Cub prospects in the news

[TruffleShuffle]

sounds like a guy you'd definitely want to draft at #16 overall

[CubsWin]

sounds like a guy you'd definitely want to draft at #16 overall

I know. Seriously. What happened to this supposed mid-90s heat?

[CubColtPacer]

sounds like a guy you'd definitely want to draft at #16 overall

I know. Seriously. What happened to this supposed mid-90s heat?

 

Well, this is the Cubs explanation (and apparently they weren't happy at all when they saw him last week):

 

The Cubs say he’s still not at full strength after a 1-2 punch last season of mono and an infected spleen. He’s still got some weight to put on. The velocity is not yet where it needs to be.

 

How much of that is 1) the real cause for his velocity drop and 2) temporary, I have no idea.

[NCCubFan]

I knew about the mono, but I had never seen anything about an inflected spleen as well.

[imb]

Mono is legit. I had it once and was KO'd for about 6 months. I'd take a nap at 3 p.m. and wake up at 5 am.

[CubsWin]

Mono is legit. I had it once and was KO'd for about 6 months. I'd take a nap at 3 p.m. and wake up at 5 am.

I believe you. I had friends that had it and it's a serious thing. Any time off, especially in bed rest and dealing with illness, will sap the body of strength especially when you're an athlete and need to continue to build muscle just to keep up. It sounds temporary to me, so there's hope, but it sure is disappointing.

[mul21]

Mono is legit. I had it once and was KO'd for about 6 months. I'd take a nap at 3 p.m. and wake up at 5 am.

 

That, and it's not uncommon to have spleen issues related to mono. It tends to get super inflamed when you have mono and an infection wouldn't be too hard to believe with that going on. It totally sucks, I've had it twice. Wrecked my (potential) running career.

[Guest]

In an interview with ITI (Premium), Simpson said he was bed-ridden for 2 months.

 

Q: Wow. Did the doctors tell you how you came in contact with this virus?

 

A: There are certain factors that can make it flare up, and they said there were a number of different things it could have been. During the (college) baseball season, I’d gotten really sick during the year. I’d missed some classes for about two weeks, but I never stopped playing. I finally started feeling better, and what they think happened was I’d gotten a (less serious) case of mono then and then relapsed later. That’s why it was so much worse and why I had it for so long.

 

Hopefully he'll get his velocity back as he gains weight. Wish Wilken had gone with Josh Sale instead. :(

[toonsterwu]

Saw this linked on Miles blog about Hayden's injury - http://www.pjstar.com/sports/chiefs/x401376594/After-tight-start-Chiefs-are-relaxed

 

The interesting thing to me is that Gibbs seems to suggest that Hayden fired a couple fastballs in the pen in the low-mid 90's.

[Guest]

Saw this linked on Miles blog about Hayden's injury - http://www.pjstar.com/sports/chiefs/x401376594/After-tight-start-Chiefs-are-relaxed

 

The interesting thing to me is that Gibbs seems to suggest that Hayden fired a couple fastballs in the pen in the low-mid 90's.

 

Technically, that was the writer suggesting Simpson normally throws in the 90s:

 

Simpson walked one and allowed two hits, but escaped the inning after throwing 22 pitches, 11 for strikes. He did not seem to have his typical low to mid 90s velocity.

 

“I saw it a little bit in the bullpen when he threw a few less pitches than usual,” catcher Micah Gibbs said. “When we talked before the game he asked to mix in more off-speed since his arm wasn’t up to par.”

[toonsterwu]

fair enough, but the implication seemed to be that gibbs agreed with that. hmm, maybe i'll send capie an email later to see what he says

[Guest]

NOT-SO HOT SHEET

 

•Jay Jackson, rhp, Cubs. Two terrible starts by Jackson this week extended his three-game slide. Some speculated at the end of April that Jackson might receive a callup to Chicago, but a rainout allowed the Cubs to delay any decisions on their fifth starter and he remained in Iowa. Since then, little has gone Jackson's way. He gave up 11 runs in 9 1/3 innings last week. He has just 12 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings this season to go with a 1.54 WHIP. This week, he had six walks to just four strikeouts.

 

• Chris Archer, rhp, Rays. The Rays have already gotten some positive returns on their deal that sent Matt Garza to the Cubs, with Sam Fuld contributing in Tampa and Brandon Guyer and Hak-Ju Lee tearing up Triple-A and high Class A, respectively. But Archer, the centerpiece of that package from Chicago, hasn't rounded into form yet. The 22-year-old is still looking for his first win after seven starts with Double-A Montgomery, sitting at 0-2, 5.86 in 32 1/3 innings. In his only start this week, Archer did manage to complete five innings for just the second time this season, but he still allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, with four strikeouts and three walks. Archer has walked 19 on the season, second most in the Southern League.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2011/2611732.html

[Guest]

Norm (Chicago): We know about Vitters terrible BB rate, but his K rate is ridiculous, in a good way...so with a K rate that low, does that improve the outlook even if his BB rate never improves?

 

Ben Badler: The guy just doesn't swing and miss. Love the bat speed, the swing, the hand-eye coordination, and if he ever figures out that he doesn't need to swing at that 1-0 pitch on the outside corner, then boom, you've got something. But it's not just a switch that you can flip to make it happen, and the defense is shaky to the point where scouts think he's going to have to move off third base. There's something there, but I wouldn't pencil him into the Cubs' future plans yet.

