Mephistopheles

Well if he's take off the 60 day DL, then wed be at 40

They wouldn't call up Marshall early on rehab AND ask him to start on short rest, would they?

So who is starting tomorrow? One of them might be getting a phone call right about now with Hill on the mound. From memory is it Miller/Shaver/Veal? I have no idea which of them would be likely...when's Jerome pitched?

About enjoying Guzman when his arm is up.

You know people said that about Chris Carpenter one time.

Guz really pulled the string on that first change to Scott. He's really got great stuff. Three excellet pitches. That change is dirty, another dirty one to Scott.

If in December I told you that Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall and Juan Mateo would all get a lot of starts with the Cubs with a combined 0 AAA starts, would you believe me? I know Mateo's only at 2, but Marshall and Marmol have gotten quite a few.

http://cubs.scout.com/2/557307.html I didn't see this posted anywhere. I broke the same bone about 5 years ago and can still "feel" the spot it broke every now and then.

Gallagher's going to get called up if he keeps his ERA in the mid 2.00s. Don't agree with it, but it's going to happen.

Price also has a changeup that's a solid pitch. Nick Schmidt's fastball is in the 92-94 range to go with the solid breaking pitch. He's a big 6'5" 220 guy whose fastball has touched 96 in the past. He's one of my favorite prospects. He's been lights out for Team USA (who hasn't?). Joe Savery (Rice) had a fastball that got up to 94 his freshman season with a dirty slider, I have no idea what he's doing these days. He was out most of the season last year. He's also a lot like Doolittle with a sweet swing and a great glove at first. He was on the National teams' prelim roster and has been gone since. I haven't be able to find him in a summer league. James Adkins (Tennessee) has the stuff and size to go in the top 10. He's really struggled with his command though. His fastball isn't overpowering by itself, but his knockout power breaking ball is one of the best in the country. Some define it as a curve or a slider, so slurve is probably what it is. I've seen some places that say it's a present plus ML pitch, don't know about that with all the walks though. Sean Doolittle (Virginia) has a decent deceptive fastball with a good change. His curve's okay. My biggest concern with him is that he's an extreme flyball pitcher. Something like a .30 G/F last season. After these and other's mentioned, I think there's quite a drop off. All of the lefties mentioned figure to go in the first round or close to it. Tony Watson (Nebraska) is in the 2-5 range. He was drafted in the ninth round this year because he was sophomore eligible. From the BA scouting report: Fastball around 89 with potential for more. Makeup and pitchability are both plusses. Plus change and a inconsistent but okay breaking ball. Eric Berger (Arizona) could shoot up this list. He could find himself in the first round if he's healthy. Entering the season he was one of the top lefty 07's in college. However he only made a few starts before hurting his elbow. Tommy John was performed in early June. Before the injury Berger threw in the 90-92 range with a good curve and a good slider. He could be this year's Kris Johnson (also TJ with good stuff). Wade Korpi (Notre Dame) and Nick Hill (Army) are the polished, crafty lefties in the draft. Neither of them are Sowers nor Dave Huff. A comparison to former Crimson Tide, Wade LeBlanc, seems to be good for both. Ross Detwiler (Missouri State) throws 92-94 and is a relief prospect. He's very raw and his command is an issue but 94 MPH throwing lefties don't grow on trees. I know I've lefty out several guys but I've got the big names, I think.

Since you've been around the team, what's the deal with Sean Doolittle? I understand why he might not be pitching much, Schmidt good stuff left side, Price..Price, Arrietta hasn't given up a run and Brackman throws 99. The thing is that he's hitting under .250 and not pitching hardly ever. What's the deal? He looked like a top 10 pick earlier this summer? Is he hurt or just struggling? Also how has Weathers looked? Sick K rate along with all the USA team, I know he's touched 98

I dunno about Roemer. He's hit or miss. I only saw him pitch in the CWS where most people thought he had worn down. He was in the upper 80s without a good second offering that game. I knew he was in the 90-92 range. He just seems to have a lot of similarities to Tim Stauffer in college including the Maddux comparisons we all know and love. Of course Stauffer was hurt when he signed and that could have to do with a lot of his professional struggles. It's just that there have been countless pitcher's evoking Maddux comps and most miss. I guess you can say the same thing about others. Don't take this wrong, he's a solid first rounder. I've got nothing against Arrietta or Arencibia. If the Cubs continue to play decently and miss the top five, I'd love Arencibia to the Cubs. Is Moskos a lock for the first round? I can think of 30 guys I'd take over him, but that's just me I guess. I'm no scout or scouting director. And about St. Clair, I saw him dominate the two games in the NCAA tournament in a long role. I wouldn't be surprised if the team that drafts him thinks about converting him to a starter. Both the Red Sox and Blue Jays have done this several times. I think he's got the stuff needed to remain a starter. How many people are really high on Barney? I've always thought the consenses was that he was a second or third teir middle infielder whose probably in the third round area. I've thought Harbin, Emaus, Cozart and Horton were better MI prospects. I don't get to talk with scouts much, you've gotta know more about some of these guys than I do. Living in Houston and coming up as a player I talk to a lot of local scouts about local kids, but I've only talked to crosschecker once or twice, and not recently. A local product to keep an eye on is Sam Demel. He's got a short temper and has struck out 100 each of his first two seasons at TCU. In HS he threw 90-93 touching 94. He's about in that range still the last I heard, but he throws nearly sidearm and has a knockout slider. He's started for TCU but has closed in the CCL. He's been dominant: 1.73 ERA, 26 IP. 38:12 K:BB, 14 H. He's struck out 35% of the guys he's faced there. He's got the mean streak that he could be a good closer prospect down the road. Demel's not an unknown of course, he was one of the best "present" pitchers in the 2004 draft. He was top five talent with a tough sign at TCU.

