Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 4-23-17

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost 8-7 (13 innings) Box Score

 

3B T. La Stella 1/7, 2 K, CS (1)

LF-2B C. Young 3/6, RBI

2B-CF I. Happ 1/6, R, 2B (2), BB

1B J. Candelario 2/5, 2 R, 2 2B (10), 2 BB, K

RF B. Rademacher 0/4, R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 E (2, fielding, fielding)

PH-LF M. Zagunis 1/3, R, HR (3), 3 RBI, K

SP A. Brooks 6 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 7-4 GO-FO, 91-55 pitches-strikes

RP R. Zastryzny 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 2-2 GO-FO, 49-31 pitches-strikes

RP F. Peña 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 BP, 1-0 GO-FO

RP R. Williams 2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1-5 GO-FO, 36-24 pitches-strikes

 

Tennessee (game one) PPD - Inclement Weather

 

Tennessee (game two) PPD - Inclement Weather

 

Myrtle Beach scored 4 in the 9th inning to win 7-4 Box Score

 

2B C. Sepulveda 1/2, R, RBI, 2 BB, K

SS B. Flete 1/5, R

3B J. Hodges 0/5, 3 K, E (1, throw)

DH T. Alamo 0/4, K

PH-RF E. Martinez 1/1, R, RBI, BB

SP J. Steele 3 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 4-1 GO-FO, 71-48 pitches-strikes

RP D. Maples 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO

 

South Bend won 9-8 Box Score

 

2B Y. Peguero 1/4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K

SS I. Paredes 2/5, R, 2B (5), K

DH J. Pereda 1/4, R, RBI, 3 K

3B-1B W. Galindo 1/4, R, 2B (4), 2 K, E (7, fielding)

1B-RF C. Pieters 2/4, 2 R, 2B 1), RBI, K, E (1, fielding)

LF K. Mitchell 2/3, 2 R, 3B (2), RBI, BB

CF DJ Wilson 0/3, R, BB, 2 K, SB (5)

SP B. Hudson 4.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 3 HBP, 9-4 GO-FO, 72-38 pitches-strikes

RP D. Robinson 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 8-1 GO-FO, 48-31 pitches-strikes

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Bryan Hudson was just promoted to South Bend and will get the start today.

[davell]

Bryan Hudson was just promoted to South Bend and will get the start today.

 

Nice. It might just take a start or two, before he's on the national radar, if he continues where he left off in EXST.

[Tim]

Zagunis homered again today. Happ is 0-5 with no strikeouts and a walk.

[Tim]

Bryan Hudson was just promoted to South Bend and will get the start today.

 

Nice. It might just take a start or two, before he's on the national radar, if he continues where he left off in EXST.

He wasn't really that sharp.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Caratini is 13 for his last 29 with 4/3 K/BB

[davell]

Bryan Hudson was just promoted to South Bend and will get the start today.

 

Nice. It might just take a start or two, before he's on the national radar, if he continues where he left off in EXST.

He wasn't really that sharp.

 

9/4 GO/FO, but that's about all there was that was positive. 4.1 2 4 2 2 1 final line. I'd like to know if he's added any velo or even what his pitches are looking like currently. His upside is probably top 5 or so of all of our arms at this point. Of course, his downside is obviously much more likely too.

 

Still, he's a guy that could conceivably go from borderline top 30 to inside our top 10, so he's worth keeping track of.

[craig]

...9/4 GO/FO, but that's about all there was that was positive. 4.1 2 4 2 2 1 final line. I'd like to know if he's added any velo or even what his pitches are looking like currently. His upside is probably top 5 or so of all of our arms at this point. Of course, his downside is obviously much more likely too......Still, he's a guy that could conceivably go from borderline top 30 to inside our top 10, so he's worth keeping track of.

 

He also hit not one, not two, but three hitters. So some control issues remain.

 

Tom's comment is pretty obvious: Hudson's a young guy, if he produces and pitches effectively, he may get on the map. If he's predominantly ineffective, not likely.

 

Certainly the velocity will factor there. If he continues to have Kellogg-esque 80's velocity, he'll need to be pretty consistent with his command to get much interest. If his velocity bumps into the 90's, then there's more tolerance for inconsistency.

[Cubswin11]

Hudson is left-handed Chris Volstad, right? Huge dude that looks like he should bring it but throws with less than impressive velo? Unless he shows he's moving towards Hendricks level command/control he's a nothing to me.

[UK]

Caratini is 13 for his last 29 with 4/3 K/BB

 

Hopefully, he'll be strong enough defensively to where he'll secure the back-up role at a much cheaper rate than Montero. (Not that Montero is good defensively either) but his value is much higher as a backup C rather than some much poorer offensive version of Schwarber or a Tyler Houston clone needing them to carry another C.

[UK]

I am always leery of when teams have a young primary C, the immediate reaction is to get a veteran regardless of cost or production.

 

There was some luck involved with Ross' production, more times than not you'll get Jeff Mathis production which explains why he is still playing.

Edited April 24, 2017 by UK

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Hudson is left-handed Chris Volstad, right? Huge dude that looks like he should bring it but throws with less than impressive velo? Unless he shows he's moving towards Hendricks level command/control he's a nothing to me.

 

I always think of Brian McNichol when I think of a tall lefty who went through the Cubs system.

