Where will guys start next season at? (Full Season Rosters)

[base2005]

Josh Whitlock - was at Boise now at Peoria - said to have great potential - be at Daytona next year - in my opinion.

[Guest]

With Cashner already up in Daytona, there's no way he'd start in Peoria.

 

Daytona's rotation:

 

Cashner

Shafer

Coleman

Kreier

Hernandez

 

Peoria:

 

Carpenter

Searle

Beliveau

Suarez?

Huseby? Peña? Whitlock? Obviously a guy like Cabrera or Dolis could surprise and actually be healthy and pitching next spring.

[Guest]

Josh Whitlock - was at Boise now at Peoria - said to have great potential - be at Daytona next year - in my opinion.

 

Welcome aboard!

 

What about Whitlock do you like so much? I don't know much about him but he did struggle at Peoria outside of one really good start. I think he should definitely repeat at Peoria just looking at his numbers there.

[base2005]

I just looked at overall stats for the entire year.

93+ innings in college

52 innings for Boise & Peoria

Have been told he has excellent stuff just needs fine tuned. I was also told even tho he went to a D1 program, they didnt have a pitching coach. I guess I see future development in him and even along with struggles, he got better as time went along.

[craig]

IOWA:

 

C Koyie Hill/Tony Richie

1B Doug Deeds

2B Nate Spears

SS Matt Camp or filler

3B Kyle Reynold or filler

LF Tyler Colvin

CF Sam Fuld

RF Jake Fox

 

SP Jeff Samardzija

SP Mitch Atkins

SP JR Mathes

SP Donnie Veal

SP Esmailin Caridad

RP Jose Ceda

RP Kevin Hart

RP Casey Lambert

RP Rocky Roquet

RP Dumas Garcia

 

Looks good. Finesse:

1) I'd add Ascanio, if no surgery.

2) While I'd like Samardz back in rotation, prepping to replace Marquis or whomever gets injured (whichever comes first), I expect Lou to claim him for bullpen.

3) I strongly anticipate Veal's rotation days are over. I think he's at the stage where they'll try to groom him for his eventual role as a Loogy. I hypothesize that will happen in AFL and is the reason for his assignment there.

4) This isn't to your point, but assuming no Samardz, I'd project Cardidad as the best rotation prospect on the staff, better prospect than Atkins, or fillers like Mathes.

 

TENN:

 

C Welington Castillo/Steve Clevenger

1B Russ Canzler/Blake Lalli

2B Tony Thomas

SS Darwin Barney

3B Josh Lansford

LF Ty Wright

CF Yusuf Carter

RF Jim Adduci/Ryan Harvey?

 

SP Jay Jackson

SP Billy Muldowney

SP James Russell

SP Hung-Wen Chen

SP Marcos Mateo or Marco Carrillo

RP Alex Maestri

RP Brian Schlitter

 

Obviously a comparably weak and thin-on-real-prospects roster as applies at current Daytona. Key questions involve perhaps the three best prospects on your list:

1) Will Castillo repeat or promote? I hope he repeats, he's got time and I want him really ready. But assuming the Cubs keep Blanco, next year might be his last, so they might want Castillo at AAA next year ready to step in as backup Catcher in 010.

2) Jackson: I'd keep him at Daytona, myself, and tentatively project the Cubs will do so as well. The kid's only 20, and has only compiled 41 innings in A-ball. If he dominates in a playoff game or two, and rocks in camp, maybe AA. But I'd guess that his success has been sufficiently brief that he may not pick right up next spring, and they may want to see how he looks at Daytona next spring, and promote only if/when he shows he can sustain the effectiveness he's had this year.

3) Maestri: Rotation or relief? I'd like to see him stay in rotation, myself. I think the system is short on rotation pitchers (assuming Guzman, Samardz, and Cashner are all destined for relief). So with Marquis one year and Lilly two, I think there may be opening for a nondominant back-of-roation starter. I'd like to keep Maestri in that pool.

 

DAYTONA:

 

C Mark Reed/Luis Flores?

