Minor League Discussion & Boxes 5-10-11

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa lost 13-6 Box Score

 

CF T. Campana 2/5, R

LF L. Montanez 1/5, K

RF B. Snyder 1/5, 3 K

3B M. Smith 0/2, 2 BB, R, RBI

1B B. LaHair 4/5, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2B (10), 2 HR (8)

C W. Castillo 0/1

PH/C C. Robinson 0/3

2B B. Scales 1/4, R, RBI, 2 K, E (4, missed catch)

SS J. Mota 3/4, RBI, 2B (3)

PH S. Moore 0/1, K

SP D. Davis 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 3-2 GO-FO

RP T. Diamond 2.1 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, HBP, 3-3 GO-FO

RP E. Caridad 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO

RP J. Stevens 1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, WP, 1-1 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 7-5 Box Score

 

RF/LF B. Jackson 0/3, 2 BB, 2 K, SB (12)

3B/2B DJ LeMahieu 1/3, BB, RBI, K

2B R. Flaherty 1/4, RBI, SB (3), CS (3)

PH S. Clevenger 1/1

LF/1B R. Ridling 1/5

1B/3B J. Vitters 1/5, R

SS M. Gonzalez 3/3, R, RBI, 2 2B (6), HBP

PH/RF M. Spencer 0/1, BB

SP B. Raley 4 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 4-2 GO-FO

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

RP J. Beliveau 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2-0 GO-FO

RP M. Carrillo 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO, E (1, missed catch)

 

Daytona won 4-2 Box Score

 

SS J. Lake 0/4, 2 K

3B M. Cerda 0/3, BB, R, 2 K

CF JH Ha 2/4, R, 2B (9)

1B J. Bour 3/4, R, 2 RBI, HR (9)

RF N. Perez 0/4, 2 K

DH M. Burgess 0/4, 2 K

LF E. Crawford 1/4, 2 K

2B L. Watkins 0/4, 3 K

SP Z. Rosscup 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K, 3-2 GO-FO

RP R. Searle 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-2 GO-FO

RP F. Batista 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HR, 3-1 GO-FO

 

Peoria won 2-1 in the 11th Box Score

 

CF M. Szczur 2/5, BB, R, K, CS (1)

2B P. LePage 0/5, BB, E (3, throw)

RF R. Silva 1/5, R, Assist (1B)

1B R. Jones 4/5, BB, RBI, 2B (7), K

C M. Gibbs 1/4, BB

3B E. Soto 1/5

SS A. Alcantara 2/5, SB (3)

PH/DH G. Rohan 0/0, BB

SP H. Simpson 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO (left due to shoulder discomfort)

RP E. Jokisch 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HBP, 6-4 GO-FO

RP C. Harman 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 2-1 GO-FO

RP Y. Gonzalez 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO

 

OVERALL: 2-2

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: LHP Doug Davis (at Daytona: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.2 IP, 7 K, 2 BB)

Tennessee: LHP Brooks Raley (0-2, 6.75 ERA, 22.2 IP, 14 K, 14 BB)

Daytona: LHP Zach Rosscup (1-0, 3.24 ERA, 25 IP, 22 K, 8 BB)

Peoria: RHP Hayden Simpson (0-1, 4.15 ERA, 26 IP, 21 K, 8 BB)

[craig]

Belliveau K's 3 and walks 1 in his hitless 2-inning AA debut.

[CubColtPacer]

Is LeMahieu a pretty safe bet to play in the majors at this point? It's pretty obvious at this point that he has elite line drive abilities. His strikeouts are good but not great but yet he still hasn't hit less than .314 at any stop. I also like to see that ISOP double early on this season especially when there is a reason for it (he supposedly gained weight at Camp Colvin). Is his biggest concern the fact that he might have to be moved to 3rd base where his skill set might not be valued as much as if he was at 2nd? It almost feels like he has to at least make the majors as a backup at this point-that contact tool is not likely to get much worse between AA and the majors.

