Minor League Discussion & Boxes 7-2-11

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa won 9-4 Box Score

 

CF T. Colvin 3/5, R, RBI

SS M. Gonzalez 2/4, 2 R, 2 RBI

3B DJ LeMahieu 3/5, 2 RBI, K

1B B. LaHair 0/3, 2 BB, R, RBI, 2 K, SB (1)

C W. Castillo 1/4, BB, R

RF B. Snyder 0/3, K

2B S. Moore 0/2, BB, R, K

PH F. Perez 0/0, BB, R

LF T. Wright 2/4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B (4)

2B J. Mota 1/1, RBI

SP R. Coello 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 7-4 GO-FO

RP B. Parker 2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR, 2-2 GO-FO

RP S. Maine 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 2-0 GO-FO

 

Tennessee won 5-4 in the 10th Box Score

 

CF B. Jackson 3/4, 2 BB, RBI, 2B (10)

SS J. Lake 1/4, BB, 3 R, K, HBP, SB (5)

LF R. Ridling 2/5, 2B (12)

LF M. Spencer 0/0, BB

3B J. Vitters 3/6, 3 RBI, K

RF N. Perez 1/5, 2B (9), 3 K

2B N. Samson 1/4, R, RBI, HR (2)

C L. Flores 1/4, BB, R, 2B (3), K

PH S. Clevenger 0/1

2B R. Flaherty 0/2, K

SP C. Rusin 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 7-4 GO-FO

RP E. Caridad 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR, 1-1 GO-FO

RP K. Rhoderick 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR, 3-1 GO-FO

RP J. Stevens 1 perfect, 1-2 GO-FO

 

Daytona won 7-3 Box Score

 

LF E. Crawford 2/5, 2 R, SB (19)

2B L. Watkins 1/4, BB, 2 R, RBI

CF JH Ha 3/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B (15), K

1B J. Bour 0/5, RBI, K

DH M. Cerda 1/4, BB, R, RBI, 2B (17)

RF M. Burgess 2/4, RBI, K

C M. Brenly 3/4, RBI, 2B (4)

3B D. Harrington 1/4

SP J. Lorick 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, WP, 9-3 GO-FO, E (5, throw)

RP A. Kurcz 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, WP, 1-0 GO-FO

RP O. Martinez 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO

RP F. Batista 1 perfect, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO

 

Peoria won 5-1 Box Score

 

RF M. Szczur 1/4, BB, R, K, SB (17)

SS E. Soto 3/5, R, RBI, 2 2B (9)

CF R. Silva 1/4, RBI, 2B (9), Assist (2B)

1B R. Jones 1/4, RBI

C M. Gibbs 0/3, BB, R, K

DH R. Cuneo 1/4, K

3B B. May 1/4, R, RBI, 3B (1)

2B P. LePage 1/4, R, RBI

SP M. Loosen 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 5-9 GO-FO

RP B. Ebinger 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1-0 GO-FO

RP L. Suarez 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1-2 GO-FO

 

Boise lost 7-2 Box Score

 

CF KM Na 2/4, 2 K, HBP

2B K. Socorro 1/5, 2 E (2, fielding x 2)

C R. Lopez 1/2, 2 BB

1B P. Hoilman 0/4, 4 K, E (1, fielding)

LF B. Klafczynski 2/4, R, K

3B W. Contreras 0/4, 2 K, E (3, throw)

SS W. Darvill 1/3, BB, R, E (3, fielding)

DH Y. Cabezas 0/3, BB, RBI, SB (2)

RF T. Garcia 1/3, RBI, 3B (1), 2 K

SP B. Wells 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 3 WP, 9-1 GO-FO

RP J. Rosario 4 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 10-2 GO-FO

 

AZL Cubs won 5-2 Box Score

 

CF O. Zapata 2/5, 2 K, CS (1), Assist (3B)

3B G. Amaya 0/4, 2 K

SS M. Hernandez 2/4, R, RBI, SB (3)

1B D. Geiger 3/4, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B (5)

LF E. Gonzalez 1/3, RBI, E (2, fielding)

DH DY Kim 1/4, RBI, K

SP B. Smith 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K, WP, HBP, 4-3 GO-FO

