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Lovullo in charge as Triple-A team moves to Columbus home
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Saturday, Nov 22, 2008
Stability has been one of the trademarks of the Indians' farm system since Mark Shapiro became general manager. So it is not surprising that minor-league managerial assignments will remain unchanged in 2009.
That means for the fourth season, Torey Lovullo will manage the Tribe's Triple-A affiliate, which will move to Columbus from Buffalo, and Mike Sarbaugh will be back in Akron to manage the Aeros, the Tribe's Double-A club.
Chris Tremie will return to high Class A Kinston, Aaron Holbert will manage low Class A Lake County, and former Indians third baseman Travis Fryman will manage short-season Mahoning Valley for the second year in a row.
Veteran minor-league manager Ted Kubiak will handle the assignment of managing in the Arizona League, whose roster will contain the organization's youngest and least experienced players.
The Indians also announced their minor-league field staff: Dave Hudgens (field coordinator), Dave Miller (pitching coordinator), Bruce Fields (hitting coordinator), Gary Thurman (outfield/base running coordinator) and Tim Laker (catching coordinator). Each of these instructors held the same position last season.
Steve Lyons, pitching coach of the Gulf Coast League Indians last year (now moving to Arizona) will serve as lower level pitching coordinator and scout.
Top minor-leaguers
The Indians announced that Beau Mills and David Huff have been named the organization's top minor-leaguers for 2008.
Mills, 22, is winner of this year's Lou Boudreau Award as the Tribe's No. 1 minor-league position player. A power-hitting first baseman, Milles batted .293 with 21 home runs and 90 RBI at Class A Kinston. He also scored 78 runs with 34 doubles, compiling a .506 slugging percentage and an .880 OPS. Mills earlier was named Most Valuable Player in the Carolina League.
The left-handed Huff, 24, is the winner of the Bob Feller Award as the franchise's top minor-league pitcher. Huff began the season with the Aeros, compiling a 5-1 record and 1.92 ERA in 11 games (10 starts). After being promoted to Buffalo, he posted a 6-4 record and 3.01 ERA in 16 starts. He is expected to compete for a job in the Indians' rotation when training camp begins in February.
Only the start
Every year, the Tribe signs at least a dozen lesser known players to minor-league contracts with invitations to spring training.
Here are the first two: infielder Andy Cannizaro and catcher Damaso Espino.
Cannizaro, 29, has a minor-league average of .274 in eight seasons in the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Indians organizations. He has appeared in 14 big-league games with the Yankees and Rays.
Espino, 25, has a career minor-league average of .269 in nine years in the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and Indians farm systems.
Roster set
The Indians added five players to their 40-man roster in advance of December's winter meetings.
Roster additions include catchers Carlos Santana and Chris Gimenez, outfielder Trevor Crowe and right-handers Jeff Stevens and Hector Rondon.
Notably left off the roster were lefty Chuck Lofgren and first baseman Jordan Brown, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Eastern League in 2007 and MVP of the Carolina League in 2006. Last season at Buffalo, Brown batted .281 with seven homers and 51 RBI in 109 games.
Once regarded as a top prospect, Lofgren has regressed the past couple of season, posting a 2-6 record and 5.99 ERA for the Aeros in 2008.
Any player (with at least three years' pro experience) is left off the 40-man roster can be claimed during the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings.
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.
Stability has been one of the trademarks of the Indians' farm system since Mark Shapiro became general manager. So it is not surprising that minor-league managerial assignments will remain unchanged in 2009.
Get the full article here.
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