Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-6-2007

[abuck1220]

on the radio bailey said pie had some tightness or something in his upper leg. he said he'd be fine.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Here's a write-up on the Smokies game.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

DaytonaCubs.com[/url]"]After a long anticipated wait, Jeff Samardzija took the mound tonight for the first time as a Daytona Cub. The crowd sporting mostly Notre Dame Caps and T-shirts showed up to Space Coast Stadium as the former All-American UND football player made his debut. Among the spectators included Illinois Senator, William Delgado and Notre Dame Head Football Coach, Charlie Weiss.

 

Samardzija chose a career in professional baseball over the NFL back in January of this year. After he signed a five-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, Samardzija was optioned to Advanced-A Daytona at the end of Spring Training.

 

Through five sound innings, Samardzija received the no decision. He was able to get most of the Manatees out on ground and fly balls, allowing five hits, while recording only one strike out in his first outing.

 

The game tonight was literally an arms race. Both pitchers, Samardzija and Manatees, Will Inman, held the opposing batters to one run each through five innings. Neither Cubs nor Manatees relievers allowed any runs as the game continued throughout regulation.

 

In the top of the eleventh, Manatees pitcher Luis Pena loaded the bases. On Kyle Reynolds sacrifice fly to centerfield, Nate Spears scored the go ahead run for the Cubs.

 

In the bottom of the inning, Cubs reliever Billy Petrick struggled allowing three consecutive singles to Manatees batters, scoring one. Petrick then walked J.R. Hopf to load the bases. A fly ball to centerfield advanced the final run to split the series 1-1 with Brevard.

 

SmokiesBaseball.com[/url]"]Jacksonville, Fla. – The Jacksonville Suns used two-run triples from Anthony Raglani and Luis Maza to support strong pitching en route to a 5-0 victory over the Tennessee Smokies Friday night. The Suns improved to 1-1 on the early 2007 season while the Smokies fell to 1-1 in the loss.

 

Jacksonville opened the scoring in the second inning when Anthony Raglani belted a line drive to right field that went through the Tennessee right fielder Josh Kroeger and rolled all the way to the wall. Raglani ended up at third with a triple while Luke Allen and A.J. Ellis scored to open a 2-0 lead.

 

The Suns added onto the lead in the fourth inning when A.J. Ellis drove home Luke Allen with a single to open a 3-0 lead. Following two strikeouts and the exit of starting pitcher Donnie Veal, Luis Maza belted a two-run triple to left-centerfield that scored both Xavier Paul and A.J. Ellis to open a 5-0 Suns advantage.

 

On the other side, Jacksonville starter William Juarez pitched seven solid innings while allowing seven scattered hits and two walks with two strikeouts. The Suns defense turned three double plays behind him, all three ending innings.

 

Suns reliever Jon Meloan retired all six batters he faced in the eighth and ninth innings, including the first five with strikeouts.

 

Number two Chicago Cubs prospect Donnie Veal struggled in his first Double-A outing with Tennessee, allowing all five runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

 

The Suns and Smokies play the third game of the series Saturday at 7:05 p.m. The Smokies will send Justin Berg to the mound to oppose Jacksonville’s lefthander Eric Cyr.

 

IowaCubs.com[/url]"]Micah Hoffpauir had a pair of doubles and two RBIs as Iowa defeated Round Rock, 6-2, on Friday at The Dell Diamond.

Hoffpauir was part of a three-run first inning for the Cubs (1-1) as he singled and scored on Buck Coats' base hit. Two innings later, Hoffpauir laced a two-run double to center, plating Eric Patterson and Felix Pie to give Iowa a 5-0 lead.

 

Hoffpauir went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

 

Cubs starter Randy Wells (1-0) held the Express (1-1) hitless through four innings before Danny Klassen led off the fifth with a double. The 24-year-old right-hander maintained his shutout bid until the sixth, when top prospect Hunter Pence belted a one-out pitch the other way to right-center field for his first Triple-A homer.

 

Wells was charged with one run on two hits over six innings, walking two and striking out three.

 

Brooks Conrad plated Josh Anderson with the Express' other run with a two-out double in the eighth. Klassen had two hits for Round Rock.

 

Starter Matt Albers (0-1) suffered the loss, giving up six runs -- four earned -- on five hits and two walks while striking out three in three innings.

[CubinNY]

Anyone have Shark's GB/FB ratio? With the lack of Ks, I'd hope he had the GB working.

