2011 Venezuelan Winter League

[CaliforniaRaisin]

10/12:

 

Magallanes beat Zulia 14-8 Box Score

 

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

SP A. Bibens-Dirkx 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 5-1 GO-FO

 

Caribes lost 6-3 Box Score

 

RP E. Figueroa 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0-1 GO-FO

 

Leones won 6-0 Box Score

 

2B M. Gonzalez 1/5, R, K

 

Aragua won 2-1 Box Score

 

SS J. Mota 0/3, K

[davell]

Go away LaHair. Japan is calling.

[Guest]

10/13:

 

Magallanes win 13-4 Box Score

 

1B B. LaHair 1/4, BB, 2 K

 

Leones won 5-4 Box Score

 

2B M. Gonzalez 0/5

 

Aragua won 5-1 Box Score

 

SS J. Mota 1/3, RBI, HBP

[mul21]

Look, I know you live in California where there's no winter, but I don't want it to be November yet!

[idakepps]

Go away LaHair. Japan is calling.

 

I bet more than a few Ranger fans said the same thing about Nelson Cruz.

[Guest]

Nelson Cruz was 3 years younger and had hit throughout his minor league career, not only when he was in his 5th consecutive year in the PCL.

[Guest]

Look, I know you live in California where there's no winter, but I don't want it to be November yet!

 

Haha, my bad. In my defense, it was 5:30 AM when I posted that.

[idakepps]

Nelson Cruz was 3 years younger and had hit throughout his minor league career, not only when he was in his 5th consecutive year in the PCL.

 

Three years younger what? Nelson Cruz broke the 1 WAR plateau when he was 27. LaHair will be 28 starting next season. Both reached the PCL in their age 23 season.

 

Not saying LaHair is the next Nelson Cruz, but what's the alternative? Selling him to Japan for spare change? He at least deserves a shot in spring training competing vs. Colvin.

[Guest]

LaHair turns 30 next year.

 

EDIT: He'll play next year at 29, so 2 years older than Cruz with much less history of success and no ability to play any position well aside from 1B.

[CubColtPacer]

The question about LaHair is-where did that power come from? That was always his failing as a prospect-he simply didn't hit for enough power as a first baseman to get a long look in the majors. So why suddenly 38 HR? Was it a swing change or was it just an unsustainable hot streak? What does get my attention is that some of the minor league experts have indicated that he's more than just a career minor leaguer, that he has a legit chance, and that scouts are telling them the same thing. That makes me wonder about him. And then his time in the majors showed that he does have some serious power in that frame, but that he also will swing and miss a lot.

 

It's much more likely that he is nothing, but those things do give me pause and wonder if the Cubs should keep him on their bench just in case. He would have enough power and walks combined to probably not be an awful bench player, and then it's just the question if there's a spot for a player with limitations like he has.

[toonsterwu]

I don't mind giving LaHair a look as a corner bench bat in the spring. If he fails to make the cut, an agreement could be worked out where he either gets FA or heads to Japan, assuming he doesn't want to go back to the minors. I think he's made legit power improvements relative to who he was in the Mariners system, but he doesn't intrigue me enough to give him anything more than a chance at a bench spot. That's all he can really ask for. If a guy's going to break out, he'll show it enough to get the staffs attention. Michael Morse started 2011 as a platoon guy in Washington this year. He ended up breaking out.

 

Hmm ... Morse is actually an interesting guy to relate to LaHair in that, coming up in the Mariners system, neither had much power (although for different reasons, Morse kept on getting bigger, while with LaHair, there were swing issues to work out).

[Little Slide Rooter]

Convincing Tiger that LaHair is worth anything is like convincing your average Cubs fan that Crane Kenney isn't responsible for all that is bad in this world.

 

I still feel that LaHair could be similar to Ludwick, Ankiel, or McGhee were they breakout late and have 1-2 strong seasons before they fall on their face. I'd like to give him a try ad a platoon with Soriano or Byrd. However, if he starts the year at 1B, I'll be quite disappointed.

