Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 5-17-15

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost 7-5 Box Score

 

Tennessee won game one 5-0 (7 innings) Box Score

 

Tennessee lost game two 1-0 (8 innings) Box Score

 

Myrtle Beach won 6-5 Box Score

 

South Bend lost 7-4 Box Score

[Gilby]

Hannemann seems to be getting CF priority over Almora lately. He's in CF again with Almora in RF in the first game.

[CubsWin]

The Tennessee line-up is looking pretty good these days.

 

Willson Contreras likely isn't this good, but then again neither is Vogelbach, but while they are hitting, this line-up is stacked.

 

LaStella

Almora

Schwarber

Vogelbach

Contreras

McKinney

 

That's a nice 1-6. Even after LaStella leaves, that's a lot of prospect fire power for one team.

[CubsWin]

Hannemann seems to be getting CF priority over Almora lately. He's in CF again with Almora in RF in the first game.

I'm not reading a lot into this. The most likely thing it means is that they already know what Almora can do in CF, but Hannemann could use the time there to improve. Almora had been playing some LF, but now that McKinney is in AA, Almora has moved to RF. All is shows me is that Almora is just an exceptional defensive OFer who doesn't have much more improvement to make in that department. Now, let's get his bat going good. Really good.

[CubsWin]

I'm sensing an Almora hot streak. He can hit. He just needs to continue being more and more selective at the plate.

[Guest]

Vogelbach with a double. Schwarber one ups him with a hr.

[davell]

They're going to stay hot all year.

[imb]

Vogelbach with a double. Schwarber one ups him with a hr.

 

I like to look at schwarber's slash line and then look at Alex jackson's.

[Guest]

Another HR for Schwarber, moving his OPS north of 1.125

[Guest]

This one drove in Almora, who had walked.

[Guest]

Almora's May, which started after coming off the DL: 40 PA, .297/.350/.486/.836, 3 BB, 4 K

[Guest]

Is Bruno hurt again? I notice he hasn't played since 5/12.

[imb]

Another HR for Schwarber, moving his OPS north of 1.125

 

Holy [expletive]

[Gilby]

We can't keep him in the minors for a couple years, or however long he needs to be a catcher. Now that he's proving he's essentially left-handed Bryant, move him to Iowa and to left field and let's see him in a couple months.

[Guest]

Both of those HR were off (the same) LHP, btw

[Guest]

Vogelbach's double was off Hultzen

[Guest]

LaStella just got removed from the Tenn game. gamecast simply said "Injury Delay"

[Guest]

LaStella just got removed from the Tenn game. gamecast simply said "Injury Delay"

 

Twitter indicates he hurt himself on the swing, probably reaggravated his side.

[CubsWin]

LaStella just got removed from the Tenn game. gamecast simply said "Injury Delay"

 

Twitter indicates he hurt himself on the swing, probably reaggravated his side.

Well, poop.

[Guest]

Fouling ball off himself might be better:

 

@BroadcasterMick: #Cubs @TommyLaStella left @smokiesbaseball rehab assignment after fouling a pitch off. Went to a knee and headed immediately to the dugout

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Another HR for Schwarber, moving his OPS north of 1.125

seriously, [expletive] catching. this guy is a beast.

[Little Slide Rooter]

With all that's been going on, I haven't even noticed that Almora's avg. is >.300 and OPS >.700.

[CubsWin]

We can't keep him in the minors for a couple years, or however long he needs to be a catcher. Now that he's proving he's essentially left-handed Bryant, move him to Iowa and to left field and let's see him in a couple months.

Yeah, if he keeps this up the Cubs are going to have to do something. The most aggressive path I see that is likely to happen is he gets promoted to AAA in June and gets the call either after the deadline or in September.

 

The thing is, I don't know if his defense in LF is any better than it is at catcher at the moment. If he can play it at all, and the Cubs are in the hunt, I can see him getting called up if he keeps hitting like this. With Ross and Montero in Chicago, there's no reason why his catching development would have to take a big hit even if he's playing LF. I'm sure those two could and would help him working in side sessions.

[CubsWin]

Javy HBP in his 1st AB. 2nd AB he Ks, but he showed good patience going down looking in a 7-pitch at bat. He's even failing better now... :D

[Guest]

Is Bruno hurt again? I notice he hasn't played since 5/12.

 

Yeah, he left a game with an injury around then. Not sure what happened.