Rosters for minor leagues

[cubs1206]

Well, I think the Cubs are all about politics. It doesn't matter what you do during the season, at Spring Training, etc. All they care about is how much money they have in you.

[rawaction]

Isn't Scott Moore ready for AAA?

 

No. I wouldn't put him that far just yet. He had a worse K rate than Dopirak last season, and he was repeating high A (maybe twice).

[CubsWin]

CubsWin, I doubt Billy Petrick will be ready to start the season. I also think Billek and Holliman will start the year at Daytona.

 

Otherwise, nice stab.

Thanks, CR.

 

I didn't know Petrick was still recovering. Do you know when he is likely to be ready?

 

Also, if Billek and Holliman will start in Daytona, who of Mateo, Mathes, Johnson and Weber will stay in Peoria? It is possible that Gallagher could start the season in AA, in which case Daytona's rotation would look like

 

Johnson

Holliman

Billek

Mateo

Mathes/Weber

 

with Peoria getting

 

Pawelek

Veal

Downs

Mathes/Weber

Yepez?

Estrada?

[CubsWin]

Well, I think the Cubs are all about politics. It doesn't matter what you do during the season, at Spring Training, etc. All they care about is how much money they have in you.

Anybody know what Sisco's signing bonus was?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

CubsWin, I doubt Billy Petrick will be ready to start the season. I also think Billek and Holliman will start the year at Daytona.

 

Otherwise, nice stab.

Thanks, CR.

 

I didn't know Petrick was still recovering. Do you know when he is likely to be ready?

 

Also, if Billek and Holliman will start in Daytona, who of Mateo, Mathes, Johnson and Weber will stay in Peoria? It is possible that Gallagher could start the season in AA, in which case Daytona's rotation would look like

 

Johnson

Holliman

Billek

Mateo

Mathes/Weber

 

with Peoria getting

 

Pawelek

Veal

Downs

Mathes/Weber

Yepez?

Estrada?

 

Last summer, I heard the Cubs were hoping Petrick would be back by midseason this year. I don't know how he's doing in regards to that, though.

 

Gallagher or Mathes are the most likely to get promoted to West Tenn, especially with an opening seemingly created with Sean Marshall making the big league squad.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Well, I think the Cubs are all about politics. It doesn't matter what you do during the season, at Spring Training, etc. All they care about is how much money they have in you.

Anybody know what Sisco's signing bonus was?

 

Oops, didn't see this one. Andy received $1 million when he was drafted one round after Mark Prior in 2001.

[CubsWin]

CubsWin, I doubt Billy Petrick will be ready to start the season. I also think Billek and Holliman will start the year at Daytona.

 

Otherwise, nice stab.

Thanks, CR.

 

I didn't know Petrick was still recovering. Do you know when he is likely to be ready?

 

Also, if Billek and Holliman will start in Daytona, who of Mateo, Mathes, Johnson and Weber will stay in Peoria? It is possible that Gallagher could start the season in AA, in which case Daytona's rotation would look like

 

Johnson

Holliman

Billek

Mateo

Mathes/Weber

 

with Peoria getting

 

Pawelek

Veal

Downs

Mathes/Weber

Yepez?

Estrada?

 

Last summer, I heard the Cubs were hoping Petrick would be back by midseason this year. I don't know how he's doing in regards to that, though.

 

Gallagher or Mathes are the most likely to get promoted to West Tenn, especially with an opening seemingly created with Sean Marshall making the big league squad.

Heck, why not send Mateo to AA? He has had the most success at the High A level of those mentioned.

 

As I counted, even with someone of those three going to WT, that still would leave one of Johnson and Weber staying at Peoria unless Daytona goes with a 6-man rotation.

 

Any thoughts?

[CubsWin]

Well, I think the Cubs are all about politics. It doesn't matter what you do during the season, at Spring Training, etc. All they care about is how much money they have in you.

Anybody know what Sisco's signing bonus was?

 

Oops, didn't see this one. Andy received $1 million when he was drafted one round after Mark Prior in 2001.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

 

That flies in the face of the above quoted statement then. If all the Cubs care about is how much money they have in you, then why would they cut loose Sisco after giving him a million dollar signing bonus. It sounds to me more like what jaxxradio was saying that the Cubs were standing on principle with this one and sending a message that talent alone isn't enough to get you promoted in this business. Attitude, work ethic and physical conditioning also factor into the equation.

[craig]

I'll take my crack:

Iowa: Hill Guzman Ryu Brownlie ???

-Valdes didn't show up in any ex games, so i assume he's hurt or something's up with him.

-I'll tentatively guess Pignatiello, but they may prefer him in relief prepping for a loogy role, which is likely his only avenue to an actual Cub career.

 

AA: Marmol, Mateo, ??, ??, ??

 

To me, that's the toughest one. Marmol is really the only gimme. There are so many guys coming off of surgery, it's pretty tough to guess who looks good. And it's also tough because for the most part in A-ball, the better prospects start, with occassional exception. But by AA time, often they think guys have enough iinnings in, and start to groom guys more for their major-league role. Wells and Mateo may be good prospects, but both are likely eventually relief-track. So, do you start them in AA to get innings, or will they put them into relief right now? Blasko, Connolly, they were once interesting prospects. Are they healthy enough to be good prospects again? Healthy enough for rotation innings? If healthy, do you want them rotation or want them for relief, their more likely ultimate role if they are to become big-leaguers? And what to think of old fossils like David Cash or Rocky Cherry? Seems silly to waste rotation spots on guys like that, but who knows? And what about the lefties? Chris Shaver, JR Matthes, Fleita loves lefties, but of course most lefties are really Loogy-track in terms of prospects? Who can guess how their leftiness gets valued relative to harder-throwing righties, and when their leftiness gets them switched to relief to get used to that? Or, for that matter, what about Holzkom (sp?) and Burrows types? Do you start these arms-guys just to rack up some reps and get more chance to learn how to control a non-fastball? Or have them in relief because that's their ultimate role if they make majors? Totally guesswork, in my book.

