2009 Cubs Releases

[Outshined_One]

And then...everything just went to hell. He got hurt after apparently tripping over his Playstation in 2007.

 

pretty sure he was drunk when that happened.

 

Jake Plummer's dog cackles at this post.

[Guest]

And then...everything just went to hell. He got hurt after apparently tripping over his Playstation in 2007.

 

It went to hell before that. He posts a 6.75 ERA in 4 relief innings in Peoria and ends up back in extended. No reason a first round pick can't stick in low-A ball in his second full season in the system.

[CUBZ99]

Wow, what a bad week for the Cubs farm system. Lets hope that the new ownership, takes control soon enough to get some better people in charge of the draft before June.

[craig]

Wow, what a bad week for the Cubs farm system. Lets hope that the new ownership, takes control soon enough to get some better people in charge of the draft before June.

 

These guys were all drafted under the old Stockstill regime. Wilkin took over with the Samardzija draft.

 

I'm not sure I perceive any of this as a bad week. It's just a reminder of how many failed selections we had.

 

We knew Harvey was a big bust, good riddance, don't waste AB's on him. Pawelek was a bust, glad to not have him embarrassing himself or the system. Goodbye, good riddance, onward and upwards.

 

I'm glad to get these failures out, and i'm glad to see management getting real, facing reality, and writing these guys off. I'll be glad not to see these names cluttering up box-scores and depressing us during the season.

[Guest]

Jim Callis[/url]"]If this has happened before, I certainly can't remember it. The Cubs have released three of their top picks from the last six drafts this spring: outfielder Ryan Harvey, the sixth overall pick in 2003; righthander Grant Johnson, a second-rounder in 2004; and lefty Mark Pawelek, the 20th overall choice in 2005. For an investment of $5.41 million, Chicago couldn't get any of three players past Double-A (and Pawelek couldn't move past low Class A).

[Little Slide Rooter]

Pawelek was only 21, so I dont understand why they just dumped him like that.

[Rob]

Pawelek was only 21, so I dont understand why they just dumped him like that.

 

I'd imagine his head is on the pike for the benefit of somebody else in the system. Was there anybody who showed up in bad enough shape this year that they required a scare put in them?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Pawelek was only 21, so I dont understand why they just dumped him like that.

 

I'd imagine his head is on the pike for the benefit of somebody else in the system. Was there anybody who showed up in bad enough shape this year that they required a scare put in them?

 

Yeah, but I doubt that Chad Gaudin even knows who Mark Pawelek is.

[TruffleShuffle]

The Cubs were 26th in this year's organizational rankings, and that's mostly due to some really bad draft picks of late. The situation was made all the more glaring by this week's release of Harvey and Pawelek, a pair of former highly touted first-round selections. The sixth overall pick in 2003, Harvey signed for a $2.4 million bonus, the fourth-highest bonus paid for anyone in the draft that year. The pick was hardly controversial; the Tampa-area product stood 6'5" and 220 pounds and was a ripped athlete with plus-plus power and an outstanding arm. He led the Midwest League in home runs and RBI in his full-season debut in 2005, but there were already red flags appearing around his game, as he struck out 137 times in 467 at-bats with just 24 walks, leading to a .302 on-base percentage. He went backwards the following two years, and then spent 2007 and 2008 unable to escape the Florida State League while dealing with injuries. Two years after drafting Harvey, the Cubs appeared to have quite a find in Pawelek, when the left-hander that some saw as the top high school pitcher in the draft fell to 20th overall due to bonus concerns, and quickly signed for a slightly over-slot bonus of $1.75 million. Seen as a highly polished product who might move quickly, instead conditioning issues, effort issues, and the occasional ridiculous injury (he broke his non-throwing arm two years ago by tripping over his PlayStation) led to just four innings in a full-season league, and just 149 1/3 IP overall in his four professional seasons. Harvey and Pawelek were supposed to be the team's starting right fielder and a fixture in the rotation by now, but instead they're just footnotes in a long thesis proving that the draft is an inexact science.

[illiniguy]

And then...everything just went to hell. He got hurt after apparently tripping over his Playstation in 2007.

 

It went to hell before that. He posts a 6.75 ERA in 4 relief innings in Peoria and ends up back in extended. No reason a first round pick can't stick in low-A ball in his second full season in the system.

cough Josh Vitters cough.

[SouthSideRyan]

And then...everything just went to hell. He got hurt after apparently tripping over his Playstation in 2007.

 

It went to hell before that. He posts a 6.75 ERA in 4 relief innings in Peoria and ends up back in extended. No reason a first round pick can't stick in low-A ball in his second full season in the system.

cough Josh Vitters cough.

 

So it's your belief that Vitters will be sent to extended spring training this year?

[illiniguy]

And then...everything just went to hell. He got hurt after apparently tripping over his Playstation in 2007.

 

It went to hell before that. He posts a 6.75 ERA in 4 relief innings in Peoria and ends up back in extended. No reason a first round pick can't stick in low-A ball in his second full season in the system.

cough Josh Vitters cough.

 

So it's your belief that Vitters will be sent to extended spring training this year?

God I hope not. But, I wouldn't be suprised at this point. Our draft picks haven't had the most luck.

I misread.

[videographer]

Per Carrie Muskat:

 

The Cubs also released Minor League right-handed pitcher Ed Campusano, 26. He pitched at Tennessee and Daytona last year, and was a combined 5-3 with a 4.98 ERA in 43 relief appearances.

 

I guess this paves the way for Jeremy Pappelbon.

