smokiesonradio

First I want to apologize for taking so long to write back. I love this site and enjoy reading the posts and information but I have gone the season without a good laptop. It would turn off in the middle of my work. I did get an Iphone which has been a great help. Anyhow please allow me to respond to any questions and also invite you to ask anything else you might have. "Being at AA, you sometimes get players of whom some people expect it to be their "last stop" before getting called up to the majors - how does the team (and the announcers) handle such expectations? Do you just go with it or consciously try to tone it down?" (-wvcbxl-) Well this is a great question...In 2007 we had a few players who made the Jump from the Smokies to the Cubs (Jake Fox,Sam Fuld,Kevin Hart) but for the most part they will have to spend some games in Triple-A Iowa. When we go into a season I try NOT to look at our team in terms of "Prospects"/ "Organizational Players". Instead (as a guy who has played a ton of baseball growing up) I look to see how they play the game, and complete here and now. The Cubs organization has been blessed with some great players which makes my job so fun. Once I see with my own eyes a player with the ability to get the call up...I get excited. I just want to be honest and if they are in my mind MLB ready,,, I'll say that. Who are the players you're most excited to see amongst those expected to start the season with the Smokies? Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. "Who are the players you're most excited to see amongst those expected to start the season with the Smokies?" -CaliforniaRaisin- Thanks for the question and again I'm really sorry it took the entire season to answer it. We are getting ready for game 3 of the playoffs tonight here in the Southern League so I know what we have here in Tennessee. I have really enjoyed watching our shortstop Starlin Castro...he was in Daytona most of the season but at just 19 years old, he could among the five most talented players in the SOUTHERN LEAGUE this year. The guy floats to the baseball, has a great arm and can hit! Be excited...the Brewers top prospect is Alcides Escobar and Castro is cut from the same mold.... The Smokies rightfielder Tyler Colvin blew up in August. He was the Southern League player of the month and led the Smokies to a late season push which saw the club go 16-6 down the stretch. He was twice the SL hitter of the week in the run. What makes Colvin special is his ability to hit with the game on the line. He has hit two game winning walkoff homeruns and has piled up four game winning hits here this season. One other guy you will like is Casey Coleman. He ended the season with a SL league best 14 wins and 3.68 ERA ended seventh. Coleman has four pitches he can throw for strikes and was brilliant in last nights playoff win in which he retired 19 straight at one point. He is a former college shortstop and plays defense on the mound like a gold glover! Thank you again for the great questions...GO CUBS GO