Re: Minor League Assignments

[CubsWin]

Johnson hasn't been confirmed yet at Daytona, unless I'm mistaken. In fact, I'm not sure very many pitchers at all have been, have they? I'm a bit surprised/disappointed Ha is back in Tennessee and is keeping Andreoli down in Daytona. Neither is a big deal, but I did expect them both up a level.

They haven't been officially announced yet, so placements certainly can change. Just going off of AZPhil's depth chart dated 3/31.

 

One thing I noticed on that depth chart, is that he's got Erick Leal stateside at the moment. He is one of the guys the Cubs got in return for Campana and just turned 18 two weeks ago. He could be returned to the DSL once their season starts, but it also might be a sign of what management thinks of him...

 

Erick Leal, rhp

Age: 17. Born: March 17, 1995 in Carabobo, Venezuela.

Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 180.

Bats: R. Throws: R.

 

The Diamondbacks signed a 16-year-old Leal from trainer Robert Valera for $75,000 after the 2011 season, and he made his debut last year in the DSL. When Leal signed, he stood out for his size, delivery, ability to throw strikes and spin a breaking ball. He progressed quickly and in some ways became a different pitcher than scouts had expected. He threw from almost straight over the top when he signed, but he's since dropped down to a lower slot and gotten more life on his fastball, which was 85-88 mph when he signed but now sits around 88-89. Leal's best pitch is his mid-to-high 70s breaking ball, an advanced pitch for his age with a chance to be plus. He didn't have a changeup when he signed, but he's developed feel for that pitch as well, giving him the potential for three average or better pitches if his velocity continues to climb. He pitches inside, moves the ball around the zone and throws plenty of strikes, and he walked just 1.4 batters per nine innings last year. He did start to gain weight a little too quickly at one point, so he will have to stay on top of his conditioning.

[Guest]

Apparently the Tennessee Smokies will henceforth be the Tennessee Browns.

[davell]

Apparently the Tennessee Smokies will henceforth be the Tennessee Browns.

Is that real? I thought it was just an April Fools thing.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/3/5/0/43576350/cuts/Mock_Press_PhotoB_3wy3vzit_ik6ytq0v.jpg

[CubsWin]

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/3/5/0/43576350/cuts/Mock_Press_PhotoB_3wy3vzit_ik6ytq0v.jpg

I smell photoshop.

[Guest]

Apparently the Tennessee Smokies will henceforth be the Tennessee Browns.

Is that real? I thought it was just an April Fools thing.

 

Oh, that's probable. I forgot the date at 7:30 am.

[craig]

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4566964

 

The Daytona Cubs Organization has announced its tentative 2013 Opening Day roster.

 

1. As expected, has Baez and Soler.

2. Has Bruno and Saunders, but NOT Torreyes. So Torreyes and Alcantara must be with AA.

3. Will be interesting how Saunders/Bruno share 2B/3B. One plays only 2B, the other only 3B? If so, which plays which? Or will they both split time at both?

4. DeVoss is still listed with the infielders, even though there are only 3 listed outfielders, and Az Phil had mentioned DeVoss playing OF in Mesa.

5. Pierce Johnson is NOT listed. I'd kind of assumed he'd start right out at Daytona.

6. A lot of roster-fill type pitchers.

7. Austin Kirk, who pitched extensively in AA last year to decent success, is back on the Daytona list.

8. Starling Peralta, Ben Wells, and Austin Reed are all listed, and are probably the most high-ceiling starter possibilities (if they start.) I'd wondered if Reed might go back to Kane, but as a starter rather than relieving. I'd also wondered whether given how short his season was due to injury, whether Ben Wells might repeat A-. Perhaps a good sign that he's advanced; or perhaps they just don't want his arm going to Midwest league.

9. Michael Jensen is NOT listed. Of all the guys for Daytona's rotation, he was the one I thought was the most certain to be there, but I was wrong. seems like he had too good a season to repeat at Kane, so that leaves two possibilities. One is that he looked so good that they skipped him right up to AA. The more likely, I assume, is that he's got some injury issue. It doesn't look like the staff is so loaded with serious pitching prospects that they couldn't fit him into Daytona's staff or rotation, and if they wanted him at Daytona they could have also left Kirk at AA. So either he's hurt, or else he looked so polished that they just decided that AA was the best place for him developmentally. I want to hope for the latter, because if true that might reflect favorably on his progress. I suppose a 3rd possibility is that the list is "unofficial", and when the actual official roster comes out he'll be there after all. I just hope he's not hurt, because I like low-walk-low-HR control pitchers.

10. As expected, Rosario is not there.

Edited April 2, 2013 by craig

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

There's no spot for Andreoli in Tenn? Tough break for him.

[Guest]

Since it's a tentative roster, there's always the possibility a guy like Jensen or Johnson gets added on at the end. We've seen that happen in years past. Hopefully both arms are healthy.

 

My guess at the rotation:

 

RHP Zach Cates

LHP Austin Kirk

RHP Starlin Peralta

RHP Austin Reed

RHP Ben Wells

 

PJ Francescon is obviously a possibility too but I'd rather see Reed back in the rotation.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

R⚾ck Sh⚾ulders ‏@RockBigFly24 7h

 

We are official taking out talents to Kane County! @dicksoni @VogyVog24 @T_Martin_26 @EddieOrozco21 @taylerscottsa @Flowbro34 @bsmith905

[Guest]

R⚾ck Sh⚾ulders ‏@RockBigFly24 7h

 

We are official taking out talents to Kane County! @dicksoni @VogyVog24 @T_Martin_26 @EddieOrozco21 @taylerscottsa @Flowbro34 @bsmith905

 

Rock Shoulders, Ian Dickson, Dan Vogelbach, Trey Martin, Eddie Orozco, Tayler Scott, Pierce Johnson and Brian Smith.