[videographer]

Fresh from BA's transaction list:

 

Chicago Cubs

Released: RHP Michael Cooper, RHP Grant Johnson, RHP John Muller, RHP Audy Santana, RHP Harol Tolentino, LHP Mark Pawelek, C Mario Mercedes, 1B Bryan Jost, SS Erick Almonte, OF Ryan Harvey

 

Too bad about Harol Tolentino. I think he threw in the low to mid-90s before arm surgery in early 2008.

[Guest]

Boo, not Tolentino too.

 

Al Alburqurque appears to have gotten through ST unscathed.

[Guest]

While organizations certainly endure cold streaks in the draft, it’s hard to match the Cubs in this regard, especially after the week they just had. They cut ties with their top picks from the 2003 through 2005 drafts, releasing Harvey (’03, sixth overall), Johnson (’04, second round) and Pawelek (’05, 20th overall). Jim Callis notes that the Cubs invested $5.41 million in this trio, receiving an extremely limited return. And you’re probably familiar with the plight of Chicago’s top draft selections in the three years prior to that: Bobby Brownlie, Mark Prior and Lou Montanez, who at least seems to have salvaged his career with the Orioles (he’s on the 40-man, at least).

 

- BA

 

Charlie (DC): Have you heard of a reason why Ryan Harvey wasn't tried as a pitcher before the Cubs released him?

 

Jim Callis : (2:55 PM ET ) He didn't want to pitch.

[Wrigley Rat]

Colorado Rockies have signed: OF Ryan Harvey. That was quick & pretty smart too - doesn't their AAA team play in Colorado Springs? He should hit 40 HR's and still manage to bat .198.

[ChiefsVoice]

Per Carrie Muskat:

 

The Cubs also released Minor League right-handed pitcher Ed Campusano, 26. He pitched at Tennessee and Daytona last year, and was a combined 5-3 with a 4.98 ERA in 43 relief appearances.

 

I guess this paves the way for Jeremy Pappelbon.

 

RHP? when Campusano was in Peoria in 2005 and 2006 he threw (rather well) with his left hand. If he switched to his right, maybe that was why he was released...

[NCCubFan]

Per Carrie Muskat:

 

The Cubs also released Minor League right-handed pitcher Ed Campusano, 26. He pitched at Tennessee and Daytona last year, and was a combined 5-3 with a 4.98 ERA in 43 relief appearances.

 

I guess this paves the way for Jeremy Pappelbon.

 

RHP? when Campusano was in Peoria in 2005 and 2006 he threw (rather well) with his left hand. If he switched to his right, maybe that was why he was released...

Maybe his left elbow never really recovered from TJS so he decided to try to make it as a right-hander.

 

Or maybe Carrie Muskat doesn't know what she's talking about.

 

I'll go with the latter.

[Tarver]

Per Carrie Muskat:

 

The Cubs also released Minor League right-handed pitcher Ed Campusano, 26. He pitched at Tennessee and Daytona last year, and was a combined 5-3 with a 4.98 ERA in 43 relief appearances.

 

I guess this paves the way for Jeremy Pappelbon.

 

RHP? when Campusano was in Peoria in 2005 and 2006 he threw (rather well) with his left hand. If he switched to his right, maybe that was why he was released...

Maybe his left elbow never really recovered from TJS so he decided to try to make it as a right-hander.

 

Or maybe Carrie Muskat doesn't know what she's talking about.

 

I'll go with the latter.

 

That's almost always a safe assumption.

[Wrigley Rat]

Interesting notes from www.thecubreporter.com - if you don't already read it regularly, start today!

 

“There were some personal issues,” Fleita said of Ryan Acosta. “We had reached a point where mutually we thought it was time to go in a different direction and try to start new somewhere else. He’s a nice young man who is still young obviously. These are tough decisions to make, but sometimes you reach a point that it’s best that both go in a different direction, and we certainly wish him well.

 

Acosta btw was immediately picked up by the Royals.

 

article also mentions that Jordan Latham was indeed released...and Gian Guzman(19 years old) has been converted from SS to pitcher.

 

Fleita says Vitters has had a nice spring. Articles says he should start in Peoria, although possibly Daytona.

There is a lot of other good information in this article's comments as well:

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2009/04/01/i-cubs-get-thumped-river-cats#comment-129098

[Guest]

Latham being cut is really surprising.

[Wrigley Rat]

Infielder Esteban German, who was signed to a minor-league deal in spring training, was released Friday.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-04-cubs-bits-chicago-apr04,0,962627.story

[karenmac]

Just saw a note the the Cubs traded Rocky Roquet to Oakland - according to this

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Rocky%20Roquet&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=503352, he's been assigned to their AAA affiliate in Sacramento, along with Eric Patterson and Yusuf Carter. Not sure what we got for Rocky

 

Am sad to see Rocky leave the organization, but think he might get a quicker shot with Oakland and wish him nothing but the best. With Oakland also having Jerry Blevins, Sean Gallagher, and Daric Barton, their organization is full of Peoria Chief grads :) Rocky's also from California, so am glad his folks will be close enough to come and see him play more often.

[NCCubFan]

Just saw a note the the Cubs traded Rocky Roquet to Oakland - according to this

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Rocky%20Roquet&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=503352, he's been assigned to their AAA affiliate in Sacramento, along with Eric Patterson and Yusuf Carter. Not sure what we got for Rocky.

The trade was actually reported a few days ago. I believe he was traded for the ever-popular PTBNL or cash.