Another week is in the books and I'm sure its one that Brett Jackson would like to forget. The Cubs top prospect had a miserable week going 3 for 27 with 9 K's, which includes a 2 for 3 performance tonight.
Just when you thought he was getting back on track, he goes into another slump. Perhaps the finger injury is still lingering or maybe its just a bad week (it happens).
In either case, its weeks like this that convince me that he is not ready yet and needs to stay in the minors. I think the Cubs management probably sides with me on this as well. Unless the Cubs are able to trade both Kosuke Fukudome and Alfonso Soriano, don't expect to see Brett Jackson until September (at the earliest).
Here are his stats through June 29, 2011:
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Taking a look at Starlin Castro's comps
If there is one silver lining to this whole miserable season, it has been the play, or should I say the hitting, of Starlin Castro. Through his short 203 game career to date, Castro has put up a slash line of .308/.347/.423 and a OPS+ of 104.
His hitting as drawn comparisons to various shortstops past and present, including Derek Jeter, Edgar Renteria, Gary Templeton, Hanley Ramirez and Robin Yount. That's some pretty good company for the 21 year old. We're talking about a Hall of Famer (Yount), a future Hall of Famer (Jeter), a ROY and 3-time All Star (Ramirez), a 5-time All Star (Renteria) and a 3-time All Star (Templeton).
Since Yount, Templeton and Renteria all reached the majors at or before the age of 20, I thought I would take a look at how Castro's first two years (at ages 20-21) compare to the same age years for those guys.
Here's how the numbers shake out:
Templeton: 105 OPS+, slash .314/.331/.427
Renteria: 84 OPS+, slash .279/.336/.341
Yount: 85 OPS+, slash .270/.312/.338
Based on the above, the player Castro is most comparable to is Gary Templeton. For those of you who don't remember him, Templeton was a switch-hitting shortstop for the Cardinals and Padres from 1976-1991. He was the first player (the only other being Willie Wilson) to get 100 hits from both sides of the plate in a single season. However, he is probably more famous for flipping off the Cardinals fans, which led to his trade to the Padres for Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith. He hit .305/.325/.418 in 6 years with the Cardinals, but never produced the same results with the Padres, hitting .252/.293/.339 in 10 years there.
For Jeter and Ramirez, their first extended time in the majors came at age 22. In Jeter's first year, he put up a slash line of .314/.370/.430 with a 101 OPS+, while Ramirez' first year produced a .292/.353/.480 slash line with a 116 OPS+. It might be a little bit of a stretch to compare Castro to either of these two, as he does not display Jeter's patience or Ramirez' power, but he is not that far off either.
Finally, let's take a look at the career stats for Castro's comps to give us an idea of what his career might look like:
Gary Templeton: 87 OPS+, slash .271/.304/.369
Edgar Renteria: 94 OPS+, slash ..286/.344/.398
Robin Yount: 115 OPS+, slash .285/.342/.430
Derek Jeter: 117 OPS+, slash .312/.383/.449
Hanely Ramirez: 131 OPS+, slash .306/.379/.505
It should be noted that, other than Ramirez, who hit 17 homers his first year, and Templeton, who never reach double figures in homers, it took some time for each of the other guys to develop their power. Renteria didn't hit double digit homeruns until his 4th season, when he hit 10, Yount didn't reach double digits until his 7th season, when he broke out with 23, and Jeter hit 10 homeruns each in his first two seasons, before nearly doubling that in his 3rd season (19). So, even thought he has yet to show much power, there is still hope that, as he develops and fills out, the power will come.
Worst case scenario for Castro is Templeton, who in 6 years with the Cardinals, put up some nice stats before knee injuries and other problems led to his decline. The best case scenario would be either Yount or Jeter, as Ramirez would be considered an incomplete at this point.
My guess is that Castro will probably have a career similar to that of Edgar Renteria. Although he compares more favorably to Templeton, I've got to think that Castro will age better than him and therefore put up better career numbers. I don't think he's destined for a Hall of Fame career a la Yount or Jeter, but he's still young and can certainly prove me wrong.
His hitting as drawn comparisons to various shortstops past and present, including Derek Jeter, Edgar Renteria, Gary Templeton, Hanley Ramirez and Robin Yount. That's some pretty good company for the 21 year old. We're talking about a Hall of Famer (Yount), a future Hall of Famer (Jeter), a ROY and 3-time All Star (Ramirez), a 5-time All Star (Renteria) and a 3-time All Star (Templeton).
