Atkins called up; Stevens sent to AAA

[Little Slide Rooter]

 

I suppose the fact that it wasnt David Patton suggests that theyve given up on him once and for all.

 

Nope, you've evaluated that one poorly. I'd suprised if we see him again prior to the rosters expanding...but not because the Cubs have given up on him 'once and for all'.

 

I think Patton is still rehabbing his groin actually. He only threw 40 pitches or so the other night against the BayBears and they pulled him after 2 runs scored on errors after the 2nd. I can only piece together that it's because of the injury. I was secretly hoping they released him or tradedf him or something. Didn't happen :(

 

They let Jeremy Papelbon throw the majority of the game. Hopefully if Patton is fully healthy they continue to keep him down in AA, he doesn't belong on the MLB roster.

 

If they can hide him away for the rest of the season, Patton would make a nice arm to have in the system.

 

Why go through that much trouble? Cant they just make a deal with the Rockies(or is it the Reds?) so they dont have to go through all that? I doubt hed cost too much in return.

[dew1679666265]

Why go through that much trouble? Cant they just make a deal with the Rockies(or is it the Reds?) so they dont have to go through all that? I doubt hed cost too much in return.

 

What's the incentive for the Rockies to trade him? He's young, cheap and has a decent amount of potential (at least). The reason the Cubs took him in the Rule V is probably because the Rockies didn't want to part with him.

[Butterscup1679666578]

So Stevens has shown good stuff lately, Samardzija has been garbage, and Aaron Heilman throws BP night in and night out and Stevens is the one sent down? Got it.

[Guest]

Official press release:

 

CUBS RECALL RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER MITCH ATKINS

 

OPTION RIGHTHANDER JEFF STEVENS TO TRIPLE-A IOWA

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

 

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled right-handed pitcher Mitch Atkins from Triple-A Iowa. To make room for Atkins on the roster, the Cubs optioned right-handed pitcher Jeff Stevens to Triple-A Iowa.

 

Atkins, who will wear uniform number 60, joins his first major league roster and is available for this afternoon’s game against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.

 

The 23-year-old Atkins is 6-10 with a 6.92 ERA (83 ER/108.0 IP) in 20 starts for Iowa this season, his first season pitching exclusively at the Triple-A level prior to today’s call-up.

 

Atkins was named the 2008 Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 17-7 with a 4.00 ERA (73 ER/164.1 IP) and 132 strikeouts in 28 starts between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa last year, leading all Cubs minor leaguers in wins and strikeouts. He earned Southern League mid-season All-Star honors, going 9-6 with a 3.76 ERA (46 ER/110.0 IP) in 18 starts at Double-A before his promotion to Iowa. Atkins recorded a 12-game winning streak between Tennessee and Iowa June 15-August 14.

 

The six-foot-three, 230-pound Atkins is 50-37 with a 4.34 ERA (316 ER/654.2 IP) in 125 minor league appearances, all but five as a starting pitcher. A native of Browns Summit, NC, Atkins was originally selected by the Cubs in the seventh round of the 2004 Draft out of Northeast Guilford (NC) High School.

 

Stevens has no record and a 2.84 ERA (2 ER/6.1 IP) in five relief appearances for the Cubs this season. He is 0-3 with two saves and a 2.18 ERA (10 ER/41.1 IP) in 30 relief appearances for Iowa this year.

[Keener98]

So we called up a guy with an ERA of almost 7? HAHAHA.

[davearm2]

If they can hide him away for the rest of the season, Patton would make a nice arm to have in the system.

 

Why go through that much trouble? Cant they just make a deal with the Rockies(or is it the Reds?) so they dont have to go through all that? I doubt hed cost too much in return.

No, they can't just make a deal with the Rockies. Patton would have to be put through waivers first. Only if nobody claimed him would we have to cut a deal with the Rox to keep him.

[davearm2]

Why go through that much trouble? Cant they just make a deal with the Rockies(or is it the Reds?) so they dont have to go through all that? I doubt hed cost too much in return.

 

What's the incentive for the Rockies to trade him? He's young, cheap and has a decent amount of potential (at least). The reason the Cubs took him in the Rule V is probably because the Rockies didn't want to part with him.

Huh?

 

The Rockies can't trade someone they don't have the rights to.

