Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 7-25-18

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa in progress Box Score

 

Tennessee lost 9-1 Box Score

 

Myrtle Beach lost 6-5 Box Score

 

South Bend won 5-4 (11 innings) Box Score

 

Eugene in progress Box Score

 

AZL Cubs 1 had the day off

 

AZL Cubs 2 in progress Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 1 lost game one 7-6 (7 innings) Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 1 won game two 12-4 (7 innings) Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 2 lost 4-3 Box Score

[CubsWin]

What a depressing minor league season for the Cubs. By some lists, the 3 top pitching prospects for the Cubs: Alzolay out for the year. De La Cruz sucked and then got suspended for 80 games. Albertos imploded. Their top hitting prospect at the start of the season, Ademan struggled mightily in the first half after a very aggressive promotion and is hitting worse 100 ABs into his 2nd half.

 

A very not top heavy organization has seen arguably their highest rated prospects heading into the year either get injured, fall apart or underperform. Then their top draft pick's elbow lands him out the rest of the season. And now, I have to waste a day watching Casey Coleman, Erich Uelman, Matt Lawler and Zach Mort pitch.

 

Thank God for Miguel Amaya, Brailyn Marquez and Cole Roederer...

[dfnowak]

What a depressing minor league season for the Cubs. By some lists, the 3 top pitching prospects for the Cubs: Alzolay out for the year. De La Cruz sucked and then got suspended for 80 games. Albertos imploded. Their top hitting prospect at the start of the season, Ademan struggled mightily in the first half after a very aggressive promotion and is hitting worse 100 ABs into his 2nd half.

 

A very not top heavy organization has seen arguably their highest rated prospects heading into the year either get injured, fall apart or underperform. Then their top draft pick's elbow lands him out the rest of the season. And now, I have to waste a day watching Casey Coleman, Erich Uelman, Matt Lawler and Zach Mort pitch.

 

Thank God for Miguel Amaya, Brailyn Marquez and Cole Roederer...

I feel like outside of the 1st round picks from 2012-15 (and Cease), their drafting hasn’t been that good and one of the reasons their farm system doesn’t rate very well. They’re a big boy organization with big boy resources and there’s no reason we couldn’t have found more guys outside of the first round. Maybe I’m just ignorant...

[toonsterwu]

Total side note, but Uelman has some intrigue. He has a legitimate power sinker, and there's, by most accounts I've seen, the potential for some decent secondary offerings. He just doesn't have the polish on it yet, but if he can become as polished and consistent as, say, Rollie Lacy, that's a very good starting mid-rotation ceiling (parallel to that, if Lacy could find a couple mph ... that's a very intriguing arm, but at his age and development, I doubt it).

[Bertz]

What a depressing minor league season for the Cubs. By some lists, the 3 top pitching prospects for the Cubs: Alzolay out for the year. De La Cruz sucked and then got suspended for 80 games. Albertos imploded. Their top hitting prospect at the start of the season, Ademan struggled mightily in the first half after a very aggressive promotion and is hitting worse 100 ABs into his 2nd half.

 

A very not top heavy organization has seen arguably their highest rated prospects heading into the year either get injured, fall apart or underperform. Then their top draft pick's elbow lands him out the rest of the season. And now, I have to waste a day watching Casey Coleman, Erich Uelman, Matt Lawler and Zach Mort pitch.

 

Thank God for Miguel Amaya, Brailyn Marquez and Cole Roederer...

I feel like outside of the 1st round picks from 2012-15 (and Cease), their drafting hasn’t been that good and one of the reasons their farm system doesn’t rate very well. They’re a big boy organization with big boy resources and there’s no reason we couldn’t have found more guys outside of the first round. Maybe I’m just ignorant...

 

Craig Edwards, is that you?

[bauermj]

I feel like outside of the 1st round picks from 2012-15 (and Cease), their drafting hasn’t been that good and one of the reasons their farm system doesn’t rate very well. They’re a big boy organization with big boy resources and there’s no reason we couldn’t have found more guys outside of the first round. Maybe I’m just ignorant...

 

Debbie downer

1) Any organization would love to draft 4 years straight: 2+ win, major league regulars. I can't find another MLB team that hit on all 4 of those first rounders (12/13/14/15) with an MLB regular.

2) There was no 1st round (nor 2nd round) pick in 2016 due to signing Free Agents that led to a World Series. Its way too early to discuss the 2017 & 2018 draft classes contributing but the Cubs just handed out the most six figure bonuses to rounds 11-40 in their history.

3) There was a great fangraphs article with chart years ago, showing expected WAR from players drafted after the first round. It was NOT sexy.

