T2E

:lol: He can't be much worse than most of the pitchers that the Rangers throw out there.

The point I was trying to make was not Delgado, Dunn and Sexson are better than Sing (although they are), but that it is very rare to see a 24 year old striking out as much as Sing is and see him become a major league regular. It's not impossible, just rare and a serious concern. Nixon, for example, was 22 in his first full season at AA, and he didn't strike out much at all.

Possibly that we watch them more...or that I've seen Walker alone do it at least 3 times in the last 3 games. I'd think you should be able to get them in over 60% of the time...I'd say we do it less than 50%...just a guess. Walker is 3-7 with 6 RBI in that situation. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?statsId=5700&type=batting&year=2005 As a team, the Cubs are hitting .270 with a .795 OPS with runners in scoring position.

Also, for Harvey. Especially for Harvey, really. His power is prodigous, but his strikeout rate is frightful, and he doesn't walk much, either. I'm not sure Harvey compares well to Branyan because Branyan walked considerably more. Harvey is also a much better defender and a better athlete. But I think Branyan compares well to Sing, and unfortunately, Dopi.

Rehabbing Nomar: http://www.minorleaguewatch.com/images/ngarcia1.jpg

My turn...... I agree with Diffusion (on Sing, I disagree with him on Murton). When put age into the equation, Sing's strikeouts become a problem. Without much speed or ability to put the ball in play, his average is very likely to hover in the .250 range. Some will argue that strikeouts are simply the trade-off that comes from home runs and walks, and while this is true, it doesn't lessen the fact that large numbres of strikeouts lead to smaller batting averages. I created a chart comparing Sing to four players that he gets compared to. All four players are big, tall corners who hit for power. Player.. SO AB SO/AB SO/AB2 Age Sing... 549 2186 0.25 0.28 24 Dunn... 280 1208 0.23 0.22 21 Delgado 532 2394 0.22 0.21 21 Sexson. 496 2375 0.21 0.23 21 SO= total number of minor league strikeouts AB= total number of minor league at-bats SO/AB= strikeouts per minor league at-bats SO/AB2= strikeouts per Double-A at-bats Age= The players age at Double-A As you can see from the chart, not only is Sing older than any of the other players, but he strikes out even more than they do. A very young player striking out a lot is less concerning than a 24 year old doing the same, because there is the hope that they will make corrections and cut down on the strikeouts. There is not as much hope for someone like Sing to completely turn it around after striking out more than ever at the age of 24. I'm not saying that Brandon Sing has no future in the majors, in fact, I would rate him a top 15 prospect, but I'm not super blown away by his numbers, and I believe the strikeouts to be a legitamite concern. He's a solid prospect but not a very good one. I suppose the folks at Baseball America "have no clue" since they generally rely on second hand information and statistics in their rankings and writeups?

I saw Hill play today, kind of cool seeing someone who you had followed throughout his career with the Cubs only to see him a few years later in Triple-A. Anyway, Hill went 0-4 with 3 weak flyouts and a ground ball that he almost beat out (and probably would have beaten out had he slid to avoid the tag from the first baseman). At third base, Hill made a diving stab to his left but threw the ball away. The Indians lost 6-1. Ray Sadler also played. He was 0-3 with a K, but showed great range in left field and gunned a guy out at the plate. He's got plus speed, a solid arm, good bat speed and some pop, but Sadler has yet to learn to control the strike-zone, which is keeping him from establishing himself as a potential starter.

I don't see any point in protecting Brownlie. He's a mediocre prospect, someone whose ceiling is that of a decent middle relief guy. I'd rather protect someone like Nolasco, who may have a future in the back of a rotation somewhere, than Brownlie, who isn't close to the prospect he used to be.

Downs bombed in two starts with Peoria earlier this year, but I think it's time to give him another shot at it. So far, he has been outstanding at Boise. He's still just 20 so there isn't too much of a rush. I’d love to see Darin called up to Peoria again soon. Darin’s line at Boise: 33.1 IP, 2.16 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 33 K, 8 BB, .206 BAA Two other guys who intrigue me: Daytona RHP Randy Wells: 60.2 IP, 3.26 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 67 K, 12 BB, .254 BAA (held his own in 7 IP at AA) Mesa OF Deryck Lewis (25th rounder): 89 ABs - .348/.400/.506/.906, 6 2Bs, 4 3Bs, 0 HRs, 8 BB, 4 Ks - granted, it is Mesa Wells has been very solid so far, and he's still 22 so it's not an age thing. AA will be a true test thought. I wrote highly of Lewis in my draft analysis especially of his power potential. Although he hasn't hit any home runs yet, it's good to see him with a lot of extra base hits. However, I'm most impressed with the low strikeouts numbers. I'd like to see what he can do in Boise.

