Minor League Discussion & Boxes 6-21-11

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa lost 13-3 Box Score

 

2B B. Scales 1/5, 2 K, SB (5)

LF T. Colvin 1/4, R, 3B (4)

1B B. LaHair 0/3, RBI, K

C W. Castillo 1/3, BB, R, PB (2)

RF B. Snyder 1/4, R, 2B (13)

3B S. Moore 4/4, RBI

CF F. Perez 2/4, 2 K

PH T. Wright 0/1, K

SP C. Coleman 6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, HR, 7-3 GO-FO

RP E. Caridad .2 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 0-1 GO-FO

RP J. Stevens 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR, 1-0 GO-FO

 

Daytona lost 4-3 Box Score

 

DH E. Crawford 1/4, RBI, 2 K

CF JH Ha 0/4

RF M. Burgess 2/4, 2B (14), 2 K

C L. Flores 0/4, 3 K

LF R. Silva 1/2, R, K

2B L. Watkins 1/2, R, RBI, SB (9)

SP DE Rhee 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HBP, 8-5 GO-FO, 2 E (2, throw, fielding)

RP M. Hatley 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, WP, 2-0 GO-FO

RP F. Batista 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 3-0 GO-FO

 

Boise won 11-6 Box Score

 

CF PC Chen 4/5, 3 R, 3 RBI, 3B (1), SB (4)

2B B. Zapenas 2/5, 2 R, K

LF B. Klafczynski 1/4, R, K

1B P. Hoilman 2/3, 2 BB, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR (2)

C Y. Cabeza 0/5, RBI

3B W. Contreras 2/4, BB, R, K

RF R. Golden 1/4, BB, R, 2B (1), K

SS W. Darvill 0/4, BB, 4 K

SP L. Liria 4.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, WP, HBP, 3-1 GO-FO

RP K. Burke 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, WP, 1-2 GO-FO

RP C. Thomas 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 2 K, HBP, 2-0 GO-FO

RP Y. Sanchez 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3-0 GO-FO

 

AZL Cubs won 8-5 Box Score

 

CF O. Zapata 0/1, 4 BB, 2 R, 2 SB (3)

3B G. Amaya 2/5, 2 R, K

2B M. Hernandez 1/4, R, RBI, K, CS (1), PO (1B)

1B D. Geiger 0/4, K

LF E. Gonzalez 1/4, 2 R, RBI, SB (1)

DH B. Inoa 1/4, R, K

SS K. Socorro 3/4, 3 RBI, 2 2B (2)

SP H. Ackerman 3 IP, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, HBP, 3-1 GO-FO

RP R. Garcia 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 5-1 GO-FO

RP P. Francescon 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 2-1 GO-FO

 

DSL Cubs 1 lost 9-7 Box Score

 

SS F. Sanchez 0/3, BB, R, 3 K, HBP, SB (4), E (7, throw)

CF J. Baez 0/5

1B X. Batista 1/3, 2 BB, 2 R, K, SB (2)

SP V. Salazar 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, WP, 3-1 GO-FO

RP W. Eusebio .2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR, 1-0 GO-FO

 

DSL Cubs 2 lost 10-2 Box Score

 

SS C. Penalver 0/3, BB, K, E (6, throw)

PH A. Gonzalez 0/0, BB

3B J. Candelario 2/5, R

1B D. Arcila 0/4, K

C W. Petit 0/2, 2 BB, R

SP H. Perez 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 3-3 GO-FO

 

OVERALL: 2-4

 

The North All Stars won the Southern League All Star Game 6-3 Box Score

 

LF B. Jackson 0/0, BB

RF M. Spencer 1/2, R, SB

DH R. Ridling 0/4, 2 K

C S. Clevenger 0/1, R, HBP

C B. Lalli 1/2, R, RBI, 2B, K

SS M. Gonzalez 0/3, BB

RP R. Dolis .2 perfect, 1-1 GO-FO

 

The West All Stars won the Midwest League All Star Game 8-3 Box Score

 

SS E. Soto 1/2, 2 RBI

PH/DH R. Jones 2/3, R, K

3B G. Rohan 0/2, K

C M. Gibbs 1/1, R, HBP

2B P. LePage 0/2

RF M. Szczur 0/2

RP A. Kirk .2 perfect, 1-1 GO-FO

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: RHP Casey Coleman (1-1, 4.24 ERA, 17 IP, 15 K, 11 BB)

Daytona: RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (2-3, 4.70 ERA, 44 IP, 40 K, 20 BB)

Boise: RHP Luis Liria (2010 at AZL Cubs & Peoria: 3-2, 3.46 ERA, 52 IP, 52 K, 22 BB)

AZL Cubs: LHP Hunter Ackerman (2010 at AZL Cubs: 0-2, 8.22 ERA, 15.1 IP, 16 K,12 BB)

[Guest]

Rhee: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 8-5 GO-FO

[Outshined_One]

The Southern League and MWL All Star Games are currently in progress.