 

That said, I'll guess Marmol, Mateo, Connolly, Blasko, and Matthes.

 

Daytona: Gallagher, Johnon, Holliman, Billek, and Phelps

I'll guess Gallagher stays in A, given his youth, and given how many older arms are available for up there. I expect Holliman to skip straight up. I'm guessing Phelps for rotation, because they seem to like him a lot. But it may be that they'll keep him in relief, who knows. Same question of how they wish to develop somebody who's eventually slated for big-league relief, if he is to make it? I'd think Weber and Estrada would be around as options if Gallagher moves up, or Phelps is in relief, or they hold one of Holliman or Billek at Daytona. There could be other surprises, though. Often they like rehabbers at Daytona. So who knows, would be no shock if Carlos Vasques or Blasko actually showed up there.

 

Note: I don't have link, but there was a not in Petrick's area newspaper this week suggesting that his rehab is going well, and he's expected to pitch in mid-May.

 

Peoria: Pawelek, Veal, Berg, Blackford, ???

I think Pawelek, Veal, and Berg are the confident guessers. They are high-value prospects, so wherever they go, they'll start. Not so sure about Blackford, I guess. I'd think that Blackford, Mitch Atkins, Matt Avery, Yepez, Darrin Downs, possibly even Scott Taylor if he looks good enough could all be candidates to fill out that rotation. Or, also possible that one of the Billek/Holliday types would stick, or that Estrada would repeat or something like that. And for all I know there could be somebody unpredictable, Billy Paganetti (sp?) or Trey Taylor or somebody.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

If all the Cubs care about is how much money they have in you, then why would they cut loose Sisco after giving him a million dollar signing bonus. It sounds to me more like what jaxxradio was saying that the Cubs were standing on principle with this one and sending a message that talent alone isn't enough to get you promoted in this business.

 

Unless you're in the Royals' system. Then, everyone gets a shot.

[Athletics36]

I can say for sure that Sean Gallagher is headed to "Daytona", I have spoken with him and the rosters are set. That is all I will say but yes there are some surprises but will not say anything else until officially posted... I know Sean would've loved to made DJaxx but this is easier on family to see plenty of his games..... Good Luck to All the Players this year..

[Outshined_One]

I can say for sure that Sean Gallagher is headed to "Daytona", I have spoken with him and the rosters are set. That is all I will say but yes there are some surprises but will not say anything else until officially posted... I know Sean would've loved to made DJaxx but this is easier on family to see plenty of his games..... Good Luck to All the Players this year..

 

Thanks for the update! If you happen to know Gallagher or some one who knows him well, wish him luck for us! :D

[Laura]

I can say for sure that Sean Gallagher is headed to "Daytona", I have spoken with him and the rosters are set. That is all I will say but yes there are some surprises but will not say anything else until officially posted... I know Sean would've loved to made DJaxx but this is easier on family to see plenty of his games..... Good Luck to All the Players this year..

 

Thanks for the update! I'll be tuning in to some Daytona games when he starts. :)

[CubsWin]

So from "inside sources", we have learned that Gallagher will be at Daytona and Billek will start at Peoria with Pawelek not being assigned anywhere to start the season. We also know Marshall won't be at AA to start the year. So rotations only...

 

AAA-

Guzman

Hill

Ryu

Brownlie

Valdez?

 

AA-

Marmol

Mateo

Connolley

Wells

Blasko?/Holdzkom?/Perez?

 

High A-

Gallagher

Mathes

Johnson

Holliman

Weber?/Shaver?

 

Low A-

Veal

Billek

Downs

Estrada?

Yepez?

[Bear Cub]

Will the minor lge rosters be announced on Monday?

[CubinNY]

Cubs were standing on principle with this one and sending a message that talent alone isn't enough to get you promoted in this business. Attitude, work ethic and physical conditioning also factor into the equation.

 

Production and nothing else should be what gets a guy promoted. But in the world of baseball that is rarely the case.

[Chris]

Will the minor lge rosters be announced on Monday?

 

Yep. We'll know who is going where very soon!

[CubsWin]

Cubs were standing on principle with this one and sending a message that talent alone isn't enough to get you promoted in this business. Attitude, work ethic and physical conditioning also factor into the equation.

 

Production and nothing else should be what gets a guy promoted. But in the world of baseball that is rarely the case.

In the context of the Sisco debate, if production was the only measure and potential didn't come into play at all, I'm not sure Andy had produced enough that season to warrant protection.

 

I disagree that production should be the only measure to keep and promote a player through the minor league ranks. If that were the case, the Cubs would have kept Ronny Cedeno in low A-ball until last season. They would have cut loose Juan Cruz, he sucked until he figured it all out and rocketed through the system. I think a player's potential ability to produce should come into play when determining a player's worth as to whether he should get promoted and/or protected.

 

That said, I would have liked to see Sisco stay, but I understand the principles on which the Cubs seem to have been standing.