1B Jovan Rosa - I wish he'd get a chance at third, that'd mean Marquez Smith would have to start at AA

2B Josh Harrison - was tough picking him over Ryan Flaherty

SS Nate Samson

3B Marquez Smith

LF Dylan Johnston

CF Jonathan Wyatt

RF Brandon Guyer

DH Luis Bautista

SP Aaron Shafer

SP Casey Coleman

SP Kevin Kreier

SP Robert Hernandez

SP Jose Pina

RP Blake Parker

RP Jordan Latham

 

PEORIA:

 

C Carlos Perez/Mike Brenly

1B Rebel Ridling/Ryan Keedy

2B Marwin Gonzalez/Gian Guzman

SS Ryan Flaherty

3B Josh Vitters

LF Drew Rundle

CF Cliff Andersen/Tony Campana

RF Kyler Burke/Jericho Jones

DH Sean Hoorelbeke/Jones/Ridling/Brenly

 

SP Andrew Cashner - I thought he'd start at Daytona but his control hasn't been good enough thus far

SP Chris Carpenter

SP Ryan Searle

SP Jeff Beliveau

SP Larry Suarez - there's always a surprise young-ish guy...if not him, maybe Marcus Hatley or Julio Pena

RP Dan McDaniel

RP David Cales

RP Cedric Redmond

 

As always, what gives in A-ball is very hard to predict. But I agree with some of the key questions:

1) Cashner start or relieve, Peoria or Daytona? Hope he starts, and hope he earns Daytona. But he'll need to make a lot of improvements relative to present wildman to justify.

2) Flaherty: stay at SS or position switched? Peoria or Daytona?

[CubinNY]

[quote="craig"

2) Flaherty: stay at SS or position switched? Peoria or Daytona?

Isn't it almost a given that he'll have to switch positions?

[Guest]

2) Flaherty: stay at SS or position switched? Peoria or Daytona?

Isn't it almost a given that he'll have to switch positions?

 

I might have Craig wrong here (he might think Flaherty has a chance to stay at SS) but I think the question is more of will he give up SS already or will they give him one more shot.

[craig]

2) Flaherty: stay at SS or position switched? Peoria or Daytona?

Isn't it almost a given that he'll have to switch positions?

 

I might have Craig wrong here (he might think Flaherty has a chance to stay at SS) but I think the question is more of will he give up SS already or will they give him one more shot.

 

Yup, I think it's "almost a given", based both on pre-draft scouting and on Boise errors. Probably a question when, not if, he'll move. But the discussion was placement for next year. Cal has him listed at SS, so while I think an eventual move is almost certain and a move by next spring is perhaps likely, it's not a given that he'll be moved by next spring.

 

I do think that sometimes the BA scouting reports are wrong, or differ from what a particular organization thinks is possible defensively. Or what I think is sometimes wrong. I didn't think Theriot could play SS; Lou thought he could, and he's OK. When the Cubs drafted Khalil Greene, the BA reports seemed to be very clear that Greene wouldn't play big-league SS; whaddya know he not only plays SS but fields it very well. So perhaps there's an outside chance that Cubs see Flaherty differently and more accurately than BA, and think that he may be able to make it as a big-league SS.

 

Again, I don't think it's at all likely, either that he will be a satisfactory defensive SS or that the Cubs expect him to be. But I think that sometimes taller infielders get underrated defensively. They don't look as quick but may sometimes cover as much ground. And scouts see so many tallish amateur SS's who end up outgrowing the position that they may assume it will happen to everybody. So I'm not sure there isn't a 1% chance that perhaps Flaherty will stick. Last, even if BA and 29 other teams are convinced, that doesn't mean the Cubs are. If the Cubs did think he might have a shot at SS, that possibility might place him a little higher on their draft board than would be true for most other teams.

[Guest]

IOWA:

 

SP Jeff Samardzija

SP Mitch Atkins

SP JR Mathes

SP Donnie Veal

SP Esmailin Caridad

 

4) This isn't to your point, but assuming no Samardz, I'd project Cardidad as the best rotation prospect on the staff, better prospect than Atkins, or fillers like Mathes.

 

Craig, what do you have on the scouting report for Caridad? I don't have much information but I did read somewhere that in one of his outings, a Giants scout had him topping out in the low 90s and said scout was "disappointed because Caridad was 92-96 mph a few weeks earlier." This was in late July.

 

I wonder which velocity range is more typical and accurate for him and how his breaking stuff is.