[CubsInNC]

R⚾ck Sh⚾ulders ‏@RockBigFly24 7h

 

We are official taking out talents to Kane County! @dicksoni @VogyVog24 @T_Martin_26 @EddieOrozco21 @taylerscottsa @Flowbro34 @bsmith905

 

Rock Shoulders, Ian Dickson, Dan Vogelbach, Trey Martin, Eddie Orozco, Tayler Scott, Pierce Johnson and Brian Smith.

 

Should be fun to watch when they come to West Michigan this summer.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil[/url]"]Also, 2B Roni Torreyes has been demoted from Daytona to Extended Spring Training. He's not injured (he's been playing regularly throughout Minor League Camp, and he played the entire game today), so there must be some other issue involved.

 

Carlos Martinez is back at Fitch. Maples pitched well and is healthy, good news.

[davell]

Damn, what the hell with Torreyes? Working on D maybe? From all prior accounts, he's a great makeup guy, so this is odd.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Apparently the Tennessee Smokies will henceforth be the Tennessee Browns.

Is that real? I thought it was just an April Fools thing.

 

Oh, that's probable. I forgot the date at 7:30 am.

 

In case anyone was wondering, it's been confirmed as a joke.

[Hrubes20]

Damn, what the hell with Torreyes? Working on D maybe? From all prior accounts, he's a great makeup guy, so this is odd.

 

Yeah, that makes no sense to me. Although AZPhil didn't see an injury, it's entirely possible that Torreyes has a minor one. Really the only thing I can think of as to why he's still in EXST.

 

Disappointed that Pierce Johnson is only starting at KC. He'll be 22 in May, had no problems in his tiny cup of coffee at Boise, and threw 100 IP in college last year.

[Guest]

Kane County preliminary roster

 

Vogelbach, Amaya, Hernandez and Candelario around the infield. Martin will be in the outfield. Pitchers of note include Pierce Johnson, Jose Arias, Tayler Scott and Lendy Castillo.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Still a little bummed Almora's going to miss April.

[davell]

Damn, what the hell with Torreyes? Working on D maybe? From all prior accounts, he's a great makeup guy, so this is odd.

 

Yeah, that makes no sense to me. Although AZPhil didn't see an injury, it's entirely possible that Torreyes has a minor one. Really the only thing I can think of as to why he's still in EXST.

 

Disappointed that Pierce Johnson is only starting at KC. He'll be 22 in May, had no problems in his tiny cup of coffee at Boise, and threw 100 IP in college last year.

With Johnson, they're mirroring the approach the Red Sox just took with Matt Barnes. He pitched 5 games in Low A last year, was completely dominant, and spent the rest of the year in A+. Finished with 120 innings and supposedly will be let loose this year. I figure thats the plan with Johnson too.

Edited April 2, 2013 by davell

[Hawk4Hall]

Kane County will be fun to follow this season. They don't make it to the Quad Cities until June but I can't wait to see them play.

[wekim81]

Hilarious that our Rule 5 pick from last year in down in Lo-A this year.

[Guest]

Iowa Opening Day Roster

 

Starting rotation: Chris Rusin, Brooks Raley, Drew Carpenter, Barret Loux and Nick Struck. Other big names playing in Iowa include Brett Jackson, Logan Watkins and Josh Vitters. Wes Darvill (for some reason) is also at Iowa.

[toonsterwu]

Iowa Opening Day Roster

 

Starting rotation: Chris Rusin, Brooks Raley, Drew Carpenter, Barret Loux and Nick Struck. Other big names playing in Iowa include Brett Jackson, Logan Watkins and Josh Vitters. Wes Darvill (for some reason) is also at Iowa.

 

My guess is that Darvill is there as a stopgap, just so they have a utility infielder. I assume they wouldn't start Darvill at short, but he can backup, in a pinch, at short. When Barney is ready, Alberto Gonzalez goes to AAA, pushing Darvill back to the A ball ranks.

 

Although that said, they did have Eliot Soto sitting around, as Alcantara will likely get the bulk of time in AA at short. I guess this could be a sign that they value Soto more than Darvill, as Soto in AA now gets him more AB's ... potentially.

[toonsterwu]

Hilarious that our Rule 5 pick from last year in down in Lo-A this year.

 

It's surprising, and yet it isn't. You don't want a Rule 5 guy there obviously, but he's the raw type of arm that really should've been in A+ ball last year developing. That said, A ball is a bit odd. I wonder if they are trying to stretch him out.

 

One other possibility is that they want Lendy in A ball instead of A+/AA so they can better keep track of him instead of going to XST. I doubt it, but something to keep in mind this year with some movement, considering the proximity of Kane County to Chicago.

[toonsterwu]

Since it's a tentative roster, there's always the possibility a guy like Jensen or Johnson gets added on at the end. We've seen that happen in years past. Hopefully both arms are healthy.

 

My guess at the rotation:

 

RHP Zach Cates

LHP Austin Kirk

RHP Starlin Peralta

RHP Austin Reed

RHP Ben Wells

 

PJ Francescon is obviously a possibility too but I'd rather see Reed back in the rotation.

 

I'd rather see Reed get stretched out, but it would seem to be easier to do that in Kane than Daytona. Wouldn't surprise me if Del Valle or Francescon made it into the rotation instead.