sporrer17

By most accounts, he's improved his defense to the point to be at least "average" behind the plate. I don't think he'll ever win any gold gloves, but his hitting would make him well worth the defense. He's a lot like a Michael Barrett right now...an average defender who can hit enough to overlook what he may lack defensively. Definitely enough defense to stick there if the bat holds up. I think the platooning with Richie (last year and now again in AA) and Rick (this year) is more due to the Cubs trying to get both guys ABs rather than Fox not being able to handle it. Richie is a very good defensive catcher, and Rick was a fairly high (3rd-4th round?) pick out of high school...so neither is going to be sitting the bench everyday. If Fox continues to hit like this though, his value will skyrocket, especially by hitting well at AA.

Jake Fox picks up right where he left off in Daytona...2/3 with a HR. If he keeps this up the rest of the year, the Cubs are going to have themselves a legit catcher prospect. He could be a nice addition to this club in a year or two.

They had to do something like that to even get him to sign. I like this deal...we won't be out much if he sticks to football...and if he plays he could be well worth the money...

It sure was nice to see two things from Colvin today. One...an opposite field single. Not a bad thing considering he had been rolling over groundballs a few times to the right side. The other...a clutch hit. Obviously the game winning, walk-off grand slame is about as big a hit as this kid will ever have, especially in such a good game (in the super regionals none the less). He seemed like he's got a good amount of potential, and has room to add a lot of muscle. Once he adds 15-20 lbs of weight, (he's only 190, 215-220 is not unrealistic for a 6'3 frame) he could develop some legit power. He at least looks like he has a clue at the plate.

Walk off grand slam for Tyler Colvin to take game 1 vs. Oral Roberts. :shock:

I honestly think this kid is one of those late bloomers. Even this season was very mediocre until he hit this hot stretch he's in. His overall #s don't look awful, but aren't anything to write home about either. I like the fact that he has a "sweet swing" and is fairly athletic. Uh oh...David Kelton part II?? Not likely...3 years a major baseball program in a big time conference is going to be a big bonus for his career. He has come a long way since HS. Ya know what...I think I finally figured out who he reminds me of a little bit. He kinda makes me think of Mark Kotsay...not the greatest speed (Kotsay's career high in SB is 19)...not the greatest power (never hit over 17 HR)...and a solid hitter (career .285). Good defense, and an overall solid package of tools. Hopefully once this kid starts putting on some more muscle mass, he can develop a 20-25 HR swing, and stick in CF. If he can do that, he may end up being a great pick.

Samardzija is 6'6...that's not freakish but it's fairly tall. Renshaw didn't look bad either...he topped out at 91, worked 87-89 mostly. Big curve came in under 70 MPH.

Phrase of the day???

Stop Bragging. :P

A lone pro scout was reclining on the bleachers outside a Clemson practice last week until left fielder Tyler Colvin entered the batting cage brandishing a wooden bat. The scout sprung forward and flipped open his cell phone to call a superior and gloat about striking gold. “Guess what? I’m getting wooden-bat BP from Colvin,” he said. “How’s that for luck?” In the past month, the 6-foot-3 junior from North Augusta has shown major league personnel about everything they have wanted to see. Colvin was the talk among talent evaluators at the ACC tournament, with word spreading that he could wind up as a first-round pick in Tuesday’s draft. At least eight teams have expressed interest in using a high pick on Colvin, whom scouts project as a center fielder in the pros. Whatever happens, Colvin likely will no longer have to worry about replacing his wooden bats. As a 9-year-old, Colvin was chided for picking up gravel from his grandfather’s driveway and hitting the rocks around the yard, chipping his wooden bat into a tattered condition. Colvin dabbled in nearly every sport as a child — he even led the state one year with a 197 bowling average, his mom said — but baseball was clearly his favorite. His family recently rediscovered a picture of a 3-year-old Colvin swinging a Wiffle Ball bat, albeit upside down while gripping the barrel. “That tells you he knew what he was doing,” his granddad, Jerry Colvin Sr., said. Colvin apparently has always known where he was going. He just did not know how to get there. His parents divorced when he was a year old, and he has lived with his grandparents since then — even though his mother, Tricia Groomes, who remarried when he was 13, lives a half-mile away. While Groomes remained an integral factor in Colvin’s upbringing and baseball development, his grandfather was charged with finding outlets for Colvin’s drive. Jerry Sr. coached Colvin in youth leagues for nine years until Colvin reached high school. One summer they traveled to seven instructional camps in as many weekends — at $150-250 a pop, hardly a cheap proposition for someone with a freight brokerage business. “But when you’ve got somebody with the talent and willpower to do it, you kind of sacrifice everything to help them,” Jerry Sr. said. Colvin blossomed toward the end of his North Augusta career, but for a family that put him on an unconventional path to success, his surge toward fame and fortune has been an unforeseen whirlwind. “It’s going to be an anxious time,” Groomes said. “This is all he’s ever wanted to do.” Colvin enters today’s NCAA tournament regional on a 20-game hitting streak and leads the Tigers in average (.360), doubles (21) and stolen bases (21), and ranks second in homers (12) and RBIs (63). He credits most of his improvement from last year’s disappointing .283 batting average to improved conditioning and patience at the plate. Colvin went hitless in the super regionals a year ago, which motivated him to lift weights four times a week this year to avoid giving out at season’s end. Colvin had dropped 18 pounds by the end of the 2005 season; this year he has held steady at 195. Colvin’s weight may not have fluctuated, but his value has. “He’s got a lot of tools — number one being that he can hit,” one American League front office evaluator said. “He’s a good athlete who can run, play defense and can throw. I bet there are a lot of people who think very highly of him.” http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/colleges/clemson_university/14721386.htm?source=rss&channel=thestate_clemson_university

