Wrigley Rat

And now the White Sox have signed Boom Boom Bynum (to a minor league deal)! Go Sox!

Perhaps the speculation that Bradley goes to the Red Sox could be back on? Mike Lowell may not be traded after all. My speculation is that Boston would get: Milton Bradley, a prospect, and cash. Chicago would get: Mike Lowell and another salary dump. This trade would look a lot like Hundley for Karros and Grudzielanek. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/12/13/lowells_thumb_injury_holding_up_red_sox_trade/

http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2009/12/cubsrumors12139.php

From 2007: http://futureredbirds.com/2007/04/13/a-look-at-mike-parisi/ http://macksmets.blogspot.com/2009/12/rule-v-3-sps-randor-bierd-mike-parisi.html http://thecubreporter.com/2009/12/10/cubs-select-parisi-rule-5-draft-lose-sierra

How did we get Antigua again? Undrafted free agent

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/david-kaplan-chicago-sports/2009/12/jake-fox-and-aaron-miles-to-oakland-for-3-prospects.html

As per ESPN 1000. Also $1,000,000 going to Oakland.

According to a report from Buster Olney (in his blog), pitcher Danny Rodriguez of the Tomateros de Culiacan is "expected to sign with the Chicago Cubs soon." Rodriguez is 3-0 in six starts with a 1.25 ERA this winter. In 36 innings the southpaw has struck out 22, walked 13 and surrendered 19 hits (0.88 WHIP). Rodriguez will turn 25 on December 11 and was 7-9 in 26 games, 20 starts, in Mexico in 2009 with a 5.98 ERA.

According to BA, Vince Perkins was re-signed. Another arm for Iowa. Below average peripherals (high walk rate, low strikeouts, a hit per inning pitched), but good execution. He will be 28 this season, but did well for his first year in AAA. Back when he was with the Blue Jays, he had a 93-95 mph fastball and an 87-89 mph slider. Perkins had his contract purchased last offseason by the Cubs from the Joilet JackHammers, an independent league team. Perkins spent three years on the Blue Jays 40 man roster until he had Tommy John surgery. Last offseason, Perkins played winter ball in the Dominican Republic, where he was 4-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 10 starts. I haven't seen Perkins on any winter ball rosters this off-season. Last I heard, Perkins was throwing in the mid-90's. If he throws anything else, he could be someone to watch.

OF/IF Chris Weimer

Should we now track the 2010 payroll?

McNutt received an "above slot bonus" according to BA's Draft Tracker. It says something that BA would rank Wagner's debut as 2nd best among JuCo's - maybe he's someone to get excited about?!?!?

Please forgive the following somewhat unorganized thoughts: The thing I thought about while reading this is that over the past ten years, the Cubs minor league system has gone from bad to good to bad (and maybe now to good). When we were considered a top ten system, the majority of our top 10-20 prospects had never had any time in AA or higher. By the time those "major prospects" spent time in AA, they were considered busts (or were hurt permanently), causing our system to lose those prospects. Due to the attrition of prospect status from the low minors to the high minors, I would like to see how many top ten organizations have more prospects who have experienced some success at a higher level. I can see the arguments against my thoughts above, but I think that Baseball America (who I respect greatly) would rank an organization with ten 1st round draft picks from 2008 higher than an organization with ten 20th rounders from 2006 who have had various amounts of success at AA and who are age-appropriate. I would personally enjoy rooting for either organization, but I feel that the ten 20th rounders are more likely to help the major league ball club (and sooner) since they are succeeding at a high level already. Don't forget how many 1st rounders are busts! Some of the players in the running for Top 10 in our system: Josh Vitters Starlin Castro - 111 AB's at AA Brett Jackson Jay Jackson - 82.2 IP at AA Andrew Cashner - 58.1 IP at AA Chris Carpenter - 32.0 IP at AA Kyler Burke Ryan Flaherty D.J. LeMahieu Dae-Eun Rhee Hak-Ju Lee Chris Archer Robert Hernandez It's nice to see a lot of our exciting players with some AA experience. For me, that would nudge them ahead of some higher ceiling prospects who are still at a lower level. So here is how I would rank our top ten: 1 - Josh Vitters (18 HR's in 484 AB's as a 19 year old gives me hope) 2 - Starlin Castro (will be higher when he develops some power) 3 - Andrew Cashner (success at AA and FB speeds in the AFL makes me more confident) 4 - Jay Jackson (success at AA and domination at High-A as a 21 year old is a great sign) 5 - Kyler Burke (.910 OPS and .303 average at age-appropriate level makes 1st rounder valuable) 6 - Brett Jackson (power & speed combo make this CFer someone to watch) 7 - John Gaub (K's/IP is higher than any other lefty/consistently low ERA/potential to help CHC in '10) 8 - Blake Parker (Faded down the stretch, otherwise #'s would be better/great ERA's all 3 years) 9 - Jeff Stevens (WHIP and K's/IP are solid, should help the CHC bullpen in '10) 10 - Chris Archer (young for Low-A but repeating, K's/IP & H/IP is solid for a LHSP, BB's worry me but similar to Big Z) Part of the problem is that a guy like John Gaub who might be starting in the lower minors doesn't get the same appreciation once he's pegged as a reliever. So organizations with more AA and AAA quality players than lower level players have fewer top prospects because relievers and players who can play multiple positions are rarely placed on top 10 lists. To me, if John Gaub pitches with the Cubs next year and posts an ERA around 3.00 with 75 IP, then he was a valuable player on our team (despite just being a reliever). I tend to rank him higher than a lot of people here at NSBB. I haven't seen him on anyone's top 10 list. These guys would be in my 11-30 pile (reasons why in parentheses): - Hak-Ju Lee (limited data, not out of Short-A ball, some doubts remain about his glove, speed is exciting) - Ryan Flaherty (not a great defender, projects to play 2B, 22 at Low-A, AVG should be higher for his pedigree, exciting power) - Chris Carpenter (not convinced yet, old for his levels where he had success, average #'s in AA in '09/Boise in '08) - Dae-Eun Rhee (let's see how he performs after TJS, slow to recover, limited data (only 10 solid starts in '08)) - Robert Hernandez (steroids worry me, moved backwards to short-A after two years in Low-A, rough '08) - D.J. LeMahieu (slap hitter without speed who projects as a 2B) - I like a few of the draft picks from '09 here, but very early to know for sure - High-A to AAA players who fit here: (Caridad, Berg, Castillo, Colvin, Maestri, Dolis, Guyer, Rosa) - Choose a few from Peoria (Ridling, Lake, Beliveau, Buchter, Huseby) Sorry for the length - feel free to disagree! :)

