Random Cubs Musings: Minor League Edition

[jumbo]

From TCR:

http://www.thecubreporter.com/cant-wait-day-cubs-finally-operate-javy-machinery#comments

 

So many guys I forgot about...

 

CUBS MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS ELIGIBLE FOR SELECTION IN DECEMBER 2014 RULE 5 DRAFT (last updated 2-15-2014):

Gilberto Abreu, RHP

Gioskar Amaya, INF

John Andreoli, OF

Delbis Arcila, OF

Jose Arias, RHP

Jeffrey Baez, OF

Frank Batista, RHP

Yaniel Cabezas, C

Javier Castro, RHP

Zach Cates, RHP

Hunter Cervenka, LHP

Pin-Chieh Chen, OF

Gerardo Concepcion, LHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Willson Contreras, C

Wes Darvill, INF

Taylor Davis, C

Frank del Valle, LHP

Zeke DeVoss, OF

Alberto Diaz, LHP

Jose Dore, IF-OF

C. J. Edwards, RHP

Kevin Encarnacion, OF

P. J. Francescon, RHP

Victor Garcia, LHP

Dustin Geiger, INF

Anthony Giansanti, OF

Reggie Golden, OF

Jae-Hoon Ha, OF

Kyle Hendricks, RHP

Marco Hernandez, INF

Michael Jensen, RHP

Eric Jokisch, LHP

Jin-Young Kim, RHP

Austin Kirk, LHP

Matt Loosen, RHP

Rafael Lopez, C

Jeff Lorick, LHP

Barret Loux, RHP

Dillon Maples, RHP

Eric Martinez, RHP

Andrew McKirahan, LHP

Trey McNutt, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Alberto Mineo, C

Carlos Montero, INF

Yoanner Negrin, RHP

Loiger Padron, RHP

Amaury Paulino, RHP

Carlos Penalver, INF

Felix Pena, RHP

Wilfredo Petit, C

Ivan Pineyro, RHP

James Pugliese, RHP

Austin Reed, RHP

Greg Rohan, IF-OF

Victor Salazar, RHP

Francisco Sanchez, INF

Tayler Scott, RHP

Rock Shoulders, 1B

Rubi Silva, OF

Brian Smith, LHP

Kenny Socorro, INF

Elliot Soto, INF

Nick Struck, RHP

Antonio Valerio, C

Yao-Lin Wang, RHP

Ben Wells, RHP

Oliver Zapata, OF

Brad Zapenas, INF

Tony Zych, RHP

Additionally, any player eligible to be a Rule 55 Six-Year Minor League Free-Agent (6YFA) post-2014 who signs a 2015 minor league contract or agrees to a 2015 minor league successor contract prior to the December 2014 Rule 5 Draft will be eligible for selection.

Also, any player eligible to be a Rule 55 Second Contract Minor League Free-Agent who signs a 2015 minor league contract prior to the December 2014 Rule 5 Draft will be eligible for selection if the player was 18 or younger on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 5th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract, or the player was 19 years or older on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 4th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract.

CUBS RULE 55 MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS POST-2014:

SIX-YEAR FREE-AGENT:

Lars Anderson, 1B (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Jeffry Antigua, LHP

John Baker, C (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Emilio Bonifacio, IF-OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Marcelo Carreno, RHP

Lendy Castillo, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Hunter Cervenka, LHP (see NOTE)

Chris Coghlan, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Casey Coleman, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Aaron Cunningham, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Charlie Cutler, C

Paolo Espino, RHP

Eduardo Figueroa, RHP

Luis Flores, C

Edgar Gonzalez, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Carlos Gutierrez, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Marcus Hatley, RHP

Tommy Hottovy, LHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Walter Ibarra, INF

Ryan Kalish, OF

Mitch Maier, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Darnell McDonald, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Jonathon Mota, INF

Starling Peralta, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Carlos Pimentel, RHP

Dae-Eun Rhee, RHP

Ryan Roberts, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Jose Rosario, RHP

Jonathan Sanchez, LHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Brian Schlitter, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Ryan Searle, RHP

Jeudy Valdez, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Chris Valaika, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Casper Wells, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

Eli Whiteside, C (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs)

NOTE: Hunter Cervenka will be eligible to be a Rule 55 minor league 6YFA post-2014 if he signed a 2008 contract when he signed his "first contract" with the Boston Red Sox on 8-15-2008. However, if he was “Signed for Future Service“ (first contract was a 2009 contract), he will not be eligible to be a Rule 55 minor league 6YFA until post-2015.

SECOND CONTRACT FREE-AGENT:

Carlos Figueroa, INF (previously released by CHC)

Humberto Garcia, INF (previously released by CHW)

Chang-Yong Lim, RHP (previously non-tendered by CHC)

Alan Oaks, RHP (previously released by MIA)

Yomar Pacheco, RHP (previously released by PIT)

Brohiglyn Rivero, RHP (previously released by TB)

Orbandy Rodriguez, RHP (previously released by AZ)

Roberto Vahlis, C (previously released by TOR)

Tsuyoshi Wada, LHP (contract expired with BAL)

NOTE: Even if they sign 2015 minor league contracts, B. Rivero, Vahlis, and Wada will not be eligible for selection in the December 2014 Rule 5 Draft.

