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AL Central Notes – August 25, 2008
Detroit Tigers
*Miguel Cabrera has posted a quietly solid season in Detroit but his owners will be the first to tell you how frustrating he can be with prolonged streaks of ineffectiveness. Recently, he has been what they paid a first round pick for. He is now hitting .311 with eight doubles, one triple, 12 homers and 43 RBI following the All-Star break. He is tied for second in both RBI and homers during that time. One of the main reasons for his recent success is his .396 batting make with RISP. If his earlier battles with the Indians could be an indication, he should have a nice series to start this week. He is hitting .385 with three doubles, six jacks and 19 RBI in his 12 games against the Tribe this year.
*Curtis Granderson is doing it all recently. He collected two walks yesterday in Kansas City and has at least one base on balls in seven of his last eight contests. The fantasy value here is clear with his speed (stolen bases) and the great lineup hitting behind him (runs scored.) He is doing it himself too, hitting .339 with 12 doubles, eight triples, seven homers and 23 RBI since June 20. He leads the AL in runs scored since the break.
*Placido Polanco had his second consecutive three-hit game and he now has 14 this year with three or more. He is tied for seventh in the AL with that number and since 2006, he is tied for second in all of baseball with 53 games of three-plus hits.
*Armando Gallaraga has been a nice pickup for a lot of fantasy owners and if you don’t own him, you might not know how incredible he has been. He is third among all AL pitchers with a miniscule .219 batting average against and sixth with a 3.17 ERA. He leads all AL rookies with 12 wins and is second with 97 strikeouts. In his last 14 games, he is 8-2 with a 2.80 ERA. One reason for his success is his ability to strand runners in scoring position. Over his last 13 outings, he has limited foes to a .200 batting average with RISP (23 for 104). DYK: His 97 K’s ranks him 12th all-time among Tigers rookies. With three more he would be just the tenth rookie pitcher to record 100+ strikeouts.
*It’s not all big names coming out of the Tigers section today. Matt Joyce has quietly performed well in his last 130 at-bats. He is hitting .292 (38 hits) with 13 doubles, two triples, seven taters and 23 RBI since his recall from Triple-A on June 29. If you are looking for a cheap outfielder for the stretch run, take a look at Joyce.
Minnesota Twins
*Joe Mauer is strokin’ it. He was 1-for-4 yesterday and now leads the AL with a .321 batting average (133 for 414). His hit streak grew to 16, a new career-high and during the stretch he is hitting .349 (22 for 63). Now, if somebody could just teach him how to off to a fast start, he would be amazing.
*Here is a good one, Nick Punto collected three hits yesterday and his hit-streak is now up to 12 games. During the streak, he is hitting .423 with six doubles, three RBI and 10 runs scored. Nine of the 12 games were multi-hit and his average now sits at .294 (up from .256). You know how much I have been loving Melvin Mora’s second half, well, since August 12, Punto has the same amount of hits (22).
*The Twins are loving the “Century Club” references and Justin Morneau got to 102 and trails only Josh Hamilton’s 115 in Texas and Ryan Howard’s 108 this year. He is now just the second player in Twins history to record 100-or-more RBI seasons in three straight. The other? One Harmon Killebrew. Further, Killebrew had 11 seasons of 100+ and did it seven straight years (1961-1967). I can’t really bet against Morneau having a few more, but four more consecutive and seven more total is a lot to ask of anybody. Remember, 90+ RBI is a very good season.
*The ball goes to Francisco Liriano again tonight, yet another guy who has possibly saved some fantasy seasons with his reclamation. He is 4-0 with a 1.14 ERA in four starts since his triumphant return to the Twins rotation. He has held opponents to .184 average against and has allowed just one long ball with to go with 20 strikeouts. That is a far cry form the 11.32 ERA he posted before his option to Rochester in April. He has a career high of 12 strikeouts, a feat he has accomplished twice in his career. I’ll be the over on this one by the time he hangs them up.
*I am going to stray from the fantasy world for this quick bit. Again, every once in a while I will do this to point out how in the world a team that on paper should have no business in the pennant race, is still in it this late. The Twins are doing with with timely hitting and not allowing free passes on the hill. Last night was the 17th game this season in which the Twins pitching staff did not issue a walk. Last year, they had 23 on the season and that led the league. Kevin Slowey has recently been drawing comparisons to another former Twinkie and WHIP-ace Brad Radke. Get this. In 32 career starts, he didn’t allow a free pass in 18 of them, including yesterday.
