Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-17-12

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa lost 13-6 Box Score

 

Tennessee PPD

 

Daytona lost 8-7 Box Score

 

Peoria won 7-6 Box Score

 

OVERALL: 1-2

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: LHP Chris Rusin (1-1, 4.38 ERA, 12.1 IP, 4 K, 4 BB)

Tennessee: RHP Dallas Beeler (0-0, 1.64 ERA, 11 IP, 4 K, 1 BB)

Daytona: RHP Hayden Simpson (0-1, 3.60 ERA, 10 IP, 3 K, 1 BB)

Peoria: RHP PJ Francescon (0-1, 3.48 ERA, 10.1 IP, 12 K, 0 BB)

[ctcf]

For those wondering, Simpson is throwing currently throwing about 85-87 mph, as per the radio guys for Daytona.

 

Womp womp

[davell]

I guess the hope is we see him slowly build up velo, but I think it probably would have begun, if it was going to happen.

[toonsterwu]

For those wondering, Simpson is throwing currently throwing about 85-87 mph, as per the radio guys for Daytona.

 

Womp womp

 

ugh ... although there is a part of me mildly impressed that he can be productive at that junk speed.

 

Even the most negative pre-draft reports on him had him in the 90's, so this seems like a byproduct of the mono/fracture combination. Here's hoping he can get it back up, but it feels very Bobby Brownlie-ish right now.

[ctcf]

I guess the hope is we see him slowly build up velo, but I think it probably would have begun, if it was going to happen.

 

That just seems so bizarre to me, that he could permanently lose that much velo just like that.

[davell]

Torreyes out for 3rd straight game. Anyone know what's up there?

[KingCubsFan]

For those wondering, Simpson is throwing currently throwing about 85-87 mph, as per the radio guys for Daytona.

 

Womp womp

 

ugh ... although there is a part of me mildly impressed that he can be productive at that junk speed.

 

Even the most negative pre-draft reports on him had him in the 90's, so this seems like a byproduct of the mono/fracture combination. Here's hoping he can get it back up, but it feels very Bobby Brownlie-ish right now.

Agree on the Brownlie comp. Although Brownlie was a much better risk. He was a top 10 talent who fell. Simpson was off the radar, and the Cubs have handled him pretty poorly since signing him.

[TruffleShuffle]

simpson: 2 ip, 2 h, 3 er, 4 bb, 0 k, 1 hr, 1 balk, 1 wp.

 

what an awful pick.

[El Duderino]

tim wilken is a pretty cool guy

[davell]

Simpson seemed like an ego driven pick. To prove how good of an eye Wilken has. That said, he's pretty solid, but thrilled we have McLeod here now.

[toonsterwu]

Simpson seemed like an ego driven pick. To prove how good of an eye Wilken has. That said, he's pretty solid, but thrilled we have McLeod here now.

 

I'm still in wait and see mode on McLeod the drafter. Well, sorta. He did fine work in Boston, but I still think the Padres system is a bit over-hyped right now, but particularly the guys they drafted. The 2010 draft looks very pedestrian. The 2011 should be good to great with 5 picks in the top 58. That said ... even taking the best case scenario for the raw talent drafted with those 5 picks, not many really project to an elite level of talent, IMO.

[toonsterwu]

Simpson seemed like an ego driven pick. To prove how good of an eye Wilken has. That said, he's pretty solid, but thrilled we have McLeod here now.

 

I've loosely defended the Simpson pick before, but one thing to keep in mind is that the money didn't really jump until last year, so it's reasonable to assume there was some restrictions in that first Ricketts year. If they thought Simpson was even close to the other reasonable options there (in retrospect, there was no way we were going with one of the high cost prep guys and really, how exciting were the other arms available), then going slot and getting Golden/Wells later (amongst the few key overslots they did) might've been the plan, and that isn't a bad idea. Furthermore, even the most negative reports on Simpson pre-draft didn't have him this bad, so this feels less to do about scouting and more to do about what happened after he joined the system.

[TruffleShuffle]

final line for simpson: 2.2 ip, 6 h, 6 er, 4 bb, 0 k, 1 hr, 1 balk, 1 wp.

