EL1 Akron RubberDucks

Kerry Wood Joins Aeros

Published on July 29, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


The Akron Aeros made a few more roster moves today as RHP Kerry Wood was received on a Major League rehab assignment, OF Matt McBride was transferred to Class AAA Columbus and OF Lucas Montero was received from Class A Kinston.

Wood joins Akron for the second time this season as he is currently on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 12th with a blister on his right index finger. The Cleveland closer will start tonight at 7:05 p.m. at Canal Park for one inning and is expected to re-join the Indians soon. He owns a 1-4 record with eight saves and a 6.30 ERA this season in Cleveland and began the year on the 15-day disabled list as well with a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle. The 33-year-old then had a rough 2010 debut with the Aeros on May 3rd, allowing six runs on four hits in 0.2 innings pitched against Trenton before pitching a scoreless inning in his only other relief appearance. The Indians signed Wood to a two-year free agent contract with a club option for 2011 on December 13th, 2008 and he owns a 3.71 ERA across 357 games (178 starts) in his 12-year MLB career.

McBride earns his well-deserved first-ever promotion to the Clippers today and is one of the hottest hitters in all of the minor leagues. Dating back to the beginning of a series against Richmond on June 28th, the native of Bethlehem, PA batted .364 with 11 doubles, 13 home runs, 24 runs scored, 32 RBI and an MiLB-leading .869 slugging percentage in just 26 games played. For the season, McBride had a .285 batting average in Double-A and easily led the Aeros in doubles (25), home runs (17) and RBI (64). He was on a similar hot streak with Class A Kinston last year before earning the promotion to Akron on May 12th, 2009 and finished the season with 99 RBI, the most in the Cleveland Indians Player Development System. The Indians selected the 25-year-old McBride in the supplemental second round of the June 2006 Draft out of Lehigh University and the versatile first baseman/outfielder is actually a converted catcher.

Montero, on the other hand, moves up to Double-A today for the first time in his five-year minor league career in the Indians organization. The speedy outfielder has played the entirety of the past two seasons with the K-Tribe and starred last year, ranking second in the Carolina League in triples (nine), third in walks (70), fourth in runs scored (81) and fifth in stolen bases (35). He previously earned a promotion from Class A Lake County to Kinston in July 2008 after stealing 47 bases with the Captains in just 83 games played. He is a 25-year-old native of Bani, Dominican Republic and joined the Indians organization as a non-drafted free agent in 2004.

An updated Akron roster and transactions list are attached. Since MLB rehab assignments do not affect minor league roster limits, the Aeros roster remains at 23 men + 2 players on rehab assignments.

Wood will wear #33 tonight and start at 7:05 p.m. for the Akron Aeros in a four-game series opener against the Reading Phillies at Canal Park. No word yet on what number Montero will wear when he eventually makes his Double-A debut while fellow Cleveland Indian RHP Anthony Reyes is currently without a number as well.

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Eastern League Stories from July 29, 2010


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