the Indians are doing.

************

Guys like Chang, Johnson, Bradley, et al may be retained until all their options are exhausted...but for every one of those option years, one of our younger prospects is lost.

So I guess that instead of asking how long are you willing to wait on one of them, the question should be how many prospects are you willing to lose while you wait.

Back atcha with my own SSS, Cats. Ernie Clement's K-rate is up over 100% this year. As well I'd add an opinion about situational use of the sticky stuff. Beyond the obvious gotta-get-a K-here situations I'm gonna guess that rookies are way more likely to suffer the effects of cheating than, hmm, how to say this, er, full-fledged members of the MLBPA.

 

[CATS44]

Contact guys who use all fields can take advantage of shifts.

If you want proof, look at the present production within our own prospects, comparing those with hit tools vs those with power tools.

There has been a significant increase in emphasis on things like spin rates, and at the same time a increase in use of foreign substances. On the other hand, a huge increase in launch angles and pull side power.

Not to mention shifts.

All this has led to a huge loss in overall offense, and the attendant pointing of fingers at pitchers doctoring the ball and calls to eliminate intelligent defensive alignments.

And year after year, as things get worse, Michael Brantley keeps on laughing...keeps getting on base, keeps hitting to all fields, keeps batting .300 with .800 OPS,...launch angle doesn't very, contact rate doesn't very, and does it with almost zero power.

 

[xmasbuck]

You make this argument frequently and having contact hitters will never be a bad thing IMO. What I question is if the top offenses are riddled with contact hitters or more impactful/less efficient hitters? I haven't looked at the evidence so I don't know which ideal it supports, but one would think that the extreme shifting would have a negative effect on the contact hitters more so than others. Pure speculation on my part at this time.

So I guess the question from me is do the top offenses hit for more power or is it the offenses that consistently barrel the ball? I'll have to look and get back to you on that one, but the proof is in the puddin'.

a month ago, CATS woulda had Owen Miller in that group of minor league contact hitters....then he came to the bigs.....