Minor Musings from Fitch, week of 3/11

[kalarmac]

Thanks for the updates.

 

What ever happened to Mark Reed? I'd actually forgotten about him. Is he still at catcher? How did he do last year and where is he likely to start this season?

 

As has been saiid, Mark is still in the organization catching. He spent September with instructionals and has been orking on his hitting. Also, from some of the pitchers for whom he caught, he needs to work on his calling of the game from behind the plate. He has been working out with Daytona this Spring and will probably end up there. He is fast as ehck on the bags, he just needs to figure out how to get on there more often.

 

As an aside, let me thank you all for letting me participate in all this talk. My wife, who does indeed know how to spell Ryno even if I don't, has made me into a baseball junkie. I'm glad to get a chance to talk with fans, learn from you all, and participate in some intelligent baseball conversation.

 

Keith, the Husband who now knows how to spell Ryno

[karenmac]

for those who may not have seen these:

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-070308ryno-photogallery,1,155603.photogallery?coll=cs-home-utility

 

these are likely some Chiefs, but really should be labeled "the guys he was coaching on Sunday" or whatever day it was...

 

thanks to my buddy Carl from work who told me about these :)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Aww, you guys are going to see the White Sox? You'll miss seeing Mark Prior pitching at Fitch!!

[Athletics36]

Hey everybody just returned from spending the past week in AZ and couldn't get enough baseball. I had the pleasure yesterday before I left to speak with a few coaches and some players. I was looking at the different fields and seeing who was with what team and see lots of player movements going on in the next week. Some of the players from "Big" lg camp were at Fitch yesterday with more to come in the next week. I must say that I am looking forward to if all pans out from rumours I have heard of the AA rotation of "Gallagher, Veal and Shark.

[rawaction]

Hey everybody just returned from spending the past week in AZ and couldn't get enough baseball. I had the pleasure yesterday before I left to speak with a few coaches and some players. I was looking at the different fields and seeing who was with what team and see lots of player movements going on in the next week. Some of the players from "Big" lg camp were at Fitch yesterday with more to come in the next week. I must say that I am looking forward to if all pans out from rumours I have heard of the AA rotation of "Gallagher, Veal and Shark.

 

Sucks for the Southern League hitters. I'd love to see that, if Sean only stays for a month or so (like I expect).

[Chris]

I must say that I am looking forward to if all pans out from rumours I have heard of the AA rotation of "Gallagher, Veal and Shark.

 

That would be pretty impressive

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Haha, Gallagher, Veal and Samardzija? That's a hell of a front end of the rotation.

[Guest]

I must say that I am looking forward to if all pans out from rumours I have heard of the AA rotation of "Gallagher, Veal and Shark.

 

That would be pretty impressive

Not quite as impressive as a AAA rotation anchored by Guzman and Prior, though. :)

[Chris]

Good thing for some teams that the league adopted the 5 game series. Could you imagine a 3 games series having to face them?

[Chris]

I must say that I am looking forward to if all pans out from rumours I have heard of the AA rotation of "Gallagher, Veal and Shark.

 

That would be pretty impressive

Not quite as impressive as a AAA rotation anchored by Guzman and Prior, though. :)

 

Depends on whether or not they're healthy.

 

Yeah, I went there. :lol:

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Good thing for some teams that the league adopted the 5 game series. Could you imagine a 3 games series having to face them?

 

Sort of like facing Prior, Wood and Z in the big leagues... (:()

[Chris]

Good thing for some teams that the league adopted the 5 game series. Could you imagine a 3 games series having to face them?

 

Sort of like facing Prior, Wood and Z in the big leagues... (:()

 

No way we drop games 6 & 7 at Wrigley [/bitter NLCS rant]

[karenmac]

hi all - pics are up and can be found here:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AaOHLdo2ZNWLmA

 

these are from Sunday 3/11 and Monday 3/12 - we'll post more after being at Fitch this weekend :D

[karenmac]

Aww, you guys are going to see the White Sox? You'll miss seeing Mark Prior pitching at Fitch!!

