Ultimate Roster Project (PC,Xbox,PS2)

[kangarooboy78]

No one besides Henderson has a "Bent" stance anymore.

could have sworn that I saw that there was a few of those bent stances still kicking and screaming in the minor leagues. On the Cubs AA, A affiliates especially. I'll double check...

[AI03]

Some transaction: (Rotoworld.com)

HOU - signed RP Scot Strickland

WAS - signed RP CJ Nitkowski

[llcmac]

changes for the Washington Nationals

MLB

gary majewski - #38

jon rauch - #51

zach day - #40

tony blanco - should be black (face 11)

AAA

hector carrasco - #48

brendan harris - #54

marlon byrd - #26

jason bowers - 5'10 195

micah bowie - bdate nov 10, 1974

larry broadway - change body type to "athletic"

matt cepicky - 6'2 240

tyrell godwin - bdate july 10, 1979

AA

travis hughes - bdate march 27, 1978... body type "athletic"

wesley carroll - wesley should be "wes"

brandon watson - should be black (face 11)... bdate sept 30, 1981

david gil - black hair, face 8

scott hodges - bdate dec 26, 1978

richard lane - should be "rich"

cristian guerrero - face 11

juan lorenzo - face 11

... also move dee haynes from AA STL to AA WSH

A

donnie bridges - bdate dec 10, 1978... blonde hair, sideburns

jason norderum - brown hair, 6'3

jason stevenson - clean shaven, 6'1 175

melvin dorta - face 8

clark parker - bdate sept 28, 1975... black (face 11)... 5'10 180

marcus nettles - black (face 10)

edgar baez - should be "edgardo"... face 10

rogearvin bernadina - 6'0 170, black (face 13)

bill bray - white (face 4)

gary bunn - should be "greg bunn", white, sideburns

kory casto - face 4, sideburns, 6'1 200, clean shaven

john edwards - couldn't find any info on him, think he's a fake

clint everts - brown hair, sideburns, facial hair 7

armando galarraga - 6'4 170, face 7

sal manriquez - should be "salomon"... face 8

luke montz - brown hair

darryl thompson - black (face 11), black hair

josh whitesell - white (face 4)... brown hair, sideburns

also, peter bergeron should be moved from FA to AA BALT

There are no fakes, he might have quit baseball, it happens.

I need someone else to cut before I can add bergeron.

[teeds]

There are no fakes, he might have quit baseball, it happens.

I need someone else to cut before I can add bergeron.

IIcmac, you can release chris stynes from AAA since he only signed a minor league deal and will miss the season with a knee injury, move eugene kingsale from AA to AAA, and then add Bergeron to AA

[sfgiantsflgators]

Add Trey Hodges from ROC (Gonzalo Lopez (A)...no info on him)

Mike Porzio, Andy Barkett, Jay Powell are in the FA pool and should be on the Braves but I don't see anyone else that isn't supposed to be there. Anyone can find someone then these players can be added.

This also applies to Steve Kent on TUL who should be on the Braves - also his Throwing should be switched to L.

ATLANTA

MLB

Dan Kolb - weight 240, pictures have full goatee - he still sporting one now braves fans? if so, needs changed.

Rafael Furcal - 10/24/77

AAA

Sam McConnell - weight 230 (Slim/BC to Ath.)

Hector Almonte - 6'1, weight 220 (Ath. to Plump)

Chris Mears - weight 200, bats R

Jason Childers - Ath./BL to Slim

Carlos Mendez - weight 225

Jason Bourgeois - bats S, weight 185

Scott Pratt - 2/4/77

James Jurries - weight 205, change second position to IF (not listed as any position on roster page - just IF)

AA

Macay McBride - weight 210 (looks on the verge of Plump)

Matt Wright - bats R

Glenn Tucker - 6'3, weight 205 (Ath./BL to Ath.)

Chuck James - weight 192 (Slim/BC to Ath.)

A

Jarrod Saltalamacchia - bats S, weight 220

Willie James - bats S

Diory Hernandez - weight 170

[teeds]

Baltimore Orioles changes

AAA

sal fasano - #26, 6'2 245

keith reed - #28

alejandro freire - 6'2 185

napoleon calzado - black (face 12)

bobby darula - 5'10 185, face 5, blonde hair, body type "athletic"

horacio estrada - 6'0 192... body type "athletic"

brian mcnichol - brown hair, clean shaven

jacobo sequea - 6'1 194

AA

cory morris - bdate june 2, 1979

chris ray - PITCHES : fastball 93-94, power slider, power split

A

bryan bass - clean shaven, only bats right-handed now, make 3B

chris britton - body type "athletic"... 6'3 228

travis brown - white (face 5), 5'11 180

trevor caughey - white, no mustache

mario delgado - face 8

freddy deza - should be "fredy"

adam loewen - face 1, 6'6 230

nick markakis - 6'1 195

jeff montani - no mustache

tony neal - clean shaven PITCHES : 90-93 mph power sinker and slider

chris piersoll - white (face 4), 6'4 205

jarod rine - white (face 4)

omar rogers - face 10

pat scalabrini - white (face 5)

nate spears - brown hair, face 2, clean shaven

create:

RP dave haehnel - bdate july 21, 1982 - 6'4 200 - b/t L/L

PITCHES : sinker 89-93 mph / changeup / slider

white, clean shaven

create over melqui torres

SP bob McCrory - bdate may 3, 1982 - 6'1 205 - b/t R/R

PITCHES : fastball 95-96 mph / power slider

white, clean shaven

create over nick mccurdy

RP scott rice - sept 21, 1981 - 6'6 217 b/t L/L

PITCHES : sinker / slider 88-90 mph / changeup -low three-quarters delivery

white, clean shaven

create over rodney ormond

1B c.j. smith - bdate feb 22, 1982 - 6'4 225 - b/t R/R

white, clean shaven

create over tommy arko

SP kevin hart - bdate dec 29, 1982 - 6'4 220 b/t R/R

PITCHES : 4 seam fastball / heavy sinker / tight slider / changeup

white, clean shaven

create over marino salas

RP sendy rleal - bdate june 21, 1980 - 6'1 165 - b/t R/R

black(face 13), clean shaven

create over jeff hundley

[Andruw25]

Here are four Red Sox prospects that should be created; included are the guys they replace who really don't belong

- Christian Lara created over Jimmy Alvarez

- Mike Rozier created over Steve Langone

- Andrew Dobies created over Connor Brooks

- Kyle Bono created over Jarrett Gardner

The four guys being replaced aren't even considered prospects. None will be big leaguers and some aren't even listed on the minor league rosters. Below is the scouting reports and specs to create all 4 guys:

- Christian Lara (SS) – would play for the Blue Rocks if created, SHOULD take the place of SS Jimmy Alvarez who is a listed in Portland in the game, only I don’t see him on the rosters at minorleaguebaseball.com. Besides, Nieves is backing up Hanley and Pedroia at Portland so getting rid of Alvarez really makes sense here.

