The Best AAA Club in the Business?

While many Tribe fans are very concerned over the state of the rotation, the mental and physical health of Travis Hafner, and how Manager Eric Wedge is going to juggle the First base/Catcher/DH roles, there are many positives to hang your hats on.

Fausto Carmona has had an extremely impressive spring. Kerry Wood hasn’t allowed a run as the new closer. Ben Francisco is hitting .364 and looks much improved in the field. A slimmed down Ryan Garko has handled the outfield a lot better than expected. Jake Westbrook is ahead of schedule on his rehab from Tommy John Surgery.

The biggest thing I have taken from this Spring is that the Indians AAA affiliate in Columbus could be a dominant entity. GM Mark Shapiro has been quoted as saying this is the best collection of young talent the organization has had since 1997. He isn’t kidding either, folks. Here’s a peak at what Clippers fans will be lucky enough to see everyday down I-71.

CF Michael Brantley – The speedy stud young outfielder has the look of the everyday leadoff man of the future in Cleveland, allowing Grady Sizemore to be pushed down to three spot. Has all the tools. Brantley looked like he belonged from the day he set foot in Goodyear, hitting .313 in 32 AB’s.

LF Matt Laporta – The best power prospect in the organization who has hit at every level since his days as a Florida Gator. Should switch between Left, Right, and First base to improve his versatility. The cornerstone of the C.C. Sabathia trade which also brought Brantley, and The Zach Attack, long-man Zach Jackson.Hit .351 this Spring in 36 at-bats.

C Chris Gimenez – Quietly, the 26 year old Catcher has become a popular figure with the Tribe brass. He hit .357 this spring while playing both corner outfield slots, First base, and Catcher. Shapiro wouldn’t hesitate to go to him if Kelly Shoppach or Victor Martinez went down with an injury.

3B Wes Hodges – Nobody questions that Hodges can hit (.349 with 26 RBI in just 25 games in the Arizona Fall League), its his glove that is a concern. He has worked hard in Goodyear to improve his defense, and has continued to crush the ball (.296 in 27 AB’s). With current Third Baseman Mark DeRosa a free agent at season’s end and the Andy Marte experiment finally over, Hodges could be the everyday gut at the hot corner on opening day 2010.

2B Luis Valbuena – While Joe Smith was the talk of the Franklyn Gutierrez deal, it was Valbuena who filled an organizational hole as a middle infielder with pop. Will be the everyday second baseman in Columbus and is coming off of a big season between AA and AAA in the Seattle organization where he hit a combined .303. Could be another Seattle steal, like Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo before him. Only 23 years old.

This is not even mentioning OF Trevor Crowe who would have been playing everyday if not for the injury to David Dellucci forcing his way onto the big club. Crowe may have been the most impressive youngster this spring,  spraying the ball all over the field, showing great range in the outfield, and speed on the base paths.

How about that Clippers rotation? It will include three guys who were battling for the last spot in the Indians rotation and probably still are:

Aaron Laffey – There is no doubt it is a confidence issue more than anything with this talented lefty. I don’t think there is any doubt we will see him up within the first two months of the season.

David Huff – In my opinion, had he not developed tendinitis during the Spring, Huff would be the fifth starter. During the off-season,  a source inside the organization told me that when it comes to the Tribe pitching prospects it was “Huff, and then everyone else.” He will be a mainstay in the rotation in the upcoming years and could be up this summer.

Jeremy Sowers – Kind of the forgotten man when it comes to the big league squad. The former first round draft pick has been a dominator in AAA because he gets by on his ability to spot his pitches. The Indians hope he can work on the delta between his fastball and change-up; the one thing that is keeping him from having Major League success.

As for the bullpen:

Adam Miller – A few weeks back, it was thought that his career could be in jeopardy if he couldn’t change his grip on the ball. The finger injury that ruined his 2008 season has lingered. But Miller has managed to change the grip and has been pain free. He certainly will be one to watch coming out of the Clippers pen.

Jon Meloan – After spending a wasted year in the Dodgers AAA rotation, he moves back to where he is most comfortable, the back-end of the bullpen. With Masa Kobayashi on a short leash in Cleveland, Meloan could be the first guy to get a call-up with a strong start.

Vinnie Chulk – The veteran journeyman had the best spring of any of the final bullpen spot candidates, posting a 1.72 ERA in nine appearances. He narrowly lost out on the job to The Zach Attack, mostly because of Jackson’s length. Something tells me we will see him sooner rather than later.

Tony Sipp – Two years ago, the left-hander was on the fast track to the back-end of the Indians bullpen. The train was derailed by Tommy John surgery. This is the big year for Sipp health-wise. He should be back to full strength and could be a factor for the Tribe at some point this summer.

There is a ton to be excited about if you are a Columbus resident. You have a AAA club that is full of stud prospects and should be a first place team all year long. I for one will be making the trek down I-71 at some point this summer to catch a glimpse of the future stars of Progressive Field.