Outshined_One

God [expletive] damn it, it's already started. This is going to end up giving me an aneurysm between now and next year. There have been some delightful posts on other Cubs websites about how Bryan LaHair should be starting at 1B next year if Fielder or Pujols aren't signed. I'm hoping LaHair turns out great for the Cubs and all, but people are getting ridiculous over an eight game hot streak.

Box Score Tennessee lost 6-3 Box Score SS J. Lake 1/4 CF JH Ha 2/4, R, RBI, HR (1) 1B R. Ridling 1/4, K 3B J. Vitters 1/4 C S. Clevenger 0/4, E (1, fielding) LF N. Samson 1/3, BB, R 2B J. Mota 1/4 PH T. Wright 1/1, R, 2 RBI, HR (1) PH N. Perez 0/1 SP M. Carrillo 2.2 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HR, HBP, 4-1 GO-FO RP O. Martinez 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR, 1-3 GO-FO RP K. Rhoderick 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, HBP, 2-1 GO-FO RP J. Beliveau .2 perfect, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO RP M. Hatley 1 perfect, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO

Box Scores Tennessee wins 10-4 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-5 series Box Score CF JH Ha 2/5, 2 R, 2B (1), K 1B-C B. Lalli 2/3, 2B (1), 3 RBI, K LB-1B R. Ridling 1/3, R, HR (1), RBI, BB, K 3B J. Vitters 1/4, RBI, K C S. Clevenger 2/4, 2 RBI SS J. Lake 1/3, 2 R, K, HBP, SB (1) SP R. Searle 2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 3-1 GO-FO RP O. Martinez 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 2-0 GO-FO RP M. Hatley 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2-1 GO-FO Daytona wins 3-1 to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-5 series Box Score LF E. Crawford 1/5, 2B (1), K 2B L. Watkins 0/4, K 3B M. Cerda 1/3, BB 1B J. Bour 3/4 RF M. Burgess 2/3, BB, K CF M. Szczur 1/3, 2B (1), BB C C. Noble 1/4, 2B (1), RBI, K SP C. Harman 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HBP, 2-5 GO-FO RP Y. Negrin 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 5-2 GO-FO OVERALL: 2-0!

These are good results.

If the Astros go to the AL, would they join the AL West? Also, if we're assuming the Astros will be swapped for another team, rather than giving the AL and NL a 15/15 split, who would replace them? Maybe the Royals?

Box Scores Tennessee won 9-6 Box Score CF JH Ha 2/5, R, RBI, 2 K LF/1B R. Ridling 1/3, BB, R, K, SB (1) 3B J. Vitters 1/4, R, 2 RBI, HR (1) C S. Clevenger 2/3, BB, 2 R, 2 2B (2), PB (1) SS J. Lake 0/3, K 2B J. Mota 1/3, 2 RBI, K PH N. Perez 0/1 PH T. Wright 0/1 SP B. Raley 3.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3 HR, 3-3 GO-FO RP HW Chen 1.1 perfect, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP J. Stevens 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2-0 GO-FO RP J. Beliveau 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP R. Dolis 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, WP, 2-0 GO-FO Daytona won 4-3 Box Score, advancing to the Florida State League Championship LF E. Crawford 2/4, R, K 2B L. Watkins 0/3, BB, R, K 3B M. Cerda 3/4, R, RBI 1B J. Bour 1/4, RBI PR/DH G. Rohan 0/1, RBI RF A. Abreu 2/4 CF M. Szczur 1/4, RBI, 2 K, Assist (3B) SS E. Soto 2/4, 3B (1) C M. Brenly 1/3, R, K SP M. Loosen 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, WP, 4-6 GO-FO RP P. Francescon 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 2-2 GO-FO RP J. Latham .1 perfect, 1-0 GO-FO RP F. Batista 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2-0 GO-FO

Box Score Daytona won 3-1 Box Score LF E. Crawford 1/4, R, K, E (1, fielding) 2B L. Watkins 1/4, K 3B M. Cerda 0/2, BB, K, HBP 1B J. Bour 1/3, RBI, K RF T. Easterling 0/4, R, 2 K CF M. Szczur 1/3, R, RBI, HR (1), K SS E. Soto 1/2, RBI, HBP SP J. Antigua 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HBP, 12-7 GO-FO RP E. Figueroa 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO RP M. Del Valle .2 perfect, 1-0 GO-FO

Maybe he'll save the Cubs some time and cut himself.

