Minor League Discussion & Boxes 5-4-2007

[Flames24Rulz]

Can someone post the up-to-date stats so far on Fox and Colvin? With Pie in the bigs, these two are the position players I'm most interested in.

 

Unrelated--if the Cubs could trade Izturis, is there any reason Fontenot couldn't be a reserve infielder at the ML level? He seems to hit OK, and I think he can play both 2B and 3B, right?

 

Fontenot can play any of the middle IF positions. There's no doubt in my mind that he could be a reserve IF for the Cubs. In my mind, he's a better option than Cedeno.

[Brian]

There's gotta be something we don't see with Fontenot. To be used as AAA roster filler by the Cubs and not picked up by any team in the Rule 5 draft.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Can someone post the up-to-date stats so far on Fox and Colvin? With Pie in the bigs, these two are the position players I'm most interested in.

 

Unrelated--if the Cubs could trade Izturis, is there any reason Fontenot couldn't be a reserve infielder at the ML level? He seems to hit OK, and I think he can play both 2B and 3B, right?

 

Jake Fox: .319/.337/.538/.875. That's an ugly IsoD.

Tyler Colvin: .322/.361/.522/.883

[CaliforniaRaisin]

IowaCubs.com[/url]"]Cubs hold off Zephyrs

 

Eric Patterson collected three hits, including a two-run homer, to lead visiting Iowa to a 9-6 triumph over New Orleans on Friday.

After Chris Walker lifted a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, Patterson sent his second homer of the season over the center-field wall to give the Cubs (14-15) an 8-1 lead.

 

Scott Moore and Buck Coats each added three hits and an RBI for Iowa, which won for just the second time in its last 10 road games.

 

Cubs starter Ryan O'Malley (1-2) picked up the win, despite allowing six runs -- three earned -- one seven hits and three walks in six innings. Cory Bailey pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his first save.

 

Andy Tracy, who went 3-for-4 and scored twice, and Chip Ambres had RBI doubles in the fourth for the Zephyrs. Ricky Ledee added a run-scoring single, but New Orleans (15-15) dropped its fourth straight.

 

Clint Nageotte (1-1) surrendered eight runs on nine hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings in his first start of the season for the Zephyrs. His ERA climbed from 7.71 to 10.57. --Marc Jimenez/MLB.com

 

SmokiesBaseball.com[/url]"]Craig and Smokies pound Barons Friday Night at Regions Park in front of 6150

 

Tennessee scored four in the first inning capped off by a Matt Craig three-run homerun. Craig would drive in a total of six in the contest in a 3-for-4 night with two walks.

 

The Smokies added two more to the advantage in their second at bat. Josh Kroger had a bases loaded infield hit and Craig walked with the bags still loaded.

 

Things kept getting worse after Birmingham scored one in the second. Smokies split it wide open with a three run fourth. Jake Fox, Craig and Brian Dopirak all had run scoring hits making the score 9-1.

 

Tennessee blasted away in the seventh inning blistering Barons pitching for six more runs. The Smokies had seven straight batters reach base safely including five singles in a row.

 

With the lead at 15-1 Chris Robinson added a ninth inning run scoring single.

 

Mark Holliman pitched six innings to earn his fourth win to no defeats. Holliman yielded six hits and one run with one walk and four strikeouts.

 

DaytonaCubs.com[/url]"]Cubs Laugh Last at Mets

An Extra Inning Affair Gives Daytona the Series

Jeanine Jiannetti

 

As the Mets (12-16) bid, the Cubs (15-13) called and raised to take the pot and win 7-6 in extra innings Friday night. Jeff Samardzija (0-1) received his fifth no decision in six starts, still awaiting his first win even though Daytona had a season high of 15 hits.

 

On the first pitch of the ball game the Mets’ Sean Henry (2-5) took Samardzija deep to left field. Daniel Murphy (2-5) had a double and was driven in on a Drew Butera (2-4) RBI to set the Mets up to an early lead.

 

The Cubs answered with back-to-back doubles from Tyler Colvin (2-6) and Jesus Valdez (1-5). Ryan Harvey (2-4) drew the walk while Robinson Chirinos (2-5) and Alberto Garcia (3-4) continued with consecutive RBI. Every Cubs batter had a chance to take a hack in the first inning. The Mets starter, left-hander Jonathan Niese (2-1) only lasted two-thirds of an inning allowing three earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

 

Daytona froze St. Lucie through the next five innings. In the top of the sixth, Samardzija allowed two runs on three hits before being replaced. With a runner on third, reliever Grant Johnson sat down the next two batters but, an RBI single scored a third run that was charged to Samardzija after he left the game. Samardzija allowed a season high 11 hits and five earned runs while striking out three and walking none.

