Minor League Discussion & Boxes 8-25-11

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa lost 7-6 in the 10th Box Score

 

CF B. Jackson 1/4, BB, 2 RBI, 2B (12), E (2, throw)

SS M. Gonzalez 0/4, BB

RF B. Snyder 2/5, R, RBI, HR (11), 2 K, Assist (2B)

LF B. LaHair 0/5, 2 K

2B DJ LeMahieu 2/5, R, RBI, HR (3)

1B S. Moore 3/5, 2 R

C C. Robinson 2/3, R, 2B (12), HBP

3B R. Flaherty 1/4, R, 2 RBI, K

PH M. Smith 0/1

PH M. Spencer 1/1

SP N. Struck 5 IP, 11 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 8-4 GO-FO

RP HW Chen 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 3-1 GO-FO

RP K. Smit 1 perfect, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO

RP B. Parker 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2-1 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 10-4 Box Score

 

SS J. Lake 2/5, 2 K

CF JH Ha 2/4, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B (16), HR (3)

1B R. Ridling 2/4, RBI, 2 2B (25), 2 K

3B J. Vitters 0/2, 2 BB, RBI

RF N. Perez 0/4, K, E (4, throw)

SP L. Suarez 2.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, HBP, 4-1 GO-FO

RP M. Carrillo 3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR, 5-1 GO-FO

RP O. Martinez 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HBP, 1-2 GO-FO

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

 

Daytona won 3-2 in the 10th Box Score

 

DH M. Szczur 0/5, SB (7)

2B L. Watkins 2/5, RBI

CF E. Crawford 1/5, R, 2 K

1B J. Bour 2/3, BB, R, 2 RBI, HR (23), SB (3)

3B M. Cerda 0/4, K

RF M. Burgess 0/4, K

LF A. Abreu 0/3, 2 K, HBP

SS E. Soto 0/4, R, K

C C. Noble 0/2, BB

SP DE Rhee 6.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 8-3 GO-FO

RP JY Serrano 1 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1-1 GO-FO

RP J. Lorick 0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

RP F. Batista 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 6-0 GO-FO, E (1, throw)

 

Peoria lost 6-1 Box Score

 

CF T. Easterling 1/4, R, 2B (6)

2B R. Silva 0/4, E (11, fielding)

3B D. Geiger 1/3, BB, K

1B R. Jones 1/4, RBI

C M. Gibbs 1/4, 2 K

RF J. Morelli 0/4, 2 K

LF B. Klafczynski 0/3, BB, 2 K, Assist (1B)

SS K. Socorro 0/3

SP D. Beeler 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3-1 GO-FO

RP B. Wallach 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 WP, 3-3 GO-FO

RP R. Garcia 2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 4-1 GO-FO

 

Boise won 7-4 Box Score

 

CF Z. DeVoss 3/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, K

LF W. Contreras 0/3

C R. Lopez 1/4, RBI, 2 K

1B R. Cuneo 1/3, BB, 2 RBI, K

DH P. Hoilman 0/4, 3 K

SS W. Darvill 3/4, 2 R, 2 2B (13), 2 E (15, fielding x 2)

2B B. Zapenas 1/3, BB, R

RF O. Zapata 1/4, 2 R, 2 RBI, K, SB (4), E (2, throw)

SP J. Rosario 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 7-3 GO-FO

RP A McKirahan 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO

 

AZL Cubs lost 17-15 in the 12th Box Score

 

SS G. Lockhart 1/6, 2 BB, R, 2 RBI, SB (2)

3B G. Amaya 1/4, R, RBI, 2B (10), K, E (17, fielding)

1B R. Shoulder 1/6, BB, R, RBI, 2B (3), 2 K

DH D. Vogelbach 3/5, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B (2), HR (1)

PR/DH DY Kim 0/1, K, 2 SB (12)

C N. Rosario 1/6, R, RBI, K, HBP, 2 PB (6)

CF T. Martin 2/5, BB, R, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB (3), CS (2), PO (1B)

LF G. Schlecht 1/3, 4 BB, 3 R, K, Assist (3B)

RF KM Na 3/6, BB, 2 R, RBI

SP M. Jensen 1 perfect, 1 K, 0-2 GO-FO

RP T. Scott 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-2 GO-FO

RP H. Ackerman 1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, WP, HBP, 1-1 GO-FO

RP F. Pena 2.1 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, WP, 1-2 GO-FO

RP Y. Sanchez 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, WP, HBP, 4-4 GO-FO

RP L. Villalba .2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 Balks, 0-1 GO-FO

 

DSL Cubs 2 lost 4-3 in the 14th Box Score

 

CF J. Baez 1/4, 2 BB, K, 2 SB (2), CS (1)

SS C. Penalver 1/5, BB

3B J. Candelario 0/5, BB, RBI, 2 K

1B/RF X. Batista 0/5, BB, 2 K

RF D. Arcila 2/3, BB, CS (1), E (1, fielding)

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

RP D. Torrez 0 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K

 

OVERALL: 2-5

[Rob]

Looks like I'm gonna be at the Peoria game again. It'd be nice if we had some real prospects this time.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

 

Jae Hoon-Ha lays out.