There will always be a few anecdotal examples of non first round contributors, and the Cubs some candidates themselves from that period (Bote, Underwood, Zastryzny, Norwood, Maples from Hendry) plus some that could emerge (Clifton, Meekes, Zagunis, Vosler, Keegan Thompson, Giambrone, Zac Short, Stinnett, Swarmer, Rucker, Robinson, Hatch). Others used in trades to acquire Major League assets (Godley, Cease, James Farris, Blackburn, Crawford, Tyler Thomas, probably some im forgetting). Show me an organization full of homegrown Round 2-40 players starting on their active roster.

4) Cubs kill it on the international front

Edited July 25, 2018 by bauermj

[Hrubes20]

What a depressing minor league season for the Cubs. By some lists, the 3 top pitching prospects for the Cubs: Alzolay out for the year. De La Cruz sucked and then got suspended for 80 games. Albertos imploded. Their top hitting prospect at the start of the season, Ademan struggled mightily in the first half after a very aggressive promotion and is hitting worse 100 ABs into his 2nd half.

 

A very not top heavy organization has seen arguably their highest rated prospects heading into the year either get injured, fall apart or underperform. Then their top draft pick's elbow lands him out the rest of the season. And now, I have to waste a day watching Casey Coleman, Erich Uelman, Matt Lawler and Zach Mort pitch.

 

Thank God for Miguel Amaya, Brailyn Marquez and Cole Roederer...

 

Dude. Underwood and Clifton are picking up the slack with their seasons and return to legit prospect status.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I feel like outside of the 1st round picks from 2012-15 (and Cease), their drafting hasn’t been that good and one of the reasons their farm system doesn’t rate very well. They’re a big boy organization with big boy resources and there’s no reason we couldn’t have found more guys outside of the first round. Maybe I’m just ignorant...

 

Debbie downer

1) Any organization would love to draft 4 years straight: 2+ win, major league regulars. I can't find another MLB team that hit on all 4 of those first rounders (12/13/14/15) with an MLB regular.

2) There was no 1st round (nor 2nd round) pick in 2016 due to signing Free Agents that led to a World Series. Its way too early to discuss the 2017 & 2018 draft classes contributing but the Cubs just handed out the most six figure bonuses to rounds 11-40 in their history.

3) There was a great fangraphs article with chart years ago, showing expected WAR from players drafted after the first round. It was NOT sexy.

There will always be a few anecdotal examples of non first round contributors, and the Cubs some candidates themselves from that period (Bote, Underwood, Zastryzny, Norwood, Maples from Hendry) plus some that could emerge (Clifton, Meekes, Zagunis, Vosler, Keegan Thompson, Giambrone, Zac Short, Stinnett, Swarmer, Rucker, Robinson, Hatch). Others used in trades to acquire Major League assets (Godley, Cease, James Farris, Blackburn, Crawford, Tyler Thomas, probably some im forgetting). Show me an organization full of homegrown Round 2-40 players starting on their active roster.

4) Cubs kill it on the international front

 

Would love to find that Fangraphs piece if anyone knows the link. I couldn't find it after a cursory Google search.

[bauermj]

 

Would love to find that Fangraphs piece if anyone knows the link. I couldn't find it after a cursory Google search.

 

Very quick search & I didn't find exactly what I was thinking of. I will look later but here are a few that are related or perhaps my memory is fuzzy:

 

http://viewfromthebleachers.com/archives/26796 (including: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-772wlhxPhPNjUyY2JiMmItYzJlYi00Yjk5LThlOTUtODkwN2IzMTU5ODIx/edit?hl=en_US)

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/community/success-rate-of-mlb-first-round-draft-picks-by-slot/

[CubsWin]

What a depressing minor league season for the Cubs. By some lists, the 3 top pitching prospects for the Cubs: Alzolay out for the year. De La Cruz sucked and then got suspended for 80 games. Albertos imploded. Their top hitting prospect at the start of the season, Ademan struggled mightily in the first half after a very aggressive promotion and is hitting worse 100 ABs into his 2nd half.

 

A very not top heavy organization has seen arguably their highest rated prospects heading into the year either get injured, fall apart or underperform. Then their top draft pick's elbow lands him out the rest of the season. And now, I have to waste a day watching Casey Coleman, Erich Uelman, Matt Lawler and Zach Mort pitch.

 

Thank God for Miguel Amaya, Brailyn Marquez and Cole Roederer...

 

Dude. Underwood and Clifton are picking up the slack with their seasons and return to legit prospect status.

And on top of it all, the Smokies have to face Dylan Cease tonight just remind us of when we actually had some high end talent...

