Minor League Discussion & Boxes 7-13-2007

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost 6-5, box:

 

DH E. Patterson 0/4, K

CF F. Pie 0/4, K

SS R. Cedeño 0/4, K

RF M. Murton 2/3, 2 R, BB

1B J. Kroeger 1/3, R, HR (6), 3 RBI, BB, K

C T. Richie 1/2, R, HR (8), 2 RBI, E (5, throw)

SP K. Hart 6 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 8 H, 4 K/2 BB, HBP, WP, 3 HR, 10 GO-3 FO, 98 pitches (57 strikes)

 

Tennessee lost 4-1, box:

 

RF S. Fuld 0/4, 2 K

1B M. Craig 1/2, 2 BB, PO

C J. Fox 0/3, HBP

CF T. Colvin 1/4, R

LF J. Cortes 1/4, RBI

SS J. Simokaitis 1/3, 2 K, E (7, fielding)

SP D. Veal 5 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 4 K/2 BB, HBP, WP, 5 GO-6 FO, E (4, throw)

RP J. Blevins 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 1 K/3 BB, 1 GO-1 FO

 

Daytona won 4-0, box:

 

CF C. Walker 2/4, R, BB, K, CS (1), PO

RF C. Amador 1/5, RBI, SB (19)

1B B. Dopirak 0/4, 3 BB

DH R. Harvey 0/4, K

LF Y. Carter 2/4, R, HR (2), 2 RBI

2B N. Spears 1/3, 2B (12)

SP M. Atkins 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 8 K/1 BB, 6 GO-6 FO

RP S. Koerber 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 K/0 BB, 3 GO-3 FO

 

Peoria lost 8-3, box:

 

2B J. Mota 0/4, K

RF A. Joseph 1/3, RBI, HBP, E (7, fielding)

3B J. Lansford 1/4, K

1B D. Schermerhorn 1/4, R, K

C W. Castillo 0/4, 2 K

SS N. Samson 1/2, RBI, BB

SP R. Hernandez 5 IP, 7 ER, 7 H, 1 K/4 BB, 3 HR, 10 GO-4 FO

RP J. Pina 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 K/3 BB, 5 GO-0 FO

 

Boise won 11-9, box:

 

SS D. Johnston 0/3, R, 2 BB, K, E (14, fielding)

CF J. Wyatt 1/1, 3 R, 2B (5), 3 BB

3B M. Smith 2/3, 3 R, HR (1), 4 RBI, 2 BB

LF T. Wright 2/5, R, E (3, fielding), OF assist at second base

DH S. Clevenger 4/5, 2 R, 3 2B (8), 2 RBI

1B M. Sawyer 4/4, 2B (1), 4 RBI, BB

RF D. Rundle 1/5, RBI, 2 K

SP C. Huseby 5 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 K/1 BB, 2 HR, WP, 8 GO-5 FO, 65 pitches (40 strikes)

RP Z. Ashwood 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 K/1 BB, HBP, 2 GO-2 FO

 

Mesa won 9-7, box:

 

CF-RF L. Johnson 3/4, 2 R, 3 2B (5), 2 RBI, BB, 2 B (12)

SS D. Barney 2/5, R, 2B (3), RBI

2B T. Thomas 1/5, R, 3B (2), 2 RBI

RF Nelson Perez 1/3, R, HR (3), 3 RBI, K, OF assist at first base

DH C. Wen 1/5, 4 K - pro debut (22-year old Taiwanese OF)

C R. Sabates 2/4, R, 2B (1), RBI, K

3B G. Guzman 2/4, R, 2 K, PO, E (4, fielding)

SP L. Suarez 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 K/1 BB, HBP, 2 GO-6 FO

RP Y. Tuero 4.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K/1 BB, 6 GO- FO

RP K. Kreier 0.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 1 K/1 BB, 2 HR, 1 GO-0 FO

 

DSL Cubs won 7-3, box:

 

RF N. Pierre 1/5, 3B (1), K, SB (10)

2B J. Lake 0/5, R, 3 K

DH A. Hernandez 2/5, 3B (2), RBI, 2 K, PO

LF A. Soto 2/5, R, 2 SB (5)

CF A. Quezada 1/4, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 K, SB (4)

C A. Sosa 2/4, 3 R, 2B (5), RBI

1B J. Vigay 2/4, RBI

SP M. Perez 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 K/3 BB, 6 GO-3 FO

RP R. Reyes 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K/0 BB, 0 GO-5 FO

 

VSL Cubs/Twins lost 6-3, box:

 

C C. Romero 1/2, E (8, throw)

C J. Bracho 0/1, R, BB

SS G. Matheus 1/3, R, BB, E (9, fielding)

