Minor League Musings

[craig]

Stinnett 4 perfect innings in his opener, 6K/5GO/1FO. Nice start.

[imb]

i questioned it

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/archive/viewtopic.php?p=3081501#p3081501

 

lots of fun stuff in that thread

[RammyFanny]

i questioned it

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/archive/viewtopic.php?p=3081501#p3081501

 

lots of fun stuff in that thread

Directed at Kyle:

 

"Your glass isn't even half empty. It's bone dry."

[imb]

http://i.imgur.com/2wj0mhz.png

 

if you need me ill be in my bunk

[Hairyducked Idiot]

i questioned it

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/archive/viewtopic.php?p=3081501#p3081501

 

lots of fun stuff in that thread

 

 

My only regret is actually caring about the nuances of MLB draft strategy.

[craig]

Stinnett 4 perfect innings in his opener, 6K/5GO/1FO. Nice start.

 

Sure would be nice if he had a good year, could be the lead potential swing arm.

 

Anybody know who will start for SB tomorrow? It's got to be between Morrison and Kellogg.

 

Morrison. Kellogg is their #5 starter.

[TruffleShuffle]

tyler kolek has had TJ surgery. so now half of the top 6 picks have either had TJ or are still in extended spring training.

 

meanwhile, schwarber signed for under slot, reached the majors a year after the draft, and is a beast.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I really liked the Schwarber pick and was pushing him a few weeks before the draft when he wasn't being mentioned yet and Conforto was all the rage. Rare good prediction by me (admittedly I was very intrigued by Jackson too).

[JennieGarthAlgar]

Its pretty cool how spread out our top position prospects are across the diamond. This is the next wave, essentially, I mean, if they weren't all mostly blocked by future hall of famers.

 

C Contreras

1B Vogelbach

2B Happ

3B Candelario

SS Torres

LF McKinney

CF Almora

RF Jimenez

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Daniel Poncedeleon, who the Cubs drafted in the 14th round in 2013 but couldn't sign because he failed a physical, is apparently one of the Cardinals better prospects now.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA Hot Sheet:

 

12. Donnie Dewees, of, Cubs

 

Team: low Class A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .464/.500/.821 (13-for-28), 7 R, 2 2B, 4 3B, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 2-for-4 SB

 

The Scoop: The former North Florida stud struggled a bit in his pro debut at short-season Eugene, but he is showing the same bat-to-ball skills that made him a second-round pick in 2015. Dewees has good hand-eye coordination and scouts believe there is home-run power to come at some point. (V.L.C.)

 

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot-sheet-april-15/#X3sHs330lu4oPBrR.99

[TruffleShuffle]

milb talked to albert almora about his start to the season at iowa, as well as USA baseball.

 

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20160428&content_id=175078526&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&tcid=tw_article_175078526

 

skip ahead to 20:35 in the podcast.

[Tedward]

BA Hot Sheet 4/29/16

 

 

11. Albert Almora, of, Cubs

 

image: http://cdn.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_cubs77.jpg

3ds_cubs77

Team: Triple-A Iowa (Pacific Coast)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .407/.429/.704 (11-for- 27), 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for- 1 SB

 

The Scoop: This is the Almora whom scouts expected to see when the Cubs selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 draft. No one has ever questioned Almora’s defense, and he’s always been tough to strike out. But with little pop and few walks, his offensive value had been tied to his batting average. This year his walk rate is up, his power has improved and he’s still tough to strike out. It’s too early to determine whether these improvements are permanent, but it’s an encouraging sign for Almora. (JJC)

 

 

 

14. Ian Happ, 2b, Cubs

 

image: http://cdn.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_cubs77.jpg

3ds_cubs77

Team: high Class A Myrtle Beach (Carolina)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .400/.550/.867 (6-for-15), 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 5 BB, 2 SO

 

The Scoop: After scoring with first-round picks Kris Bryant (2013) and Kyle Schwarber (2014), the Cubs have hit on another college bat. Happ has terrific bat speed and combines aggressiveness with great selectivity. He has drawn 15 walks already this season against 20 strikeouts. His power had been to the gaps, but he has four homers already, showing more lift in his swing. The Cubs are giving him a long look at second base this spring, but he could wind up as a successor to Ben Zobrist as a multi-positional, switch-hitting, bat-first player. (VLC)

[Transmogrified Tiger]

http://2080baseball.com/2016/05/notes-from-the-west-pcl-and-cal-league-updates-2/

 

Through his first 83 PAs in 2016, Almora has shined in his Triple-A debut in Iowa, slashing .351/.390/.527, with nine strikeouts and six walks. Some of the production is attributable to a .370-plus batting average on balls in play. But the scouting backs up the offensive jump, as well, with Almora showing more selectivity in the pitches he is attacking in the zone and a slightly more efficient path to the ball. Given his elite contact rates – fueled by impressive hand-eye coordination – and solid bat speed, as well as an increasing ability to add some loft to his hard-hit balls, Almora could emerge as a potentially impactful number two hitter, with a fallback as a quality down-lineup bat with BABIP-driven production from year-to-year.

 

While some concerns remain regarding Almora’s ability to execute a disciplined plan of attack against major league arms, there’s no doubt as to caliber of his glove, reads, routes and easy plus arm out in center field. Not only does Almora stand out for his efficient routes, but his first step off of contact is among the truest and quickest you’ll see in the outfield grass. He runs well enough to cover large swaths of the outfield, and his feel for tracking down lofted drives helps his already solid foot speed to play even better.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

John (Chicago): Heard anything on Eddy Julio Martinez? Rust is expected, but are the tools still there?

 

Ben Badler: Tools are still solid, nothing spectacular, but the pitch recognition and free-swinging tendencies have been problematic. Given his layoff, I think it’s fair to wait to see how he does in the second half, but the plate discipline is worrisome

[David]

[tweet]

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[Tim]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

lol - was this meant ironically?

[David]

i figured

[jersey cubs fan]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

lol - was this meant ironically?

yes

[jersey cubs fan]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Yeah, it seems like Concepcion might have a shot as a loogy. Because it turns out the FO really was magic all along and everyone is going to stick. I'm buying my Josh Conway shirsey while it is still cheap.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Concepcion should have taken Juan Paniagua with him to AAA.

[imb]

now that's what i call murderer's throw vol 7

[Vinestal]

Nice article on Almora in the Des Moines Register http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/baseball/iowa-cubs/2016/05/14/albert-almora-chicago-cubs-iowa-cubs-triple-a/84335296/

There's also an audio interview with Voglebach at the bottom.

[David]

Nice article on Almora in the Des Moines Register http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/baseball/iowa-cubs/2016/05/14/albert-almora-chicago-cubs-iowa-cubs-triple-a/84335296/

There's also an audio interview with Voglebach at the bottom.

 

Damn. His dad's cancer is back.