RP C. Richardson 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO

 

DSL Cubs 1 lost 4-3 Box Score

 

SS F. Sanchez 1/3, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (3), K, E (14, throw)

CF J. Baez 0/3, BB, CS (3)

RF X. Batista 3/4, SB (4)

2B A. Gonzalez 0/4

SP J. De La Cruz 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 4-1 GO-FO

 

DSL Cubs 2 lost 6-5 Box Score

 

SS C. Penalver 1/4, BB

3B J. Candelario 2/4, BB, 2 CS (4), PO (1B), E (8, fielding)

RF D. Arcila 2/4, 2 R, RBI, 2B (8), 2 K, SB (3)

1B/C W. Petit 1/5, RBI, K

SP H. Perez 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K, 8-1 GO-FO

RP L. Guillen 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2-2 GO-FO

 

OVERALL: 5-3

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: RHP Robert Coello (4-5, 7.16 ERA, 55.1 IP, 46 K, 29 BB; overall: 5-7, 6.01 ERA, 76.1 IP, 62 K, 36 BB)

Tennessee: LHP Chris Rusin (3-2, 4.24 ERA, 70 IP, 44 K, 15 BB)

Daytona: LHP Jeff Lorick (6-2, 4.13 ERA, 72 IP, 41 K, 23 BB)

Peoria: RHP Matt Loosen (1-0, 2.25 ERA, 8 IP, 11 K, 3 BB; overall: 1-0, 3.78 ERA, 16.2 IP, 24 K, 7 BB)

Boise: RHP Ben Wells (1-0, 4.73 ERA, 13.1 IP, 11 K, 5 BB)

AZL Cubs: LHP Brian Smith (0-1, 2.45 ERA, 7.1 IP, 9 K, 2 BB)

[TruffleShuffle]

rusin had a really good outing, but caridad and rhoderick blew it. brett jackson has been doing better in the past few games, and has gotten on base 5 times (2 singles, 1 double, 2 walks) in his 6 PA's. junior lake has a single, walk and SB while vitters is 2-5.

 

jae-hoon ha has started to hit a little more, going 3-5 with a pair of doubles. after his hot start to the year he has really dropped off. watkins was 1-4 with a walk.

 

nothing too exciting for peoria, though loosen pitched very well.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Good night on the farm on both sides.

[Guest]

Reggie Golden with the night off. :(

[TruffleShuffle]

Reggie Golden with the night off. :(

 

he needs to understand that all that patience is unacceptable.

 

vitters hit a walkoff single for tennessee in the 10th inning (bases loaded/2 outs)

[StarlinOnYou]

Vitters finished 3/6 with 3 RBI. Batting average up to .279.

 

Jackson 3/4 w/ 2BB & an RBI. Batting average up to .267.

 

Both heating up.. Great news.

[Guest]

Dustin Geiger is 2/3 with 2 doubles. Brian Smith with 5 scoreless and hitless for Mesa with 3 Ks and 2 BBs.

 

Ben Wells struggled, giving up 4 earned in 4 innings but his defense was putrid and cost him a few runs (only 1 run was unearned but he could easily have gotten out of the 1st and 4th sooner, surrendering fewer runs if not for his defense). And now 2 more errors by the Hawks behind Rosario in his first inning of work. FYI, Rosario just hit 97. Didn't know he could bring it that hard.

[craig]

Cal or others, what do we know about Brian Smith? I know he's 18, Canadian, lefty, not tall, was a 35th rounder or so, so I assume a standard $120-200 guy but I never actually heard. I don't recall any scouting on him either, anybody have anything? I assume standard 80's lefty curveballer.

[Guest]

Cal or others, what do we know about Brian Smith? I know he's 18, Canadian, lefty, not tall, was a 35th rounder or so, so I assume a standard $120-200 guy but I never actually heard. I don't recall any scouting on him either, anybody have anything? I assume standard 80's lefty curveballer.

 

Smith was a 40th rounder last year and got a $75,000 signing bonus. The scouting report on him last year was that he works primarily 87-90, along with a solid change and an above-average curve.

[scarey]

Dustin Geiger is 2/3 with 2 doubles. Brian Smith with 5 scoreless and hitless for Mesa with 3 Ks and 2 BBs.