 

The Cubs’ bullpen came through strong as the Mets and Cubs danced back-and-forth at the plate. Jerry Blevins (0.50 ERA) had six batters go up and down and Jon Mueller (2-1) shut down the side in the tenth inning to earn the win.

 

Chris Amador (3-6) had a two run jack on a 3-0 pitch. The Cubs have four homeruns in as many games. Alberto Garcia (3-4) also produced, reaching base four times with an RBI and scored a run.

 

Daytona had the bases loaded twice with two outs and were unable to come through and left a total of 13 runners on base. The Cubs were able to battle back and score seven runs on 15 hits, including a walk-off RBI for the second night in a row. Colvin had the game winning single to score Amador to take the series over the Mets 2-1.

 

PeoriaChiefs.com[/url]"]Chiefs Fall to FTW in 11

 

Fort Wayne, IN – Javis Diaz drove home Matt Stocc0 with an 11th inning single to send the Peoria Chiefs to a 3-2 loss Friday night at Fort Wayne ’s Memorial Stadium. The Chiefs tied the Wizards with a two run ninth in the first game of an eleven game road trip.

 

Jeremy Papelbon (1-1) started the 11th for the Chiefs and retired the leadoff man before the #9 hitter Matt Stocco doubled down the left field line. After getting ahead of Diaz 0 and 2, Diaz lifted a soft liner to left. DJ Lewis came up throwing and his one-hopper beat Stocco to the plate but the runner avoided the tag and scored the game winner before catcher Wellington Castillo could recover.

 

Neither team did much offensively in the first five innings though Fort Wayne stranded four runners against Peoria starter Marco Carrillo. With the game in the hands of the bullpen in the sixth, the Wizards struck against Jayson Ruhlman. With two outs, Ruhlman walked Daryl Jones, gave up an infield single to Mike Campbell and walked Kyler Burke to load the bases. Jesus Lopez brought home the first runs of the game with a two-run single back up the middle.

 

Peoria loaded the bases in the seventh on three consecutive one-out walks. Wizards reliever Brooks Dunn got Yusuf Carter to pop up to shallow center and Josh Lansford bounced out to short as the Chiefs left the bases loaded.

 

The Chiefs finally got on the board against Fort Wayne closer RJ Rodriguez in the top of the ninth. Russ Canzler led off with an infield single and move to second on a basehit by Wellington Castillo. DJ :Lewis drove home Canzler with a single to right and Carter tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left. A groundout moved Lewis to third and Dylan Johnston walked before Rodriguez struck out Matt Camp to end the inning.

 

Spot starter Marco Carrillo was outstanding through five innings for the Chiefs. He didn’t allow a run and gave up just two hits while striking out two. Ruhlman allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in his lone inning of work. Fort Wayne starter Orlando Lara took a no-decision with 6 1/3 shutout innings in which he allowed three hits and one walk with four strike outs. Derek McDaid (2-0) threw the last two innings, allowing just one hit to pick up the win.

 

Gorman’s Pub Player of the game: Marco Carrillo (SP) – Making his second spot start this week, Carrillo threw a season high five shutout innings. He allowed a pair of hits and two walks while striking out two. He has not allowed a run in either of his two starts.

 

Notes… This series features former teammates and good friends Ryne Sandberg and Wizards Manager Doug Dascenzo in a head to head matchup.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Daytona News-Journal[/url]"]"I struggled at the plate a little bit," said Colvin, the Chicago Cubs' first-round draft pick last year. "I started out with a double, but I struck out three straight times. It's tough. You really have to stay focused on the game when that happens. Luckily I came back up and got the job done."

 

Amador had an impressive all-around game, going 3-for-6 with two RBIs on a fourth-inning homer. The right fielder also threw out a Mets runner at home early in the game.

 

"(Amador) did a great job tonight," Colvin said. "He hit the ball hard just about every at-bat. They tried to test him arm and he showed them what he has."

