videographer

One is enough to sign a contract.

Although they have not stood out in Mesa, Arismendy Alcantara and Wes Darvill can be added to the mix. Tim Wilken's history is procuring toolsy shortstops and Alcantara/Darvill fit that description. If they pan out is another matter. However, Alcantara showed power, speed and hitting ability last year in the DSL. Darvill was a 5th round pick (from that hotbed of baseball talent: Canada), out of high school, by a scouting director who likes to select college players early. Also, Kyung-Min Na signed for several hundred thousand dollars last year . . . so that must mean something. I do remember Arizona Phil posting comments last year about Na showing good speed, base-running instincts and an aggressive effort in Mesa. All three players are very young for Boise, they will be 18 for the entire season. I agree with Raisin's 5 players, but I cannot come up with an order. The prospect level is down at Boise compared with last year. Signed draft choices will have to fill the void.

I think the Cubs wasted a good deal of money on Brooks Raley as a pitcher. In 54 innings, he has given up 76 hits and walked 26 to go with a 5.93 ERA. Struggling with control is one thing, but a pitcher who gets tattoed every other start in A ball doesn't have a future in the big leagues. Raley's draft report stated he didn't have an out pitch and his stuff was average to slightly above on a good day (BA) . Pitchability and athleticism was supposed to be his M.O. I suspect that within a year, he will switch to the outfield, although that same draft report said his best position is pitcher.

This was posted at Baseball America yesterday:

I found this from a Baseball Prospectus article: He sounds like a future headache for the team that drafts him.

Be careful of Arizona Phil's scouting reports. He is a wealth of information and a wonderful service to Cubs' fans. But, I have found his evaluations suspect at times. Extended spring training players (especially Latin & Korean players) are still in the "Play Doh" state of development. Starlin Castro and Junior Lake were thought to be book-ends two years ago from Phil's observations. Last year at this time, I remember Phil going on about Jon Nagel having the makings of an innings eating horse. I love reading Phil's reports and can't wait for the next updates from Arizona. He is the best columnist on the Cub Reporter website. However, I have learned to temper my enthusiasm and rely on the great mystery of time to do my evaluating.

Here is my take on the top 10/11 prospects for each Cubs' minor league team: Peoria 1. Lee 2. Watkins 3. McNutt 4. Antigua 5. Raley 6. Richard Jones 7. Su-Min Jung 8. Morla 9. Cerda 10. Bour/Whitenack Daytona 1. Vitters 2. B. Jackson 3. Dae-Eun Rhee 4. Dolis 5. Lemahieu 6. Burke 7. Archer 8. Rusin 9. Huseby 10. Brenly/Cabrerra Tennessee 1. Castro 2. Cashner 3. Flaherty 4. Carpenter 5. Mateo 6. Chirinos 7. Cales 8. Guyer 9. Muyco 10. Butcher/Carrillo Iowa 1. J. Jackson 2. Gaub 3. Barney 4. Aducci 5. Parker 6. Castillo 7. Coleman Most likely to get called up 1. Gray 2. Fuld 3. Diamond 4. Hoffpauir 5. Scales 6. Stevens 7. Camp 8. Atkins Boise/Mesa/injury 1. Darvill 2. Arismendy Alcantara 3. Kirk 4. Ridling 5. Kyung-Min Na 6. Bristow 7. Burruel 8. Mincone 9. Ping-Chieh Chen 10. Suarez edited 4/6 10:15am Forgot all about Adduci.

Looking at Arizona Phil's minor league roster update, I noticed Drew Rundle is now a pitcher (Boise/Mesa). It was only a year ago in spring training that he caught the eye of Cubs' personal with his swing. He was promoted to Daytona to start the year after finishing at Boise the previous year. I think his career K/ratio was close to 40%. The Cubs spent $500,000 to sign him away from attending (I believe) Oregon St. Also, Richard Jones, a 9th round pick a year ago, has been moved from catcher to outfield. I guess all those passed balls were to much to over-come. Then again, the thump in his left-handed bat is his biggest tool and fastest way to Wrigley.

Wow. I have hit quite a nerve with a couple of posters if they are ready to defend Milton Bradley's one year stay in Chicago. Okay, I give up, Latham is awesome and deserves all the love and attention in this forum. And, I should have watched more of the 2009 train-wreck instead of turning the channel. We shouldn't coddle our favorite athletes, but fan is short for fanatic, which can be an enthusiast or a zealot.

I am not surprised by the reaction to my post. Accountability in today's world is usually attached with a statement of, "It is time to move on/past" an issue of bad behavior. No one posted thoughts about the people affected by Latham's hit and run DUI. "Give the kid a break" has been the overwhelming sentiment in this thread. I prefer to look at his behavior in this incident as a sign of his character. Unless he has fundamentally changed, I would prefer he re-start his career with another organization. My opinion of Jae Kuk Ryu changed after his tasteless episode. His show of character was a clue that he would not succeed as hoped. There is an internal barometer of right and wrong that empowers a person under stress. Believing in one's choices and knowing such belief is shared (with others) in action, creates success in the long run. In other words, Ryu had no backbone. His selfishness in a personal decision was a window to his pitchability. For me, both was a turn-off and I was glad of his exit to Tampa - good riddance. I was conflicted by the Ben Christensen incident because of his terrible behavior and the victim's lost vision and dreams. However, I believed in his contrition and thought he was able to change his character. On the other hand, I lost no sleep over Andy Sisco's release. I knew nothing of his incidents, but after reading a "get to know" article about his personality I realized little would come of his talent and his complete self-absorption was a total turn-off. Latham is afforded a second chance. 23 is old enough to know better, but we all mature at different rates. I just don't want Latham to re-start his career with the Cubs. I am tired of reading about athletes' abhorrent behavior and the excuses made to cover them. Milton Bradley's brief stop in Wrigley was excruciating - in both Bradley and Cub's management to defuse the obvious. I can envision a future "feel good" article about Latham re-starting his career and "putting behind" the incident that "slowed" his dream. 95 mph and his 2008 stats are impressive, but I would rather have Cub farm hands face his FB than catch it.

