Matthew Cerda

[jersey cubs fan]

I had no idea.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=cerda&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Matthew%20Cerda&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=543016

[CubinNY]

The best line

 

"A lot of Dick Tracys began snooping around. Two rival teams -- not Oceanside -- hired private investigators to round up Almonte's birth certificate, because the consensus was he had facial hair."

[Outshined_One]

I had no idea.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=cerda&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Matthew%20Cerda&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=543016

 

Wow, nice find.

 

That really makes me like Cerda a lot more.

[jersey cubs fan]

Anybody know if the catcher thing is sticking?

 

When you search his name on milb it says position: OF. When you click on his name it says DH, and in the most recent box scores I saw he was listed at DH. I assume this is because the catcher defense is a work in progress and that he does that on the side while playing DH to get at bats.

[jersey cubs fan]

I had no idea.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=cerda&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Matthew%20Cerda&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=543016

 

Wow, nice find.

 

That really makes me like Cerda a lot more.

 

The funny thing is I clicked on the article just to see how this kid made Almonte cry. When I saw the name I thought it sounded familar, but it didn't dawn on me until I saw the mention about the Cubs scouting him.

[CubColtPacer]

Anybody know if the catcher thing is sticking?

 

When you search his name on milb it says position: OF. When you click on his name it says DH, and in the most recent box scores I saw he was listed at DH. I assume this is because the catcher defense is a work in progress and that he does that on the side while playing DH to get at bats.

 

That's pretty much what it is. He's played catcher a little bit, but mostly they're DH'ing him and working on his catching in workouts since it's been so long since he played there. The plan for him is definitely still as a catcher down the road.

[Guest]

Anybody know if the catcher thing is sticking?

 

When you search his name on milb it says position: OF. When you click on his name it says DH, and in the most recent box scores I saw he was listed at DH. I assume this is because the catcher defense is a work in progress and that he does that on the side while playing DH to get at bats.

 

He's primarily DHing. He's probably played about 10 games at catcher, 1 at second base and the rest at DH (in his last 10 games: 5 at C, 4 at DH and 1 at 2B but before that, he went on a long stretch of DHing). A good barometer will be to see how much C he plays next year in Boise after all that time learning the position at instructionals and extended spring training.

 

But the bat looks good thus far...an 18 year old with 19 BB to 19 K? I love it.

 

Thanks for the link, great read. He's also the kid involved with that whole draft signing violation by the Cubs.

[craig]

Interesting to read. One of the details of interest was that the Cubs not only paid him big but were considering drafting him as high as the 3rd.

 

One might ask that if he's been so baseball-obsessed, that perhaps despite his age he won't improve all that much physically. For all his heart, will he be up to it physically? He's shown little power at bat.

 

But guys who can hit the ball on the nose, who have a great eye, and who have great instincts and do everything to improve, those are fun prospects to cheer for. Would be wonderful if he turned into a Fontenot or Giles as a hitter, and proved to be a smart, jazzy catcher.

[jersey cubs fan]

Interesting to read. One of the details of interest was that the Cubs not only paid him big but were considering drafting him as high as the 3rd.

 

One might ask that if he's been so baseball-obsessed, that perhaps despite his age he won't improve all that much physically. For all his heart, will he be up to it physically? He's shown little power at bat.

 

But guys who can hit the ball on the nose, who have a great eye, and who have great instincts and do everything to improve, those are fun prospects to cheer for. Would be wonderful if he turned into a Fontenot or Giles as a hitter, and proved to be a smart, jazzy catcher.

 

A jazzy catcher to backup the salsa maestro currently behind the plate.

[Outshined_One]

Interesting to read. One of the details of interest was that the Cubs not only paid him big but were considering drafting him as high as the 3rd.

 

One might ask that if he's been so baseball-obsessed, that perhaps despite his age he won't improve all that much physically. For all his heart, will he be up to it physically? He's shown little power at bat.

 

But guys who can hit the ball on the nose, who have a great eye, and who have great instincts and do everything to improve, those are fun prospects to cheer for. Would be wonderful if he turned into a Fontenot or Giles as a hitter, and proved to be a smart, jazzy catcher.