[Guest]

Caridad's line for Iowa tonight: 0.2IP 5H 7ER 2BB/1K 1HR

 

Ouch that's gonna leave a mark.

[TruffleShuffle]

frank batista blew it for daytona, they lost.

 

hunter ackerman looks ready to continue his terrible 2010 debut; he gave up 2 hits, 2 walks and 3 runs in the first inning of the AZL cubs' game.

 

iowa's terrific pitching staff continues to do great work. casey coleman was typically mediocre (3 runs in 6 ip, though his whip was almost 2) but caridad sure brought the gas can in the 7th inning, allowing 5 hits, 2 walks and 7 runs. jeff stevens then continued his journey toward unconditional release-ville by allowing 4 hits and 3 runs in 0.2 innings (so far, maybe they'll just leave him out there because really, who cares)

[Guest]

On a positive note, Boise has put up 2 runs in each of the first two innings. Chen is 2-2 with 2 RBI and a SB, and Hoilman added a 2-run HR. Liria has 2IP 0H 3K/0BB.

[Guest]

Pin-Chieh Chen is having a great game so far...3/3 with a triple. Willson Contreras is 2/3 with his first 2 stateside hits. I'm not sure why Reggie Golden is batting 8th but he's up to .375 and got his 2nd XBH of the season, a double.

 

Luis Liria had a Starling Peralta-type of game. Tons of hits (5) and runs (4), but 6 Ks in 4.1 innings.

[TruffleShuffle]

Pin-Chieh Chen is having a great game so far...3/3 with a triple. Willson Contreras is 2/3 with his first 2 stateside hits. I'm not sure why Reggie Golden is batting 8th but he's up to .375 and got his 2nd XBH of the season, a double.

 

Luis Liria had a Starling Peralta-type of game. Tons of hits (5) and runs (4), but 6 Ks in 4.1 innings.

 

chen kind of interesting because he's fast and seems to know that he should play a small-guy's game... shows very little power but pretty good contact skills, and draws a good number of walks. of course, those may evaporate as he gets toward the majors if he doesn't add at least a little bit of power.

 

kyler burke has made his debut as a pitcher and (so far) has 0.2 ip with a walk.

[chattbaseball]

kyler burke has made his debut as a pitcher and (so far) has 0.2 ip with a walk.

 

Kyler definitely getting a good taste of what it's like as a pitcher in his debut on the mound. Enters the game in relief with 2 runners on, 1 out. Gives up a walk, SAC fly, broken bat ground out to short.

 

His second inning: walk, RBI double, wild pitch runner to third, strikeout, walk, RBI bunt single, fly out to right, pop out to third.

 

Mainly getting behind hitters. Radio announcer says looks like he's over throwing. He'll settle in.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil[/url]"]Cubs 2010 4th round draft pick LHP Hunter Ackerman got the start for the Cubs and continued to struggle to throw strikes, just as he has throughout his short pro career. He worked three innings (61 pitches - 35 strikes, including a 33-pitch first-inning), allowing three runs on three hits, three walks, and an HBP, while striking out four. Sometimes Ackerman will look like a world-beater against one hitter, and then can't throw strikes to next one. If he can't get his pitches-per-inning down to a reasonable number, he will likely be limited to being a minor league reliever (presuming he ever gets out of Arizona).

 

Also in the link, AZ Phil mentions a few mistakes in the box score and talks about how the box score errors can occur easily during the transmittal of PBP data from Mesa to MiLB's offices.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Jonathon Mota aslo made his pitching debut. why? Im not quite sure. I could understand if it was extra innings and theyd torn through the pen, but he was the 4th guy to pitch.

[Guest]

Jonathon Mota aslo made his pitching debut. why? Im not quite sure. I could understand if it was extra innings and theyd torn through the pen, but he was the 4th guy to pitch.