Lara hit .433 last year in 60 ABs to really get noticed and is one of the hottest prospects in the Red Sox system along with Brandon Moss.

Lara is born on 4/11/85, 5-11, 150, switch hitter throws right, tremendous speed (80 min) with excellent hands and tore up rookie ball with a .433 average in 60 at bats to really get on the radar. Appearance: (9, 1, 8, 1), socks: low

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/lara-christian.htm

- Mike Rozier (LHP) # 13 in BA – Here’s his info to create him

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/rozier-michael.htm

Fastball is in the low 90’s, curveball may actually be better than fellow lefty Lester…his changeup has a ways to go. Would have been a higher draft pick as a dominant HS pitcher if not for Boras and signability concerns. He was drafted in 2004 and signed his contract in 2005 so he’ll be in A ball, could move him into Wilmington for the purpose of the rosters.

Appearance: (1, 5, 8, 1), jersey # 48 throws left, bats left, 6-5, 210, 7/4/85

I recommend we replace Rozier with Steve Langone who should be on AA but is inactive. Langone isn’t even in the handbook when they list players by position on the diamond, so he’s not in the top 50+ according to BA.

- Andrew Dobies (LHP) # 19 in BA – Appearance (3, 6, 7, 1), jersey # 15

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/dobies-andrew.htm (get his h/w, birthday, etc, here)

Dobies is a fierce competitor with a nice delivery. Fastball hits the high 80s, which is varied by an excellent changeup and a decent slider. He also throws a nice cutter as an out pitch. Doesn’t walk too many batters. Great mechanics, can throw strikes at will. Very much like Hottovy who’s ranked right above him and has very similar stuff. Hottovy’s curve is slightly better than Dobies slider, but he has a better change and a better moving fastball. If one is in, I think we should have the other. He should DEFINITELY replace Connor Brooks, who’s also not listed on p. 80 of the handbook even as un unranked pitcher. He’s listed with Wilmington in the roster and Dobies is a far better prospect, as is Rozier over Langone.

- Kyle Bono (RHP) # 22 in BA– listed with Wilmington but not in the game. Should probably replace Jarrett Gardner also listed with Wilmington but is not listed like Brooks and Langone who should be replaced.

Appearance (1, 5, 5, 1), Jersey # 34, http://www.soxprospects.com/players/bono-kyle.htm

Scouting Report: Bono throws a low 90s fastball, as well as an above average slider and change. Great makeup and command. Tall and athletic. Has been used as both a starter and a reliever. Utilized as a closer in the Cape Cod League in the Summer of 2004.

[dkrause]

Oak Dan Johnson is being bought up- According to his agents, the A's will call up Dan Johnson from Triple-A Sacramento in time for Friday's game.

Johnson traveled to Cleveland to join the team after playing for the River Cats on Thursday. We assume Erubiel Durazo will go on the DL to open up a spot for him. The A's wouldn't call up Johnson unless they planned to play him regularly, so he's worth grabbing in AL-only leagues.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

I think Johnson's hitting should be raised- he is hitting .316 in AAA currently. With only a 3 star potential and the that he is 25 I think he should get more love. Especially when you consider he is considered a good prospect. He hit .299 in AAA last year with 29 homers.

I really think based on age and info that he should be 69/72 vs R, and 52/67 vs L. His misses VS R should be lower as well as he isn't K'ing a ton. His flyout/ ground ratio also needs to be change to 30/40.

thanks-Don

[dkrause]

MOre guys that just seem low based on age and the current potential given are:

AtL Betemit- just seems like a AAA/rpo player should be in the 40's for hitting at age 24 and only 2 stars. i would think somewhere in the 50's at least. .279 career minor league avg.

Col- Jeff Francis- seems like the FB would have movement. Same for Tsao on the Rockies.

Det- maroth- FB tails away from righties. Percival i believe has a 11-5 break on the FB- not much movement however.

Hou- Taveras- the guy is a .296 minor league hitter. Should he have better contract than 50/41? i would think 64 vs R and 51 vs L would seem more fair.

LA- Jason Phillips- one bad year sandwichs two decent ones. .270 vs L and .260 vs R in 3 year split should up his poor current ratings. L should be 65/57. R should be 61/56.

Mil- Cirillo- hitting .284 this year in 95 ABs- maybe it just because i like the guy but how about 63 vs L and 59 vs R?

NYN- Reyes. reyes three year split at .295 VS R. 261 vs L but the game has basically the opposite. I think R should be like 74 and L should be like 62.

NYY- Bubba Crosby- .285 minor league career. Can't we at least raise the R contact to 52-57?

Phi- better slugging vs L in 3 year split but R is better 75 to 61 which seems wrong. I feel R of 67/70 and L of 71/75 is more likely right. HE Strikeout a ton so misses and chases i think should be much, much higher

thanks-Don

[sfgiantsflgators]

Phi- better slugging vs L in 3 year split but R is better 75 to 61 which seems wrong. I feel R of 67/70 and L of 71/75 is more likely right. HE Strikeout a ton so misses and chases i think should be much, much higher

the whole Phillies team!!?!? :p

[sfgiantsflgators]

Check this out - weights straight from Boston's roster sheet: Damon - 205, Ramirez - 200. I'm calling BS on that one. Currently in URP they are 190 and 215 respectively - I say leave it there.

BOSTON

MLB

AAA

Tim Bausher - 4/23/79

Chris Narveson - weight 205

Kelly Shoppach - 4/29/80

Alejandro Machado - 4/26/82, weight 185 (Slim to Ath.)

Scott Cassidy - weight 180 (Stocky to Ath.)

Tim Kester - weight 202

Luis Figueroa - bats R, weight 145

Dave Berg - weight 205

Roberto Petagine - throws L, 6/7/71

George Lombard - 9/14/75

AA

Mark Malaska - weight 210 (Slim/BC to Ath.)

Billy McMillon - weight 195 (Slim/BC to Ath.)

Marc Deschenes - 6'2, weight 175 (Ath./BL to Slim)

Jared Sandberg - 3/2/78

David Murphy - according to Baseball America he bats R, throws R - listed as L/L on minorleaguebaseball.com. Who's right?

A

Juan Cedeno - 6'1, weight 160 (Ath. to Slim)

Luis Mendoza - weight 180 (Ath./BL to Ath.)

Anibal Sanchez - weight 180 (Ath./BL to Ath.)

