Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 4-22-18

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost 8-6 (12 innings) Box Score

 

1B E. Navarro 2/4, BB, K

RF M. Zagunis 1/1, 2 RBI, HBP

C C. Gimenez 1/6, R, RBI, 2 K

SP JH Tseng 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 9-2 GO-FO, 95-54 pitches-strikes

RP A. Bass 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 2-0 GO-FO

RP J. Hancock 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO

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

 

Tennessee lost 11-5 Box Score

 

SS Z. Short 0/4, 3 K, E (2, throw)

1B J. Vosler 0/4, K

C I. Rice 0/4, 2 K

RF E. Martinez 0/4

3B J. Hodges 2/4, 2 R

SP D. Robinson 4 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP, 5-2 GO-FO, 81-52 pitches-strikes

RP P. MOrrison 2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 3-0 GO-FO

 

Myrtle Beach won 8-3 Box Score

 

CF DJ Wilson 2/4, 2 R, 2B (1), BB

DH PJ Higgins 2/4, 2 R, RBI

C J. PEreda 2/4, R, 3 RBI

3B W. Galindo 2/4, R, K, E (4, throw)

2B A. Monasterio 1/4, R, 2B (4)

SS A. Ademan 2/4, R, RBI, K

SP M. Swarmer 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 4-6 GO-FO, 87-65 pitches-strikes

RP J. Minch 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 2-0 GO-FO

 

South Bend lost 4-2 Box Score

 

CF C. Singleton 0/4, 2 K

3B Y. Peguero 2/4, RBI

1B A, Filiere 1/3, BB, K

RF B. Hughes 0/3, R, BB, K

DH M. Amaya 2/4, R,

SS R. Narea 2/4, 2B (2), RBI, K

SP B. Little 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 1 WP, 7-0 GO-FO, 79-48 pitches-strikes

RP R. Lacy 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 6-1 GO-FO

[toonsterwu]

I find myself oddly hoping that Duncan Robinson does well early and gets a quick bump to Iowa. I know his ceiling is limited, and he may very well more Jen-Ho Tseng than I want to admit right now, but the unknown intrigues me more than the known. I mean, Duane Underwood is the most intriguing starter at AAA right now, and that ship sailed.

[Tim]

I find myself oddly hoping that Duncan Robinson does well early and gets a quick bump to Iowa. I know his ceiling is limited, and he may very well more Jen-Ho Tseng than I want to admit right now, but the unknown intrigues me more than the known. I mean, Duane Underwood is the most intriguing starter at AAA right now, and that ship sailed.

Adbert?

[Hrubes20]

Little REALLY needs a good start today. Preferably with mid-90s velo.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Brendon Little retired the first 5 hitters today before giving up a run and 3 straight hits (solo HR, a "soft" single, an IF single and then a K to get out of the inning). 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 36-25 pitches-strikes. He only needed 8 pitches in the 1-2-3 first.

 

Duncan Robinson has gotten lit up to the tune of 7 ER in 1+ IP.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Little with a 9-pitch 1-2-3 3rd inning. 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 4-0 GO-FO, 45-29 pitches-strikes

 

Easily his best pro outing. His ERA is below 9.00!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

1-out BB and the another HR to the same guy who hit the HR off Little in the 2nd.

 

4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 6-0 GO-FO, 66-40 pitches-strikes

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Little's final line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 7-0 GO-FO, 79-48 pitches-strikes

[Cubswin11]

Little's final line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 7-0 GO-FO, 79-48 pitches-strikes

Any word on velo?

[Hrubes20]

Little's final line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 7-0 GO-FO, 79-48 pitches-strikes

 

Yay for groundouts, I guess?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Was hoping for more out of Didier Vargas' velocity:

 

Arizona Phil[/url]"]KKvG: Didier Vargas is a stocky LHP, throws strikes, and he has a reliable CV which is his swing & miss "K"-pitch. He has outstanding command and moves his FB around (up & down, inside & outside) to set-up the breaking ball. FB velo is only 87-89, not that it matters that much since if he threw harder he probably wouldn't have such good command and be able to throw such a high-percentage of strikes. He also has blonde hair (like Javier Baez).

 

From what I have seen so far, Vargas is probably the most-advanced of the 2017 DSL Cubs pitchers at EXST, and he will very likely be a SP for one of the two Cubs AZL teams when the short-season leagues begin play in June. Could even be an AZL Opening Day starter. It's not like he needs to correct anything he's doing wrong, so for him it's just a matter of gradually increasing his innings and pitch-count over the next six or seven weeks to be ready for AZL Opening Day on June 18th.

[CyHawk_Cub]

All he needs to do is become LH Kyle Hendricks. That shouldn't be too difficult. No, not at all.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

He could also gain velocity.

[CyHawk_Cub]

He's a Cubs pitching prospect. I'm not expecting much.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

He could also gain velocity.

 

Yeah, he’s only 19.

[Cubswin11]

He could also gain velocity.

 

Yeah, he’s only 19.

Yeah, you'd think there's room to add velo at that age. As a lefty even if he goes from 87-89 to say 88-91 and maybe touch 92-93 that's plenty of velo if the command and control is that good with a good curveball. That report on his pitching profile almost sounds a little Quintana like.

[CubsWin]

Little's final line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 7-0 GO-FO, 79-48 pitches-strikes

Any word on velo?

