NBA Free Agents: Who’s Left For Cleveland?
July 7, 2009John Kuester Takes Pistons Coaching Gig
July 7, 2009Clip Show aims to be your weekly update for all things Columbus Clippers. Check back each Tuesday afternoon for team records, roster updates, and performance updates on some of the brightest prospects in the Tribe system.
Who’s in fourth place?? WE’RE in fourth place!! Like the deck chairs on the Titanic… the Clippers shuffled the roster (well, the Indians technically are the ones doing the shuffling), but the song remains the same: another week, another bout of losing. The Clippers are are 7-19 since being .500 and in first place a month ago (they finished the month of June overall at 9-19). Despite the record, the offense again has shown signs of life, scoring 39 runs in six games this week (6.5 per game). As it has always been, however, the pitching was the problem: the staff allowed 40 runs in those same six games. I’m no math major, but…
This Week: 2-4
Current Record: 36-48, 4th place (of four) in ILW (International League West)
Roster News:
I saw a funny thing on TV on Sunday: 10TV here in Columbus had a short little five second promo, with none other than Clip Show Whipping Boy John Meloan reminding me to Commit to Be Fit. The only problem? Meloan was traded to Tampa Bay on Thursday. Godspeed, John! Hopefully there’s not a AAA blogger for the Tampa organization that is as mean to you as I was…
There’s a lot to sift through, so I’m going to break it out into separate categories…
DL:
OF Mickey Hall was placed on the DL on 7/2, retroactive to 7/1. INF Andy Cannizaro was placed on the DL on 7/4. OF George Lombard was activated from the DL on 7/4, but was then summarily released by the club.
Rehabs:
LHP Aaron Laffey and RHP Rafael Betancourt came to Columbus on 7/3 for rehab assignments. Laffey was recalled from Akron, and Betancourt is coming off the DL.
Moves:
RHP Brian Grening was called up from Mahoning Valley on 7/2 to make a spot start, and then was sent back on 7/5 when RHP Fausto Carmona was called up from Akron. Josh Barfield made another trip down the Jeremy Sowers I-71 Trail of Tears and rejoined Columbus on 7/2. Meloan was traded, as we mentioned. Wes Hodges was recalled from Lake County. Let the Marte Watch begin again! Finally, and probably most importantly, super-stud RHP Hector Rondon was promoted up from Akron on 7/5.
Full Roster:
OF: Michael Brantley, Jordan Brown, Trevor Crowe, Stephen Head, Matt LaPorta
IF: Josh Barfield, Tony Graffanino, Wes Hodges, Andy Marte, Niuman Romero
C: Damaso Espino, Wyatt Toregas
SP: Fausto Carmona, Jack Cassel, Zach Jackson, Aaron Laffey, Chuck Lofgren, Ken Ray, Hector Rondon (R), Kirk Saarloos
RP: Greg Aquino (R), Rafael Betancourt (R), Vinnie Chulk (R), Frank Herrmann (R), Masa Kobayashi (R), Jensen Lewis (R), Rich Rundles (L)
(Please note: I have left several guys in the rotation because all of the shifts that have been made have muddied the water, and I’m not sure who will be moved to the pen.)
Players to Watch:
Thumbs UP:
As alluded to above, the 3B Andy Marte Trade Watch should be on NOW. After his solid week last week, the Prodigal Marte continued his torrid hitting. 10 hits in 20 at bats (.500), with two home runs, six doubles, and thus a slugging percentage of 1.000 for the week. Marte scored six runs, drew six walks (OBP of .615). So, if you’re scoring at home, Marte’s OPS for the last week was 1.615. Marte’s season average is now up to .322, with 11 home runs and 46 RBI. His OPS for the year is .909. I say again: TRADE HIM NOW!!! Now that Hodges is back, trade him for any pitcher you can get.
The sample size is small, but RHP Fausto Carmona’s first start in Columbus was a solid one. Gary Sheffield’s Worst Nightmare pitched five innings, allowing only one run (on a home run) while scattering six hits. The best news? Carmona walked ONLY ONE and struck out five. Along those lines, RHP Rafael Betancourt has also only pitched a small amount (two appearances, two IP), but has looked sharp so far. Two games, 1-0 record, 2.0 IP, no hits, only one walk, three K’s. No runs. Man, has Cleveland missed this guy. Speaking of bullpen guys…
I hate you, RHP Jensen Lewis. After submarining many a game in Cleveland, Jenny has worked in three games with Columbus. Seven innings pitched. One win, no losses. Five hits, three walks, and NO RUNS. 10 strikeouts. 10! What the heck, dude?