Ian Bladergroen - 6'5, weight 210

even after Andruw25's list of needed prospects there should be enough room to add one more - #28 on BA's Sox rankings, Jose Vaquedano. He's looking to become the first Honduras-born player to play in the show. According to BA he has a good future with the mastering of location. Here's the scoop:

"[...] advanced two levels while getting his first exposure to full-season ball. He dominated low Class A then pitched just as well after [...] rocky first month in high Class A. His changeup is currently his best pitch [...] fastball stands out more for its sink than velocity (88-90) but could throw harder [...] slider usable third pitch [...]"

[cybernetic]

Jays SS Aaron Hill (AAA in your roster), but he seems like he will stay at the MLB level for a while and likely will not be moved off when Corey Koskie returns from the DL in 6-8 weeks.. he needs a lot of tweaking.. his power/contact numbers are way off they should be around 70/60 vs. LHP, 85/75 vs. RHP.. his swing resembles Gary Sheffield but not his stance.. he uses a high stance without a bat waggle but the when he swings it resembles Sheff's swing.. he seems to mash the ball of righties even though his hits R

He was hitting over .300 in AAA before being called up and is now hitting .400 in 6 games so far with 2 doubles and 2 triples.. but no home runs yet

His career potential may need to be pushed up to 4 stars as well

[dkrause]

the whole Phillies team!!?!?

My bad- Pat Burrell:)

Don

[GamerPyle]

Alot of these guys like Furcal got busted and their real ages found and they were older then they were supposed to be I say no to changing ages.

[cubsfaninfla]

Iowa Cubs transactions.

Fri, May 27, 2005 INF Richard Lewis assigned to extended spring training.

Fri, May 27, 2005 INF Cody Ransom signed as a free agent.

Thu, May 26, 2005 OF Dwaine Bacon to West Tennessee

Wed, May 25, 2005 LHP Ryan O'Malley promoted to Iowa from West Tenn (AA).

[sfgiantsflgators]

cubs got ransom huh...i was wondering where he ended up this year

[GForce22]

Have you guys given any thought to adjusting the take/chase/miss ratings as I did with TotalMinors last year? I really think (and many others agreed) that it made a huge difference in pitching to different players.

Just curious. Keep up the great work.

GH

[AI03]

Have you guys given any thought to adjusting the take/chase/miss ratings as I did with TotalMinors last year? I really think (and many others agreed) that it made a huge difference in pitching to different players.

Just curious. Keep up the great work.

GH

I also had a question with that. It seems that minor leaguers take a lot more 3rd strikes than major leaguers. Do you think it's b/c of take/chase/miss ratings?

thanks!

ALSO: in 2.3 or 2.4, is Miguel Cairo (2B NYM) second position UTIL or and IF? Just curious, because this year he has played 1B, 3B, 2b and the OF.

AND: How many pitches does Randy Johnson (SP NYY) throw in the game? I know in the default it was like 5 or 6...

[Kriegz]

Check this out guys

http://www.sportstalkcleveland.com/lastoria/3.php

Akron Aeros (AA)

After winning the Eastern League Championship in 2003, the Aeros had a down season in 2004 as they went 63-78. The disappointing season was due in large part to injuries, and also stunted progress by some of the Indians top prospects. For 2005, Akron should bounce back as the makeup of the Akron Aeros roster should have the best grouping of talent over any other Indians minor league team in their system.

In all, Akron will boast as many as eight Baseball America Top 30 Prospects, of which three of the top five players in the Indians system will showcased. In addition to those top prospects, the rest of the roster will be peppered with several other talented players who have been on that Top 30 list in previous years, or were close to being added this year. With this impressive collection of talent, summer nights at Canal Park could be a lot of fun this year.

While not official, here is the projected lineup and pitching staff for 2005:

LF: Jason Cooper

Cooper was taken in the 3rd round of the 2002 Draft from Stanford University, and was one of the most disappointing prospects in the organization in 2004. Tabbed as the 7th ranked prospect in the system in 2004, he showed no progress and may have actually regressed. With Akron in 2004, Cooper hit .239 with 14 HRs and 69 RBIs. While his HR and RBI totals were not far off from his 2003 totals (21 HRs and 72 RBIs), his sharp decline in average from .302 in 2003 to .239 last year is cause for concern. Cooper’s strikeout total increased by 24, even though he had less at bats. Going into 2005, Baseball America has dropped him to 20th in the Indians prospects rankings. At 24 years of age, time is running out for Cooper and he will need to re-establish himself this year at Akron if he has any plans of roaming the Indians outfield anytime soon.

CF: Brad Snyder

The Indians drafted Snyder in the 1st round of the 2003 Draft from Ball State University. Snyder was the complete opposite of Jason Cooper last year, as Snyder might have been one of the most impressive prospects in 2004. Combined at Lake County and Kinston, Snyder hit .300 with 16 HRs and 75 RBIs, and also had 15 stolen bases. Snyder is one of the top outfield prospects in the system, and could be destined for stardom. Snyder is a well-rounded player in that he is an above average hitter, defender and runner. Baseball America recently ranked him as the Indians 4th ranked prospect, and think he could be in for an offensive breakthrough in 2005. Ben Francisco should also log time in CF, and Snyder could play some RF as he projects more as a rightfielder in the major leagues.

RF: Ben Francisco

Francisco was taken in the 5th round of the 2002 Draft from UCLA. After a good season in 2003 at Lake County in which he hit .287 with 11 HRs and 48 RBIs in 80 games, Francisco had a solid 2004 campaign at Akron where he hit .254 with 15 HRs and 71 RBIs. These numbers would usually allow a player to move up to the next level, but due to the logjam in the outfield with Grady Sizemore and Franklin Gutierrez in Buffalo, Francisco should at least start the season in Akron. Francisco can play all three positions in the outfield. Francisco does have potential, as demonstrated by the NY Penn League batting title he won in 2002 by hitting .349, and probably projects as a 4th outfielder in the majors at this time. John Van Every should also log time in RF and LF, and JJ Sherrill should be the 5th outfielder.

1B: Michael Aubrey

One of the hottest commodities in the Indians system, Aubrey was taken in the 1st round of the 2003 Draft from Tulane University. In his brief minor league career, Aubrey has hit .320 with 20 HRs and 101 RBIs in only 136 games. Last year, Aubrey was hampered with leg injuries, but still managed to hit a combined .310 with 15 HRs and 82 RBIs in 98 games. Aubrey is the 2nd ranked prospect in the organization by Baseball America, and is a gold-glove caliber fielder at 1B. Many have him pegged as the future successor at 1B in Cleveland as early as 2006; however, if Broussard continues to produce at Cleveland, Aubrey could be dangled as trade bait for a much needed player (closer?) at the major league level.

