Cashner to Iowa / Vitters to Tenn / Flaherty to Daytona

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Daytona News-Journal[/url]"]Daytona promoted third baseman Josh Vitters and utility player Marwin Gonzalez to Double-A Tennessee following the game. Infielder Ryan Flaherty is expected to join the Cubs today from Tennessee.

 

Knoxville News-Sentinel[/url]"]Cashner (3-1), who was a first round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2008, walked three and struck out eight. He was promoted to Class AAA Iowa and that's going to impact the Smokies.

[tfarks]

So I assume this pushes up Cashner's promotion to the bigs this year?

[soapy]

Lot's of movement today with this and Castro.

[ctcf]

Why no Jackson to AA? I'd have thought he deserved the bump more than Vitters.

[jersey cubs fan]

Vitters has not been particularly good at high A and he's still 20, I don't see the point in promoting him to AA.

[Guest]

Why no Jackson to AA? I'd have thought he deserved the bump more than Vitters.

 

My guess is that they want to see him hit a few more XBH. His discipline is incredible, but a sub-.100 IsoP isn't exactly promotion-worthy.

[Guest]

Vitters has not been particularly good at high A and he's still 20, I don't see the point in promoting him to AA.

25th highest OPS in the league, so he's about the #2 hitter on each team in the league.

 

Plus, last 10 games: .324/.390/.459/.850

[jersey cubs fan]

Vitters has not been particularly good at high A and he's still 20, I don't see the point in promoting him to AA.

25th highest OPS in the league, so he's about the #2 hitter on each team in the league.

 

Plus, last 10 games: .324/.390/.459/.850

 

Yeah, what you described doesn't stand out for a 20 year old with limited time at High A needing to be promoted. He's the 5th 3B on the list, 10th corner infielder, behind 5 middle infielders. He sucked last year and he's been decent this year.

 

The last 10 games things doesn't justify anything (and that 850 OPS is not even all that hot or better than his overall numbers). They justified his move to high A in the first place based on a hot weekend. I don't see the point in bumping him up everytime he has a short burst of production, when the big picture numbers just aren't impressive. It's as if they are trying to justify the selection.

Edited May 7, 2010 by jersey cubs fan

[Guest]

Vitters has not been particularly good at high A and he's still 20, I don't see the point in promoting him to AA.

25th highest OPS in the league, so he's about the #2 hitter on each team in the league.

 

Plus, last 10 games: .324/.390/.459/.850

 

Yeah, not particularly good. He sucked last year and he's been decent this year.

 

The last 10 games things doesn't justify anything. They justified his move to high A in the first place based on a hot weekend. I don't see the point in bumping him up everytime he has a short burst of production, when the big picture numbers just aren't impressive. It's as if they are trying to justify the selection.

I'm not trying to say he's been doing great - just explaining what I think is the mindset. Honestly, I expected him to start the year in Tenn, anyway

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm not trying to say he's been doing great - just explaining what I think is the mindset. Honestly, I expected him to start the year in Tenn, anyway

 

I get the mindset, and I think it's unjustifiably aggressive.

[KaiserCesar]

I'm not trying to say he's been doing great - just explaining what I think is the mindset. Honestly, I expected him to start the year in Tenn, anyway

 

I get the mindset, and I think it's unjustifiably aggressive.

 

I think with Ramirez struggling and his contract expiring, management would like to see how Vitters handles AA with a pretty significant sample.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm not trying to say he's been doing great - just explaining what I think is the mindset. Honestly, I expected him to start the year in Tenn, anyway

 

I get the mindset, and I think it's unjustifiably aggressive.

 

I think with Ramirez struggling and his contract expiring, management would like to see how Vitters handles AA with a pretty significant sample.

 

Aramis' contract only expires if he opts out.

[KaiserCesar]

I'm not trying to say he's been doing great - just explaining what I think is the mindset. Honestly, I expected him to start the year in Tenn, anyway

 

I get the mindset, and I think it's unjustifiably aggressive.

 

I think with Ramirez struggling and his contract expiring, management would like to see how Vitters handles AA with a pretty significant sample.

 

Aramis' contract only expires if he opts out.

 

The Cubs can also opt out (mutual option). So, there's still a decision to be made and a big sample from Vitters at AA will be helpful in making that decision.

[Guest]

I think they're rushing him too.

 

But I'm glad Cashner hasn't been sent to the big league pen.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Cubs can also opt out (mutual option). So, there's still a decision to be made and a big sample from Vitters at AA will be helpful in making that decision.