Since Yount, Templeton and Renteria all reached the majors at or before the age of 20, I thought I would take a look at how Castro's first two years (at ages 20-21) compare to the same age years for those guys.
Here's how the numbers shake out:
Templeton: 105 OPS+, slash .314/.331/.427
Renteria: 84 OPS+, slash .279/.336/.341
Yount: 85 OPS+, slash .270/.312/.338
Based on the above, the player Castro is most comparable to is Gary Templeton. For those of you who don't remember him, Templeton was a switch-hitting shortstop for the Cardinals and Padres from 1976-1991. He was the first player (the only other being Willie Wilson) to get 100 hits from both sides of the plate in a single season. However, he is probably more famous for flipping off the Cardinals fans, which led to his trade to the Padres for Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith. He hit .305/.325/.418 in 6 years with the Cardinals, but never produced the same results with the Padres, hitting .252/.293/.339 in 10 years there.
For Jeter and Ramirez, their first extended time in the majors came at age 22. In Jeter's first year, he put up a slash line of .314/.370/.430 with a 101 OPS+, while Ramirez' first year produced a .292/.353/.480 slash line with a 116 OPS+. It might be a little bit of a stretch to compare Castro to either of these two, as he does not display Jeter's patience or Ramirez' power, but he is not that far off either.
Finally, let's take a look at the career stats for Castro's comps to give us an idea of what his career might look like:
Gary Templeton: 87 OPS+, slash .271/.304/.369
Edgar Renteria: 94 OPS+, slash ..286/.344/.398
Robin Yount: 115 OPS+, slash .285/.342/.430
Derek Jeter: 117 OPS+, slash .312/.383/.449
Hanely Ramirez: 131 OPS+, slash .306/.379/.505
It should be noted that, other than Ramirez, who hit 17 homers his first year, and Templeton, who never reach double figures in homers, it took some time for each of the other guys to develop their power. Renteria didn't hit double digit homeruns until his 4th season, when he hit 10, Yount didn't reach double digits until his 7th season, when he broke out with 23, and Jeter hit 10 homeruns each in his first two seasons, before nearly doubling that in his 3rd season (19). So, even thought he has yet to show much power, there is still hope that, as he develops and fills out, the power will come.
Worst case scenario for Castro is Templeton, who in 6 years with the Cardinals, put up some nice stats before knee injuries and other problems led to his decline. The best case scenario would be either Yount or Jeter, as Ramirez would be considered an incomplete at this point.
My guess is that Castro will probably have a career similar to that of Edgar Renteria. Although he compares more favorably to Templeton, I've got to think that Castro will age better than him and therefore put up better career numbers. I don't think he's destined for a Hall of Fame career a la Yount or Jeter, but he's still young and can certainly prove me wrong.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Cubs meeting to determine direction of team
According to Bruce Levine, the Cubs are meeting to determine the direction of the team. The trade deadline is just 5 weeks away and Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs will give the team a few more weeks to see if they can salvage the season.
REALLY?
Let's be realistic here. Even though the Cubs have played a little better as of late, they are still 32-46 on the season and 7.5 games behind the PIRATES, you know, the team that set the record for 18 consecutive losing seasons.
The latest Playoff Odds Report by Baseball Prospectus gives the Cubs a 0.2% chance of reaching the playoffs.
Its pretty obvious to me which direction the Cubs should go and I don't need 3 weeks to figure it out. The problem is that, even though the Cubs should be sellers this July, they don't have a lot of assets to sell. The general feeling around the baseball web is that the Cubs will not be able to move their high salary players (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Kosuke Fukudome and Aramis Ramirez) and will be left seeing what the can get for the likes of Jeff Baker and Reed Johnson.
The good thing is that, unlike the Pirates, who, due to being a small market team, have had to rebuild through player development and trades, the Cubs will have money to spend after this season. For this reason, it should not take the Cubs 19 years to put a contender on the field. However, if Jim Hendry throws money around like he did in the past, we could be back in this same predicament in 4-5 years.
REALLY?
Let's be realistic here. Even though the Cubs have played a little better as of late, they are still 32-46 on the season and 7.5 games behind the PIRATES, you know, the team that set the record for 18 consecutive losing seasons.
The latest Playoff Odds Report by Baseball Prospectus gives the Cubs a 0.2% chance of reaching the playoffs.