2B: Eider Torres

At 17-years old, the Indians signed Torres out of Venezuela in 2000. Torres repeated at Kinston in 2004, and showed great improvement. In 2003, Torres hit .248 with 1 HR, 39 RBIs and 39 stolen bases for Kinston, but in 2004 he hit .303 with 3 HRs, 46 RBIs, and 48 stolen bases. Indians Farm Director John Farrell was recently quoted as saying Torres could become a super utility player because of his flexibility to play many positions and even some outfield. Baseball America has Torres ranked as the Indians 30th best prospect, and Torres could be in line to break in with the Indians in 2007 when Alex Cora’s contract expires and the need for a utility infielder is needed.

SS: Brandon Pinckney

One of the biggest surprises in 2004 was Brandon Pinckney. Drafted in the 12th round of the 2003 Draft from Sacramento Community College, Pinckney came out of nowhere last year to hit a combined .333 with 5 HRs and 55 RBIs for Lake County and Akron last year. Due to injuries at Akron, Pinckney was given a callup midseason with the feeling he would be back in Lake County a few weeks later; however, Pinckney continues to impress and just hit even though he skipped a whole level (High A Kinston) completely. Due to injuries to Ivan Ochoa, Pinckney has lapped Ochoa considering Ochoa now will start 2005 in Kinston for the third straight season. Depending on what happens with Brandon Phillips in Buffalo, it is possible Pinckney could make it to Buffalo some time this year.

3B: Pat Osborn

With Corey Smith no longer manning 3B at Akron, Osborn will move up and get a chance to prove himself. Osborn was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2002 Draft from the University of Florida. Injuries plagued Osborn his first two years in the organization, and even plagued him in 2004 as he was limited to only 85 games. In 2004, Osborn showed that if he can stay healthy he is a productive player as he hit .344 with 10 HRs and 55 RBIs for Kinston. Shaun Larkin should also play some 3B, and Osborn can play some SS.

C: Javi Herrera

The Indians took catchers in back to back rounds in the 2003 as they drafted Herrera in the 2nd round from the University of Tennessee, Ryan Garko in the 3rd round from Stanford. Early on, Garko has proven to be the much better prospect. Unlike Garko, Herrera is viewed more as a defensive catcher and may be in line as a future backup catcher for the Indians when/if they trade Josh Bard. Herrera hit a combined .254 with 10 HRs and 46 RBIs for Lake County and Kinston in 2004. Herrera and Dave Wallace should split the catching duties at Akron to start the season, with Herrera carrying the bulk of the playing time.

DH: John Van Every

The Indians are deep in the outfield at Akron, so most likely whoever does not start in the outfield will play a lot of DH. Shaun Larkin also should figure into the DH mix. To start the season, Van Every should be the favorite to get most of the playing time over the others on the bench. Taken in the 29th round of the 2000 Draft from Itawamba Community College, Van Every came out of nowhere to have a sensational season at Kinston in 2004. In the three years prior to 2004, Van Every never had more than 6 HRs and 33 RBIs, but in 2004 he broke out to the tune of a .275 average with 21 HRs and 71 RBIs for Kinston. His big surge in power should get him in the lineup often, and at 25 years of age he might be a late bloomer.

Starting Rotation:

Like in Lake County and Kinston, the starting rotation will be the strength of the team. In fact, the starting rotation should be loaded. Led by Indians #1 prospect Adam Miller, the following six pitchers should figure into the starting rotation to start the season:

Adam Miller (Right-handed)

Miller is the prize of the Indians organization, and the #1 ranked prospect in the system by Baseball America. The comparisons have been endless, but if he can stay healthy he has a chance to move into the Indians starting rotation as soon as 2006 at 21 years of age. Miller was sidelined early in Spring Training with an elbow issue, but thankfully tests done on the elbow show no surgery is needed. He is expected to be back sometime in late May or early June as long as the elbow heals and no further complications result. The Indians drafted Miller in the 1st round of the 2003 Draft out of high school, and he has since pretty much dominated since donning an Indians uniform. In 2004, combined at Lake County and Kinston, Miller was 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA in 27 starts, and also compiled 152 strikeouts in 134.1 innings of work. Even more impressive, he only had 40 walks in those 134.1 innings, and an impressive strikeout to walk ratio of about 4:1. Miller was most impressive in the 2004 Carolina League playoffs as he was 2-0 in two starts with a 0.00 ERA and only gave up 7 hits in 12.1 innings and had 14 strikeouts.

Jake Dittler (Right-handed)

Like Miller, Dittler is another prized pitcher in the organization. The Indians drafted Dittler in the 2nd round of the 2001 Draft out of high school. Dittler goes into 2005 as the Indians 11th best prospect ranked by Baseball America. After battling numerous injuries in 2004, he posted subpar numbers after an outstanding 2003 season in Lake County and Kinston. In 2004, Dittler was 5-12 with a 5.02 ERA in 21 games for Akron. The numbers could be deceiving, as per Baseball America Dittler had a 2.20 ERA in his first five starts before the injuries started to occur. He will return to Akron in 2005, and if he remains healthy and bounces back to 2003 form, he could be a mid-season callup to Buffalo as well as a September callup to the majors.

JD Martin (Right-handed)

Martin was another pitcher taken high in the 2001 Draft as the Indians took him in the 1st round from high school. Compared to Dittler, his development has been a little slower, although his healthy 2004 season may have almost caught him up with Dittler. In 2004, Martin was 11-10 with a 4.35 ERA in Kinston. Martin was just as dominate as Miller in the Carolina League playoffs as he went 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA. In addition, he logged 17 innings in the playoffs and only gave up 5 hits and had 17 strikeouts and only one walk. Hopefully, Martin uses his playoff performance as a springboard into the 2005 season. Baseball America ranks Martin as the Indians 21st best prospect.

Brian Slocum (Right-handed)

The Indians drafted Slocum in the 2nd round of the 2002 Draft from Villanova University. Slocum has been steady since joining the Indians organization, and in 2004 lead the entire farm system with 15 wins. His 15-6 record and 4.33 ERA at Kinston in 2004 was instrumental to Kinston’s success, and his presence along with Martin and Miller formed a dominant trio in the playoffs. Like Miller and Martin, Slocum dominated in the playoffs as he was 1-0 with a 1.61 ERA, and in 11.2 innings only gave up 8 hits while striking out 12 and walking 5. Slocum was ranked as a top 30 prospect by Baseball America in 2004, but fell off the list in 2005. The fact that he won 15 games in 2004, but fell off the top prospect list is strong evidence just how deep the Indians minor league system is.

