Launching Off With The Aeros: 7/24/12 – 7/30/12 (7.31.12)

It was another winning week for your Akron Aeros, as if it could be any other way. The Aeros took four of six games from the Erie SeaWolves and Bowie Baysox at Canal Park over the past week, pushing their overall record to 65-43 on the season. That mark puts them 9.5 games over the Baysox in the Western Division and 1 game up on the Trenton Thunder for the best mark in the entire Eastern League.

The Aeros are out of town over the next week, heading to Portland and New Hampshire for consecutive three-game sets. After that, the Aeros will be back at Canal Park on August 7 to host Portland and New Hampshire this time around. Oh the fun quirks of the schedule.

With the trade deadline today, it is quite possible that the Aeros will experience some turnover in the next 48 hours or so. Whether it’s the Indians trading prospects for help on the big league team or the adding of young talent through the trade of veterans, there should be some changes soon. So, read on to find out what the Indians are giving up/are promoting to Columbus/whatever ends up being applicable after the deadline passes. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 31, 2012

 

Around The Farm: July 26, 2012 (7.27.12)

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday’s performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday’s game.

Tim Fedroff (LF, Columbus): 3-for-4, 4 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO

It was going to take a lot to knock Roberto Hernandez’s return off of the top of Around The Farm today, yet Tim Fedroff found a way to do it. The usually light-hitting outfielder absolutely went off on Toledo last night, jacking two home runs and raising his season slash line to .334/.414/.508. Since his callup to Columbus, Fedroff has been even hotter, posting a .383/.446/.617 slash line and hitting six home runs in 34 games. While Huntington Park seems to favor offense, that line is still very impressive, especially when it’s paired with Fedroff’s 22:16 SO:BB. I don’t know if Fedroff will get a chance in Cleveland (I do think that Damon has been much better since his rough start), but he will get a shot somewhere; he’s just been too good this year. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 27, 2012

 

Launching Off With The Aeros: 7/17/12 – 7/23/12 (7.24.12)

There weren’t any history-making moments for the Aeros over the past week, but that did not stop them from winning five of the seven games they played. This Aeros team continues to win despite not having many big-name prospects or players on other teams’ trade radar. While that isn’t good for the Indians long-term, it’s still impressive to watch this team go out and take care of business day-in and day-out.

The Aeros (61-41) will continue their homestand against the Erie SeaWolves and Bowie Baysox through Sunday before headed out to Portland and New Hampshire from July 31 through August 5. Indians wins have been hard to come by lately, so if you want to go see a winner, you should go check out the Aeros while they’re in town this week. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 24, 2012

 

Around The Farm: July 19, 2012 (7.20.12)

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday’s performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday’s game.

Matt Packer (SP, Akron): W (1-0), 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 7 SO

Welcome back to Akron Mr. Packer! After missing a big chunk of the season because of shoulder soreness in Spring Training, Packer roared back into the Eastern League with this start last night. After posting a 4.31 ERA last year (but a 3.56 FIP thanks to a 129:33 SO:BB ratio in 169.1 innings), Packer was supposed to pitch in Columbus this year and get a shot to make the big league club in 2013 (or possibly as a September callup). His injury has put that timetable on hold, but Packer is a very good left-handed starter that has great control and seems to be back on the right track. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 20, 2012

 

Launching Off With The Aeros: 7/10/12 – 7/16/12 (7.17.12)

The Akron Aeros came out of the All-Star break firing on all cylinders, winning four of their five games against the Altoona Curve and Harrisburg Senators and giving their fans plenty to cheer about. Akron won their games behind great pitching (limiting opponents to 11 runs) and just enough offense (Really? Only 16 runs?). The Aeros improved to 56-39 on the year, 0.5 games better than the Trenton Thunder for best record in the Eastern League, 7.0 games better than the Harrisburg Senators for the Western Division lead, and 7.5 games over the Richmond Flying Squirrels for the final playoff spot.

The Aeros will play two more games against Harrisburg Tuesday and Wednesday at home before headed out to Richmond for a four game set. After that, the Aeros will be back at Canal Park for a seven game homestand July 23 through July 29. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 17, 2012

 

How I Met Your Aeros: Tyler Holt (7.14.12)

As the new guy in Akron Aeros’ locker room, outfielder Tyler Holt knows his place. “The guys are older, and things are a lot different here as in you do your own business and stay to yourself, he said. “You don’t want to come in here and try to break up or distract anyone that has their routine, so I’m just trying to get a feel for those guys and how things are done here and obviously follow by example.”