There has been a great deal of rationalization in this thread over Latham’s actions. I will continued to be appalled by his behavior and hope he gets released. Crashing a large vehicle while drunk is despicable. Thankfully, no one was hurt in or outside the SUV. What bothers me the most about Latham’s incident is that he ran away from the scene of the accident. This is un-defendable and a true sign of his character. This forum wouldn’t waste time discussing Latham if he didn’t throw a baseball 95 mph. Fans easily forgive and forget an athlete’s worst transgressions if he can fuel hope in one’s favorite team. Here is a question for you: If Latham had crashed his SUV into your house, parents’ house, siblings’ house or friends’ house, would you be so forgiving? The cynic in me thinks that some of you would ask Latham to autograph a picture of the crash scene. If he had crashed into my house, I would have chased him down and broke his right arm.

I don't want to root for a Cub's pitcher that ran away from a hit and run with a DUI.

You are thinking of Yoon-Min Kweon (6'2" 210 lbs.), a catcher signed by the Cubs in 1999. I believer he received $250,000. He was 21 years old when he signed. He topped out in AA with 6 AB in 2004. His best year was at Lansing of the Midwest League in 2001. He hit .270 in 326 AB with 6 HR & 51RBI.

From ESPN chat with Jim Callis:

Rich Hill was granted free agency by the Orioles. Did the Cubs ever receive compensation for him? I seem to recall that when Hill was sent to the Orioles, compensation was to be determined by his level of success. Although his season turned sour with an injury, he still pitched in the majors and remained on the 40 man roster for most of the season.

From ESPN chat with Jim Callis:

On a side note, last week, Lenny Dykstra filled for bankruptcy. He claims $31 million in debt.

Randy Wells was drafted in the 38th round of the 2002 draft as a catcher. After 1 1/2 years of not hitting a thing, the Cubs converted him into a pitcher. Can anyone be surprised? Yes, he was a rule 5 to Toronto and was returned.

Jake Fox is not an answer for the Cubs. He is a poor fielder and his glove cannot not be trusted at the MLB level. After watching him hit the last 3 spring trainings, he is an all or nothing type hitter. He is currently in hot streak that garners attention, but he will cool off. At best, his MLB celing is as (AL) situational player on a lower-half team. His value is trade bait. As far as Covin, I like the walks, but he needs to hit for average and extra bases. I will show a more critical evalution eye next month when the elbow is better and the weather is warmer. By eary June, we should know if Colvin is progressing as a prospect or turned into a suspect.

Fresh from BA's transaction list: Too bad about Harol Tolentino. I think he threw in the low to mid-90s before arm surgery in early 2008.

Per Carrie Muskat: I guess this paves the way for Jeremy Pappelbon.

I remember when Pawalek was drafted. He was the first to sign of all the 1st round picks. I think it was within a week of the draft and for $1.75 million. I believe he said he wanted to start his career as soon as possible. The pre-draft buzz was that it would take awhile because he was a Boras client. He was the most highly rated Utah H.S. pitcher since (I beleive) Bruce Hurst. Now 3 1/2 years later, it looks like the kid took the money and ran. His checkered history is filled with internet fodder of half-hearted conditioning and a lack of urgency in his focus. He will go down in history as the worst Cub 1st round draft pick. Earl Cunningham cannot hold a candle to this kid. He is more notorious than Matt Bush. At least Bush managed to play two seasons in the Midwest League. Washed up, washed out and 7 figures in the bank before he has turned 23 years old. The joke is on the Cubs and anyone who wanted to believe he had a future in Wrigley. I wouldn't lay favorable odds that his life will be charmed. His track record as an athlete suggests inmaturity that will derail success and frustrate friends, family and acquaintances. I predict he will one day end up in politics. Mormons know how to take care of their own.

After reading a few of the most recent responses, I don't think anyone saw Fukudome in the WBC against Cuba on Sunday (He didn't play Thursday against Korea). His swing hasn't changed. He still drops his right foot in the bucket with every stride at the plate. He struck out three times against Cuban pitching, looking awful in the process. He didn't make good contact (sans a single) and I didn't notice any improvement since last October. If this continues when he shows up in Mesa, I don't think he will be a regular in the line up, much less hit second in the order. At the end of last season, there was talk that Fukudome may have to spend time in the minors in order to significantly improve his MLB stock. I would not be shocked if that happened at some point during the season.

For what its worth, Billy Petrick is listed on the Iowa roster (3/20) posted at Cubs.com. These temporary rosters for the affiliates are updated daily. I wonder if Arizona Phil has spotted Petrick at Fitch Park?

According the BA, the Cubs gave Acosta (12th round pick in 2007) a $225,000 signing bonus. I know he had arm issues last season, but to give up on a teenager after a 1 1/2 years leads to harsh speculation. With his backstory (dad Oscar, a former Cubs pitching coach, was killed in an auto accident shortly before Ryan was drafted) some news should be posted to explain his release.