Aeros despite a pretty well established lack of prospects win the Eastern League title. Joe's Japanese pitcher Toru Murata with the championship clinching start. I am afraid that Murata, age 27, is destined to be another AA/AAA lifer like Paulo Espino. Actual prospect Scott Armstrong fans a couple in an inning of relief.
Offensive star was Adam Abraham was now been a key player on 3 league championships in his three full-seasons in the minors. That's pretty impressive, but Adam is another Orgnaizational Player. He plays some 1st, some 3rd, some OF. Managed 3 triples in his handful of playoff games, but he's not fast.
Re: Minor Matters
2177When Akron dropped the first two games of the Eastern League semifinals to Bowie, the thought of winning a fourth championship was a very distant one.
On Saturday night, the Aeros celebrated in Trenton.
Toru Murata allowed a run on three hits over a season-high 6 1/3 innings and Adam Abraham collected his eighth postseason RBI as the Indians' Double-A affiliate beat the Thunder, 6-1, to bring the title back to Akron.
"All of the guys have worked hard for this all year," Aeros second-year manager Chris Tremie said. "It's a great finish to the year, very exciting.
"It's been a great year all year long. To finish it up in the end with a championship is a great feeling. I'm very proud of them."
The championship is the team's second in four years and fourth since relocating to the Akron/Canton area in 1989. The Aeros also won titles in 2003, 2005 and 2009 after losing to Trenton in the Finals in 2007 and 2008.
Abraham opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the second inning, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Rohlinger to give Murata the only runs he needed.
"There was a guy on first and I was just looking for something I could hit hard," said Abraham, who was named Finals MVP. "It was a first-pitch fastball and I drove it to center field and Matt [Lawson] was able to score on it.
"I don't swing too often on the first pitch of my first [at-bat], but I was looking for it and I didn't miss it. Getting that first run is always important."
J.R. Murphy halved the Thunder's deficit with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning, but that was all the Yankees' affiliate managed against Murata.
The 27-year-old right-hander fanned seven, one shy of a season high, throwing 59 of 86 pitches for strikes. Murata (1-0), who was 3-2 with a 2.89 ERA across three levels during the regular season, hit a batter but retired 15 in a row at one point.
"He was very good," Tremie said. "He went deep into the game and he only gave up the one run on the home run. He was really solid."
"Toru has been very good for us the whole last month," Abraham added. "When he got moved to the starting rotation, he was going five, six, seven innings with no runs or one run. Tonight was no different. He gave up one run, and that was about it."
Akron tacked on a run in the fifth, then broke it open with three in the ninth.
Trenton loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth against closer Preston Guilmet, but Rob Segedin grounded a 1-2 pitch to second baseman Matt Lawson, who flipped to shortstop Davis Stoneburner to set off the celebration.
Akron posted the league's best regular-season record at 82-59, winning the Western Division by 4 1/2 games over Bowie. But the Baysox pushed the Aeros to the brink of elimination in the semifinals, winning the first two games of the best-of-5 series and taking a lead into the sixth inning in Game 3.
"It was simple," Tremie said of his message to the team after falling into an 0-2 series hole. "We talked about it and I told them the series is the best-of-5 and that it doesn't specify that you have to win the first one.
"We lost the first two, then we won three straight. We won one game at a time."
Akron remained perfect at home in the postseason by taking the first two games of the Championship Series, 3-0 and 7-5. The Thunder avoided the sweep with an 11-7 victory on Friday.
Trenton could not prolong its season a second time, however, as the Aeros won on the road for the first time in the playoffs.
"I was not expecting that [MVP award]," said Abraham, a 2008 13th-round Draft pick who batted .300 with three triples and eight RBIs in nine postseason games. "When my name was announced, I was surprised. All that hard work I have put in and that the team has put in paid off. I had some injuries, so it's nice to finish with a championship."
On Saturday night, the Aeros celebrated in Trenton.
Toru Murata allowed a run on three hits over a season-high 6 1/3 innings and Adam Abraham collected his eighth postseason RBI as the Indians' Double-A affiliate beat the Thunder, 6-1, to bring the title back to Akron.
"All of the guys have worked hard for this all year," Aeros second-year manager Chris Tremie said. "It's a great finish to the year, very exciting.
"It's been a great year all year long. To finish it up in the end with a championship is a great feeling. I'm very proud of them."
The championship is the team's second in four years and fourth since relocating to the Akron/Canton area in 1989. The Aeros also won titles in 2003, 2005 and 2009 after losing to Trenton in the Finals in 2007 and 2008.
Abraham opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the second inning, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Rohlinger to give Murata the only runs he needed.
"There was a guy on first and I was just looking for something I could hit hard," said Abraham, who was named Finals MVP. "It was a first-pitch fastball and I drove it to center field and Matt [Lawson] was able to score on it.
"I don't swing too often on the first pitch of my first [at-bat], but I was looking for it and I didn't miss it. Getting that first run is always important."
J.R. Murphy halved the Thunder's deficit with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning, but that was all the Yankees' affiliate managed against Murata.
