Written by Al Ciammiachella

---

Eric Berger, RP-AKR: 2 2/3 IP, H, 4 K, 2 BB

Berger has quietly put together a solid season out of the Akron bullpen. He’s appeared in 26 games, throwing 46 1/3 innings and posting a 3.11 ERA. He has 52 K and 21 BB, and the 25-year old southpaw has been effective against righties as well as lefties. Righthanded batters are hitting .234 off of him, and he’s struck out 32 in 29 1/3 innings pitched. In addition to his success on the mound, Berger has the award for best facial hair in the organization, if not all of minor league baseball.

 

• Jenmar Gomez, SP-COL: L (10-4), 7 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 6 K. In two AAA starts since being sent back down, Gomez has thrown 14 innings, allowing 3 ER while striking out 11 and walking 2.
• Beau Mills, DH-COL: 1-3, 2B, K. Mills had the only Clipper hit yesterday, as they were shut out a day after Germano’s perfecto. Mills is now 3-16 with a HR and a 2B in AAA Columbus.
• Joe Gardner, SP-AKR: L (7-8), 5 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 2 K, 3 BB. Gardner’s disappointing 2011 continues. The 23-year old’s K rate is way down from last year, as he’s struck out just 60 hitters in 97 1/3 innings of work for AA Akron.
• Kyle Bellows, 3B-AKR: 1-4, HR (2), RBI, R. People ask me for comps on players all the time, and while I don’t like to force them on kids in the minors who still have plenty of development, I’ll give you one for Bellows. Jack Hannahan. Bellows is a gold glove caliber fielder, but is hitting just .227/.294/.320. As Hannahan has shown, having one elite skill is sometimes enough to not only make it to The Show, but kick around the league for a few years.
• Marty Popham, SP-KIN: L (4-2), 5 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 8 H, 6 K, BB. Popham gave up two HR’s last night, and has struggled in his last 2 starts giving up 11 ER in just 7 2/3 IP.
• Francisco Jimenez, RP-KIN: 2 IP, R (0 ER), H, 4 K, BB. Jimenez continued to put up solid K numbers, as he now has 44 in 38 IP for the K-Tribe.
• Tyler Holt, CF-KIN: 3-4, BB, R, 2 SB, K. Holt has been hot of late, as he now has a .368/.432/.395 line in his last 10 games.
• Tyler Cannon, 2B-KIN: 2-3, 2 2B, RBI. Cannon is 5 for his last 13 with 3 2B and a 3B. He’s up to .251/.333/.471 overall in 57 games in Kinston.
• Carlos Moncrief, CF-LCC: 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R. Moncrief is putting together a solid, if unspectacular, season. The 22-year old converted pitcher has a .242/.350/.452 line (.802 OPS) with 13 HR, and has swiped 16 bags in 19 attempts.
• Alex Monsalve, C-LCC: 2-4, 2 RBI, R, CS. Monsalve’s last 10 games are a microcosm of his season; .324/.390/.324 line shows OBP skills but not much in the way of power.
• Ronny Rodriguez, SS-LCC: 1-4, HR (8), RBI, R. Ro-Ro has 8 HR in 224 AB, and will likely fill out and develop more pop as he gets older. The wiry SS out of the Dominican Republic turned 19 this past April.
• Cody Allen, RP-MVS: 3 IP, H, 7 K. Dominant outing for Allen, and the righty from High Point College now has 37 K in 29 1/3 IP for the Scrappers out of the bullpen.
• Alex Lavisky, C-MVS: 1-3, HR (4), RBI, BB, 2 R. Lavisky has a respectable .256/.341/.615 line over his last 10 games, with 3 HR and 6 RBI. I haven’t given up on him yet, and neither should you.
• Tony Wolters, SS-MVS: 2-4, RBI, BB, SB, CS. One of my favorite players in the org, and two months younger than Ronny Rodriguez. Now hitting .310/.407/.430 for Mahoning Valley after finally getting healthy and on the field.
• Elvis Araujo, SP-AZL: W (5-1), 5 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 6 K, 3 BB. Listed at 6’6”, 215LBS, Araujo is probably bigger than that. The Venezuelan lefty turned 20 two weeks ago, and has already had Tommy John surgery but is quickly proving that he’s still a prospect. He has 36 K in 39 IP in Arizona, and has his fastball back in the upper-90’s.
• Jorge Martinez, 2B-AZL: 2-3, HR, 3B, 6 RBI, BB, R. Quite a full stat sheet for the switch hitting 2B, who’s now hitting .283/.345/.475 with 4 HR and 25 RBI in 25 games for the AZL Indians.