Transactions

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Iowa:

 

- RHP Daniel Berlind assigned to Iowa Cubs from Peoria Chiefs.

 

 

 

Why this guy of all people?

 

Because he's minor league filler and they didn't want to jerk around any real prospects.

 

Yeah, but don't we have our own organizational guys who would be better to reward than this flotsam?

It's not a reward.

[Wrigley Rat]

Mesa:

- SS Javier Baez assigned to AZL Cubs.

- RHP Michael Jensen assigned to AZL Cubs.

- RHP Tayler Scott assigned to AZL Cubs.

[Wrigley Rat]

Iowa:

- Iowa Cubs placed C Welington Castillo on the 7-Day disabled list.

- Mario Mercedes assigned to Iowa Cubs from Boise Hawks.

 

Boise:

- Boise Hawks placed RHP Yao-Lin Wang on the temporarily inactive list.

- Boise Hawks placed OF Pin-Chieh Chen on the temporarily inactive list.

- James Pugliese assigned to Boise Hawks from AZL Cubs.

- Kyung-Min Na assigned to Boise Hawks from AZL Cubs.

- Javier Baez assigned to Boise Hawks from AZL Cubs.

- Anthony Zych assigned to Boise Hawks from AZL Cubs.

- Michael Jensen assigned to Boise Hawks from AZL Cubs.

[Wrigley Rat]

Chicago:

- Signed: RHP David Henrie (NDFA—Trinidad State (Colo.) JC)

- Chicago Cubs called up Bryan LaHair from Iowa Cubs.

 

Iowa:

- Iowa Cubs activated LHP Scott Maine from the 7-Day disabled list.

- Iowa Cubs activated RHP Chris Carpenter from the 7-Day disabled list.

- Andrew Cashner assigned to Iowa Cubs from Tennessee Smokies.

 

Tennessee:

- Daniel Berlind assigned to Tennessee Smokies from Iowa Cubs.

- Tennessee Smokies placed LHP Eric Jokisch on the 7-Day disabled list.

- Hung-Wen Chen assigned to Tennessee Smokies from Iowa Cubs.

- Tennessee Smokies placed RHP Larry Suarez on the 7-Day disabled list.

- Tennessee Smokies placed SS Matt Camp on the restricted list.

 

Daytona:

- RHP Patrick Francescon assigned to Daytona Cubs from Peoria Chiefs.

- RHP Yoannis Negrin assigned to Daytona Cubs from Peoria Chiefs.

 

Peoria:

- Charles Thomas assigned to Peoria Chiefs from Boise Hawks.

- Peoria Chiefs placed OF John Andreoli on the 7-Day disabled list. abdominal pain

- Peoria Chiefs activated SS Arismendy Alcantara from the 7-Day disabled list.

- Ryan Hartman assigned to Peoria Chiefs from AZL Cubs.

 

Boise:

- Angel Guzman assigned to Boise Hawks from Daytona Cubs.

- Jeffrey Lorick assigned to Boise Hawks from Daytona Cubs.

[Wrigley Rat]

Daytona:

- Taiwan Easterling assigned to Daytona Cubs from Peoria Chiefs.

 

Peoria:

- Peoria Chiefs activated OF Smaily Borges from the 7-Day disabled list.

[TruffleShuffle]

Boise:

- Angel Guzman assigned to Boise Hawks from Daytona Cubs.

 

:?:

[Guest]

Boise:

- Angel Guzman assigned to Boise Hawks from Daytona Cubs.

 

:?:

 

Rather have a 1-inning starter pitching in the NWL playoffs than the FSL playoffs, I'm guessing. I saw him on the Boise roster this morning and did a double take.

[Wrigley Rat]

Chicago:

- Chicago Cubs recalled John Gaub from Iowa Cubs.

- Chicago Cubs recalled DJ LeMahieu from Iowa Cubs.

- Chicago Cubs recalled Lou Montanez from Iowa Cubs.

[videographer]

Here are past scouting reports and rankings of Casey Weathers and Jeff Bianchi.

