With all of the promotions, demotions, new faces with trades, and old faces shipped off, it's difficult to keep tabs on Indians players.
Jim Negrych is in AA Altoona, Brian Bixler is in AAA Syracuse, Daniel McCutchen and Wil Ledezma are in Pittsburgh.
Through mid-August, the one constant has been Brandon Moss. The 26 year old has played in 111 of the Indians 119 games. He is hitting .271 with a team leading 20 home runs and 81 RBI. Moss' 66 RBI since June 1 is not only the highest total in the Minor Leagues, but the most in all of professional baseball (yes, that includes the Major Leagues).
He was named the Indians July player of the month after hitting .315 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. During the month he had a 12 game hit streak and reached base safely in 24 of 28 games.
Moss came over to the Pirates organization in the trade that sent Jason Bay to the Boston Red Sox in 2008. He appeared in 133 games with the Pirates in 2009, but he hit just .236. He was expected to be the everyday right fielder, but lost that job midseason after struggling at the plate.
He battled for a position during Spring Training this year, but after going just 3-37 at the plate, was designated for assignment in March. After the Pirates picked up Hayden Penn, there was no room on the team's 40 man roster.
When the team released Moss, they thought they had seen the last of him; he was not expected to make it through waivers. But after no other team made a move to get him, the Pirates were able to send him to Indianapolis, where he has enjoyed somewhat of a resurrection.
At age 26 there is still time for Moss to turn into the player the Pirates thought he could be when they traded for him in 2008. Because he is not on the Pirates 40 man roster, Moss is guaranteed to stay on the Indians roster for the remainder of the season.
But if he can continue to hit the way has has for the last two months, he will have a legitimate shot at making some team's roster next spring.
Comments