[davell]

Well, we say it every year when we see this list.....But we're going to lose a couple of guys. Almost definitely. Not major guys, but Andreoli, Zych, Silva, Geiger, Maples, Cates, maybe Amaya or Hernandez, if they play well in Daytona. Ben Wells or Pineyro are possibilities.

 

Looks like CJ, Javy, (thats a mistake on AZPhil's part, its Javy, not Jeffrey)and Hendricks are the only must-adds we've got.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

I completely forgot Trey McNutt is still in the organization.

[craig]

Well, we say it every year when we see this list.....But we're going to lose a couple of guys. Almost definitely. Not major guys, but Andreoli, Zych, Silva, Geiger, Maples, Cates, maybe Amaya or Hernandez, if they play well in Daytona. Ben Wells or Pineyro are possibilities. ....

 

This is the best list in years, by far, I think. Not sure we'll lose a couple of guys, though. We'll have to expose some of those guys, yes. But you only lose them if somebody else wants them. Andreoli, Zych, Silva, Cates, Amaya, Hernandez, Wells, Pineyro, not sure many (any?) of them will be desirable if they don't have really impressive seasons. And if they do, the Cubs may be able to protect the best of them.

 

There are certainly still plenty of guys on the existing 40 that could be dumped with negligible pain, as it stands now. And perhaps with even less regret if they don't step forward this summer. The roster is just crawling with guys we might be happy to kiss goodbye before next October. Brett jackson, Vitters, Szczur, Watkins, Olt, Murphy, Barney, Russell, Ramirez, McDonald, Hammel, Fujikawa, Cabrera, McDonald, Beeler, etc., that's 15 names right there, and there's a bunch more.

 

A lot will be "who cares" guys by next year.

[Post Count Padder]

There are a lot of interesting names on that list. Edwards will be protected. And we may see Baez and Henricks on the big league club this year so they'll likely be added long before needed anyway.

 

I also forgot McNutt and Nick Struck were still here.

[ctcf]

Holy crap:

 

Tyler Mason of FOX Sports North reports that Miguel Sano will undergo Tommy John surgery.

The expected recovery time for Sano is 8 months, and he will miss the entire 2014 season. The top prospect has been battling elbow trouble since straining his UCL in winter ball. The Twins tried to avoid surgery in the hope that rest and rehab would rectify the issue, but it simply wasn't to be.

[imb]

that might take him off 3B forever

[ctcf]

Hard not to feel bad for the Twins today.

[imb]

Hard not to feel bad for the Twins today.

 

TINSTAAHP

[Tryptamine]

I can't even fathom how bad it would suck to not only have to deal with this awful major league team, but then to have no Javy to save it either. Baseball would basically be dead to me until 2015.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

that might take him off 3B forever

 

Hell, it might make him a DH forever.

[sneakypower]

if guys can pitch after tjs, i think he'll still be capable of playing somewhere on the diamond adequately

[Guest]

if guys can pitch after tjs, i think he'll still be capable of playing somewhere on the diamond adequately

 

Yeah, I'm not sure where that whole thing is coming from (the notion that TJS means he might be done at 3B)

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

They're not gonna risk a guy that could hit 40 homers at 3B where he has to make [expletive] knows how many throws during a season. Position players' arms aren't conditioned like a pitcher's (obviously).

[Guest]

I wasn't completely sold on him sticking at 3B and think this speeds up the timeline for him moving to 1B.

[mul21]

They're not gonna risk a guy that could hit 40 homers at 3B where he has to make [expletive] knows how many throws during a season. Position players' arms aren't conditioned like a pitcher's (obviously).

 

No, they aren't, but they certainly can be. Especially when an injury like this is involved. I don't see any reason the TJS would have anything to do with him moving off 3rd.

[Guest]

They're not gonna risk a guy that could hit 40 homers at 3B where he has to make [expletive] knows how many throws during a season. Position players' arms aren't conditioned like a pitcher's (obviously).

 

They also don't have to make anywhere close to as many throws...

[Guest]

I wasn't completely sold on him sticking at 3B and think this speeds up the timeline for him moving to 1B.

 

That's fair.

[sneakypower]

Mauer's slated for five more seasons of 1B duty; Sano pushing him to DH makes that contract hurt worse

[Guest]

Mauer's slated for five more seasons of 1B duty; Sano pushing him to DH makes that contract hurt worse

 

I hadn't thought of that; that might make Sano's move less inevitable. For their sake, at least they do have a DH so both can play.

[A New Era]

Eh, we'll take him. We have plenty of 3rd basemen for the Twins.

[Guest]

How about our third baseman that cant see for theirs that cant throw?

[A New Era]

How about our third baseman that cant see for theirs that cant throw?

 

I could be convinced.

[Guest]

@ProfessorParks: Impressive backfield BP from #Cubs prospect Christian Villanueva. Swinging like a major leaguer; looks noticeably stronger.

[Guest]

Jason Parks ‏@ProfessorParks 2h

#Cubs BP in Mesa. #want

 

Jason Parks ‏@ProfessorParks 1h

Almora and Bryant coming up in the next grouping. I'm no longer wearing pants. #Cubs

 

Jason Parks ‏@ProfessorParks 16m

Impressed by Almora during his bp session. Showed off bigger pull-side power than I expected. Visible swagger around/in the cage. #Cubs