Hafner Could be Shut Down for Season
August 23, 2011Report: Cavs to Retire Ilgauskas’ Jersey
August 23, 2011Clip Show aims to be your weekly update for all things Columbus Clippers. Check back each Tuesday for team records, roster updates, and performance updates on some of the brightest prospects in the Tribe system.
They may be limping home, but the magic number continues to fall. The Clippers now have a magic number of just two to clinch the IL West. The other division leaders are creeping closer in terms of record, but Columbus is still leading the way with a little bit of cushion.
This Week: 1-5
Season Record: 80-51, 1st place (of four) in ILW (International League West) by 12.0 games
Results
8/17 @ Pawtucket – Sox 5, Clippers 2; LP Gomez (10-6)
8/18 @ Pawtucket – Clippers 7, Sox 5; WP McAllister (10-3)
8/19 @ Pawtucket – Sox 7, Clippers 1; LP Talbot (1-2)
8/20 vs. Buffalo – Bisons 15, Clippers 3; LP Martinez (8-7)
8/21 vs. Buffalo – Bisons 10, Clippers 2; LP Kluber (7-9)
8/22 vs. Buffalo – Bisons 6, Clippers 4; LP Gomez (10-7)
Roster News
8/17 OF Thomas Neal to 7-day DL
8/17 OF Tim Fedroff recalled from Akron
8/19 INF Luis Valbuena recalled by Cleveland
8/19 OF Shelley Duncan recalled by Cleveland
8/20 LHP Eric Berger transferred from Akron
8/22 RHP Josh Judy recalled to Cleveland
Note: though the team hasn’t officially announced any of the moves, some shuffling will be done for today’s Tribe double-header. Josh Judy is most likely heading down for Shelley Duncan, and Ezequiel Carerra will most likely be on the move for Zach McAllister in between games.
OF: Travis Buck, Shelley Duncan, Jerad Head, Chad Huffman, Thomas Neal
IF: Jared Goedert, Nick Johnson, Beau Mills, Cord Phelps, Argenis Reyes, Luis Valbuena
C: Luke Carlin, Paul Phillips
SP: Eric Berger, Paolo Espino, Jeanmar Gomez, Corey Kluber, Joe Martinez, Zach McAllister
RP: Nick Hagadone (L), Matt Langwell (R), Chen-Chang Lee (R), Zach Putnam (R), Mitch Talbot (R)
DL: RHP Hector Ambriz (torn right elbow ligament); RHP Anthony Reyes (torn right elbow ligament); RHP Hector Rondon (torn right elbow ligament), LHP Jeremy Sowers (left shoulder), C Dwight Childs (broken hand), LHP Scott Barnes (knee), OF Thomas Neal (shoulder)
Upcoming Schedule/Probables*
*subject to change
8/23 vs. Buffalo, Paolo Espino
8/24 @ Indianapolis, Eric Berger
8/25 @ Indianapolis, Joe Martinez
8/26 vs. Indianapolis, Corey Kluber
8/27 vs. Indianapolis, Jeanmar Gomez
8/28 vs. Louisville, Paolo Espino
8/29 vs. Louisville, Eric Berger
Players to Watch
There isn’t a lot of good to report here, given the way the team’s played over the last week. But I’ll try to find some rays of sunshine.
Batters
INF Cord Phelps – scuffling a bit of late, with just seven hits in his last 26 at-bats (.269). He’s still hitting .295 for the year, with 13 home runs and 61 RBI in 96 games for the Clippers, and though his major league debut didn’t go as planned, he’s still on the radar for a possible utility role. It’s hard to see him passing Jason Kipnis, and certainly not Asdrubal Cabrera, as the middle infield starters for the 2012 Tribe (assuming Kipnis is healthy and continues his start), but Phelps still has enough skill to warrant a look in Spring Training, or to perhaps be solid trade bait for another piece in 2012.
1B Beau Mills – Mills, also, has cooled off, with just four hits in 19 at-bats this week (.211). Having just turned 25, the clock for Mills is ticking quite loudly. His first foray into AAA ball has been mixed, and he hasn’t shown the power that was hoped for from him. Mills has just four home runs in 79 AAA at-bats.
3B Jared Goedart – seemingly the one guy who IS still raking is Goedart, whose struggles have been well-documented here. He went 7-for-23 this week (.304), and in his last 10 games is hitting .417 with three homers, six RBI, and eight runs scored. Goedart–hitting right around .200 for a big chunk of the season, has raised his average to .262 in 66 games.
Pitchers
RHP Chen-Chang Lee – I was anxious to see how Lee would do after missing a chunk of time to return to Taiwan for a family funeral. Since coming back, Lee has made four appearances, and has looked a bit rusty at times. He’s worked a combined 5.0 innings, and has allowed four runs (ERA: 7.20), seven hits, and five walks. He had an especially rough outing on 8/20, when he allowed all four of those runs in just 0.2 of an inning. Lee did strike out seven along the way.
RHP Zach McAllister – he earned the win in his start, but he wasn’t sharp. He worked 7.0 innings, and allowed four earned runs (ERA: 5.14) on seven hits and a walk. He did fan five.
RHP Jeanmar Gomez – a rough week for Gomez, who made two starts and took two losses. He allowed 11 runs in a combined 13.0 innings, though only five were earned runs. He kept the ball in the yard, but his command was iffy as he walked six. He did notch 10 strikeouts.
LHP Nick Hagadone – a decent week for Hagadone, who worked twice for 3.0 innings and allowed just one run (ERA: 3.00). He surrendered just one hit–which left the yard, sadly–and walked one while striking out five.
Playoff Update
Yep. Like I said last week, I’m embracing it, curses be damned!
First, let’s take a quick look at the rest of the IL standings. In the IL North, Pawtucket (Red Sox) is at 73-56, and is clinging to a 1.0 game lead over Lehigh Valley (Phillies) at 73-58. In the South, it’s still Durham (Rays) leading the way at 74-53, and Gwinnett (Braves) has slipped back to 5.5 games behind at 70-60. Lehigh Valley currently leads the Wild Card by 2.5 games.
If the season ended today…
Round 1
09/07 Columbus @ Durham
09/08 Columbus @ Durham
09/09 Durham @ Columbus
09/10 Durham @ Columbus*
09/11 Durham @ Columbus*
If Columbus then advanced…
09/13 Pawtucket/Lehigh Valley winner @ Columbus
09/14 Pawtucket/Lehigh Valley winner @ Columbus
09/15 Columbus @ Pawtucket/Lehigh Valley winner
09/16 Columbus @ Pawtucket/Lehigh Valley winner*
09/17 Columbus @ Pawtucket/Lehigh Valley winner*
*if necessary
And Finally…
…the Clippers have just 13 games left, including seven at home. Check the Clippers website for tickets and promotions if you’re looking for a cheap night out!
1 Comment
could the tribe win a series from da clip show right now?