Minor League Discussion & Boxes 5-21-12

[Outshined_One]

Box Scores

 

Iowa lost 8-2 Box Score

 

Tennessee lost 8-5 Box Score

 

Daytona won 4-3 Box Score

 

Peoria lost 5-4 Box Score

 

OVERALL: 1-3

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: RHP Jay Jackson (6.09 ERA, 5.52 FIP, 34 IP, 27 K, 19 BB)

Tennessee: RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (4.50 ERA, 4.19 FIP, 44 IP, 31 K, 15 BB)

Daytona: RHP Matt Loosen (4.34 ERA, 4.88 FIP, 18.2 IP, 16 K, 12 BB)

Peoria: RHP Michael Jensen (2.86 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 44 IP, 31 K, 13 BB)

[toonsterwu]

Once upon a time, I cared that Jay Jackson was being jerked around, from rotation to pen to rotation (although it made much more sense for Jackson to be moved around than Cashner). Now ... not so much.

 

_____

 

As a total aside, sitting here and hammering out some things (including that long post in the other thread), I keep thinking this - a lot of were ... disappointed ... to say the least ... with the Daytona squad this year, but positionally, that might be the most intriguing group so far this year (not saying most talented, just intriguing). We've got the top prospect showing development (Szczur), the toolsy Cuban import who got off to a hot start (Silva), the raw and talented young shortstop who went on a huge tear (Alcantara), the older corner guy who looks like he could fill AA/AAA roles as a utility corner option (Rohan), another older but time is running out guy in Nelson Perez (and I wonder if time is running out on the chance of him moving to pitching) mashing, the "polished" collegiate catcher who would be intriguing if he had mildly decent offense (in Gibbs), the hotshot trade youngster who isn't doing squat but isn't striking out a lot (Torreyes), and uh ... others, like John "Jim Adduci" Andreoli.

 

Silva's slumping badly (looks like BABIP is down ... granted, it was ridiculously high in April when he was pounding GB's at a high rate ... walk rate is significantly down and K rate is up) ... which had to be expected at some point, so let's see if he can bounce back. Did like the fact that he got a start in CF. Alcantara should be expected to crash at some point, but I'm more interested to see if he can sustain the improvement he's made with his approach/discipline. Not the most talented group, but an intriguing group, oddly fun group to follow.

[Guest]

I admire your efforts to make that group more interesting.

 

However, until proven otherwise, I'm still just following Szczur and Torreyes.

[toonsterwu]

Hey, I did say intriguing, not talented. That said, I think Alcantara is getting close to being number 2 for me in terms of prospects in Daytona I'm intrigued with. His walk rate is up and his K rate is down significantly (17.4% in April to 11% in May). Yes, I expect his line to come crashing down hard ... but if the development in discipline can be maintained, then I think that's a very big positive. Will he go the way of Silva (who has collapsed with his discipline), or will he maintain thing?

 

I'd probably order it, in terms of intrigue for me,

 

1. Szczur

 

a decent gap

 

2a. Torreyes

2b. Alcantara - if Alcantara's discipline development is legitimate, he would become an easy 2 for me on this list.

 

3. Silva

 

________

 

I still hold some mild intrigue with Rohan because I think we sometimes under-estimate the value of having solid, versatile positional assets in the upper minors that protects our youngsters, not because I expect Rohan to make it to the bigs.

[rawaction]

Does anybody else like HA? I think he's at least of interest.

[Guest]

Alcantara's plate discipline isn't really any better - he's simply making more contact than previous years. His walk rate in his three years in the system: 4.3%, 4.1%, 4.4%.

[Guest]

Does anybody else like HA? I think he's at least of interest.

Fringe interest, but still of interest. He's an OF without current power or much power potential. He's significantly boosted his discipline at the expense of additional K's this year. If he could get his iso around .150 while playing excellent CF, he'd have definite value.

[jersey cubs fan]

the older corner guy who looks like he could fill AA/AAA roles as a utility corner option (Rohan), another older but time is running out guy in Nelson Perez (and I wonder if time is running out on the chance of him moving to pitching) mashing,

 

Honestly, I'm not sure how these get included as intriguing. A guy who could fill AA/AAA utility roles?

[toonsterwu]

Alcantara's plate discipline isn't really any better - he's simply making more contact than previous years. His walk rate in his three years in the system: 4.3%, 4.1%, 4.4%.

 

Tim, I'm referring to the monthly splits. In May, he is up to 5.5% BB rate, with the significant decline in K rate. Leaving aside his BABIP helping out his overall May line, I think there's some positives there. 1 alone wouldn't be that intriguing, but the combination of an increased BB rate and a significantly decreased K rate does catch my eye.

 

That said, only 1 month now (I'd have to check game logs, which I can't right now, but pretty sure his hot streak started late April).

[toonsterwu]

the older corner guy who looks like he could fill AA/AAA roles as a utility corner option (Rohan), another older but time is running out guy in Nelson Perez (and I wonder if time is running out on the chance of him moving to pitching) mashing,

 

Honestly, I'm not sure how these get included as intriguing. A guy who could fill AA/AAA utility roles?

 

Eh, I guess I find things intriguing on different levels. I tend to think that solid versatile upper level guys hold some value because their ability to be moved around allows you better flexibility in sprinkling in youngsters at the upper levels (assuming they are deserving). Certainly, it'd be nice if a guy can take the ball and run with it at a higher level, but I've seen too many kids struggle and get over-exposed, when a few more days off here and there might allow them to settle a bit. Just my opinion (btw, I was sort of ... dismissing Perez ... considering I noted that time might be running out on his move to pitching).

 

I didn't say Rohan was a top level talent, or anything of the such. Just that he was intriguing to me, but as noted above, he's clearly a notch below the main four guys there for me.

