Opening Day: Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-7-11

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa won 12-9 Box Score

 

CF T. Campana 2/5, R

RF F. Perez 0/4, BB, R, 3 K

LF L. Montanez 3/5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 3B (2), K

1B B. LaHair 1/4, R, 3 RBI, HR (1)

C M. Ramirez 1/4, BB, 2 R, 2B (1), K, PB (1)

2B B. Scales 3/5, 2 R, 2 2B (2), K, CS (1)

3B M. Smith 2/4, R, 2 RBI, K

DH T. Wright 3/4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (1)

SS M. Camp 0/4

SP T. Diamond 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 3-4 GO-FO

RP E. Caridad 3 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HR, 3-1 GO-FO

RP J. Gaub 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR

RP S. Maine 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0-2 GO-FO

 

Tennessee won 12-4 Box Score

 

CF B. Jackson 2/4, 2 BB, R, 3B (1), 2 RBI, K

LF R. Flaherty 2/3, BB, 2 RBI

2B DJ LeMahieu 0/4, K

RF M. Spencer 3/5, 3 R, RBI, 2B (1), HR (1)

3B J. Vitters 3/5, 2 R, 2B (1)

C S. Clevenger 2/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B (1), K

1B R. Ridling 2/4, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B (1), HR (1)

SS M. Gonzalez 1/4, BB, 2 R

PH/2B N. Samson 1/2, 2 RBI, 2B (1)

SP C. Rusin 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 8-3 GO-FO

RP HW Chen 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2-1 GO-FO

RP L. Sommer .1 perfect, 1 K

RP B. Parker 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K, 1-2 GO-FO

 

Daytona won 3-2 Box Score

 

2B L. Watkins 2/4, BB, R

3B M. Cerda 3/5, 2 RBI, 2B (1), E (1, fielding)

CF JH Ha 1/4, CS (1), HBP, Assist (1B)

1B J. Bour 0/4

DH W. Castillo 0/4, 2 K

LF M. Burgess 1/4, R, RBI, HR (1), K

C M. Brenly 0/4, 3 K

RF N. Perez 1/4, K

SS J. Lake 2/4, R, K

SP R. Whitenack 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 8-2 GO-FO

RP J. Lorick 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 5-0 GO-FO, E (1, fielding)

RP J. Beliveau 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

RP F. Batista 1 perfect, 2 K, 0-1 GO-FO

 

Peoria Suspended at 2-2 in the 9th Box Score

 

CF M. Szczur 1/4, 2B (1), K

RF R. Silva 1/3, BB, R, K, Assist (2B)

3B G. Rohan 2/4, R, RBI, 2 2B (2)

1B R. Jones 0/4, 2 K

DH DJ Fitzgerald 1/4, RBI, 3B (1), K

C M. Gibbs 0/4

LF A. Giansanti 2/4, 2B (1), K

SS A. Alcantara 0/3, 2 K

2B P. LePage 1/1, 2 BB

SP H. Simpson 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR, 2-1 GO-FO

RP Y. Gonzalez .1 perfect, 1-0 GO-FO

RP E. Jokisch 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR, 3-1 GO-FO

 

OVERALL: 3-0

[ChiefsVoice]

A slight correction...

 

Peoria vs. Cedar Rapids, not At. First 4 at home...then 19 of the next 22 are on the road...which is tough for the team, hopefully good for the box office. Should have the roster Monday, look forward to contributing here again this season.

 

And our Listen Live has changed online, check it out at http://www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive right now we are streaming interviews in a loop with Quade, Kasper, Oneri, Kopitzke and Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus.

 

Nathan

[Guest]

A slight correction...

 

Peoria vs. Cedar Rapids, not At. First 4 at home...then 19 of the next 22 are on the road...which is tough for the team, hopefully good for the box office. Should have the roster Monday, look forward to contributing here again this season.

 

And our Listen Live has changed online, check it out at http://www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive right now we are streaming interviews in a loop with Quade, Kasper, Oneri, Kopitzke and Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus.

 

Nathan

Welcome back, Nathan! Can't wait for another minor league season to get underway. Though I'm going to have to make it to some games this year - I missed all of last season.

[toonsterwu]

Nate - Curious if you have any take on the players that are getting slotted for Peoria?

[TruffleShuffle]

i am ready for this [expletive] to start... starlin castro and the minor leagues are about all i care about in cub world this year. and even the minor leagues it's harder to get excited about since the cubs traded half their system for garza.

[StarlinOnYou]

Where is Vitters? Hurt already?

[davell]

Where is Vitters? Hurt already?

 

Tennessee

[Vinestal]

No one is posting boxscores this year?

[NCCubFan]

The games actually have to be played before there are box scores to be posted.

[Quakers]

The games actually have to be played before there are box scores to be posted.

:shock:

[Vinestal]

The games actually have to be played before there are box scores to be posted.

 

I guess that makes sense, thanks lol

[Guest]

Rosters should be released today.

[ScrubMD]

Off the top of my head: B. Jackson, McNutt, Vitters, Kurcz, Reed, Simpson, Golden, Carpenter, Wells, LeMahieu, Greathouse, Szczur, Lake and maybe Rusin and Raley are the guys I'm intrigued by and plan to follow somewhat closely. Anyone else that I should definitely add to the list?

