Minor League Discussion & Boxes 7-6-2006

[otis89]

What are Hill, Wuertz, and Ligtenberg doing in AAA?

[Jon]

Ligtenberg should have some value to some team. He'll be 36 next year and four years removed from his last effective season. Considering he's not on the 40-man roster, he probably doesn't have much value to the Cubs right now.

 

I do like those 4 walks in 31.1 IP, though.

[2242005CY]

I'm gonna get flamed for this opinion and it might be considered blasphemy by some to make such an opinion on his "pitching day" but, Hill isn't do anything different in Iowa than he was doing before the Cubs called him up. He's absolutely dominating.

 

Having said that, I can tell you from what I saw of him in the Majors, is a guy with 2 pitches and who had trouble locating his curve and most importantly his fastball and couldn't keep his fastball down in the zone. In the Majors that equals diasaster. He obviously can get by with his curve in the Minors but in the Majors he won't be able to survive with just his curveball and not overpowering fastball, which again, he couldn't keep down in the zone. Has he magicly come up with a quality 3rd pitch in Iowa? That would be great and hopefully he has improved his change up and added a quality cutter, which he has to come up with to be successful at the MLB level.

 

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve another chance, cuz I think he does. He does deserve 1 more chance to prove himself and hopefully alot of his struggles were due to putting much pressure on himself, but he still has to come up with an quality cutter to be an effective pitcher at this level.

 

He is getting hot though in the right time, if you know what I mean.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I'm gonna get flamed for this opinion and it might be considered blasphemy by some to make such an opinion on his "pitching day" but, Hill isn't do anything different in Iowa than he was doing before the Cubs called him up. He's absolutely dominating.

 

Having said that, I can tell you from what I saw of him in the Majors, is a guy with 2 pitches and who had trouble locating his curve and most importantly his fastball and couldn't keep his fastball down in the zone. In the Majors that equals diasaster. He obviously can get by with his curve in the Minors but in the Majors he won't be able to survive with just his curveball and not overpowering fastball, which again, he couldn't keep down in the zone. Has he magicly come up with a quality 3rd pitch in Iowa? That would be great and hopefully he has improved his change up and added a quality cutter, which he has to come up with to be successful at the MLB level.

 

Hill definitely could use a 3rd pitch, but you can't tell me he's doing the same thing in the big leagues as he is at Iowa in terms of his FB location. He has only given up 2 HRs this season at Iowa - his FB location has got to be much better than it has been in the big leagues for him to do that (especially given his gopher ball problems last season).

 

I'm guessing Hill is doing a few other things better at Iowa as compared to his big league stint - the gap in talent isn't that big.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Daytona's game is being delayed because of "wet grounds." Ahh, the good ol' FSL.

[otis89]

Wow. I just realized Chris Shaver must get absolutely no run support. A 4-5 record with a 2.17 ERA? That's life in the Chicago Cubs organization.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The DJaxx are up 1-0 after 1. Chris Walker tripled and Nic Jackson hit a sac fly.

 

It's scoreless in the middle of the first in Daytona. Berg gave up 3 singles in the inning to load the bases (with one out), but got out of the jam unscathed.

 

After 2, it's scoreless in Peoria. Davey Gregg and Ryne Malone have the Chiefs' 2 singles.

[cubweiser03]

This is getting pretty ridiculous for Hill. He's pitching REALLY well in AAA.

It doesnt make sense a guy can do this well in AAA and suck so bad in the majors. I wouldnt expect him to pitch like this in MLB but something like a 4.50 ERA shouldnt be unrealistic.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The DJaxx are up 2-1 after 3. Chris Shaver singled in the 3rd, Walker followed with a single, Nic Jackson had a 2-out walk and then Brian Dopirak hit an RBI IF single to score Shaver for the Jaxx' 2nd run of the evening.

 

Daytona leads 2-1 midway through the 3rd. Berg just gave up that run here in the 3rd. Daytona scored twice on a Sprowl sac fly and a Craig solo HR.

 

Peoria is up 1-0 after 5. YUSUF wend deep for the 6th time this year.

[Outshined_One]

Peoria is up 1-0 after 5. YUSUF wend deep for the 6th time this year.

 

6 HRs in ~100 ABs at Peoria. Nice.

[mg420]

I'm gonna get flamed for this opinion and it might be considered blasphemy by some to make such an opinion on his "pitching day" but, Hill isn't do anything different in Iowa than he was doing before the Cubs called him up. He's absolutely dominating.

 

Having said that, I can tell you from what I saw of him in the Majors, is a guy with 2 pitches and who had trouble locating his curve and most importantly his fastball and couldn't keep his fastball down in the zone. In the Majors that equals diasaster. He obviously can get by with his curve in the Minors but in the Majors he won't be able to survive with just his curveball and not overpowering fastball, which again, he couldn't keep down in the zone. Has he magicly come up with a quality 3rd pitch in Iowa? That would be great and hopefully he has improved his change up and added a quality cutter, which he has to come up with to be successful at the MLB level.

 

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve another chance, cuz I think he does. He does deserve 1 more chance to prove himself and hopefully alot of his struggles were due to putting much pressure on himself, but he still has to come up with an quality cutter to be an effective pitcher at this level.

