Minor League Discussion & Boxes 5-29-13

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores

 

Iowa lost 4-3 Box Score

 

2B L. Watkins 1/5, RBI, K

RF B. Bogusevic 1/4, R, BB, K, SB (13)

CF B. Jackson 0/3, BB, 3 K

LF D. Sappelt 1/3, R, 2B (2), RBI, BB

3B I. Stewart 0/4, 3 K

SP N. Struck 5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 6-3 GO-FO, 87-51 pitches-strikes; batting: 1/2, 2B (1)

 

Tennessee lost the Rickwood Classic 6-3 Box Score

 

DH M. Szczur 0/5, K

2B R. Torreyes 0/4, BB, K

SS A. Alcantara 3/4, 3B (1), E (18, throw)

CF R. Silva 1/4, R, 2 K

3B C. Villanueva 1/4, R, 2B (17), 2 RBI, K

SP Y. Castillo 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 6-2 GO-FO

RP T. McNutt 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO

 

Daytona won 3-0 Box Score

 

CF Z. DeVoss 2/4, R, 2 K

LF J. Andreoli 2/3, R, 2B (6), RBI

SS Ja. Baez 0/3, RBI

RF J. Soler 1/4, K

1B D. Geiger 1/3, RBI, K

2B W. Darvill 1/3. 2B (4), K

3B T. Saunders 0/2, K

SP Z. Cates 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 4-4 GO-FO, pickoff

RP YL Wang 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 3-1 GO-FO

 

Kane County lost 2-1 Box Score

 

2B G. Amaya 0/2, 2 BB, 2 K

1B D. Vogelbach 0/3, K

3B J. Candelario 0/4, 2 K

LF R. Shoulders 0/4, 2 K

DH M. Hernandez 2/4, R, K

RF R. Golden 0/3, BB, 2 K - season debut

SP P. Johnson 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 HR, 4-5 GO-FO

RP J. Amlung 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 2-3 GO-FO

 

VSL Cubs had the day off

 

OVERALL: 1-3

[Guest]

Probable Starters

 

Iowa: RHP Nick Struck (41 IP, 5.91 FIP, 5.93 ERA, 23 K, 20 BB)

Tennessee: RHP Yeiper Castillo (6 IP, 3.03 FIP, 1.50 ERA, 7 K, 0 BB)

Daytona: RHP Zack Cates (43.1 IP, 3.29 FIP, 4.98 ERA, 33 K, 16 BB)

Kane County: RHP Pierce Johnson (47.1 IP, 2.44 FIP, 3.04 ERA, 53 K, 14 BB)

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Hopefully this is Pierce's last start in KC.

[Guest]

@BleacherNation: RT @CubsTalkCSN Hoyer said Almora was running foul poles this morning and things are looking positive. May return today.

[GammonsPocketTweets]

@BleacherNation: RT @CubsTalkCSN Hoyer said Almora was running foul poles this morning and things are looking positive. May return today.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx8o872DTF1qztvqfo1_500.gif

[rawaction]

Hopefully this is Pierce's last start in KC.

Yeah 50+ innings should be enough. Maybe 1 more after this at most.

[Guest]

Digging around, I found out Dae-Eun Rhee has a shoulder injury. Unsure if he got surgery.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Is there any confirmation at this point that Gerardo Concepcion is still something that exists, or was it an elaborate hoax to reel in Soler?

[wekim81]

Is there any confirmation at this point that Gerardo Concepcion is still something that exists, or was it an elaborate hoax to reel in Soler?

If it was, it was money well spent, as I really think Soler's going to be a star.

[Guest]

@smokiesbaseball: Alcantara scorches a two-out triple to 399 sign but is stranded at third. Still scoreless in the third inning.

[Guest]

how has alcantara's defense been this season?

[ctcf]

how has alcantara's defense been this season?

 

Well not that they're that great of a measurement but he did just put up his 18th E on the year.

[Guest]

he's 3-3 now

[toonsterwu]

how has alcantara's defense been this season?

 

The little I've heard, I don't think anything's all that different from a year ago - a guy with enough tools to make you wonder if he can stick at short, but who probably doesn't have the top end defensive potential at short, is still inconsistent with his footwork, and has a somewhat erratic arm. You keep him at short as long as possible, though, even with Baez behind, as it expands your options tremendously.

[Ryno12]

I was lukewarm on him over the winter, as I wanted to make sure last year's numbers weren't a fluke. I'm buying him now, though. He's shown good power and somewhat surprising patience, and he's doing it at 21 in AA. He's clearly in my top 10 now, probably 7 or 8.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Is it me, or to the relevant prospects on the Smokies; Szczur, Alcantara, Torreyes, Villanueva, and Ha never seem to get hot more than 1 at a time?

[toonsterwu]

I was lukewarm on him over the winter, as I wanted to make sure last year's numbers weren't a fluke. I'm buying him now, though. He's shown good power and somewhat surprising patience, and he's doing it at 21 in AA. He's clearly in my top 10 now, probably 7 or 8.

