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Raisin, I believe Flaherty is destine for 1B or outfield. I think his power will increase enough for the Cubs to consider him at 1B by late 2012 or 2013. Hendry wants LH power at 1B. LeMahieu is a 3B waiting to happen (his best position). Vitters is not a done deal at 3B and LeMahieu makes a nice back up choice. If LeMahieu significantly out performs Vitters this year, he may take over as the future Cubs 3B prospect. Cerda is a 2B waiting to happen. His tools play best there. Unfortunately, Junior Lake is messing up the infield alignment. Watkins best position is SS and should have started there this year. Lake is best suited for 3B, but is blocked by Vitters at AA. So, a comprised has been fostered to create playing time. By next year, we should see better resolution with Lake's success or failure this year. If he fails, he will be a utility player. If he is a success, he will permanently re-align other middle infielders behind his status. A final thought, reading Fleita's comments about Silva's future, I think the Cubs are hoping he can be a 2B. A speedy, LH 2B lead-off man is a very attractive option. Luis Castillo did very well in that role with Florida. I believe Hendry was with Florida before taking a job with the Cubs as farm director.

There is an important distinction with D.J. when comparing him to HR hitters that sacrifice avg. for power: hitting approach. D.J. is a natural hitter who's scouting reports state a level, inside-out swing. His history is to swing for singles and get on base. Maybe his thin frame and previous coaching molded this mind-set. Whichever, he shows a talent for hitting. The Cubs see a natural hitter who can add muscle and "learn" to hit HRs by adjusting his approach. Sandberg is an important bench-mark for D.J., he started hitting HRs when he learned to recognize pitches he could pull for power. As D.J. matures as a hitter, I fully expect him to increase his power and maintain his avg. by having a better understanding of which pitches he takes out of the yard. This approach and added muscle will increase his confidence in swinging for power - how much power? TBD. My hope would be 20 HRs a year as I see him more of a 3B than at 2B. His defensive skill set, from what I understand reading this forum, is 3B. I predict that D.J. will add power slowly through his minor league career, maybe 10-12 HRs this year and possibly 15 HRs next year as a high water mark while hitting over .300. One thing that did catch my eye from last year's stats, he finished with 73 RBIs - without power. That tells me he can be a clutch hitter. With added power, he may reach 85-100 RBIs a year, if not more. That is a #3 through #6 run producer who doesn't strike out much. I'll take that at Wrigley.

I read that Polin Trinidad was released earlier this week. Was he re-signed?

From BA: Anyone know what DHEA is?

From BA 3/24

From Your Morning Phil - 3/23/11

From BA: LHP John Mincone released.

Here is a photo link to some faces in spring training: http://fourseamimages.photoshelter.com/gallery/Chicago-NL-ST-2011/G0000yQ_FhBKmvM8/1/P0000BAb63kYuoF0

Here is a link to a Jin-Young Kim story posted last month. The most interesting part of the article is the comment section: http://www.bleachernation.com/2010/02/18/cubs-make-huge-international-splash-sign-korean-youngster/ The Korean idea for a person's age is new to me.

Once the cynicism wears off and more news develops from spring training, this post will have interesting updates. I am always curious about ex-Cub minor league players. I read where Dan McDaniel was released, by another team, in the last month. He had so much promise at the end of 2009.

Here is BA's take on Graham Hicks from the 2008 draft: He was a 4th round pick and received $475,000 to sign.

BA's scouting report from 2009

Here are Szczur's season stats: All Purpose g rush rcv pr kr total avg/g Szczur, Matt 8 368 240 48 233 889 111.1

The U.S. has the most developed amateur baseball system in the world. By the time kids reach 12 years old, they have been exposed to more organized baseball then any Latin nation, including Venezuela. Also, the diet of our post-industrial society matures adolescents more completely than third world countries. Because of these factors, high dollar contracts for U.S. amateurs is safer with greater return on value than high dollar contracts on Latin amateurs. Remember, 16 year old Latin kids are not scouted on baseball skills, as much as the physical skills that may translate to baseball skills. Few show the present ability to hit a baseball, throw and catch a baseball or run the base paths in an organized fashion. I have no problem with the, "sign low dollar kids and see what sticks" mentality. For me, this has the best value of return on such unknown quantities. Can anyone come up with a list of the Latin bonus babies that are now major league regulars? My guess, the list is small. I do have a theory on why teams (other than huge markets like N.Y. or Boston that have the cash) sign big bonus babies - its a marketing tool to show fans, other teams and maybe organizational employees that upper management is serious about player development. As a fan, I don't need the Cubs to show they are serious in developing homegrown talent by signing one or more of these kids. There are many tools these days to follow an organization's minor league talent base. If anything, these tools expose the realities of Latin baseball talent. With all the money thrown around the last few years on Latin kids, PEDs have become a serious problem with top prospects. BA has eluded to this problem in conjunction with the slow signings of the current 16/17 year old Latin elites. I think the Cubs are wise to stay away from Latin Kids with agents wanting big dollars. And don't forget the scandals of agents scamming these kids with huge cuts from the contracts. The incentive to cheat is greater now than is the past. Big money = big corruption, add in impoverished, minimally educated kids and the big bets on return don't add up.

I don't know if this has been posted, but in the process looking up Ryan Harvey's stats (BA) for 2010 I found him listed as a RHP for the Pawtuket Red Sox. I will assume he has signed a 2011 contract with the Sox to be a pitcher. It appears to be, Harvey has finally realized his future is not with a bat in his hands, but rubber under his spikes. Is it stubbornness, stupidity or arrogance that blinded him for so long? I think its a little of all three with desperation sprinkled in. Final thought, should we care?