 

The Rockies chose to part with Patton rather than commit a roster spot to him (or risk parting with him anyway, which is what happened).

[dew1679666265]

Why go through that much trouble? Cant they just make a deal with the Rockies(or is it the Reds?) so they dont have to go through all that? I doubt hed cost too much in return.

 

What's the incentive for the Rockies to trade him? He's young, cheap and has a decent amount of potential (at least). The reason the Cubs took him in the Rule V is probably because the Rockies didn't want to part with him.

Huh?

 

The Rockies can't trade someone they don't have the rights to.

 

The Rockies chose to part with Patton rather than commit a roster spot to him (or risk parting with him anyway, which is what happened).

 

I was thinking he was asking in terms of if the Cubs had never taken him in the Rule V to begin with. If he meant why don't they do a deal now, then you're right.

[Wrigley Rat]

My guess is that Atkins is going to be included in an upcoming trade. He is being showcased for a team that is unsure about him. Otherwise, there were better options in AAA (Gaub and Parker for sure) that would have been called up. The Cubs need to make some tough decisions this off-season (and before) on who to protect on the 40-man roster. Atkins looks to be someone who is at risk of being dropped off the 40-man (and possibly claimed by another team). Therefore, there is incentive to trade him and avoid having to release him or store him on the 40-man instead of someone else more deserving.

[Keener98]

My guess is that Atkins is going to be included in an upcoming trade. He is being showcased for a team that is unsure about him. Otherwise, there were better options in AAA (Gaub and Parker for sure) that would have been called up. The Cubs need to make some tough decisions this off-season (and before) on who to protect on the 40-man roster. Atkins looks to be someone who is at risk of being dropped off the 40-man (and possibly claimed by another team). Therefore, there is incentive to trade him and avoid having to release him or store him on the 40-man instead of someone else more deserving.

 

 

Its going to be hard to showcase him from the bullpen bench. He wont be seeing much action unless we have a starter with a crap outing again.

[Guest]

My guess is that Atkins is going to be included in an upcoming trade. He is being showcased for a team that is unsure about him. Otherwise, there were better options in AAA (Gaub and Parker for sure) that would have been called up. The Cubs need to make some tough decisions this off-season (and before) on who to protect on the 40-man roster. Atkins looks to be someone who is at risk of being dropped off the 40-man (and possibly claimed by another team). Therefore, there is incentive to trade him and avoid having to release him or store him on the 40-man instead of someone else more deserving.

 

I think it's as simple as neither Gaub or Parker are on the 40-man roster while Atkins is.

[Keener98]

My guess is that Atkins is going to be included in an upcoming trade. He is being showcased for a team that is unsure about him. Otherwise, there were better options in AAA (Gaub and Parker for sure) that would have been called up. The Cubs need to make some tough decisions this off-season (and before) on who to protect on the 40-man roster. Atkins looks to be someone who is at risk of being dropped off the 40-man (and possibly claimed by another team). Therefore, there is incentive to trade him and avoid having to release him or store him on the 40-man instead of someone else more deserving.

 

I think it's as simple as neither Gaub or Parker are on the 40-man roster while Atkins is.

 

But dont we have spots open on the 40 man?

[dew1679666265]

My guess is that Atkins is going to be included in an upcoming trade. He is being showcased for a team that is unsure about him. Otherwise, there were better options in AAA (Gaub and Parker for sure) that would have been called up. The Cubs need to make some tough decisions this off-season (and before) on who to protect on the 40-man roster. Atkins looks to be someone who is at risk of being dropped off the 40-man (and possibly claimed by another team). Therefore, there is incentive to trade him and avoid having to release him or store him on the 40-man instead of someone else more deserving.

 

I think it's as simple as neither Gaub or Parker are on the 40-man roster while Atkins is.

 

But dont we have spots open on the 40 man?

 

Yes, but they likely don't want to burn an option on either.

[Keener98]

My guess is that Atkins is going to be included in an upcoming trade. He is being showcased for a team that is unsure about him. Otherwise, there were better options in AAA (Gaub and Parker for sure) that would have been called up. The Cubs need to make some tough decisions this off-season (and before) on who to protect on the 40-man roster. Atkins looks to be someone who is at risk of being dropped off the 40-man (and possibly claimed by another team). Therefore, there is incentive to trade him and avoid having to release him or store him on the 40-man instead of someone else more deserving.