[CubsWin]

Is LeMahieu a pretty safe bet to play in the majors at this point? It's pretty obvious at this point that he has elite line drive abilities. His strikeouts are good but not great but yet he still hasn't hit less than .314 at any stop. I also like to see that ISOP double early on this season especially when there is a reason for it (he supposedly gained weight at Camp Colvin). Is his biggest concern the fact that he might have to be moved to 3rd base where his skill set might not be valued as much as if he was at 2nd? It almost feels like he has to at least make the majors as a backup at this point-that contact tool is not likely to get much worse between AA and the majors.

I'm no scout, but I've been following minor league stats pretty closely for about 20 years. His contact numbers strike me as good enough and more importantly consistent enough to be a legit major league prospect, but he needs to improve his IsoD. I think the question at this point is whether he can play 2B well enough to stick. I wish I knew more about that. Can anybody else speak to that?

[CubsWin]

Justin Bour's hit streak continues. AVG is now close to .300.

[TruffleShuffle]

simpson pitched one inning - 2 hits allowed, 1 bb, 1 k, 0 r - then came out. the news just keeps getting better #-o

[CubsWin]

simpson pitched one inning - 2 hits allowed, 1 bb, 1 k, 0 r - then came out. the news just keeps getting better #-o

Just saw that myself. Oh boy...

[CubsWin]

Bour & Ha are at it again. Bour has 3 hits for the second game in a row and has hit a HR in three consecutive games. Ha is 2-for-4 and has hit his 9th double of the year.

[Guest]

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2011/05/10/aaron-cooks-cubs-goose

 

In the comments, AZ Phil takes a stab at Boise's roster:

 

PITCHERS:

* Hunter Ackerman

* Kyler Burke

Dustin Fitzgerald

Jin-Young Kim

Luis Liria

Matt Loosen

Austin Reed

Colin Richardson

Jose Rosario

Larry Suarez

Charles Thomas

Yao-Lin Wang

Ben Wells

Joe Zeller

 

CATCHERS:

Yaniel Cabezas

Chad Noble

 

INFIELDERS:

# Vismeldy Bieneme

* Pin-Chieh Chen

Wilson Contreras

* Ryan Cuneo (presently on DL)

* Wes Darvill

Dustin Harrington

Brandon May (presently on DL)

 

OUTFIELDERS:

Reggie Golden

Jesus Morelli

* Kyung-Min Na

Blair Springfield

# Jose Valdez

 

However, I really doubt that Jose Valdez will actually end up at Boise. It's far more likely that Valdez will be at Peoria or even Daytona by this time next month.

 

And I don't think Larry Suarez will actually be assigned to Boise, either. Either he moves up to Peoria by this time next month, or he gets released.

[Guest]

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2011/05/10/aaron-cooks-cubs-goose

 

In the comments, AZ Phil takes a stab at Boise's roster:

 

PITCHERS:

* Hunter Ackerman

* Kyler Burke

Dustin Fitzgerald

Jin-Young Kim

Luis Liria

Matt Loosen

Austin Reed

Colin Richardson

Jose Rosario

Larry Suarez

Charles Thomas

Yao-Lin Wang

Ben Wells

Joe Zeller

 

CATCHERS:

Yaniel Cabezas

Chad Noble

 

INFIELDERS:

# Vismeldy Bieneme

* Pin-Chieh Chen

Wilson Contreras

* Ryan Cuneo (presently on DL)

* Wes Darvill

Dustin Harrington

Brandon May (presently on DL)

 

OUTFIELDERS:

Reggie Golden

Jesus Morelli

* Kyung-Min Na

Blair Springfield

# Jose Valdez

 

However, I really doubt that Jose Valdez will actually end up at Boise. It's far more likely that Valdez will be at Peoria or even Daytona by this time next month.

 

And I don't think Larry Suarez will actually be assigned to Boise, either. Either he moves up to Peoria by this time next month, or he gets released.

Not a lot of room for draftees there.

[Guest]

Not a lot of room for draftees there.

 

You have to think some of these guys are ready for Peoria (Morelli, Liria and Loosen, for example) and might get bumped up if necessary.