[craig]

Craig, what do you have on the scouting report for Caridad? I don't have much information but I did read somewhere that in one of his outings, a Giants scout had him topping out in the low 90s and said scout was "disappointed because Caridad was 92-96 mph a few weeks earlier." This was in late July.

 

I wonder which velocity range is more typical and accurate for him and how his breaking stuff is.

 

A guy gave a report on him back in July I think, and said he was mid-90s. Guy goes to a lot of Tennessee games, liked him a lot better than Veal or Samardz.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil takes a stab. He doesn't assume any free agents return so that's why you don't see Dempster or Wood (I'd guess he's saying Blanco or K. Hill next April):

 

The Cub Reporter[/url]"]PROJECTED 2009 CUBS ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART

 

* bats or throws left

# bats both

 

CATCHERS:

CUBS: Geovany Soto/Henry Blanco/# Koyie Hill

IOWA: Tony Richie/* Blake Lalli/Chris Robinson

TENN: Welington Castillo/* Mark Reed

DAYT: Luis Flores/Mario Mercedes

PEOR: Carlos Perez/Michael Brenly

EXST: * Matt Cerda/# Alvaro Sosa/Jose Guevara/Pat Mahoney/Juan Medina

DSLC: Carlos Gonzalez/Ricardo Parra/Jose Vigay/Yamel Liria

 

FIRST-BASEMEN:

CUBS: Derrek Lee/* Micah Hoffpauir

IOWA: * Kyle Reynolds

TENN: Russ Canzler/* Steve Clevenger

DAYT: Jovan Rosa/Luis Bautista

PEOR: Rebel Ridling/* Ryan Keedy

EXST: Sean Hoorelbeke/* Bryan Jost

DSLC: # Alexander Mejia/Melvin Camarena/Carlos Romero/Justino Guzman

 

SECOND-BASEMEN:

CUBS: Mark DeRosa/* Mike Fontenot

IOWA: * Nate Spears

TENN: Tony Thomas

DAYT: * Ryan Flaherty/Josh Harrison

PEOR: * Jake Opitz/Gian Guzman

EXST: * Logan Watkins/Dwayne Kemp

DSLC: # Ramon Bonilla/# Vismeldy Bieneme/# Jose Montecino

 

THIRD-BASEMEN:

CUBS: Aramis Ramirez

IOWA: Casey McGehee

TENN: Josh Lansford

DAYT: Marquez Smith

PEOR: Josh Vitters

EXST: John Contreras/Carlos Morales

DSLC: # Nelson Pierre/Juan Pena/Pedro Ramirez

 

SHORTSTOPS:

CUBS: Ryan Theriot/Ronny Cedeno

IOWA: * Matt Camp/# Matt Matulia

TENN: Darwin Barney/Jonathan Mota

DAYT: Nathan Samson/Jose Made

PEOR: Starlin Castro/# Marwin Gonzalez

EXST: Junior Lake/George Matheus/* Hak-Ju Lee

DSLC: # Robert Bautista/* Melido Perez/Miguel Salazar

 

LEFT-FIELDERS:

CUBS: Alfonso Soriano/* Brad Snyder

IOWA: * Tyler Colvin

TENN: Ty Wright

DAYT: Brandon Guyer

PEOR: * Drew Rundle/Elvis Lara

EXST: * Ryan Sontag/TeWayne Willis/* Sean Williams

DSLC: Jesus Morelli/# Jose Valdez/Albert Hernandez/# Gregorio Robles

 

CENTER-FIELDERS

CUBS: * Felix Pie/Reed Johnson

IOWA: * Sam Fuld

TENN: * Jonathan Wyatt/Yusuf Carter

DAYT: * Tony Campana

PEOR: * Cliff Andersen

EXST: * Kurt Calvert/# David Macias/* Clark Hardman

DSLC: * Francisco Guzman/Manuel Pestana/Pedro Medina

 

RIGHT-FIELDERS

CUBS: * Kosuke Fukudome

IOWA: Jake Fox

TENN: * James Adduci/Ryan Harvey

DAYT: * Dylan Johnston

PEOR: * Kyler Burke/Jericho Jones

EXST: * Nelson Perez/Kevin Soto

DSLC: Alejandro Damian/Luis Andrades

 

STARTING PITCHERS

 

