Minor League Discussion & Boxes 9-1-11

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa won 5-4 in the 11th Box Score

 

CF B. Jackson 0/3, 3 BB, K

LF L. Montanez 0/5, BB, 2 K

RF B. Snyder 3/6, R, RBI, K

1B S. Moore 3/5, 2 R, RBI, 2B (17), K

SS/3B DJ LeMahieu 2/5, RBI, 3B (1)

2B R. Flaherty 2/5, R, 2 RBI, HR (5), K

3B M. Smith 0/4, K

PH C. Robinson 1/1, R, 2B (13)

C M. Mercedes 2/4, 2B (1)

PH M. Spencer 0/1

SS M. Gonzalez 0/1

SP A. Bibens-Dirkx 6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 6-6 GO-FO

RP C. Carpenter .2 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2-0 GO-FO

RP K. Smit .1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

RP A. Cashner 1 perfect, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO

RP B. Parker 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, HR, 5-0 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 5-3 Box Score

 

CF JH Ha 3/4, Assist (Home)

1B R. Ridling 0/3, BB, RBI, K

3B J. Vitters 1/4, 2B (27)

RF N. Perez 3/4, 2 R, 2 2B (17), K

SS J. Lake 0/3, BB, K

SP B. Raley 4 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR, HBP, 3-3 GO-FO

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

RP M. Hatley 1 perfect, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO

 

Daytona lost 5-2 Box Score

 

LF/CF E. Crawford 0/4, PO (1B)

2B/LF L. Watkins 1/4, 3B (12)

3B M. Cerda 1/3, BB, 2 E (16, fielding x 2)

1B J. Bour 2/4

DH M. Burgess 1/4, R, RBI, HR (20), 3 K

RF A. Abreu 1/4, R, 2B (4), K

CF M. Szczur 2/2, PO (1B)

SS E. Soto 0/3

C M. Brenly 1/4

SP J. Antigua 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, HR, 10-3 GO-FO

RP E. Figueroa 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR, 1-1 GO-FO

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

 

Peoria lost 6-5 Box Score

 

CF T. Easterling 1/4, BB, R, K, SB (9)

2B R. Silva 1/4, R, RBI, HR (3), K

DH R. Jones 3/4, R, 2 RBI, HR (24), K

C M. Gibbs 1/3, 2 RBI, 2B (12), K, HBP

1B D. Geiger 0/4, K

LF B. Klafczynski 0/4, 2 K, E (2, fielding)

SS K. Socorro 0/3, BB

3B A. Alcantara 1/4, E (40, throw)

SP S. Peralta 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, HBP, 3-2 GO-FO

RP P. Levitt 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, HBP, 3-2 GO-FO

RP R. Garcia 1.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-1 GO-FO

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

 

Boise won 4-2 Box Score

 

2B Z. DeVoss 1/3, BB, R, RBI, 3B (1), 2 K

CF O. Zapata 1/3, RBI, CS (3)

DH R. Lopez 1/4, R

LF/1B R. Cuneo 1/4, RBI, 2B (9), 2 K

1B P. Hoilman 1/2, 2 BB, K

RF R. Golden 1/3, BB, R

3B W. Contreras 2/4, R

SS J. Baez 1/2, RBI

SS W. Darvill 0/1

SP A. Reed 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 5-2 GO-FO

RP C. Richardson 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 4-0 GO-FO

RP M. Jensen 1 perfect, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO

 

OVERALL: 2-3

[Guest]

Cashner is expected to throw an inning tonight for Iowa.

[NCCubFan]

I believe this is scheduled to be his last minor league tuneup before being activated.

[Guest]

I believe this is scheduled to be his last minor league tuneup before being activated.

 

Actually, he has 2 scheduled Iowa appearances and this would be his first (unless something changed from when he left Tennessee).

[Little Slide Rooter]

Szczur was 2-2 and then replaced with Optiz and they re-arranged the entire outfield, so that can't be good. Not sure exactly when that happened, but the games in the 5th.

[TruffleShuffle]

Szczur was 2-2 and then replaced with Optiz and they re-arranged the entire outfield, so that can't be good. Not sure exactly when that happened, but the games in the 5th.

 

*Michael Brenly grounds into a force out, third baseman Juan Sanchez to second baseman Scooter Gennett. Matthew Szczur out at 2nd.

 

then he came out.

 

 

strong start by antigua: 6 ip, 4 h, 2 er, 1 bb, 8 k, 1 hr. he's been really good after a rough start to the year. he's only 21 and throws lefty; will be interesting to watch him next year (presumably with tennessee).

[Little Slide Rooter]

Szczur was 2-2 and then replaced with Optiz and they re-arranged the entire outfield, so that can't be good. Not sure exactly when that happened, but the games in the 5th.

 

*Michael Brenly grounds into a force out, third baseman Juan Sanchez to second baseman Scooter Gennett. Matthew Szczur out at 2nd.

 

then he came out.

 

 

strong start by antigua: 6 ip, 4 h, 2 er, 1 bb, 8 k, 1 hr. he's been really good after a rough start to the year. he's only 21 and throws lefty; will be interesting to watch him next year (presumably with tennessee).

 

I guess that the best we can hope for is that he got the boot after arguing with an ump. Didn't that happen to him already this year?

[toonsterwu]

Overall great day to follow in terms of young arms. Austin Reed is coming through with arguably his best outing of the year. Thought he was a bit overhyped last year (never understood why folks had him ahead of Ben Wells), but he's pretty much meeting my expectations this year (well, I wish he was better, but in general, thought he was a young arm with a ton of work needed). Starling Peralta followed his solid outing last time with another solid start. Control is still a work in progress, but good to see two strong starts.