 

Amador set up the game-winning scenario when he singled to right with one out in the 10th and while on first base shook up Hinchman so much that the southpaw walked Matt Matulia. Colvin then followed with his 20th RBI of the season.

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/DCUBS050507.JPG

Daytona Cubs outfielder Chris Amador points to the crowd Friday after hitting a home run against the St. Lucie Mets at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

[TruffleShuffle]

anybody other than me think sam fuld could still make a decent 4th outfielder in the bigs?

[karenmac]

I continue to maintain that Sam Fuld is an amazing baseball player. I was glad to see him land in TN. He's very smart in his approach to the game - definitely think he'll make it to the bigs...just hard to see how, exactly, with the glut of OF talent with the cubs at present.

[CubColtPacer]

There's gotta be something we don't see with Fontenot. To be used as AAA roster filler by the Cubs and not picked up by any team in the Rule 5 draft.

 

I said the same thing a week or two ago, and CubinNY, who was at the Iowa game that night, replied with this reason why he hasn't been able to make it to the majors:

 

Fontenot, doesn't have a position. He cannot field.

 

If he's terrible at both the middle IF positions, that would explain why nobody was willing to take a chance on him even with his good bat.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

There's gotta be something we don't see with Fontenot. To be used as AAA roster filler by the Cubs and not picked up by any team in the Rule 5 draft.

 

I said the same thing a week or two ago, and CubinNY, who was at the Iowa game that night, replied with this reason why he hasn't been able to make it to the majors:

 

Fontenot, doesn't have a position. He cannot field.

 

If he's terrible at both the middle IF positions, that would explain why nobody was willing to take a chance on him even with his good bat.

 

I've heard he's decent at 2B, but he's definitely not a SS.

[ChiefsVoice]

anybody other than me think sam fuld could still make a decent 4th outfielder in the bigs?

 

I've said that since early in the 2005 season...he just flat out hits.

[YearofDaCubs]

Are Colvin's numbers good enough for him to be promoted to a higher level?

[Guest]

Are Colvin's numbers good enough for him to be promoted to a higher level?

 

Would like a higher OBP. It's only been a month and he already skipped Peoria, I'd definitely wait till at least midseason.

[Outshined_One]

Are Colvin's numbers good enough for him to be promoted to a higher level?

 

His BABIP is at an incredibly unsustainable level (over .390). While a .361 OBP is pretty good, his IsoD of .039 scares the crap out of me in terms of his future prospects. Even if he manages to be a .300 hitter for much of his career, a .340 OBP isn't going to endear me to the guy.

 

I'm happy for his success, but at the same time, I'm curious to see how he'll look 100 ABs from now.

[Guest]

Are Colvin's numbers good enough for him to be promoted to a higher level?

 

His BABIP is at an incredibly unsustainable level (over .390). While a .361 OBP is pretty good, his IsoD of .039 scares the crap out of me in terms of his future prospects. Even if he manages to be a .300 hitter for much of his career, a .340 OBP isn't going to endear me to the guy.

 

I'm happy for his success, but at the same time, I'm curious to see how he'll look 100 ABs from now.

Anyone care to plot a moving average of his k-rate? I think he's been making better contact recently, but that could just be perception.

[Outshined_One]

Anyone care to plot a moving average of his k-rate? I think he's been making better contact recently, but that could just be perception.

 

Last 10 Games

 

10 Ks in his last 38 ABs as opposed to 9 in his previous 52.

 

However, he has 3 BBs in his last 41 PAs as opposed to 1 in his previous 53. :shock:

[Guest]

Anyone care to plot a moving average of his k-rate? I think he's been making better contact recently, but that could just be perception.

 

Last 10 Games

 

10 Ks in his last 38 ABs as opposed to 9 in his previous 52.

 

However, he has 3 BBs in his last 41 PAs as opposed to 1 in his previous 53. :shock:

Thanks.

 

Boy it's tough to accurately gauge things just by casual observation.

[Outshined_One]

Anyone care to plot a moving average of his k-rate? I think he's been making better contact recently, but that could just be perception.

 

Last 10 Games

 

10 Ks in his last 38 ABs as opposed to 9 in his previous 52.

 

However, he has 3 BBs in his last 41 PAs as opposed to 1 in his previous 53. :shock:

Thanks.

 

Boy it's tough to accurately gauge things just by casual observation.

 

Hence why statistics are so darn nifty. :D