Minor Issues: Mills hits 20th HR, Martinez Goes Deep in Rehab Game

Bryan Bullington got beat up pretty well in the Bisons loss to Pawtucket. Brad Snyder went 1-3 with a RBI and two runs scored.

Akron got beat up but that was hardly the story for the Aeros. Victor Martinez DHed and hit all four times. He went 2-4 with his FIRST HOME RUN OF THE YEAR! Yes his first, how nuts is that.

Meanwhile, the Aeros continue to just falter in the standings. Still hopes to the Wild Card but ya gotta pick it up Akron!

Beau Mills.. 2-4, number 20 on the year with 84 RBI, what a man. Kinston lost but they scored and Beau Mills is just awesome. Hector Rondon did go 6 plus but gave up five runs.

So-so start for Eric Berger in Lake County. He pitched 2.1 innings giving up just one run. That was the lone run against Lake County as they scored five to top Rome. Dustin Realini with 2 RBI and a 2-4 night for Matt Brown.

As if we didn’t know it already, Adam Miller’s season is over. I really think the bullpen is in his future.

Also the Indians didn’t spend as much as the Pirates or Red Sox did in draft pick signings.. Then again they picked 29th and don’t exactly spend a lot of money. But they still spent around $7 million.

Minor Issues: Snyder Making Sept Bid; Fedroff Debuts

You think Brad Snyder is eager to get to the big leagues in September? Considering his clock is running out, he might want to show the team something here in these last few months. He’s been doing that and last night he went 2-4 with an RBI. Michael Aubrey knocked in the game winner in the top of the tenth inning as the Herd won again. David Huff went 5 solid, giving up one run off 3 hits. He walked one and struck out six.

Akron got held to two runs off just three hits as they lost in Indians-like fashion to Trenton. Akron is now just one game ahead of Bowie for the division lead. Frank Herrmann pitched 7.1 innings of shutout baseball, giving up just 4 hits and striking out 8. The lead couldn’t hold up as Reid Santos gave up a three run shot in the bottom of the ninth.

Beau Mills knocked in number 81 and Carlos Santana went 2-4, but the big blast was provided by Roman Pena playing his second game for Kinston. Pena hit a three run jack in support of Jeanmarr Gomez’s 7 innings of shutout ball. Kyle Landis, fresh up from Lake County as well pitched a perfect 8th. Kinston picked up a four game sweep.

Lake County did not play once again while Mahoning Valley fell. Despite pounding out 8 hits ccompared to Tri City’s 7, the Scrappers scored just one run. Tim Fedroff went 2-4 with a double in his Scrappers debut.

Super Pre-Trade Deadline Update

Hello one and all.. Of all days to sleep in, I chose the trading deadline. For some reason I went to bed at my normal time and woke up at 11:30. With the game getting ready to start, here is what I’ve got in the world of the Cleveland Indians.

Buffalo beat up on Durham again. This time it was Brad Snyder who was a single away from having the cycle.. Two nights in a row now a Bisons’ player was missing the single.

The Box Score is escaping me because the Bisons site blows and I can’t get a box-score once they put the new game up. Jerks. Jeff Weaver got the win.

Erie edged Akron in extras. Bronson Sardinha and Wes Hodges had solo shots. Scott Lewis started and went six solid giving up one un-earned run.

I’ve been waiting to talk about this since I saw it last night.. Myrtle Beach put an absolute crushing on Kinston. Shawn Nottingham gave up 10 runs and Cristo Arnal, an infielder take in mind, gave up SIX RUNS in an inning.. Not sure why he was pitching.

Are you kidding me? I might do an in-game blog if I can get the right game.. I could go nuts…. This is ridiculous.. How are they giving him third base on this? What a complete joke.. He shouldn’t even get second. How is Sal Fasano going to do anything when the ball hits the umpire..

Get FIRED UP Wedge… For the love of God.

