Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-20-2008

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Speaking of things that don't walk, Colvin's having a good run lately. Last 10 games he's .333/.333/.690 (42 AB/PAs) with 8/0 K/BB

[Outshined_One]

Speaking of things that don't walk, Colvin's having a good run lately. Last 10 games he's .333/.333/.690 (42 AB/PAs) with 8/0 K/BB

 

So you're saying he plays baseball in a wheelchair? :P

[craig]

On the "things that don't walk" topic:

 

1. Clevenger's average has been lousy and he's K'd more than last year. But the good news is that he's walked a lot more, 8 walks in 49 AB. Last year he had a very low walk rate; not so thus far.

 

2. I was concerned that Clevenger wouldn't catch, and that with Reed on the roster Clevenger would mostly 1B/DH. But good job Jody, that appears not fully true. Clevenger seems to be getting pretty good action at catcher.

 

If he's to become a useful major-leaguer, it won't be as a 1B/DH power hitter. Given his little power, what he needs is to be a high-OBP guy offensively, and a satisfactory catcher defensively. He'll need to get back to getting hits, but adding some walks makes that seem somewhat possible, at least on the offensive side. His upside might theoretically be somebody in the Kendall-type mode.

[Guest]

Not related but Wade Davis is facing Clayton Kershaw tomorrow. You prob. won't see a better pitching matchup than that all year in the minors.

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_04_20_jaxaax_monaax_1

 

That was a bit of a bust.

 

Kershaw: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 K/2 BB

Davis: 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 K/3 BB

 

Looks like Wade tired in the 7th.

[illiniguy]

Daytona's facing off against Jeffrey Allison. I've always felt bad about the guy and hoped he could get his life in shape.

Supposedly his velocity was up around 94 his first couple of outtings. If he is over the drug problem he could be a nice suprise for the Marlins. Had amazing stuff.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Only 3 Ks for Samardzija again tonight.

 

I know Ks aren't his game as a sinkerballer, but you've got to be able to miss minor-league bats. I just don't see how he projects to major-league success anytime soon.

[illiniguy]

Only 3 Ks for Samardzija again tonight.

 

I know Ks aren't his game as a sinkerballer, but you've got to be able to miss minor-league bats. I just don't see how he projects to major-league success anytime soon.

While I would agree it would be nice to see him miss more bats, Chien MIng Wang for the Yankees has done alright without really striking a lot of guys out.

[craig]

"Rhee experienced some soreness after his win on Monday against West Michigan. With an off day last Thursday, the rotation was juggled to give Rhee an extra two days rest.

 

"I think he's young, and this is all new for him," Sandberg said. "It's just precaution. He was 60 percent better (Wednesday than Tuesday)."

 

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/042008/KEV_BGCNITA1.075.php

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Only 3 Ks for Samardzija again tonight.

 

I know Ks aren't his game as a sinkerballer, but you've got to be able to miss minor-league bats. I just don't see how he projects to major-league success anytime soon.

While I would agree it would be nice to see him miss more bats, Chien MIng Wang for the Yankees has done alright without really striking a lot of guys out.

 

That's a good example, but Samardzija so far (emphasis on so far) is another step down the "low-K ladder."

 

Wang K'd 84 in 122 innings in AA at the same age Samardzija is now, so I think that ratio (.69) is a good minimum goal for Jeff this season. If it stays in the .5 range, there's reason to be concerned.

[Outshined_One]

Only 3 Ks for Samardzija again tonight.

 

I know Ks aren't his game as a sinkerballer, but you've got to be able to miss minor-league bats. I just don't see how he projects to major-league success anytime soon.

While I would agree it would be nice to see him miss more bats, Chien MIng Wang for the Yankees has done alright without really striking a lot of guys out.

 

He also gets groundballs at an insane rate. I like seeing Samardzija get a bunch of infield popups, but he's nowhere near Wang's level in that respect.

[TruffleShuffle]

josh vitters

[Guest]

Daytona News-Journal[/url]"]Ceda struck out seven, scattered three hits, didn't walk anyone and faced just three batters over the minimum in five innings of work. He fanned four of the last five batters on the way to his first decision of the season.

 

"That's as good as I've seen Ceda throw," Cubs manager Jody Davis said. "His delivery was smooth. He wasn't trying to overthrow it. He was trying to throw strikes instead of seeing how hard he can throw. He's got good stuff. That's the guy we like right there. He was ahead of almost every hitter. He looked very good."

 

Ceda, who is still transitioning from being a reliever, threw 76 pitches and completed five innings for the first time in his four starts.

