Ex-Cubs Minor Leaguers

[wvcbxl]

Luke Sommer (2007 draftee that was released in 2011) somehow resurfaced in The Netherlands and signed with Corendon Kinheim in Haarlem.

[toonsterwu]

I don't hate the kid, although it may feel that way at times, and really, have always he would succeed due to some personal bias (although the personal bias isn't as strong for him as say, Pin-Chieh Chen), but Hak-ju Lee is still struggling. BABIP certainly looks like it could be a factor in all this, as his discipline is still solid, but it's close to 200 AB's in AA now (over the last 2 years) where he simply hasn't hacked it.

 

His glove, by most accounts, has steadied, so the glove could still get him into the bigs, but I still think this kid was over-hyped. People seem surprised (elsewhere) that he's struggling. I said this last year, but when everyone was crowing about his new-found power in A+, the statistics indicated that he had a very hot April to carry those numbers, before settling down, power wise, and coming back to normal. That said, even when I saw him in Peoria, I never liked the bat that much. Always thought he was similar to Che-Hsuan Lin, and while I had hopes for Lin once, they are following relatively similar offensive paths up the minors.

 

Just watch, though, he'll go on some sort of insane tear after this and make me eat my words. And if he does, I'll quietly cheer him on. He's an interesting guy to follow, because on various sites, you'll find Cubs fans lamenting the loss of Lee, as if he was the one that got away.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So far, the Orioles have allowed Ryan Flaherty 4 PA, in which he's 0-4 with 3 K. At this rate, he's pretty much wasting a roster spot so it might not be too long before they either send him back to us or strike a deal to keep him.

[toonsterwu]

WSR, I think there's very little chance of that happening anytime soon. Not impossible, and if it does happen, I think it'll be closer to mid-summer, but the Orioles, by most accounts, are still quite high on him. Problem is, the spots where he might be able to sub at either have guys hot (Andino), guys that need to get it going for the O's to move them (Reynolds), or a better utility option like Betemit eating up his time. But everything out of Baltimore suggests they plan to keep Flaherty for the entire year (or at least, until they can DL him with some mysterious ailment).

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

4 ABs? Surprised they haven't just thrown him in the furnace and gotten rid of him for both of us.

[toonsterwu]

John Gaub was DFA'd. I wouldn't mind bringing him back (Gaub or Robertson ... not hard for me) if it was an option. Still walks a crapload, still struggles a bit with righties, but still is solid against lefties.

[Wrigley Rat]

Ryan Flaherty as of today:

 

49 PA's

0 Doubles/Triples

1 Homerun

152/167/217/384

 

I agree about Gaub. His stats weren't that bad in AAA.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=gaub--001joh

 

I was kind of upset when he was DFA'd. Here's our chance to make it all better! :)

[Little Slide Rooter]

John Gaub was DFA'd. I wouldn't mind bringing him back (Gaub or Robertson ... not hard for me) if it was an option. Still walks a crapload, still struggles a bit with righties, but still is solid against lefties.

 

The new market efficiency for Cubs minor league relievers is guys in their mid-late 30's who had a decent season 3-5 years ago.

[toonsterwu]

So was looking for some stuff and accidentally clicked on a Frontier League link. Got curious, and peeking around, I found former Cubs farmhands Jovan Rosa and Alvaro Ramirez with the Normal Cornbelters.

 

Rosa was one of the last draft-and-follows. Was a JC middle infielder, moved to 3rd, played some first, and then the Cubs tried him at catcher. Had an intriguing 2008 season, but the power never developed, and he messed with his swing in an effort to generate power in 2009 in Daytona. Was moved to catcher in 2010, and then fizzled out. Looks like he's struggling. One of my favorite prospects in 2008, and one of my bigger, personal, disappointments in recent history, relative to what I had hoped for. After 2008, when you asked around, a decent number of folks thought that he would develop some power down the line and have above average power (obviously, not everyone thought that way, but a fair amount of folks I talked to said it seemed possible).

 

Alvaro was an older kid. Already 23 when he signed with us, he had been signed by the Yankees at age 20. Had some good numbers in Boise, but fizzled in Peoria and he was gone. Looks like he's been raking in the frontier league.

[Guest]

Jay Jackson re-surfaces in the Marlins system.

[Little Slide Rooter]

There's a good chance he'll get at least a cup of coffee with them, so that's nice.