Cleveland Indians
*On the heels of another strong performance you might start noticing a familiar name in a new place dropping off the board. Anthony Reyes, the guy who carved up the Tigers in Game One of the 2006 World Series for the Cardinals, and then fell out of favor quickly going 2-14 last year. A change of scenery was needed and he has delivered with a 2-1 record and a 2.22 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched so far in Cleveland. One troubling stat to go along with those solid numbers is the BB-K ratio of 11:10 so far. He has the “stuff”, just needs that control to compliment it.
*Jensen Lewis has entrenched himself as the closer in Cleveland by converting six straight opportunities, which is a team-high. In 37 appearances this year, he has a 3.86 ERA. Not bad for a guy who was back and forth between Triple-A and the Majors all year long. My fearless prediction: Flame out real soon.
*Fantasy owners soil themselves at the mere thought of a 30/30 season. Grady Sizemore is well on the way. He hit his career-high 29th homer on Thursday of last week and is now just one homer shy of just the 14th American League season of 30 homers and 30 stolen bases. He would be just the second player in Indians history to do so (Joe Carter). Let’s take a closer look at this. He is the only player in the AL right now with 25/25 and is the fifth quickest to the plateau in AL history (103 games). He also drove in seven runs that game and has 79 for the season, tied for 11th in the AL. He is on pace to drive in 99. Elias has something for us here: There has been only one player in Major League history to drive in 100 runs from the leadoff spot. Darin Erstad did it for the Angels in 2000.
*Sizemore isn’t the only Indian doing it with the stick, SS Jhonny Peralta is finding his stroke, hitting safely in 36 of his last 42 games, batting .324 with 15 doubles, two triples, nine homers and 36 RBI during that time. He leads all AL shortstops with his 21 homers. Since his insertion into the clean-up spot in the order on June 22 he is hitting .323 with 22 two-baggers, 10 four-baggers and 42 RBI in 54 games. He is quietly having a top-three fantasy season at shortstop behind just Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes.
Chicago White Sox
*You don’t need to read this blog to know that Carlos Quentin has been a hitting machine this year. I guess if you own him, it is just another pat on the back but he is attempting to become the first player in White Sox history to lead the Majors in home runs and first to top the AL since Dick Allen in 1974. His 36 homers lead the majors as of today and only Jim Thome (42 in 2006) and Allen (37 in 1972) had more in their first seasons with the Sox. He is on pace to top both with 45 homers which would be second in franchise history behind only Albert Belle’s 49 in 1998. You think Ken Williams is happy with all of this for a minor league first baseman?
*Coming into the season, Alexi Ramirez was relatively unknown. He’ll come into next season as a highly touted second baseman. He is hitting .333 (103-for-311) with 14 homers and 53 RBI in 83 games since May 18. That ranks sixth in all the Major Leagues since that date. He has shown great power in his last seven games, with four homers and 15 RBI. Over the last month, he has been among the most productive in all of fantasy baseball second basemen.
*Are you still on the fence about Clayton Richard? Join the club. He takes the ball in their game today against Baltimore, starting in his home town. He looks to duplicate his last outing (6.0 IP, 0 ER against Seattle) and forget his previous two starts (11 earned runs). The reason for optimism isn’t his one good start, but his 12-6, 2.48 combined stats between Charlotte (AAA) and Birmingham (AA) this year. DYK: He was a backup quarterback on Michigan’s football team a couple years back.
Kansas City Royals
*Tonight’s starting pitcher Gil Meche has been lights out since June 10th, going 7-1 with a 2.71 ERA in his last 14 starts. That ERA over that span is fourth best. The Royals are 11-3 and he has left 11 of the 14 games in a position to win. Opponents are hitting just .167 (12-for-72) with RISP during this stretch and just .218 overall, which is second-best in the AL. All of this from a guy who fantasy owners had to consider tossing to the curb earlier this season after starting with a 1-3 record and an 8.00 ERA in April. He started to turn things around April 27th and hasn’t looked back. He has pitched well at home and has a tough task tonight against Texas.
*Zach Grienke struggled his last outing, a 10-3 defeat to Cleveland, going just 5.0 innings and allowing six hits and only one of five runs were earned. He is seeking his 10th win of the season on Tuesday. He currently ranks sixth in the AL with 147 strikeouts and has a pair of double-digit strikeout games (the first Royal since Kevin Appier circa 1997). Do you want my opinion? He is young and had nothing to play for, the Royals would be smart to limit his pitch count down the stretch and get him ready for future seasons.
*David DeJesus has had an up-and-down season and after an 0-for-10 series against Detroit, he has just two runs scored in his last 16 games. On the bright side, he is just one RBI shy of matching his career high (58) and is second in all of baseball with a .407 RISP (33-for-91).