I have watched Carpenter pitch and there are three things that concern me about his prospect status. First, he has a simple delivery, very little deception. Second, he pitches up in the zone and third, the second time through the order he gets hit hard. Following his stats this year, the trend of getting hit harder after the opposition faces him again, has continued. Although his stuff is good, his age, medical history and opponents BA in the middle and late innings suggests Carpenter will wind up in the bullpen if he makes it to the majors. I would like to be wrong, but hedging a prospect's status is the sane thing to do.

BA chat

BA chat 8/25

Jim Calls chat at BA

He is only black if that is what you see. Rumor has it, he was born white . . . couldn't accept his color as an adolescent and slowly turned black. I hear it added 2 mph to his FB.

The reason I put Antigua on the list is he showed enough ability to be ranked 19th on BA's prospect list. He pitched well at Peoria last year raising expectations that he would continue to improve. To paraphrase the mood of the forum this season, "What's wrong with Antigua?" is a collective disappointment. I hope he finishes strong this year and renews our interest next year. As for Darvill, he would have been next on my list because of being a 5th round pick last year. However, he is so young and has yet to do anything of consequence. The scouting reports tempered his prospect talents with raw ability and a Canadian baseball background. If Darvill flounders next year, he most definitely will be a disappointment.

McNutt was a 32nd round pick in the 2009 draft. The last calendar year has been pretty good for the former Junior College pitcher. It seems only Tim Wilken had the patience to draft and wait for McNutt to blossom last summer.

1. Kyler Burke - .227 avg./.658 OPS says it all for last year's Minor League POY 2. Chris Huseby - No longer pitching, Huseby is racking up Ks at Boise with his own swing and misses. 3. Blake Parker - Competed in training camp for a ML roster spot, Parker has been demoted to AA after showing an inability to control his stuff and get quality hitters out. 4. Josh Vitters - For all that has been said defending his prospect status, Vitters' season has been a big disappointment. He still has a future with the Cubs, but next year will define what that future is. 5. Jeff Antigua - Antigua showed excellent promise last year. However, his strength in controlling his pitches has abandoned him this year. We were all expecting results better than a 4.57 ERA at Peoria with a team leading 11 HRs given up. 6. Micah Gibbs - Granted, a .093 avg at Boise is a small sample size. However, Gibbs was advertised as an advanced college player. For whatever reason, the 3rd round draft pick has not performed in his professional debut. If he gets off to another poor start next year, his prospect status will go in the dumpster. 7. John Gaub - One off-season scouting report proclaimed he was the best lefty reliever prospect in all of minor league baseball. He has followed up such billing with a 6.57 ERA and 25 BB in 29 IP in AAA, muddling his prospect status for next year. 8. Ryan Searle - 2009 began with a promotion to Daytona for the then 19 year old. 2010 saw his demotion to Peoria. After watching him pitch, I can say there is nothing major league about Searle. Average stuff and a bad body contribute to his falling prospect status. This most likely will be the last year he is relevant. 9. Logan Watkins - He still is a prospect, however is mundane stats (.253 avg/0 HR) at Peoria are a concern. He shows no power and has not used his speed enough on the base paths to show a future as a base stealer.

This list was created to highlight those players doing well in the system. A Cubs minor league POY will most likely come out of this list. Also, the list shows what a good year looks like and how the Cubs' players compare to other organizations. No player has put up great power numbers, a very high batting average or elite SB totals. However, the position players on the list have excellent OPS. The pitching stats are more impressive with wins, ERA and WHIP. 1. Chris Archer W L ERA G GS CG IP H SO BB WHIP 12 2 2.04 21 20 0 105 75 31 113 1.13 2. Trey McNutt W L ERA G GS CG IP H BB SO WHIP 8 0 2.00 19 19 0 85.2 61 31 100 1.07 3. Robinson Chirnos AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO OBP SLG OPS .310 72 248 49 77 22 0 15 62 38 32 .401 .581 .982 4. Brad Snyder AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS SLG OPS .306 100 353 68 108 27 5 17 82 38 91 16 1 .555 .928 5. Bryan LaHair AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO OBP SLG OPS .315 93 308 48 97 26 0 17 61 32 67 .383 .565 .948 6. Brett Jackson AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS .307 98 374 78 115 27 10 9 53 61 95 22 9 .413 .505 .918 7. Thomas Diamond W L ERA G GS CG IP H BB SO WHIP 5 4 3.16 21 21 0 108 86 46 104 1.22 8. Austin Bibens-Dirkx W L ERA G GS CG IP H BB SO WHIP 8 3 3.02 23 18 0 104 75 43 35 1.05 9. Russ Canzler AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO OBP SLG OPS .294 84 245 47 72 20 2 16 43 31 62 .377 .588 .965 10. Tony Campana AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS OBP .324 103 376 59 122 16 4 0 25 35 61 35 18 .383 Those who were close to making the list: Michael Brenly Darwin Barney Hung-Wen Chen Junior Lake Hak-Ju Lee Brandon Guyer Chris Carpenter An argument can be made that only 3 or the 10 are above average ML prospects and 4 are fringe ML prospects.

I saw Latham pitch last week. He showed a 93-95 mph FB. He also showed a temper. The home plate umpire squeezed him a couple of times and Latham pouted on the mound. He would walk off one side, circle around slowly to the other side, walk back up to the rubber and stare down the umpire. In the article, Latham said he was having success finishing games until the coaching staff started using him in different situations. Having a sense of entitlement in low A is not a precursor to a long career. I don't think Latham has much of a future in the Cubs organization.