Minor League Rosters, Pawelek in relief

[Mephistopheles]

i knew he was hurt but was hoping for an update

 

so whats the deal with ryan harvey

 

Um, I don't follow tennis much--well, at all--so I don't know; who's the babe in your avatar? Holy smokes.

 

maria kirilenko

[CaliforniaRaisin]

just got back from the Peoria "Meet the Chiefs" dinner that the booster club does when the guys get into town. Kevin Green went around to each and every table and introduced himself - very cool. I sat next to Alex Maestri and across from Jeremy Papelbon. Both super nice guys - my husband was sitting next to Yusuf Carter, Dylan Johnston, Mark Pawelek and DJ Lewis. Pretty sure the conversation over there had to do with Mark buying this van he saw and painting it like the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo. Anyway, the food was good as was the company.

 

In his comments to the crowd, Sandberg was excited about being in Peoria and sounded genuinely thrilled with the talent that he got for this team. Their spring training record was 11-3, so let's hope that bodes well for the upcoming season.

 

The guys were practicing with the lights on after dinner, so spent a few minutes outside watching drills. Valerio Heredia looks super in center - he wasn't practicing there when we were in AZ a few weeks back, but his arm is super from center to 3rd, for instance - either 1 hop or no hopped it there...otherwise, it was kind of hard to tell who was who, as it got cold here while we were in eating. It was probably 60 when I went in, but 45 by the time practice started. Everyone had fleece on, and a few had changed numbers from what was printed on the initial roster Nate was kind enough to provide. Lots of media types on hand to get footage (as well as interviews, I would guess) so those of you in the Peoria area should be on the lookout for something in the sports segments coming soon.

 

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/040407/CHI_BCR25I4I.076.php

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Bloomington Pantagraph[/url]"]PEORIA -- Mark Pawelek is anxious to “make a statement” this season as a Chicago Cubs minor league pitcher.

 

That is partially because the Cubs were not fond of the statement Pawelek made a year ago.

 

“I wanted to make a statement by coming in in shape and showing the Cubs I want to play,” said Pawelek. “I had a (workout) routine in the offseason I followed real well. I put on a little more lean muscle.”

 

A first-round draft choice in 2005 out of Springville (Utah) High School, Pawelek showed up for spring training in 2006 overweight.

 

Displeased, the Cubs left Pawelek in extended spring training before sending him to Boise of the short-season Northwest League and not Peoria.

 

“Basically, I worked my butt off so I could play good this year and break with the team. I’m here in Peoria so I’m thankful for that,” said Pawelek at the team’s media day earlier this week at O’Brien Field. “I wanted to break with these guys last year, but it wasn’t in the cards. I didn’t work hard enough to get here.”

 

Now listed at 190 pounds, the 6-foot-3 Pawelek got as high as 220 pounds last spring. The excess weight brought his fastball from the mid-90s to the 88 to 92 range.

 

The highest-drafted Utah high schooler ever, Pawelek was 3-5 with a 2.51 ERA in 61 innings at Boise. He struck out 52 and walked 23.

 

“Last year I started off a little bad but finished strong. I want to finish stronger than I started,” Pawelek said. “I didn’t prepare myself last year like I prepared myself this year. Hopefully, this will be a different year.”

 

Despite solid numbers, the lack of progress led to Baseball America dropping Pawelek to No. 10 on the Cubs’ list of prospects. He was No. 2 in 2006.

 

“I try not to think about that. It gets in my head,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter. I’ll play the game day to day. I will basically dictate how I’ll do.”

 

Pawelek is not slated to be part of the Chiefs’ starting rotation to begin the season.

 

“I’ll start in the bullpen so I get the feel of things,” said the 20-year-old. “I like being a long-term starter. I can maintain my strength through the whole game. Right now I’m struggling a little bit with command in the (strike) zone. But once I get that down, I’ll go back to the starting rotation.”

[CUBZ99]

Bloomington Pantagraph[/url]"]PEORIA -- Mark Pawelek is anxious to “make a statement” this season as a Chicago Cubs minor league pitcher.

 

That is partially because the Cubs were not fond of the statement Pawelek made a year ago.

 

“I wanted to make a statement by coming in in shape and showing the Cubs I want to play,” said Pawelek. “I had a (workout) routine in the offseason I followed real well. I put on a little more lean muscle.”