The guy on MLB.com said Colvin was the biggest surprise so far, but that he may be "just scratching the surface on what he can do". I like it...a college player with potential. 8)

Where's everyone finding this so soon?

Definitely good to see Nic the Quick putting up numbers again now that he's healthy. He's got that gap power working for him, but the no-HR thing isn't the greatest sign. Maybe the shoulder is still not quite all the way back strength wise? However if he can keep hitting .330 and playing defense, he may find himself back in the mix as a potential major league player.

Carter is going to have a tough time getting ABs as a Catcher for Peoria...or for any level at that. With Reed and Muyco getting a lot of ABs for Peoria, I don't know how often Carter will be seeing time behind the plate. However, with Reed playing a little 1b/3b recently, and a lot of DH, I'm sure they can manage to get Yusuf some time down there at catcher. Muyco shouldn't be quite as high of a priority as Carter. One good thing is he's athletic enough to play CF and apparently can catch too, so he could have some good value down the road depending on his hitting ability.

Give me the big LH bat, Travis Snider.

Pierre CF Walker 2b Ramirez 3b Jones RF Lee 1b Barrett C Cedeno SS Murton LF Pitcher Once Lee returns to form, he'll be hitting 3rd with Ramirez and Jones each sliding down a spot. If Pierre can get hot and stay hot for a while, this lineup could see some runs again.

Has anyone else noticed how much Dylan Johnston is getting on base?? He only has a .205 ish average, but he's getting on base at a .340 clip. Not bad to see from a 19 year old playing his first full season.

marmol gives us an innings eater in case of another 14+ inning showdown. no one else in our pen is really capable of more than 2 innings. this will help. although losing Williamson hurts a little. Maybe the apparent emergence of Aardsma will help out.

Greenberg? I heard already... :(

Nevin will play 1b until Lee is back. Maybe some catcher (if he's still got it) while Barrett is suspended. He can spell Jones in RF against LHs, maybe start in place of Murton once in a while, and even play some 3b. He's a decent bench option and not a bad short-term option. He's the RH thunder on our bench that we need.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060531&content_id=1481316&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc It's official. Hairston for Nevin+Cash.

I'd do a Pierre/Church swap. I guess we'd be back at square one for a leadoff guy again unless you plan on using Church in that role...but I'd do it. And then I'd go after Wilson in LF and have Wilson/Church/Jones in the OF with Murton facing LH's for Jones and Pie waiting to replace one next year. Oh well. Won't happen.

ME!!! Von Joshua has had some struggling players turn it on under his watch. Sing lit it up, Cedeno did as well I believe, and Pie was having a breakout type year last year before the injury. He seems to be a pretty good instructor. I'd like to see him work with a few of our low minors guys as well, but if he comes to Chicago, I'm happy.

If he is a leadoff man in the bigs, I'm going to cry. He's got far too much power and he's way too good in the clutch for him to be hitting #1. He's more of a 3/5/6 hitter...but probably 7/8 to start out. He may not have the pop for a 4 hole hitter, but he's going to hit anywhere outside of 1/2. But you're right....it's such a bad idea, they'll probably do it tomorrow. To be honest, I'm still a little surprised they have him hitting leadoff in Iowa...I thought they would have started getting him into a run-producing slot seeing as that would appear to be his future. Maybe they want him to be ready incase Pierre isn't re-signed?

Mark Reed doing it again. Another multi-hit game, another SB. I like it. Pie is starting to heat up again. His RBI total is going to be ridiculous by the end of the year for a leadoff man...provided he doesn't get sent up to Chicago by then.