 

"Before the game I felt like I had good command of my fastball, slider and changeup," Ceda said. "The last two games I've had good command. It feels good. I was able to throw a lot of sinkers for first-pitch strikes."

 

Sinkers!? I didn't know Ceda had that in his arsenal.

[Guest]

Daytona News-Journal[/url]"]Ceda struck out seven, scattered three hits, didn't walk anyone and faced just three batters over the minimum in five innings of work. He fanned four of the last five batters on the way to his first decision of the season.

 

"That's as good as I've seen Ceda throw," Cubs manager Jody Davis said. "His delivery was smooth. He wasn't trying to overthrow it. He was trying to throw strikes instead of seeing how hard he can throw. He's got good stuff. That's the guy we like right there. He was ahead of almost every hitter. He looked very good."

 

Ceda, who is still transitioning from being a reliever, threw 76 pitches and completed five innings for the first time in his four starts.

 

"Before the game I felt like I had good command of my fastball, slider and changeup," Ceda said. "The last two games I've had good command. It feels good. I was able to throw a lot of sinkers for first-pitch strikes."

 

Sinkers!? I didn't know Ceda had that in his arsenal.

Me either, but I like it!

[Guest]

Daytona News-Journal[/url]"]Ceda struck out seven, scattered three hits, didn't walk anyone and faced just three batters over the minimum in five innings of work. He fanned four of the last five batters on the way to his first decision of the season.

 

"That's as good as I've seen Ceda throw," Cubs manager Jody Davis said. "His delivery was smooth. He wasn't trying to overthrow it. He was trying to throw strikes instead of seeing how hard he can throw. He's got good stuff. That's the guy we like right there. He was ahead of almost every hitter. He looked very good."

 

Ceda, who is still transitioning from being a reliever, threw 76 pitches and completed five innings for the first time in his four starts.

 

"Before the game I felt like I had good command of my fastball, slider and changeup," Ceda said. "The last two games I've had good command. It feels good. I was able to throw a lot of sinkers for first-pitch strikes."

 

Sinkers!? I didn't know Ceda had that in his arsenal.

Me either, but I like it!

 

Especially if he can throw them for strikes.

[rawaction]

If he can throw a sinker, slider, changeup and presumably a 4-seamer....then why the hell was he ever put in relief? I always thought he was strictly a 4-seamer/slider guy. Especially since, even if relief is/was his destiny, he's a top prospect that could use the innings to refine his control.

[Guest]

If he can throw a sinker, slider, changeup and presumably a 4-seamer....then why the hell was he ever put in relief? I always thought he was strictly a 4-seamer/slider guy. Especially since, even if relief is/was his destiny, he's a top prospect that could use the innings to refine his control.

 

His changeup was not even passable last season and his slider was very inconsistent (even though it had plus potential last season and when it was on, it was really filthy).

 

I don't see the point in putting a guy in relief this early in his career, especially when he's as raw as Ceda is. I'm glad he's in the rotation this year and if he can stick in the rotation as he moves up, that's even better.

[Wrigley Rat]

"Rhee experienced some soreness after his win on Monday against West Michigan. With an off day last Thursday, the rotation was juggled to give Rhee an extra two days rest.

 

"I think he's young, and this is all new for him," Sandberg said. "It's just precaution. He was 60 percent better (Wednesday than Tuesday)."

 

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/042008/KEV_BGCNITA1.075.php

I don't know - my sources were saying he was 64.3% better.

[Athletics36]

If he can throw a sinker, slider, changeup and presumably a 4-seamer....then why the hell was he ever put in relief? I always thought he was strictly a 4-seamer/slider guy. Especially since, even if relief is/was his destiny, he's a top prospect that could use the innings to refine his control.

 

His changeup was not even passable last season and his slider was very inconsistent (even though it had plus potential last season and when it was on, it was really filthy).

 

I don't see the point in putting a guy in relief this early in his career, especially when he's as raw as Ceda is. I'm glad he's in the rotation this year and if he can stick in the rotation as he moves up, that's even better.

 

Not going to say much but that the FSL is a free swinging league and if ball near the plate they hack. AA will be the real test as hitters more patient and make pitchers throw all their pitches for strikes. I watched him pitch in ST and yes he can throw hard but had nothing else for a secondary pitch.

[craig]

Sinkers!? I didn't know Ceda had that in his arsenal.

 

My friend on other board has a close scout friend in the Baltimore organization. That scout said that Ceda's low-90's fastball had much better movement than when he throws it harder. I thought the difference between 91-with-movement and 96-with-less-movement-and-little-control might not be a self-conscious choice between different grips, but might just be a matter of overthrowing. So the fact that Ceda calls it a sinker is good news, suggests it is a different grips with predictably different action. Whether we call it a "sinker" or a "two-seamer", same difference, it's a good pitch.