LF L. Andrades 0/3, K

PH J. Guevara 0/1, K

SP C. Rojas 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K/0 BB, 1 GO-1 FO

 

Overall: 4-4

Edited July 14, 2007 by CaliforniaRaisin

[Guest]

Probable Starters:

 

Iowa: RHP Kevin Hart (Tennessee: 7-5, 4.45 ERA, 97 IP) - Iowa debut

Tennessee: LHP Donnie Veal (5-6, 5.57 ERA, 84 IP)

Daytona: RHP Mitch Atkins (6-6, 3.10 ERA, 93 IP)

Peoria: RHP Robert Hernandez (3-4, 4.04 ERA, 49 IP)

Boise: RHP Chris Huseby (0-2, 3.60 ERA, 20 IP)

 

Hart (Tenn): 97 IP, 89 K/25 BB, .263 BAA

Veal: 84 IP, 83 K/54 BB, .270 BAA

Atkins: 93 IP, 69 K/24 BB, .235 BAA

Hernandez: 49 IP, 32 K/13 BB, .270 BAA

Huseby: 20 IP, 15 K/6 BB, .263 BAA

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The Don!

[Jon]

Hopefully he can come out a different pitcher for the last two months and finish strong.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Yay Hernandez

 

and Atkins too

[Guest]

Larry Suarez gets the nod for Mesa. Arguably the best pitching prospects on each team outside of Iowa today.

[Guest]

Someone by the name of Chih-Hsiang Wen has popped up on Mesa's roster and is DHing and batting 7th today. It looks like he's a 22-year old outfielder.

[killthegoat06]

Go Minor League Cubbies!!

[TruffleShuffle]

Someone by the name of Chih-Hsiang Wen has popped up on Mesa's roster and is DHing and batting 7th today. It looks like he's a 22-year old outfielder.

 

maybe a random taiwanese tourist that the mesa cubs decided to put in the game

[cubfan1954]

Here is a link talking about him: http://taiwanbaseball.blogspot.com/search/label/chih-hsiang%20Wen

[Guest]

Here is a link talking about him: http://taiwanbaseball.blogspot.com/search/label/chih-hsiang%20Wen

 

Thanks for the link, even if those two kids and Simon Lee aren't much in the way of prospects, it's nice to see the Cubs starting to get involved in Taiwan and South Korea. Best part of your link is the link to the story saying the Cubs signed Dae-Eun Lee to an $800,000 bonus.

 

-----

 

Larry Suarez had some major struggles in the third inning - HBP, triple, sac fly and then a two-out single before he was lifted. His final line: 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 0 K/1 BB, HBP.

 

ETA: Mesa is up 9-2 in the 6th. Leon Johnson is 3/3 with 3 doubles and a walk.

[Guest]

Baseball America Midseason Cubs Report[/url]"]Best Player: While his two major league callups have had mixed results, center fielder Felix Pie's time at Triple-A Iowa was magnificent this year. In spring training, manager Lou Piniella told the 22-year-old to work on his strike zone judgment and patience. In 31 games with Iowa, Pie hit .389/.443/.563 with 24 RBIs 13 walks and 17 strikeouts in 126 at-bats. Pie, who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2001, still has to show he can do it on the major league level; he was hitting .216/.272/.345 in 139 at-bats.

 

Biggest Leap Forward: Infielder Mike Fontenot, who was not invited to spring training or placed on the 40-man roster, was called up from Iowa to the major leagues twice this season because of injuries. And the 27-year-old earned himself some quality playing time after hitting .408/.434/.704 in his first 71 at bats. "He's playing like he wants to stay up here," Piniella said.

 

"I didn't know short men could hit the ball like that," 6-foot-5 pitcher Carlos Zambrano said of the 5-foot-8 infielder. "He hits the ball like a man."

 

Biggest Disappointment: Cubs fans started getting excited when Jeff Samardzija was throwing heat in spring training and breaking the bats of Athletics hitters. But the former two-sport Notre Dame star's overall body of work was rough, going 0-5, 5.22 in his first 17 appearances for high Class A Daytona. Opponents hit .330 off of him and he had 24 walks and 25 strikeouts in 69 innings. He also had a brief demotion to the bullpen to work on some mechanics. But the Cubs aren't panicking. They knew that since the 22-year-old Samardzija, who was selected in the fifth round in 2006, didn't dedicate himself full time to baseball in college, there would be some fine-tuning that needed to be done. His overall ceiling is still very high despite the early results.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Barney was 2 for 5 with a double.

 

Thomas was 1 for 5 with a triple and 2 Ks.

[Outshined_One]

"I didn't know short men could hit the ball like that," 6-foot-5 pitcher Carlos Zambrano said of the 5-foot-8 infielder. "He hits the ball like a man."

