Fangraphs:Cabrera’s Power Stroke Driving Indians Offense

An Indians Musical History

Jason Kipnis, 2B, Indians (Double-A Akron)

When Kipnis put up some of the most impressive numbers in college baseball last year, scouts had trouble getting past the small frame and the lack of a monster tool, which dropped him to the second round of the draft. After hitting .300/.387/.478 for Low-A Kinston, the Indians moved Kipnis up to Double-A in just his first full season, and while adjusting to his new position well, he's also hitting, and the scouts are sitting up and taking notice. With a 5-for-13 weekend that included two doubles and a home run, Kipnis is hitting .355/.444/.645 in his eight games for Akron. More and more he's no longer looking like an experiment but like Cleveland's second baseman of the future.

Mets showing interest in Carmona
Heard this: The New York Mets' search for a pitcher has led to a lot of internal conversation about a guy with a power sinker who is having a bounce-back year -- Fausto Carmona of the Cleveland Indians. What is attractive about Carmona is that, when he's throwing strikes, he can be dominant -- and he is throwing a lot more strikes this year, after struggling in 2008 and 2009. What is scary about Carmona is what could be called the Oliver Perez factor: He has shown he is capable of veering completely off course, and you do wonder how pitching in the high pressure of New York would impact him.

Another factor for the Mets is that Carmona is under contract beyond this year, unlike Cliff Lee or Jake Westbrook or Ben Sheets, who are all eligible for free agency in the fall. Carmona is making $4.9 million this year and $6.1 million next year, and his contract contains $7 million and $9 million options for 2012 and 2013, respectively. If the Mets landed Carmona, and he responded well to New York, they could have a nice core of pitching intact for the next few years.

Dodgers tap into 'V energy'

Lou Marson has a sub-.300 on-base percentage and slugging for Cleveland, meanwhile Carlos Santana is taking acting classes. I kid you not, as the Indians' top prospect is re-enacting mound meetings and discussions with umpires in order to improve his English and overall communication skills. As far as baseball goes, he's simply stopped making outs, as in his last two games, the Dominican has gone 3-for-3 with three home runs and four walks. Now at .333/.461/.626, I don't care if Santana is studying with Lee Strasberg, it's pretty much time to get him up.

Prospectus Q&A -Mark Shapiro

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Cleveland Indians: Top 10 Prospects

Nikkan's list of MLB suitors: the Giants, Mets, Dodgers, Yankees, Rangers, Mariners and Indians.

Pitch f/x Explanation

Deadspin - Your 2009 Deadspin Pants Party Pool Winner Takes The Floor - Winner!