Boise/AZ Cubs Roster Speculation

[Outshined_One]

Some quick blurbs on the three draftees in Boise...

 

Danny Keefe

 

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound right-handed pitcher just wrapped up his senior season at the University of Tampa, where he went 4-5 with a 4.13 ERA in 20 games, including five starts.

 

The Cubs describe him as a late-developing prospect with a fastball that’s been clocked at 90 to 93 mph.

 

. . .

 

Cody Shields

 

Shields, a 6-foot-4, 190-pounder just completed his senior year at the University of Auburn at Montgomery, where he was named to the 2009 NAIA Baseball All-America Second Team.

 

He led his college team in batting with a .461 average and is expected to play center field.

 

. . .

 

Greg Rohan

 

The 6-foot, 205-pound first baseman finished his career at Kent State second in school history with 48 home runs. In 2008, he was named the MAC player of the year.

[craig]

My guesses:...

SP:

RHP Larry Suarez

RHP Jon Nagel

LHP Chris Rusin (4) - might only be in Boise for a short time before heading to Peoria

RHP Robert Whitenack (8)

LHP Jeffry Antigua

....

 

Will be interesting to see how they use the pitchers early, given the current roster. Suarez, Nagel, and Jung would seem pretty sure rotation guys.

 

Antigua is the only active lefty other than Sontag. I assume he'll start, but it wouldn't totally shock me if he didn't. He's only 18 (turns 19 next week), the youngest guy on the staff. So he'll be on very limited pitch counts regardless of role. We'd like him to start, of course, because he'll be on regular schedule, we'll be able to look forward to checking his stats when he's scheduled to start, and if he does very well he'll get opportunity to show that he's good.

 

Jung and Mitchell are both only a few months older than Antigua. I doubt Mitchell will start, but I hope he does. He's got a fast arm, and being as raw as he is I'd like to see him get innings. I'm more interested in him than somebody who's kind of stalled out with mediocre stuff like Hernandez.

 

Keefe could go either way. An older college guy who's been starting this spring, he might be viewed as interesting enough to merit rotation, and he might be a better innings-eater in rotation than some of the lower-pitch-count kids. Or, perhaps after a full spring season of innings, they'd as soon have him limiting his innings and just doing relief.

 

Nunez and Sierra I'd view as probable roster-fillers, although at 6'4"/6'5" perhaps they are just coming into their own and will surprise. But I'd guess they are guys who, if they don't do well early, will be the expendables if/when some draftees sign.

 

I hope Rohan is capable enough defensively to be a major-league prospect in the event that he could hit like a major-leaguer. I hope he plays 1st, rather than Hoorelbeke who I assume is filler. Probably Rohan will never be more than filler either, and probably his defense makes him a Fox wannabe.

[Guest]

http://thecubreporter.com/2009/06/19/your-2009-boise-hawks

 

AZ Phil confirms Dwayne Kemp is on the Boise reserved list due to his quad injury (see the comments). Sounds like Calvert retired:

 

INACTIVE LIST (4):

* Kurt Calvert, OF (left EXST Cubs in April & returned home)

 

Dylan Johnston, OF-RHP (at Fitch Park -converting from OF to RHP)

 

Dwayne Kemp, INF (at Fitch Park - injury rehab)

 

Cedric Redmond, RHP (at Fitch Park - injury rehab)

[Guest]

AZ Phil on Mesa's roster situation - looks like Julio Pena might be hurt:

 

RAISIN: No I don't. The AZL Cubs roster is a mess right now (or at least it was a couple of days ago when the Boise Hawks left town).

 

The AZL Cubs have just eight position players (total), including only two guys who can play 2B-SS-3B (and that icludes Dwayne Kemp, who is rehabbing ), so I would think they will have to sign a couple of infielders (maybe NDFAs) by today or tomorrow (or possibly 28th round pick Jordan Petraitis?). They're going to need at least one more catcher, too. Or maybe they'll just forfeit their AZL league games and play intrasquad sim games with off-duty pitchers shagging the balls in the field.

 

It might be a temptation to just play Gian Guzman at 3B, but the Cubs don't want to mess with guys who are being converted to pitcher. Or it would be nice if the Cubs could just bring up a half-dozen position players from the DSL, but it's difficult to get H2B visas on short notice.