 

Note that the pitcher throwing the pitch is Trey McNutt, arguably the toughest significant prospect in baseball to find any kind of video of on the internet at all. With this video the count is now up to one pitch of video on the internet.

[Rob]

Looks like Beeler is going to be starting for the Chiefs tonight. Somebody refresh my memory, what does he throw?

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Looks like Beeler is going to be starting for the Chiefs tonight. Somebody refresh my memory, what does he throw?

 

Iirc he's a sinker/slider type. Can hit 94. Probably mixes in a curveball, changeup, and or cutter sometimes.

[seattlecub]

Tayler Scott debuts at Mesa. 1.2 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs (all earned), 1 BB and 1 K.

[seattlecub]

and vogelbach with his first home run!

[CubsWin]

Vogelbach with his first professional HR. Michael Jensen had his first professional start going 1 perfect inning with a K.

[StarlinOnYou]

Vogelbach 3/5.. 2B, HR, 3 RBI, added a BB as well. Hitting .357 in very limited ABs so far.

[davell]

His day is done as he was lifted for a pinch runner. Game is tied at 15 in the 10th.

[Outshined_One]

Throwing this out there...

 

Junior Lake in August: .319/.390/.536 in 69 ABs with 17 Ks, 5 BBs, 6 SBs, 0 CS, and 3 HR.

 

What a strange player.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Throwing this out there...

 

Junior Lake in August: .319/.390/.536 in 69 ABs with 17 Ks, 5 BBs, 6 SBs, 0 CS, and 3 HR.

 

What a strange player.

 

He, Ha, and Vitters are perfect 2012 breakout candidates, and I'd be shocked if TWO of the three didn't break out next year. OK that's excessive, but there's definitely a breakout player in that trio.

[Guest]

Throwing this out there...

 

Junior Lake in August: .319/.390/.536 in 69 ABs with 17 Ks, 5 BBs, 6 SBs, 0 CS, and 3 HR.

 

What a strange player.

He's trying to sucker me into a top five ranking again, isn't he?

[Outshined_One]

Throwing this out there...

 

Junior Lake in August: .319/.390/.536 in 69 ABs with 17 Ks, 5 BBs, 6 SBs, 0 CS, and 3 HR.

 

What a strange player.

He's trying to sucker me into a top five ranking again, isn't he?

 

Solid numbers in High A and his recent hot streak in AA make it tempting. I didn't even have him in my Top 20 in my latest list. I'll probably slot him into the 15-20 area at the end of the season.

 

The guy's a bit of an enigma.

[Guest]

Ha with a HR and Vitters with *another* walk tonight.

 

Crazy stuff...

[CubColtPacer]

Ha with a HR and Vitters with *another* walk tonight.

 

Crazy stuff...

 

Vitters has walked a second time and Ha has walked also.

 

The interesting that about that trio (Vitters, Ha, Lake) is that Vitters is the oldest and he turns 22 in a couple of days. IMO, Ha has to be considered a better prospect than Vitters and Lake is about the same level, but they're all intriguing.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Ha with a HR and Vitters with *another* walk tonight.

 

Crazy stuff...

 

Vitters has walked a second time and Ha has walked also.

 

The interesting that about that trio (Vitters, Ha, Lake) is that Vitters is the oldest and he turns 22 in a couple of days. IMO, Ha and Lake have to be considered better prospects at this point than Vitters, but they're all intriguing.

 

I'd take Vitters over both as a prospect, but just barely. All three have very interesting, possibly underrated upsides.

[CubColtPacer]

Ha with a HR and Vitters with *another* walk tonight.

 

Crazy stuff...

 

Vitters has walked a second time and Ha has walked also.

 

The interesting that about that trio (Vitters, Ha, Lake) is that Vitters is the oldest and he turns 22 in a couple of days. IMO, Ha and Lake have to be considered better prospects at this point than Vitters, but they're all intriguing.

 

I'd take Vitters over both as a prospect, but just barely. All three have very interesting, possibly underrated upsides.

 

I realized I overrated Lake a little after putting them side by side and edited my post. Ha I think is definitely better though. He's almost as good of a hitter, he's over a year younger, and he plays good defense at all the outfield positions while Vitters is very, very questionable to stay at 3rd base. Lake meanwhile offers speed (his basestealing has taken a huge step forward this year both in attempts and percentage) and power with a better chance of staying at SS than Vitters does at 3rd IMO. He is also younger, but his BB/K percentage is a lot scarier than it is for Vitters.