[davell]

Normally, I don't get very excited about EXST numbers. In Hudson's case, I did. He had gone 11 3 0 0 1 12 in his last 2 outings and had rave reviews, to boot. Hitting spots, generating weak contact.....

 

I kind of suspect, that IF things go right, its a "lightbulb on" moment and not something gradual, considering the clumsiness, lack of mechanics, etc that's plagued him so far.

[Donzo]

 

Ignoring that we're talking 11 ExST innings for a second/third year pro - the only baseball writer I saw even mention it was AZPhil.

 

Well, he's been a "pro" for less than two years and he's 19 yrs old... So, those are good numbers for him in ExST... Is there any reason to doubt AZPhil?

 

If all Hudson could do was top out at 88 mph, then he's pretty limited as a prospect. Since his scouting report states he can reach 94 mph (albeit, with Nuke LaLoosh type control), he's pretty interesting.

[weis21]

ATTN: Expert Analysis

 

In Kinston, NC on 4/23/17 it was quite cold. It was 59 degrees, which is normally warm enough for me to wear shorts (and a pullover) - but mother nature was a jerk yesterday because the light mist and strong breeze made it really uncomfortable. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for me yesterday because it may have been the only thing that made me survive the entire game. Attendance was small. I must say I was surprised (appalled?) with the sheer number of camo clothing being worn by people in attendance. As a fellow North Carolinian, I can probably count on one hand how many times I've been less proud to be a resident (thanks, HB2!).

 

Steele was hit...hard. His line probably should have been worse and I was quite underwhelmed with him. Craig Brooks looked really good and he went to college at my mother and sister's alma matter (Catawba College in my small town of Salisbury, NC) so I yelled (was right behind the Pelican's dugout) when he came off the mound, "Way to go, Catawba!". He looked at me like I was a total dick. Perhaps he forgot where he went to school or maybe he just hates Salisbury (understandable). Or maybe he's a jerk. I feel sure he felt bad about it in retrospect.

 

I really like Sepulveda. He looked smooth in the field (Hodges, on the other hand, looked bad) and seems to have a nice approach. In fact, in their 4-run ninth I was really impressed with the entire lineup's approach. The whole team over the course of both the games seemed to have a patient, intelligent approach at the plate (THAT'S CUB). Maybe it was just common sense since the pitcher was clearly having trouble with command. However, I feel like it wouldn't have necessarily been something I would have seen with a MiLB team under the previous regime.

 

I have no clue if Daniel Spingola is an actual prospect but he seemed fairly impressive. I also kind of liked the little bit I saw of EJM. Norwood (save his one hit) looked pretty dominant in my opinion. Maples looked OK. Stuff looked fine but command was a bit shaky. His line looks pretty good but he gave up some solid contact.

 

It was really fun and it should have gone to extras (thank goodness it didn't because I was freezing) without a HORRIBLE throw from a wood duck on a fairly routine play. They tacked on a couple more - they were locked in and hittling line drives. I was slightly obnoxious because I was the only cubs fan (there had to be a couple dozen of us in a lightly attended game) that was actively rooting for MB - locals again didn't seem pleased but I made it out of town safely.

 

/anlysis

[weis21]

http://images.distractify.com/v0.2/body/2016/01/CO6zWMYVAAAbgPM.jpg

[Hrubes20]

Yeah, more of the same from Hudson in his first full season start. Dude's a mess.

[craig]

Normally, I don't get very excited about EXST numbers. In Hudson's case, I did. He had gone 11 3 0 0 1 12 in his last 2 outings and had rave reviews, to boot. Hitting spots, generating weak contact..... I kind of suspect, that IF things go right, its a "lightbulb on" moment and not something gradual, considering the clumsiness, lack of mechanics, etc that's plagued him so far.

 

I agree, he'd had two really clean outing in a row, and Az Phil who watches all the games was really positive. Guys improve in all kinds of different ways, sometimes light-bulb, sometimes progress-plateau-regress-progress-plateau, whatever. But I was hopeful that something was better, and I think that Cubs management was also, thus the promotion. Yesterday disappointing. If he'd had 5 shutout innings, we'd be having a different conversation.

 

Tom, obviously he's not going to be a prospect if he doesn't have results.

Results AND velocity bump => more national respect (justifiably).

No results, no respect.

Even if he improves to Kellogg-level results (or worse) with Kellogg-level velocity (or worse) and Kellogg-level movement/breaking stuff => he'll get nothing more than Kellogg-level respect (or less).

 

I do think that some prospects do improve with time. Hudson's under 70 pro innings; that's enough to know what the rest of his career will be? (Paredes has 1 HR in his pro career, should we conclude he'll never hit any HR's?)

 

As for the "can hit 94", I'd take that with about 94 grains of salt. Don't think Hudson actually can pitch at 94, or at least not since high school. My understanding is that at least as of last summer, he wasn't fast at all, and maybe kinda made Anderson look like a power lefty.

 

Guys can change and improve, so I'm hopeful. But certainly the burden of proof is on the player, if he hasn't performed well thus far.

[Donzo]

I've never seen Hudson pitch, so I'm going off of his scouting report at Cubs.com for the 94mph. The report doesn't just pump him up, it also sates he was pitching at 84-88mph.

 

The report makes sense, I buy it.