 

:lol:

[TruffleShuffle]

leon johnson really needs to be at a different level.

[ChiefsVoice]

Larry Suarez gets the nod for Mesa. Arguably the best pitching prospects on each team outside of Iowa today.

 

But he has a 7.36 ERA and no strikeouts...Im surprised you guys havent completely given up on him yet!! :lol:

[craig]

Here is a link talking about him: http://taiwanbaseball.blogspot.com/search/label/chih-hsiang%20Wen

 

Thanks for the link, even if those two kids and Simon Lee aren't much in the way of prospects, it's nice to see the Cubs starting to get involved in Taiwan and South Korea. Best part of your link is the link to the story saying the Cubs signed Dae-Eun Lee to an $800,000 bonus.

 

Thanks a ton for the reseach and link, 1954.

 

Cal, not sure if you tracked way down in that link, but it has some info on Chen and Wen. If I'm reading it right, Wen is just a flyer, $2,500 plus some college money. Says Wen was a pitcher in HS.

 

But, I believe it claimed that Chen was $200K. Barney was $220, I think, so $200 would be 4th round cash equiv. It may be that in Asia, you'll always need to overpay a bit, thanks to free market, so maybe paying 4th round money is what it takes to get a 6th round talent or whatever. But, 4th round money means the guy should be viewed as a genuine possibility. Interesting.

 

And, $800K for Lee, that's more than Donaldson, that's sandwich money. Did you guys dig deep enough to figure if Lee was a pitcher or a hitter? I assume a pitcher, but I didn't get that far.

 

Anyway, great to see Wilson working and signing people. Lee never signed more than one per year, Wilson's already signed at least 5. Kind of fun. Hope one of these guys turns into somebody real.

 

I think after some of the talk about the college draft picks and the cost-savings there, I've been worried that perhaps a lot of budget areas might be frozen, and that perhaps international spending might be frozen till the Trib sells or whatever. But if Wilson has spent a million on Chen and Lee, hopefully the Latin guys are still allowed to spend too, and hopefully the international talent pipe will have a good year.

[Outshined_One]

Larry Suarez gets the nod for Mesa. Arguably the best pitching prospects on each team outside of Iowa today.

 

But he has a 7.36 ERA and no strikeouts...Im surprised you guys havent completely given up on him yet!! :lol:

 

Give it a few weeks. :P

[E.J.]

Raisin,

 

Who are some guys we should keep our eye on in Boise and Mesa?

[Guest]

Thanks a ton for the reseach and link, 1954.

 

Cal, not sure if you tracked way down in that link, but it has some info on Chen and Wen. If I'm reading it right, Wen is just a flyer, $2,500 plus some college money. Says Wen was a pitcher in HS.

 

But, I believe it claimed that Chen was $200K. Barney was $220, I think, so $200 would be 4th round cash equiv. It may be that in Asia, you'll always need to overpay a bit, thanks to free market, so maybe paying 4th round money is what it takes to get a 6th round talent or whatever. But, 4th round money means the guy should be viewed as a genuine possibility. Interesting.

 

Didn't read that far down. Thanks for the heads up. He is a bit older - 22 - but he can top out at 94. That's very interesting.

 

And, $800K for Lee, that's more than Donaldson, that's sandwich money. Did you guys dig deep enough to figure if Lee was a pitcher or a hitter? I assume a pitcher, but I didn't get that far.

 

Anyway, great to see Wilson working and signing people. Lee never signed more than one per year, Wilson's already signed at least 5. Kind of fun. Hope one of these guys turns into somebody real.

 

I think after some of the talk about the college draft picks and the cost-savings there, I've been worried that perhaps a lot of budget areas might be frozen, and that perhaps international spending might be frozen till the Trib sells or whatever. But if Wilson has spent a million on Chen and Lee, hopefully the Latin guys are still allowed to spend too, and hopefully the international talent pipe will have a good year.

 

I'm pretty sure Lee is the same guy as Rhee that BA mentioned in one of their international stories - he's a pitcher.

 

One thing to keep in mind with the bonuses this year in the international market is that most people are saying they're up at a higher rate than one would expect for inflation...i.e. the bonus figures don't necessarily match up to the talent.

[Guest]

Veal: 2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 K/0 BB

Atkins: 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 K/0 BB

[TruffleShuffle]

Here's the banner at the top of the Memphis Redbirds' website:

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/t235/images/masthead.gif

 

 

What's going on with Stubby Clapp up there?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Here's the banner at the top of the Memphis Redbirds' website:

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/t235/images/masthead.gif

 

 

What's going on with Stubby Clapp up there?