Holt may be minding his manners in the locker room, but if he’s not careful, his play will start distracting his teammates. His raw stats still leave some to be desired (.261/.348/.336 slash line between Carolina and Akron), but Holt always leaves it all out on the field.

A lot of players get in trouble for trying to do too much, but Holt is trying to learn not to beat himself and to let his natural talent win out. “I’m so emotionally into the game and wear my emotions on my sleeve,” he said. “I have to work on controlling that to a certain extent and showing the positive side more than the negative. I think I’ve been doing a better job of that and the team feeds off that.” Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 14, 2012

 

Around The Farm: July 12, 2012 (7.13.12)

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday’s performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday’s game.

Dorssys Paulino (SS, AZL Indians): 3-for-4, 4 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 RBI, 2 BB

I know that Arizona league stats should also be taken with about a shaker’s worth of salt, but it’s hard not to get excited about what Dorssys Paulino is doing in the Arizona League right now. In 16 games so far this season, Paulino has a .333 batting average, 22 hits, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 10 RBI, and a 13:10 SO:BB. Paulino is obviously more than a few steps away from the Majors, but the 17-year-old has the stats and the raving from scouts. He could easily be the next big thing in the Tribe’s system, and I for one cannot wait. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 13, 2012

 

Ranking the Cleveland Indians’ Roster at the All-Star Break (7.11.12)

For a team competing for a division title and a playoff spot, the Cleveland Indians have had more than their fair share of disappointing players. Numerous players throughout the year have come and gone, but their issues remain the same: not enough power, not enough right-handed bats, the bullpen, first base, left field, the rotation, etc. It’s to the point right now that if it weren’t for big contributions from some of their best players, the Indians would be out of the playoff hunt.

Yet the Tribe is sticking around as we hit the All-Star break with a 44-41 record, 3 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the division and 1 game out of the second wild card spot. Looking at the 35 players that have been on the Tribe’s active roster this year, there is more than enough mediocrity and disappointment to go around, but you can also see the talent shining through. Ranking the roster from 35^th to 1^st shows that while the Indians aren’t the ’27 Yankees, they still have plenty of good players and have managed to find replacements for most of their problem areas. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 11, 2012

 

Launching Off With The Aeros: 7/3/12 – 7/9/12 (7.10.12)

Your Akron Aeros continued to fade in July, only winning three of their seven games over the past week. It could have been much worse, as they dropped four of their first five before rebounding for two straight wins over the Bowie Baysox headed into the All-Star Break.

The Aeros remain the class of the Eastern League, but the teams behind them are slowly catching up. Akron holds on a 3.5 game lead of the Harrisburg Senators for the lead in the Western Division and a 0.5 game lead over the Trenton Thunder for the best record in the Eastern League. If the Aeros want to hold onto their pole position and make the playoffs, they’ll need to regain the form that led them to a 52-38 record headed into the All-Star Break and put a stop to the slumps they’ve found themselves in recently.

Speaking of the All-Star Break, look out for four of your Akron Aeros – Chun Chen, Thomas Neal, Kyle Landis, and Steven Wright – who will be playing in the game on Wednesday in Reading, Pennsylvania. After that, the Aeros will be home hosting the Altoona Curve and Harrisburg Senators in a seven-game homestand from July 12 to July 18. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 10, 2012

 

Launching Off With The Aeros: 6/26/12 – 7/2/12 (7.3.12)

Your Akron Aeros may still be leading the Bowie Baysox and Harrisburg Senators by 6.5 games in the Western Division and hold a 1.5 game advantage over the Trenton Thunder for the best record in the Eastern League, but they really struggled over the past week, dropping five of the seven games they played. The Aeros managed to avoid being swept, but losing three of four to the Erie SeaWolves and two of three to the Richmond Flying Squirrels – all at home – certainly hurts.

The good news is, the Aeros won so many games earlier in the season that they can afford the occasional stinker of a week. The key for Akron now is to rebound over the next week. They will play Richmond one more time on Tuesday before headed out to Erie and Bowie for three games sets. After that, it will be the All-Star Break, where four of your Akron Aeros (Chun Chen, Thomas Neal, Kyle Landis, and Steven Wright) will be participating. Read More…

From Indians Prospect Insider, July 3, 2012