 

that's 3 k's in 12.2 ip this year. lol

[SouthSideRyan]

Simpson seemed like an ego driven pick. To prove how good of an eye Wilken has.

 

100% agree.

[davell]

Smokies postponed.

[davell]

Brett with a triple, Rizzo with a single in the 1st.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Simpson seemed like an ego driven pick. To prove how good of an eye Wilken has.

 

100% agree.

 

And I'd have been perfectly content with it for the 3rd or 4th round, but with the 15th pick in the draft, a risk like that is idiotic especially considering the state that the Cubs farm system was in at the time. It that if Theo were around at time it wouldn't have happened.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Little Slide Rooter

[El Duderino]

I don't know who chris rusin is, but he is getting lit up. 6 runs in the first for the isotopes.

[toonsterwu]

I don't know who chris rusin is, but he is getting lit up. 6 runs in the first for the isotopes.

 

Soft-tossing lefty from Kentucky. Tops out largely in the high 80's, solid 4 pitch arsenal with good control. Best case feels like a 5th starter, and may be more of a long man type in the pen, but there are exceptions that can get by with that type of stuff.

[toonsterwu]

Simpson seemed like an ego driven pick. To prove how good of an eye Wilken has.

 

100% agree.

 

And I'd have been perfectly content with it for the 3rd or 4th round, but with the 15th pick in the draft, a risk like that is idiotic especially considering the state that the Cubs farm system was in at the time. It that if Theo were around at time it wouldn't have happened.

 

As a side note, the state of the system in 2010 was that, perception wise, we were on an upswing. Brett Jackson was making waves, Starlin Castro had emerged, and there was a lot of hope on the 2008 pitching class from the draft (Cashner, Jay Jackson, Carpenter, Justin Bristow, and so forth). Kyler Burke had a big year in Peoria the year before, Junior Lake was an intriguing raw talent that we hoped could develop, Vitters was fairly well-regarded, Lee was an up-and-comer, Archer had a big year in Peoria, Rhee got hurt but impressed in his brief time, Huseby showed a flicker of hope, Flaherty looked like a potential solid contributor and so forth.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Simpson seemed like an ego driven pick. To prove how good of an eye Wilken has.

 

100% agree.

 

And I'd have been perfectly content with it for the 3rd or 4th round, but with the 15th pick in the draft, a risk like that is idiotic especially considering the state that the Cubs farm system was in at the time. It that if Theo were around at time it wouldn't have happened.

 

As a side note, the state of the system in 2010 was that, perception wise, we were on an upswing. Brett Jackson was making waves, Starlin Castro had emerged, and there was a lot of hope on the 2008 pitching class from the draft (Cashner, Jay Jackson, Carpenter, Justin Bristow, and so forth). Kyler Burke had a big year in Peoria the year before, Junior Lake was an intriguing raw talent that we hoped could develop, Vitters was fairly well-regarded, Lee was an up-and-comer, Archer had a big year in Peoria, Rhee got hurt but impressed in his brief time, Huseby showed a flicker of hope, Flaherty looked like a potential solid contributor and so forth.

 

Yeah, we had some good pieces, probably middle of the pack or better but not in the kind of position where you waste a 1st round pick, not that there ever should be.

[C.C.]

Rizz is 2-2 2runs 417avg

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

I'm still in wait and see mode on McLeod the drafter. Well, sorta. He did fine work in Boston, but I still think the Padres system is a bit over-hyped right now, but particularly the guys they drafted. The 2010 draft looks very pedestrian. The 2011 should be good to great with 5 picks in the top 58. That said ... even taking the best case scenario for the raw talent drafted with those 5 picks, not many really project to an elite level of talent, IMO.

 

Been saying this for a while and most definitely agree...

 

The contrarian in me still wants to, and probably will be, more optimistic than I should be on Simpson. Actually think Brownlie was a WORSE gamble than him because Brownlie only fell because he was already injured. Worse was that all the injuries were shoulder related and he was drafted AFTER he lost significant velocity and bite on his curveball.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I know PCL stats should be taken with a grain of salt, but how much less useful can Cardenas, Valbuena, and Campana be than DeWitt, Baker, and Johnson?