 

I just find it amusing that Pujols is keeping company with Stubby Clapp and Joe McEwing.

[Guest]

Raisin,

 

Who are some guys we should keep our eye on in Boise and Mesa?

 

Hope this helps, EJ:

 

Boise -

 

• Alberto Cabrera is an 18-year old RHP who skipped Mesa. He had a good season last year in the DSL and he has a low 90s FB, good change and and a developing slider.
   
  
• Chris Huseby is a 19-year old RHP with a 91-95 mph FB, plus curve and a change. He's the guy who got a $1.1 million signing bonus last year in the 11th round - had TJS while in high school.
   
  
• LHP Arik Hempy might be someone to look for. He's a 17th rounder from South Carolina. He's big and used to throw hard before TJS (topped out at 95) and if he gets his velocity back, that'd be great.
   
  
• RHP Al Alburquerque had a great season in the DSL about 4 years ago but has bounced around with surgeries. He's putting up nice numbers at age 21 in Boise so he's someone to pay attention to.
   
  
• The catchers: Josh Donaldson is the big name, obviously. Steve Clevenger is a solid bat who's converting from second base to catcher, he's an advanced hitter. If Clevenger had stuck at 2B, he'd probably be at Daytona. Mario Mercedes is having his second straight good season with the bat at Boise.
   
  
• Ty Wright has posted good numbers and was thought of as a good hitter from Oklahoma St.
   
  
• Drew Rundle was a 14th round pick last year who got $500,000. He's raw and has had some contact problems but has a high ceiling. He started slow but has come on strong with Boise. While he has contact problems, he goes deep into counts so hopefully he can build on that.
   
  
• Kyler Burke came in the Barrett trade. Was a supplemental first round pick last year.

 

Mesa -

 

• Larry Suarez is the big name guy the Cubs signed in Latin America last year. He's 17, Carlos Zambrano-sized (6'5 - 240 lbs). He's had control problems in extended spring training and the AZL problems but has nice stuff - low 90s FB, slider, change, I believe.
   
  
• Oswaldo Martinez is an 18-year old Mexican righty who's put up some great K-numbers at Mesa after an average season in the DSL last season. He's short, though - MiLB.com lists him at 6' tall and the Cubs media guide says he's 5'9".
   
  
• Kevin Kreier was a 20th rounder who got a $100,000 bonus last season. He's struggled mightily in Mesa, but that's well above-slot money so the Cubs obviously like him.
   
  
• A bunch of advanced college guys: 2B Tony Thomas (3rd rounder), SS Darwin Barney (4th rounder), OF Clark Hardman (9th rounder) and C Roberto Sabates (39th rounder). Thomas and Barney are probably going to move up by next week. Hardman is too advanced for Mesa, but he came in hurt so I don't know if he'll move up rapidly. Sabates is a Cuban defector and played for a semi-pro team, so he's ready to move up too.
   
  
• OF Leon Johnson (10th rounder) is old - 22 - and put up poor numbers at BYU but he got above slot money. He's a very athletic, skilled player who's poor numbers last year might have been a result of rust from a 2-year Mormon mission in Siberia. His plate discipline has been a surprise for me since he talked about how he hates walking and liked to first-pitch swing.
   
  
• Cliff Andersen got above-slot money last season too - he's more of a CF than Rundle but very similar to Drew...raw, athletic guy, high ceiling, good defense, power potential but has contact issues. Like Rundle, he too gets works the count.
   
  
• 3B Jovan Rosa: DFE from last year - has a lot of power potential.
   
  
• Latin guys in Mesa: 19-year old Nelson Perez is like a Ryan Harvey clone - RF with a great arm (probably the best OF arm in the system after Harvey) who can hit for massive power but will strike out a bunch. The Cubs signed him out of Latin America last summer as a pitcher but quickly moved him.
   
  
• 19-year old C Carlos Perez is hitting well in his second straight season in Mesa. I've heard a few good things about him, but he's rather raw.
   
  
• SS/3B Gian Guzman is only 18, pretty big and a natural third baseman who has played SS a lot with guys like Rosa and Marwin Gonzalez (when he gets healthy) around and Vitters soon to come. He also signed last summer and looked good in extended spring training.
   
  
• 18-year old 1B/3B Marwin Gonzalez broke his wrist on a HBP right before the AZL season started. He's someone to look at esp. because he played a bit in the AZL last season as a 17-year old. Sounds like he has a nice little ceiling.
   
  
• 20-year old MIF Elvis Lara was the DSL Cubs MVP last season.

Edited July 14, 2007 by CaliforniaRaisin

[E.J.]

Wow. Thanks Raisin! I've heard of some of those guys, but there are definitely quite a few I haven't. I'll have to keep my eye on them.