Cub prospects in the news

[USSoccer]

100% agree with the above. Managers making points to players via the media, or airing discipline that should be in house to the media, local or otherwise, is unnecessary and nothing good ever comes of it.

[Guest]

I just don't see the point in airing dirty laundry at the minor league level. These guys are younger, they're learning, etc. and there's no need for the media to treat them like some big league veteran not running out plays.

 

I'm not saying you call a press conference, but to me the downside of ignoring a question about it(player doesn't think it's as big a deal, other levels don't see the application of that "rule", etc) outweighs the downside of being honest(player gets upset about honest answer, media starts sharpening their lazy player narratives, etc).

[Guest]

“Our managers are encouraged to bench players who are giving less than 100 percent effort – whether that’s failure to hustle down the first base line or failure to properly prepare for a game,” Epstein said, per ESPNChicago. “It’s our responsibility to make sure every player in the organization demonstrates preparation, hustle and effort every day with no exceptions. Playing time is still the best way to get a player’s attention. These actions are intended to remain in-house. Many players have been benched for this reason already this year and have responded immediately with proper effort. Soler is not alone, and, in fact, he has shown a real interest in learning to play the game the right way.”

 

 

Hopefully, the manager got chewed out for this, then.

[Tryptamine]

“Our managers are encouraged to bench players who are giving less than 100 percent effort – whether that’s failure to hustle down the first base line or failure to properly prepare for a game,” Epstein said, per ESPNChicago. “It’s our responsibility to make sure every player in the organization demonstrates preparation, hustle and effort every day with no exceptions. Playing time is still the best way to get a player’s attention. These actions are intended to remain in-house. Many players have been benched for this reason already this year and have responded immediately with proper effort. Soler is not alone, and, in fact, he has shown a real interest in learning to play the game the right way.”

 

 

Hopefully, the manager got chewed out for this, then.

 

Unfortunately it's too late. I'm already seeing large portions of the meat head contingent referring to Soler as a "headcase" or "prima donna". Dave Kaplan doesn't need any help turning the average fan against the non white Cubs.

[Banedon]

On the afore mentioned Mulley and Hanley show this morning, they referred to this as a "second strike", as if somehow this was comparable to the bat incident.

[USSoccer]

Aaaaaand that's why it's stupid to take stuff to the media.

 

TT: ignoring a question isn't the same as the in-house discipline that could occur. There's nothing saying that a manager can't rip a guy in front of the team for something and then keep a united front to the idiot Kaplan brigade.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It's not often that a player is punished for both too much fire and not enough fire in the same month.

[witty alias]

What kind of prospect is Ronald Torreyes? All I know about him is what I see in his stats.

[CubsWin]

What kind of prospect is Ronald Torreyes? All I know about him is what I see in his stats.

Elite hit tool and ability to square up the ball. Not a lot of power. One "expert" recently thought he could hit 5-10 HRs in the future. That feels high to me. Decent defensive 2B but not a strength. Way young for his level which bodes well for his ability to continue to hit at AAA and the majors. Needed to up his walk rate and has done that so far this season. In fact, in a very small sample size, right now he has walked 7 times and struck out only once. Has a huge mole on his face.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Looks like a horse jockey, hits like a boss.

[Tyrant]

What kind of prospect is Ronald Torreyes? All I know about him is what I see in his stats.

Elite hit tool and ability to square up the ball. Not a lot of power. One "expert" recently thought he could hit 5-10 HRs in the future. That feels high to me. Decent defensive 2B but not a strength. Way young for his level which bodes well for his ability to continue to hit at AAA and the majors. Needed to up his walk rate and has done that so far this season. In fact, in a very small sample size, right now he has walked 7 times and struck out only once. Has a huge mole on his face.

 

So what's his best case comp? Like a Marco Scutaro type?

[Guest]

What kind of prospect is Ronald Torreyes? All I know about him is what I see in his stats.

Elite hit tool and ability to square up the ball. Not a lot of power. One "expert" recently thought he could hit 5-10 HRs in the future. That feels high to me. Decent defensive 2B but not a strength. Way young for his level which bodes well for his ability to continue to hit at AAA and the majors. Needed to up his walk rate and has done that so far this season. In fact, in a very small sample size, right now he has walked 7 times and struck out only once. Has a huge mole on his face.

 

So what's his best case comp? Like a Marco Scutaro type?

 

A range from Keppinger to non-peak Pedroia was mentioned here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=61953&start=50#p2934942

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Comps are really dangerous, but I don't think Scutaro is unreasonable at all.

[sneakypower]

it's worth noting that Scutaro (excluding AAA numbers) struck out at more than 3x the frequency of Torreyes in the minors, with similar power and 2 years behind in his development track

 

his BB rate was decidedly higher though (10% to 6%)

[Guest]

BassmanUW (Chicago) After a rough first start, Pierce Johnson has been dominating the Midwest League. Considering he was a college player who we probably really can't judge at the Low A level, how quickly should he be bumped to Daytona? Or should the Cubs be a bit more cautious with him due to the forearm issues?

 

Klaw  (1:26 PM) He should have started in high-A - I don't see why putting him at the lower level is more likely to keep him healthy.

 

Mitch (Iowa)Do you see Vogelbach or Alcantara breaking the top 100 this year?

 

Klaw  (1:35 PM) Vogelbach no. Alcantara has a good shot.

 

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/47876/mlb-insider-keith-law

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Vogelbach could end up with 30 homers and Law wouldn't put him in the top 100.

[Guest]

Vogelbach could end up with 30 homers and Law wouldn't put him in the top 100.

 

Some of those guys don't value 1B prospects very highly. I remember it coming up with regard to Rizzo when we first acquired him. A bad 1B? Gonna take a transcendent bat for him to climb very far up the rankings, I'd think.

 

I've thought his bat might end up good enough that he might be able to make it to fringe top 50 status, but he'll have to earn it.

[davell]

Law sticks to his guns, Vogelbach will be on more than he's not though.

[sneakypower]

Some of those guys don't value 1B prospects very highly. I remember it coming up with regard to Rizzo when we first acquired him. A bad 1B? Gonna take a transcendent bat for him to climb very far up the rankings, I'd think.

 

I've thought his bat might end up good enough that he might be able to make it to fringe top 50 status, but he'll have to earn it.

Law actually rated Rizzo higher than any of the other big names (KG, BA, Sickels, Piliere, Mayo) last year

 

KG was the only one to have him lower than 48th

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Vogelbach already broke into a top 100 this offseason. He won't make them all, most likely, but he'll make a few next year.

[Tyrant]

it's worth noting that Scutaro (excluding AAA numbers) struck out at more than 3x the frequency of Torreyes in the minors, with similar power and 2 years behind in his development track

 

That's pretty amazing. I was just trying to find guys who rarely K and have middling power as possible comps.

[Guest]

Rock Shoulders was named Cubs minor league player of the month and Eric Jokisch was pitcher of the month.

[GammonsPocketTweets]

What is the major league ceiling(comps) on Jokisch?

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Travis Wood?

[Guest]

Juan Carlos Paniagua still waiting for visa:

 

One month into the minor league season, Cubs righthander Juan Carlos Paniagua has still not received his visa to travel to the United States.

 

Paniagua signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.5 million last year in July, had his contract approved and he even pitched in the U.S. briefly after signing. However, the U.S. Consulate has been requesting documents from Paniagua—including school records and identifying documents from his siblings—before issuing him a visa. There’s no clear timetable for when Paniagua might arrive in the U.S. to begin his first full minor league season—if you can call if a full season at this point.