*Another Royal with fantasy impact is closer Joakim Soria who pitched a scoreless frame in non-save situation yesterday. It was a welcome sight for his owners even though it didn’t come with a save. His 33 saves this season still rank among the best in baseball, trailing only Brian Wilson (35), Joe Nathan (35) and K-Rod (50). His blown save on Wednesday in Cleveland was just his third in 36 attempts and had rattled off 10 straight going into that game. Fatigue might be setting in as it tends to do late in the season, but you’ve come this far with him, don’t bail now.
All statistical information was compiled by each team’s Media Relations staff. All comments that accompany these figures are only that of me and not the organization. Any information provided by the Elias Sports Bureau is noted in the article.
Posted by Stanley Gibson at 8/25/2008 1:15:00 PM |
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Recent Cleveland Indians Player News
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| RotoWire Update |
Recommendation |
| Anthony Reyes (P) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Reyes (elbow) has been added back to the 40-man roster. |
He may not pitch at all in 2010, but the Indians will take some time to weigh their options regarding his roster spot. In addition to Tommy John surgery, Reyes underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery in June. |
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| Jake Westbrook (P) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Westbrook (elbow) has been removed from the 60-day DL. |
The Indians are hoping that he'll be able to anchor the front of their rotation in 2010 as Westbrook will be closing out the final year of a three-year contract. Westbrook pitches to contact and does a good job keeping the ball on the ground and in the yard, but his value will be very limited if the Indians struggle during a rebuilding year in 2010 as expected. Beyond that, his health isn't guaranteed either as Westbrook is returning from June 2008 Tommy John surgery. |
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| Mike Gosling (P) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Gosling has been outrighted to Triple-A Columbus. |
He's likely to remain in the minors as organizational depth until the Indians need a fresh left-handed arm at some point next season. |
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| Carlos Rivero (SS) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| The Indians added Rivero to their 40-man roster on Friday. |
He'll likely spend 2010 in the minors, but Rivero has showed signs of being more successful at the plate with a productive stint in the hitter-friendly Arizona Fall League. At 21, there's still plenty of time for his bat to improve and his .318/.381/.477 during the AFL suggests that progress may be just around the corner in 2010. Listed at 6-3 and 210 pounds, Rivero should begin hitting for more power as he adjusts to his large frame. |
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| Nick Weglarz (OF) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Weglarz (shin) was added to the Indians' 40-man roster on Friday. |
He draws plenty of walks and showed good power potential (16 homers in 339 at-bats) at Double-A last season, so Weglarz should get a lengthy look at Triple-A Columbus in 2010 as the Indians figure to make him a significant part of their future as soon as everything comes together. |
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| Wes Hodges (3B) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Hodges was added to the Indians' 40-man roster on Friday. |
His .265/.307/.383 line at Triple-A doesn't suggest much of a future beyond a bench role at the next level, but apparently that's enough for Cleveland to be interested in protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft. |
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| Jason Donald (SS) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Donald has been added to the Indians' 40-man roster, the Associated Press reports. |
Depending on how he looks this spring, Donald has a shot at opening up the 2010 season with the big league club. Even if he starts the year at Triple-A, a first-half callup seems likely as long as he proves that he's healthy again. Donald's power dried up in 2009, but his long-term upside appears to be high enough for him to be a viable option to hit for a good average and provide a little bit of power and speed. |
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| Jordan Brown (1B) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Brown was added to the Indians' 40-man roster on Friday, the Associated Press reports. |
