Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-25-11

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa won 12-8 Box Score

 

CF F. Perez 1/4, BB, 2 R, RBI, K

LF L. Montanez 4/5, 3 R, 4 RBI, 3 2B (5), HR (3)

C W. Castillo 2/5, R, RBI

1B S. Moore 2/4, R, RBI, 2 K

3B M. Smith 2/5, R, RBI, 2B (5)

2B B. Scales 0/4, BB

SS M. Camp 0/4, BB, R

PH M. Ramirez 1/1, R

PH B. LaHair 1/1, RBI

SP R. Coello 5 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, 4-1 GO-FO

RP P. Trinidad 1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO

RP E. Caridad 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 2-3 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 8-4 Box Score

 

CF B. Jackson 0/4, BB, R, K, E (2, throw)

2B DJ LeMahieu 2/4, E (1, fielding)

LF R. Flaherty 1/4, R

1B R. Ridling 3/3, BB, R, 3 RBI, HR (5)

3B J. Vitters 0/4, 3 K

C S. Clevenger 1/4, R, PB (3)

RF M. Spencer 0/4, 2 K

SS M. Gonzalez 0/4, 2 K

PH N. Samson 0/1, K

SP R. Dolis 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 7-1 GO-FO, E (1, pickoff)

RP R. Buchter 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR

RP T. Harris 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1-0 GO-FO

 

Daytona PPD

 

Peoria won 14-3 Box Score

 

CF M. Szczur 2/4, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI

2B P. LePage 2/6, 3 R, 3 RBI

1B G. Rohan 2/6, 3 RBI, 2 2B (8), K

C M. Gibbs 2/4, BB, 2 R, 2B (2), K

SS E. Soto 1/4, BB, R, RBI

DH DJ Fitzgerald 0/3, 2 BB, R, RBI

3B A. Alcantara 2/5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B (2), K

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

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

 

OVERALL: 2-1

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: RHP Robert Coello (1-2, 8.40 ERA, 15 IP, 12 K, 7 BB)

Tennessee: RHP Rafael Dolis (1-0, 1.46 ERA, 12.1 IP, 13 K, 5 BB)

Daytona: RHP Brett Wallach (0-1, 6.17 ERA, 11.2 IP, 8 K, 7 BB)

Peoria: RHP Hayden Simpson (0-1, 4.26 ERA, 12.2 IP, 12 K, BB)

[ctcf]

Here's hoping for some solid pitching results across the board. Definitely an interesting day for SP.

[Guest]

BenBadler

 

Trey McNutt report coming tomorrow. He told me the #Pirates called him in the 8th rd in '09; now he's the #Cubs top P prospect as a 32nd-rdr

[CoolHandLuke]

A comment on minorleagueball.com indicated that Robert Whitenack was called up to Tennessee. I haven't seen it anywhere else, can anyone confirm?

[toonsterwu]

Hasn't happened yet ... but they could wait another day or two, since Whitenack pitched Saturday. That said, who's getting dumped from the rotation? Seems awful early to dump anyone. Unless they are planning to kick someone to AAA (and the only one that makes a ton of sense is Dolis, with McNutt coming back from injury, Cabrera/Rusin/Raley not exactly deserving of promotions), but no one really seems that deserving of a move to AAA yet.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Hasn't happened yet ... but they could wait another day or two, since Whitenack pitched Saturday. That said, who's getting dumped from the rotation? Seems awful early to dump anyone. Unless they are planning to kick someone to AAA (and the only one that makes a ton of sense is Dolis, with McNutt coming back from injury, Cabrera/Rusin/Raley not exactly deserving of promotions), but no one really seems that deserving of a move to AAA yet.

 

Maybe the plan is to call up Jackson from AAA for the next Russell start.

[BeerHere]

Hasn't happened yet ... but they could wait another day or two, since Whitenack pitched Saturday. That said, who's getting dumped from the rotation? Seems awful early to dump anyone. Unless they are planning to kick someone to AAA (and the only one that makes a ton of sense is Dolis, with McNutt coming back from injury, Cabrera/Rusin/Raley not exactly deserving of promotions), but no one really seems that deserving of a move to AAA yet.