 

After an awful start to AAA, Flaherty's hitting has been better. I honestly wouldn't have a big issue if they gave him a shot at a utility job in spring, but he'll probably be ticketed for another round of minor league duty as a "ready" guy in AAA.

 

This is a totally pointless comment, but assuming Brett Jackson doesn't strike out in his AB in the 9th, he'll bring his K rate down to around 29%. I can't recall a guy with his level of solid discipline striking out at 30%, and that 30% number seems to scare a lot of people despite a fairly SSS (200 AB's isn't tiny, but itisn't huge either). I tend to think, over a long period, Brett will probably K around 25% of the time, but I think we could live with that, provided he's a well-rounded player, solid defensively, some pop, and some SB's.

 

Wilson Contreras has been swinging a fairly solid bat of late. Seems to have quietly snuck up a bit. Justin Bour's also on a nice little run of late and may finish the season strong, like Rebel Ridling.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Flaherty should definitely start next year in the bigs. He's 25, I believe, and Blake DeWitt has no business blocking him. Once a guy hits 26 and not made the big leagues, you start hearing that AAAA talk. The same could be said for Baker and LeMahieu, though DJ still has age on his side. Edited September 2, 2011 by Little Slide Rooter

[Little Slide Rooter]

Cashner pitched 1 perfect with 1 K.

Other notable I Cubs:

Jackson 0-3, 2 BB

Flaherty 2-5 HR

LeMahieu 2-5 3B

 

Daytonas twitter mentions Optiz in for Szczur in the 6th but no mention of why. It would suck if he got hurt just as he was heating up.

[otis89]

Jackson needs to stop taking all those walks if he wants to play for the Cubs.

[seattlecub]

anyone know why baez was pulled midway through boise's game? according to the play by play on milb.com, darvill replaced him as a defensive sub at the start of an inning (the 5th, ithink), and he didn't bat in the previous frame, so I'm not sure what gives.

[Guest]

Wow, hell of a start for Austin Reed.

[Little Slide Rooter]

anyone know why baez was pulled midway through boise's game? according to the play by play on milb.com, darvill replaced him as a defensive sub at the start of an inning (the 5th, ithink), and he didn't bat in the previous frame, so I'm not sure what gives.

 

If Baez and Szczur are both injured, that would just be the moldy cherry on top of this [expletive] sunday of a season. Maybe he just made a mind bogglingly bad play, or maybe they just wanted Darvill to get PT as well. It's not like Darvill is a 24 year old to be cast aside.

[toonsterwu]

As a total side note, Darvill had actually been swinging a fairly solid bat of late, after a terrible month.

[Quakers]

As a total side note, Darvill had actually been swinging a fairly solid bat of late, after a terrible month.

 

True, he looked good at the plate during the Salem series. But on the field...that's another story.

[Quakers]

Probably nobody else but me would notice, or care, but Mario Mercedes had a nice promotion from Boise to Iowa. He went 2 for 4. From what I saw I think he has a shot as a reserve cathcher on a ML team. Does anyone know what sort of reputation he has as regards to handing pitchers?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Probably nobody else but me would notice, or care, but Mario Mercedes had a nice promotion from Boise to Iowa. He went 2 for 4. From what I saw I think he has a shot as a reserve cathcher on a ML team. Does anyone know what sort of reputation he has as regards to handing pitchers?

 

Never heard of this guy until this post, but apparently he's been around since '05. Looks like he's bounced from Boise to Daytona to Tennessee to Iowa this year. Looks like they were functional promotions rather than performance based.

[Quakers]

Probably nobody else but me would notice, or care, but Mario Mercedes had a nice promotion from Boise to Iowa. He went 2 for 4. From what I saw I think he has a shot as a reserve cathcher on a ML team. Does anyone know what sort of reputation he has as regards to handing pitchers?

 

Never heard of this guy until this post, but apparently he's been around since '05. Looks like he's bounced from Boise to Daytona to Tennessee to Iowa this year. Looks like they were functional promotions rather than performance based.

 

Like I said, I doubt anyone would notice.

 

I saw him back in 06. He had a decent year for Boise that year, but really didn't do much at the upper levels after that.

[CubsInNC]

Probably nobody else but me would notice, or care, but Mario Mercedes had a nice promotion from Boise to Iowa. He went 2 for 4. From what I saw I think he has a shot as a reserve cathcher on a ML team. Does anyone know what sort of reputation he has as regards to handing pitchers?

 

Never heard of this guy until this post, but apparently he's been around since '05. Looks like he's bounced from Boise to Daytona to Tennessee to Iowa this year. Looks like they were functional promotions rather than performance based.

 

Like I said, I doubt anyone would notice.

 

I saw him back in 06. He had a decent year for Boise that year, but really didn't do much at the upper levels after that.

 

Saw him last year for Peoria, when they played in Grand Rapids. He caught 1 of the 3 games, I think. I'm comparing a very small sample size, to another very small sample size, and a player who was learning the position, Mota. He was more refined behind the plate, and seemed that his receiving skills were adequate/good. I didn't see any pitches being called in that game from the dugout (as a lot of direction was given during mota's starts), but I was also a little distracted that game, watching McNutt and Yung more closely than Mercedes. I wasn't impressed with his hitting/contact, but he didn't appear to be a free swinger either. If he can hit at the same rates in the majors (unlikely) as he does in the minors, he can be a serviceable backup while he's cheap. But we already have a few of those in the system, at the same level, who are likely better performance candidates.

[Guest]

How could people not notice that we had someone named Mario Mercedes in the system? Name value alone is outstanding.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

NY you've see. McNutt in the flesh? What'd you think?

[Quakers]

:good:

How could people not notice that we had someone named Mario Mercedes in the system? Name value alone is outstanding.