Cleveland Sports Forum

loufla wrote:Thanks, reason I asked is I thought I saw him in the dugout yesterday at the Tigers game.

@Frankcantwait LaPorta was sent down to AAA. Why has he had so few appearances?

Lastoria - In CLE for birth of his daughter. May rejoin team today.

2 hours ago

Indians send four pitchers (and no position players) to AFL

A quartet of Aeros pitchers — Austin Adams, Matt Packer, T.J. McFarland, Tyler Sturdevant — will join the Phoenix Desert Dogs for the Arizona Fall League. They're joined by prospects from the Reds, A's, Blue Jays and Yankees organizations. No position players from the Indians are on the roster, however.

As Tony says via Twitter, Indians just haven’t decided on position players yet. Juan Diaz, Chun Chen, maybe Weglarz or Mills, Fedroff…seem like viable candidates.

Matt LaPorta - 1B - Indians

The Indians are expected to recall 1B Matt LaPorta Friday.
LaPorta got off to a solid start this season but ultimately tanked to a .238/.289/.404 batting line before being demoted at the end of August. He should see some starts at first base down the stretch but isn't a fantasy option.

Source: Paul Hoynes on Twitter Sep 9 - 12:51 PM

Kinston has a very playoff hardened team. More than half the roster were members of the Lake County Midwest League Championship team of 2010 including:

Catcher, Roberto Perez
3b, Adam Abraham
SS, Casey Frawley
2b, Agenis Martinez
of, Delvi Cid
of, Tyler Holt

Pitchers:

Mike Rayl, Giovanni Soto, Trey Haley, Jesus Flores, Francisco Jiminez, Preston Guilmet

Trying for a sweep, Clippers lead 3-2 after 5 1/2 behind Joe Martinez who like Talbot has allowed plenty of hits, 7, but not too many runs in his 6 innings. Chen Lee and Zach Putnam should be available to pitch today. Jared Head back where he belongs, has a double and a run scored. Nick Johnson with a 2 run double. Argenis Reyes with a rbi single.

Kinston looking even better tonight, up 5-0 at the same point in their game. Michael Goodnight pitching for the first time in High A went 5 shutout innings. Adam Abraham with a 3 run blast in the first. Kinston's been outhit 4-3 but holds the five run lead hoping to go up 2-1 in the series. When he wasn't giving up runs, Miguel de los Santos did a great job against the K-Tribe: in 5 innings, he had 10 strikeouts, 4 ground outs, and no air outs (since the homer reached the stands). Tyler Holt, perhaps the only actual prospect on this team (and Jesus Aguillar, too, I hope) is having a great series: 6-11 now.

Joe Martinez kept the Bulls guessing all night. And even he couldn't pinpoint what his secret was.
"Nothing in particular," he laughed. "I have to give credit to [catcher] Luke [Carlin] and my defense. They put a lot of balls in play and it was pretty easy for me. I just did what they told me to do."

Martinez pitched the Clippers back to the Governors' Cup Finals on Friday as Columbus completed a three-game sweep of the Durham Bulls with a 5-2 victory at Huntington Park.

The reigning Triple-A National Champions rode Martinez for eight innings before Zach Putnam worked a scoreless ninth. Nick Johnson went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs before the Clippers tacked on a pair of late insurance runs.

"Nick is swinging the bat well the last few fays. He's so valuable to us on and off the field, he's a huge asset for us," said Martinez. "He's a longtime big leaguer and he brings a real element of professionalism and plays the right way. And I think it rubs off on everyone else."

Columbus, which defeated Tacoma in last year's one-game showdown for the Triple-A title, will face the winner of the Lehigh Valley-Pawtucket series. The Clippers are trying to win consecutive Governors' Cups for the first time since 1991-92.

Martinez, who was 8-9 with a 4.04 ERA in 35 regular-season outings, held Durham to a pair of runs on nine hits in his longest outing of the year. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

It was the first time Martinez (1-0) has gone at least eight innings since he threw a complete game for Triple-A Fresno on June 4, 2010.

"I would have liked to [have finished], but you can't argue," he said. "Zach has been great all year for us, so I was real confident with him going out. It's kinda nice."

Columbus took the lead in the second when Johnson doubled home Chad Huffman and scored on Argenis Reyes' single to left.

Former No. 1 overall pick Tim Beckham got the Bulls on the board in the third when he doubled home Robinson Chirinos with two outs, but Johnson restored the Clippers' two-run lead again in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single.

"It's nice because it gives you little more of a cushion," Martinez said of the early support. "I didn't have to be perfect all the time. We scored just enough to win, and that makes a huge difference."

Martinez said the celebration in the clubhouse was tempered a bit -- business as usual, in a sense, for the Clippers.

"We had a little champagne and stuff like that, but it's not the end, it's just the beginning of the playoffs," he added. "We still have another series to play."

Durham's final run came in the fifth when Leslie Anderson scored on a fielder's choice by John Matulia. The Bulls had runners on in each of the final four innings but could not get closer.

Columbus added an insurance run in the eighth when Johnson doubled and pinch-runner Ben Copeland scored on Carlin's single. Right fielder Matt Carson made a strong throw, but the ball got past Chirinos.

Carlin made a heads-up play moments later, scoring from second on Reyes' grounder that was thrown away by second baseman Ray Olmedo -- first baseman Dan Johnson never made an attempt to get Carlin at the plate.

Putnam, who worked the ninth in Game 2, worked around Carson's single to left for his second playoff save.

"I think everyone just wants to win every day, and if you win one game, then you worry about the next day," Martinez said. "Everyone is pretty loose. We have a good group, some good young guys and veterans."

Durham lefty Alex Torres (0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits and four walks over six innings.

3 hits by Nick Johnson, 2 each by Jared Head and Carlin. Oldtimers all.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x&did=milb

And Kinston finishes with a 7-0 win for 2-1 lead (or is that series won?). Michael Goodnight 5 shutout fanning 6. Then Chris Jones 2, Trey Haley 1 and Preston Guilmet finish up. All the reliever allowed no hits but each walked at least a man. Offense led by Adam Abraham's 3 run homer,he also singled; and Tyler Holt with a single, double, triple and 4 rbi.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... a_kinafa_1

Kinston needs one more win in 2 tries to wrap up the first round. Mike Rayl on the hill tonight, opens with 2 perfect innings, 2 strikeouts. Scoreless after 2, Tyler Holt continues to lead the offense, with a game-opening single, but Jeremice Tice GIDP with 2 on and 1 out.

Kinston holds a 2 run lead with 6 outs to go. Jesus Aguillar with the big blow, a 3 run homer. Mike Rayl went 5 allowed 2 runs on 5 hits 2 walks and struck out 5. Vet Ryan Landis, 25 year old Class A reliever, with 4 K in 2 innings pitched.

Landis continues his mastery with an unusual for him third inning.

It's too bad but many of the Kinston Tribesman may not be back for another season even if they successfully win their second straight league championship. Guys like Adam Abraham, Casey Frawley, Argenis Martinez may be having their professional swansongs this week.

5 unearned runs in the bottom of the 8th cinch the deal for the Indians. After Aguillar and Cannon were both called out on strikes, Frawley was safe on an error, Roberto Perez walked, Jordan Casas batted in one with a single, and Holt, Bo Greenwell and Abraham doubled in succession. Murata on to finish up and Kinston moves to the Carolina League finals in its final season in the Caroline League.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... a_kinafa_1

I keep picturing Adam Abraham as having a long white beard.