 

Ben Wells struggled, giving up 4 earned in 4 innings but his defense was putrid and cost him a few runs (only 1 run was unearned but he could easily have gotten out of the 1st and 4th sooner, surrendering fewer runs if not for his defense). And now 2 more errors by the Hawks behind Rosario in his first inning of work. FYI, Rosario just hit 97. Didn't know he could bring it that hard.

 

 

Didn't know that about Rosario either. He's a guy I've kept an eye on since aggressive promotions two years ago where he ended up in Daytona I believe.

[craig]

Cal or others, what do we know about Brian Smith? I know he's 18, Canadian, lefty, not tall, was a 35th rounder or so, so I assume a standard $120-200 guy but I never actually heard. I don't recall any scouting on him either, anybody have anything? I assume standard 80's lefty curveballer.

 

Smith was a 40th rounder last year and got a $75,000 signing bonus. The scouting report on him last year was that he works primarily 87-90, along with a solid change and an above-average curve.

 

Thanks, cal. 87-90 is nothing exciting, and usually velocity readings tend to be on the exaggerate side anyway. But he was only 17 last draft spring. Not at all unusual to improve some strength and improve some delivery/mechanics issues after age 17. A lot of lefties with solid change and excellent curve who could be quite useful if they threw mainly in the 89-92 range. So I'll hope that in due time, Smith will end up a couple mph faster than the 87-90 report and will have the potential to end up as a complete pitcher with a decent fastball.

 

Obviously Mesa isn't crawling with great pitchers. But I admit I was surprised when Smith was in the rotation and has stayed in the rotation. Heh, especially since it's like a 4-man rotation. In some past summers, they largely rotated the rotation starts, and there would be 8 or 10 guys starting. I'm possibly over-interpreting, but it's possible that Smith has been consistently starting because he's separated himself some from the other pool of arms that are being used in Mesa relief? Heh, my recall is that Phil reported on an appearance of him last fall, and he gave up about 6 runs in one inning or something at Instrux. So he wasn't even a name I'd had even in the furthest back part of my mind entering this summer.

 

Interesting that Rosario hit 97, that's encouraging. Yesterday was his best outing in a few years, so I assume that's not very consistent. But he's still not quite 21. Very inconsistent, though, and no K's. So I assume that command, movement, and breaking stuff is still wishful thinking rather than progressing favorably.

[craig]

Rafael Lopez off to a quick start, hitting .400+ and with a HR already.

 

Most noteworthy to me is only 1 K, 4BB/1K in his 24 AB. I think the draft reports suggested he was fairly gifted defensively, so there's a chance that if he does hit enough, that his defense won't hold him back.

 

He's going to turn 24 this fall, so obviously his start is more necessary than surprising. And he hasn't been getting rusty for real long, since FSY was in the college playoffs for a while. And he's only 5'9", so the kind of HR power that often is needed to float both a good batting average and a good OPS seems somewhat doubtful.

 

But I'm guessing that if he'd started slow, as an approaching-24-year-old, we'd have buried him pretty fast. The fact that he is hitting and making contact right out of the box keeps him on the map at least for now. My guess is that if he keeps producing, he'll get bumped up early enough to experience at least a full month of full-season ball. If he does and keeps hitting, then he might justify some interest.

 

Two other hopeful points. The Cubs were seemingly drafting for talent, for big-league prospects without great concern with signing prices, before and after his selection. So I suspect they did see him as a big-league prospect, not just as an organizational roster-fill player. Second, the fact that he's so old must most certainly have worked against his draft value. Perhaps had he been 21 with no more physical projection left than he has now, he'd have been an 8th round pick and we'd be buzzed about his start and his prospects? But it was because he was so old that people kept passing on him, not because of his talents?

 

We'll see. Would be fun if he's just a capable hitter. Heh, I'm a Cubs fan, so I'm an optimist, why not hope?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Good to see DJ go 3-5, even if they were all singles.

 

Also, does Marwin have any shot at making our top 20 prospects? He was great in AA, and now off to a very hot start in a small sample size for AAA. For some reason, I keep thinking he's like 24-25 and he just turned 22. Is there anything to him, or is he another Andres Blanco at best?