Minor League Discussion & Boxes 7-22-12

[davell]

Soler powet?

[TruffleShuffle]

WHAT A GREAT SIGNING I KNEW THIS GUY WAS GONNA BE AWESOME

[Guest]

Logan Watkins continues to hit...almost up to .290 now. What is his ceiling? Is he a utility guy, or could he end up a starter at 2b?

I think he's more likely to be a utility guy but he provides some intriguing tools/capabilities that would look nice as a starter - speed, on-base ability and defense (obviously he's no Darwin Barney). He's a better prospect at this point than Darwin Barney was at the same stage.

[craig]

Logan Watkins continues to hit...almost up to .290 now. What is his ceiling? Is he a utility guy, or could he end up a starter at 2b?

I think he's pretty underrated, but Raisin brought up a great point with him probably getting a shot in the AFL this fall. That'll probably help dictate what our plans are for him. My guess is most see him as a utility type, but I can see him as a starter, since he's showing a bit more pop than previously.

 

Player A: .290BA/.386OBP/.406SLG/.793 OPS. 25 XBH. 33 SB. 7/29/1989

Player B: .287BA/.374OBP/.403SLG/.777 OPS. 24XBH. 19 SB. 8/29/1989

 

Player B is in AA, while Player A is in A+. Given the difference in level, which guy looks better? The lines are so close, I might almost prefer Guy B's numbers at the higher level, if I didn't know anything better.

 

Obviously Guy A is Szczur and Guy B is Watkins. I like Szczur better, and as a less experienced guy I think he's got more likelihood of changing his game more future. Plus he seems to be a little bigger, and there were originally some scouting reports of power, and he hit 10 HR last year, and he K's a little less than Watkins, and steals more. So I think his chance of improving his numbers future, or of sustaining his current numbers against higher level is better.

 

But it's possible that Watkins could end up being a good-fielding 2B who has a good OBP and could be a nice leadoff guy.

[davell]

C-Castillo, 1B-Vogelbach, 2B-Torreyes/Amaya, SS-Baez/Hernandez/Alcantara, 3B-Candelario/Vitters/Lake, OF-Almora/Soler/Jackson/Szczur. Without scanning through every team in baseball, I feel very confident in saying we've got the best group of position prospects in the minors.

[TruffleShuffle]

Tanner Rahier had to be helped off the field after he took a ball to the head off Soler's bat

 

:(

[Vinestal]

Tanner Rahier had to be helped off the field after he took a ball to the head off Soler's bat

 

:(

I don't believe I've ever seen a thirdbaseman get hit in the head by a liner, usually they react quickly enough to at least get a glove up in time.

[Guest]

Yikes!

[Guest]

@billazbbphotog Jorge Soler hit his first HR for AZL #Cubs. A bomb about 420 feet to left center.

[davell]

Tanner Rahier had to be helped off the field after he took a ball to the head off Soler's bat

 

:(

Jed said Soler would tell them with his play as to when to move him up. I think this qualifies as a solid sign from him.

[sporrer17]

Maybe Soler will be the first player to be promoted purely out of concern for opponent safety. In all seriousness, hope the guys is alright. Edited July 23, 2012 by sporrer17

[davell]

Yeah, I do hope Rahier is OK. Seriously though, how hard did he hit that?

[TruffleShuffle]

Maybe Soler will be the first player to be promoted purely out of concern for opponent safety. In a seriousness, hope the guys is alright.

 

in 6 plate appearances he has grounded out twice to pitcher and lined out sharply to pitcher, along with hitting a third baseman in the head with a line drive. clearly he is a menace.

[Guest]

Good to hear:

@keithlaw Rahier walking out on the field postgame so I assume he's oka

[Magnetic Curses]

Tanner Rahier had to be helped off the field after he took a ball to the head off Soler's bat

 

:(

I don't believe I've ever seen a thirdbaseman get hit in the head by a liner, usually they react quickly enough to at least get a glove up in time.

 

it just kind of flew into his head like it couldn't avoid it

[Guest]

Arizona Phil was at the Mesa game too: http://www.thecubreporter.com/2012/07/22/soler-wind-blows-two-run-bomb

 

He added this in the comments:

 

From what I have seen so far, I would say Soler's bat speed is second only to Javier Baez among players in the Cubs system, and his power is right up there with Baez and Anthony Rizzo.

[Guest]

Vitters' HR: http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=23270701

[Guest]

Soler's HR:

 

The sound of the bat on that one was quite spectacular.

[XZero771679666304]

Soler's HR:

 

The sound of the bat on that one was quite spectacular.

 

 

Indeed it was, but it was probably enhanced by the lack if any other sound in the park. That place was deserted.

[javy knows my name]

Arizona Phil was at the Mesa game too: http://www.thecubreporter.com/2012/07/22/soler-wind-blows-two-run-bomb

 

He added this in the comments:

 

From what I have seen so far, I would say Soler's bat speed is second only to Javier Baez among players in the Cubs system, and his power is right up there with Baez and Anthony Rizzo.

 

OMG SO EXCITED

[Guest]

Soler's HR:

 

The sound of the bat on that one was quite spectacular.

 

 

Indeed it was, but it was probably enhanced by the lack if any other sound in the park. That place was deserted.

Yeah, definitely.

[TruffleShuffle]

Soler's HR:

 

The sound of the bat on that one was quite spectacular.

 

 

Indeed it was, but it was probably enhanced by the lack if any other sound in the park. That place was deserted.

 

apparently the guy who took the video, keith law and arizona phil are the only ones who attended.

[rawaction]

Soler's HR:

 

The sound of the bat on that one was quite spectacular.

 

The high-fives sounded like fireworks. The HR sounded like a massive explosion. Regardless of how enhanced the sound was, he hit the [expletive] outta that ball.

[rawaction]

I got such a man crush on Soler. Built like an elite NFL WR. Brandon Marshall, Fitzgerald type build. Lean and muscular. In baseball, that translates to a lot of natural power. He absolutely smoked that HR. And to hit a 3B in the head with a line drive, you have to really destroy the ball. There's a huge difference in drilling someone 60 feet away in a vulnerable position after throwing a pitch than there is drilling someone probably 110 feet away and prepared in defensive position.

 

I was already sold on him physically, after those 2 swings....I'm hooked.

[abohnhoff]

I got such a man crush on Soler. Built like an elite NFL WR. Brandon Marshall, Fitzgerald type build. Lean and muscular. In baseball, that translates to a lot of natural power. He absolutely smoked that HR. And to hit a 3B in the head with a line drive, you have to really destroy the ball. There's a huge difference in drilling someone 60 feet away in a vulnerable position after throwing a pitch than there is drilling someone probably 110 feet away and prepared in defensive position.

 

I was already sold on him physically, after those 2 swings....I'm hooked.

 

Saw on an earlier tweet that it was a ground ball that took a bad hop, not a straight line drive to the noggin.