He's been very successful in the minors, but Brown's defense has left him without a chance for regular at-bats in Cleveland thus far. With Matt LaPorta's uncertain health heading into spring training, Brown could have an opportunity to prove himself for a roster spot in March and potentially break camp with the big league club. Brown is hitting .318/.405/.527 with four homers and 21 RBI in 32 games with Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League, but it's unclear if the Indians will trust him as an option in left field this season. |
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| Jeanmar Gomez (P) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| Gomez was added to the Indians' 40-man roster on Friday, the Associated Press reports. |
In 26 starts between High-A Kinston and Double-A Akron, Gomez struck out 124 and walked just 45 over 147.1 innings last season. He'll turn 22 in February, while his success at Double-A suggests that a Triple-A promotion isn't far off. If he continues to impress, Gomez could pitch his way into the mix for the Indians at some point in 2010 given their dearth of starting rotation talent. |
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| Kelvin De La Cruz (P) CLE |
11/20/2009 |
| De La Cruz was added to the Indians' 40-man roster on Friday, the Associated Press reports. |
He made three starts in the Arizona Rookie League after missing several months at High-A Kinston with a strained left elbow. The 21-year-old lefty will likely start 2010 at High-A again, but the Indians like him enough to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft next month. |
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| Nick Weglarz (OF) CLE |
11/18/2009 |
| Weglarz had his Arizona Fall League season cut short when he had surgery on a stress fracture in his shin, the team's official site reports. |
He expects to be fully recovered for spring training. Weglarz struggled with his average again this season, hitting .227 at Double-A Akron. |
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Recent Cleveland Indians Team News
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| RotoWire Update |
| CLE |
3/21/2007 |
| Adam Miller, Tony Sipp, Jeff Harris, Trevor Crowe, Wyatt Toregas and Brian Slocum were all sent to minor league camp on Tuesday, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. |
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3/15/2007 |
| The Tribe extended the deal of GM Mark Shapiro on Thursday, ESPN reports. Shapiro was signed only through this season, his sixth as Cleveland's GM, before working out a new deal with president Paul Dolan. "We are extremely pleased with the leadership, direction, passion and pride Mark has instilled in the Cleveland Indians organization," Dolan said in a statement. "It's crucial for Mark to remain in this executive role to ensure the continued success of the Cleveland Indians franchise." Shapiro's duties will remain the same. There had been speculation that his role with the club might expand.
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Roster
Majors
Brantley, Michael OF
Cabrera, Asdrubal 2B(Out)
Carmona, Fausto P
Carrasco, Carlos P
Choo, Shin-Soo OF
Crowe, Trevor OF
Gimenez, Chris C
Hafner, Travis DH
Huff, David P
Laffey, Aaron P
LaPorta, Matt OF(Out)
Lewis, Jensen P
Marson, Lou C
Marte, Andy 3B
Masterson, Justin P
Peralta, Jhonny SS
Perez, Rafael P
Perez, Chris P(Out)
Reyes, Anthony P(Out)
Romero, Niuman SS
Shoppach, Kelly C
Sipp, Tony P
Sizemore, Grady OF(Out)
Smith, Joseph P(Out)
Sowers, Jeremy P
Todd, Jess P
Toregas, Wyatt C
Valbuena, Luis 2B
Veras, Jose P
Westbrook, Jake P(Out)
Wood, Kerry P
AAA
Aquino, Greg P
Barfield, Josh 2B
Brown, Jordan 1B
Cassel, Jack P
Donald, Jason SS
Edell, Ryan P
Gosling, Mike P
Graffanino, Tony 2B
Head, Stephen 1B
Herrmann, Frank P
Hodges, Wes 3B
Jackson, Zach P
Lara, Juan P(Out)
Lewis, Scott P(15D DL)
Livingston, Bobby P
Lofgren, Chuck P
Mackowiak, Rob OF
Miller, Adam P(Out)
Neal, Blaine P(Out)
Pino, Yohan P
Rondon, Hector P
Rundles, Rich P
Swindle, R.J. P
AA
Camacaro, Armando C
Chisenhall, Lonnie 3B
Espino, Damaso C
Gomez, Jeanmar P
Hall, Mickey OF
McBride, Matthew OF
Mills, Beau 1B
Newsom, Randy P
Pesco, Nick P
Rivero, Carlos SS
Rodriguez, Joshua 2B(Out)
Santana, Carlos C
Tejera, Michael P
Tseng, Sung-Wei P
Weglarz, Nick OF(Out)
Wright, Steven P
A+
Barnes, Scott P
Davis, Adam 3B
De La Cruz, Kelvin P
Drennen, John OF
Goedert, Jared 3B
Graham, Connor P
Holt, Jonathan P
Perez, Alexander P
Price, Bryan P
Putnam, Zach P
Taylor, Heath P
Tomlin, Josh P
A
Abreu, Abner 3B(Out)
Adams, Austin P
Bellows, Kyle 3B
Brito, Jesus 3B
Bryson, Rob P(Out)
Carlson, Ben 1B
Hagadone, Nick P
Henry, Jordan OF
Jones, Chris P
Kipnis, Jason OF
Knapp, Jason P(Out)
Nash, Christopher 1B
Phelps, Cord 2B
Roberts, David P
Tice, Jeremie 3B
Wagner, Neil P
Rookie
Gardner, Joe P
Greenwell, Bo OF
Haley, Trey P
Mahalic, Joey P
McFarland, T.J. P
Morris, Ryan P
Thompson, Mark SS
White, Adam OF
White, Alex P
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