Dan Denham (Right-handed)

Denham is another pitcher the Indians took at the top of the 2001 Draft as he was taken in the 1st round out of high school. Like Slocum, Denham has been steady in each of his four minor league seasons. In 2004, Denham had a combined record of 12-8 with a 4.78 ERA in Kinston and Akron last year. Denham should return to Akron in 2005, where the have considered the option to move him to the bullpen. Due to Miller’s injury, those plans should be put on hold at least until he comes back. One interesting note, is Denham’s brother Jason was drafted by the Indians in the 13th round of the 2004 Draft out of high school as well. Jason played in Burlington last year.

Mariano Gomez (Left-handed)

The Indians signed Gomez as a free agent out of Honduras in 1999. After being shutdown mid-season in 2003, Gomez only appeared in eight games in 2004 (7 in Akron). In Akron, he had an 0-1 record and 5.31 ERA in 7 appearances (3 starts). Ranked as the Indians 26th best prospect by Baseball America, he will look to bounce back from injury in 2005 and consistently display his impressive stuff which made him one of the brightest prospects in the system going into 2004.

The Bullpen:

Shea Douglas, Travis Foley, Matt Davis, Chris Cooper and Ryan Prahm (closer) should be the main options in the bullpen.

Kinston Indians (Hi A)

The Kinston Indians are probably the least know of the major minor league affiliates in the Cleveland Indians organization. While other major minor league affiliates such as Buffalo, Akron, Lake County, and Mahoning Valley all are in close proximity to Cleveland, Kinston is located several states away in North Carolina.

Fans of the 2004 Lake County Captains will notice that the 2005 Kinston Indians will closely resemble that team. Several players will move on from Lake County to Kinston this year, and there should be a few holdovers from Kinston last season as well. In all, Kinston should have as many as five Baseball America Top 30 Indians prospects, with the strength of the team in the starting staff. Here is how the starting lineup should look on opening day:

LF: Nathan Panther

Panther had a fine season for Kinston in 2004 where he hit .258 with 7 HRs and 50 RBIs, but he should be in line to repeat at Kinston in 2005. After a very nice season at Lake County in 2003 where he hit .285 with 13 HRs and 52 RBIs, he struggled in Kinston last year. Most noticeably, his stolen base number decreased considerably as he had 38 in 2003, but only 11 in 2004. Panther can play any of the three outfield positions, but since Goleski projects mostly as a right-fielder, Panther will most likely play a lot of his time in left field. Panther was taken out of the 15th round from Muscatine Community College in the 2002 Draft, and is still considered one of the better outfield prospects in the system, but has fallen since players like Juan Valdes, Ryan Goleski, and Mike Butia have surpassed him on the organizational depth chart. Panther should be the first outfielder in line for a callup to Akron if a player is injured or moves to Buffalo.

RF: Ryan Goleski

Goleski was drafted in the 24th round of the 2003 draft from Eastern Michigan University, and might be one of the biggest steals so far in the late rounds of that draft. Goleski went on to have a sensational 2004 campaign in Lake County where he hit .295 with 28 HRs and 104 RBIs. His 28 Hrs and 104 RBIs led the entire farm system. Baseball America ranked him as the Indians 24th best prospect, and consider him a two-tool play with his power bat and cannon for an arm. His powerful arm and bat project him as a prototypical right-fielder. The 2005 season will be a good indicator whether Goleski is for real and a prime prospect in the outfield.

CF: Ricardo Rojas

Lake County Captains fans should be very familiar with Ricardo Rojas as they saw him patrol the outfield at Lake County in 2003 and 2004 in over 200 games. Signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Rojas is considered a very good defensive outfielder with plus speed. In 2004, Rojas hit .251 with 5 HRs and 39 RBIs, and also had 27 stolen bases. His hitting is still suspect, but the defense and speed he brings to the center-field position will make him an exciting player to watch in Kinston. Nathan Panther should play some center field as well, and Mike Conroy and Dennis Malave should round out the outfield corps.

1B: Ryan Mulhern

Mulhern was drafted in the 11th round of the 2003 Draft from the University of South Alabama. In 2003, he put up decent numbers at Mahoning Valley hitting .279 with 5 HRs and 30 RBIs in 56 games; however, in 2004 he did not build on his 2003 season as he hit .255 with 7 HRs and 42 RBIs in 103 games for Lake County. Nonetheless, Mulhern should earn a promotion to Kinston in 2005, but will need to improve his numbers and show development if he wishes to move onto Akron. He is not a highly regarded prospect in the system, and may be destined to be nothing more than organizational filler. Bill Peavy or Rodney Choy Foo could see time as well at 1B.

2B: Micah Schilling

Schilling was taken in the 1st round of the 2002 Draft out of high school, and has been one of the biggest first round disappointments for the Indians in recent years. Schilling played in Lake County in 2003 and hit .231 with 0 HRs and 43 RBIs. The Indians felt that a return trip to Lake County in 2004 would benefit him and he would take big strides at showing the talent that made him a first round pick; however, he showed only mild improvement in 2004 as he it .250 with 5 HRs and 43 RBIs. The Indians will move him up to Kinston, and he has a lot to prove this year as he is in danger of falling off the prospect radar. It is important that Schilling show signs of development, because outside of Eider Torres and Brandon Pinckney, the Indians do not have very much depth at 2B in the system. Luis Cotto will backup at 2B, as well as the rest of the infield.

SS: Ivan Ochoa

This might be a bit of a reach here, as it may be possible that Ochoa starts at AA Akron. But, seeing that Ochoa missed a lot of time in Kinston last year due to injury, and also that the loser of the Brandon Phillips/Jhonny Peralta battle for shortstop for the Indians will be in Buffalo, the system should be clogged and prevent anyone from moving up for the short-term. Ochoa would have been a lock to start in Akron, but Brandon Pinckney zoomed by him last year. Ochoa was signed out of Venezuela (same home as Omar Vizquel) in 2000, and is regarded as the best defensive infielder in the system. He is considered major league ready with his defense, but the big question mark is his offense. In 2004, he battled injuries and hit .237 with 1 HR and 26 RBIs in Kinston. If he starts 2005 in Kinston, it would mark the third year in a row, but he shouldn’t be in Kinston long as Phillips/Peralta may not be in Buffalo long. Chris De La Cruz should also get a lot of playing time.

3B: Kevin Kouzmanoff

Kouzmanoff came practically out of nowhere last year to have one of the best individual seasons in the system. Taken in the 6th round of the 2003 Draft from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, Kouzmanoff was one of the biggest stars for the Lake County Captains in 2004. Kouzmanoff shot up the Indians prospect lists and is regarded as one of the top two thirdbaseman in the system (Matt Whitney is the other). In 2004, he hit .330 with 16 HRs and 87 RBIs at Lake County, and was solid defensively at 3B. Like Ochoa, Kouzmanoff’s stay in Kinston could be short, which could pave the way for Matt Whitney at some point in 2005 to take over. Kouzmanoff is the Indians 28th ranked prospect per Baseball America.

