Thoughts For A Sunday: End of the Minor League Season Edition and Other Things

MINOR LEAGUE SEASONS END

Columbus finishes its season today, ending the minor league season for the Cleveland minor league teams.  It's current record is 68-78.

The Clippers have played for 45 seasons, starting in 1977, subtracting out the lost 2020 season where there was no minor league baseball.

In those 45 seasons there have only been 9 times that the Clippers finished 10 or more games under .500.

Now, I didn't research the rosters of those 9 teams but AAA is normally littered with AAAA players, meaning that each team would only have a few true prospects.  That's why the average age in AAA varies anywhere from 26-27 years old.  

Part of the reason for less than stellar record for the Clippers this year was that the heart of what was supposed to be their rotation this year, Williams, Bibee and Allen, ended up pitching most of the year in Cleveland.  Add to that the injury to Daniel Espino and what you have was a Clippers team that mixed and matched and used openers for a lot of the season.  Suffice it to say, their rotation, and pitching staff, mostly, looked like a typical AAA team.  

While it doesn't have a good record, this year's Clippers team, however, has LOTS of major league prospects.  In fact, I suspect that if a lot of the guys on the Columbus roster played in rebuilding organizations like Kansas City or Oakland, or in organizations of teams out of the playoffs who have had lots of injuries like the Cardinals, they would be in the majors right now or would have been at some point this season.  Here's a list of the guys I am talking about:

Joey Cantillo

Hunter Gaddis

Tim Herrin

Cody Morris

Cade Smith

Zach Plesac

Luis Oviedo

Bryan Lavastida

Juan Brito

Raynel Delgado

Angel Martinez

Jhonkensy Noel

Micah Pries (based on his hot June and July)

Bryan Rocchio

Daniel Schneeman

Oscar Gonzalez

Jonathon Rodriguez

George Valera

That doesn't count injured likes like Mikolajchak and Misiaszek, guys who aren't eligible for the Rule 5 like Manzardo and other guys who were young (Nic Enright) or AAAA players (Kelly, Norris) who might have been in the majors some or most of the year if things had worked out more in their favor.

What will transpire in the off-season is still unknown.  It is quite possible that guys like Smith, Rodriguez and Schneeman won't even be rostered this winter, leaving them exposed to the Rule 5.  Some of these guys might be traded and some might leave as 6-year minor league free agents.  

But, IMO, there might NEVER be another Clippers team with this much major league potential.  If we look back 10 years from now, I think we will be amazed at the talent that passed through or was in Columbus for much of this season.  This, in my opinion, will be the best Clippers roster of all time.

How about that for a prediction!

ODDS AND ENDS

• It has been my pleasure the last two nights to watch Richie Palacios play.  He had the GW sacrifice fly in the 11th on Saturday and provided the typical energy that he provides.  
• For those of you who thought we had a bad season, think for a second of the Padres.  They are 0-12 (including last night) in extra-inning games.  If I have this right they have had TWO, that's right, TWO walkoff wins this entire season.  Heck, David Fry has had that many walkoff hits himself.   So, if you think we have had it tough, think of the Padres and realize there are teams with high expectations at the beginning of the season who fell below those expectations. 
• Following the previous thought, the Cardinals had a bad season, much of which could be attributed to their bullpen failing them miserably.  You think we had bullpen problems, look at the Cardinals, who were thought to be the odds-on favorite to win the NL Central and now are looking at a top 10 draft pick next July.
• I don't know if we are out of the woods as far as McKenzie having TJ surgery, especially after today's performance and his rehab starts.  Bieber may be in better shape as far as that goes, but who knows.
• I still believe that our bullpen is a good one, a cheap one, and an experienced one.  Going out and spending $4-5 million a year for each of 2 relievers would not make fiscal sense.  Plus the depth we have in the minors is really appealing.
• Josh Bell watch - We are still not out of the woods.  Remember, if decides to opt out of the second year of his contract, Miami will have rented him for about $ 4 million more than they would have paid Segura not to play while we would have saved $4 million this year but then we will owe Segura $10 million over the next 2 years while the Marlins will owe neither Bell or Segura anything.  Why didn't Antonetti consider this possibility when he made the trade with Miami,  It should have at least included a clause where Cleveland and Miami would split the remaining amount on Segura's contract if Bell opted out.   Typical FO screwup, gambling that Bell is going to take that fat option because his performance sucks.  Well, maybe not!
• Still no word from the instructs about our injured pitchers and whether Clemmey and Walters have added themselves to that group.  Just like last year, radio silence is NOT a good thing.
• Columbus today tried the old 9 pitchers in 9 innings and it was one strike away from working but Cade Smith gave up a 2 out, 2 strike, 2 run homer and the Clippers lost 3-2.
• I cannot tell you how frustrated I am that Calhoun, Laureano and Gallagher keep getting ABs.  I get that the Guardians feel it is in bad taste to DFA them this late in the season but this is just frustrating to me.  We need to do something so here are some ideas:
• Put Arias on the IL, send Tena back to the minors and bring up Rocchio.  I know Rocchio has been optioned to the minors the maximum of 5 times this year, and he would have to be DFA'd if optioned to the minors again, but with 5 games left I don't think he would be optioned again.  Plus he only has 33 days of service time (by my count) so he won't exceed the rookie limits for the PPI of 43 days in the majors at this point, or at least I think that is true..
• DFA Michael Kelly, bring up Cody Morris and add Jonathon Rodriguez to the 40-man roster and recall him.  Play Rodriguez in RF the last 5 games.  Play Brennan in CF against righties and Straw against lefties.
• Play Freeman at 3B and DH Ramirez the rest of the way.  
• Split catching between Fry and Naylor unless it is absolutely necessary for Gallagher to play.4

Just some thoughts.  I hope they just don't sit on their hands and let the season play out giving PT to AAAA veterans who have already gotten more money and more PT from us than they should have.