Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 6-23-21

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost game one 12-4 (7 innings) Box Score

 

SS D. Strange-Gordon 0/3, RBI, K

2B T. Giambrone 1/4, R, K

CF M. Hermosillo 2/3, R, K

RF T. Thompson 1/2, R, 2 RBI, BB, HR (8)

DH N. Martini 0/3, K

1B A. Rivas 0/3, K

C T. Wolters 0/1, R, 2 BB, K, E (2, throw)

SP M. Swarmer 5 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 6-1 GO-FO

 

Iowa won game two 8-5 (7 innings) Box Score

 

DH M. Hermosillo 1/3, R, RBI, 2B (5)

LF N. Martini 2/3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (3)

1B T. Gushue 1/1, R, RBI, 2 BB, HR (4)

SP A. Sampson 5 IP, 6H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 8-2 GO-FO

RP T. Megill 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 2-0 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 3-0 Box Score

 

2B C. Sepulveda 1/2, 2 BB

RF C. Morel 0/1, K

LF D. Hill 2/4, 2B (4)

CF B. Davis 0/4, 4 K

3B C. Strumpf 1/4

DH DJ Artis 0/3, BB

SP C. Sanders 5 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 4-4 GO-FO

RP B. Little 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2-0 GO-FO - season debut

RP E. Roberts 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB,4 K, 0-0 GO-FO

 

South Bend lost 8-0 Box Score

 

SS D. Zinn 0/4, K

DH B. Beesley 0/4, 2 K

LF Y. Perlaza 0/3, BB, K

RF N. Velázquez 1/4, K

CF E. Americaan 0/3, K

SP M. Bain 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K, 1 HBP, 3-4 GO-FO

RP H. Bigge 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 0-0 GO-FO - season debut

RP E. Nuñez 0+ IP, 2 H, 5 R,3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 1-0 GO-FO

 

Myrtle Beach threw a combined no-hitter and won 5-0 Box Score

 

SS E. Howard 0/4, 2 K

DH Y. Piñango 1/4

C P. Aliendo 1/3, R, BB, K

RF J. Sierra 1/3, RBI

LF J. Nwogu 1/4, R, K

3B L. Verdugo 1/4, R, RBI

2B F. Pertuz 2/4, R, 3 RBI, HR (1), SB (1)

SP DJ Herz 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 3-4 GO-FO

RP J. Estrada 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 0-0 GO-FO

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

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Iowa is playing on Marquee today:

 

[CubsWin]

Max Bain with 6 no hit, no run innings. 3 walks, 8 strikeouts. Recent South Bend addition Hunter Bigge takes over in the 7th.

[CubsWin]

Bain, who was mentioned with Cam Sanders as a breakout pitcher this year, may have turned a corner. After posting a 6.85 ERA and .801 OPS in his first 6 starts (22.1 innings, 23 K 16 BB), here is his line over his last 3 starts:

 

16.1 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 8 BB, 24 K, 2.20 ERA, 1.10 WHIP

 

His is last game (prior to tonight), he was scoreless in his first 4 innings, but was touched up for 3 earned in the 5th. At 6'5", 240 lbs., Bain seems to have a body that's is typically considered durable enough to start. He's thrown over 90 pitches his last 4 consecutive starts. Bain will be 23 for the duration of this season.

[craig]

Good game for Bain. Still pretty wild. 6 wild things (3BB, 2HBP, 1 WP) in his 6 innings. Will be interesting to see whether his control improves somewhat as he piles up innings over the season.

 

Herz also back to his no-hit style. Wild again, 6 wild things in 5 innings (4BB, 1WP, balk).

 

Bigge can't get through his debut inning, gives up 3 runs in 0.2.

[CubsWin]

Meanwhile, in Myrtle Beach, DJ Herz also didn't allow a hit in his start going 5 innings, no hits, no runs, 4 BB, 7 Ks. Jeremiah Estrada relieved him throwing 2 perfect innings striking out 5 of the 6 batters he faced. It was Estrada's first multi-inning appearance since returning from presumed TJS.

 

Estrada is out for the 8th to try to extend the no-hitter.

[craig]

If the milb box-score is correct, Jeremiah Estrada is getting stretched out, coming back for his 3rd inning. 5K in his two perfect innings, but now walks the first guy in inning 3. Would be fun if he'd emerge as a real prospect.

[craig]

..It was Estrada's first multi-inning appearance since returning from presumed TJS. ...

 

think he had a 2-inning outing previously. My recall, and his season stats show 5 IP in 4 games prior to today which confirms.

 

It would be curious to see whether they'd stretch him out and start him at all? Or if he's strictly a relief guy?

[CubsWin]

..It was Estrada's first multi-inning appearance since returning from presumed TJS. ...

 

think he had a 2-inning outing previously. My recall, and his season stats show 5 IP in 4 games prior to today which confirms.

 

It would be curious to see whether they'd stretch him out and start him at all? Or if he's strictly a relief guy?

Ah, yes, you're right. His first appearance was 2 innings.

 

His announced velocity on one FB was 94. He's still just 22. Stretching him out would be interesting considering his massive injury history. Regardless, the only way you get game experience and hopefully execute/improve is to pitch. So the more innings the better (so long as he stays healthy) whether he winds up starting games or not.

 

Estrada walked one and struck out 2 more giving him 7 Ks, 1 BB in 2.2 innings to complete his outing.

[CubsWin]

Bailey Reid completes the 8th. No-hitter still intact with 3 outs to go for the Pelicans.

[CubsWin]

Fabian Pertuz just hit his first full season HR

Yeah, and it wasn't a cheapy. Hit on a line but got all of it. Good to see.