 

A jazzy catcher to backup the salsa maestro currently behind the plate.

 

So...would that make Wellington Castillo the Tango Master?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

that video made me despise Danny Almonte

[ConstableRabbit]

I actually feel pretty bad for Almonte. As a 14 year old, you know the difference between right and wrong, but I wonder what it's like to have a controlling parent like that.

[OleMissCub]

That stuff with Almonte wasn't fair. What a bunch of crap.

[C.C.]

My buddy just e-mailed me this story. Great, great read.

[Wrigley Rat]

Anybody know if the catcher thing is sticking?

 

When you search his name on milb it says position: OF. When you click on his name it says DH, and in the most recent box scores I saw he was listed at DH. I assume this is because the catcher defense is a work in progress and that he does that on the side while playing DH to get at bats.

 

He's primarily DHing. He's probably played about 10 games at catcher, 1 at second base and the rest at DH (in his last 10 games: 5 at C, 4 at DH and 1 at 2B but before that, he went on a long stretch of DHing). A good barometer will be to see how much C he plays next year in Boise after all that time learning the position at instructionals and extended spring training.

 

But the bat looks good thus far...an 18 year old with 19 BB to 19 K? I love it.

 

Thanks for the link, great read. He's also the kid involved with that whole draft signing violation by the Cubs.

DH - 23 games

C - 12 games

2B - 2 games

 

http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=37101

[cubsfan5150]

How long before we ship him off to Oakland? Good OBP for an 18yo and should only get better and as of now, he doesn't K very often at all.

[jersey cubs fan]

How long before we ship him off to Oakland? Good OBP for an 18yo and should only get better and as of now, he doesn't K very often at all.

 

Quite a while I'd guess. He's going to need years of working at catcher to develop as a prospect. The Cubs just traded away their best catching prospect, so I think they'll want to restock that pipeline a bit before moving any of the guys there now.

[Outshined_One]

How long before we ship him off to Oakland? Good OBP for an 18yo and should only get better and as of now, he doesn't K very often at all.

 

Quite a while I'd guess. He's going to need years of working at catcher to develop as a prospect. The Cubs just traded away their best catching prospect, so I think they'll want to restock that pipeline a bit before moving any of the guys there now.

 

When did we trade Wellington Castillo away? :-k :D

[jersey cubs fan]

How long before we ship him off to Oakland? Good OBP for an 18yo and should only get better and as of now, he doesn't K very often at all.

 

Quite a while I'd guess. He's going to need years of working at catcher to develop as a prospect. The Cubs just traded away their best catching prospect, so I think they'll want to restock that pipeline a bit before moving any of the guys there now.

 

When did we trade Wellington Castillo away? :-k :D

 

Yeah, well I hesitated using that description. Going into the season he was probably their best/closest to the majors prospect.

 

 

It's Welington by the way.

[nilodnayr]

Gotta love the Cubs. This kids an amazing fielding SS? Wait, wait, wait! He caught one game when he was 11? Holy Jesus give him a chest guard.

 

Can you imagine how good this kid could be if he could concentrate on hitting instead of being converted to the hardest position to play?

[Rob]

Gotta love the Cubs. This kids an amazing fielding SS? Wait, wait, wait! He caught one game when he was 11? Holy Jesus give him a chest guard.

 

Can you imagine how good this kid could be if he could concentrate on hitting instead of being converted to the hardest position to play?

 

Pretty good?

[Brett]

Gotta love the Cubs. This kids an amazing fielding SS? Wait, wait, wait! He caught one game when he was 11? Holy Jesus give him a chest guard.

 

Can you imagine how good this kid could be if he could concentrate on hitting instead of being converted to the hardest position to play?

 

Although that was my first reaction, too, upon further reflection, I think the writer of that article probably framed the transition to catcher in a way to fit it with the whole LLWS story. I highly doubt the move to catcher has anything to do with the fact that he caught some when he was 11.