Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 7-29-23

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Games (Central Time):

Iowa at Memphis, 6:35 pm

Tennessee at Rocket City, 6:35 pm

South Bend at Peoria, 6:35 pm

Myrtle Beach at Fredricksburg, 6:05 pm

ACL Cubs vs ACL A's, 12:30 pm

Both DSL teams have the day off

Probable Starters:

Iowa: TBD

Tennessee: LHP DJ Herz (54 IP, 4.33 ERA, 4.04 FIP, 71 K, 34 BB)

South Bend: RHP Michael Arias (14.2 IP, 3.68 ERA, 3.88 FIP, 20 K, 9 BB)

Myrtle Beach: LHP Drew Gray (11.2 IP, 1.54 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 14 K, 9 BB)

[Hrubes20]

Hope and Melendez debuting today.

[Cubs420psd]

How is Rojas glove? Is he a SS long term?

 

Herz has been pitching well as of late, hopefully he keeps it up. Kinda surprised he wasn't part of that little run of moving starters to the pen but I'm glad he's getting a longer leash.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Cubs420psd

[Jason Ross]

2 hours ago, Cubs420psd said:

How is Rojas glove? Is he a SS long term?

 

Herz has been pitching well as of late, hopefully he keeps it up. Kinda surprised he wasn't part of that little run of moving starters to the pen but I'm glad he's getting a longer leash.

There's not a lot out there on Rojas defensively right now.  Which makes sense, he was in the DSL, never touched the ACL really, and wasn't a top-top IFA signing.  

Quote

He moves really well. For his body, he’s really strong even with his age. Again, he’s another guy that has pretty good instincts defensively, we’re working on reading hops and getting him more comfortable playing short. He played a little bit more second base in the DR. With his abilities and arm strength, we’ll see what happens if he sticks it short or moves around. At the moment, he can stay at second and short in Myrtle and see how he does, and gets his feet wet.

Per a Cubs instructional coach

Edited July 29, 2023 by 1908_Cubs

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Alex said he was working 93-94

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[JD94]

39 minutes ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

 

I’ll die on this hill… Yonathan Perlaza deserves a chance. Even if it’s DH. See if the bat translates. He’s earned it. Hitting .300, 15 homers, walking 13% of the time, striking out only 21% of the time, 131 wRC+ coming into tonight and that obviously went up, wish the FB% was higher than 30%, but man he just keeps hitting. Give him a shot, even if it’s just to DH. If the bat translates, and he’s really truly unplayable in the OF, see if he can play 1B… something. You have to find out if the bat plays at this level. If it does, you find a way to keep the bat in the lineup. If it don’t, then okay… now you know and you can move on. The kid has earned it. 

[craig]

I am so glad the NL has the DH now.  It opens a possible door fo a guy like Perlaza, *IF* his hitting could carry up.  

But JD, I am 100% opposed to considering guys like Perlaza or Ballesteros for 1B.  No short guys allowed at 1B.  

The importance of 1B defense is sometimes grossly underrated.   Can't have a <6-foot guy playing 1B.

[JD94]

18 minutes ago, craig said:

I am so glad the NL has the DH now.  It opens a possible door fo a guy like Perlaza, *IF* his hitting could carry up.  

But JD, I am 100% opposed to considering guys like Perlaza or Ballesteros for 1B.  No short guys allowed at 1B.  

The importance of 1B defense is sometimes grossly underrated.   Can't have a <6-foot guy playing 1B.

Why? Ty France, Carlos Santana, and Josh Naylor are all shorter than 6’ and grade out positively defensively at 1B. 
 

Whatever though. DH him. I don’t care. I’m more worried about seeing if the bat translates. You can find a way to get him in the lineup if it does.