[ctcf]

Off the top of my head: B. Jackson, McNutt, Vitters, Kurcz, Reed, Simpson, Golden, Carpenter, Wells, LeMahieu, Greathouse, Szczur, Lake and maybe Rusin and Raley are the guys I'm intrigued by and plan to follow somewhat closely. Anyone else that I should definitely add to the list?

 

I'm still interested enough to following Burgess a bit.

[imb]

Burgess, Wallach, maybe. Ha definitely.

[ctcf]

Burgess, Wallach, maybe. Ha definitely.

 

Oh man I didn't notice Ha was missing. I'm actually kinda excited for his season.

[RammyFanny]

edit.

[JeffH]

Off the top of my head: B. Jackson, McNutt, Vitters, Kurcz, Reed, Simpson, Golden, Carpenter, Wells, LeMahieu, Greathouse, Szczur, Lake and maybe Rusin and Raley are the guys I'm intrigued by and plan to follow somewhat closely. Anyone else that I should definitely add to the list?

 

Rob Whitenack. Matt Cerda, especially if they will let him play second base.

[RammyFanny]

Simpson was drafted in the first round of the June draft last year, but did not play after signing because of mononucleosis.

 

“It means a lot more (than a normal opening day start),” Simpson said on Tuesday after the team’s first workout at O’Brien Field. “Especially knowing the organization was real patient with me through all of it. As much as I wanted to get out there and get going full bore, they said we need to be patient, start slow and don’t do anything too fast.”

 

To that end, the Cubs will limit Simpson’s pitch counts, at least through the early going, by piggybacking with Virginia native Eric Jokisch.

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x230257293/Capie-Opener-is-worth-wait-at-Chiefs-field

[Guest]

Exhibition game tonight for Daytona: http://daytona.cubs.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110404&content_id=17364084&vkey=news_t450&fext=.jsp&sid=t450

 

Tennessee's exhibition game last night was cancelled due to unplayable fields.

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: RHP Thomas Diamond (2010 at Iowa: 5-4, 3.16 ERA, 108.1 IP, 104 K, 46 BB)

Tennessee: LHP Chris Rusin (2010 at Tennessee & Daytona: 6-4, 3.11 ERA, 110 IP, 99 K, 19 BB)

Daytona: RHP Robert Whitenack (2010 at Daytona & Peoria: 11-8, 4.15 ERA, 143 IP, 91 K, 40 BB)

Peoria: RHP Hayden Simpson (2010 at Southern Arkansas: 13-1, 1.81 ERA, 99.1 IP, 131 K, 35 BB) - pro debut

 

Eric Jokisch is expected to piggy back with Simpson for Peoria.

[Guest]

Iowa's rotation for now: Thomas Diamond, Casey Coleman (?), J.R. Mathes, Austin Bibens-Dirkx, and Roberto Coello

 

Tennessee: Chris Rusin, Brooks Raley, Rafael Dolis, Alberto Cabrera, Trey McNutt

 

Daytona: Robert Whitenack, Nick Struck, Aaron Kurcz, Brett Wallach, Brent Ebinger - no Rhee

 

Peoria: Hayden Simpson/Eric Jokisch, Austin Kirk, Robinson Lopez/Dallas Beeler, Cam Greathouse, Graham Hicks - no Antigua

[Guest]

Daytona won 6-1: http://daytona.cubs.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110406&content_id=17465000&vkey=news_t450&fext=.jsp&sid=t450

 

Starter LHP Brent Ebinger got the win, and in the three innings he pitched, allowed one run on four hits while also striking out four. Ebinger's off-speed stuff was on-point, locating his sinker and curve ball nicely.

 

RHP Jordan Latham closed the game out for the Cubs, throwing a scoreless seventh inning. He gave up one hit and struck out one.

[toonsterwu]

I'm fairly surprised that Antigua isn't in the rotation in Peoria. To be fair, it's not like he has more upside than the other lefties, and the righties all clearly have better upside than Antigua. Wonder if Serrano settles down this year and grabs a spot in the rotation in the 2nd half, although I'm not expecting it (just that the hype on him was high enough that he's been disappointing so far).

 

There's a part of me that thinks we are better off pushing Rhee into the pen and seeing if he can just let it rip. I know their were folks that always thought, due to his frame, that he was destined for pen duty. I wonder if he might get some closing duty (although looking at that roster, I'd turn it over to Frank Batista).

 

Considering the big league rotation issues and the injury to Jay Jackson at AAA, I really wish they'd stretch Carpenter out again. Even if you don't think his future is in the rotation, it doesn't hurt right now.

[davell]

With Carpenter destined for the pen anyway and being so close to hitting the majors as it is, I'm actually happy we're putting him in the pen to start the season. Don't get me wrong, with our current situation at the major league level, he'd be the most intriguing option we could throw in there for a few weeks. But, since I don't see him as someone who's got much of a chance of sticking as a starter, we may as well get him acclimated to where he's going to wind up.

 

Not all that surprised with Rhee, maybe he'll shine in this role. Pretty surprised and very disappointed with Antigua though. He went into last year as our best lefty starting prospect(according to BA) and now he's coming out of the pen? Frame not holding up, I guess?