 

I think I can live with that somehow...we've seen him more than Chicagoans the last couple of years - I think he's pitched 3 games for the Chiefs :P

[Chris]

Thanks!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Nice pics!

[Bear Cub]

I will list most of the guys I saw working out with the Iowa group.

C- Corey Meyers, Tony Richie,and Chris Robinson

 

1b- Jason Hart, Jesse Hoorebeck, Val Pascucci

 

2b- Jemel Spearman, Derek Wathan

 

3b- Mike Fontenot, and Matt Craig

 

ss- Gary Cates

 

Of_ Tony Miller, Josh Kroeger, Jorge Cortez

 

P- JR Mathes, Chris Shaver, Nate Bland, Geoff Jones, Aldaberto Mendez, Frederico Baez, Felipe Almonte, Cory Bailey, Jim Henderson, Tom Atlee.

 

This was before the Monday cut downs.

[Bear Cub]

Chadd Blasko, Luke Hagerty, and Billy Petrick seemed to be taking part in all the drills.

 

Mitch Atkins was very impressive. Throwing very hard and was almost unhittable during his BP session.

 

Mike Mahoney was only coaching and wasnt taking part in any drills as a player.

 

Jake Muyco was very impressive behind the plate and seemed to be making good contact at the dish.

 

Matt Craig was working at 3b and 1b during drills.

 

Steve Clevenger was working out with the catchers.

 

I was impressed with the size of the pitchers. Some real big dudes.

 

There was close to 190 players in the minor lge camp. There also was over 20 managers and coaches.

 

Drew Rundle and Cliff Anderson were impressive in the cage.

 

Wilson Inoa was switch hitting.

 

Matt Camp was at 2b.

 

Lots of young Latins in camp.

 

Yusaf Carter looks like a future stud.

 

David Segui was in camp as a batting coach.

[craig]

Thanks bear, fun to read. Neat to hear that Blasko, Petrick, and Hagerty were fully involved in the drills. Would be kind of an unexpected treat if Petrick or Blasko showed up healthy and throwing well. The Guzman and Cherry stories are reminders that sometimes guys do come back as strong or stronger than ever, eventually.

 

The AAA group prior to cutdowns was obviously roster-fill galore, other than Shaver and Mendez, basically.

 

Positive impressions on Atkins, Carter, Rundle, and Anderson are encouraging. Atkins was awfully good last year, at age 20 in full-season, but hasn't been tabbed as a real high-level prospect yet. (I was somewhat disappointed that BA had Atkins and Scott Taylor only in the 25-30 range of the Cub prospects. But at 21, he's at an age where some guys plateau but others keep improving, sometimes significantly. His sinker last year was good enough/fast enough to be major league, his control wasn't bad, and while his breaking pitch was inconsistent and not big-league caliber, it may not have been that far off. If he's able to step everything up by some degree, an extra 1-2 mph of velocity, or a little better command/consistency, or perhaps a llittle better ability to avoid telegraphing the breaker and throw it with the same motion as the fastball, or just a little sharper cut and a little more consistent dive and less frequent hangers/flat breaking balls, it certainly wouldn't take much of an improvement chunk for him to become a serious value prospect. Let's hope so.

 

Good to hear that Clevenger was at C and Camp 2B. We've heard that talk, but often the position-to-catcher guys end up being used as utility guys, and don't ever actually catch enough to get much game action there. I'm hoping he goes 100% committed there, and that they like him well enough so that they instruct manager to actually play him in games at catcher, even if during his first year he has a few more passed balls and allows more WP's than an experienced catcher. Camp at 2nd sounds interesting, too. Lots easier to make it as a contact/OBP guy at 2nd than as an outfielder.

 

If either Rundle or Anderson could turn into something, that would be really fun, too.

