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

[Little Slide Rooter]

I guess it worked for Marmol and Wells, so we'll see.

[TruffleShuffle]

Did they send Simpson to Peoria because of the mono? I mean it's a little unusual to send 1st round starters out of college to low A isn't it? I think he's going to quickly prove he belongs in Daytona/Tenn.

 

not really. plus he hasn't pitched professionally and his college pitching was done for a small school. and a lot of people thought he was a reach at #16.

[Little Slide Rooter]

2 quick qustions:

 

1. Wheres Kyler Burke?

 

Converting to pitcher; apparently he has a good arm and is a lefty.

 

.

 

You're not serious, are you?

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TufJDWGvofw/TPOXu9XWDuI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/RzonXxGjsvk/s1600/nielsen.jpg

 

Link

 

Also not a surprise is the news that Kyler Burke is being converted to a pitcher and will begin the season at extended spring training. Burke has a cannon arm, rated to be the organization’s best in the outfield, but has largely struggled at the plate in five seasons hitting just .244. His best by far was 2009 when he hit .303 for the Chiefs, drove in 89 runs and was named the Cubs’ minor-league player of the year. With his arm strength, that he was a pitcher before being drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2006 and will still only be 23 for the bulk of the season, moving Burke to the mound is almost a no-brainer.The Cubs have found some gems in doing this before, with Carlos Marmol being the most notable, so it is worth a shot.

 

Oh, and I didnt call you Shirley.

[Northside Blues]

So opening day was just about perfect as far as the minors went.

[toonsterwu]

Hayden Simpson's final line: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR. Not a shabby pro debut.

 

Thats Marmol numbers there.

 

It's also a college arm against a bunch of youngsters. Much as I am intrigued with Hayden, I wouldn't read too much into his numbers in Peoria, unless they are bad.

[toonsterwu]

good outing from whitenack: 7 ip, 6 h, 2 er, 0 bb, 5 k, 13 go/2 fo.

 

beliveau relieved and allowed a hit with 2 K's in an inning.

 

cerda is 2-4 with a double, lake has a pair of singles in 3 AB (and playing SS?), beef welington is 0-4 with 2 K's as the DH, watkins 2-4 as the 2B.

 

vitters went 3-5 with a double while spencer was a triple short of the cycle.

 

Still a bit frustrated that Watkins and Cerda together forces Cerda to 3rd. I'd like to see Matt get an extended run at 2nd to see if he can be a solid defensive 2nd baseman. I'm also hoping that Lake at the bottom of the lineup was more an opening day thing. I'd like to see him hit a bit higher than that. As for playing short, well, there isn't anyone there forcing him off the spot. They can always move him later (and he does have the tools to stick at short).

[CUBZ99]

Hayden Simpson's final line: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR. Not a shabby pro debut.

 

Thats Marmol numbers there.

 

It's also a college arm against a bunch of youngsters. Much as I am intrigued with Hayden, I wouldn't read too much into his numbers in Peoria, unless they are bad.

 

That is a little harsh. I don't see any problem with letting him build his confidence and hopefully dominate A ball for a month or so before being promoted. Those numbers are good for any pitcher and very encouraging.

[toonsterwu]

Hayden Simpson's final line: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR. Not a shabby pro debut.

 

Thats Marmol numbers there.

 

It's also a college arm against a bunch of youngsters. Much as I am intrigued with Hayden, I wouldn't read too much into his numbers in Peoria, unless they are bad.

 

That is a little harsh. I don't see any problem with letting him build his confidence and hopefully dominate A ball for a month or so before being promoted. Those numbers are good for any pitcher and very encouraging.

 

Huh? What's harsh? I think him going to Peoria was fine. I think that was the right move considering how much time he missed. I'm simply saying that I wouldn't read too much into his positive numbers in Low A, which I think is fair when talking about a first round college arm vs. youngsters in Low A.

[TruffleShuffle]

Hayden Simpson's final line: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR. Not a shabby pro debut.

 

Thats Marmol numbers there.

 

It's also a college arm against a bunch of youngsters. Much as I am intrigued with Hayden, I wouldn't read too much into his numbers in Peoria, unless they are bad.