 

Maybe the plan is to call up Jackson from AAA for the next Russell start.

I would love to see that, but Jackson has only had a couple of starts himself. I can't see him going more then 4 or 5 innings max. Would he be really be a better option that Russell? I'm tired of seeing Russell but I have a feeling that we'll see Ortiz before Jackson. Too bad Diamond has been so bad.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Hasn't happened yet ... but they could wait another day or two, since Whitenack pitched Saturday. That said, who's getting dumped from the rotation? Seems awful early to dump anyone. Unless they are planning to kick someone to AAA (and the only one that makes a ton of sense is Dolis, with McNutt coming back from injury, Cabrera/Rusin/Raley not exactly deserving of promotions), but no one really seems that deserving of a move to AAA yet.

 

Maybe the plan is to call up Jackson from AAA for the next Russell start.

I would love to see that, but Jackson has only had a couple of starts himself. I can't see him going more then 4 or 5 innings max. Would he be really be a better option that Russell? I'm tired of seeing Russell but I have a feeling that we'll see Ortiz before Jackson. Too bad Diamond has been so bad.

 

Whats going on with Doug Davis? Im at the point where Id take anything other then a Russell start.

[Guest]

Doug Davis is rehabbing at Fitch and probably close to getting bumped up. But he's not stretched out too much so Jackson might be ready quicker. Jackson still needs a couple of starts before he's ready.

[TruffleShuffle]

daytona rained out =D>

 

peoria scored 8 in the top of the 2nd inning on a bunch of walks and singles. alcantara is hitting over .300 now, which i think is about all you're looking for from him - he's only 19 so he's not going to show much secondary skills, but if he can show a good hit tool as a young player in full season ball, that's a good sign.

[Outshined_One]

Arizona Phil

 

In EXST Cubs roster news, LHP Casey Harman (2010 29th round draft pick - Clemson) has been promoted to Peoria, and catcher Chad Noble (Cubs 2010 37th round draft pick - Northwestern) has been sent to Extended Spring Taining from Peoria. Harman was the #1 starter (Friday night starter) at Clemson, but the Cubs have worked him exclusively as a lefty reliever going back to his pro debut at AZ Instructs last fall (8.64 ERA – 2.04 WHIP - .359 Opp BA - 8.1 IP, 14 H, 8 R (8 ER), 3 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 2 PO, 3/7 GO/FO, 7 GAMES at AZ Instructs) and at Minor League Camp and EXST this season (8.31 ERA - 1.61 WHIP - .350 Opp BA - 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 10 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 3 GAMES at EXST). He racked-up nine strikeouts over his last two EXST games (three innings).

[TruffleShuffle]

4 ip, 5 h, 2 er, 1 bb, 3 k, 1 hr, 3 go/3 fo for simpson. meh.

 

coello has been terrible so far this year... not encouraging.

[StarlinOnYou]

Tennessee shutdown for the most part by LHP Brad Hand.

 

Isn't he a really legit pitching prospect?

[TruffleShuffle]

vitters is 0-4 with 3 k's. his numbers have been dropping like a rock since a solid start.

[Outshined_One]

Tennessee shutdown for the most part by LHP Brad Hand.

 

Isn't he a really legit pitching prospect?

 

Not a top of the line guy, but he's done well enough that he could find himself in the Marlins rotation in the next two to three years.

[toonsterwu]

I'm too lazy to look through boxscores right now, but I'd be curious if Coello was struggling more the 2nd time through a lineup. He's not really a starter, and his stuff, from what I recall of his Boston days, is more one inning type material.

 

I am mildly surprised that the org isn't giving Harman a longer look as a starter. He's got Rusin-ish stuff, and Rusin seems to have been given some rope.