Its pretty obvious to me which direction the Cubs should go and I don't need 3 weeks to figure it out. The problem is that, even though the Cubs should be sellers this July, they don't have a lot of assets to sell. The general feeling around the baseball web is that the Cubs will not be able to move their high salary players (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Kosuke Fukudome and Aramis Ramirez) and will be left seeing what the can get for the likes of Jeff Baker and Reed Johnson.
The good thing is that, unlike the Pirates, who, due to being a small market team, have had to rebuild through player development and trades, the Cubs will have money to spend after this season. For this reason, it should not take the Cubs 19 years to put a contender on the field. However, if Jim Hendry throws money around like he did in the past, we could be back in this same predicament in 4-5 years.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Minor League Monday: Catching up with the Cubs top 10 prospects
With the minor league season at the halfway mark, its time to check in on how the Cubs Composite Top 10 Prospects are faring:
- Brett Jackson, OF, Tennessee - you can keep up on the latest Brett Jackson happenings in my weekly Brett Jackson watch. However, for those of you who may have missed them, after missing a couple weeks in May due to a finger injury, Jackson is back and starting to heat up again. His season line is .265/.386/.459.
- Trey McNutt, RHP, Tennessee - after battling blisters in the early part of the season, McNutt seemed to be getting into a groove when a collision knocked him out of his June 2nd start after 2 innings. He returned to the mound on June 23rd, but was knocked out in the first inning after giving up a hit and 4 walks without recording an out. Hopefully, this was just a blip and he will get back on track in his next start. On the season, he has a 3.17 ERA in 10 starts (36.2 IP), but has been far from dominant, with just a 22/13 K/BB ratio.
- Josh Vitters, 3B, Tennessee - Vitters has heated up with the weather. He hist just .240/.296/.440 in April, before going .274/.303/.389 in May and .364/.390/.582 in June. On the season he is hitting .284/.322/.453. He has shown good contact ability, striking out just 19 times in 225 AB's, but has also shown a lack of patience, walking just 8 times.
- Chris Carpenter, RHP, Chicago - Carpenter was recently promoted to the majors and has a 1.80 ERA despite giving up 12 baserunners (7 hits and 5 walks) in just 5 IP. Carpenter was switched to the pen this year and posted a 5.63 ERA between AA and AAA, with a 26/22 K/BB ratio. He has high 90's heat, but trouble controlling it. If he can cut down on the walks, he could be a valuable late-inning reliever.
- Jay Jackson, RHP, Iowa - like the rest of the Iowa pitching staff (league-worst 6.65 team ERA), Jackson has found the going rough in the Pacific Coast league. He has a hideous 7.34 ERA in 61.1 IP with a 36/21 K/BB ratio. This coming after an uninspiring 2010 season in which he posted a 4.65 ERA in 157.1 IP at Iowa. His prospect status is sinking fast.
- Hayden Simpson, RHP, Peoria - the controversial first round pick from last year's draft, Simpson has not done much to silence the critics with a 4.98 ERA and 46/25 K/BB ratio in 59.2 IP. He has been very hittable so far, giving up 70 hits, including 9 homeruns and has yet to string together back-to-back quality starts. Its too soon to call him a bust, but Jim Hendry may have some explaining to do.
- D.J. LeMahieu, INF, Chicago - After hitting .358/.386/.492 in 50 games at Tennessee, LeMahieu was called up to provide the Cubs with some infield depth. He started off a little slow but has heated up lately, hitting .333/.333/.375 over the last 2 weeks (24 AB's). He will likely be sent back down when Darwin Barney is heatly, but he has done OK in his first taste of the bigs.
- Rafael Dolis, RHP, Tennessee - after making 4 starts and posting a 2.70 ERA to start the season, Dolis was moved to the pen and has become the closer for Tennesse, posting a 3.71 ERA and 8 saves in 21 relief appearances. With his ability to get groundouts (2.13 GO/AO ratio), he could be an effective reliever in the show. But I still would have preferred to see what he could do as a starter (especially for a team that has struggled to find starting pitching this year).
- Reggie Golden, OF, Boise - last year's second round pick, Golden has started the season 8 for 29 (.276) and has yet to hit his first homerun in the minors. His power will come eventually. What's more concerning is his 10 K's.
- Matt Szczur, OF, Peoria - Szczur has shown off a pretty well-rounded game so far this year, hitting .317/.371/.445, with 5 homeruns and 16 steals. He has a nice 22/19 K/BB ratio and could push Brett Jackson for the Cubs leadoff hitter of the future title.
