Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 9-15-24

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Games (Central Time):

Iowa vs. Louisville, 1:08 pm
Tennessee vs. Birmingham, 1:00 pm - regular season finale

Probable Starters:

Iowa: RHP Brandon Birdsell (50.2 IP, 4.26 ERA, 3.00 FIP, 58 K, 15 BB)
Tennessee: RHP Will Sanders (at South Bend: 92.2 IP, 4.56 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 105 K, 43 BB) - AA debut

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Tryptamine]

1 minute ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

 

He has reached that untouchable level.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Shaw is a double short of the cycle, it is the bottom of the 4th

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Brandon Birdsell: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP

Will Sanders' AA debut: 4 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

What a fun box score for the Iowa hitters 

[Bertz]

I'd really love for that to be Caissie's farewell to (2024 at least) AAA.

And Matt Shaw's probably not MLB ready yet, but he's getting close.  Even with the increasing difficulty at AAA probably tracking for Memorial Day?  And if god forbid there was a Hoerner/Swanson injury next year before then I'd say horsefeathers it and call him up.

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

I'd really love for that to be Caissie's farewell to (2024 at least) AAA.

And Matt Shaw's probably not MLB ready yet, but he's getting close.  Even with the increasing difficulty at AAA probably tracking for Memorial Day?  And if god forbid there was a Hoerner/Swanson injury next year before then I'd say horsefeathers it and call him up.

Where are they going to find playing time for these guys, barring injuries? They have a bunch of good not great guys in Chicago right now and need to replace them with a bunch of good not great cheap labor so Jed can pay premium price for good not great free agents. 

The only guy with potential for greatness is the guy seemingly everyone wants to trade. 

Edited September 16, 2024 by CubinNY

[Jason Ross]

2 hours ago, CubinNY said:

Where are they going to find playing time for these guys, barring injuries? They have a bunch of good not great guys in Chicago right now and need to replace them with a bunch of good not great cheap labor so Jed can pay premium price for good not great free agents. 

The only guy with potential for greatness is the guy seemingly everyone wants to trade. 

Injuries will occur. Figure, Matt Shaw needs one injury to either:

1. Nico Hoerner 

2. Dansby Swanson

3. Isaac Parades 

And he's going to get a starting spot for a few weeks or a month+. Not necessarily at the position the player is hurt, but they'd shift things around to give him a spot. Same for Owen Caissie. If Bellinger (if he opts in) or his replacement, or Happ, or Busch get dinged up, he's the next guy. Someone is getting hurt for a few weeks and they'll get their chance. That's all you really need. PCA managed to bully his way into 110 games (and will get 120 or more under his belt), and will probably finish with 400 PA's this year and the Cubs had a full outfield. Shaw and Caissie can find 250-300 PA's next year.

I don't think the Cubs will hurt for the ability to get these guys acclimated and space.