[TruffleShuffle]

luis montanez had 3 doubles and a home run... whoever selected him third overall has to be feeling pretty good about this kid.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil

 

In EXST Cubs roster news, LHP Casey Harman (2010 29th round draft pick - Clemson) has been promoted to Peoria, and catcher Chad Noble (Cubs 2010 37th round draft pick - Northwestern) has been sent to Extended Spring Taining from Peoria. Harman was the #1 starter (Friday night starter) at Clemson, but the Cubs have worked him exclusively as a lefty reliever going back to his pro debut at AZ Instructs last fall (8.64 ERA – 2.04 WHIP - .359 Opp BA - 8.1 IP, 14 H, 8 R (8 ER), 3 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 2 PO, 3/7 GO/FO, 7 GAMES at AZ Instructs) and at Minor League Camp and EXST this season (8.31 ERA - 1.61 WHIP - .350 Opp BA - 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 10 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 3 GAMES at EXST). He racked-up nine strikeouts over his last two EXST games (three innings).

 

Just as important - another rehab outing for the Gooz:

 

Angel Guzman threw an 11-pitch 1-2-3 5th inning (6-3, P-5, 2-3) in relief of Davis, as the right-hander continues his rehab from 2010 shoulder surgery.

 

And a scouting report on Matt Loosen:

 

Mixing a 91 MPH fastball with a slow curve, a change-up, and a wipe-out hard slider, Matt Loosen (Cubs 2010 23rd round draft pick out of U. of Jacksonville) followed-up his eight-strikeout performance (over 2.2 IP) versus the EXST Rockies last week with four more strikeouts in two innings of work (40 pitches) today. The 22-year old 6'2 right-hander did struggle a bit with his control, however, throwing only 53% strikes and walking two.

 

And Reggie Golden hit a HR today.

[Little Slide Rooter]

luis montanez had 3 doubles and a home run... whoever selected him third overall has to be feeling pretty good about this kid.

 

The Iowa slug monsters are at it again. In all seriousness, considering the dimensions of that park, could it actually be bad for guys like Jackson, Flahery, and Vitters to be sent there? If it is that easy to hit home runs, could it get them in the habit of trying to hit any routine fly ball for a home run, and then when they make it to the bigs its lucky to hit the warning track?

[davell]

Arizona Phil

 

In EXST Cubs roster news, LHP Casey Harman (2010 29th round draft pick - Clemson) has been promoted to Peoria, and catcher Chad Noble (Cubs 2010 37th round draft pick - Northwestern) has been sent to Extended Spring Taining from Peoria. Harman was the #1 starter (Friday night starter) at Clemson, but the Cubs have worked him exclusively as a lefty reliever going back to his pro debut at AZ Instructs last fall (8.64 ERA – 2.04 WHIP - .359 Opp BA - 8.1 IP, 14 H, 8 R (8 ER), 3 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 2 PO, 3/7 GO/FO, 7 GAMES at AZ Instructs) and at Minor League Camp and EXST this season (8.31 ERA - 1.61 WHIP - .350 Opp BA - 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 10 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 3 GAMES at EXST). He racked-up nine strikeouts over his last two EXST games (three innings).

 

Just as important - another rehab outing for the Gooz:

 

Angel Guzman threw an 11-pitch 1-2-3 5th inning (6-3, P-5, 2-3) in relief of Davis, as the right-hander continues his rehab from 2010 shoulder surgery.

 

And a scouting report on Matt Loosen:

 

Mixing a 91 MPH fastball with a slow curve, a change-up, and a wipe-out hard slider, Matt Loosen (Cubs 2010 23rd round draft pick out of U. of Jacksonville) followed-up his eight-strikeout performance (over 2.2 IP) versus the EXST Rockies last week with four more strikeouts in two innings of work (40 pitches) today. The 22-year old 6'2 right-hander did struggle a bit with his control, however, throwing only 53% strikes and walking two.

 

And Reggie Golden hit a HR today.

 

 

Even with the extra weight, Golden is showing he can flat out hit. My guess is as soon as he's in shape, he's going to be at Peoria.