Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-11-11

[Guest]

That's the problem with the Flaherty vs LeMahieu situation. It's beginning to look like both will have to move off second base.

[videographer]

That's the problem with the Flaherty vs LeMahieu situation. It's beginning to look like both will have to move off second base.

 

Raisin, I believe Flaherty is destine for 1B or outfield. I think his power will increase enough for the Cubs to consider him at 1B by late 2012 or 2013. Hendry wants LH power at 1B. LeMahieu is a 3B waiting to happen (his best position). Vitters is not a done deal at 3B and LeMahieu makes a nice back up choice. If LeMahieu significantly out performs Vitters this year, he may take over as the future Cubs 3B prospect.

 

Cerda is a 2B waiting to happen. His tools play best there. Unfortunately, Junior Lake is messing up the infield alignment. Watkins best position is SS and should have started there this year. Lake is best suited for 3B, but is blocked by Vitters at AA. So, a comprised has been fostered to create playing time. By next year, we should see better resolution with Lake's success or failure this year. If he fails, he will be a utility player. If he is a success, he will permanently re-align other middle infielders behind his status.

 

A final thought, reading Fleita's comments about Silva's future, I think the Cubs are hoping he can be a 2B. A speedy, LH 2B lead-off man is a very attractive option. Luis Castillo did very well in that role with Florida. I believe Hendry was with Florida before taking a job with the Cubs as farm director.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Wow has Cerda really walked 4 times?

 

EDIT: 4/5 of Burgess' hits have now been for HRs. I think that boy has some power.

 

cerda is one of our few prospects who has a really good eye.

 

if burgess developed some plate discipline and was less fat he'd be a really interesting prospect. i guess it depends on whether he can play a decent corner OF without giving back too many runs.

 

Looking at his build, is there any chance he could be converted to one of the middle infield positons?

 

I assume you are asking about Cerda. He does project as a 2B in the bigs (SS is out). His bat is never going to stick at 3B but it should be good at 2B and he should be ok defensively. His patience is impressive and he does have decent power which is nice considering his size. Sadly, Logan Watkins gets priority at 2B right now - probably in part because Cerda can play 3B and Watkins can't but also likely because the Cubs view Watkins as the better prospect, which I disagree with.

I meant Burgess. They say he's a bit on the stocky side, and usually guys like that are better off at 3rd.

[Rob]

Wow has Cerda really walked 4 times?

 

EDIT: 4/5 of Burgess' hits have now been for HRs. I think that boy has some power.

 

cerda is one of our few prospects who has a really good eye.

 

if burgess developed some plate discipline and was less fat he'd be a really interesting prospect. i guess it depends on whether he can play a decent corner OF without giving back too many runs.

 

Looking at his build, is there any chance he could be converted to one of the middle infield positons?

 

I assume you are asking about Cerda. He does project as a 2B in the bigs (SS is out). His bat is never going to stick at 3B but it should be good at 2B and he should be ok defensively. His patience is impressive and he does have decent power which is nice considering his size. Sadly, Logan Watkins gets priority at 2B right now - probably in part because Cerda can play 3B and Watkins can't but also likely because the Cubs view Watkins as the better prospect, which I disagree with.

I meant Burgess. They say he's a bit on the stocky side, and usually guys like that are better off at 3rd.

 

3B isn't a middle infield position.

[ChiefsVoice]

I think Graham Hicks was from the Gorzalanny trade.

 

That is correct. He was in Vermont and Hagerstown (South Atl League) last season. Had 6 walks last night which was also an issue for him last season. He is a lefty who was the Nats #16 prospect before the 2010 season. Former 4th round pick out of high school in Lakeland, Florida. If he can get the walks down, should be very good this season. Same kinda issues Chris Archer had when he joined us in 2009 after the DeRosa trade.

[Guest]

cerda is one of our few prospects who has a really good eye.

 

if burgess developed some plate discipline and was less fat he'd be a really interesting prospect. i guess it depends on whether he can play a decent corner OF without giving back too many runs.

 

Looking at his build, is there any chance he could be converted to one of the middle infield positons?

 

I assume you are asking about Cerda. He does project as a 2B in the bigs (SS is out). His bat is never going to stick at 3B but it should be good at 2B and he should be ok defensively. His patience is impressive and he does have decent power which is nice considering his size. Sadly, Logan Watkins gets priority at 2B right now - probably in part because Cerda can play 3B and Watkins can't but also likely because the Cubs view Watkins as the better prospect, which I disagree with.

