Random Cubs Musings: Minor League Edition

[EhDubya]

Hmm, now I'm trying to think of a comp for Benny. He was definitely a good player before he lost a step or two. Kenny Lofton?

 

Dave Roberts

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Hmm, now I'm trying to think of a comp for Benny. He was definitely a good player before he lost a step or two. Kenny Lofton?

 

Dave Roberts

Nah, Benny definitely had more power.

[Sammy Sofa]

Kenny Lofton?

[mul21]

McCutchen

[Clem Fandango]

Gregg Jeffries

[PackLandVA]

So the Bridgeport Bluefish (Independent League) will have a Military Appreciation Night, and they custom designed special jerseys just for the night. Wonder if the jerseys will allow them to "oil up" them abs and pecs.

 

[Little Slide Rooter]

What causes top prospects to do a belly flop when they get to the majors? I'm not talking about raw high schoolers who simply didn't pan out. I'm not talking guys who had one hot season, leading to one appearance on back half of a top 100 list. I'm not talking about guys who had initial success before being injured or exposed. I'm talking about guys who were drafted as stud prospects, did exactly what was expected of them throughout the minors, frequented the top 50 during their time in the minors, and immediately crashed and then flopped the moment the reached the bigs. IE Brandon Wood, Daric Barton, Andy Marte, Andy Laroche.

 

Obviously the big leagues are a whole new world in terms of what you're up against, but there must have been some indication to those coaching and developing them that big league pitching (or in the case of pitchers, hitting) would waste no time eating them alive.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Inability to hit the next level of pitching.

 

Being able to hit is the hardest thing to scout. You can't just eyeball the difference between a guy who facing the next level of pitchers will turn into a .280 hitter vs. a .220 hitter.

[illiniguy]

What causes top prospects to do a belly flop when they get to the majors? I'm not talking about raw high schoolers who simply didn't pan out. I'm not talking guys who had one hot season, leading to one appearance on back half of a top 100 list. I'm not talking about guys who had initial success before being injured or exposed. I'm talking about guys who were drafted as stud prospects, did exactly what was expected of them throughout the minors, frequented the top 50 during their time in the minors, and immediately crashed and then flopped the moment the reached the bigs. IE Brandon Wood, Daric Barton, Andy Marte, Andy Laroche.

 

Obviously the big leagues are a whole new world in terms of what you're up against, but there must have been some indication to those coaching and developing them that big league pitching (or in the case of pitchers, hitting) would waste no time eating them alive.

In the case of wood, I remember many a red flag was raised about his ability to make enough contact. So it wasn't completely out of the blue.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=3840355&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F%22%7D

 

Lars Anderson was Law's 7th rated prospect in 2009.

 

Wow, look how off his top 20 was lol

He's just trying to figure out who those stars are.

[gscool89]

Top 100 MLB prospects are updated:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2014/#list=prospects

 

Can't say I agree with this list at all. Mainly Almora over Soler.

[UMFan83]

I think MLB.com just updated their top 100 rankings to include 2014 draftees. They are kind of all over the place. Cubs have 8 in top 100:

 

4. Bryant

6. Baez

7. Russell

37. Alcantara

41. Almora

54. Soler (???)

60. CJ Edwards

80. Schwarber

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2014/#list=prospects

 

Edit: dammit beaten by a minute.

[Guest]

There's some good reasons you can rank Soler that low. "Questions about effort" is not one I find particularly compelling, especially when paired with "too much swing and miss", which makes me wonder if they're paying attention at all.

[davell]

Soler will majestically start making contact and the swing and miss will disappear. With a caveat that its a SSS, so the gurus aren't completely off(in their eyes)

[TruffleShuffle]

since when is striking out like 18 percent of the time considered "too much swing and miss" for a power hitter?!?

[Vinestal]

Soler has better pitch recognition than any of our other prospects. I think his ability to take walks and wait for his pitch his the best thing about him.

[Guest]

Soler's "poor" swing and miss is so much better than Baez and Bryant's. I asked Callis what he was talking about but I'm guessing I was too late to the show.

[Guest]

@jimcallisMLB: Got a lot of @Cubs fans upset Soler not on Top 50. Big tools, yes. Swing-and-miss concerns, yes also. Consistent effort, no. No. 54 is fine.

 

@jimcallisMLB: More on Soler ... if we ranked him at No. 54, yes, we believe in his upside as much as you @Cubs fans. Well, apparently, not quite as much.

 

@jimcallisMLB: Scouts have said same during reg season too. @TommyM44: really think the consistent effort is unfair. FO told him to take it easy in the AFL

 

@jimcallisMLB: OK, no more Jorge Soler talk. We like him a lot. Didn't quite make Top 50. Yes, I know he has 1.270 OPS. In 101 AB. @Cubs

 

Pretty disappointing from Callis.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Addison Russell has a higher K% than Soler, for Christ's sake. Don't turn into Parks, Jim.

[Guest]

Not to beat a dead horse(sorry not sorry), but plate discipline wonderboy Lindor is striking out 16% of the time and all I hear is that's so terrific and makes up for the fact that he can't seem to crack a .750 OPS at AA.

[Guest]

Addison Russell has a higher K% than Soler, for Christ's sake. Don't turn into Parks, Jim.

 

Russell and Buxton miss most of the first half with injury and don't fall while Soler does.

[Guest]

Also, I'm totally perturbed by people who rank Almora in the top 40.

[Guest]

Anyways, officially:

 

4. Kris Bryant

6. Javier Baez

7. Addison Russell

37. Arismendy Alcántara

41. Albert Almora

54. Jorge Soler

60. CJ Edwards

79. Kyle Schwarber

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Look, I can sort of understand Buxton, but Taveras and Correa over Bryant, lol.

[davell]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/chc/standout-kris-bryant-leads-chicago-cubs-updated-top-20-list?ymd=20140727&content_id=86245286&vkey=news_chc

 

Top 20 with write ups. Good approach for Soler, maybe Callis just forgot? No clue. Only real surprise for me is Mejia at 20, which is encouraging obviously.