- Jae-Hoon Ha, OF, Daytona - after hitting .370/.385/.598 in April, Ha has cooled off considerably. After going 7 for 38 in his last 10 games, his season line now stands at .281/.319/.453. Still respectable, but not the breakout season that his April line foretold.
Minor League Monday: AZL Cubs preview
The AZL Cubs' season got underway last week and the team is 3-2 on the young season. Here's a look at some of the players to watch on this year's roster:
Rafael Lopez, C - the Cubs' highest (16th round) draft pick to sign so far, Lopez hit .325/.436/.514 in his Senior season for Florida State. He was converted to catcher by Florida State and fared well, throwing out 42% of basestealers.
James Pugilese, RHP - the Cubs' 18th round pick, the Mercer County (N.J.) CC pitcher has fared well in his first two appearances, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 6 in 4 IP.
Pete Levitt, RHP - the Cubs 32nd round pick out of Mount Olive College (N.C.), he went 10-3 with a 2.93 ERA in his last year, with 99 K's in 101.1 IP.
Scott Weisman, RHP - a 46th round pick out of Clemson, Weisman led the Tigers with 9 wins in 2010, before struggling in 2011 and eventually moving to the pen. He was effective as a reliever for Clemson and that could be his eventual role with the Cubs.
In addition to the Cubs 2011 draft picks, there are several players who have graduated from the Cubs Domincan Summer League this year, including pitchers Rafael Diplan, Ramon Garcia, Alvido Jimenez, Felix Pena, Starling Peralta and Jean Sandoval; catchers Johan DeJesus and Carlos Romero; infielders Gioskar Amaya, Gregori Gonzalez, Marco Hernandez and Brian Inoa; and outfielders Bieneme Vismeldy, Eduardo Gonzalez and Oliver Zapata.
Finally, the Cubs continue to show the ability to scout Korea and bring in talented players, with Dong-Yub Kim the latest Korean to join the Cubs organization, following in the footsteps of Hak-Ju Lee, Dae-Eun Rhee and Jae-Hoon Ha (among others). With the international signing period set to begin on July 2nd, it will be interesting to see who else the Cubs bring in.
Rafael Lopez, C - the Cubs' highest (16th round) draft pick to sign so far, Lopez hit .325/.436/.514 in his Senior season for Florida State. He was converted to catcher by Florida State and fared well, throwing out 42% of basestealers.
James Pugilese, RHP - the Cubs' 18th round pick, the Mercer County (N.J.) CC pitcher has fared well in his first two appearances, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 6 in 4 IP.
Pete Levitt, RHP - the Cubs 32nd round pick out of Mount Olive College (N.C.), he went 10-3 with a 2.93 ERA in his last year, with 99 K's in 101.1 IP.
Scott Weisman, RHP - a 46th round pick out of Clemson, Weisman led the Tigers with 9 wins in 2010, before struggling in 2011 and eventually moving to the pen. He was effective as a reliever for Clemson and that could be his eventual role with the Cubs.
In addition to the Cubs 2011 draft picks, there are several players who have graduated from the Cubs Domincan Summer League this year, including pitchers Rafael Diplan, Ramon Garcia, Alvido Jimenez, Felix Pena, Starling Peralta and Jean Sandoval; catchers Johan DeJesus and Carlos Romero; infielders Gioskar Amaya, Gregori Gonzalez, Marco Hernandez and Brian Inoa; and outfielders Bieneme Vismeldy, Eduardo Gonzalez and Oliver Zapata.
Finally, the Cubs continue to show the ability to scout Korea and bring in talented players, with Dong-Yub Kim the latest Korean to join the Cubs organization, following in the footsteps of Hak-Ju Lee, Dae-Eun Rhee and Jae-Hoon Ha (among others). With the international signing period set to begin on July 2nd, it will be interesting to see who else the Cubs bring in.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Brett Jackson watch: Good week for Brett
In a week shortened by the Southern League All-Star game, Brett Jackson continued his resurgence, hitting 6 for 15, including a homerun and 2 walks, in 4 games. He was also named to the Southern League North All-Star team and walked in his only plate appearance.
His strong performance this week has pushed his June line up to .264/.365/.453 and it is looking more and more like he has found his stroke.
Here are his stats through 6/23:
His strong performance this week has pushed his June line up to .264/.365/.453 and it is looking more and more like he has found his stroke.
Here are his stats through 6/23:
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Is Geovany Soto on the block?
With all the talk of the Cubs becoming sellers and trying to dump their bad contracts on some poor, unsuspecting GM. One player who seems to be under the radar, but probably makes the most sense to trade is catcher Geovany Soto.
