Minor League Discussion & Boxes 5-27-13

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Is Underwood a lock for Boise? He didn't get many innings in the AZL last year.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil[/url]"]25-year old Cuban RHP Armando Rivero ($3.1M signing bonus in March) started the game for the Cubs and threw one shutout inning, surrendering one walk while striking out one. Rivero was consistently working at 94-95 MPH with his fastball, mixing it with a hard-breaking splitter and an occasional slider. Although he only struck out one, he got seven swings & misses among his 31 pitches. Rivero was the closer for Industriales in Serie Nacional (the Cuban Major League) prior to defecting, and so I wouldn't be surprised to see him move quickly through the system once he leaves EXST. He has late-inning shut-down type stuff.

 

Luis Acosta, Roberto Caro, and Frandy de la Rosa were sent back to the Dominican as the DSL season will start this coming week.

[Guest]

Is Underwood a lock for Boise? He didn't get many innings in the AZL last year.

 

Barring injury, yes. You should be concerned when a prep arm doesn't make it to Boise in their first full pro season, even if they signed late when they had the old rules.

 

Arizona Phil predicted the Boise and Mesa rotations (the he to start the first sentence is Pugliese):

 

He will very likely join Duane Underwood, Paul Blackburn, Trey Lang, and a 5th starter TBD to form the Boise starting rotation. (RHPs Ryan McNeil and Josh Conway would have been candidates for the Hawks rotation, but both suffered season-ending elbow injuries during the course of Extended Spring Training).

 

It's possible that a pitcher presently at Kane County (perhaps someone like Brian Smith or Ian Dickson) could be moved down to Boise next month to get regular work as a starter, or one of the pitchers currently projected to make-up the "Big Four" at AZL Cubs (Erick Leal, Alexander Santana, Daury Torrez, or Carlos Rodriguez) could possibly yet capture the 5th rotation slot at Boise. (The AZL Cubs only need four starting pitchers, because AZL teams get every fifth day off). RHRP Loiger Padron has also recently been stretched-out as a starter at EXST in case he is needed to start or to "piggy-back" at Boise.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Has Torrez pitched well in EXST? If so, I'd like to see him in Boise.

[CubsWin]

Has Torrez pitched well in EXST? If so, I'd like to see him in Boise.

He had a good outing today...

AZPhil[/url]"]RHP Daury Torrez followed Pugliese to the hill and hurled three shutout innings (needing only 31 pitches to do so), allowing two harmless singles. He struck out one and did not issue any walks. Torrez is a strike-throwing machine.

His stats as of 5/18...

6.00 ERA - 1.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 71% strikes, 5/2 GO/FO, 2 GAMES (1 GS)

[CubsWin]

Alcantara with another walk today to go along with a single and his 15 SB while being caught just once.

[Guest]

Has Torrez pitched well in EXST? If so, I'd like to see him in Boise.

He had a good outing today...

AZPhil[/url]"]RHP Daury Torrez followed Pugliese to the hill and hurled three shutout innings (needing only 31 pitches to do so), allowing two harmless singles. He struck out one and did not issue any walks. Torrez is a strike-throwing machine.

His stats as of 5/18...

6.00 ERA - 1.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 71% strikes, 5/2 GO/FO, 2 GAMES (1 GS)

 

Remember, he had a minor injury I start extended so he isn't as stretched out as other pitchers down in Arizona. He still has a few weeks, but he's probably has a smaller chance of making it to Boise because of that.

[davell]

Torreyes HR, time to heat back up hopefully.

[Tryptamine]

Torreyes HR, time to heat back up hopefully.

 

I'm not particularly worried. Even if he doesn't have a great year he'd still be 21 in AA next year. Even so, it would be nice to see him get hot again so the Cubs could consider moving Barney in the near future.

[Guest]

Torreyes HR, time to heat back up hopefully.

 

I'm not particularly worried. Even if he doesn't have a great year he'd still be 21 in AA next year. Even so, it would be nice to see him get hot again so the Cubs could consider moving Barney in the near future.

 

wouldn't watkins be the heir apparent? or even bruno? the cubs seemed to be pretty stacked with middle infield prospects up and down their system. although i'd love to see torreyes in chicago at some point.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Torreyes HR, time to heat back up hopefully.

 

I'm not particularly worried. Even if he doesn't have a great year he'd still be 21 in AA next year. Even so, it would be nice to see him get hot again so the Cubs could consider moving Barney in the near future.

 

wouldn't watkins be the heir apparent? or even bruno? the cubs seemed to be pretty stacked with middle infield prospects up and down their system. although i'd love to see torreyes in chicago at some point.

 

I'm not sure any of those guys are good enough to be an "heir apparent" at any position. I like Watkins and Torreyes, but both have significant flaws that could easily yet keep them from being MLB starters. Bruno, AFAICT, is just some scrappy guy who has had 300 PAs of absurd BABIP luck.

[Guest]

Torreyes HR, time to heat back up hopefully.

 

I'm not particularly worried. Even if he doesn't have a great year he'd still be 21 in AA next year. Even so, it would be nice to see him get hot again so the Cubs could consider moving Barney in the near future.

 

wouldn't watkins be the heir apparent? or even bruno? the cubs seemed to be pretty stacked with middle infield prospects up and down their system. although i'd love to see torreyes in chicago at some point.

 

I'm not sure any of those guys are good enough to be an "heir apparent" at any position. I like Watkins and Torreyes, but both have significant flaws that could easily yet keep them from being MLB starters. Bruno, AFAICT, is just some scrappy guy who has had 300 PAs of absurd BABIP luck.

Alcantara is doing some impressive things at age 21 in AA.