C: Caleb Brock

Brock and Clayton McCullough should split time at catcher for the Kinston Indians. Both are not considered highly touted prospects, and may end up as nothing more than organizational filler. In 2004, Brock hit a combined .248 with 6 HRs and 39 RBIs as he split time between Lake County and Kinston. In limited time, McCullough hit a combined .206 with 1 HR and 9 RBIs for Lake County and Kinston in 2004 (32 games).

DH: Mike Conroy

Conroy should play regularly in the outfield, and whomever he spells (Panther or Goleski) would most likely DH. Conroy had an okay season in 2004 with Lake County as he hit .268 with 5 HRs and 52 RBIs, and he also led the organization in triples with 10. Conroy has been a disappointment for the Indians as he was drafted in the 1st round of the 2001 Draft from Boston College. His progress has been slow, and 2005 season could be a turning point on deciding how much longer the Indians stick with him as players behind him like Mike Butia, Juan Valdes, and Argenis Reyes look to pass him.

Starting Rotation:

The starting rotation will be the strength of the team, led by Jeremy Sowers. The following six pitchers figure to get most of the starts at the outset of the season:

Jeremy Sowers (Left-handed)

Sowers was the Indians top draft choice in the 2004 Draft, taken in the first round from the University of Vanderbilt. Due to lengthy contract negotiations that did not get Sowers signed until after the minor league season had completed, he did not pitch for the Indians in 2004. Since Sowers is a college pitcher and considered one of the most polished pitchers of the draft, he will skip several levels of the minor league ladder and start in Kinston in 2005. Sowers is the 5th ranked prospect in the Indians organization per Baseball America, and is considered to be on the fast track to making it to Cleveland as soon as maybe sometime in 2006.

Nick Pesco (Right-handed)

The Indians selected Pesco in the 25th round of the 2002 Draft as a draft-and-follow from Cosumnes River College. As a draft-and-follow player, it allowed the Indians to maintain exclusive signing rights to him until a week before the following draft (2003) if Pesco were to attend junior college. Eventually, Pesco was signed, and since he has become one of the top pitching prospects in the system. Ranked as the Indians 9th best prospect by Baseball America, Pesco had an outstanding season in 2004. In 25 appearances with Lake County (21), Kinston (3) and Akron (1), he went 8-9 with a 3.67 ERA. He also had an excellent strikeout to walk ration in that he had 119 strikeouts to only 35 walks. With Pesco’s advanced fastball, curve ball and changeup, he should not be in Kinston long.

Dan Cevette (Left-handed)

Cevette was drafted by the Indians in the 3rd round of the 2002 Draft out of high school. He is ranked as the 18th best Indians prospect by Baseball America, and is coming off a short, but impressive, 2004 campaign. In 2004 he made a total of 16 starts for Mahoning Valley and Lake County, and compiled a 5-0 record with an amazing 1.91 ERA over a total of 80 innings pitched. He showed excellent command of the strike zone with 80 strikeouts, but only 20 walks. Even though he only made seven starts for Lake County in 2004, he is expected to be moved up and challenged at the next level in Kinston.

Tom Mastny (Right-handed)

Mastny was acquired this offseason in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays where we sent fan favorite John McDonald to the Jays for Mastny. While Mastny is not considered an elite prospect, Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro did receive a quality player in return for John McDonald who was on his way out anyway. The Blue Jays drafted Mastny in the 11th round of the 2003 draft from Furman University, and he was outstanding last year for low A affiliate Charleston, WV who play in the same league as the Lake County Captains. Mastny was 10-3 with a 2.17 ERA in 27 starts, and struck out 141 batters while only walking 41. His minor league resume is impressive as he has a career record of 18-4 with a 2.20 ERA covering two seasons, but scouts are not enamored with his stuff.

Rafael Perez (Left-handed)

Perez is another player signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic (2002). In 2004, Perez had a solid season at Lake County going 7-6 with a 4.85 ERA in 22 starts. In 2003, when he pitched for Burlington, he was the Appalachian League pitcher-of-the-year, but did not have the same success when moving up a notch in 2004. Many scouts feel that he will eventually move to the bullpen, but for now will be part of the talented starting staff being assembled in Kinston. Baseball America ranks him as the Indians 29th best prospect.

Sean Smith (Right-handed)

Like Nick Pesco, Smith was selected by the Indians in the 2001 Draft as a draft-and-follow in the 16th round from Sacramento City College. Smith has spent the most of his career with Lake County, as he spent almost all of the 2003 and 2004 season there. After a very good 2003 season where he went 11-4 with a 3.71 ERA, he returned in 2004 to Lake County and went 7-2 with a 3.39 ERA. He battled some injuries and only pitched 70 innings in 2004, as compared to the 121.1 innings he logged in 2003. He will make the jump to Kinston in 2005, and will need to improve on his velocity and command in order to move up higher in the system.

Bullpen:

Pitchers such as Jim Ed Warden, Edward Mujica, Bo Ashabraner, Adam Hanson, TJ Burton and others should make up the bullpen.

Lake County Captains (Mid A)

After an inaugural campaign in 2003 where they won almost 100 games and lost in the South Atlantic League Championship Series to Rome, the Captains had a disappointing season in 2004. The Captains finished the second half portion of the season on a high note in that they finished 37-32, and overall went 73-66, but because of a bad first half and overall inconsistent play they missed the playoffs in 2004.

Fortunately for the Cleveland Indians organization, the record was not entirely indicative of the talent at Lake County last year. Top players such as Ryan Goleski (RF), Kevin Kouzmanoff (3B), Ricardo Rojas (CF), Matt Whitney (3B), Sean Smith (P), Nick Pesco (P), Rafael Perez (P), and Aaron Laffey (P) all played the majority of their season in Lake County last year. In addition, other top players such as Adam Miller (P), Brad Snyder (CF), Juan Valdes (CF), Javier Herrera ©, Brandon Pinckney (SS), and Dan Cevette (P) spent some time in Lake County last year.

Only a few of the players from 2004 look to return in 2005 as a whole new cast of future Indians hopefuls will be moving up the minor league ladder to Lake County. Lake County will receive a huge influx of talent from short season Mahoning Valley and rookie level Burlington. Mahoning Valley boasts a talented bunch of players, as evidenced by the NY-Penn League Championship title Mahoning Valley won in 2004. With this influx of talent, Lake County fans could be in store for an exciting season. In all, the Lake County roster should have some of the Indians top talent in the system on the field because as many as seven of the Indians top 30 prospects rated by Baseball America should be on the roster.