 

It's interesting that all of the buzz scouting reports focus on the fastest fastball ("Ceda may have touched as high as 100mph!") and on what a power dude he is. But when it comes to actually getting hitters out, it's possible that he'll be throwing in the same 90-92 range where hundreds of other RHP actually work.

 

According to this scout dude, Ceda's slider is also above average. But it's not enough slower than the fastball(s) to keep hitters off balance.

 

Supposedly he hasn't had good success with a third pitch to function as an off-speed. He had trouble with the change, with both release point and arm speed, plus of course control.

 

So supposedly they wanted him to try replacing the change with a curve this spring, as the off-speed slow pitch. Supposedly that also was very wild. So apparently he's perhaps dropping the curve and going back to trying the changeup.

 

This scout's view was that the Cubs really want Ceda as a starter. I think that makes sense, given how few high-ceiling rotation prospects we've got.

 

But I assume the view is that his fastball/slider combination is good enough that it could be successful in short relief. But that to pitch rotation, he'd need to have some kind of functional off-speed pitch, whether that be a changeup or a slow curve or a splitter or whatever.

[Guest]

If he can throw a sinker, slider, changeup and presumably a 4-seamer....then why the hell was he ever put in relief? I always thought he was strictly a 4-seamer/slider guy. Especially since, even if relief is/was his destiny, he's a top prospect that could use the innings to refine his control.

 

His changeup was not even passable last season and his slider was very inconsistent (even though it had plus potential last season and when it was on, it was really filthy).

 

I don't see the point in putting a guy in relief this early in his career, especially when he's as raw as Ceda is. I'm glad he's in the rotation this year and if he can stick in the rotation as he moves up, that's even better.

 

Not going to say much but that the FSL is a free swinging league and if ball near the plate they hack. AA will be the real test as hitters more patient and make pitchers throw all their pitches for strikes. I watched him pitch in ST and yes he can throw hard but had nothing else for a secondary pitch.

 

Heh, I gathered as much. This is the time for him to harness his command and improve his slider and change.

[craig]

Also, I think the Ceda-for-relief stuff made sense last year: he was coming off arm problems. So it made sense to keep his innings down. And his stuff (big arm, small control; two-pitch guy if that) is typically associated more with relief than rotation.

 

As you say, Cal, go with the rotation and see how he does. Certainly the higher you go, the more being a wildman will bite you. So he'll need to improve the control, obviously. That he was walking everybody during camp and during his first two starts, but has now gone back-to-back walk-free suggests that for those two games at least, something was different. Hope it sticks.

[CubinNY]

Daytona News-Journal[/url]"]Ceda struck out seven, scattered three hits, didn't walk anyone and faced just three batters over the minimum in five innings of work. He fanned four of the last five batters on the way to his first decision of the season.

 

"That's as good as I've seen Ceda throw," Cubs manager Jody Davis said. "His delivery was smooth. He wasn't trying to overthrow it. He was trying to throw strikes instead of seeing how hard he can throw. He's got good stuff. That's the guy we like right there. He was ahead of almost every hitter. He looked very good."

 

Ceda, who is still transitioning from being a reliever, threw 76 pitches and completed five innings for the first time in his four starts.

 

"Before the game I felt like I had good command of my fastball, slider and changeup," Ceda said. "The last two games I've had good command. It feels good. I was able to throw a lot of sinkers for first-pitch strikes."

 

Sinkers!? I didn't know Ceda had that in his arsenal.

Hahahahaha! I read that as Snikers for some reason. I guess mostly due to Ceda's size.

Edited April 21, 2008 by CubinNY

[craig]

Nate, what can you tell me about Lambert and his arm?

 

A friend was at the Daytona game yesterday, and he was very impressed with lambert, and suggested that to his amateur eye "he seemed to be throwing harder than Ceda". That's totally opposite my expectations. Based on BA draft stuff and scouting reports, all I've heard on Ceda is power-power-power, while the charicature of Lambert has been as little soft-tossing lefty. I'd thought he was strictly an 80's guy.

 

Again, this viewer had no gun. But is it possible that Lambert has added some velocity? (he's 22 all season.) Or does he have a delivery that has some deception and that makes his fastball look faster than it actually is? Or is my understanding of his fastball velocity perhaps inaccurate, and he was already in the 90's last year, he never really was a soft-tosser even last year?

 

Thanks in advance if you have a chance to comment.