Soto had a bounce back year last year, after a sub-par 2009 season. But, so far this year, he's hitting only .215/.308/.372 and has not been able to really get going.
Why then should the Cubs trade him now, with he's hitting poorly and his value is low?
Because the demand for a quality catcher could be high this July. San Francisco has lost their ROY catcher Buster Posey for the rest of the season. As a result, they have been scrambling to find a replacement, even going so far as to sign Cubs' castoff Max Ramirez. Thus, they appear to be desperate.
Also, Ken Rosenthal indicated in a May 9 article that the Red Sox are targeting outside options at catcher. Rosenthal also stated that the market for catchers is pretty thin, which should boost Soto's value.
Another factor is that Soto is already in his arbitration years. The Cubs signed him to a $3 million contract for 2011 to avoid arbitration and that salary is likely to increase over the next two years. If the Cubs don't see him as their long-term solution at catcher, its best to cut him loose now before he gets even more expensive.
Finally, the Cubs have some depth at catcher. Currently, Welington Castillo (.319/.374/.605) and Steve Clevenger (.333/.384/.545) are hitting well in the minors (Castillo at Iowa and Clevenger between Iowa and Tennessee). Either one should be a good replacement for Soto (not to mention overpriced backup Koyie Hill).
So, the time appears to be ripe for the Cubs to dump their resident pothead, er I mean catcher. Let's just hope that Jim Hendry can take advantage of the situation and get something good in return.
Soto had a bounce back year last year, after a sub-par 2009 season. But, so far this year, he's hitting only .215/.308/.372 and has not been able to really get going.
Why then should the Cubs trade him now, with he's hitting poorly and his value is low?
Because the demand for a quality catcher could be high this July. San Francisco has lost their ROY catcher Buster Posey for the rest of the season. As a result, they have been scrambling to find a replacement, even going so far as to sign Cubs' castoff Max Ramirez. Thus, they appear to be desperate.
Also, Ken Rosenthal indicated in a May 9 article that the Red Sox are targeting outside options at catcher. Rosenthal also stated that the market for catchers is pretty thin, which should boost Soto's value.
Another factor is that Soto is already in his arbitration years. The Cubs signed him to a $3 million contract for 2011 to avoid arbitration and that salary is likely to increase over the next two years. If the Cubs don't see him as their long-term solution at catcher, its best to cut him loose now before he gets even more expensive.
Finally, the Cubs have some depth at catcher. Currently, Welington Castillo (.319/.374/.605) and Steve Clevenger (.333/.384/.545) are hitting well in the minors (Castillo at Iowa and Clevenger between Iowa and Tennessee). Either one should be a good replacement for Soto (not to mention overpriced backup Koyie Hill).
So, the time appears to be ripe for the Cubs to dump their resident pothead, er I mean catcher. Let's just hope that Jim Hendry can take advantage of the situation and get something good in return.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Cubs looking good for next year's draft!!!
With the Cubs season already in the tank, one (small) consolation for Cubs fans is that the Cubs should have a high draft pick next year (again).
Mlbtraderumors.com has a "reverse standings" feature, which predicts the draft order for the following season (based on the standings for this season). Currently the Cubs are in 3rd place, 4 games behind the Astros for next year's top draft pick. (Note: This does not take into account compensatory picks for unsigned players from this year's draft).
In other sports, such as the NBA, teams have been accused of tanking games to secure better odds for a high lottery pick. This is generally not the case in baseball. Sometimes you will get periods where the same team has the first overall pick two (or more) years in a row, such as the Nationals in 2009 and 2010. However, this is typically more a case of a team going bad than a team tanking. There are no quick fixes in baseball as players generally take time to develop and make an impact on their teams.
Which brings us back to the Cubs. With the 9th overall pick this year and potentially a top 5 pick next year, the Cubs should get a couple players to build around in 3-4 years. Combine this with the Cubs added payroll flexibility after this season, as well as current youngsters Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney, and you have the ingredients for building a long-term contender.
Now, if we could only find more pitching....
Mlbtraderumors.com has a "reverse standings" feature, which predicts the draft order for the following season (based on the standings for this season). Currently the Cubs are in 3rd place, 4 games behind the Astros for next year's top draft pick. (Note: This does not take into account compensatory picks for unsigned players from this year's draft).