 

A first-round draft choice in 2005 out of Springville (Utah) High School, Pawelek showed up for spring training in 2006 overweight.

 

Displeased, the Cubs left Pawelek in extended spring training before sending him to Boise of the short-season Northwest League and not Peoria.

 

“Basically, I worked my butt off so I could play good this year and break with the team. I’m here in Peoria so I’m thankful for that,” said Pawelek at the team’s media day earlier this week at O’Brien Field. “I wanted to break with these guys last year, but it wasn’t in the cards. I didn’t work hard enough to get here.”

 

Now listed at 190 pounds, the 6-foot-3 Pawelek got as high as 220 pounds last spring. The excess weight brought his fastball from the mid-90s to the 88 to 92 range.

 

The highest-drafted Utah high schooler ever, Pawelek was 3-5 with a 2.51 ERA in 61 innings at Boise. He struck out 52 and walked 23.

 

“Last year I started off a little bad but finished strong. I want to finish stronger than I started,” Pawelek said. “I didn’t prepare myself last year like I prepared myself this year. Hopefully, this will be a different year.”

 

Despite solid numbers, the lack of progress led to Baseball America dropping Pawelek to No. 10 on the Cubs’ list of prospects. He was No. 2 in 2006.

 

“I try not to think about that. It gets in my head,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter. I’ll play the game day to day. I will basically dictate how I’ll do.”

 

Pawelek is not slated to be part of the Chiefs’ starting rotation to begin the season.

 

“I’ll start in the bullpen so I get the feel of things,” said the 20-year-old. “I like being a long-term starter. I can maintain my strength through the whole game. Right now I’m struggling a little bit with command in the (strike) zone. But once I get that down, I’ll go back to the starting rotation.”

 

He made so much of a statement they put him in relief. Here is hoping that Pawelek can some how get it together and become the pitcher we thought he would be.

[RichHillIsABeast]

What the heck? He came into camp in shape but didn't make the rotation? Command? Something smells fishy.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

What the heck? He came into camp in shape but didn't make the rotation? Command? Something smells fishy.

 

I don't think so. I've heard from a few people he had awful command during spring training. And he had that problem the past two seasons in Mesa and Boise.

[RichHillIsABeast]

What the heck? He came into camp in shape but didn't make the rotation? Command? Something smells fishy.

 

I don't think so. I've heard from a few people he had awful command during spring training. And he had that problem the past two seasons in Mesa and Boise.

 

What's the problem? He didn't have extreme control issues in HS.

[Guest]

What the heck? He came into camp in shape but didn't make the rotation? Command? Something smells fishy.

 

I don't think so. I've heard from a few people he had awful command during spring training. And he had that problem the past two seasons in Mesa and Boise.

 

What's the problem? He didn't have extreme control issues in HS.

In high school, he could throw it down the middle and blow everyone away.

 

When he was drafted, they talked about some mechanical issues. It seems that he has had them each spring, then gets straightened out during the year.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

What the heck? He came into camp in shape but didn't make the rotation? Command? Something smells fishy.

 

I don't think so. I've heard from a few people he had awful command during spring training. And he had that problem the past two seasons in Mesa and Boise.

 

What's the problem? He didn't have extreme control issues in HS.

In high school, he could throw it down the middle and blow everyone away.

 

When he was drafted, they talked about some mechanical issues. It seems that he has had them each spring, then gets straightened out during the year.

 

Yup. And the pitching coach who is credited with really helping him last season in Boise is now the pitching coach at Peoria.

[RichHillIsABeast]

What the heck? He came into camp in shape but didn't make the rotation? Command? Something smells fishy.

 

I don't think so. I've heard from a few people he had awful command during spring training. And he had that problem the past two seasons in Mesa and Boise.

 

What's the problem? He didn't have extreme control issues in HS.

In high school, he could throw it down the middle and blow everyone away.

 

When he was drafted, they talked about some mechanical issues. It seems that he has had them each spring, then gets straightened out during the year.

 

Yup. And the pitching coach who is credited with really helping him last season in Boise is now the pitching coach at Peoria.

 

Thanks Raisin and Tim.

 

The PC in question is David Rosario, is he not?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Yup, David Rosario.