[rawaction]

Does anybody else like HA? I think he's at least of interest.

Fringe interest, but still of interest. He's an OF without current power or much power potential. He's significantly boosted his discipline at the expense of additional K's this year. If he could get his iso around .150 while playing excellent CF, he'd have definite value.

 

He did hit 11 HRs last year and 34 doubles. He's near the top of his league in doubles again this year. ISOP was .134 last year. That's obviously not anything special, but he's already shown the ability to split the gaps. I hate to make the Asian-to-Asian comparison, but if his walk rate stays the same (even if the Ks stay), he appears to have some Fukudome potential if he can play D (not really sure if he's a good fielder or not).

[toonsterwu]

Does anybody else like HA? I think he's at least of interest.

 

I'm still ... intrigued (but as noted ... intrigue comes in all shapes and sizes). I'm glad the Cubs gave him the ball to run with in AA (particularly since it gave Szczur more time), and Ha still has age (easy to forget sometimes that he's only in his age 21 season ... 2013 would be his age 22 season) and tools on his side. I get the feeling, from the little I've heard, that some of the praise for his CF defense last year was a bit ... over-blown. He's good, and maybe he has more potential than Szczur and Jackson, but the consistency isn't there (which is also understandable because of the moves he's made, and the fact that he didn't play much CF until last year). He's sharply improved his discipline in May, with a huge decline in K rate and a rise in his BB rate, but like with so many other Cubs farmhands this year, it'll be questioned until he shows he can maintain it (granted, IIRC, his BB rate in April was better than his past years).

 

Thing is, he needs time. Like Vitters, he'll have ARL as an argument, along with his tools, for a bit. The Cubs haven't really rushed him that badly - he deserved the jump to Daytona last year, and there was enough stretches last year to say he deserved the look in AA. At this stage, if Szczur shows he can maintain his current stretch, Ha should be moved to a corner for Szczur because of Szczur's age and development relative to his skillset.

[toonsterwu]

Does anybody else like HA? I think he's at least of interest.

Fringe interest, but still of interest. He's an OF without current power or much power potential. He's significantly boosted his discipline at the expense of additional K's this year. If he could get his iso around .150 while playing excellent CF, he'd have definite value.

 

He did hit 11 HRs last year and 34 doubles. He's near the top of his league in doubles again this year. ISOP was .134 last year. That's obviously not anything special, but he's already shown the ability to split the gaps. I hate to make the Asian-to-Asian comparison, but if his walk rate stays the same (even if the Ks stay), he appears to have some Fukudome potential if he can play D (not really sure if he's a good fielder or not).

 

Ha's fielding is one of those ... odd ... things to gather. There were some people last year (including Brian Harper, IIRC) who thought he was a premier defensive CF, and then there were some folks that said, he has the tools, but the consistency/reads/jumps weren't there and that he was a RF. I'm not sure he's definitely a lock to move to RF ... but the little I've heard this season makes me think some of the premier elite defensive CF talk was a bit overboard.

 

Now, defensively in a corner role? He has the arm, athletic ability to excel. Of course, the question then would be what sort of power would he supply. He still has a lot of time to develop that power, though.

 

_____

 

In terms of comparisons, if you buy his development, discipline-wise, as real, he could prove to be very similar to Brandon Guyer, with perhaps a bit fewer K's and not as much power (I just don't see Ha reaching the power that Guyer eventually showed, he could be close, I guess, and admittedly, a long way to go).

[Guest]

Does anybody else like HA? I think he's at least of interest.

 

I like Ha a lot, and I'd say at least once I week I'll look at his box score and think "this guy gets one hit nearly every game it seems" and then I check his season numbers and he's OPSing .650. Still time for him though, he has age, defense/position, and even culture/nationality on his side.

[jersey cubs fan]

even culture/nationality on his side.

 

Can we say that on here?

[Guest]

Probably not the exact words to use, but I couldn't think of anything better. What I was getting at was that he has less organized baseball experience than your average draftee.

[jersey cubs fan]

Probably not the exact words to use, but I couldn't think of anything better. What I was getting at was that he has less organized baseball experience than your average draftee.

 

South Korea doesn't have much organized baseball for teenagers?

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

I like Ha as well. Last year he always seemed to make a play when reading Timmers' wraps on BCB. He can play all three OF spots, he makes contact, he's hitting doubles, and he's young.

 

I do wonder what his ultimate ceiling is. 4th OFer?

[Guest]

Probably not the exact words to use, but I couldn't think of anything better. What I was getting at was that he has less organized baseball experience than your average draftee.

 

South Korea doesn't have much organized baseball for teenagers?

 

They do - they have HS baseball but don't have travel leagues like we do in the U.S. and Canada.

[davell]

Francescon to Daytona, per Goldstein.

[sneakypower]

Torreyes' May BABIP is .044 (was .254 in April)...never really seen anything quite like that

 

also i just stumbled upon this, which is pretty amazingly convenient

http://firstinning.com/daily/chc

[Guest]

Francescon to Daytona, per Goldstein.

 

Good. I assume Ben Wells takes the vacant spot in Peoria's rotation.

[craig]

..South Korea doesn't have much organized baseball for teenagers?

They do - they have HS baseball but don't have travel leagues like we do in the U.S. and Canada.

 

My ignorant impression was that Koreans might tend to work very hard at the game, and that the number of hours of practice/drill/coaching/practice is very high. This may be cultural bias/ignorance. But in a country where kids do 12 months of school and study obsessively to prepare for ACT tests and the like, baseball coaches and prospects might likewise be somewhat obsessive about preparing for baseball.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Speaking of promotions, what's the over/under on Cabrera, Rhoderick, and Hatley to Iowa. That pen is loaded with expendable junk ballers in their mid 30's.