Lake County won last night, I can’t get the Boxscore, they are currently playing and leading.

Mahoning Valley is starting to get their footing. They won again and Lonnie Chisenhall went deep for the fourth time this year.

And the run scores.. There is no justice.. YOU JERKS

Garrett Rieck was called up to take the spot of Rob Bryson at Lake County, who went on the disabled list. He has a partially torn rotator cuff.

Onto the majors.. Kelly Shoppach’s five hit performance was only the second time an AL player had five extra base hits in a game. Remarkably the only two players are Shoppach and Lou Bordeau.. Both Cleveland Indians. He’s also the only catcher to ever do it.

So far.. Nothing on Paul Byrd other than what I posted yesterday. The Rockies have interest as well but I don’t know if anything will get done there. Ken Griffey Jr is a White Sox though, so that should be fun seeing him there.. I guess they are getting sick of Thome’s lack of production against the left handers.

Shapiro said he doesn’t expect to make a deal before the deadline, for anyone that is, according to Paul Hoynes.

Byrd was in the dugout last night and he had some pretty good commentary, such as:

“Ya Cliff Lee only needs 2-3 runs.. Save the 7 runs for Paul Byrd.”

He knows he sucks, and he is willing to admit it.

Two of the headlines on Indians.com are “Wedge Hopes Garko falls into old ways” and “Wedge hopes Betancourt puts past struggles behind him“

Don’t we all?

“I’ve just got to stop worrying about my swing and just get back to competing and grinding out at-bats,” Garko said. “That’s the kind of player I was when I first got called up and I just need to get back to it.” (Indians.com)

Well do it Ryan. He has been hitting the ball a little better lately.. You know who else is pretty good? Asdrubal Cabrera who managed to get his average up over .200 at one point last season. He’s been working hard with Derek Shelton and it is paying off. How about that bunt he laid down last night? He’s gotta put that in his game as Rick Manning said.. I think its the red bat though.

“He needs to disconnect from the numbers,” Wedge said. “Sometimes it helps to say, ‘All right, we’re going to start over today and see where it goes.’” (Indians.com)

That was on Rafael Betancourt, but it goes for Ryan Garko as well. Betancourt pitched okay last night. He got through two innings.

Yayyy Peralta.. You feel good whenever he comes up to the plate for some reason.

Here’s more on that sad CC Sabathia ad from yesterday.. I still think he could have put a little more words and cut down on the pictures of his mug.

“The day I got traded, my wife and I started thinking about some of the people we needed to thank,” said Sabathia, whose trade from Cleveland to Milwaukee was made official when he passed a physical on July 7. “It seemed like something in the paper was the way to do it, and it started as a little half-page. Then it grew to a whole page.

“It was worth it. I had been there 10 years, and I felt like I should say thanks to some people.” (Indians.com)

Ben Francisco is completely aware of the slumps a Major Leaguer goes through. But, he didn’t care to take his slump any further as he busted out last night for two solo jacks.

“I keep working and remain confident that I’ll come around,” Francisco said before he slugged two solo home runs in the Indians’ 13-inning, 14-12 loss to Detroit at Progressive Field. “When you play 162 games, there are going to be some ups and downs. I’m not moping around. Every night, I come to the park thinking I’m going to hit.” (Plain Dealer)

Benny Fresh just had a double so he’s got himself back on track it looks like. They always said his swing is made to not go into many funks offensively, and if he does it will be quick. That would be correct sir.

You know for all they say about Grady Sizemore being the hottest centerfielder(and only) in Cleveland for the Ladies, he sure doesn’t care about being a sex-symbol.

“I don’t go looking for stuff like that,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “It’s more my agent having to pull teeth to get me to do it. I’ve said no to him 20 times and he said I owed him one. I enjoyed it, but it still was uncomfortable for me. It’s awkward. I don’t really like having my picture taken.” (Plain Dealer)

Speaking of Sizemore.. Ben Francisco just made a Grady-like catch in left field. Anyway.. Grady did some photoshop for Men’s Vogue yesterday.. I bet if he was more apt to do that type of stuff, he’d be more of a star than he is now. He just doesn’t like that big spotlight.. I don’t blame him. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, he isn’t letting this stuff get to him.

