Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 8-26-15

[ctcf]

Scheduled Games (All Times Central):

 

Iowa vs. Fresno, 6:38 p.m.

Tennessee at Chattanooga, 6:15 p.m.

Myrtle Beach vs. Winston-Salem, 6:05 p.m.

South Bend at West Michigan, 6:00 p.m.

Eugene vs. Spokane, 9:05 p.m.

 

Probable Starters:

 

Iowa: RHP Carlos Pimentel (127 IP, 2.98 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 106 K, 61 BB)

Tennessee: RHP Ryan Williams (75 IP, 3.12 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 56 K, 15 BB)

Myrtle Beach: RHP Daury Torrez (121.1 IP, 3.93 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 80 K, 18 BB)

South Bend: LHP Tommy Thorpe (78.1 IP, 3.45 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 55 K, 34 BB)

Eugene: RHP Oscar De La Cruz (60 IP, 3.30 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 56 K, 16 BB)

[UMFan83]

Out of curiosity for those that follow closer, what the heck happened to Alcantara? He was great at Iowa last year, we brought him up and other than a power surge was rather 'meh' but many expected him to adjust and be a contributor this year.

 

And he's just sucked in Chicago and at Iowa. Is he a failed prospect? Are they working on adjustments that are affecting his numbers in the short term? Is there any chance he's up in September?

 

Just kind of confused as he was a top 100 prospect going into last year, got into the top 50 on some midseason lists and now is just kind of there lost in the shuffle with all the other prospects coming up and succeeding.

[Vinestal]

Voglebach back in the lineup tonight

[davell]

Almora HR

 

As for Mendy, there's just been no talk of ANYTHING. My honest guess is he's been in a year long funk.(that's a hot [expletive] taek)

 

It certainly doesn't show that any adjustments have been made. Not sure if he's trying to or if he's incapable.

 

At any rate, he's been passed over by enough guys that he's likely a 2nd/3rd piece in a deal during the offseason. The luster is off, but he's got a bit of value left. I'd liken it to Olt, when we got him in the Garza deal. There's teams that can give him ML at bats. My guess is he still winds up a useful major leaguer, just not as a first division starter.

[Guest]

it seems like an eternity ago when mendy was in our early season lineups and got his ass kicked by montero

[Vinestal]

Vogelbach HR*edited for spelling, Im not sure why his name is difficult for me Ive spelled it many times Edited August 27, 2015 by Vinestal

[davell]

Vogelbomb

[Guest]

Almora three run double

[Vinestal]

Baez just k'd but it was looking on a ball that was inside off the plate by quite a bit

[Vinestal]

Add a double to Vogelbach's night

[Gilby]

So, Emilio Bonifacio is playing for the Iowa Cubs tonight.

[Vinestal]

Javy with another single and RBI in the 8th

[ctcf]

Man Almora sure is closing the year well

[ctcf]

So, Emilio Bonifacio is playing for the Iowa Cubs tonight.

 

what in the hell

[Guest]

So, Emilio Bonifacio is playing for the Iowa Cubs tonight.

 

what in the hell

 

were you guys unaware that we signed him or did you just think it's weird he's at iowa?

[ctcf]

So, Emilio Bonifacio is playing for the Iowa Cubs tonight.

 

what in the hell

 

were you guys unaware that we signed him or did you just think it's weird he's at iowa?

 

had no idea he had signed

[Guest]

someone posted it in the quentin barry (is that the stealy guy's name?) thread for whatever reason

[Guest]

Almora's last 94 PA: .373/.441/.506/.947, 8BB, 2HBP, 9K, 11 2B.

 

And that was before today's 2-4 with a double and hr.

[TruffleShuffle]

1 hit, 11 k for de la cruz in 6 innings.

[imb]

24 Ks through 8 for de la cruz

[Guest]

<3 Oscar

[Lefty]

Almora's last 94 PA: .373/.441/.506/.947, 8BB, 2HBP, 9K, 11 2B.

 

And that was before today's 2-4 with a double and hr.

 

We need to find out what the heck happened at the Pan Am games.

[craig]

Not sure what's changed for Almora in approach. But, he's using left field a lot more. Early in the season it seemed everything was opposite-field/center-field, very little pull field, and one or two video clips I saw seemed to suggest a stance and weight transfer that corresponded. During the hot streak, he's gotten a lot more hits, including many of the extra base hits, to left field. And from the game logs, it's seemed that he's getting a lot more line drives.

 

Context: In some "top ten" lists, Gleyber has tended to be #1, and Almora has tended to be placed in the 5-10 range. Interestingly, Almora's season BABIP is still only .293. If Gleyber had Almora's .293 BABIP, he'd be hitting .229, and he'd not be ranked #1 by any of us. (105K/3HR is not normally conducive to a high batting average.)

 

That Almora's composite numbers involve a low BABIP probably suggests he may actually project more favorably than the numbers suggest, and that it may not be as hard for him to sustain or improve his numbers next year despite promotion to Iowa.

[craig]

I've been all in on the rise of the Cubs hitting prospects. But I think we prospect-followers have all been trained and repeatedly reminded that not all prospects work out, and we should expect some failures. But now here we site. Alcantara has washed out. We've seen Castro fail to improve or even sustain. But Schwarber, Russell, Bryant, Soler, all look like they'll be variably good. And now with the recent splurge, there is improved reason to think that Baez may not wash out either, and Almora's getting back into the picture as a possible regular.

 

As optimistic as all of us were, I don't think any of us could have assumed that all six of Bryant, Russell, Soler, Schwarber, Baez, and Almora would all end up being variably decent-or-better starters. But I'm getting more hopeful that both Baez and Almora may still be able to reach that, and we've got a really decent shot that all six of those guys really will make it.

 

Pretty amazing.

[Lefty]

I've been all in on the rise of the Cubs hitting prospects. But I think we prospect-followers have all been trained and repeatedly reminded that not all prospects work out, and we should expect some failures. But now here we site. Alcantara has washed out. We've seen Castro fail to improve or even sustain. But Schwarber, Russell, Bryant, Soler, all look like they'll be variably good. And now with the recent splurge, there is improved reason to think that Baez may not wash out either, and Almora's getting back into the picture as a possible regular.

 

As optimistic as all of us were, I don't think any of us could have assumed that all six of Bryant, Russell, Soler, Schwarber, Baez, and Almora would all end up being variably decent-or-better starters. But I'm getting more hopeful that both Baez and Almora may still be able to reach that, and we've got a really decent shot that all six of those guys really will make it.

 

Pretty amazing.

 

...but I've given up on Vitters.