 

your impression of low A ball is wrong. simpson was born in 1989. all but two of the chiefs' hitters (burruel and alacantara) were born in 1989 or before. the team they faced today, cedar rapids, has just two hitters born in 1990 with the rest born in 1989 or earlier. in fact, i would guess that simpson might be around a year younger than the average player in the midwest league.

[Rob]

Good first day down on the farm.

[toonsterwu]

Hayden Simpson's final line: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR. Not a shabby pro debut.

 

Thats Marmol numbers there.

 

It's also a college arm against a bunch of youngsters. Much as I am intrigued with Hayden, I wouldn't read too much into his numbers in Peoria, unless they are bad.

 

your impression of low A ball is wrong. simpson was born in 1989. all but two of the chiefs' hitters (burruel and alacantara) were born in 1989 or before. the team they faced today, cedar rapids, has just two hitters born in 1990 with the rest born in 1989 or earlier. in fact, i would guess that simpson might be around a year younger than the average player in the midwest league.

 

 

Sorry, maybe I should've clarified/not used the word youngster. I 'm speaking to the fact that the kids in Low A are typically

 

a) Less experienced/polished

b) Have less ability

 

It's generally acknowledged by scouts that a good college arm with some polish should be able to go into Low A ball and perform well, particularly, in Simpson's case, a college arm with advanced secondary pitches. Yes, the numbers are nice from today. I just wouldn't get too excited yet. It's more troublesome when a college arm with secondary pitches and some polish struggles against the "youngster" in Low A.

 

As for average age, yes, off the top, 21/22 is about the average age for Low A ball.

[Guest]

Heck, I'm just happy he pitched and didn't join Cashner/Wells.

[CubsWin]

Heck, I'm just happy he pitched and didn't join Cashner/Wells.

Me too. It's good to see him pitch and do well no matter what level.

 

God it was good to see minor league box scores again. I had no idea how much a missed it until I opened this thread. And it's always nice to see wins, too.

[CubsWin]

SP R. Whitenack 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 13-2 GO-FO

Thanks, O_O for putting up box scores again this year. Not to nitpick, but one typo, according to the box score Whitenack had 8 ground ball outs, not 13. Still, pretty darn impressive ratio...

[craig]

Whitenack was revised to 5 innings, with Lorisch picking up the 6th and 7th innings.

 

Unlike toonster, I was thrilled with Simpson's debut. Yes, it's true that often a 1st round college pick should be expected to handle A- hitters.

 

But I wasn't the least bored to see Simpson actually do that. He was a small-college guy, so his experience is questionable and was questioned. He's been extensively dissed as a 1st round pick, and viewed as a reach, a bad pick, a signability pick, a guy who hasn't really shown anything yet against anybody meaningful, and as a low-ceiling guy. So to pop out with a 7-K start in 3+ innings isn't boringly obvious to me, it's a refreshing encouragement that maybe he wasn't a reach or a bad pick or a signability guy. And with K-control stuff, maybe his ceiling isn't nearly so low as many have assumed. Some posters worried about the mono, that it might really set his career back, and he might not be ready to open in full season, etc. So to be ready to open and throw 70 and be strong enough to be K'ing 5 of the last 6 opposing hitters, I'm thrilled, not at all bored and unimpressed with that.

 

All in all a really encouraging start for so young a pitcher as that. I recall during the Cub rankings that when I had simpson #6, I don't recall any posters ranking him that high. He was a reach, many thought he was more a 4th rounder, he had mono and hadn't shown anything, etc.. Several premium posters had him behind golden or wells or both. My guess is that if results like yesterday are boringly routine for him, ranking him #6 won't seem very unusual for long. I'm thrilled.

 

Likewise thrilled with Jackson and Vitters debut. And Silva (a walk, which had been a concern; a hit; and gunned a baserunner.) Little LePage hit .345 last year with super contact/low-K profile, but walked way too little for a no-power-no-SB guy. To see him take two walks last night is an encouraging start, if he adds a healthy dose of walks without badly compromising on his .345 average, he could become an OBP machine.

 

Heh, usually

[Northside Blues]

Craig makes a great point. Simpson isnt coming from the SEC. He is coming from D2.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Gt to the MiLB season! And wow, I didnt relize what a collection of Crash Davises we had in Iowa. Is there anyone under the age of 27 on that team?