 

Any arms that surprised you, or stuck out in some way? Any of the Latin pitchers who seemed to have notable arm strength?

 

Anyway, thanks for the notes. Fun to read.

[Bear Cub]

Some of the Latin arms who I saw throw bullpen sessions were Rafael Dolis, Larry Suarez, Greibal Cueves, and Jose Ceda. Ceda was very impressive with his stuff and control.

By the way, Jodie Davis remarked that Samardzija was pitching his way off the Daytona staff. I think I saw him face about 10/12 batters with the big Cubbies and I think he broke 6/7 bats.

He was by far the MOST impressive young thrower I saw.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

In the lower minors, I'm interested in following Carter, Ceda, Fuld and Atkins this year.

 

In the "do they have anything left" category, Blasko, Hagerty, Petrick, Johnson and Brownlie would be the pitchers to watch, for hitters, it's obviously now or never for Dopirak and Harvey.

 

In the high minors (AA and AAA), there are a lot of pitchers this year to be excited about. Given what's happened so far in Arizona, I am really pumped over Samardzija, I think he has to start off in AA, doesn't he? He has too much talent already to waste time in Daytona IMO.

 

I think Felix Pie, Eric Patterson and Tyler Colvin are the only three genuine hitting prospects we have, but all three look awfully good. And I really want to see Jake Fox some more, c'mon dude, can't you catch just a LITTLE bit?

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Some of the Latin arms who I saw throw bullpen sessions were Rafael Dolis, Larry Suarez, Greibal Cueves, and Jose Ceda. Ceda was very impressive with his stuff and control.

By the way, Jodie Davis remarked that Samardzija was pitching his way off the Daytona staff. I think I saw him face about 10/12 batters with the big Cubbies and I think he broke 6/7 bats.

He was by far the MOST impressive young thrower I saw.

 

Haha! Just as I post mine, you post this ahead of me. Good news! Yes, Ceda was an animal last year, he is worth getting excited about. And for all the Donnie Veal love around here (justified), am I the only one thinking Samardzija may well be our #1 prospect right now? Even ahead of Prince Felix?

[craig]

Some of the Latin arms who I saw throw bullpen sessions were Rafael Dolis, Larry Suarez, Greibal Cueves, and Jose Ceda. Ceda was very impressive with his stuff and control.

 

Thanks. Ceda has been noted for arm strength, but not control. If he has value control, then he could become a serious prospect. There have been questions about his weight; to your recall, did he look like he was in shape for now? Or like a dude who may need to fight and fight and fight to keep his weight under control?

 

Same for Suarez. There was some questin about whether he might have weight problems. He's obviously only HS-age now, so shouldn't look like a retired offensive lineman yet. But did he strike you as reasonably fit.

 

Dolis is pretty young (just 19) but even more raw (he switched from SS to pitcher just last year). Is he pretty slender, as if he might fill out a lot more? Or is he already pretty well put together? I'm sure he probably looked wild, he was a walk-machine last year. But did he look pretty fast? I'm thinking he might have a pretty good arm, but will just need quite a while in hopes that he can someday control it.

[Bear Cub]

I am guessing, but Ceda looked about 6'4'' and about 225. Looked like an animal who was in good shape. Suarez seemed to be in good shape too. No fat on his body. Dolis is more slender and raw. Cuevas and Estrada are really tall. In the 6'8" range.

Saw Brownlie throw a bullpen. The fastball wasnt there, but it was early in camp.

Any other questions? Ask away.

[roadster]

I am guessing, but Ceda looked about 6'4'' and about 225. Looked like an animal who was in good shape. Suarez seemed to be in good shape too. No fat on his body. Dolis is more slender and raw. Cuevas and Estrada are really tall. In the 6'8" range.

Saw Brownlie throw a bullpen. The fastball wasnt there, but it was early in camp.

Any other questions? Ask away.

 

Besides for drills, did Petrick, Blasko, and Haggerty throw any sessions? If so, how did they look?