 

He is getting hot though in the right time, if you know what I mean.

 

i think you are way off base here. the difference between aaa hill and ml hill is his control or lack thereof. 16bb in 77ip vs 15bb in 19ip tells the whole story. as far as 2 pitches, as has been said before look no further than zito who has excelled in the majors with pretty much the same stuff that hill has. if hill can change speeds on the pitches he does have and throw strikes, there is no reason why he cant be a very good starter in the majors.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Apparently FiberPipe is trying to charge me to watch Samardizja pitch. :x Screw that, I'll watch the UCLA defense batter him up in a few months instead.

 

Anyways, midway through the 5th, Boise leads Tri-City 2-1. Samardzija went 4 and gave up 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 K and 1 HBP. Ruzz Canzler, Alfred Joseph and DJ "Hollywood" Lewis have gotten hits for Boise so far.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The Jaxx are now up 8-2 on Chattanooga after 7. Everybody besides Moore and Rojas has a hit. Shaver went 7 and gave up 2 ER (8 Ks to boot).

 

Daytona is up 4-2 after 7. Berg went 5 and just gave up the one run. He had 7 Ks to just 1 BB. Ryan Harvey joined Craig in hitting a HR, his 8th. Phil Norton has pitched a scoreless inning of relief after being promoted from Mesa.

 

Peoria won 6-1. Blackford went 7, K'd 5 and gave up 1 unearned run for the win. Matt Avery struck out the only 4 guys he faced for his 7th save of the season.

[Illini Iceman]

His ERA drops to 1.81 on the AAA season. That was just the 2nd HR he has given up at AAA.

 

His AAA performance easily surpasses Guzman and Marmol who have surpassed him in the Cubs plans. What would be the harm in slotting him in the rotation from now until September just to see how he handles an elongated look. My guess is he'd perform at least as well as Marshall has this season.

 

At this point I can't see the logic of letting Marmol struggle in the rotation when he could use the AAA experience and letting Hill dominate at AAA when he could be getting an extended look at the big league level. They should set the rotation with Z, Prior, Maddux, Marshall, Hill and just leave it that way unless someone gets hurt or traded. Let Marmol, Guzman, and Ryu get innings at AAA.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

West Tenn ended up winning 13-2. And they did it without a HR.

 

Daytona won 4-3.

 

Boise up 4-1 in the middle of the 8th. Francisco, Clipp and Papelbon have provided strong relief.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

His ERA drops to 1.81 on the AAA season. That was just the 2nd HR he has given up at AAA.

 

His AAA performance easily surpasses Guzman and Marmol who have surpassed him in the Cubs plans. What would be the harm in slotting him in the rotation from now until September just to see how he handles an elongated look. My guess is he'd perform at least as well as Marshall has this season.

 

At this point I can't see the logic of letting Marmol struggle in the rotation when he could use the AAA experience and letting Hill dominate at AAA when he could be getting an extended look at the big league level. They should set the rotation with Z, Prior, Maddux, Marshall, Hill and just leave it that way unless someone gets hurt or traded. Let Marmol, Guzman, and Ryu get innings at AAA.

 

That's an excellent plan that I could be fully behind. I'd also try to trade Maddux ASAP to open up a spot for Guzman or Marmol.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Boise wins it 5-1. Papelbon goes the last 2.1 to get the save.

[sporrer17]

Jeremey taking after big bro and picking up the Save. I know it's only been 4 games for him, but Papelbon seems to be having no problems whatsoever with the Northwest League. If he keeps this up, he should be headed for Peoria rather quickly, wouldn't you think? He's going to have to move quickly, as he's already 23.

 

1-0,2 S, 11.1 IP, 12/3 K/BB, 3 H

[abuck1220]

ho hum...another seven inning, k per inning, 1-2 hit allowed gem from hill. should have gone to watch him tonight instead of watching the big league club flail about hopelessly in milwaukee...

[NCCubFan]

should have gone to watch him tonight instead of watching the big league club flail about hopelessly in milwaukee...

You should have known better. [-X

[Lefty]

How many other organizations would still have Hill in AAA with the way he's pitched since his demotion while having inept pitching at the Major League level? I don't care how bad he was in his last time up. The man deserves to be on the big club and should be given a real chance.

 

This should be a prerequisite for whoever replaces Baker.

[goonys evil twin]

How many other organizations would still have Hill in AAA with the way he's pitched since his demotion while having inept pitching at the Major League level? I don't care how bad he was in his last time up. The man deserves to be on the big club and should be given a real chance.

 

This should be a prerequisite for whoever replaces Baker.

 

The Cubs don't care about performance. They are upset that Hill broke some sort of unwritten rule by supporting his teammated. I've never heard of a player get called out that harshly be management for anything they've said to the press, let alone saying something that defends his own teammate. The Phillies were more supportive of a wife beater. The Cubs themselves were more supportive of a repeat DUI offender who never even played for them.

[Balsa]

How about that line from Negron...wow. We got some good talent I think.

[Brian]

Theriot's game winning hit is up on the milb.com main page, nothing special about it though he got alot of help from a terrible play by the CF.