CUBS:

Carlos Zambrano

* Ted Lilly

Rich Harden

* Sean Marshall

Jason Marquis

* Rich Hill

 

IOWA:

Mitch Atkins

Randy Wells

* J. R. Mathes

* Donald Veal

Justin Berg

 

TENNESSEE:

Esmailin Caridad

* James Russell

Billy Muldowney

* Jeremy Papelbon

Marco Carrillo

Alessandro Maestri

 

DAYTONA:

Hung-Wen Chen

Jay Jackson

Casey Coleman

Aaron Shafer

Robert Hernandez

Alberto Alburquerque

 

PEORIA:

Chris Carpenter

* Jeffrey Beliveau

Josh Whitlock

Ryan Searle

Kevin Kreier

Ryan Acosta

Justin Bristow

Dae-Eun Rhee

 

EXST:

Larry Suarez

Alberto Cabrera

Chris Huseby

Oswaldo Martinez

* Jeffry Antigua

Julio Pena

Yohan Gonzalez

Miguel Sierra

Dionis Nunez

Diego Encarnacion

 

DSLC:

Edilmar Infante

Hector Mayorga

* Marcos Perez

Roderick Pichardo

Ramon Reyes

Luis Liria

Eduardo Figueroa

Ramon Garcia

Jose Tineo

Starlin Peralta

 

BULLPEN:

 

CUBS:

Carlos Marmol (closer)

Jeff Samardzija

Chad Gaudin

* Neal Cotts

Michael Wuertz

Kevin Hart

Angel Guzman

 

IOWA:

Jose Ceda (closer)

Rocky Roquet

Jose Ascanio

* Casey Lambert

Gregory Reinhard

Jesse Estrada

Mark Holliman

* Carmen Pignatiello

Billy Petrick

Jim Henderson

 

TENNESSEE:

Brian Schlitter (closer)

Matt Avery

Marcos Mateo

* Jayson Ruhlman

Jordan Latham

Blake Parker

Grant Johnson

Vince Perkins

 

DAYTONA:

Andrew Cashner (closer)

Steve Vento

* Dustin Sasser

Michael Cooper

John Muller

* Zach Ashwood

Jake Muyco

Todd Blackford

* Chris Siegfried

Craig Muschko

Jose Pina

Jon Mueller

 

PEORIA:

Dan McDaniel (closer)

David Cales

* James Leverton

Audy Santana

* Luke Sommer

Cedric Redmond

* Mark Pawelek

Erik Hamren

Harol Tolentino

Bubba O’Donnell

Mike Perconte

Tommy Mejia

 

EXST:

Manolin DeLeon (closer)

Rafael Dolis

Tarlandus Mitchell

Kitt Kopach

* Leon Johnson

Toby Matchulat

Eric Allen

Carlos Rojas

Andres Quezada

* Cody Hams

Adam Spencer

Miguel Corletto

Jon Nagel

 

I didn't realize Clark Hardman was still in the system.

[Wrigley Rat]

Sorry for the long post...

 

Here are my predictions on placements for 2008-2009 (it will change over the next few weeks when we find out who leaves us via minor league free agency and who we sign). 24 players are listed for Iowa and Tennessee, 25 players for Daytona and Peoria, and replacement players are listed after each team.

 

(Backup positions listed in parentheses)

(FA = Free Agent)

(FA/40 = Would be a free agent, but is currently on the 40-man roster and therefore is property of the Cubs)

(CL = Closer)

(LR = Long reliever)

 

Iowa:

C – Koyie Hill (FA/40)

C – Tony Richie (FA) (Most likely will be someone new here)

1B – Jake Fox (LF/RF)

2B – Nate Spears (Rule V eligible)

SS – Matt Camp

3B – Casey McGehee (1B)

IF – Andres Blanco (SS) (FA)

IF – Bobby Scales (2B,3B,1B,LF) (FA)

LF – Tyler Colvin

CF – Brad Snyder (no options left, but can be sent to minors if not claimed by another team)

RF – Doug Deeds (1B) (FA)

OF – Josh Kroeger (1B)

SP – Esmailin Caridad

SP – Rich Hill (If he has his control – otherwise EST)

SP – Randy Wells

SP – Mitch Atkins (Rule V eligible)