[larhur]

Burgess in left looks slow, didn't get a very good look at several balls in left and on several ground balls to the infield slowed down on the way to first but hit a ball so hard to right it was out before anyone moved much.

Bour hit a ball about 400 ft only to have the center fielder run it down just as he hit the fence.

Ha can run and has a great arm in center, through a runner out at first who strayed too close toward second on a fly ball and almost got another later if Bour could have got a tag down, and he wasn't thtown out trying to steal second, he had it stolen and over slid the bag. He gets a great jump on the ball in center, he went back, way back in the 9th to rob someone of extra bases, rolled over and held up the ball.he liiks good, hope he can hit enough.

Lake looks good at short and can hit

Cerda looks uncomfortable at third.

Brenly is a good catcher.

I am Larry and was at the game

[Rob]

Gt to the MiLB season! And wow, I didnt relize what a collection of Crash Davises we had in Iowa. Is there anyone under the age of 27 on that team?

 

Justin Berg

Austin Bibens-Dirkx

Chris Carpenter

Robert Coello

John Gaub

Scott Maine

Jake Muyco

Max Ramirez

Chris Robinson

Matt Camp

Jonathan Mota

Marquez Smith

Tony Campana

Ty Wright

 

Granted, a not insignificant number of those guys will turn 27 at some point during the season.

[Guest]

Burgess in left looks slow, didn't get a very good look at several balls in left and on several ground balls to the infield slowed down on the way to first but hit a ball so hard to right it was out before anyone moved much.

Bour hit a ball about 400 ft only to have the center fielder run it down just as he hit the fence.

Ha can run and has a great arm in center, through a runner out at first who strayed too close toward second on a fly ball and almost got another later if Bour could have got a tag down, and he wasn't thtown out trying to steal second, he had it stolen and over slid the bag. He gets a great jump on the ball in center, he went back, way back in the 9th to rob someone of extra bases, rolled over and held up the ball.he liiks good, hope he can hit enough.

Lake looks good at short and can hit

Cerda looks uncomfortable at third.

Brenly is a good catcher.

I am Larry and was at the game

 

Thanks! How did Whitenack look? And are you going back tonight?

[larhur]

whitenack looked good, kept the ball around the plate, only had a three ball count twice as I remember, no speed guns around but looked in the 90 mph range, no, I am committed friday and sat., may try to go Sunday

[Outshined_One]

Kevin Goldstein's Future Shock

 

Brett Jackson, OF, Cubs (Double-A Tennessee): 2-for-4, 3B, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K. Jackson could be in Triple-A by July, and he could be in the big leagues by September.

 

...

 

Hayden Simpson, RHP, Cubs (Low-A Peoria): 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 K. He whiffed half of the hitters he faced in his pro debut while getting up to 94 mph with his fastball in the cold.

 

...

 

Josh Vitters, 3B, Cubs (Double-A Tennessee): 3-for-5, 2B, 2 R. Vitters had one three-hit games in 63 Double-A contests last year; his swing is still among the sweetest around.

 

Given the weather and his bout with mono, 94 is good to hear with Simpson. Apparently his breaking stuff was on last night, too.

[Guancous]

whitenack looked good, kept the ball around the plate, only had a three ball count twice as I remember, no speed guns around but looked in the 90 mph range, no, I am committed friday and sat., may try to go Sunday

 

Thanks for your input. I hope you comment all season.

[TruffleShuffle]

whitenack looked good, kept the ball around the plate, only had a three ball count twice as I remember, no speed guns around but looked in the 90 mph range, no, I am committed friday and sat., may try to go Sunday

 

Thanks for your input. I hope you comment all season.

 

agreed, it's nice to have the firsthand input, especially with respect to defense.

[craig]

Larry, likewise thanks for your scouting report. Post em whenever you watch.

 

Whitenack pretty heavily fastball/sinker? Or were there some definite breaking balls? Arizona Phil made reference to a "killer splitter". Did you notice anything sharp like that? Or pretty much keep the fastball down and go with that?

 

On Simpson, certainly nice to get the report that he was touching 94. With good arsenal of offspeed pitches and control, that doesn't sound like too feeble a fastball.