 

Seriously? It was the 9th inning of a blowout.

[TruffleShuffle]

plus Lord knows the iowa pitching staff can't get anyone out; mineaswell see if a position player can do the job

[SouthSideRyan]

We wouldn't be having this problem if we just kept Les Walrond

[nick23]

What the heck happened to Caridad? I remember going into last year thinking he was going to be a pretty important piece to the bulpen.

[craig]

..

chen kind of interesting because he's fast and seems to know that he should play a small-guy's game... shows very little power but pretty good contact skills, and draws a good number of walks. of course, those may evaporate as he gets toward the majors if he doesn't add at least a little bit of power. ....

 

Chen was on my list to watch at Boise, and he's off to a nice start. I agree, he's an interesting prospect. He's got the most important tool of them all: he can hit the ball for contact. He's got speed and a good arm, so I think he's yet another in the legit CF prospect pool.

 

He doesn't walk a lot, I don't think. Not bad, but it's not like he's profiled thus far as a high-walks guy. I'll be curious to see how his SB work goes. Is he fast enough and quick enough so that SB will be a big-league virtue? Otherwise it's not that hard to pick your spots against crummy catchers and pitchers who have no moves in short-season.

 

Chen lists at 6'1", and he's still only 19. My hope is that in time he will grow into some power. If Chen was to eventually grow into 10+ HR power, then he might be a very significant prospect. But if it's Theriot-ceiling, makes it tough.

[toonsterwu]

There is some loft to his swing, to the best of my recollection (keyword, some), but I somewhat think 10 HR type power is probably a bit optimistic for him.

 

A tiny problem for Chen is that, in the OF, his bat best profiles in CF, and yet, Na is a similar (smaller) player, who is faster and a better defensive player. If Chen's power doesn't develop, it's hard to place him ahead of Na. I would like to see them dabble him some at 2nd again, but we'll have to see how that plays out. I know AzPhil's reporting said he looked uncomfortable there.

[craig]

There is some loft to his swing, to the best of my recollection (keyword, some), but I somewhat think 10 HR type power is probably a bit optimistic for him.

 

A tiny problem for Chen is that, in the OF, his bat best profiles in CF, and yet, Na is a similar (smaller) player, who is faster and a better defensive player. If Chen's power doesn't develop, it's hard to place him ahead of Na. I would like to see them dabble him some at 2nd again, but we'll have to see how that plays out. I know AzPhil's reporting said he looked uncomfortable there.

 

Na may be similar, but he can't hit. Na K's like a big slugger. As a pro, he's got 75K/0HR/271 AB. Chen has 25K/211 AB.

 

I'd take my chances with a hitter over a non-hitter. And I'd probably take my projection chances on a 6'1" guy adding some muscle and adding at least some more snap to his swing than on a dinky 5'9" kind of guy.

[toonsterwu]

Chen's frame is a bit limited. Granted, frame projection isn't an exact science. The problem, for me, in projecting additional muscle, is how that impacts his athletic ability/speed. Considering his position options (MI/CF), unless the power develops dramatically, his athleticism is critical (particularly since he's more CF than MI now). He isn't viewed as a plus-speed guy, like Na. I believe his 60 time is average (50), and his home to first time is above average (60), maybe borderline plus. That puts him at the slightly above average category. He's already put on about 10-20 pounds from his HS days (although the counter to that would be that if you buy the 6'1", then he's grown 2 inches from his HS days, so that 10-20 pounds or so isn't that significant).

 

Anyhow, I hope Chen succeeds (I'm biased for Chen). I kept hoping Che-Hsuan Lin would develop some pop, though, and that never materialized, and Lin's a better all-around talent than Chen. Chen does have a tiny bit more loft to his swing.

[craig]

Chen's frame is a bit limited. Granted, frame projection isn't an exact science. The problem, for me, in projecting additional muscle, is how that impacts his athletic ability/speed. Considering his position options (MI/CF), unless the power develops dramatically, his athleticism is critical (particularly since he's more CF than MI now). He isn't viewed as a plus-speed guy, like Na. I believe his 60 time is average (50), and his home to first time is above average (60), maybe borderline plus. That puts him at the slightly above average category. He's already put on about 10-20 pounds from his HS days (although the counter to that would be that if you buy the 6'1", then he's grown 2 inches from his HS days, so that 10-20 pounds or so isn't that significant).