 

I have some free time, so let's see, if I made an end of May list, I think I'd go

 

Tier 1

 

1. Jorge Soler

2. Javier Baez (can still see a case for Baez ahead of Soler, but Soler's bat potential and offensive approach is simply more advanced as of now)

3. Albert Almora (I could see a case for Almora ahead of Baez, but there's not enough of a body of work for me to make that move now, plus, Baez has a high ceiling and is hot with the bat right now)

 

Tier 2

 

4. Pierce Johnson - really would like to see numbers in A+ before getting too giddy about work in Low A for a polished college arm.

5/6. Well ... this is where I think we could begin discussing Alcantara. Vogelbach could be in the mix, but I think one could argue that Alcantara's position and the fact that AA hasn't overwhelmed him puts him in range.

 

Tier 3

 

7-10 ... uh ... Vizcaino's health situation has to be factored in a bit heavier as of now ... Still, no one's really stepped forward to grab a spot. Candelario had a nice enough to run to probably force his way in there as of now, and uh ... ... uh ... I guess there's a case for Szczur in the top 10 as of now (as a chat in BA noted, he does look like a possible 2nd division starting CF).

 

I'm not really sure who I'd squeeze in for 7-10 ... Watkins hasn't done enough to change my mind about him to move him up, Brett has sucked and been hurt, and Paniagua is an unknown. Villanueva's been more cold than hot. I guess I could understand an upside nod from recent drafts (Maples/Underwood), or maybe a high floor guy like Kyle Hendricks.

 

Not pretty ... thankfully it's only 2 months in.

 

* My belief that Cabrera is a pen arm down the line probably was why I skipped over him when I thought about this a few minutes ago, but he is probably in the conversation for our top 10 as of now. I can't think of anyone else to add to the mix. Maybe Gioskar Amaya, but the strikeouts really bother me.

[Guest]

My turn:

 

1. Jorge Soler

---

2. Javier Baez

3. Albert Almora - I want to see him healthy for more than a week but I reserve the right to move him ahead of Baez in another month or so

---

4. Pierce Johnson

5. Arismendy Alcantara - tougher defensive position than Vogelbach, better ISO, improving plate discipline, all while 2 levels higher but only 1 year older than Vogelbach

6. Dan Vogelbach

7. Arodys Vizcaino - he was in his own tier at 4 before the news of surgery came out

8. Jeimer Candelario

9. Alberto Cabrera

---

10. One of Junior Lake, Willson Contreras, Christian Villanueva or Duane Underwood. Not sure... I'd probably lean towards Villanueva.

 

I've dropped Paniagua out of my top 10. It's been nearly 3 full months since he should have arrived in the US, and combined with all the previous red flags over his identity, there is legitimate concern on my end now that he may not pitch stateside for the Cubs.

[Cubswin11]

10. One of Junior Lake,

Speaking of, he has to be close to coming back. Right?

[Guest]

10. One of Junior Lake,

Speaking of, he has to be close to coming back. Right?

 

About 4 weeks away, per a Des Moine newspaper from a few days ago.

[davell]

Toonster, not sure why you said its "not pretty" after 7 or so. Especially since we're likely 6 deep in top 100 types at this point. Vizcaino being hurt still sucks, but there's no issue with having him in your top 10 obviously. Paniagua has talent too, we've just been held up from seeing it obviously. Won't surprise me if we don't see him hit full season ball this year based on his late start.

 

The rest is iffy, sure. But its no more iffy than most orgs and there's not nearly as much depth to choose from in most orgs either. I think my post may top 10 would look like this.....

 

1 Soler

2 Baez

3 Almora

4 Johnson

5 Alcantara

6 Vogelbach

7 Vizcaino

8 Candelario

9 Paniagua

10 Szczur

 

With Underwood, Contreras, Brett, Villanueva, Underwood, Hendricks, Amaya, Maples, Lake, and Torreyes being 11-20(likely close to that order for me)

 

The system is easily top 10 currently and will get a giant bump from trades, the draft, and IFA very soon. I'll be extremely surprised if we're not a top 5 system by August 1st.

[Cubswin11]

10. One of Junior Lake,

Speaking of, he has to be close to coming back. Right?

 

About 4 weeks away, per a Des Moine newspaper from a few days ago.

Wow, still that long? Didn't think it was a 10+ week injury. Or is that just the time to get to Iowa and he will be starting out in Arizona soon to get into game shape?

[Guest]

The system is easily top 10 currently and will get a giant bump from trades, the draft, and IFA very soon. I'll be extremely surprised if we're not a top 5 system by August 1st.

 

Point of note, I doubt this year's IFA class helps the Cubs top 30 lists this coming offseason. Few 16 or 17-year old Latin American prospects make a dent on top prospect lists before playing a single professional game.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Soler

Almora

Baez

------

Johnson

Watkins

Vogelbach

Candelario

Alcantara

Paniagua

Hendricks

[Guest]

10. One of Junior Lake,

Speaking of, he has to be close to coming back. Right?

 

About 4 weeks away, per a Des Moine newspaper from a few days ago.

Wow, still that long? Didn't think it was a 10+ week injury. Or is that just the time to get to Iowa and he will be starting out in Arizona soon to get into game shape?

 

Here's the tweet (from 5/26), which is all the info I have:

 

@TommyBirch: Coaches heard 2 weeks ago he was about 6 weeks away from return. RT @UrbyJT: @TommyBirch any more info on the resurrection of Junior Lake?