SP – J.R. Mathes (Rule V eligible)

LR – Angel Guzman

LR – Justin Berg (Rule V eligible)

RP – Jose Ceda (CL)

RP – Jose Ascanio

RP – Kevin Hart

RP – Rocky Roquet

RP – Ed Campusano (FA)

 

Could make the team due to injury/trade/Rule V Draft, but otherwise should be released/let go as a FA/or sent to a lower level:

C – Chris Robinson (Rule V eligible)

OF – Sam Fuld

RP – Greg Reinhard (Rule V eligible)

RP – Jesse Estrada (Rule V eligible)

RP – Carmen Pignatiello (FA – I think)

RP – Jim Henderson (Rule V eligible)

RP – Dumas Garcia (FA)

 

Tennessee:

C – Welington Castillo

C – Mark Reed (Rule V eligible)

1B – Blake Lalli ©

2B – Tony Thomas

SS – Darwin Barney

3B – Kyle Reynolds (1B) (Rule V eligible)

IF – Jonathan Mota (3B, 2B, SS, LF) (Rule V eligible)

IF – Robinson Chirinos (2B, SS, 3B, C) (FA)

LF – Russell Canzler (1B) (Rule V eligible)

CF – James Adduci (Rule V eligible)

RF – Ty Wright

OF – Ryan Harvey (Rule V eligible)

SP – Hung-Wen Chen

SP – Marcos Mateo (Rule V eligible)

SP – Marco Carrillo

SP – Billy Muldowney

SP – Jeremy Papelbon

LR – Mark Holliman (Rule V eligible)

LR – Alex Maestri

RP – Donald Veal (CL)

RP – David Schlitter

RP – Casey Lambert

RP – Blake Parker

RP – Jayson Ruhlman (Rule V eligible)

 

Could make the team due to injury/trade/Rule V Draft, but otherwise should be released/let go as a FA/or sent to a lower level:

3B – Josh Lansford

IF – Matt Matulia (SS, 2B, 3B)

OF – Yusuf Carter (Rule V eligible)

RP – Billy Petrick (FA/40)

RP – Todd Blackford (Rule V eligible)

RP – Adam Harben (FA)

RP – Grant Johnson (Rule V eligible)

RP – Matt Avery (Rule V eligible)

 

 

Daytona:

C – Steve Clevenger (1B)

C – Luis Flores

1B – Jovan Rosa (3B)

2B – Ryan Flaherty (SS)

SS – Nathan Samson (2B)

3B – Marquez Smith (2B)

IF – Jake Opitz (2B, LF, SS, 1B)

IF – Ryan Keedy (1B)

LF – Brandon Guyer (CF)

CF – Jonathan Wyatt (LF, RF)

RF – Dylan Johnston (LF, 1B)

OF – Elvis Lara (2B, RF, LF, 3B, SS)

DH – Luis Bautista (1B, C, 3B)

SP – Jay Jackson

SP – Robert Hernandez

SP – James Russell

SP – Aaron Shafer

SP – Jose Pina (Rule V eligible)

LR – Kitt Kopach

LR – Dustin Sasser

RP – Steve Vento (CL)

RP – Jordan Latham

RP – Michael Cooper

RP – Jake Muyco

RP – Craig Muschko

 

Could make the team due to injury/trade/Rule V Draft, but otherwise should be released/let go as a FA/or sent to a lower level:

IF – Jose Made

SP – Chris Siegfried

RP – John Muller

RP – Jon Mueller

 

 

Peoria:

C – Carlos Perez

C – Michael Brenly (1B)

1B – Rebel Ridling (LF)

2B – Josh Harrison (RF, LF, CF)

SS – Starlin Castro (2B, 3B, CF)

3B – Josh Vitters

IF – John Contreras (3B, 1B)

IF – Marwin Gonzalez (SS, 2B, 3B)

LF – Drew Rundle (CF, RF)

CF – Nelson Perez (RF, LF, 1B)

RF – Kyler Burke (1B, LF)

OF – Jericho Jones (LF, RF, 1B)

OF – Tony Campana (CF)

SP – Cedric Redmond

SP – Ryan Searle

SP – Justin Bristow

SP – Casey Coleman

SP – Chris Carpenter

LR – Andrew Cashner (I think he needs the innings)