With everything that has happened this year, the guy putting up the best season, pound-for-pound (because of a position change in the middle of it), continues to be OF/1B Jordan Brown. He tossed up another excellent week, notching eight hits in 22 at-bats (.364), with a double, a homer, and five RBI to go with it. He also scored five runs. Brown is having a solid season, hitting .322 with 10 homers and 42 RBI. Brown started the year at first base, moved to the outfield, and now is getting some time again at first base after Michael Aubrey was traded to Baltimore.
Between Brown and OF Matt LaPorta, the AAA outfield corners look to be in good shape for the rest of the season. In 23 at bats this week, Matt managed eight hits (.348), with a homer, five doubles (SLG .609), and five runs driven in. His season average in Columbus is up to .307 at this point, and his slugging is up to .535 with an OPS now over .900 as well. So, we’ve covered the corners. What about the center?
Well, there’s OF Trevor Crowe. In his last 10 games with the Clippers, Crowe is batting a nice .341 (14-for-41) with a grand slam, three doubles, five RBI, eight walks (OBP .449), seven runs scored, and three stolen bases (two CS, though). More below…
Thumbs SIDEWAYS:
OF Michael Brantley rounds out the “outfield of the future” in these parts. His average continues to flounder a bit for a leadoff guy (.250 this week in 20 ABs, .255 for the season), but he is doing the things that you want a leadoff guy to do. He scored seven runs in six games this week. He drew three walks (OBP was .348 for the week, .340 for the year… still a bit low, but improving). He swiped two more bases, and is 32-for-35 on the season on the basepaths. And, he uses his speed well in the outfield. Let’s also not forget that Brantley is only 22 years old.
Thumbs DOWN:
Whither LHP Zach Jackson? In his one start this week, things did not go well for the Large Eared One. 6.0 IP, seven earned runs, nine hits, a walk. Not good times. After four solid starts in May and into June, Action’s last six starts have been utterly forgettable. In those starts, Jackson is 0-4. In those starts, he pitched 33.0 innings and has allowed 29 earned runs (7.91 ERA). Batters have knocked 48 hits off of him in that span, have drawn 12 walks (1.82 WHIP), but have fanned 27 times.
Likewise, the rehabbing LHP Aaron Laffey did not fare well this week. In his start on July 3rd, Laffey went four innings, allowing seven earned runs (15.75 ERA) on 10 hits and two walks (3.00 WHIP).
Check “And Finally…” below for one more nostalgic thumbs down…
A Quick Word…
…about the Tribe’s outfield logjam, again. Despite as well as he’s hitting in his return to Columbus, it remains to be seen how Crowe fits in with the longer-term future of the team. With Grady Sizemore, Crowe, and Michael Brantley all in the mix at that “speedy centerfielder” spot, there just aren’t enough ABs to go around with the Tribe down the road. Brantley is being groomed to be the leadoff man of the future, Sizemore most likely should be the #3 hitter of the future (with Martinez at #4 for protection), and with LaPorta, Brown, and Shin-Soo Choo among others at the two other outfield position plans, Crowe might end up being on the outside looking in. He might develop into a solid #2-type hitter, but there’s already a guy in Cleveland—most likely moving there whenever Brantley steps into the leadoff spot someday—in Asdrubal Cabrera.
So, where does Crowe fit in? At one point in time, he was potentially being considered for a position switch to second base. Is it outside the realm of possibility to consider that move again?
My wife and I are heading back to Huntington Park tonight for the first time in awhile, and I’m interested to see the lineup (I assume either Brown or LaPorta will be DHing or playing 1B). Over the past week, Brown has seen time as the DH and at 1B as well as playing LF, Brantley has played CF and LF, Crowe has played CF and RF, LaPorta has moved over to RF, but also played some 1B. While I like the versatility of all of these guys, I want them to have ONE position. And, since some/most of these guys have futures with the Tribe, I’d like them to know where they’re going to play.
And Finally…
The John Meloan era in Columbus is over. Meloan, who came over from the Dodgers organization in the Casey Blake trade, had a forgettable summer in Ohio’s capital city. In 25 appearances (two starts), Meloan worked 44.0 innings. Each of the following stats deserves its own sentence and paragraph.
27 earned runs (5.52 ERA).
52 hits.
17 walks (1.57 WHIP).
.289 opp. average.
Six home runs.
And, in Meloan’s one bright spot, 37 strikeouts.
No give-sies back-sies, Durham!
2 Comments
I’m all for trading Marte to someone in the NL…I dont want to even watch him whiff against us…what a disappointment…
I wouldnt mind packaging Crowe and Marte for a good pitcher…
Packaging Crowe and Marte for a good pitcher? Have another drink.