[Hrubes20]

With the caveat that the Smokies’ lineup isn’t good, Cease is owning them so far. 4 perfect innings with 7 Ks and only 50 pitches.

[PackLandVA]

Up to 5 innings, 9 Ks and 62 pitches....perfect so far.

 

And Matt Rose has a dinger.

[Hrubes20]

Up to 5 innings, 9 Ks and 62 pitches....perfect so far.

 

And Matt Rose has a dinger.

 

Don’t go look at Eloy shredding AAA. It’s painful. Thank goodness Q pitched well last outing.

[Cubswin11]

Up to 5 innings, 9 Ks and 62 pitches....perfect so far.

 

And Matt Rose has a dinger.

 

Don’t go look at Eloy shredding AAA. It’s painful. Thank goodness Q pitched well last outing.

He take a break from the DL to play a game? Neat. He’s going to have to hit like JD Martinez to carry any value.

[PackLandVA]

Up to 5 innings, 9 Ks and 62 pitches....perfect so far.

 

And Matt Rose has a dinger.

 

Don’t go look at Eloy shredding AAA. It’s painful. Thank goodness Q pitched well last outing.

He take a break from the DL to play a game? Neat. He’s going to have to hit like JD Martinez to carry any value.

 

Big Jorge was mashing at all levels as well. But he could seem to stay healthy, and then his flaws were exposed in the Bigs. Next thing you know, he's a sub on a bad team (when he's not injured).

[Cubswin11]

With the caveat that the Smokies’ lineup isn’t good, Cease is owning them so far. 4 perfect innings with 7 Ks and only 50 pitches.

Is there a single position player in Tenn that’s remotely intriguing?? Legit asking, I just looked at their roster and didn’t recognize anyone but Shorts name on the position player side.

[Hrubes20]

With the caveat that the Smokies’ lineup isn’t good, Cease is owning them so far. 4 perfect innings with 7 Ks and only 50 pitches.

Is there a single position player in Tenn that’s remotely intriguing?? Legit asking, I just looked at their roster and didn’t recognize anyone but Shorts name on the position player side.

 

Giambrone and EJM to a much, much lesser extent.

[PackLandVA]

I definitely love all the talent on the Cubs roster/starting lineup that was culled from their minor league system. But it was also a ton of fun following the prospects at different levels, gushing over their stats, and dreaming what the future held.

(of course, we all found out what the future held in 2016)

[Hrubes20]

Up to 5 innings, 9 Ks and 62 pitches....perfect so far.

 

And Matt Rose has a dinger.

 

Don’t go look at Eloy shredding AAA. It’s painful. Thank goodness Q pitched well last outing.

He take a break from the DL to play a game? Neat. He’s going to have to hit like JD Martinez to carry any value.

 

He’s played in 73 games this year. That’s a bad take. As is the second part. There is this thing called the DH in the AL. If his defense gets to the point that it is a negative, they can just put him there and take advantage of that ridiculous bat.

 

Edit: unless you were being sarcastic and I just missed it

[Cubswin11]

 

Don’t go look at Eloy shredding AAA. It’s painful. Thank goodness Q pitched well last outing.

He take a break from the DL to play a game? Neat. He’s going to have to hit like JD Martinez to carry any value.

 

He’s played in 73 games this year. That’s a bad take. As is the second part. There is this thing called the DH in the AL. If his defense gets to the point that it is a negative, they can just put him there and take advantage of that ridiculous bat.

 

Edit: unless you were being sarcastic and I just missed it

I wasn’t. I want to say he’s hit the DL 3 or 4 times this year and you really have to hit as a DH (which I believe he is) to have much value. Only 3 qualified guys over 2 WAR last year at DH and none over 3. He literally needs to be JD Martinez, peak Nelson Cruz, etc to be more than a 2-3 WAR player at DH. Which that’s fine, just his bat really needs to play for him to carry value.

[PackLandVA]

Zack Short breaks up the perfect game with 2 outs in the 7th. Single off of Cease.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I'm not sure we'd have enough room on our team for a RH pinch hitter to go along with our LH pinch hitter.

[Cubswin11]

Zack Short breaks up the perfect game with 2 outs in the 7th. Single off of Cease.

Look at that trade value!!! Short breaking up perfect games against a top prospect!!!!

[PackLandVA]

I missed this signing along the way, but the Chris Coghlan is leading off for Iowa.

[Cubswin11]

I missed this signing along the way, but the Chris Coghlan is leading off for Iowa.

He’s been signed for a while but I think either has been hurt or not playing a lot