I meant Burgess. They say he's a bit on the stocky side, and usually guys like that are better off at 3rd.

 

3B isn't a middle infield position.

 

The main reason I thought he was talking about Cerda was that I couldn't believe anyone would legitimately think Burgess could play short or second.

 

West Side, I can't possibly imagine Burgess has the athleticism to play 3B. If he can't hack it in the outfield, he's headed to 1B.

[JeffH]

Raisin, I believe Flaherty is destine for 1B or outfield. I think his power will increase enough for the Cubs to consider him at 1B by late 2012 or 2013.

 

If the Cubs ever consider Ryan Flaherty as anything resembling an everyday first baseman, MLB should just go ahead and contract the Chicago National League Ball Club.

[Guest]

Yesterday at Fitch:

 

Arizona Phil[/url]"]On a rehab assignment at Fitch Park believed to be related to arm fatigue first detected in Spring Training, Iowa Cubs RHP Jay Jackson got the start for the Cubs and threw 2.1 IP (44 pitches), allowing one unearned run on four singles, while striking out four (one looking and three swinging). He had good velocity on his fastball, and he threw strikes.

 

...

 

Cubs 2010 7th round draft pick HHP Ben Wells threw two innings today, allowing a single and a two-run HR before retiring the side in his first inning of work, and a triple and an RBI single before completing his second inning.

 

More in the link about Ty'Relle Harris and Brad Snyder rehabbing at Fitch.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Looking at his build, is there any chance he could be converted to one of the middle infield positons?

 

I assume you are asking about Cerda. He does project as a 2B in the bigs (SS is out). His bat is never going to stick at 3B but it should be good at 2B and he should be ok defensively. His patience is impressive and he does have decent power which is nice considering his size. Sadly, Logan Watkins gets priority at 2B right now - probably in part because Cerda can play 3B and Watkins can't but also likely because the Cubs view Watkins as the better prospect, which I disagree with.

I meant Burgess. They say he's a bit on the stocky side, and usually guys like that are better off at 3rd.

 

3B isn't a middle infield position.

 

The main reason I thought he was talking about Cerda was that I couldn't believe anyone would legitimately think Burgess could play short or second.

 

West Side, I can't possibly imagine Burgess has the athleticism to play 3B. If he can't hack it in the outfield, he's headed to 1B.

 

Def meant corner infield. I look at guys like Casey McGhee and Brett Wallace at 1st and 3rd, and think if they could do it, Burgess might be able to.

[craig]

Arizona Phil[/url]"]On a rehab assignment at Fitch Park believed to be related to arm fatigue first detected in Spring Training, Iowa Cubs RHP Jay Jackson got the start for the Cubs and threw 2.1 IP (44 pitches), allowing one unearned run on four singles, while striking out four (one looking and three swinging). He had good velocity on his fastball, and he threw strikes.

 

Thanks much for passing that on, Cal. I've kind of assumed that Jackson's arm was cooked and it would be a matter of time before they figured out how and when to surgerize.

 

Would sure be nice if somehow he was able to bounce back and turn out to be fine and good.

[Guest]

Michael Burgess, OF, Cubs (High-A Daytona): 3-for-4, 2 HR (4), 2 R, 5 RBI

A supplemental first-round pick in 2007, Burgess was acquired from the Nationals for Tom Gorzelanny, and while he has well above-average raw power, it's his pure hitting ability that has him starting his third consecutive year at High-A. With four home runs in five games, he seems to be tapping into that power, but to prove the small sample size issue, his on-base percentage still matches his batting average (.313) and he's struck out in one-fourth of his at-bats. There's no answer here yet, but it's better than him starting off with zero home runs, no?

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13546

[Outshined_One]

As his power develops, pitchers will probably stop giving him so many pitches to hit, and hopefully that translates to a bit more walks.

 

With LeMahieu, it's not just his frame that concerns me when it comes to his power potential. When I saw him with Peoria, he primarily employed an inside out swing that was designed for him to go the other way. He racked up a lot of singles, but that was about it. I didn't see him attempt to pull the ball very often. He was built pretty well, but he wasn't looking to hit for power.

 

I know he's been working on pulling pitches and supposedly improved that facet of his game since I saw him in Peoria. However, changing the fundamentals of a swing and an approach like that can take quite a bit of time and doesn't always pay off.

 

Unfortunately, Minor League Splits' hit charts are no longer online, otherwise we could resort to them to help determine how much progress he's made.