 

I think it's as simple as neither Gaub or Parker are on the 40-man roster while Atkins is.

 

But dont we have spots open on the 40 man?

 

Yes, but they likely don't want to burn an option on either.

 

Yea kind of what I figured.

[Flames24Rulz]

lol Mitch Atkins.

 

Samardzija should be getting stretched out at Iowa, Stevens should still be here, and Atkins shouldn't be close to the majors unless he took a job as the team's bat boy. What a joke.

[Keener98]

lol Mitch Atkins.

 

Samardzija should be getting stretched out at Iowa, Stevens should still be here, and Atkins shouldn't be close to the majors unless he took a job as the team's bat boy. What a joke.

 

Welcome to your Jim Hendry/Lou Piniella Chicago Cubs

[NCCubFan]

The joke pitched a scoreless 9th to preserve the shutout.

[italianocubsfan7]

The joke pitched a scoreless 9th to preserve the shutout.

 

7 out of 8 pitches were for strikes, also. I've heard things about Atkins for awhile now, let's just see what he's got.

 

While I also like Stevens, this is just the normal Hendry pattern. Sometimes I wonder if we all on this board should just make those kinds of decisions for the Cubs.

[NCCubFan]

 

I suppose the fact that it wasnt David Patton suggests that theyve given up on him once and for all.

 

Nope, you've evaluated that one poorly. I'd suprised if we see him again prior to the rosters expanding...but not because the Cubs have given up on him 'once and for all'.

 

I think Patton is still rehabbing his groin actually. He only threw 40 pitches or so the other night against the BayBears and they pulled him after 2 runs scored on errors after the 2nd. I can only piece together that it's because of the injury. I was secretly hoping they released him or tradedf him or something. Didn't happen :(

 

They let Jeremy Papelbon throw the majority of the game. Hopefully if Patton is fully healthy they continue to keep him down in AA, he doesn't belong on the MLB roster.

 

If they can hide him away for the rest of the season, Patton would make a nice arm to have in the system.

 

Why go through that much trouble? Cant they just make a deal with the Rockies(or is it the Reds?) so they dont have to go through all that? I doubt hed cost too much in return.

That might have made sense earlier in the season, before he had spent 90 days on the active roster (although, as others have pointed out, he would have needed to clear waivers). It makes zero sense now. All the Cubs need to do is keep him on the DL until rosters expand on Sept. 1. They could then restore him to the active roster, use him only in mopup situations, then send him down for proper development next year free of Rule 5 restrictions.

[Coach C]

The joke pitched a scoreless 9th to preserve the shutout.

 

Even with that, Wells going 8 innings really saved the bullpen. Of course, scoring 12 runs and not giving up one helps as well. Today's game was a much needed break for the pen.

[RynoRules]

This screams "showcase for trade".

[biittner77]

That might have made sense earlier in the season, before he had spent 90 days on the active roster (although, as others have pointed out, he would have needed to clear waivers). It makes zero sense now. All the Cubs need to do is keep him on the DL until rosters expand on Sept. 1. They could then restore him to the active roster, use him only in mopup situations, then send him down for proper development next year free of Rule 5 restrictions.

 

Quit using logic and reason. Patton is the antichrist, eats babies for breakfast and started the Chicago fire. He is solely responsible for the Cubs not hitting during the first half of the season!!!!

[Illini Iceman]

This screams "showcase for trade".

 

I think it is really more a case of him being rested and on the 40 man roster. The Cubs probably also wanted to see better how his stuff was against MLB hitters because I am sure with how he has struggled this year they are at least giving some consideration to taking him off the 40 man roster.

 

Personally I think they should have just sent Samardzija down instead of Berg and then today they would have had Berg available along with Gregg and Marmol who did not pitch yesterday (Gregg actually hasn't pitched since Sunday). Marshall had pitched 3 days in a row but only 11, 3 and 17 pitches so I would hardly say he had been taxed, so I am not sure what the big crisis was.

[Keener98]

Stevens has been recalled

[abuck1220]

The joke pitched a scoreless 9th to preserve the shutout.

 

7 out of 8 pitches were for strikes, also. I've heard things about Atkins for awhile now, let's just see what he's got.

 

 

i think his 5,000 minor league innings have shown us what he's got.