Good find toonster - The Cubs lack outfield depth at AA and High A, so I figure if James is healthy, he will report to Daytona to start the season. He will be 24 this year and that is old for that level, so he would be a good bet to go to AA by the All-Star break if he's keeping up, otherwise he's likely to be released.

That's not cool. But of all the years for a left-handed reliever in the upper minors to have to have TJS, I guess this would be the best year for it since we seem to have a bit of a glut of serviceable lefties.

Sorry guys, but it's not true. We get the 16th pick... http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2009/268957.html Fortunately, the first 16 picks are protected! I was very bummed at first - I'm better now.

I didn't have time to read everything prior to posting, so sorry if I repeat things. Here are some Arizona Phil notes: - 2008 4th round pick Matt Cerda (broken hand) and 2009 11th round pick LHP John Mincone (June 2009 shoulder surgery to clean-up "debris") have been moved from the Fitch Park Rehab Group to the Cubs Instructs Active Roster. Mincone is scheduled to pitch tomorrow, and Cerda will be returning to the lineup sometime later this week. Cerda, who was drafted as a catcher out of HS despite not catching since his Oceanside, CA little league team played in the Little League World Series several years earlier, has been moved to 2B full-time, a postion he played off-and-on this season prior to his injury. Whether he will ever go back behind the plate (or get moved to yet another different position) is still TBD. - Meanwhile, Peoria RHP Marcus Hatley has undergone Tommy John Surgery and will probably miss most of the 2010 season while rehabbing at Fitch Park. And 2009 1st round pick CF Brett Jackson continues to nurse a sore wrist and is unable to play in games. - Jae-Hoon Ha was a catcher in high school in South Korea, but the Cubs moved him to the outfield immediately after signing him to take advantage of his speed and athleticism. But he (Ha) looks OK behind the plate--certainly better than recent converts Jovan Rosa or (especially) Brandon May have looked so far--and it will be interesting to see if the Cubs used Ha more as a catcher now that Matt Cerda has apparently been moved to 2B full-time. - Fellow Korean RHP Su-Min Jung returned to South Korea in August to attend college so he is not at Instructs, but he is expected back at Fitch Park in time for Minor League Camp next March.

Thomas Diamond was designated for assignment. Decent chance he is claimed by someone else, but if he makes it through waivers we will have another open spot on the 40-man roster and a cheap former top prospect.

Do you mean Dylan Johnston? I had heard that he was hurt (somehow). Also, some of the pitchers who are missing may have pitched too many innings or don't have anything specific to work on. I think a lot of the guys who go to instructionals are working on a new pitch, trying to get lefties out, or changing their arm slot, etc. I think that a lot of the guys who aren't invited aren't being "tinkered" with this fall.

IMHO, Grabow will be back one way or another next year. If the Cubs can't sign him to a two year contract, they will offer him arbitration. He will most likely accept since he is a Type A free agent and the club signing him would need to pony up a 1st rounder for him. That would seriously lower his value on the open market. I say he gets a two year $6.5 million contract or they settle for $3,250,000 one year contract after comparing arbitration numbers. I agree with the arguments against paying high dollar values for relief pitchers (ala Howry, Eyre, Remlinger), but I think a proven lefty is the exception (the assumption is that Grabow qulaifies as a proven lefty). The Cubs will most likely non-tender Heilman this December prior to the Rule 5 Draft. Our bullpen would look like this going into spring training (except for any FA signings): Marmol, Guzman, Grabow, Marshall, Gorzelanny, Samardzija, Caridad, Stevens, Gaub, Parker, Berg, Patton. I expect Marshall and/or Gorzelanny to be used in a trade this offseason. After Marmol, Guzman, and Grabow there are not many proven guys. It would be nice to keep a couple of them at AAA to be used as fill-ins when someone gets hurt.

Revisit the Brian Roberts trade talks. I think he could be had this offseason.

Kyler Burke and Casey Coleman named Cubs minor league player and pitcher of the Year, respectively. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090914&content_id=6965462&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Jovan Rosa as a catcher excites me. If he can make the change, that's a potentially solid bat with gap power at a position where we can use a solid bat. He wasn't developing HR power and that would have been tough to make it as a 3B/1B. Seeing all of those Pac-Rim players on our roster really excites me. It really feels like we are signing a bunch of potential top 5 round picks out of Asia. It's nice to finally be the major team signing these international free agents!

Right hand injury.

Transactions (Interesting today!): - Jay Jackson promoted to Iowa! - Jose Contreras activated from the DL for Daytona. - Matt Matulia activated from the DL for Iowa.