LR – Jeff Beliveau

RP – Dan McDaniel (CL)

RP – Luke Sommer

RP – David Cales

RP – Josh Whitlock

RP – James Leverton

 

Could make the team due to injury/trade/Rule V Draft, but otherwise should be released/let go as a FA/or sent to a lower level:

C – Mario Mercedes

1B – Sean Hoorelbeke

OF – Ryan Sontag

OF – TeWayne Willis

OF – Kurt Calvert

RP – Leon Johnson

RP – Kevin Kreier

RP – Andres Quezada

RP – Ryan Acosta

RP – Audy Santana

RP – Alberto Cabrera

RP – Zach Ashwood

RP – Al Albuquerque

SP – Dae-Eun Rhee (if healthy he would make it)

SP – Rafael Dolis (if healthy he would make it)

[Outshined_One]

Unless I'm mistaken, Rich Hill's options are up and he has to be on the 25 man roster next season.

[Wrigley Rat]

Unless I'm mistaken, Rich Hill's options are up and he has to be on the 25 man roster next season.

I made a bunch of assumptions, including Rich Hill accepting a minor league assignment and not being claimed by another team. According to Arizona Phil:

Players who are out of minor league options must clear Outright Assignment Waivers (which are irrevocable) before they can be sent to the minors. Players with at least three years of MLB Service Time and players who have been previously outrighted in their career can refuse an Outright Assignment and can opt to become a free-agent instead. (Free-agency option can be exercised immediately, or player can defer option until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season).

If it looks like someone would claim him, Rich Hill could always start on the major league DL, train at Extended Spring Training, and do a minor league rehab throughout the minor league system. I just can't imagine the Cubs giving up on him after such acclaim two seasons ago!

[Wrigley Rat]

I suspect the Cubs will hang onto Rich Hill into Spring Training 2009, and hope that he can revert to his 2007 form. If it doesn't look like he has regained his 2007 form in ST, and because he is out of minor league options, the Cubs will have to either outright him to the minors or trade him. Since he would probably get claimed off outright waivers, the Cubs will probably trade him rather than risk losing him for $20K.

As per Arizona Phil - this is where I got the idea that he could end up in the minors (even though Phil doesn't think it would work).

[Wrigley Rat]

I believe the Cubs will probably try to get (Brad Snyder) through Outright Assignment Waivers and send him to Iowa prior to Opening Day. (Both Snyder and Felix Pie are out of minor league options).

 

Snyder would need the same situation to be assigned to Iowa.

[Outshined_One]

Yeah, it's just that I have a hard time seeing Hill get outrighted to the minors and not have a team pick him up. He seems like such an ideal candidate for a change of scenery that I have trouble seeing teams like the Royals and Pirates not take a flyer on him. The guy has a boatload of talent and no obvious injury issues, plus he's already put up a good season in the majors.

 

I just have a hard time seeing how someone like him doesn't end up on a major league roster somewhere.

[Guest]

Baseball America[/url]"]Nelson Perez made a strong impression on the Cubs

 

By Jeff Vorva

October 20, 2008

 

CHICAGO—Nelson Perez opened a few eyes when he opened the Rookie-level Arizona League season hitting .378/.383/.822 in his first 21 games.

 

The lefthanded hitting 20-year-old outfielder's first 34 hits included 20 for extra bases (six doubles, eight triples and six home runs) and he drove in 26 runs.

 

...

 

"He had a great summer," Cubs farm director Oneri Fleita said. "He's had some injuries that kind of kept him back. He was in a situation where it's been vital for his career for him to stay there (in the Rookie League) for a couple of reasons.

 

"He's learning our language. He's learning a little bit about our country. We feel he can make the jump to high A or A ball next year. So we just let him have a positive year."

 

"He was a pitcher," Fleita said. "He might have hurt his arm and when we saw him, he wasn't much of a pitcher. He told us he could hit, too. He showed us he could hit, run and looked better in the outfield than he did as a pitcher. This is the total opposite of my M.O is. I'm always trying to take a position player and make him a pitcher. This is the first time we made a pitcher a position player."

 

It's Oneri Fleita in gush mode over a prospect (no way Perez starts in Daytona) but it'd be interesting to see him start in Peoria as opposed to ExST/Boise.