The 27-year-old right-hander fanned seven, one shy of a season high, throwing 59 of 86 pitches for strikes. Murata (1-0), who was 3-2 with a 2.89 ERA across three levels during the regular season, hit a batter but retired 15 in a row at one point.
"He was very good," Tremie said. "He went deep into the game and he only gave up the one run on the home run. He was really solid."
"Toru has been very good for us the whole last month," Abraham added. "When he got moved to the starting rotation, he was going five, six, seven innings with no runs or one run. Tonight was no different. He gave up one run, and that was about it."
Akron tacked on a run in the fifth, then broke it open with three in the ninth.
Trenton loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth against closer Preston Guilmet, but Rob Segedin grounded a 1-2 pitch to second baseman Matt Lawson, who flipped to shortstop Davis Stoneburner to set off the celebration.
Akron posted the league's best regular-season record at 82-59, winning the Western Division by 4 1/2 games over Bowie. But the Baysox pushed the Aeros to the brink of elimination in the semifinals, winning the first two games of the best-of-5 series and taking a lead into the sixth inning in Game 3.
"It was simple," Tremie said of his message to the team after falling into an 0-2 series hole. "We talked about it and I told them the series is the best-of-5 and that it doesn't specify that you have to win the first one.
"We lost the first two, then we won three straight. We won one game at a time."
Akron remained perfect at home in the postseason by taking the first two games of the Championship Series, 3-0 and 7-5. The Thunder avoided the sweep with an 11-7 victory on Friday.
Trenton could not prolong its season a second time, however, as the Aeros won on the road for the first time in the playoffs.
"I was not expecting that [MVP award]," said Abraham, a 2008 13th-round Draft pick who batted .300 with three triples and eight RBIs in nine postseason games. "When my name was announced, I was surprised. All that hard work I have put in and that the team has put in paid off. I had some injuries, so it's nice to finish with a championship."
Re: Minor Matters
2178The Aeros also won titles in 2003, 2005 and 2009 after losing to Trenton in the Finals in 2007 and 2008.
So they have been one of the top 2 in the league 6 times in 10 years, which one would think would mean that Akron has delivered a ton of talent to the Tribe. One would be wrong.
Re: Minor Matters
2179Minor league championships have little or no correlation to the parent club's success or failure.
Akron and Columbus have had multiple championships and the Indians are a disaster.
Pawtucket won the International League championship this year and look at the Red Sox mess.
Akron and Columbus have had multiple championships and the Indians are a disaster.
Pawtucket won the International League championship this year and look at the Red Sox mess.
Re: Minor Matters
2180At least Adam Abraham and his friends get to have some fun before they get real jobs.
Re: Minor Matters
2181Nice work by Murata, Espino, and Salazar this year.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Minor Matters
2183Stephanie Storm, writing in BA, rates our top position player for 2012 Francisco Lindor, no surprise; top pitcher Danny Salazar, which says something good about him and something bad about the rest of the pitching in the system; and Paulino, who else?, as breakout player.
Re: Minor Matters
2184BA starts its league Top 20's tomorrow with the Arizona League. Dorsyss Paulino should be right at or near the top of the list. Perhaps also Jorge Martinez, Mitch Brown, Luis Lugo, Anthony Santander.
Last year our team had top representation on this list with Luigi Rodrigues and Felix Sterling near the top, also Jake Sisco, Elvis Araujo and Martinez. Of those only LRod moved up successfully in 2012.
Last year our team had top representation on this list with Luigi Rodrigues and Felix Sterling near the top, also Jake Sisco, Elvis Araujo and Martinez. Of those only LRod moved up successfully in 2012.
Re: Minor Matters
2185Does anyone here remember looking into the minors back in '92 or so and think that we had one sure hall of famer (Thome), and potentially 4 or 5 more (Rameriz, Belle, Lofton, Visquel, Alomar) waiting to move up?
UD
Re: Minor Matters
2186Stephanie Storm's pick of the best in the Tribe farm system:
BEST PLAYER: The youngest player in the Midwest League for a majority of the season, Francisco Lindor—a 5-foot-11, 175-pound switch-hitting shortstop—impressed Tribe brass on both sides of the ball. He also displayed the intangibles of a mature baseball intelligence, natural instincts and clubhouse leadership.
Batting .257/.352/.355 through 122 games, the Indians' 2011 first-round pick displayed an impressive feel for the strike zone (61-to-78 walk-to-strikeout ratio) and a mature approach at the plate. He collected 24 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 42 RBIs.
BEST PITCHER: Pitching in his first full season since 2009 following Tommy John surgery, the Indians believe righthander Danny Salazar established himself as a legitimate starting pitching prospect. With a fastball that reaches the upper 90s, a swing-and-miss changeup and a developing slider, Salazar threw all three pitches for strikes as his feel for attacking hitters advanced.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Salazar began the season at high Class A Carolina, going 1-2, 2.68, and was promoted to Double-A Akron at the beginning of August—where he went 4-0, 1.85.