[mul21]

Blake Lalli is currently playing first base for the Brewers.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Blake Lalli is currently playing first base for the Brewers.

 

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/nick-cage-lol.gif

[woodchip2153]

I guess this goes in this thread. Pie almost went into the stands, because fans were throwing stuff including beer at the players.

[Little Slide Rooter]

@CubsDen: RT @CubsTalkCSN Former #Cubs 1st-rder Hayden Simpson signs on with Southern Illinois Miners -- http://t.co/ETC0IryKK5

 

Surely a few people remember this guy.

[Guest]

Hak-Ju Lee sustained what appears to be a pretty major leg injury during a collision at second base. He needed help to get off the field and put no weight on his leg.

 

ETA: Season-ending knee injury. Haven't seen which ligaments but he tore ligaments in his knee.

[Cubswin11]

Hak-Ju Lee sustained what appears to be a pretty major leg injury during a collision at second base. He needed help to get off the field and put no weight on his leg.

 

ETA: Season-ending knee injury. Haven't seen which ligaments but he tore ligaments in his knee.

If this injury takes away any speed/range/quickness he has he basically is a nothing prospect now, not that I was ever that high on him to begin with (especially him being a top 50-100 guy).

[wvcbxl]

Hak-Ju Lee sustained what appears to be a pretty major leg injury during a collision at second base. He needed help to get off the field and put no weight on his leg.

 

ETA: Season-ending knee injury. Haven't seen which ligaments but he tore ligaments in his knee.

 

To end my baseball trip to the US last week, I went to the Indianapolis Indians@ Durham Bulls game on Sunday, and was surprised to find six ex-Cubs system guys on the rosters. Hak-Ju Lee was the only one that didn't play (for obvious reasons) but Guyer, Fontenot and Beliveau (for the Bulls), and Pie and Harrison (for the Indians) did. Of those five, Pie was easily the worst of the bunch, and seemed to be acting like a dick at some point (insisting on wanting some stuff from the dugout in the middle of an at-bat).

I know it was father's day, but I have never in my life seen so many small kids at any sports event - it was just great.

[Vanilla Ice]

Hak-Ju Lee sustained what appears to be a pretty major leg injury during a collision at second base. He needed help to get off the field and put no weight on his leg.

 

ETA: Season-ending knee injury. Haven't seen which ligaments but he tore ligaments in his knee.

 

To end my baseball trip to the US last week, I went to the Indianapolis Indians@ Durham Bulls game on Sunday, and was surprised to find six ex-Cubs system guys on the rosters. Hak-Ju Lee was the only one that didn't play (for obvious reasons) but Guyer, Fontenot and Beliveau (for the Bulls), and Pie and Harrison (for the Indians) did. Of those five, Pie was easily the worst of the bunch, and seemed to be acting like a dick at some point (insisting on wanting some stuff from the dugout in the middle of an at-bat).

I know it was father's day, but I have never in my life seen so many small kids at any sports event - it was just great.

The Bulls stadium is great

[Little Slide Rooter]

Jay Jackson re-surfaces in the Marlins system.

 

Currently with a 2.73 ERA, 0.973 WHIP, 20/59 BB/K in 62.2 IP.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Remember Abner Abreu? The guy we got for Kosuke Fukudome? Well he's on the "developmental squad" for the Seibu Lions. If he ever makes the team, he'd join Esteban German, who was in our farm system for a not so hot minute. That would make 6 former Cubs minor leaguers playing in Japan along with LaHair, Hoffpauir, Murton, and Casey "BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER" McGehee. LaHair and Hoff seem to be really struggling there, but McGehee, and Murton, who's hitting .307 after a dissapointing 2012 following his legendary 2011.

 

Also scattered throughout the Japanese league are Nyjer Morgan, Ryan Spillborghs, Randy Messenger, and Vincente Padilla, who looks more like the driver of a windowless van then ever.

[StarlinOnYou]

@CubsDen: RT @CubsTalkCSN Former #Cubs 1st-rder Hayden Simpson signs on with Southern Illinois Miners -- http://t.co/ETC0IryKK5

 

Surely a few people remember this guy.

 

Wilken did not draft well here.

 

I have no idea what his exact position is now, but I only hope he does not have a huge hand in the decision

Making.

 

Edit - didnt realize how old this news was. Ignore my hatrid for Wilken.