 

Sounds like Soriano has adopted Nelson Perez too.

[JeffH]

Sounds like Soriano has adopted Nelson Perez too.

 

That's a shame.

[Wrigley Rat]

Josh Kroeger has signed with the White Sox. :(

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/chi-12-white-sox-winter-meetingsdec12,0,7995664.story

[Wrigley Rat]

Luis Figueroa signed with the Angels.

 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/12/and-the-angels.html

[Guest]

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/18/smokies-hitting-coach-knows-league-well/

 

Third baseman Josh Vitters, who was the Cubs' No. 1 draft pick - third overall - in 2007, is considered to be Chicago's prize prospect. The 6-foot-2 native of Anaheim, Calif., doesn't turn 20 until August and probably will start the season at Class A Daytona.

 

...

 

"He's at the top of what I've seen, especially for his age," Beyers said. "Last year he was a lot younger than the league, which is mainly comprised of college draft picks. He never had a slump the whole year."

 

Vitters could join the Smokies by midseason, however, Beyers said there is no reason for the Cubs to rush.

 

"He definitely should touch one of the A clubs to start," he said. "Now whether he ends up coming to the Double-A level somewhere down the road will depend on how he does."

 

Beyers also got a glimpse of highly regarded pitchers Andrew Cashner and Jay Jackson at Boise. Cashner was the Cubs' No. 1 pick last June out of Texas Christian University. The 6-foot-5 right-hander with a 98 mph fastball and nasty slider made it all the way to Daytona last season.

 

So did Jackson, a ninth round selection from Furman University, who wasn't as ballyhooed as Cashner but overmatched Class A hitters on his way to Daytona.

 

They could be part of Tennessee's pitching staff in 2009, although probably not until the second half.

[Wrigley Rat]

Thanks for posting this. I enjoy reading these. Last year, I wondered a lot about some of the quotes coming out of the Cubs' management. It seemed like they were rushing a lot of players, but after everything settled out most players ended up pretty much where I thought they would. I think Fleita and others like to give the prospects confidence in moving up the ladder quickly, but if they don't show that they are completely ready in spring, then they are put back where they belonged.

 

This year, there is word that Welington Castillo will start in Iowa (I thought he would start in Tennessee). I'm starting to believe it, but I would prefer he start in AA. Vitters in Daytona seems wrong since he is so young and hasn't had a ton of success yet.

 

I can see sending a 23 year old from Boise last year being sent to Daytona this year, but otherwise I don't understand skipping levels altogether. I'd rather see someone dominate at the lower level and be promoted after a month of domination - what's the harm in that? If he is overmatched by being double promoted that he loses confidence, it could cost him the whole year or worse.

 

I know some people disagree - I'm open to reading your ideas.

[CubinNY]

Thanks for posting this. I enjoy reading these. Last year, I wondered a lot about some of the quotes coming out of the Cubs' management. It seemed like they were rushing a lot of players, but after everything settled out most players ended up pretty much where I thought they would. I think Fleita and others like to give the prospects confidence in moving up the ladder quickly, but if they don't show that they are completely ready in spring, then they are put back where they belonged.

 

This year, there is word that Welington Castillo will start in Iowa (I thought he would start in Tennessee). I'm starting to believe it, but I would prefer he start in AA. Vitters in Daytona seems wrong since he is so young and hasn't had a ton of success yet.

 

I can see sending a 23 year old from Boise last year being sent to Daytona this year, but otherwise I don't understand skipping levels altogether. I'd rather see someone dominate at the lower level and be promoted after a month of domination - what's the harm in that? If he is overmatched by being double promoted that he loses confidence, it could cost him the whole year or worse.

 

I know some people disagree - I'm open to reading your ideas.

I don't see any benefit in starting Vitters in Daytona. He didn't hit in Peoria last year in the short time he was there (all of 14 ABs, but still).

[Guest]

I think it's just talk. As Wrigley Rat said, they always hype up a few of the guys but in the end, they end up where you expect them to be with few surprises.

 

I think Jim Callis shed some light on Vitters' performance in Peoria though - apparently he got hurt in his debut (the day he hit 3 doubles) so that makes his next 0/10 seem less disappointing (yes, it wasn't a big deal anyways given that it was such a small sample).