 

Anyhow, I hope Chen succeeds (I'm biased for Chen). I kept hoping Che-Hsuan Lin would develop some pop, though, and that never materialized, and Lin's a better all-around talent than Chen. Chen does have a tiny bit more loft to his swing.

 

Thanks. I hadn't realized he was so slow, that's too bad. If he's not fast, so that he doens't actually project as a CFer or a base-stealer, and he doesn't have a frame the projects any power, then he's a pretty limited prospect. If he's Theriot offense who needs to play LF defense, then he just isn't much of a prospect.

 

I don't doubt that if they were both on the same A-ball team, that Na would be a faster and jazzier CF. But Na's defense isn't that relevant since guys who can't hit don't make the majors. So I view Na as strictly a minor-league roster-fill type guy. When you whiff like Brett Jackson but have Pierre power, you're a long-shot to become even Joey Gathright.

[Guest]

Video highlights of yesterday's Boise win: http://www.kboi2.com/sports/124335694.html?tab=video

 

Shows Luis Liria giving up a 2-RBI single to Corey Spangenberg and shows Hoilman's home run and Chen's run-scoring triple.

[Guest]

A day old:

 

Daytona News-Journal[/url]"]"I thought Rhee really pitched well," Bailey said. "That's probably his best outing. He kept the ball down and had a lot of groundball outs. He was pitching off his fastball. He had been trying to pitch too much off his change and split. When he was done he had a little more of a smile on his face, so I think he was happy with the way he pitched."

[Guest]

Chen's frame is a bit limited. Granted, frame projection isn't an exact science. The problem, for me, in projecting additional muscle, is how that impacts his athletic ability/speed. Considering his position options (MI/CF), unless the power develops dramatically, his athleticism is critical (particularly since he's more CF than MI now). He isn't viewed as a plus-speed guy, like Na. I believe his 60 time is average (50), and his home to first time is above average (60), maybe borderline plus. That puts him at the slightly above average category. He's already put on about 10-20 pounds from his HS days (although the counter to that would be that if you buy the 6'1", then he's grown 2 inches from his HS days, so that 10-20 pounds or so isn't that significant).

 

Anyhow, I hope Chen succeeds (I'm biased for Chen). I kept hoping Che-Hsuan Lin would develop some pop, though, and that never materialized, and Lin's a better all-around talent than Chen. Chen does have a tiny bit more loft to his swing.

 

Thanks. I hadn't realized he was so slow, that's too bad. If he's not fast, so that he doens't actually project as a CFer or a base-stealer, and he doesn't have a frame the projects any power, then he's a pretty limited prospect. If he's Theriot offense who needs to play LF defense, then he just isn't much of a prospect.

 

I don't doubt that if they were both on the same A-ball team, that Na would be a faster and jazzier CF. But Na's defense isn't that relevant since guys who can't hit don't make the majors. So I view Na as strictly a minor-league roster-fill type guy. When you whiff like Brett Jackson but have Pierre power, you're a long-shot to become even Joey Gathright.

 

Arizona Phil on Chen and Na:

 

Arizona Phil[/url]"]Na was hitting 258/333/303 at Peoria but he can't play CF there until Matt Szczur gets moved up to Daytona. Of course he might not get much PT in CF at Boise, either, with Pin-Chieh Chen blocking him. My guess is that Chen will get the promotion to Peoria when Szczur moves up to Daytona, and Na will be then be installed as the #1 CF at Boise.

 

BTW, Chen's move from 2B to CF midway through Extended Spring Training has been very positive. Prior to the move he was struggling at the plate, but it was just like he was let out of jail when he was moved to CF. Same thing happened with Jae-Hoon Ha last year at Extended Spring Training when he was moved from catcher to RF and went on a hitting binge that got him a promotion to Peoria. And now he's a star CF at Daytona.

 

While Kyung-Min Na is a younger version of Tony Campana, I would say Pin-Chieh Chen is probably the player in the Cubs system most like Hak-Ju Lee (offensively speaking). Of course Chen failed miserably as a middle-infielder, but at least offensively I see a lot of similarities with HJ Lee... BP HR power that could eventually show-up in games. Decent base-stealing technique. Good hitter. Makes all the plays in CF. Plus-arm. Chen also reminds me a bit of Eric Patterson (defensively at 2B), except the Cubs didn't move E-Pat to CF until much later in his career. Maybe they learned their lesson and decided to not waste anytime moving Chen to CF.