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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Tribe Prospect Countdown: #24 Jordan Henry

6'3", 175 lb, 23 in 2012
Bats: Left, Throws: Right

2011 Stats (AA - Akron): .256, 33 RBI, 33 SB, .633 OPS, 1.09 K/BB

Yeah, Jordan Henry does not hit for a lot of power. In fact, he has compiled 1363 professional PAs without jacking a single long ball. Over that same span, he's rapped just 31 doubles and 6 triples. No, Jordan Henry does not really tear the cover off of the ball. What he does do, and with surprising regularity prior to 2011, is get on base and set the table for the hitters behind him. More precisely, in 183 career games, Henry hit .317, scored 125 runs and stole 51 bases. That includes a half season at Akron in 2010, during which Jordan went right ahead and hit an even .300. Now, he won't put butts in the seats and he likely won't find too many gaps, but, if Scott Podsednik can have a 10+ year MLB career then so can Henry. What is simply unacceptable in the .280 slugging percentage that he posted last season. If Jordan is going to be Jordan and do it in a way that can help a big league team, that .280 needs to be his batting average. Now, if he can produce at that level then the path to the lake front is fairly clear for this true leadoff hitter. If you accept, as I do, that, even if he can regain his health, Grady Sizemore will never again be a reasonable #1 guy, then only Ezequiel Carrera stand between Henry and the bigs. While Zeke does have a bit more power, that is not the true concern. First off, Henry is freaky fast, having been timed at 6.5 seconds in a 60 yard dash. More importantly, and in stark contrast to Carrera, Jordan has tremendous bat control and is quite selective at the plate. The result is an excellent bunter. Henry is clearly proficient at what he does. If his numbers return to form, he will be an MLB option by the second half of 2012.

Up Next: #23 - RHP Bryce Stowell

Pretty Girl 12.15.11 - Addison Timlin

I don't know who the fuck this chick is, but she took her top off for DC, so she's good with me.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Suicide Squeeze - The Good Old Days

Suicide Squeeze - He Hit .182

Pretty Girl Update! - Scarlett Johansson

This is exactly what I imagine that Scarlett does in her free time. Where's the invite, sunshine?

Tribe Prospect Countdown: #25 IF Cord Phelps

6'2", 200 lbs, 25 in 2012
Throws: Right, Bats: Switch

2011 Stats (AAA Columbus): .294, 14 HR, 63 RBI, .868 OPS, 1.75 K/BB
2011 Stats (Indians): .155, HR, 6 RBI, .494 OPS, 2.13 K/BB

When the Indians called Cord up on June 8th, a full month and a half before Jason Kipnis, it was not because the organization felt that he was more Major League ready. It was not because Phelps could theoretically fill-in at any of the three infield positions. He played only second for the Tribe. The rationale was to prevent happening to Kip exactly what has befallen the young Mr. Phelps. Coming off of his first 35 MLB games, Cord has shown a complete inability, both offensively and defensively (5 E, -4 Runs Saved, -0.4 Defensive WAR), to play the game at the highest level. He now finds himself squarely behind the 8-ball, entering a make or break season. I still have confidence in Phelps offensive approach and his intangibles. Notice the small difference between his K/BB ratios despite the catastrophic drop in all of his other metrics. This confirms something that we already knew: Cord is an intelligent batter who swings at good pitches. Obviously, the guy has some work to with squaring up the ball, but this is often the last piece to fall for big league success. He is a hard-nosed player who always gives the proverbial 110%. Cord is a ballplayer's ballplayer, an asset in the clubhouse, the kind of guy for whom you want to find a roster spot. Still, with Kipnis firmly entrenched at second (hopefully for the next 15 years), Phelps will be fighting for a utility spot. This is a battle that I believe he will ultimately lose to Jason Donald. The deciding factor is defense. Donald is capable at all three infield spots and showed great promise in the outfield during the Arizona Fall League. Cord, on the other hand, adventured away from second for the first time in his pro career in 2011. While he performed serviceably at short, the handful of innings he tried at the hot corner were less than stellar. With the game trending toward 13 man pitching staffs (I kid you not, Tony LaRussa did it en route to the World Championship), the utility spots lose all discretion. You need a back-up catcher, a pinch-hitter and a defensive sub/pinch-runner. The ability to effectively cover both infield and outfield spots will become increasingly desirable in a bench player. Again, advantage Donald. Even if the Tribe carries 13 hitters, it will likely take an injury to get Phelps back to lakefront. Long story short (too late), when this happens, Cord has to show up with the stick or a once promising future will descend in the dreaded purgatory of the failed prospect.

Up Next: #24 - OF Jordan Henry

P.s. I had to type this twice because Blogger crashed. My brain hurts from remembering.