[Rob]

I don't mind giving LaHair a look as a corner bench bat in the spring. If he fails to make the cut, an agreement could be worked out where he either gets FA or heads to Japan, assuming he doesn't want to go back to the minors. I think he's made legit power improvements relative to who he was in the Mariners system, but he doesn't intrigue me enough to give him anything more than a chance at a bench spot. That's all he can really ask for. If a guy's going to break out, he'll show it enough to get the staffs attention. Michael Morse started 2011 as a platoon guy in Washington this year. He ended up breaking out.

 

Hmm ... Morse is actually an interesting guy to relate to LaHair in that, coming up in the Mariners system, neither had much power (although for different reasons, Morse kept on getting bigger, while with LaHair, there were swing issues to work out).

 

I don't know how he does it, but somehow Morse always manages to dodge the PED questions despite having been suspended for them in the past. Crazy.

[Guest]

Morse is 8 months younger than LaHair.

[toonsterwu]

Morse is 8 months younger than LaHair.

 

My only comparison there was that they were both guys who came up in the Mariners system without much power and developed power later in their careers. It wasn't meant to be any deeper than that.

[Guest]

10/14:

 

Tiburones beat Caribes 13-4 Box Score

 

RP H. Mayora 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, HBP, 4-0 GO-FO

RP E. Figueroa 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2 HR, 0-1 GO-FO

 

Magallanes lost 3-2 Box Score

 

1B B. LaHair 0/4, BB, 3 K

 

Caracas won 10-3 Box Score

 

2B M. Gonzalez 3/4, R, K

 

Aragua won 11-4 Box Score

 

SS J. Mota 0/4

[Guest]

10/15:

 

Magallanes won 9-0 Box Score

 

1B B. LaHair 2/5, 2 R, 2B (2), HR (2), 2 RBI

 

Caracas lost 6-3 Box Score

 

2B M. Gonzalez 1/4, R, SB (1), E (1, fielding)

[Guest]

11/16:

 

Caracas lost 9-3 Box Score

 

2B M. Gonzalez 1/3, R, BB

 

Magallanes won 7-6 Box Score

 

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

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Morse is 8 months younger than LaHair.

 

My only comparison there was that they were both guys who came up in the Mariners system without much power and developed power later in their careers. It wasn't meant to be any deeper than that.

 

Morse at least has a big frame and waaaaaay better athleticism than Lahair that could serve as decent explanation. LaHair's a big dude too, but not much of an athlete. Morse was once a SS iirc.

[Rob]

I give TT one more week until he's championing LaHair for Opening Day 1B.

[Guest]

I hear Osaka is beautiful in April.

[Guest]

11/18:

 

Magallanes lost 6-5 (11 innings) Box Score

 

1B B. LaHair 1/3, R, HR (5), RBI, 2 BB, K, 2 E (missed catch, missed catch)

[Guest]

11/19:

 

Magallanes 13-4 Box Score

 

1B B. LaHair 1/4, R, HR (6), 2 RBI, BB, K

 

Zulia lost 7-3 Box Score

 

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

[Guest]

Aguilas de Zulia:

 

Austin Bibens-Dirkx: 10.2 IP, 5.06 ERA, 7 BB, 7 K

 

Leones del Caracas:

 

Marwin Gonzalez: 51 AB, 1 BB, 9 K - .314/.327/.314/.641

 

Caribes de Anzoategui:

 

Eduardo Figueroa: 2 IP, 22.50 ERA, 1 BB, 0 K

 

Navegantes del Magallanes:

 

Robert Coello: 7 IP, 1.29 ERA, 5 BB, 10 K

Bryan LaHair: 42 AB, 2 2B, 6 HR, 9 BB, 15 K - .286/.412/.762/1.174

 

Tiburones de La Guaira:

 

Hector Mayora: 4.2 IP, 9.64 ERA, 2 BB, 3 K

 

Tigres de Aragua:

 

Jonathan Mota: 12 AB, 0 BB, 2 K - .083/.154/.083/.237

[Guest]

The lone bright spot is the one TT really doesn't want to see.