[CubsWin]

Danis Correa hitting 97 on the gun.

[CubsWin]

Correa completes the no-hitter. Apparently the 1st no-hitter in 9 years for Myrtle Beach.

 

They didn't make it easy on themselves. A walk, HBP and 2 balls in foul territory that weren't caught.

[CubsWin]

Mixed bag tonight. Combined no-hitter for the Pelicans. Herz and Bain combine for 11 no-hit innings striking out 15. Brendon Little makes his '21 debut with a scoreless, 1-hit, 1 innings performance. Pertuz hit his first pro HR. But...

 

Morel was removed from his game (don't know why yet), Davis has gone 0-4 with 4 Ks so far, Cam Sanders pitched well except for a horrid 3rd inning including 3 walks and a wild pitch. Bain, Herz and Sanders (the 3 best starting pitching prospects the Cubs currently have playing in games) combined for 12 walks in 16 innings.

 

I don't know how to feel. :dontknow:

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I hope they’re stretching Estrada out.

[CubsWin]

I hope they’re stretching Estrada out.

It's a risky proposition considering his injury history, but he's looked really good so far...

 

He's got at least two good pitches, probably 3. FBs sitting 94, curve (or whatever it is) has good shape and was effective. Don't remember seeing a change-up tonight, but he's supposed to have a really good one a few years ago.

 

Danis Correa's FB is a plus pitch, but he doesn't have much else. That guy is definitely a reliever only. But Estrada's arsenal can definitely play as a starter. Now his arm/body has to hold up...

[Bertz]

Mixed bag tonight. Combined no-hitter for the Pelicans. Herz and Bain combine for 11 no-hit innings striking out 15. Brendon Little makes his '21 debut with a scoreless, 1-hit, 1 innings performance. Pertuz hit his first pro HR. But...

 

Morel was removed from his game (don't know why yet), Davis has gone 0-4 with 4 Ks so far, Cam Sanders pitched well except for a horrid 3rd inning including 3 walks and a wild pitch. Bain, Herz and Sanders (the 3 best starting pitching prospects the Cubs currently have playing in games) combined for 12 walks in 16 innings.

 

I don't know how to feel. :dontknow:

 

I saw one of the Twitter guys mention that Bain was going really heavy with the curve tonight. That may explain both the good and the bad of his outing. 3 HBPs could just be three overcooked curves, and if the staff is telling you to go curve curve curve for development reasons I'm much more comfortable with the messy line.

 

I also wonder how much things like that play into the rocky outings we've see from guys like Jensen recently. When Jensen's been on people have kind of complained that he's leaning too hard on his fastball. So are his rough outings lately because the org is trying to have him work on specific secondaries?

[We Got The Whole 9]

Damn, 6 Ks for Davis in his last 2 after 4 straight without.

[craig]

... Bain, Herz, and Sanders still profile like relievers, maybe multi-inning guys and spot starters. Overall they don't throw enough strikes to start, let alone have huge ceilings as SPs....

 

I don't have record of wild pitches. But just for walks and HBP that create baserunners, Sanders has 29 wild things in 41 innings, to go with 6 HR's. Pretty bad-looking line thus far this season. Disappointing season for him.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I hope they’re stretching Estrada out.

It's a risky proposition considering his injury history, but he's looked really good so far...

 

He's got at least two good pitches, probably 3. FBs sitting 94, curve (or whatever it is) has good shape and was effective. Don't remember seeing a change-up tonight, but he's supposed to have a really good one a few years ago.

 

Danis Correa's FB is a plus pitch, but he doesn't have much else. That guy is definitely a reliever only. But Estrada's arsenal can definitely play as a starter. Now his arm/body has to hold up...

 

I know he's missed a lot of time with injuries but I view it as just one injury: He missed the end of 2017 and all of 2018 with a sprained UCL which the Cubs tried going the rest route rather than surgery. Then, he pitched a little in 2019 before getting Tommy John surgery on the elbow. He definitely needs the innings even if he doesn't end up a starting pitcher in the end.

 

Here are all his strikeouts last night. I saw one change and one curve at the end:

 

[craig]

Thanks for the clips from Estrada. Helpful. I like your perspective, Cal, that really he's had one injury that didn't get resolved successfully initially. Not sure he's any more likely to suffer another than any other post-surg guy.

 

As you say, throwing some innings and getting pitches in is attractive for his development regardless of eventual role.

 

But I admit I am pretty interested in him particularly as a starter, because I have the perception (possibly unjustified) that he's got a shot to be a strike-thrower. In a system packed with wildmen, I like the concept of some rotation guys who can throw strikes. So Estrada and Gallardo have a lot of interest to me for that reason.

[CubsWin]

I hope they’re stretching Estrada out.

It's a risky proposition considering his injury history, but he's looked really good so far...

 

He's got at least two good pitches, probably 3. FBs sitting 94, curve (or whatever it is) has good shape and was effective. Don't remember seeing a change-up tonight, but he's supposed to have a really good one a few years ago.

 

Danis Correa's FB is a plus pitch, but he doesn't have much else. That guy is definitely a reliever only. But Estrada's arsenal can definitely play as a starter. Now his arm/body has to hold up...

 

I know he's missed a lot of time with injuries but I view it as just one injury: He missed the end of 2017 and all of 2018 with a sprained UCL which the Cubs tried going the rest route rather than surgery. Then, he pitched a little in 2019 before getting Tommy John surgery on the elbow. He definitely needs the innings even if he doesn't end up a starting pitcher in the end.

 

Here are all his strikeouts last night. I saw one change and one curve at the end:

 

True, on the one extended injury description.

 

He certainly looked good last night.