That's been my impression so far more than anything else; you could be right that he's been inefficient with his pitches and that's been the reason for him not lasting so long as he could have been. However, given some of the concerns about his weight and the fact that he came from a small time program, I've always taken his 5th/6th inning struggles more to be about him having issues tiring out. If he's been wasting pitches, it didn't show on his box scores when he'd cruise through the first 3-4 innings without much in the way of hits or walks given up. He's still a teenager who just spent his first full year in professional ball after being a virtual unknown in high school. It's not worrying, but it's noteworthy.

Which is too bad because it also could eliminate any possibility of seeing Ben Wells in another big game this year. I'm so interested in seeing what he will do next year. His record might not seem gaudy, but for a 18 year old (19 on 9/10) in shortseason, I'll take 4-4 4.66 ERA and a roughly 3 GO/AO any day. My hope for him next season is to see him get a handful of games where he makes it through 6/7 innings and surpasses the 100 IP mark without any trouble. My primary concern for him this season has been conditioning-related, as it seems he has been excellent in many of his outings up until about the 5th/6th inning, when he tends to fall apart. I'm not quite as sold on his upside as toonster is, but even if his ceiling is that of a 3rd starter with a power sinker and the ability to pitch 180-200 IP in a season with a WAR around 3, that's still pretty darn good.

Boise is down 5-0 in the early going. Not looking good for the Hawks.

Box Scores Daytona lost 4-3 in the 10th Box Score LF E. Crawford 0/5, K 2B L. Watkins 1/4, BB, R, RBI, K 3B M. Cerda 0/4 1B J. Bour 2/5, R, K, SB (1) RF M. Burgess 1/3 PR/RF A. Abreu 0/1, K CF M. Szczur 0/3, BB, K SS E. Soto 3/4, R, 2B (1) C M. Brenly 0/3, K PH G. Rohan 0/1, K C C. Noble 0/0, E (1, throw) SP DE Rhee 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, HR, HBP, 6-4 GO-FO RP A. Kurcz 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR, 0-0 GO-FO RP F. Batista 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 4-0 GO-FO RP JY Serrano .1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1-0 GO-FO Boise lost 9-1 Box Score LF Z. DeVoss 0/4, BB, 2 K 2B B. Zapenas 2/4, K C R. Lopez 2/3, BB, 2B (1), HBP 1B R. Cuneo 0/4, K, E (1, throw) DH P. Hoilman 0/4, 2 K RF R. Golden 2/3, R, RBI, HR (1), K, HBP SS W. Darvill 0/4, K, 2 E (2, fielding, throw) CF KM Na 0/3, K PH Y. Cabezas 0/1, K SP J. Zeller 3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, WP, 3-4 GO-FO RP A. McKirahan 2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 3-0 GO-FO RP H. Mayora 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, WP, 3-0 GO-FO RP T. Zych 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HBP, 2-2 GO-FO OVERALL: 0-2

Box Scores Iowa won 7-2 Box Score CF B. Jackson 1/4, BB, R, RBI, HR (10), K SS M. Gonzalez 1/5 LF B. Snyder 0/5, 2 K 1B S. Moore 2/4, R, 2 2B (19) DH DJ LeMahieu 1/4, R 2B R. Flaherty 1/2, 2 BB, 2 R, 2B (11) RF M. Spencer 1/3, BB, R 3B M. Smith 1/3, R, RBI, 2B (18), K, E (4, fielding) C C. Robinson 2/4, 2 RBI, 2B (15), K SP J. Jackson 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HBP, 6-2 GO-FO RP N. Struck 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP R. Coello 1 perfect, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO RP B. Parker 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K Peoria lost 9-3 Box Score 2B A. Alcantara 1/5, R, RBI, 2B (14) CF R. Silva 2/5, R, 2 K, Assist (2B) 3B D. Geiger 2/5, 2 K, E (14, fielding) 1B R. Jones 0/4, K C M. Gibbs 1/3, BB, RBI, 2B (14) DH B. Klafczynski 0/4, K SS K. Socorro 2/4, R, E (3, throw) LF J. Morelli 1/4, K SP A. Kirk 4.2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 2-4 GO-FO RP R. Hartman .2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP C. Thomas 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-1 GO-FO, E (1, pickoff) RP Y. Gonzalez 2 perfect, 2 K, 1-1 GO-FO Boise lost Game 1 of its Playoff Series 6-0 Box Score 2B/CF Z. DeVoss 1/2, BB, K, HBP, E (1, fielding) CF O. Zapata 0/2, BB C R. Lopez 0/4, K 1B R. Cuneo 2/4, K DH P. Hoilman 0/4, 3 K RF R. Golden 0/4 SS/2B W. Darvill 0/2, BB 3B/LF W. Contreras 1/3, 2B (1), K LF KM Na 0/2, 2 K PH/SS J. Baez 0/1, K SP J. Rosario 4 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR, WP, 2 HBP, 8-2 GO-FO RP D. Fitzgerald 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, Balk, 7-0 GO-FO RP C. Richardson 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 2-2 GO-FO OVERALL: 1-2