At least no one offered to trade Macias for Eldred. Yet. I've seen Eldred a couple of times this year in Indy and there is no questioning that he's going to hit a lot of home runs in the majors (the guy is 6'5" 270!). He's going to strike out a ton and that will be accepted as a trade-off for the power, but he'll need to draw more walks in the majors. Even without the patience, Eldred is going to be a big-time home run threat.

Also keep in mind that after a full high school season the Cubs don't want to pitch him that many more innings; hence the pitch count.

Downs bombed in two starts with Peoria earlier this year, but I think it's time to give him another shot at it. So far, he has been outstanding at Boise. He's still just 20 so there isn't too much of a rush.

Gregg is an interesting player; during this past year of college, a huge number of his hits came via the bunt because of his incredible bunting skills and very good speed. However, he probably lacks the power or on-base ability to ever reach the majors in much more than a backup role, and he won't even do that if he can't cut down on his strikeouts. You'll be able to read more about Gregg when the 26-30 Round prospect analysis has been posted.

What are your thoughts on performance enhancing drugs in the world mascoting? As a minor league mascot, have you ever felt pressured to take performance enhancers in order to reach the majors?

DJAXX strikes again!!! Great work.

Draft Analysis: Rounds 31-40 Round 31: Brad Depoy, San Jacinto, Texas Junior College, RHP Comments: Depoy was a hot prospect coming out of high school in 2003. He flashed a fastball that touched 94 MPH and a solid curveball. The 6’1” righty fell in the draft because of his commitment to University of Houston. Depoy no longer attends Houston and his stock isn’t as a high, but he is an intriguing pick nevertheless. http://www.perfectgame.org/images/playerimages/STH02-7.jpg http://www.perfectgame.org/ ================================= -- Read Complete Article --

Draft Analysis: Rounds 26-30 Round 26: Nikolaus Crouch, Vanguard University, 1B Scouting Report: Crouch has an imposing 6’4” 235 frame and was a senior at Vanguard. He was a gap-to-gap doubles hitter prior to 2005 when he started to develop over-the-fence power hitting 10 home runs. With the increase in home runs came higher strikeout rates, although his batting average rose to just above .300. Vanguard is an NAIA team and doesn’t face great competition. Crouch has played some third base in the past but was drafted as a first baseman and is playing there with the Mesa Cubs. Crouch is unlikely to ever hit for a high average because of his strikeouts and poor speed, but he is being drafted for his size and power. Analysis: Crouch’s chances of making the big leagues rest on him developing even more power and becoming a big-time threat in the lineup. http://www.vanguard.edu/uploadedImages/Athletics/Baseball/bb2005ncrouchatbat.jpg http://www.vanguard.edu/ -- read entire article --

My thoughts: 1. Dopi- We were all so high on him.......he's still young, so his struggles aren't super big, but his stock has dropped 2. Pie- excerpts from the chat discussion on the top 50 pre-season: Tinkers2Evers 1:18 pm: and i have concerns about pie Tinkers2Evers 1:18 pm: will he ever gain power? #-o Boy do I look dumb 3. Guz- what a shame 4. Harvey- if these are his numbers in three years I'll start to worry; still has a long ways to go 5. Dubois- hard to tell what he would have done had he played daily, the low BB rates concern me 6. Petrick- Perhaps we all jumped the gun on him, but he's still young and has good stuff. 7. Pinto- starting to put it back together 8. Marshall- I had concerns about him in the discussions- he's making me look silly so far 9. Leiscester- It's no longer the control problems; it's the HR problems 10. Marmol- Marmol was a unanimous selection at #10; other than his three AA starts, Marmol has made us look smart 11. Johnson- We'll have to see..... 12. Murton- excerpts from the chat discussion: Tinkers2Evers (4:47:04 PM): i like murton more than many others Tinkers2Evers (4:47:09 PM): he has a solid skillset Tinkers2Evers (4:47:14 PM): with walks, some power and average Tim Stuart (4:47:40 PM): If Murton doesn't develop more power, he'll never make the bigs. Tim Stuart (5:05:25 PM): he's the current incarnation of Ben Grieve, but right handed. Tinkers2Evers (5:06:46 PM): he still has the walks and batting average to go back on :wink: 13. Wuertz- developing into a solid middle man 14. Nolasco- I've always thought he was underrated, despite his awesome AA numbers, he continues to not draw much attention 15. Soto- Great D and a solid bat 16. Brownlie- excerpts: Tinkers2Evers (4:48:57 PM): he's not the pitcher he once was Tinkers2Evers (4:49:03 PM): and i don't think he ever will be Tinkers2Evers (4:49:09 PM): the K rates, the fastball Tinkers2Evers (4:49:17 PM): it all points downhill 17: Richard Lewis- excerpts: Tim Stuart (5:30:36 PM): I don't like Lewis Tinkers2Evers (5:30:45 PM): i don't love lewis either Tim Stuart (5:31:28 PM): His AA numbers were almost entirely driven by batting average on balls in play 18. Reed- I'd like to see more power, but his #'s are solid in Boise...still early 19. Craig- unspectacular, more power needed 20. Cedeno- to be fair: Tinkers2Evers (5:10:04 PM): his offensive value is all BA Tinkers2Evers (5:10:08 PM): that worries me

He's also got a pretty nice swing. I'd like to see what he can do in West Tenn after the break.