 

I believe Aramis owns an option for 2011, while the Cubs option would kick in for 2012, only if he stays, of course.

[Guest]

If they're promoting him just so they can see him at AA for when they make a decision about Ramirez, then that is really dumb. But I don't necessarily have a huge problem with promoting him. He's hitting for a good average, similar power, and nearly tripled his walk rate from last year. This wasn't his first exposure to Daytona, so moving him to Tennessee after it seems he's making progress on his flaws doesn't seem unreasonable(although I would've been fine with him staying in Daytona).

[Sammy Sofa]

The Cubs can also opt out (mutual option). So, there's still a decision to be made and a big sample from Vitters at AA will be helpful in making that decision.

 

I believe Aramis owns an option for 2011, while the Cubs option would kick in for 2012, only if he stays, of course.

 

Yeah, the team option isn't for 2011.

[jersey cubs fan]

If they're promoting him just so they can see him at AA for when they make a decision about Ramirez, then that is really dumb. But I don't necessarily have a huge problem with promoting him. He's hitting for a good average, similar power, and nearly tripled his walk rate from last year. This wasn't his first exposure to Daytona, so moving him to Tennessee after it seems he's making progress on his flaws doesn't seem unreasonable(although I would've been fine with him staying in Daytona).

 

My problem with it is it's unnecessarily aggressive. They waited for the first opportunity to justify the move, and made it, just like the move from low A. Why not have the kid establish himself as a worthy candidate for promotion over a decent chunk of time? Cashner earned it. Castro earned it. Vitters seems like a blatant bonus baby move.

[Guest]

I have to think the improved walk rate played a big part in the promotion. The Cubs have been pushing for improved patience in the minors since last season.

[Guest]

If they're promoting him just so they can see him at AA for when they make a decision about Ramirez, then that is really dumb. But I don't necessarily have a huge problem with promoting him. He's hitting for a good average, similar power, and nearly tripled his walk rate from last year. This wasn't his first exposure to Daytona, so moving him to Tennessee after it seems he's making progress on his flaws doesn't seem unreasonable(although I would've been fine with him staying in Daytona).

 

My problem with it is it's unnecessarily aggressive. They waited for the first opportunity to justify the move, and made it, just like the move from low A. Why not have the kid establish himself as a worthy candidate for promotion over a decent chunk of time? Cashner earned it. Castro earned it. Vitters seems like a blatant bonus baby move.

 

I can see that. I'm not gung ho about it, but considering what he does well, I'm not upset about them providing steeper challenges than the average player.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Bruce Levine seems to think that Cashner may be targeted for the bullpen "out of necessity". I'm sorry, but well-run organizations do not move their top starting pitcher prospects to the bullpen just to fill a hole. If if turns out that Cashner doesn't have the endurance or durability to be a Major League starter, that's fine, but at least give him a chance to succeed before throwing him into the bullpen.

[scarey]

They also may want to give him an opportunity to play on baseball fields not residing in Florida and see if he can work some kinks out of his defense. He had 5 errors already this year coming into today. I think it's about time to see if he can stick at 3rd and it's not exactly a huge surprise of a promotion. As Tim mentioned, he and many others speculated that Vitters could have started in Tenn this year.

[KaiserCesar]

Bruce Levine seems to think that Cashner may be targeted for the bullpen "out of necessity". I'm sorry, but well-run organizations do not move their top starting pitcher prospects to the bullpen just to fill a hole. If if turns out that Cashner doesn't have the endurance or durability to be a Major League starter, that's fine, but at least give him a chance to succeed before throwing him into the bullpen.

 

You forgot 'lack of a third pitch'. I think he is much more of a relief prospect and a mediocre SP prospect

[TruffleShuffle]

most reports indicate that cashner at least has a decent changeup.

[illiniguy]

Bruce Levine seems to think that Cashner may be targeted for the bullpen "out of necessity". I'm sorry, but well-run organizations do not move their top starting pitcher prospects to the bullpen just to fill a hole. If if turns out that Cashner doesn't have the endurance or durability to be a Major League starter, that's fine, but at least give him a chance to succeed before throwing him into the bullpen.

Yeah that's like the Yankees sedning Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes to the pen at first. Or the Twins sending Johan Santana or Francisco Liriano there. Or the Cardinals sending Adam Wainwright there. Good teams never do that.