Brett Cecil and Daniel Moskos are relievers. I like Moskos a lot, Cecil is okay but there are three other dynamite relievers who are probably better prospects than they are. The first would be Rice's Cole St. Clair. He's a southpaw that completely obliterated the competition this spring. 7-2 1.82 ERA, 100:26 K:BB in 74.1 IP. He allowed just 39 hits for a .151 BAA. St. Clair's bread and butter is an electric fastball that can get in the mid 90s with outstanding movement and depth. He's going to go in the back half of the first round, or in the supplemental round. Secondly I would have to go with Georgia's Josh Fields. He's been clocked in the upper 90s, hitting 99 in the College World Series in June according to the ESPN gun. He's also got an advanced feel for his offspeed pitches. He'll be in the supplemental round. He could sneak in the back end of the first round if he continues to develop his secondary offerings. Another fireball righty is North Carolina's Andrew Carignan. Carrigan moved into their closer spot this spring with his fastball that reaches the high 90s. His FB sits 94-97 touching 98. He's likely going to find himself in the second round. I love Daniel Moskos. He's probably a second round guy, though if the Cubs could grab in the third round I'd be ecstatic. Last spring his fastball sat in the low 90s which is good for a lefty RP, but he's been dynamite for Team USA. His fastball has been 94-97 and has shown a hard slider in the mid 80s that's a quality pitch. Brett Cecil has been 92-94 this summer on the Cape with a high 80s octane slider. He's also got the makeup and drive perfect for the role. Ben Hunter's another guy who could go high. He was very good this season and throws a good moving FB and slider, though I dunno if his stuff is dominant to be anything more than a setup man.

Probably sometime, but it'll likely be at like 2 in the morning or something. They actually cut out the last two frames of the game because it ran over the 3 hours it was slotted for. That kind of bummed me out because I wanted to see Erik Goeddel and Josh Smoker throw. Main did not throw the ball well. He did his Chicago Cubs routine as he threw over FIFTY pitches in his inning of work. Thirteen of those pitches were 94 MPH or higher. He sat at 94 at the beginning of the inning before tiring down, throwing 91-92 the last 10 or so pitches. He had no command of his fastball nor consistency on his mid 70s breaking ball. Robert Stock was impressive with the bat and ball. He homered in his first PA off Rick Porcello and a 94 MPH fastball. His fastball sat 92-94 in his inning of work, touching 95. He struck out Tolisano, Morris and Burgess. He walked Justin Jackson and allowed singles to Danny Rams and Jason Heyward. He looked pretty good. I was most impressed with Blake Beavan. Of course he like Kerry Wood is from Irving, but he's a lot different. His arm action and motion are very similar to Jake Peavy as he throws low three quarters. He sat 92-94 with a heavy sinking fastball similar to Peavy's. He also threw a hard slider in the low 80s that was superb. Of course it was only three batters but he did face arguably the three toughest hitters in the game. Justin Jackson (K), Michael Burgess (2B, pop fly that dropped between SS and LF) and Jason Heyward (K). I liked what I saw from him. Another pitcher I liked was Matt Harvey. He had a lot of Chris Carpenter in him. He threw straight over the top sitting 93-94 with his fastball touching 95. He also had a big 12-6 curveball like Carpenter, running in the mid 70s. I also liked Neil Ramirez and Rick Porcello. Porcello joined Harvey, Stock and Main as the only four to hit 95. Yeah there are a few. Madison Bumgarner, Tanner Robles and Josh Smoker could all find themselves in the first round. However, the college crop of lefties (Price, Doolittle, Schmidt, and Savery) all probably grade higher right now. There are several good middle infielders. Nick Noonan, Justin Jackson and John Tolisano could all go in the first round. Jackson is the top position player among the HS crop. Noonan and Tolisano are less toolsy, but probably will be more advanced than Jackson. There's not much among the HS crop of CFers worth getting in the first five picks, unless Jackson moves to center (which is NOT expected).

Correction: The Cubs have so many pitching prospects who have serious drawbacks that involve the word "if"

I have been most impressed with Blair Beavan thus far. Jake Peavy part II

Stock just hit a bomb off Porcello, 94 MPH cheese.

Stock started on the mound for the West in the Aflac game. He sat at 92-93 most of his inning hitting 94 once and 95 once.

PA of course. Strikeout per AB is useless. Pie's K/PA is over 21% and his K:BB is 2.9:1

im only using AL to take out pitchers 2006: .066 2005: .060 2004: .066 2003: .064 2002: .065 2001: .064 2000: .070 The average K:BB is just under 2:1 and the average K rate is about 16%

3.0, 3 H, 4 K, BB for Huseby He is pitching like a first rounder and a guy worth first round money so far* *I know I jinxed the second SP of the night. I do what I can.

Jim Callis in his latest chat http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/features/262133.html

I guess I did, we should demote him to Mesa, he could join Huseby and...

You jinxed him! :(

What a surprise, Veal is dominating High A again. Such a shock!