April 29 Roster Moves

[Chris]

Layden Moves to Daytona; Chiefs Add Pitcher Koerber

Chiefs start 8-game homestand tonight

 

PEORIA, IL— The Peoria Chiefs in conjunction with the Chicago Cubs have announced that left-handed pitcher Tim Layden has been promoted to High-A Daytona of the Florida State League. Left-handed reliever Scott Koerber will take Layden’s place on the roster and is expected to be at O’Brien Field for tonight’s 6:30 PM game against Southwest Michigan.

 

Layden was phenomenal out of the Chiefs pen this season. In seven appearances he tossed 12 innings and allowed just three runs for a 2.25 ERA. He did not have a decision but did earn a save last Monday at O’Brien Field against Burlington. Layden, a 6th round pick in 2004 out of Duke, struck out 15 and walked just six. Last season he spend most of the year with the Chiefs going 4-4 with four saves before earning an August promotion to Daytona.

 

Koerber joins the Chiefs from extended spring training in Mesa, AZ. The 6-foot-4 left-hander was signed by the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in June 200 out of Michigan State. Last year Koerber was in Boise with a 1-1 record and 3.67 ERA in 23 bullpen appearances. Koerber struck out 23 in 34 1/3 innings and also earned a save. In 2004, Koerber was 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA in 15 games. In the 2004 Big Ten season he batter .352 with seven homers and 30 RBI in addition to his work in the mound.

 

The Chiefs kick off an eight game homestand tonight with the first post-game Fireworks show of the season. Saturday is also Peoria County Government Night and Donate Life Night at O’Brien Field as the Chiefs face the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays at 6:30 PM.

[Laura]

In the 2004 Big Ten season [Koerber] batted .352 with seven homers and 30 RBI in addition to his work in the mound.

 

He bats righty according to the baseball cube.

[Vinestal]

Im beging to wonder what is wrong with Pawlek. The real trouble with extended spring training is that no one knows what goes on there or who is doing what and when, its the perfect place the hide things. I hope he's not injured but I wonder why he hasnt been put in Peoria yet.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Im beging to wonder what is wrong with Pawelek. The real trouble with extended spring training is that no one knows what goes on there or who is doing what and when, its the perfect place the hide things. I hope he's not injured but I wonder why he hasnt been put in Peoria yet.

 

I don't think this is unexpected. Many people thought he wouldn't see Peoria this year, or at least until late in the season.

[Vinestal]

Im beging to wonder what is wrong with Pawelek. The real trouble with extended spring training is that no one knows what goes on there or who is doing what and when, its the perfect place the hide things. I hope he's not injured but I wonder why he hasnt been put in Peoria yet.

 

I don't think this is unexpected. Many people thought he wouldn't see Peoria this year, or at least until late in the season.

 

Why is that? I cant see how not pitching against meaningful competition can help him in any way. I thought high drafted highschool picks always pretty much went straight to Boise or Peoria. What types of things is he doing in Arizona? When does Boise's season start? Thats the short season rookie ball team correct?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Im beging to wonder what is wrong with Pawelek. The real trouble with extended spring training is that no one knows what goes on there or who is doing what and when, its the perfect place the hide things. I hope he's not injured but I wonder why he hasnt been put in Peoria yet.

 

I don't think this is unexpected. Many people thought he wouldn't see Peoria this year, or at least until late in the season.

 

Why is that? I cant see how not pitching against meaningful competition can help him in any way. I thought high drafted highschool picks always pretty much went straight to Boise or Peoria. What types of things is he doing in Arizona? When does Boise's season start? Thats the short season rookie ball team correct?

 

Boise doesn't start til later in the year. The thinking was with Pawelek's age it's best to bring him along slowly. Even more so if they are going to be modifying his mechanics, which they may be wanting to do IIRC(Someone else feel free to correct me).

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Im beging to wonder what is wrong with Pawelek. The real trouble with extended spring training is that no one knows what goes on there or who is doing what and when, its the perfect place the hide things. I hope he's not injured but I wonder why he hasnt been put in Peoria yet.

 

I don't think this is unexpected. Many people thought he wouldn't see Peoria this year, or at least until late in the season.

 

Why is that? I cant see how not pitching against meaningful competition can help him in any way. I thought high drafted highschool picks always pretty much went straight to Boise or Peoria. What types of things is he doing in Arizona? When does Boise's season start? Thats the short season rookie ball team correct?

 

Boise doesn't start til later in the year. The thinking was with Pawelek's age it's best to bring him along slowly. Even more so if they are going to be modifying his mechanics, which they may be wanting to do IIRC(Someone else feel free to correct me).

 

Yeah, he had mechanical flaws that needed to be corrected when he was drafted. I am disappointed that he hasn't surfaced in Peoria yet, but it's not even May yet. He was pitching in Mesa, so if he got hurt - it would have been after ST.

[Vinestal]

I didnt think about mechanics issues, I guess keeping him in extended spring training till the Boise season starts makes sense in that light. I do wish we had more news of how he is coming along.

[Brian]

It's still cold in Peoria, remeber in the Gallagher interview how much he said he hated the cold in Peoria and the Cubs have a ton more invested in Pawalek than Gallagher.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Considering the Cubs recent history with dealing with high drafted talented pitchers, I would be mad, if they didn't bring Pawelek slowly.

 

Blasko, Christensen, Hagerty, Clanton, and the beat goes on to high draft picks that has suffered injuries early in their careers. If they want to move Pawelek slowly, I would be more the ready to agree with them.

[Outshined_One]

Im beging to wonder what is wrong with Pawelek. The real trouble with extended spring training is that no one knows what goes on there or who is doing what and when, its the perfect place the hide things. I hope he's not injured but I wonder why he hasnt been put in Peoria yet.

 

I don't think this is unexpected. Many people thought he wouldn't see Peoria this year, or at least until late in the season.

 

Why is that? I cant see how not pitching against meaningful competition can help him in any way. I thought high drafted highschool picks always pretty much went straight to Boise or Peoria. What types of things is he doing in Arizona? When does Boise's season start? Thats the short season rookie ball team correct?

 

Correct.

 

Pawelek is likely working on a number of things down in Arizona. As it's been mentioned before, his delivery in college seemed like it could be problematic if it wasn't smoothed out in short order. For a guy that young, he absolutely has to learn clean mechanics and to be consistent with them. That takes time to learn.

 

Secondly, it's a lot easier to do this stuff down in Mesa because of the warmer and drier weather.

 

Finally, there's also the possibility that the Cubs are trying to strengthen his arm and build him up. If you take a look at Scott Taylor, who was also a well-regarded HS arm, he recently got bumped up to Peoria and made his first start on April 24th. Despite only giving up two hits, 1 unearned run, and no walks (along with 4 Ks), he only pitched 4.2 innings. Perhaps the hitters were doing a great job of working the count, but at such a low level, that seems unlikely, especially given the lack of walks.

 

It could be helpful for Paweleky to face a high level of competition, but if the Cubs feel that Pawelek would be best served by staying down in Arizona, I'll be inclined to agree with them.