 

Casey Weathers

#6 on Colorado’s 2007 Top 10 from BA

 

Strengths:

Weathers has a power arm with two swing-and-miss pitches. His fastball sits at 96-97 mph and becomes even nastier because he throws it on a nice downhill plane despite his short stature. His power slider can reach the low 90s. He has the confidence, cockiness and aggressiveness needed to be a closer.

 

Weaknesses:

Weathers can get long with his arm action and too quick with his delivery, costing him command and life on his pitches. He doesn't have a changeup or a third pitch, but won't need on in a bullpen role. He needs to work on controlling the running game, so in instructional league he broke out a slide step that has potential.

 

Jeff Bianchi

#5 on Kansas City’s 2005 Top 10 from BA

 

Background:

Bianchi was a lightly crosschecked high school player, but he generated so much late buzz that Royals scouting director Deric Ladnier eschewed trips to college conference tournaments to see him. Ladnier and his staff viewed Bianchi as a first-round talent and were happy to nab him in the second round for $690,000. Bianchi pushed for the Rookie-level Arizona League triple crown before a lower back strain ended his season and his Arizona Fall League hopes.

 

Strengths:

Bianchi's efficient hitting mechanics and quick, short swing produce impressive results. He uses the whole field and flashes average power. He has plus-plus speed, getting from the right side of the plate to first base in 4.1 seconds. He's athletic and instinctive defensively, and plays a polished overall game. He had an easy transition to pro ball because his high school coach, Todd Garber, is the brother of Kansas City coordinator of minor league instruction Jeff Garber and incorporates many of the Royals' principles.

 

Weaknesses:

Bianchi hasn't played enough yet for the Royals to discover any warts. His arm isn't the strongest and some teams projected him as a second baseman, but he's able to make plays from the hole. His back had no structural damage and isn't a long-term concern.

[videographer]

Here is a past minor league scouting report on Ian Stewart.

 

Ian Stewart

#2 on Colorado’s 2007 Top 10 from BA

 

Strengths:

Stewart hasn't had a strong followup to his 2004 breakout in low Class A Asheville (.319, 30 homers), but he has big-time power potential along the lines of Matt Holliday, who failed to put up big numbers in the minors. Stewart has a quick bat and good plate coverage. Because he grew up hitting against his father, a lefty, he had good feel against southpaws and hit .312 with a .522 slugging percentage against them in 2007. He's a gifted athlete with a strong arm, allowing him to make spectacular plays at third base. He has average speed and some basestealing instincts.

 

Weaknesses:

Stewart's swing can get a bit long and he can become too pull-conscious. He needs to develop more patience and trust his ability to drive balls to the opposite field. He get lackadaisical on routine plays, leading to careless errors.

[toonsterwu]

Latest minor league transactions from BA indicate that we released Gian Guzman, Manuel Barrios, and Jesus Morelli.

[Rob]

Goldstein says we released Robinson Lopez. Shame.

[davell]

Damn. He must either have some very serious injuries or an extreme attitude problem. Can't understand how this happened this quickly.

[craig]

Damn. He must either have some very serious injuries or an extreme attitude problem. Can't understand how this happened this quickly.

 

The number of visas is limited. So Latin guys who aren't progressing might not get as large a window. Although, typically if you aren't one of the top-28 international prospects in the country, you aren't probably much of a loss. Certainly the reports last year were pretty negative, pretty fast but not exceptional, and straight with no command or breaking ball.

 

I always wonder with latin kids if they don't improve. Bogus age, and he's really 23? PEDs before, and without them now his arm is really mediocre?

[Guest]

My guess is his stuff regressed due to injury but any of craig's reasons also are plausible.

 

@jimcallisBA: Fastball, slider really went backward last yr. @crocketttm: What happened to Robinson Lopez? Released today apparently.