[CubsWin]

Of course, the day after I post that Szczur has yet to be caught stealin so far in his pro career going 12-0. he gets caught stealing. Me and my big mouth. #-o

[TruffleShuffle]

diamond is well on his way to getting released again.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Any reason that Doug Davis was pulled as aly as it was? Not that it matters if Wells and Cashner are as close to returning as they say.

[Outshined_One]

simpson pitched one inning - 2 hits allowed, 1 bb, 1 k, 0 r - then came out. the news just keeps getting better #-o

Just saw that myself. Oh boy...

 

Between this and the reports that he's barely hitting 90, this hasn't exactly been a great start to his career.

[CubsWin]

simpson pitched one inning - 2 hits allowed, 1 bb, 1 k, 0 r - then came out. the news just keeps getting better #-o

Just saw that myself. Oh boy...

 

Between this and the reports that he's barely hitting 90, this hasn't exactly been a great start to his career.

Understatement.

[Guest]

Still no word on why Simpson was taken out of the game on Peoria's Twitter:

 

Nope, nothing to report RT @thebreadline: @peoriachiefs Any word yet why Simpson was taken out after the 1st?

[toonsterwu]

There's a part of me that wonders if Simpson isn't better off taking a month or so off, building up some strength, and giving it a go. He seems to be skating by since he has a decent feel for pitching, but the reports on stuff/velo are fairly mediocre at best.

 

I had honestly forgotten all about Larry Suarez. That said, the one bright spot about the lower levels is the number of intriguing arms down there. Sure feels like as weak a crop for XST as I can recall in awhile, but the upcoming draft class should help bolster the lower levels (here's hoping at least ... ).

[Keener98]

Simpson left with a "tight shoulder".

 

“That’s all we know about it right now,” said Simpson, the Cubs first-round draft pick last June. “The shoulder was just tight, maybe I slept on it wrong. There’s no pain. All we know is that it was tight today. We’ll see how it feels (Wednesday).”

 

Simpson walked one and allowed two hits, but escaped the inning after throwing 22 pitches, 11 for strikes. He did not seem to have his typical low to mid 90s velocity.

 

“I saw it a little bit in the bullpen when he threw a few less pitches than usual,” catcher Micah Gibbs said. “When we talked before the game he asked to mix in more off-speed since his arm wasn’t up to par.”

 

www.pjstar.com

[Little Slide Rooter]

Any reason that Doug Davis was pulled as aly as it was? Not that it matters if Wells and Cashner are as close to returning as they say.

 

Bruce Miles tweeted that he thinks that both Davis and Castillo may be on their way to Chicago. I dont know how many times, or if at all we'll need that 5th starter between now and when Wells returns, but better him than Russell.

[CubColtPacer]

Any reason that Doug Davis was pulled as aly as it was? Not that it matters if Wells and Cashner are as close to returning as they say.

 

Bruce Miles tweeted that he thinks that both Davis and Castillo may be on their way to Chicago. I dont know how many times, or if at all we'll need that 5th starter between now and when Wells returns, but better him than Russell.

 

Wells is probably still at least 2 weeks from returning and the Cubs need a 5th starter on Saturday and then again next week.

[wvcbxl]

Any reason that Doug Davis was pulled as aly as it was? Not that it matters if Wells and Cashner are as close to returning as they say.

 

Bruce Miles tweeted that he thinks that both Davis and Castillo may be on their way to Chicago. I dont know how many times, or if at all we'll need that 5th starter between now and when Wells returns, but better him than Russell.

 

Hill out the door or to the DL? :-k

[Little Slide Rooter]

Any reason that Doug Davis was pulled as aly as it was? Not that it matters if Wells and Cashner are as close to returning as they say.

 

Bruce Miles tweeted that he thinks that both Davis and Castillo may be on their way to Chicago. I dont know how many times, or if at all we'll need that 5th starter between now and when Wells returns, but better him than Russell.

 

Hill out the door or to the DL? :-k

 

Sadly, no. Soto to the DL if it happens. I just hope that if this does happen, Castillo gets the bulk, or at least a fair share of the playing time. Our offense is not good enough to have a 2nd pitchers spot in the lineup.

[KingCubsFan]

At what point does Brooks Raley move to outfield?