Are you being serious?...I dont remember his first game, so I cant tell. I'm serious. My memory could be wrong, but I remember watching his first game on WGN. His first AB, I remember predicting a homerun from him. The pitch comes, and he hits a screaming line drive that at 1st looked like it would be a homerun. But it ended up being a screaming flyout to the warning track. I thought that was a sign of good things to come...well, it wasn't. Of course, my memory could be horrible and that isn't what happened at all. Augie was 1-4 with a double in his first game which was at home against the Tigers. The next day he was 2-3 with a walk against Arizona at home. The next day, he was 1-3 with a double, a walk an RBI and a run scored. Certainly an impressive first three games; unfortunately he didn't hit much after that.

Draft Analysis: Rounds 21-25 Round 21: Peter Farina, Virginia Commonwealth University, C Scouting Report: The Cubs and scout Billy Swoope have had lots of success scouting Virginia. Swoope has nabbed the likes of Jason Dubois, Justin Jones and Sean Marshall among others from Virginia. In 2005, the Cubs took four Virginia players, and Farina was the third behind Scott Taylor and Matt Avery. Farina was part of a Virginia Commonwealth team that went 33 and 22 and reached the College World Series Regional. The 6’1” 200 pound catcher has a catcher’s build and is solid behind the plate. He possesses a strong arm and was named co-defensive player of the year in the Colonial Athletic Conference. After hitting .345 in 113 at-bats in 2004, Farina struggled with the bat this year. He hit just .250 in 204 at-bats with an on-base percentage below .300. Those numbers are even less impressive when you consider the easy schedule that Virginia Commonwealth plays. His poor speed and low walk numbers could become a problem in the future. Farina did show some pop and made solid contact, but he needs to hit for a higher average. He has already signed and is playing in Mesa. Analysis: At best, I see a future backup here. His ceiling is that of a Henry Blanco type player; someone who hits for a low average but is solid behind the plate and can hit the occasional home run. -- Read the entire article --

Draft Analysis: Rounds 16-20 Round 16: Jon Mueller, University of Minnesota, RHP Scouting Report: Mueller was red-shirted in his first year out of high school when he attended Butler Univeristy. Injuries held him back in 2004, and he pitched in just seven games. Mueller transferred to Minnesota and had a healthy 2005 season. He pitched primarily out of the bullpen finishing with a 0 and 1 record with a 2.86 ERA. Mueller has a good pitcher’s body at 6’4” 180 and still could have room to fill out. He’s athletic and has a fastball that can reach the 92-94 MPH range. His curve is also a good pitch, but his lack of a third pitch is one of the reasons he’s in the bullpen. His command has also been a problem; Mueller walked 16 batters in 28.3 innings last season while striking out 26. Mueller is currently pitching in the Northwood’s Summer Collegiate Ball League, so he will not sign until that season is finished. Currently, Mueller has a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings and is getting some starts in the rotation. He’s averaging a strikeout per inning, but is also walking too many batters. Analysis: Decent selection. Mueller has a good fastball/curve combination along with size and athleticism, but to reach the majors, he must improve his command and cut down on his walks. -- Read the entire article --

Draft Analysis: Rounds 11-15 Round 11: Mike Phelps, Central Missouri State University, RHP Scouting Report: Phelps was part of a stacked Division-II team. The team went 57-9, and six players from the team were drafted; Phelps was the fifth. Because the team was so stacked, Phelps had to spend the majority of the year in the bullpen, starting just 5 of his 15 games. He missed the beginning of the year after he fractured his skull. The draft eligible sophomore performed well after returning. In 43.7 innings, Phelps went 4 and 1 with a 1.65 ERA and a solid 59/18 K/BB ratio. It is important to remember that he was facing Division-II competition, but Phelps also has enticing size and stuff. He’s 6’4” 195, and his fastball works in the low-90’s. His sharp slider and change are also strong pitches. He could be a difficult sign. Analysis: There is nothing that Phelps does exceptionally well; his size, stuff and command are not blow-away, but they are all solid. Pitchers like that sometimes slip through the cracks. If the Cubs sign Phelps, this is a great pick. It’s the 11th round and Phelps has legitimate potential. He’s got decent stuff right now and a projectable body. To sign him, they’ll have to pay above slot, but it may be worth it. -- Read the complete article --

Hmm, can't remember him. Of course, that's just because all of the Cougars seemed to have at least 2 hits by the time I left in the 5th so nobody stood out on that team. He was also suspended at the beginning of the year for steriods.

Two more RHP added to the mix.