Minor League Discussion & Boxes 7-16-14

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Games (All Times Central):

 

Iowa had the day off

 

Tennessee lost 6-4 Box Score

 

Daytona lost 5-1 Box Score

 

Kane County lost 8-4 Box Score

 

Boise won 8-4 Box Score

 

AZL Cubs had the day off

 

DSL Cubs won 7-4 Box Score

 

VSL Cubs lost 3-2 Box Score

 

AAA All-Star Game: PCL All-Stars lost 7-3 Box Score

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

oh no, I'm sure Alcantara is going to be so depressed he's not playing in the PCL AS game.

[rawaction]

Wasn't Blake Parker promoted also?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Wasn't Blake Parker promoted also?

 

And the bus to Iowa was waiting for him outside after the game.

[HendryWallet]

Thinking about going to the Daytona game. Will Schwarber play tonite? It doesnt look like it will start to downpour until 8...

[Vinestal]

Thinking about going to the Daytona game. Will Schwarber play tonite? It doesnt look like it will start to downpour until 8...

yes he's in the lineup

 

Robbie Aaron @RobbieAaron · 17m

.@kschwarb12 is in tonight's @daytonacubs lineup playing LF and batting 3rd. 3 1st round picks in tonight's D-Cubs outfield. #Cubs

[Guest]

Bonifacio continues his rehab at AA Tennessee now.

[EhDubya]

Thinking about going to the Daytona game. Will Schwarber play tonite? It doesnt look like it will start to downpour until 8...

yes he's in the lineup

 

Robbie Aaron @RobbieAaron · 17m

.@kschwarb12 is in tonight's @daytonacubs lineup playing LF and batting 3rd. 3 1st round picks in tonight's D-Cubs outfield. #Cubs

 

What's the full lineup? I bet it looks niiiiice.

[Guest]

Hernandez 6

Almora 8

Schwarber 7

Vogelbach 3

Rademacher DH

McKinney 9

Darvill 5

Krist 2

Amaya 4

[Gilby]

Schwarber struck out swinging his first AB

 

And no Soler tonight. Lame.

[Guest]

Hernandez 6

Almora 8

Schwarber 7

Vogelbach 3

Rademacher DH

McKinney 9

Darvill 5

Krist 2

Amaya 4

 

Nice. Three first round picks in the outfield.

 

@KernanSean: Not sure if anything can be taken from this, but Kyle Schwarber has been listed under 'outfielders' on the @daytonacubs roster.

#FSL #Cubs

[Cubswin11]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Wilson Betemit made his Major League debut in 2001. He has no business in a minor league all star game.

[Guest]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

They said he'd get a few games at catcher here and there during the year, but he'd play mostly OF in 2014. Then they'll bring him to fall instructs and work with him.

[Guest]

btw - he got two walks (schwalks?) and an OF assist at home today.

[UMFan83]

Russell 0-4 down to .194 BA

 

Soler PH and had an RBI single

[weis21]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

I've wondered this as well. Based on previous comments from the FO, I thought he would almost exclusively play LF for the rest of 2014. But he's caught a lot more to this point than I thought he would and since those comments.

 

I honestly think the front office is on the fence about what to do. The early first-hand accounts since drafted are a lot more complimentary than the pre- and post-draft reports. It seems clear he'll never be an above average catcher defensively. But, IF he can evolve to an average-ish catcher, how long will it take and how much will it delay the bat?

 

Should be interesting to see what happens. My money is still on him landing in LF (a position some didn't (or still don't) see him athletic enough to handle).

[jersey cubs fan]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

They said he'd get a few games at catcher here and there during the year, but he'd play mostly OF in 2014. Then they'll bring him to fall instructs and work with him.

 

I have a hard time imagining how delaying his catching instruction will be all that helpful to teaching him how to be a catcher.

[rawaction]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

They said he'd get a few games at catcher here and there during the year, but he'd play mostly OF in 2014. Then they'll bring him to fall instructs and work with him.

 

I have a hard time imagining how delaying his catching instruction will be all that helpful to teaching him how to be a catcher.

 

Maybe the theory is doing it in a game does not equal instruction. In games he's basically doing what he's always done. In instructs, they can work with him to change the things he's been doing to make him better.

[mul21]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

They said he'd get a few games at catcher here and there during the year, but he'd play mostly OF in 2014. Then they'll bring him to fall instructs and work with him.

 

I have a hard time imagining how delaying his catching instruction will be all that helpful to teaching him how to be a catcher.

 

I would venture to guess that it has more to do with keeping him fresh physically than it does anything else. You get him in instructs and he can work more on catching without worrying about the everyday grind of playing games on top of it.

[Guest]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

I've wondered this as well. Based on previous comments from the FO, I thought he would almost exclusively play LF for the rest of 2014. But he's caught a lot more to this point than I thought he would and since those comments.

 

I honestly think the front office is on the fence about what to do. The early first-hand accounts since drafted are a lot more complimentary than the pre- and post-draft reports. It seems clear he'll never be an above average catcher defensively. But, IF he can evolve to an average-ish catcher, how long will it take and how much will it delay the bat?

 

Should be interesting to see what happens. My money is still on him landing in LF (a position some didn't (or still don't) see him athletic enough to handle).

He'll be blocked by Soler after we trade for Stsnton.

[seanimal]

I wonder if the plan may be to just have him play the OF the rest of the year so the bat can play/he doesn't wear out. Then have him work on catching stuff in the offseason.

They said he'd get a few games at catcher here and there during the year, but he'd play mostly OF in 2014. Then they'll bring him to fall instructs and work with him.

 

I have a hard time imagining how delaying his catching instruction will be all that helpful to teaching him how to be a catcher.

 

I would venture to guess that it has more to do with keeping him fresh physically than it does anything else. You get him in instructs and he can work more on catching without worrying about the everyday grind of playing games on top of it.

 

also, from what it seems like, a lot of the instruction he needs is probably very targeted and drill/repetition oriented. it's a lot more feasible to improve very specific skills in a non-competitive, non-travel environment. probably a little easier to get the right instructors there as well.

[rawaction]

Who's the Cubs catching instructor at the minor league/Arizona level?

[jersey cubs fan]

Who's the Cubs catching instructor at the minor league/Arizona level?

 

No idea, but Mike Borzello is the major league catching coach. Is he actually allowed to be in the dugout, and if not, is he able to also spend time with minor leaguers?

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=chc&coachorstaffid=459635

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/team/coaches.jsp?c_id=chc

 

 

Tim Cossins was previously described as the Minor League field and catching coordinator and he is still listed officially as field coordinator.

 

new edit

 

no idea why this is from Angels website.

http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20131218&content_id=66057372&vkey=pr_chc&c_id=chc

 

Cubs announce 2014 minor league coordinators

The Chicago Cubs today announced the club's minor league coordinators for the 2014 season.

 

Tim Cossins returns for his second season as the organization's minor league field/catching coordinator following 10 years in the Miami Marlins farm system, including the last six as the minor league catching coordinator. He was also a manager in the Marlins minor league system from 2003-07. Cossins began his coaching career in 2000 and in 2001-02 was the Major League bullpen catcher for Kansas City. The former catcher played eight minor league seasons (1993-2000) in the Rangers, Yankees and Expos organizations.

Edited July 17, 2014 by jersey cubs fan

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Who's the Cubs catching instructor at the minor league/Arizona level?

Jody Davis? Henry Blanco? Rick Wilkins?