March 2009
Spring Training Report 3-18-09
The first spring training report is complete! You can listen to it here:
Spring Training Report 3-18-09.mp3.
The Triple-A squad held a simulated/scrimmage game and the following pitchers took the mound:
Chuck Lofgren – 1.1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 K, 3 BB
Josh Tomlin – 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K,1 BB
Jose Rodriguez – 1 IP, 2 K
Jonathan Holt – 1 IP, 2 ER, 2 H
Paolo Espino – 1 IP, 3 ER, 2 H
Next: Clippers vs. Oklahoma City (Texas Rangers) – 1:00pm, Wednesday
new Huntington Park site
Thanks to Paul Loper, Yoshi Ando and the web-savy brains in the Clippers front office, a new site dedicated to Huntington Park was launched today. Visit it here.
Here are a few photos of the new park…
There are more photos and info on the new site at
http://www.huntingtonparkcolumbus.com
Clippings 3-17-09
First and foremost, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! (Are you wearing green?)
Second, here is the latest edition of “Clippings”:
* Adam Miller continues to have problems with his finger. Miller, the injury-prone prospect, has been unable to throw for nearly two weeks with pain in his right middle finger. At this point, he’s probably eliminated from consideration for the Indians final bullpen spot. He started throwing again this week, but has already has experienced a setback. The latest problem involves an inability to bend the finger properly. It looks like he’ll start the season with the Clippers (or on the DL).
PS – The best headline I’ve ever seen involves this story… “Adam Miller continues to give us the finger” courtesy of
http://www.letsgotribe.com
* Lefty Scott Lewis allowed only one run and three hits in his first Cactus League start Sunday against Milwaukee. The former Ohio State star went four innings with no walks and two strikeouts. Lewis is still considered a contender for the final spot in the big league rotation, but is likely to start with the Clippers.
* Jeremy Sowers is also competing for the #5 spot in the rotation and MLB.com writer Anthony Castrovince wrote a nice piece about Sowers: Sowers pleased with positive results
* Minor league spring training games begin on Wednesday. The Clippers play the Texas Rangers Triple-A squad (Oklahoma City). We’ll be providing daily audio reports from Arizona!
Huntington Park a hit for sponsors
In case you missed this from Sunday’s Columbus Dispatch…
Huntington Park a hit for sponsors
Huntington Park won’t open for five weeks, but it’s almost a sellout — for sponsorships.
The ballpark’s board has nailed down $39.6 million in corporate money for naming rights and is negotiating deals worth an additional $9 million.
The new ballpark in the Arena District, to open April 18, had promised to raise $37 million from private sponsors.
“The numbers far exceed anything the financial analysts thought we’d do,” Clippers President and General Manager Ken Schnacke said
Indians send three to minors
The Cleveland Indians today optioned LHP RICH RUNDLES to AAA Columbus, the club’s first roster move of the 2009 spring…Also today, the Indians re-assigned RHP TOMO OHKA & LHP RYAN EDELL to minor league camp.
There are currently 59 players in Major League camp in Goodyear, AZ.
IL News & Notes 3-12-09
Here is the recent edition of International League News & Notes:
COLUMBUS CLIPPERS
CANNIZARO CONTINUES CLEVELAND POWER SURGE: On Monday, former Clipper of the Year Andy Cannizaro (2006) went 3-4 with a double and a home run against the White Sox. It was Cannizaro’s first home run of the spring, as the Indians have collectively hit an American League best 18 long balls. Cannizaro is coming off a career high 4 HR season in 2008, smacking 3 HR in only 84 AB after an August 4 trade to the Indians organization. Prior to his outburst with Buffalo last season, he had been averaging a home run every 206.2 AB at the minor league level. If Cannizaro plays for the Clippers this season, he will be the first player to have been a Clipper as a Yankees’(2005-06) and Indians’ affiliate.
FORMER BUCKEYE COMPETING FOR FINAL SPOT: LHP Scott Lewis is in the running for Cleveland’s #5 spot in the starting rotation. In 2008 he saw his first big league duty, going 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts during September. So far this spring he is off to a rocky start, posting a 7.11 ERA through three games (6.1 IP). Lewis, who attended The Ohio State University from 2002-04, will likely start the year in Columbus if he doesn’t make the Indians. He has only four career starts at the Triple-A level.
LOVULLO REBOUNDING FROM BROKEN BAT: Clippers manager Torey Lovullo received the first scare of spring training when outfielder Trevor Crowe‘s maple bat was shattered in a March 2 game against the Rockies. The sawed- off bat hit the skipper above his left eye, leaving a gash that required nine stitches. Lovullo was back to work the next day, but was unable to participate in team picture day earlier this week due to the lingering cut and black eye.
Download the complete
IL News & Notes 3-12-09.pdf
Laffey looking good for #5 spot
Aaron Laffey fired four scoreless innings in the Indians 4-3 win over the A’s on Friday. Laffey was the favorite to be the Indians final starter and now it’s looking even more likely he’ll start with Cleveland instead of Columbus. If that happens, the Clippers would start with Zach Jackson, Jeremy Sowers, Scott Lewis, David Huff, and a fifth spot TBA. Look for Kirk Saarloos, Tomo Ohka, or even Ryan Edell to be in the mix for the final spot with the Clippers.
Here’s more on Laffey from Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com:
Laffey lays claim to fifth spot in rotation
Nice story on Zach Jackson:
Indians complete signings
The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has agreed to terms with sixteen (16) players on the club’s 40-man roster with zero-to-three years Major League experience (pre-arbitrational eligible). Currently, all members of the club’s roster are signed for the 2009 sason.
Today the Indians signed the following players for 2009
INF Cabrera, Asdrubal
OF Crowe, Trevor
OF Francisco, Ben
INF Garko, Ryan
CA/INF Gimenez, Chris
LHP Jackson, Zach
RHP Lewis, Jensen
LHP Lewis, Scott
INF Marte, Andy
RHP Mujica, Edward
LHP Perez, Rafael
RHP Rondon, Hector
RHP Salas, Juan
CA Santana, Carlos
RHP Smith, Joe
INF Valbuena, Luis
Clippings 3-5-09
Here are a few items of interest…
* Clippers manager Torey Lovullo is doing fine after being hit by a broken bat near his left eye Sunday. Lovullo was given nine stitches to close the wound. He was back in the dugout on Monday.
* Beau Mills blasted a two-run homer to lift the Indians to a 5-4 win over the Cubs Wednesday. Mills, the prospect third baseman, is expected to start the season in Akron. It was his first HR of the spring.
* The Indians are 3-4-1 in Cactus League play. Thursday is an off day.
Lovullo hit with broken bat
Cleveland Indians minor league manager cut above the eye by broken bat
Paul Hoynes, Cleveland Plain Delaer
Torey Lovullo, the Indians Class AAA manager, was hit above the left eye with a broken bat during Sunday’s game against Colorado. It took nine stitches to close the cut.
Lovullo, who will manage the Columbus Clippers this year, reported to practice Monday morning.
The maple bat belonged to Indians outfielder Trevor Crowe. The broken bat sailed over the Indians dugout, hit a screen behind it and hit Lovullo when it bounced back into the dugout.
Bart Swain, Indians director of media relations, said the injury may have been more serious, but Lovullo’s sunglasses protected his eye.
Ryan Mitchell & Scott Leo
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