Generally speaking, it is hard to predict how the rosters of Buffalo, Akron, Kinston and Lake County will shake out this early in Spring Training. An injury here and there, or a surprise in Spring training here and there could cause a reshuffling that has a domino effect that affects the rosters more and more as you move down the organizational ladder. With that in mind, here is a look at what the proposed starting lineup and pitching rotation could be for the Captains in 2005:

LF: Mike Butia

Butia has quickly become one of the Indians top outfield prospects in the lower minors. In Baseball America’s recently released “Prospect Handbook,†they have Butia listed as the Indians #15 rated prospect. Taken in the 5th round of the 2004 Draft from James Madison University, he had a very good season with Class A Short-Season Mahoning Valley and was selected as a league all-star. He hit .315 with 5 HRs and 44 RBIs. Butia’s power numbers should increase as he adjusts to wooden bats more, and he is considered the best hitting and power prospect from the Indians 2004 draft. Butia should hit in the heart of the order and be one of the top three players for Captains fans to follow this season.

RF: Argenis Reyes

Indians Farm Director John Farrell considers him a potential super utility player with his ability to play anywhere in the outfield, and also at second base and shortstop. Reyes hit .312 for Mahoning Valley in 2004, but is more a contact/slap hitter at this point as he hits for very little power (0 HRs and 11 2Bs in 324 at bats). He led the NY Penn League in hits (101) and runs (53), and was fifth with his .312 average. In addition, his 27 steals were fourth in the league. While Reyes is penciled into rightfield, it is highly likely he will play multiple positions to keep him in the lineup, but also allow others to get playing time as well.

CF: Juan Valdes

Selected in the 5th round of the 2003 Draft out of high school, Valdes got a late season look in Lake County in 2004, and played well despite his young age (19). Baseball America ranks him as the Indians 13th best prospect, so all eyes should be on him this year in Lake County. Being the cousin of Carlos Beltran, Valdes opened some eyes last year when he stole a combined 41 bases in Burlington and Lake County. Valdes, a switch-hitter, along with Argenis Reyes should be a fixture at the top of the Captains lineup. Valdes should be one of the most exciting players on the roster to watch this year, if not the entire league.

OF Reserves: PJ Hiser and Tim Montgomery

Hiser and Montgomery should fill out the outfield, and the outfield as a whole will be deep with good talent. Hiser should be the first outfield reserve off the bench. Hiser is 24, which is a little old for the South Atlantic League. Since he is older, the Indians will push him through the lower levels of the system faster. In any case, he should start in Lake County in 2005 and could quickly move to Kinston if he performs well. Hiser was a 29th round pick in the 2004 Draft from the University of Pittsburgh, and he has huge power potential as he blasted 10 home runs in 152 at bats in Rookie Level Burlington in 2004.

Montgomery is a product of the 2003 Amateur Draft from the University of Hawaii-Manoa. In short-season Mahoning Valley, Montgomery hit .269 with 7 HRs and 32 RBIs (65 games). In addition to playing the OF, he will play some DH to get him in the lineup more.

C: Wyatt Toregas

Selected in the 24th round of the 2004 Draft from Virginia Tech, Toregas could be another Victor Martinez type catcher in the making. He is a solid defensive catcher with an above average throwing arm, and has proven to have a very potent bat. At Virginia Tech in 2004 he hit .280 with 4 HRs and 39 RBIs in 53 games using an aluminum bat. Switching to wooden bats when you get to the minors is always tough for college and high school players to adjust to, but surprisingly, at Mahoning Valley in 2004 his numbers increased to a .294 average with 7 HRs and 48 RBIs in 59 games. Omar Casillas looks to be the backup.

1B: Fernando Pacheco

Taken out of high school in the 4th round of the 2002 Draft, the Indians invested a high round pick in him, which should make him the starter at least to start the season. Last year at Mahoning Valley, Pacheco hit .253 with 5 HRs and 37 RBIs. Chris Gimenez will also play at 1B, but will also play some 3B and DH, and possibly some outfield.

2B: Marshall Szabo

Szabo appeared in only 26 games for Mahoning Valley in 2004, and batted .294 with 1 HR and 9 RBIs. Taken in the 17th round of the 2004 Draft from the University of Georgia, the Indians moved the versatile Argenis Reyes to the outfield to make room for Szabo at 2B. Brian Finegan and Chris Clem, along with even Reyes could play at 2B as well.

SS: Bryan Finegan

This position could very well be a platoon with Chris Clem and Finegan, and both players can also play some 2B. Finegan is considered a very good defensive shortstop, and he chipped in with a .255 average and 3 HRs and 34 RBIs for Mahoning Valley in 69 games. Szabo actually enjoyed a late season callup to Lake County last year in which he played in 8 games and racked up 27 at bats with a .259 average and 0 HRs and 5 RBIs. In Mahoning Valley, Szabo hit .217 with a HR and 16 RBIs. Overall, there should be a good rotation at SS and 2B with the trio of Szabo, Clem and Finegan.

3B: Matt Whitney

Whitney, the 17th ranked Indians prospect by Baseball America, will look to continue his road to recovery as a top Indians prospect. Whitney was taken in the 1st round out of high school in 2002, and at 18 showed exceptional power in rookie level Burlington where he hit .286 with 10 HRs and 33 RBIs in 45 games. His rookie campaign had Indians scouts excited, but then prior to the 2003 season he broke his leg and missed the entire season.

Whitney came back in 2004 in Lake County and primarily DHed because he was still recovering from the injury, and because Kevin Kouzmanoff was a monster at 3B. Whitney’s return in 2004 was encouraging as he hit .256 with 5 HRs and 31 RBIs in 55 games. In 2005, with Kouzmanoff moving on to Kinston, Whitney should stay behind and be the starting third basemen; however, Whitney probably will be the first to be called up to Kinston if Kouzmanoff is quickly moved up to Akron.

It is also possible Whitney could start the season in Kinston, but the best odds are Lake County where he can play everyday at 3B. Derek Peterson should fill in when needed.

DH: Chris Gimenez

Actually, any of Pacheco, Gimenez, Montgomenry or Hiser could fill this role. Gimenez was taken in the 19th round of the 2004 Draft from the University of Nevada. Like Reyes, Giminez might be in line for a super utility role as he has played every position in the outfield, and also has played in games at catcher, third base and first base. At Mahoning Valley, he hit .300 with 10 HRs and 38 RBIs, and led the league in doubles (23), extra base hits (36), and slugging percentage (.527). With his flexibility to play multiple positions and potent bat he should be in the starting lineup every night.

