Da Clip Show: Keeping an Eye on the Tribe’s AAA Squad – 7/26/11

Clip 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.
This season is starting to look more and more like last season. I mean, if you take away all of the team’s best players, you’ll have stretches of play like this week. No Jason Kipnis. No Ezequiel Carrera. No Lonnie Chisenhall. Suddenly, the murderer’s row offense is a bit more lethargic. Seems to be the MO of this organization right now, no? The silver lining in terms of the playoffs is that they still have a 9.5 game lead over Louisville. Let’s not forget, however, the stretch the Bats put together last season to erase a similar lead this late in the season; the Clippers had to win in the final weekend to get into the playoffs.

This Week: 2-5
Season Record: 64-39, 1st place (of four) in ILW (International League West)

Results
7/19 vs. Scranton/WB – Clippers 6, Yankees 1; WP Espino (1-1)
7/20 vs. Scranton/WB – Yankees 6, Clippers 1; LP Kluber (4-6)
7/21 vs. Scranton/WB – Yankees 6, Clippers 5; LP Germano (0-2)
7/22 @ Lehigh Valley – Clippers 6, Iron Pigs 3; WP Gomez (10-3)
7/23 @ Lehigh Valley  – Iron Pigs 4, Clippers 3; LP Smith (2-3)
7/24 @ Lehigh Valley – Iron Pigs 4, Clippers 0; LP Martinez (6-4)
7/25 @ Lehigh Valley – Iron Pigs 4, Clippers 1; LP Kluber (4-7)

Roster News
7/20 RHP Jeanmar Gomez optioned from Cleveland
7/20 RHP Tyler Strudevant sent to Akron

7/21 INF Jared Goedart designated for assignment

7/22 2B Jason Kipnis recalled to Cleveland
7/22 INF Matt McBride sent to Akron
7/22 INF Luis Valbuena optioned from Cleveland
7/22 INF Beau Mills recalled from Akron
7/22 INF Cristo Arnal recalled from Akron

7/25 OF Donnie Webb sent to Akron
7/25 INF Jared Goedert cleared waivers, assigned to Columbus

7/26 INF Cristo Arnal sent to Akron

OF: Shelley Duncan, Tim Fedoroff, Jerad Head, Chad Huffman
IF: Jason Donald, Jared Goedert, Nick Johnson, Beau Mills, Cord Phelps, Luis Valbuena
C: Michel Hernandez, Paul Phillips
SP: Paolo Espino, Justin Germano, Jeanmar Gomez, Corey Kluber, Zach McAllister
RP: Nick Hagadone (L), Josh Judy (R), Chen-Chang Lee (R), Joe Martinez (R), Zach Putnam (R), Carlton Smith (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), C Luke Carlin (right elbow)

Upcoming Schedule/Probables*
*subject to change
7/26 @ Syracuse, Justin Germano
7/27 @ Syracuse, Jeanmar Gomez
7/28 @ Syracuse, Zach McAllister
7/29 @ Syracuse, Paolo Espino
7/30 vs. Norfolk, Corey Kluber
7/31 vs. Norfolk, Justin Germano
8/01 vs. Norfolk, Jeanmar Gomez

Players to Watch

How are the kids doing? Well, this section’s a little light this week with all of the roster turn-over. But, let’s take a look at a couple…

Batters

One guy who has to be wondering when his call-up is coming is INF Jason Donald, Donald continues to rake post-all-star-break, with a 8-for-25 (.320) week at the plate this week. The only thing missing, and this is due to his spot in the lineup–and the lack of hitting surrounding him–is RBI. He’s driven in just three run in his last 10 games, despite hitting almost .370 in that span. You can only drive in guys when they’re on base ahead of you. Through 43 games in Columbus, Donald is hitting a solid .320 with four homers, 10 doubles, 15 RBI, and 30 runs scored.

Still working his way back is INF Cord Phelps, who has now played in 15 games since coming back from Cleveland. He hit just 7-for-27 (.259) this week, with no extra base hits, three RBI, and three runs scored.