I’ll be back if theres any sort of deal struck for Byrd.. I’m not expecting anything given the talk, but maybe that is a good sign.

Minor League Update: Akron Gets Four All-Stars, Crush Erie Again

Brad Snyder went deep twice for Buffalo last night, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Rochester in extra innings.

I don’t know if the IL is the same as the MLB, but it looks as if Rich Rundles was the Bisons default representative for the International League All-Star Game. The lefty was selected and will play in the game taking place on July 16th, you can see it on ESPN2. He has a record of 5-4 with a 3.48 ERA.

Some real distrubring news from Buffalo as well. Asdrubal Cabrera showed a very strange side towards an umpire last night.

After getting called out on strikes, Drubs raised his bat in the direction of the umpire and started shouting at him. Andy Gonzlaez restrained him but he was still ejected. Following that he walked off the field and tossed his batting helmet and gloves behind his back and it hit the first base umpire.

Not good at all, not good to hear. He didn’t intentionally hit the first base ump, but it is almost Delmon Young-esque and he will certainly get suspended.

Akron did some more damage once again last night. They pounded Erie pitching again for 10 runs.

All but one run came via the long ball as the Aeros hit seven home runs. Brandon Pinckney hit two bombs while Stephen Head and Ryan Goleski each added one.

The big gun was Wyatt Toregas though. He went deep THREE times against Erie, two solo shots and a two run homer. What’s scary is he almost didn’t play because he felt under the weather.

More Akron news.. Four guys were named to the South Team for the Eastern League All-Star Game.

Randy Newsome the Akron Closer, who was promoted to Buffalo just a few days ago made the team, but certainly won’t be participating. He took the loss last night for the Bisons by the by.

The other three will however. Pitcher J.D. Martin, Third Baseman Wes Hodges and Shortstop Joshua Rodriguez.

Hodges is hitting .307 with 9 home runs and 64 RBI this year. Rodriguez is hitting .271 with 4 home runs and 37 RBI and 7 stolen bases. Akron starter JD Martin is 7-3 with a 3.26 ERA.

Lake County pulled their record to even in the second half with a win over Kannapolis.

Lonnie Chisenhall went 3-5 with a run batted in for the Scrappers last night.

Profile on U of M pitcher/hitter Zach Putnam. Drafted as a pitcher, so I guess the plan is to have him as a pitcher for the Indians.

Clearing Up Roster Moves

Just to make clear all the roster moves that happened or will happen.

Jeremy Sowers was called up to start on Saturday, Ben Francisco sat.

Sowers was then called down after his start, to call up Brad Snyder. Snyder was an extra body in the outfield just in case because Grady Sizemore could not go no matter what on Sunday.

They did not recall Francisco cause I’m sure he was playing or had played in the Buffalo game or they just didn’t want to call him up to be a backup for one day. Snyder just did happen to be on the 40 man, the downside is his major league clock has started.

Snyder will now be called down today so Aaron Laffey can pitch in Monday’s game.

After that, I’m assuming Laffey will get called down. They will either call up Ben Francisco, or just immediately call up Sowers so he can start later this week, probably on Friday.

Indians Trim Roster to 36

The Indians are dwindling the roster even more and now the competitions have become a little more clear.

OF Brad Snyder was optioned to Triple A Buffalo

Pitchers Matt Ginter, Jeff Harris and Rich Rundles; Catchers Armando Camacaro and David Wallace; and Infielders Danny Sandoval and Aaron Herr were all re-assigned to the minor league camps.

With Ginter and Harris gone, It’s Tom Mastny, Scott Elarton and Jorge Julio battling it out. Let’s get it on!