Sounds like Ricketts is just trying to keep his options open, and will be willing to let the new GM do what he wants. It's a strong recommendation in a sense, but if both contracts are full of options and buyouts...well, that's actually pretty smart. This makes me feel better about those deals, but they still annoy me.

I specifically remember the game, the player, the pitcher, the season, the series... 1996 World Series, Game 1, Andruw Jones, Andy Pettitte/Brian Boerhinger?

Vlad Guerrero has actually been pretty good at taking walks in his career (.062 IsoD).

Box Scores Iowa won 2-1 Box Score DH B. Jackson 0/4, 3 K SS M. Gonzalez 0/4, K CF L. Montanez 1/2, 2 BB, R, SB (4), Assist (Home) 1B S. Moore 1/2, BB, HBP 3B DJ LeMahieu 1/3, BB, RBI LF R. Flaherty 0/4, K RF M. Spencer 0/4 2B M. Smith 2/4, R, 2B (17), K C M. Mercedes 2/4, RBI, 3B (1), K SP C. Rusin 6 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 5-3 GO-FO RP A. Cashner 1 perfect, 1 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP C. Carpenter 1 perfect, 1-1 GO-FO RP S. Maine 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, WP, 1-0 GO-FO Tennessee lost Game 1 of their DH 5-1 Box Score CF JH Ha 1/3 DH J. Vitters 0/3 SS J. Lake 0/3, K RF N. Perez 1/3, K, E (5, fielding) SP M. Carrillo 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1-6 GO-FO, E (4, pickoff) RP J. Beliveau 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0-2 GO-FO RP R. Dolis 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 3-0 GO-FO Tennessee won Game 2 of their DH 5-1 Box Score SS J. Lake 2/4, 2 R, 2B (10), K, SB (19) CF JH Ha 0/3 LF R. Ridling 1/2, BB, R, 2B (29), K 3B J. Vitters 1/2, R, 4 RBI, HR (14) RF N. Perez 0/3, K 2B N. Samson 0/2, BB, K SP HW Chen 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 3-2 GO-FO RP O. Martinez 1 perfect, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO RP M. Hatley 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, WP, 1-1 GO-FO Daytona lost 6-4 Box Score CF T. Easterling 1/5, K, Assist (Home) 2B L. Watkins 1/4, 2 K, E (13, throw) 3B M. Cerda 2/3, BB, CS (6) 1B J. Bour 0/4 RF M. Burgess 1/3, BB, R, Assist (Home) LF A. Abreu 1/4, R, RBI, 2B (5), K SS E. Soto 0/2, BB, RBI C C. Noble 2/4, R, 2 RBI, HR (1), K, E (4, throw) SP P. Francescon 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 2-2 GO-FO RP E. Figueroa 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 3-2 GO-FO RP J. Serrano 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, WP, 2-2 GO-FO, E (2, pickoff) RP Y. Negrin 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP F. Batista .1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 0-1 GO-FO RP J. Latham .1 perfect, 1-0 GO-FO Peoria won 4-3 in the 12th Box Score 2B A. Alcantara 0/6, R, 2 K CF R. Silva 1/4, BB, K, E (14, fielding) 1B R. Jones 2/6, RBI C M. Gibbs 2/6, R, 2B (13), 2 K 3B D. Geiger 2/5, BB, 2 K LF B. Klafczynski 2/5, BB SS K. Socorro 0/5 DH J. Morelli 1/4, R, 2 K SP D. Beeler 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 5-2 GO-FO RP B. Wallach 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1-4 GO-FO RP P. Levitt 1 perfect, 2-0 GO-FO OVERALL: 3-2