Pitchers

A ho-hum start this week for RHP Zach McAllister, who worked just 5.0 innings, allowing three earned runs (ERA: 5.40) on seven hits and two walks on his way to a no-decision. He did fan five.

RHP Jeanmar Gomez looked solid in his return to AAA. He earned his 10th win in 15 starts this week, going 7.0 innings and allowing just one run (ERA: 1.29). He allowed six hits, walked a pair, and struck out five. For the year, he’s now 10-3 in 15 starts with a 2.32 ERA spanning 100.2 innings.

Continuing to settle in and impress is LHP Nick Hagadone. He worked just once this week (the curse of a late-innings reliever when your team is losing a lot), but worked 2.0 innings of perfect ball, allowing no base runners while striking out three. For the season, his ERA is now down to 3.64 in 21 appearances spanning 29.2 innings, which is a vast improvement over where he was even just a month ago.

The scoreless streak is over, but it’s not all bad for RHP Chen-Chang Lee. He worked twice this week, allowing two runs (one earned) in 2.1 innings (ERA: 3.86). He also surrendered four hits, walked one, but did whiff three more. For the season, he’s now 2-0 in 10 appearances spanning 14.2 innings, and has allowed just those two runs–again, only one earned–to give him a minuscule 0.61 ERA in Columbus. He also has 22 Ks in those 14.2 innings against just four walks and 11 hits.

A Quick Word…

…about INF Jared Goedert, just so that Scott can continue to think I have a man-crush on him. Designated for assignment this past week, he cleared waivers and is back with the club. However, it is worth a look to see what a big difference one year can make. Granted, Goedert started cooling off last fall, but he entered last off-season with a legitimate chance at making the Tribe’s roster as the third baseman in 2011. What happened?

First of all, I took a look back to one year ago at the Clip Show column from July 27th. At that point, through 44 games, Goedert was a rock in the lineup. He was hitting .303, and had 16 home runs and 35 RBI. He was batting cleanup. Things have gone decidedly south since then. He played 37 more games last season for Columbus, and his average plummeted to .261 by season’s end. He hit just four home runs in those final 37 games, driving in just 16 more runs. However, Goedert managed to right the ship a bit in winter ball in Venezuela, hitting .333 in 14 games with an OPS of .918. So, again, what happened?

His spring started off in the worst possible way, as he suffered a big abdominal injury, which started his season on the 60-day DL. He came off the DL in May, and started in Akron. Given the guys in the infield in Columbus at the time, it made sense for him to stick around for a bit to get his feet under him. He was decent in Akron, hitting .276 in eight games with three homers and nine RBI. Back to Columbus on May 28th!

However, since coming to Columbus, things have been a nightmare for Goedert. He played in 41 games with the Clippers before being DFA’d, and sits currently a nudge below the Mendoza line at .199. And, it took six hits in his last five games–including four in his last two–to get back up to that point. His power continues to elude him, with just four homers and 13 RBI in those 41 games. His slugging percentage sits at just .331 in Columbus, despite playing a lot of DH and first base: two positions from which you expect hitting and power.

Much like Wes Hodges last year, it looks like Goedert will hang around for the rest of the year, but his long term future now looks bleak from the Tribe’s standpoint. Though he wasn’t often considered a true “prospect” in the system, there was that glimpse last year of what his swing could be. It’s just too bad he could never recapture it.

And Finally…

…the Clippers’ 25th annual Adult Baseball Fantasy Campis next weekend, August 5-7. Were it not for the continued broken fibula rehab combined with the fact that the 5th in Clip Show’s Official Wedding Anniversary, I would certainly be attending. Players must be 28 years of age or older, and can be of any skill level. The camp culminates on Sunday with a 4-inning game against some former Major League players, including George Foster, Fergie Jenkins, Lee May Sr., Bucky Dent, Mike Hargrove, and Len Barker who are scheduled to be at the camp. Click the link provided for more information!