 

The short break between the Rule 4 Draft and the start of the NWL and AZL seasons has definitely caused some problems.

 

As of right now, it would appear that the AZL Cubs Opening Day lineup will look something like:

 

1. Francisco Guzman, CF

2. Robert Bautista, SS

3. Chris Weimer, 1B

4. Juan Medina, DH

5. Dwayne Kemp, 2B (if he can play)

6. Jesus Morelli, RF

7. Jose Guevara, C

8. Sean Williams, LF

9. TBD, 3B

 

The pitching staff should have 12 arms available (although I think Julio Pena might be injured because I didn't see him pitch the last couple of weeks of EXST)...

 

AZL CUBS PITCHERS:

Rogelio Carmona

Julio Castillo

Eduardo Figueroa

Gian Guzman (ex-SS)

* Cody Hams

Toby Matchulat

Julio Pena

* Marcos Perez

George Pineda

Carlos Rojas

Adam Spencer

* Melvin Vasquez

 

BTW, I suspect Nunez, Matchulat, and Vasquez were probably up for the last slot at Boise and Nunez won (although he would have been my third choice of the three), which is why Pena must be hurt, because otherwise I'm pretty sure he would have gotten a slot at Boise for sure.

[Guest]

Mesa roster:

 

Pitchers (click column headers to sort)

 

RHP Francisco Acosta Reassigned (was released earlier this season - MiLB.com must be wrong)

RHP Rogelino Carmona

RHP Julio Castillo

RHP Timothy Clubb

LHP Daley Cox

RHP Barrett Dail

RHP Diego Encarnacion

RHP Eduardo Figueroa

RHP Jesse Ginley

RHP Steven Grife

LHP Cody Harris

LHP Leon Johnson - Reassigned (was released earlier this season - MiLB.com must be wrong)

RHP Corey Martin

RHP Toby Matchulat

LHP John Mincone

RHP Julio Pena

LHP Marcos Perez

RHP George Pineda

RHP Carlos Rojas

RHP Jacob Schmidt

RHP Adam Spencer

LHP Melvin Vasquez

RHP Robert Whitenack - on Boise's roster too

 

Catchers (click column headers to sort)

 

Jose Guevara

Juan Medina

Matt Williams

 

Infielders (click column headers to sort)

 

Robert Bautista SS

Justin Bour 1B

Derrick Fitzgerald 2B

Gian Guzman 2B - converted to pitcher

Dwayne Kemp 2B

Charles Thomas 3B

Chris Weimer IF

 

Outfielders (click column headers to sort)

 

Francisco Guzman CF

Jesus Morelli OF

Cody Shields OF

Sean Williams OF

[Vanilla Ice]

Julio Castillo is back?

[Guest]

Julio Castillo is back?

 

Yeah, he technically never left. He has been throwing side sessions at Fitch during extended spring training.

 

I guess you get more leeway when you can throw 96 mph.

[Outshined_One]

I don't see Wes Darvill listed on either roster. :-k

[Guest]

I don't see Wes Darvill listed on either roster. :-k

 

He's finishing out his commitment to the Canadian national team before coming to Mesa in July.

[TruffleShuffle]

who are the guys on the AZL Cubs we should give a crap about?

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't see Wes Darvill listed on either roster. :-k

 

He's finishing out his commitment to the Canadian national team before coming to Mesa in July.

 

What is the Canadian national team doing right now?

 

 

http://66.241.210.162/files/2008-09%20Junior%20Schedule.pdf

 

Looks like they are playing the USA Collegiate National and then the Cuban Junior National Team.

[Outshined_One]

who are the guys on the AZL Cubs we should give a crap about?

 

It's hard to tell until we start seeing more numbers, since a lot of the guys are either making their professional debut or making their Stateside debut. The names I've been looking at are the three Australians (RHP Adam Spencer, LHP Cody Hams, OF Sean Williams), RHP Julio Pena, RHP Toby Matchulat, and OF Jesus Morelli. That list will probably change once things start shaking out, especially with regard to this year's draftees.

[Guest]

Agreed with Outshined_One, definitely Toby Matchulat, Julio Pena, Jesus Morelli and Sean Williams. I'd add Dwayne Kemp who has no business still in Mesa.