Relief Pitcher (R) Height: 6’4” Weight: 175 lbs
Born: 11-16-81, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
Quick Stats
2000 R+ (Age 18) 68.1 IP, 4.61 ERA, 50 SO, 20 BB
2001 A- (Age 19) 94.2 IP, 3.61 ERA, 96 SO, 37 BB
2002 A+ (Age 20) 110.0 IP, 3.52 ERA, 107 SO, 40 BB
2003 AA Age 21 109.0 IP, 2.97 ERA, 115 SO, 40 BB
Contract: 1 year, $300,000
2004 Salary: $300,000
Arbitration: 2006 or later
Free Agency: 2009 or later
Taken in the 10th Round of the 1999 Draft
Comments:
7-15-03
AA 84.0 IP, 2.57 ERA, 88 SO, 31 BB, .231 BAA
Just moved to closer in Akron after a pretty good stint as a starter. I’m not a fan of making good starters into closers, but with all of the starters in the high minors, Cabrera will get to Cleveland much faster as a bullpen arm. He certainly has the prerequisites of the perfect closer: outstanding K/BB ratio, a blazing fastball with a very good curve. How far he progresses as a closer will determine how long Baez sticks around. As it is, he probably needs an entire season as a closer, and that means he probably won’t be ready until sometime during the 2004 season.
6-2-99: Drafted by the Cleveland Indians (10th Round)
Started 2000 in Burlington (R)
4-5-01: Promoted to Columbus (A)
7-11-01: Placed on Disabled List (A)
7-20-01: Reinstated from Disabled List (A)
8-31-01: Placed on Disabled List (A)
3-31-02: Promoted to Kinston (A)
7-30-02: Promoted to Akron (AA)
11-20-02: Contract Purchased by Cleveland
3-3-03: Signed to a 1 Year contract ($300,000)
3-14-03: Optioned to Akron (AA)
3-19-04: Optioned to Buffalo (AAA)