 

These are their minor league career numbers:

Vitters: .278/.318/.437

Lake: .267/.315/.402

Ha: .280/.306/.408

 

All have climbed the ladder at a young age. Ha's career numbers are the worst but that is mostly because of the terrible year at Boise after coming to the States. I just don't see Vitters with a big enough edge hitting wise to overcome the positional/defense question.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Struck got his arse handed to him today. 6 ER on 11 H through 5.1 IP with 0/1 BB/K.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Rhee with a very nice outing. 6.1 IP, 1 ER 6 H 1/8 BB/K.

 

Szczur 0-5

Watkins 2-5

[Guest]

Looks like Beeler is going to be starting for the Chiefs tonight. Somebody refresh my memory, what does he throw?

 

Iirc he's a sinker/slider type. Can hit 94. Probably mixes in a curveball, changeup, and or cutter sometimes.

 

Yeah, FB/slider/change, goes 92-94.

[Guest]

Rhee with a very nice outing. 6.1 IP, 1 ER 6 H 1/8 BB/K.

 

Szczur 0-5

Watkins 2-5

 

Rhee has gotten himself into my top 10. He's finishing the season very strong.

[Guest]

Rhee with a very nice outing. 6.1 IP, 1 ER 6 H 1/8 BB/K.

 

Szczur 0-5

Watkins 2-5

 

Rhee has gotten himself into my top 10. He's finishing the season very strong.

I really want to confirm those recent reports on his velocity. The results certainly seem to back it up, though.

[Guest]

Jackson went 1 for 4 with a double and a walk, and Lemahieu was 2 for 5 with a HR.

 

 

Also, Arizona Phil had lots of good information today. link

 

Vogelbach (called "Fat Boy" by the Giants when they first saw him) showed his hitting skill throughout the game, as the opposing pitchers mostly tried to work him away. While he pulled (tomahawked) a high, hanging breaking ball out for the monster HR onto the roof of the batting cages in the 4th, he also hit opposite-field ropes in four other ABs when the Giants tried to stay away from his pull-power (line-drive single to LF in the 1st, L-7 line-drive out in the 3rd, hard-hit 6-3 ground out in the 6th, and a ground rule line-drive double that sliced into the LF corner before going out of play in the 8th). Vogelbach also displayed plenty of patience in his six plate appearances, showing that he is not afraid to go deep into counts and hit with two strikes (the lead-off walk in the bottom of the 9th with the score tied 15-15 was vintage Rickey Henderson).

 

It's hard to explain Vogelbach's baserunning, because he is certainly is not fast, but while Rock Shoulders (for instance) is bottom-heavy and runs like a 350-pound nose tackle, Vogelbach runs more like a pulling-guard. Again, he is not fast, but he runs hard and gets down the line OK. He is most-definitely faster than Shoulders.

 

In addition to Vogelbach's big day, Cubs 2011 9th round pick LF Garrett Schlecht (Waterloo HS - Waterloo, IL) reached base five time (four walks and a single) and scored three runs. The 18-year old lefty-swinging Schlecht has (at best) average speed, and is a below-average defender with an average arm, but he is a solid spray hitter with power potential, and (as evidenced by the four walks) is EXTREMELY patient and choosy at the plate. Three of his four walks today happened after he was initially down 0-2. Schlecht was set to attend Middle Tennessee,before signing with the Cubs for a reported $235K (about equivalent to "4th round money").

 

 

Two pitchers recently drafted and signed by the Cubs made their pro debut today, with somewhat opposite results.

 

 

20-year old 26th round draft pick RHP Michael Jensen (Hartnell JC) had a rocking-chair easy nine-pitch 1-2-3 top of the 1st (F-7, K-swinging, and an F-9), while 19-year old 5th round pick RHP Tayler Scott (Notre Dame Prep - Scottsdale, AZ) allowed three runs on three hits (a single, a double, and a triple) and a walk, with one strikeout and a 1/3 GO/FO, in 1.2 IP (25 pitches - 14 strikes). Both pitchers threw nothing but fastballs, but Jensen's sat at 94, while Scott's was topping out at 91.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Vogelbach is a player. I have no doubts about this. He seems to have the approach and athleticism that fits the optimistic scouting reports about him. Anyone notice that a hitter like him happens to be drafted here the same year Prince Fielder hits the market?

 

Heres some hope that hes good enough to be at the center of the Justin Upton trade of 2014.

 

Schlect is another one with a solid approach in the making. The new regime will get credit for the solid approaches of these guys.