[toonsterwu]

Never liked him as much as others did, but a bit surprised that this happened. There was a moment last year, don't recall when, but he had a decent 2 games as a starter. That said, he was just a fastball guy, and an average fastball at that, albeit one with decent velo. The curveball was never there consistently. It's possible that it was an injury that hampered his velo from some of those SAL reports, but it wouldn't surprise me if their work to try and iron out his mechanics impacted his stuff as well. Somewhat of a shame that he's gone, as I had hoped that he could perhaps turn the corner with another year at Peoria, but there's a lot of raw armed fastball guys coming up behind him, so eh, not that big of a loss. I mean, the organization doesn't typically keep around fastball-only guys for that long, and his breaking ball was simply eh last year. His past pedigree will probably get him another look from a team.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I know I'm a week late to this party, but what's the point of releasing a 21 year old with the ceiling that Lopez has? He's not costing so much as a 40 man roster spot. He's not blocking anyone. Why not just give him the chance to turn it around, even if it was a personel or coachability issue.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I know I'm a week late to this party, but what's the point of releasing a 21 year old with the ceiling that Lopez has? He's not costing so much as a 40 man roster spot. He's not blocking anyone. Why not just give him the chance to turn it around, even if it was a personel or coachability issue.

 

Limited visas?

[craig]

Limited visas?

 

Yes.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The Cubs released right-hander Kyle Smit, who struggled at three levels in 2011.

 

He did look promising when we got him, but oh we'll.

[toonsterwu]

Saw Rob G post this at TCR (figured I'd give appropriate acknowledgement), but BA's latest minors transactions -

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/2012/03/minor-league-transactions-march-13-19/

 

Released: RHP Yohan Gonzalez, RHP Jordan Latham, SS Rafael Valdes, OF Ben Klafczynski, OF Blair Springfield

Traded: RHP Aaron Kurcz to Red Sox as player to be named in compensation package for general manager Theo Epstein

Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Alberto Cabrera, LHP Jeff Beliveau, LHP John Gaub, 3B Josh Vitters

Optioned to Double-A: SS Junior Lake, OF Matt Szczur

 

The Cubs drafted Blair Springfield out of a Decatur, Ill., high school in the seventh round of the ’09 draft, but he never advanced past short-season Boise in three seasons.

 

The Cubs signed Cuban defector Rafael Valdes last February and released him little more than a year later. He batted .263/.319/.371 in 232 at-bats last season.

 

There was that poster that seemed really high on Klafczynski, but all in all, no one cut that surprises. Shame on Latham - was fascinated with him pre-issues. One of the final DnF guys, had a good fastball and a nice power slider. Never thought back then that Parker would be the better of the two pen arms. Was really high on Latham back then.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

How did young Vitters look this Spring? I'm still mildly optimistic on him this year. Looked like he was in really good shape but I have no numbers.

[Little Slide Rooter]

According to Kevin Goldstein, the Cubs released Cam Greathouse. Too bad.

[toonsterwu]

According to Kevin Goldstein, the Cubs released Cam Greathouse. Too bad.

 

Interesting. AzPhil was still under the impression that Greathouse would be coming late. Wasn't there some talk that he was excused because he just had a kid?

 

I mean, it's not a huge loss. Just curious.

[toonsterwu]

(h/t TCR) the latest BA minor league transactions:

Chicago Cubs

Signed: RHP Shawn Camp

Released: RHP Colin Richardson, LHP Brent Ebinger, LHP Trever Miller, C Mario Mercedes, 3B Jacob Opitz, OF Mayke Reyes

Elected free agency: RHP Andy Sonnanstine

Optioned to Triple-A: 1B Anthony Rizzo, 2B Adrian Cardenas

Removed from 40-man: RHP Andy Sonnanstine (outrighted to Triple-A)

Outrighted to Mexican League: RHP Oswaldo Martinez (Mexico City)

 

Anthony Rizzo did everything he could this spring to make the team, going 12-for-33 (.364) with two homers, but the Cubs want to see what they have first in Bryan LaHair, last year's minor league home run champion. The 22-year-old Rizzo's day will come in Wrigley.

 

Mild disappointment that Richardson and Ebinger never developed. Granted, the cuts aren't surprising, just disappointment that things didn't turn out better.