KEEP AN EYE ON: The 6-foot, 175-pound Dorssys Paulino began the 2012 season as a 17-year-old in the Rookie-level Arizona League before being promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley to end the year. Paulino, who signed with Cleveland in 2011 out of the Dominican Republic, hit .355/.404/.610 in Arizona before hitting .271/.306/.407 with Mahoning Valley.
BEST PLAYER: The youngest player in the Midwest League for a majority of the season, Francisco Lindor—a 5-foot-11, 175-pound switch-hitting shortstop—impressed Tribe brass on both sides of the ball. He also displayed the intangibles of a mature baseball intelligence, natural instincts and clubhouse leadership.
Batting .257/.352/.355 through 122 games, the Indians' 2011 first-round pick displayed an impressive feel for the strike zone (61-to-78 walk-to-strikeout ratio) and a mature approach at the plate. He collected 24 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 42 RBIs.
BEST PITCHER: Pitching in his first full season since 2009 following Tommy John surgery, the Indians believe righthander Danny Salazar established himself as a legitimate starting pitching prospect. With a fastball that reaches the upper 90s, a swing-and-miss changeup and a developing slider, Salazar threw all three pitches for strikes as his feel for attacking hitters advanced.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Salazar began the season at high Class A Carolina, going 1-2, 2.68, and was promoted to Double-A Akron at the beginning of August—where he went 4-0, 1.85.
KEEP AN EYE ON: The 6-foot, 175-pound Dorssys Paulino began the 2012 season as a 17-year-old in the Rookie-level Arizona League before being promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley to end the year. Paulino, who signed with Cleveland in 2011 out of the Dominican Republic, hit .355/.404/.610 in Arizona before hitting .271/.306/.407 with Mahoning Valley.
Re: Minor Matters
2187We never had those last 3 in our minor leagues.Uncle Dennis wrote:Does anyone here remember looking into the minors back in '92 or so and think that we had one sure hall of famer (Thome), and potentially 4 or 5 more (Rameriz, Belle, Lofton, Visquel, Alomar) waiting to move up?
Re: Minor Matters
2189On the other hand, BA had Lofton rated as Houston's No. 1 when we acquired him. Sandy was Minor League Player of the Year before we got him. Of course Ricardo Rodriguez who we got from the Dodgers wast their No. 1 prospect at the time, too.
Re: Minor Matters
2190Paulino rated NO. 5 in the Arizona League, Mitch Brown NO. 15. Here's why Dorsyss is lower than LRod was last year:
EMPE, Ariz.—The earlier signing deadline for draft picks had an obvious effect on the caliber of talent in the Rookie-level Arizona League. This summer's crop of prospects arguably was deeper than any group in the league's 25-year history. Unlike in past years when Latin American players dominated this list, the 2012 Top 20 features several draft choices from June, starting with the top three prospects: Athletics shortstop Addison Russell, Cubs outfielder Albert Almora and Rangers third baseman Joey Gallo.
Russell and Almora were two of the six 2012 first-rounders who qualified for this list, along with Rangers outfielder Lewis Brinson, Diamondbacks catcher Stryker Trahan, Brewers catcher Clint Coulter and Reds righthander Nick Travieso. Padres lefthander Max Fried fell one inning short of making the cut, while Royals righty Kyle Zimmer authored the AZL's lone complete-game shutout but worked only 10 innings in the AZL. By contrast, only one first-rounder was eligible for this Top 20 in the previous two years combined.
The presence of two high-profile Cuban outfielders, Jorge Soler (Cubs) and Yasiel Puig (Dodgers), also bolstered the league, though Puig fell just short of having enough playing time to make this list. The Rangers captured their first AZL championship by defeating the Athletics in a one-game playoff and dominated the Top 20 with five of the league's best prospects. Gallo led that group after setting league records with 18 homers, a .733 slugging percentage and an 1.169 OPS.
EMPE, Ariz.—The earlier signing deadline for draft picks had an obvious effect on the caliber of talent in the Rookie-level Arizona League. This summer's crop of prospects arguably was deeper than any group in the league's 25-year history. Unlike in past years when Latin American players dominated this list, the 2012 Top 20 features several draft choices from June, starting with the top three prospects: Athletics shortstop Addison Russell, Cubs outfielder Albert Almora and Rangers third baseman Joey Gallo.
Russell and Almora were two of the six 2012 first-rounders who qualified for this list, along with Rangers outfielder Lewis Brinson, Diamondbacks catcher Stryker Trahan, Brewers catcher Clint Coulter and Reds righthander Nick Travieso. Padres lefthander Max Fried fell one inning short of making the cut, while Royals righty Kyle Zimmer authored the AZL's lone complete-game shutout but worked only 10 innings in the AZL. By contrast, only one first-rounder was eligible for this Top 20 in the previous two years combined.
The presence of two high-profile Cuban outfielders, Jorge Soler (Cubs) and Yasiel Puig (Dodgers), also bolstered the league, though Puig fell just short of having enough playing time to make this list. The Rangers captured their first AZL championship by defeating the Athletics in a one-game playoff and dominated the Top 20 with five of the league's best prospects. Gallo led that group after setting league records with 18 homers, a .733 slugging percentage and an 1.169 OPS.