Starting Rotation:

The starting rotation could really be a mixture of seven pitchers. Justin Hoyman, Scott Lewis, Tony Sipp and Aaron Laffey should all definitely get a turn in the rotation every 5-6 days, but Chris Niesel, Chuck Lofgren and Ryan Knippschild could all bounce back and forth between starter and the bullpen.

Justin Hoyman (Righthanded)

The Indians drafted Hoyman in the 2nd round of the 2004 Draft from the University of Florida. Hoyman is ranked as the Indians 16th best prospect by Baseball America, and has excellent control and a fastball that hovers in the low 90s. In limited time at Mahoning Valley, Hoyman did not record a decision in five starts, but had a 2.08 ERA. Hoyman contributed more in the playoffs, as he was instrumental in leading them to the NY-Penn League Championship. In two starts, he allowed 1 run in 10 innings, and went 1-0. It is possible he could skip Lake County altogether, but it is very likely he at least starts the season in Lake County.

Tony Sipp (Lefthanded)

Sipp was taken in the 45th round of the 2004 Draft from Okaloosa-Walton College. Sipp was projected to go much higher in the draft, but plummeted due to signability concerns. The Indians gambled, and eventually signed him to a hefty $130,000 deal, which is high for such a late pick. Baseball America took notice of Sipp. Not only is he the Indians 22nd best prospect according to Baseball America, but he was also ranked as the #8 best prospect in the NY-Penn League. Sipp is an aggressive pitcher with a live arm. In Mahoning Valley, he was impressive as he went 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA with an outstanding 74 strikeouts in only 42.2 innings pitched. Sipp will start, but is a prime candidate for a move to the bullpen as a dominant late inning lefty.

Scott Lewis (Lefthanded)

Lewis is rated as the Indians 19th best prospect by Baseball America, and was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2004 Draft from Ohio State University. As a sophomore at Ohio State in 2003, Lewis went 9-1 with a 1.61 ERA and struck out 127 batters in just 84 innings pitching. After his sensational sophomore performance, and winning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 2003, he was pegged on a lot of draft boards to go in the first round; however, he later suffered a severe arm injury that resulted in him missing a lot of the 2004 season. Lewis looks to be healthy, and in limited action in Mahoning Valley in 2004 he was impressive. In only three appearances, he was 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA, but struck out an amazing 13 batters in five innings pitched.

Aaron Laffey (Lefthanded)

The Indians drafted Laffey out of high school in the 16th round of the 2003 Draft. After an impressive start in 2004 at Mahoning Valley in which he was 3-1 with a 1.24 ERA in eight starts, he was called up to Lake County. Unfortunately, Laffey did not enjoy the same success at Lake County in 2004 like he had in Mahoning Valley as he went 3-7 with a 6.53 ERA in 19 appearances (15 starts). With the plethora of starting pitching available in the low minors for the Indians, and another draft on the horizon where the Indians will undoubtedly draft more pitching, Laffey will need to rebound this year in a return trip to Lake County if he wishes to stay in the Indians long-term plans. Laffey could eventually be moved to the bullpen at Lake County to make room for Chuck Lofgren.

Chris Niesel (Righthanded)

Niesel was taken in the 9th round of the 2004 draft from the University of Notre Dame. After a solid showing at Mahoning Valley where he was 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in five appearances (four starts), he did enjoy a late season callup to Lake County where he had moderate success going 1-1 with a 5.85 ERA in five starts. According to his bio on University of Notre Dame official website, “he is known for his bulldog mentality and confidence that spreads to his teammates.†He also has excellent control, with a fastball in the low 90s and a plus curveball. Niesel could bounce between the rotation and the bullpen with other starters Laffey, Lofgren, and Ryan Knippschild.

Chuck Lofgren (Lefthanded)

Lofgren is a raw and intriguing prospect in that he not only pitches, but also gets to hit at least once a week per a contract demand when signing with the Indians. He was taken in the 4th round of the 2004 Draft out of high school, and should be a project as the Indians look to harness his excellent potential. Ranked as the 14th best Indians prospect by Baseball America, as a lefthanded pitcher with the ability to throw hard, he is a valuable commodity. In limited action at rookie level Burlington, in nine appearances he was 0-0 with a 6.09 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched. Lofgren should start in Lake County in the bullpen, but could get a few spot starts or move into a starter role depending on his progress and if one of the other Captain starters struggles (or gets called up to Kinston).

Ryan Knippschild (Righthanded)

Knippschild was a late round pick from the University of Kansas. Taken in the 35th round of the 2004 Draft, Knippschild was a workhorse at Mahoning Valley in 2004 posting a 4-3 record with a 3.93 ERA in 15 appearances (13 starts). He was not overpowering, as demonstrated by his low strikeout total (39) versus innings pitched (69), but was effective. Due to his success at Mahoning Valley, he could pressure the likes of Laffey and Niesel for regular start in the Captains rotation.

The Bullpen:

One special note is Captains fans will see the return of Matt Knox as a pitcher. In 2003, he played 1B for Lake County and had a nice season hitting .245 with 10 HRs and 43 RBIs in 68 games before being called up to Kinston midseason. The transition from position player to pitcher is almost unheard of, but reportedly Knox knocked the socks off Tribe officials when he was used in a relief role in mop up duty at Kinston in 2003. Tribe officials were so impressed, the following Spring they converted him to a pitcher and he was outstanding at Mahoning Valley with a 3-4 record and 3 saves out of the bullpen and a 2.25 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched.

Others such as Mark Harris, Matt Haynes, Michael Hernandez, Mark Jecmen and Josh Harris should be considered as favorites to round out the bullpen.

Hope the lower Indians affaliates can be pretty accurate now

:mrgreen:

[APR]

So do I!!

Good find Tribe! :mrgreen:

[Kriegz]

In an Indians magazine I read that Lake county pitcher Tony Sipp was also having a very good spring

[Kriegz]

Portraits of the players for the low Indians affaliates

http://www.captainsbaseball.com/roster.htm...ayer=1112973390

http://www.kinstonindians.com/players/player_list.asp

[sfgiantsflgators]

well son of a *****...switch these players around:

LaTroy Hawkins to SF

David Aardsma and Jerome Williams to CHI (NL)

while youre at it, shoot me in the face for having the Giants logo as my avatar...

[cybernetic]

Jays changes made today:

SP Shaun Marcum AA > AAA

This move pushes SP Josue Matos into LR

SP Zach Jackson High A > AA

RP Danny Hill Mid A > High A

This move pushes SP Davis Romero back into the rotation from LR

[liamdaly]

If you need any info about current major league pitchers, I have access to both ESPN Insider's scouting reports and the Neyer-James Guide to Pitchers. I also have the Baseball America Prospect Handbook, so I can help with some minor leaguers.