Systems Audit: Cleveland Indians
September 28, 2006
Systems Audit:
Cleveland Indians
1. Adam Miller, RHP, AA. Improved change and the addition of a couple MPH on his FB showed Miller is on the right track to ML success.
2. Trevor Crowe, 2B/OF, AA. Good walk rate but has little to no power. Has tremendous athleticism but that hasn't translated well into defensive success, but that will come. He needs to put the ball on the ground more to take advantage of his speed.
3. Chuck Lofgren, LHP, A+. His dominance on the mound this year is due to a sudden ability to keep batters off the basepaths with less walks and more induced groundballs. He's working the ball lower in the zone and that means success.
4. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS, AAA. Little power but does have a knack for working the count. He doesn't have great numbers but has the potential to become a good OBP guy.
5. Brad Snyder, RF, AA. Good power, decent defense. Strikesout WAY too much.
6. Stephen Head, 1B, A+. He's moved quickly through last season (his first) and has done exactly what the Tribe has asked. He is developing power and working on his defense. The only problem is that it's causing his average to suffer. He needs to work on his plate discipline before he's ready to take the next step in his development.
7. Ed Mujica, RHP, MLB. Mujica is another in a rapidly growing line of Indians relievers to be homegrown and good. He has tremendous control, excellent stuff and knows how to pitch. He'll make a good 7th or 8th inning guy next year.
8. David Huff, RHP, A-. Didn't pitch enough for me to see him, so this ranking is a little arbitrary, but he's talked up enough for me to buy in somewhat.
9. Ryan Mulhern, 1B, AA. Mulhern's scouting report and Stephen Head's could easily be confused. Mulhern found his power stroke last year and may have lost it this year. He will have a make or break year in 2007.
10. Michael Aubrey, 1B, AA. Probably the most well rounded hitter in the system but he has struggled with back problems and barely has 150 ABs over the last two years. His window is quickly closing.
Flier: Matt Meyer, LHP, A-. 2006 draft pick who excelled in limited action. He's my flier pick for the Tribe because I did see him pitch (it's rare that I see short season games) and his stuff was electric. He definitely has some command issues and will need some work but he's got some very good things going and definitely fits the bill of a flier.
Future Lineup (arrival date)
C: Kelly Shoppach
1B: Victor Martinez
2B: FA
3B: Andy Marte
SS: Jhonny Peralta
LF: Shin-Soo Choo
CF: Grady Sizemore
RF: Trevor Crowe (2008)
DH: Travis Hafner
Starting Pitching
1. Adam Miller (2008)
2. CC Sabathia
3. Jeremy Sowers
4. Chuck Lofgren (2009)
5. Cliff Lee
Relievers
Closer: Fausto Carmona
Setup: Tom Mastny, Raphael Betancourt, Ed Mujica
Long Relief: David Huff (2009) Jeremy Guthrie, Juan Lara
Overall the Indians don't have much. Outside the top three there isn't much to speak of. But for the organization that's ok because most of their long term pieces (Hafner, Martinez, Shoppach, Sizemore, Sowers, Carmona etc) are in the bigs already. If they want to compete now they'll need to do it through trades. But they are one of the better young hitting teams in the American League.
System Grade: B-
Posted by Koby Schellenger: Sep 28 at 5:53 PM
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