My thought exactly. It almost certainly wouldn't be prohibitively expensive to fire Fleita. It would still be a waste of money. What business sense is there in extending Fleita for four years, bringing in a new GM, and firing Fleita immediately thereafter so the new GM can bring in his own guys?

I can understand that sentiment, but one of the major problems I have with this move is that it signals an unwillingness to change the organizational philosophy. I'll give Fleita credit where credit is due; the Cubs have done a really good job of developing pitchers during his tenure and he has overseen a Cubs farm system that has undergone a resurgence during his tenure. There is something to be said for those successes. However, when I read things like this: I worry. Perhaps this is a result of budgetary restrictions, but considering the gloves came off in the draft this year, I have some doubts. Recent advances in technology have given coaches and players so many more tools to help their development that it would be incredibly foolish to ignore them. If the Cubs are taking video of pitchers to help determine weaknesses in their mechanics, I don't want that video taken with a freaking cell phone camera. There's also the matter of the Cubs having a knack of developing players who seem allergic to taking walks. Perhaps it's been a result of the Cubs targeting those players as it relates to drafting/amateur scouting (that's another post for another time), but we have seen so many players come through the minors who swing at awful pitches and who couldn't take a walk if their lives depended on it. If that's an organizational philosophy problem, then why keep Fleita on board when he's been the one responsible for implementing it for so long? Doesn't that signal an unwillingness to change?

WHY

Yeesh.

I didn't get why they decided to have a delay of game if they were going to run the fake. That was just bizarre. i think that was the disguise. you take a delay of game penalty, no one is expecting a fake. Pretty much, but the added degree of difficulty with the five yard penalty doesn't seem like it would be worth it. Moot point, since it worked out. *Ahem* THEY SUPPOSE TO BE SEC

I didn't get why they decided to have a delay of game if they were going to run the fake. That was just bizarre.

One of the best catches I've seen this year. Ross was flat on his stomach when he made the catch.

Box Scores Iowa PPD Tennessee lost 5-0 Box Score SS J. Lake 0/4, 3 K 1B R. Ridling 1/3, BB 3B J. Vitters 1/4, 2B (28) RF N. Perez 0/3, 2 K LF N. Samson 2/3, 2B (17), K SP T. McNutt 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, 2 WP, 3-5 GO-FO RP K. Rhoderick 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K RP J. Stevens 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 2-1 GO-FO Daytona lost 4-2 Box Score CF L. Watkins 2/4, R, RBI, 2B (15) DH M. Cerda 1/4 3B G. Rohan 0/4, 2 K 1B J. Bour 0/3, RBI, K LF A. Abreu 0/2, 2 BB RF M. Burgess 0/4, K SS E. Soto 3/4, R, 2B (2) C M. Brenly 0/4 SP M. Loosen 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 2 WP, 4-3 GO-FO RP A. Kurcz 2 perfect, 4 K, 2-0 GO-FO RP F. Batista 1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR, 3-0 GO-FO Peoria Cancelled Boise won 8-2 Box Score 2B Z. DeVoss 1/4, R CF O. Zapata 1/4, R DH R. Lopez 3/4, 3 R, RBI, 2 2B (8) LF R. Cuneo 4/4, 2 RBI, 2B (10) 1B P. Hoilman 1/4, 2 R RF R. Golden 3/4, R, 3 RBI, HR (7), K SS W. Darvill 0/2, 2 BB 3B W. Contreras 0/4, K, E (23, fielding) SP J. Sandoval 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, HBP, 6-3 GO-FO RP M. Jensen .2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 3 WP, 2-0 GO-FO RP H. Mayora 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 2-0 GO-FO RP A. McKirahan 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP T. Zych 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0-2 GO-FO OVERALL: 1-2