Brendon Little:

 

1st inning: 92 FB, solid consistent location on FB and curve, sharp 10-5 breaker that he effective kept low getting a swinging K on a curve in the dirt to end the inning.

 

2nd inning: 90-92 FB, very much a carbon copy of 1st inning. HR was off of a FB at the top of the zone. Didn't seem to be hit all that hard but carried out to LF. Single was a high pop up that Brandon Hughes over ran. Another single was a high hopper over the mound that was booted by SS Narea. Another nice curve in the dirt for strike three to end the inning. Pitch count ran high this inning due to the two singles that very easily could've been errors. Cubs got a reliever up indicating they're very interested in protecting Little early in his development.

 

3rd inning: No velo readings given. Quick inning with 3 ground outs. Only had one pitch (a FB high and outside) that missed it's mark. First 2 GOs were to right handers off of FBs down and in that were rather weakly hit to the 3B. Little keeps the ball low in the zone consistently leading to a lot of balls hit on the ground. It's easy to see some Lester in him. The down and in FB likely doesn't have the cut that Lester's does, and the velocity is a tick or two lower, certainly lower than Lester in his prime.

 

4th inning: Announcers spent the inning chatting with the Lansing announcer (whose mic they never turned up) about cake, snacks, nicknames and movie references, but Little left a few pitches up and paid the price with a walk and another opposite field HR by Williams. But was otherwise around the plate. The only velocity they gave was an 88 mph FB from Little. May have been tiring as this was the most pitches he'd thrown in his professional career. Once again, Little ended the inning on a swing and a miss of a good curve in the dirt.

 

5th inning: First time pitching into the 5th since being drafted. Again 88 on the FB (only velo given). Not wild, but FB control not as good as in innings 1-3. A walk and two stolen bases set up the 4th run scoring on a GB to 3rd. Still throwing good curve balls.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Little's final line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 7-0 GO-FO, 79-48 pitches-strikes

Any word on velo?

Brendon Little:

 

1st inning: 92 FB, solid consistent location on FB and curve, sharp 10-5 breaker that he effective kept low getting a swinging K on a curve in the dirt to end the inning.

 

2nd inning: 90-92 FB, very much a carbon copy of 1st inning. HR was off of a FB at the top of the zone. Didn't seem to be hit all that hard but carried out to LF. Single was a high pop up that Brandon Hughes over ran. Another single was a high hopper over the mound that was booted by SS Narea. Another nice curve in the dirt for strike three to end the inning. Pitch count ran high this inning due to the two singles that very easily could've been errors. Cubs got a reliever up indicating they're very interested in protecting Little early in his development.

 

3rd inning: No velo readings given. Quick inning with 3 ground outs. Only had one pitch (a FB high and outside) that missed it's mark. First 2 GOs were to right handers off of FBs down and in that were rather weakly hit to the 3B. Little keeps the ball low in the zone consistently leading to a lot of balls hit on the ground. It's easy to see some Lester in him. The down and in FB likely doesn't have the cut that Lester's does, and the velocity is a tick or two lower, certainly lower than Lester in his prime.

 

4th inning: Announcers spent the inning chatting with the Lansing announcer (whose mic they never turned up) about cake, snacks, nicknames and movie references, but Little left a few pitches up and paid the price with a walk and another opposite field HR by Williams. But was otherwise around the plate. The only velocity they gave was an 88 mph FB from Little. May have been tiring as this was the most pitches he'd thrown in his professional career. Once again, Little ended the inning on a swing and a miss of a good curve in the dirt.

 

5th inning: First time pitching into the 5th since being drafted. Again 88 on the FB (only velo given). Not wild, but FB control not as good as in innings 1-3. A walk and two stolen bases set up the 4th run scoring on a GB to 3rd. Still throwing good curve balls.

 

Thanks!

[craig]

Thanks much for the Little report, Cubswin. 88-92 velocity is what Lester and Quintana use, to variable success I guess; both are control artists. Wonder how well going with average velocity and variable control will work?

 

still hoping to see at least a little more velocity at some point. If they drafted him expecting him to be an 88-92 guy, I'm not sure that's really a great 1st rounder plan..... Think they may have been seeing more velocity than that when they used a first on him.

 

We shall see, I guess.

[Cubswin11]

Thanks much for the Little report, Cubswin. 88-92 velocity is what Lester and Quintana use, to variable success I guess; both are control artists. Wonder how well going with average velocity and variable control will work?

 

still hoping to see at least a little more velocity at some point. If they drafted him expecting him to be an 88-92 guy, I'm not sure that's really a great 1st rounder plan..... Think they may have been seeing more velocity than that when they used a first on him.

 

We shall see, I guess.

My comment on that 88-92 was on Vargas not Little. I expect more out of him given what we’ve heard pre-draft.

[craig]

"Expect" more, yes. But what you heard/reports was 90-92 early, and 88 late. That's about what we've gotten in his earlier bad outings, and as fast or faster than what we heard last summer.

 

So yeah, we all want >92, and expect that based on #1 draft selection and pre-draft scouting reports. But thus far he's consistently not shown it. Thus far.

 

Hopefully some warm weather and some success, or perhaps a little more confidence with his mechanics, and we'll be getting 93-95 routinely later on this season. Hopefully.