Minor League Discussion & Boxes 4-19-12

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa lost 4-3 Box Score

 

Tennessee lost 9-7 Box Score

 

Daytona lost 5-2 Box Score

 

Peoria lost 11-4 Box Score

 

OVERALL: 0-4 :(

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: LHP Travis Wood (1-0, 4.91 ERA, 11 IP, 13 K, 4 BB)

Tennessee: RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (1-0, 3.00 ERA, 12 IP, 9 K, 2 BB)

Daytona: RHP Zach Cates (0-2, 22.85 ERA, 4.1 IP, 3 K, 6 BB)

Peoria: RHP Ben Wells (0-0, 3.72 ERA, 9.2 IP, 8 K, 1 BB)

[javy knows my name]

Yes, awesome pitching day.

[ctcf]

Random question for anyone: If there is one thing the Tennessee Smokies have an abundance of, it's quality relief prospects. Off the top of my head: Rhoderick, Searle, Batista, Weathers, Cabrera, and Antigua. Who, if any of them, do you think would be able to make the leap to the majors sometime this season?

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Looking forward to some Cates and Wells, especially Wells.

 

For shiggles...anyone want to try an ultimate ceiling comp for Wells? I keep thinking Jake Westbrook, who was a touted sinker/breaking ball prospect, but Wells has a bigger frame and his youth gives him some chance to add some velocity. Derek Lowe with less sinker but more breaking stuff? Doesn't mean anything I just like general pictures in my head to build on.

[Guest]

Random question for anyone: If there is one thing the Tennessee Smokies have an abundance of, it's quality relief prospects. Off the top of my head: Rhoderick, Searle, Batista, Weathers, Cabrera, and Antigua. Who, if any of them, do you think would be able to make the leap to the majors sometime this season?

 

Cabrera is the obvious choice since he's on the 40-man. Beyond that, I'd say Rhoderick or Batista. Antigua is probably behind Maine and Beliveau on the lefty totem pole.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Really wish Weathers would throw strikes because his stuff is nasty when he's on. Guy walks the farm...nice replacement for Chris Archer in the system. Yes, I have an unnatural and unnecessary dislike for Chris Archer ever since the whole "he could be BETTER than Garza" stuff was spewed.

[toonsterwu]

Looking forward to some Cates and Wells, especially Wells.

 

For shiggles...anyone want to try an ultimate ceiling comp for Wells? I keep thinking Jake Westbrook, who was a touted sinker/breaking ball prospect, but Wells has a bigger frame and his youth gives him some chance to add some velocity. Derek Lowe with less sinker but more breaking stuff? Doesn't mean anything I just like general pictures in my head to build on.

 

Right now, I think a good comp for him would be Chien-Ming Wang (assuming positive outcome and he works his way up the ladder). They are roughly the same size (Wells might be a tad bigger in real life, although on listed weights, Wang is bigger). Wang, with the Yankees, had a legitimate power sinker that was nasty. To an extent, his power sinker was so good that they never needed him to improve his secondary stuff significantly (Wang's slider showed fairly well last year). Right now, Wells seems to be finding a good rhythm on the sinker, knowing that it's nasty movement is better off without over-amping (for lack of a better term) the velocity, but his secondary stuff is still a work in progress, so hence, why I make the comparison.

 

That said, much as I was a Wang fan, I believe Wells ceiling is higher than that. The development on the breaking pitch will have to come, though. For an ultimate ceiling comp ... I think Derek Lowe is fair. I could go higher than that (on ultimate ceiling), as I believe in the potential of his breaking ball, but that's me.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

 

Right now, I think a good comp for him would be Chien-Ming Wang (assuming positive outcome and he works his way up the ladder). They are roughly the same size (Wells might be a tad bigger in real life, although on listed weights, Wang is bigger). Wang, with the Yankees, had a legitimate power sinker that was nasty. To an extent, his power sinker was so good that they never needed him to improve his secondary stuff significantly (Wang's slider showed fairly well last year). Right now, Wells seems to be finding a good rhythm on the sinker, knowing that it's nasty movement is better off without over-amping (for lack of a better term) the velocity, but his secondary stuff is still a work in progress, so hence, why I make the comparison.

 

That said, much as I was a Wang fan, I believe Wells ceiling is higher than that. The development on the breaking pitch will have to come, though. For an ultimate ceiling comp ... I think Derek Lowe is fair. I could go higher than that (on ultimate ceiling), as I believe in the potential of his breaking ball, but that's me.

 

Wang is some high praise...Really good pitcher who would have been a much more well known prospect if he managed to stay healthy in the minors. His fastball could hit 97 with that kind of sink, and IIRC there was a year where he averaged 93-94 with the pitch...I can only hope Wells shows that kind of velocity in the long run.

 

Difference between Wells and all these guys seems to be the breaking ball...He seems to be ahead of all of them but Westbrook in that area. Said it before and I'll say it again...guy is the most complete starting pitching prospect in this system, which is great for him.

[toonsterwu]

No need to sell me on Wells. I'm higher than many on him, as I do believe in the breaking ball's potential. Admittedly, it's average at best right now, but there are times where it flashes plus ability. Wang's slider was never bad, but the fact that the sinker was so good, IMO, led to the Yankees not calling for the slider as much when he got to the bigs, and it just never developed.

 

I think Wells spent last year figuring out how to pitch in regards to what velocity is best for him and how he can harness it. At least, that's my hope. I like what I've heard about the plan in Peoria this year, trying to get him to focus on first-pitch strikes and become more efficient. But he does have a legitimate power sinker, like Wang did. Whether or not he can control it well enough at the higher velocities, only time will tell.

[ctcf]

Not much of note from down in AZ today. Baez went hitless with 2 K's and 2 errors.

 

Of Note: Concepcion! Here's his line from the Cub Reporter

 

Gerardo Concepcion: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 1 GIDP, 88 pitches (57 strikes), 7/3 GO/FO

 

Not bad at all. All those hits were singles.

[davell]

If he's been stretched out that much, he'll be headed to Daytona very soon, is my guess.

[Guest]

Yeah, 88 pitches is very close to the limit the Cubs have below AA. One more start in Arizona at the most, I imagine.

 

Also of note, Torreyes is finally back in Daytona's lineup.

[Guest]

Ugh, Rhee getting roughed up.

[A New Era]

HR RIZZOO!!! WOOT! My god Iowa is more exciting than chicago. :clapping:

[Hairyducked Idiot]

:yahoo:

[TruffleShuffle]

hr #2 for rizzo. only partial credit since it was on the first pitch.

[Guest]

Ben Wells got roughed up roo though Peoria's defense was horrible.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

hr #2 for rizzo. only partial credit since it was on the first pitch.

 

None of it counts because he's repeating the league.

[Guest]

Anthony Rizzo v. John Ely this year: 4 for 4, 3 HR

[illiniguy]

Last 107 AAA games for Rizzo 33 bombs.

[A New Era]

Last 107 AAA games for Rizzo 33 bombs.

 

You are ready padawan, for you have become a jedi master. :starwars:

[Theo]

There's really nothing more for Rizzo to prove in Iowa and it's pointless to keep him there.

[Guest]

There's really nothing more for Rizzo to prove in Iowa and it's pointless to keep him there.

 

No, it's not pointless keeping him at AAA.

[Theo]

That's right, we have to play the clock games.