 

Rick (Chicago): What kind of potential does Brett Jackson have and how would he compare to someone like Adam Jones? Thanks.

 

Ben Badler: They're both good athletes who run well but aren't burners, have power but are prone to swing and miss, but Jackson's approach at the plate is well ahead of anything Jones has ever shown.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2011/2611741.html

[CubsWin]

Norm (Chicago): We know about Vitters terrible BB rate, but his K rate is ridiculous, in a good way...so with a K rate that low, does that improve the outlook even if his BB rate never improves?

 

Ben Badler: The guy just doesn't swing and miss. Love the bat speed, the swing, the hand-eye coordination, and if he ever figures out that he doesn't need to swing at that 1-0 pitch on the outside corner, then boom, you've got something. But it's not just a switch that you can flip to make it happen, and the defense is shaky to the point where scouts think he's going to have to move off third base. There's something there, but I wouldn't pencil him into the Cubs' future plans yet.

 

Rick (Chicago): What kind of potential does Brett Jackson have and how would he compare to someone like Adam Jones? Thanks.

 

Ben Badler: They're both good athletes who run well but aren't burners, have power but are prone to swing and miss, but Jackson's approach at the plate is well ahead of anything Jones has ever shown.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2011/2611741.html

Thanks, CR. That's good news on both fronts, especially Jackson. Now if Colvin would only favorably compare to Markakis...

[Guest]

• The Cubs paid $1 million to sign Cuban center fielder Rubi Silva in December, and he's come as advertised: an athletic guy who can put the bat to the ball with gap power and a free-swinging approach. Silva homered and hit a double in a 2-for-3 day yesterday for high Class A Daytona, bringing his season line to .280/.296/.415 in 39 games between Daytona and low Class A Peoria.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/2011/05/daily-dish-jurickson-profar-paying-off-for-rangers/

[Outshined_One]

Sickels' take on Szczur

 

**Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Matt Szczur is on a tear for Low-A Peoria, hitting .405 in his last 10 games, stealing seven bases in that stretch. Overall, he's hitting .336/.407/.395 with 12 steals in 13 attempts, with a 14/11 BB/K in 119 at-bats. Drafted in the fifth round last year from Villanova, Szczur is an excellent athlete with blazing speed. This helps him on the bases obviously, and he's also a very strong defensive outfielder. He has a feel for the strike zone and makes contact; about the only flaw is a lack of home run power, though he's shown considerable pop in batting practice and scouts think more homers could come eventually. His name would be worth 26 points in Scrabble.

[Northside Blues]

His name is only worth 16 points in Scrabble. There's only one z.

[Guest]

His name is only worth 16 points in Scrabble. There's only one z.

 

There's only one z in Szczur?

[sweetpeteman]

His name is only worth 16 points in Scrabble. There's only one z.

 

There's only one z in Szczur?

 

 

There's only 1 Z in Scrabble, the blank doesn't net you any points.

[SouthSideRyan]

I assumed Sickels played the Z on a double letter score tile.

[CubsWin]

Sickels' take on Szczur

 

**Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Matt Szczur is on a tear for Low-A Peoria, hitting .405 in his last 10 games, stealing seven bases in that stretch. Overall, he's hitting .336/.407/.395 with 12 steals in 13 attempts, with a 14/11 BB/K in 119 at-bats. Drafted in the fifth round last year from Villanova, Szczur is an excellent athlete with blazing speed. This helps him on the bases obviously, and he's also a very strong defensive outfielder. He has a feel for the strike zone and makes contact; about the only flaw is a lack of home run power, though he's shown considerable pop in batting practice and scouts think more homers could come eventually. His name would be worth 26 points in Scrabble.

Eventually came today. Matt hit his first professional HR on Sunday.

[Guest]

6/3/11 BA Prospect Hot Sheet:

 

IN THE TEAM PHOTO

 

Whenever a team pays the premium to turn a two-sport star into a baseball player, they know there may be an adjustment period. Cubs CF Matt Szczur, on the other hand, has had little difficulty adjusting to the grind of pro ball. The former Villanova star hit the first three home runs of his pro career this week, upping his averages to .340/.400/.464. The 21-year-old is making a pretty convincing case for a midseason promotion to high Class A Daytona . . .

[soonercub]

Saw BA has a article on Simpson. Anyone with a prescription care to paraphrase?

[javy knows my name]

6/3/11 BA Prospect Hot Sheet:

 

IN THE TEAM PHOTO

 

Whenever a team pays the premium to turn a two-sport star into a baseball player, they know there may be an adjustment period. Cubs CF Matt Szczur, on the other hand, has had little difficulty adjusting to the grind of pro ball. The former Villanova star hit the first three home runs of his pro career this week, upping his averages to .340/.400/.464. The 21-year-old is making a pretty convincing case for a midseason promotion to high Class A Daytona . . .

 

omg, I'm salivating right now

[illiniguy]

Saw BA has a article on Simpson. Anyone with a prescription care to paraphrase?

Talked about many of the misconceptions people have about him. He was gonna be a 2 to 3rd round guy, had mono, and he had scholarship offers to many schools in the big 12 and sec but they wanted him to sign late. etc.