 

I think it is too early to worry about the number of K's. From what I have seen, the K's will come as he matures as a pitcher.

 

Given his track record in college, the lack of ks is something to worry about. However, giving up only one run is great all of the time. Maybe he's going to become more of a sinker baller than a strike out pitcher.

[Outshined_One]

Anyone have Shark's GB/FB ratio? With the lack of Ks, I'd hope he had the GB working.

 

I think it is too early to worry about the number of K's. From what I have seen, the K's will come as he matures as a pitcher.

 

Given his track record in college, the lack of ks is something to worry about. However, giving up only one run is great all of the time. Maybe he's going to become more of a sinker baller than a strike out pitcher.

 

I think it's a sign of a guy who doesn't have a viable strikeout pitch yet. He can overpower other hitters with his fastball without much trouble, but his slider and change are nowhere near as good as it.

 

The hope is that, with time, both will become good enough pitches.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Anyone have Shark's GB/FB ratio? With the lack of Ks, I'd hope he had the GB working.

 

I think it is too early to worry about the number of K's. From what I have seen, the K's will come as he matures as a pitcher.

 

Given his track record in college, the lack of ks is something to worry about. However, giving up only one run is great all of the time. Maybe he's going to become more of a sinker baller than a strike out pitcher.

 

His track record in college also indicated a guy who topped out in the upper 80s.

 

He already has sink on his fastball and should get quite a lot of groundballs - he's still learning his slider and changeup and as those progress, he should start racking up the Ks.

 

As craig would say, just look at Zambrano at A-ball.

[KingCubsFan]

Anyone know why Colvin didn't play?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Des Moines Register[/url]"]"We've got some guys swinging the bats pretty well," said Bailey, who is 1-1 as the Cubs' skipper. "(Second baseman Eric) Patterson and Hoffpauir the last two days have squared up a lot of balls, and hopefully that continues."

 

Starter Randy Wells got the victory, giving up just one run on two hits and two walks in six innings.

 

"Starting pitching dictates the whole flow of the game," Bailey said. "If they're crisply throwing strikes and are working ahead, it keeps the flow of the game going. It was good to see Wells give us the opportunity to save some innings for the bullpen."

 

Iowa pitcher Rocky Cherry, who nearly made the Chicago Cubs roster after a terrific spring training in Arizona, struck out four in 1innings before Clay Rapada got the game's final out.

 

Daytona Beach News-Journal[/url]"]"When you get guys to pitch like that, you've got to get them more runs," Daytona manager Jody Davis said. "I liked (Samardzija's) aggressiveness. I like the way he went after guys."

 

The former star wide receiver wasn't surprised to leave the game early.

 

"I knew my pitch count was about 75," said Samardzija, who threw exactly 75 pitches -- 51 for strikes. "I felt good out there. It was the first game, and I was a little excited."

 

Samardzija said he didn't notice the home team was playing fight songs from former Fighting Irish rivals.

 

"You've got to expect that a little," Samardzija said. "I didn't really notice. If they did, they did. It wasn't the first time, and it probably won't be the last."

 

...

 

Davis said Samardzija's performance didn't surprise him.

 

"That's kind of the way he pitched in Peoria, and the way he threw this spring," Davis said. "He was very poised. That's basically what we want from all of our pitchers. Hopefully, we'll get them some more runs in the future."

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Anyone know why Colvin didn't play?

 

He left the first game early too. I guess it could be an injury but I'm not sure. Hopefully Derek can chime in.

[CubinNY]

Anyone have Shark's GB/FB ratio? With the lack of Ks, I'd hope he had the GB working.

 

I think it is too early to worry about the number of K's. From what I have seen, the K's will come as he matures as a pitcher.

 

Given his track record in college, the lack of ks is something to worry about. However, giving up only one run is great all of the time. Maybe he's going to become more of a sinker baller than a strike out pitcher.

 

His track record in college also indicated a guy who topped out in the upper 80s.

 

He already has sink on his fastball and should get quite a lot of groundballs - he's still learning his slider and changeup and as those progress, he should start racking up the Ks.

 

As craig would say, just look at Zambrano at A-ball.

 

That's true but Zambrano wasn't 22 in low A.

 

Don't get me wrong, I have high hopes for him, but at the same time I'm trying to be realistic too.

[Andy]

There's only one "s" in Weis. Someday, people will get that right - although I guess I should make allowances for a Class A team's Web site.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2007/04/07/QmFjvOkP.jpg

 

http://daytonacubs.com/images/news/1175913630.jpg