In other sports, such as the NBA, teams have been accused of tanking games to secure better odds for a high lottery pick. This is generally not the case in baseball. Sometimes you will get periods where the same team has the first overall pick two (or more) years in a row, such as the Nationals in 2009 and 2010. However, this is typically more a case of a team going bad than a team tanking. There are no quick fixes in baseball as players generally take time to develop and make an impact on their teams.
Which brings us back to the Cubs. With the 9th overall pick this year and potentially a top 5 pick next year, the Cubs should get a couple players to build around in 3-4 years. Combine this with the Cubs added payroll flexibility after this season, as well as current youngsters Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney, and you have the ingredients for building a long-term contender.
Now, if we could only find more pitching....
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Minor League Monday: Boise Hawks preview
With the draft in the books and the Cubs working diligently on signing their picks, its time for short-season (or Rookie) ball.
The Boise Hawks season got underway on Friday, with the Hawks splitting their first two games. Here is a look at some of the players to watch on this year's roster:
Kyler Burke, P - a former first round pick of the Padres, as an outfielder, the Cubs acquired Burke in 2007 for Michael Barrett. With a career line of .244/.330/.387 over 5 minor league seasons, the Cubs decided to convert him to pitching this year to try to salvage his career.
Charles Thomas, P - another former position player (1B/3B), Thomas was converted to a reliever at the end of last season. He reportedly throws in the high 90's and it will be interesting to see what he can do over a full season. He's gotten out of the gates well, throwing 2 scoreless innings with 3 K's in his first appearance of the season.
Austin Reed, P - a 12th round pick last year, Reed pitched well with the AZL Cubs (2.94 ERA and 34 K's in 33.2 IP) and will look to build upon that success this year.
Benjamin Wells, P - a 7th round pick last year, Wells only pitched in 1 game after signing late and will get his first real taste of the minors this year.
Reggie Golden, OF - the highest profile player on this year's roster is Golden, last year's second round pick. A 5-tool player in high school, Golden will probably be known more for his power than his speed as he grows and fills out. He played only 4 games last year and will be looking to live up to his high expectations this year.
In addition to the "veterans" on the team, it will be interesting to see where the Cubs 2011 draft picks end up (once they're signed). So far, 3 draft picks have been assigned to Boise: outfielders Paul Hoilman (19th round) and Ben Klafczynski (20), as well as shortstop Brad Zapenas (42).
Next week I will take a look at the Cubs other rookie team, the AZL Cubs, and their roster.
The Boise Hawks season got underway on Friday, with the Hawks splitting their first two games. Here is a look at some of the players to watch on this year's roster:
Kyler Burke, P - a former first round pick of the Padres, as an outfielder, the Cubs acquired Burke in 2007 for Michael Barrett. With a career line of .244/.330/.387 over 5 minor league seasons, the Cubs decided to convert him to pitching this year to try to salvage his career.
Charles Thomas, P - another former position player (1B/3B), Thomas was converted to a reliever at the end of last season. He reportedly throws in the high 90's and it will be interesting to see what he can do over a full season. He's gotten out of the gates well, throwing 2 scoreless innings with 3 K's in his first appearance of the season.
Austin Reed, P - a 12th round pick last year, Reed pitched well with the AZL Cubs (2.94 ERA and 34 K's in 33.2 IP) and will look to build upon that success this year.
Benjamin Wells, P - a 7th round pick last year, Wells only pitched in 1 game after signing late and will get his first real taste of the minors this year.
Reggie Golden, OF - the highest profile player on this year's roster is Golden, last year's second round pick. A 5-tool player in high school, Golden will probably be known more for his power than his speed as he grows and fills out. He played only 4 games last year and will be looking to live up to his high expectations this year.
In addition to the "veterans" on the team, it will be interesting to see where the Cubs 2011 draft picks end up (once they're signed). So far, 3 draft picks have been assigned to Boise: outfielders Paul Hoilman (19th round) and Ben Klafczynski (20), as well as shortstop Brad Zapenas (42).
Next week I will take a look at the Cubs other rookie team, the AZL Cubs, and their roster.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Rumors swirling around Cubs already
With the Cubs pretty much eliminated from contention, the rumors, like vultures, are already swirling around the team.
It all started a couple days ago when Bruce Levine reported that the Yankees had "top advisers to Yankees GM Brian Cashman" watching Carlos Zambrano pitch on the Cubs last road trip. However, he also stated that the Yankees could be more interested in Ryan Dempster.
For his part, Zambrano towed the company line saying that he prefers to stay in Chicago, but that he would not block a trade if the Cubs decided to move him.
On the other hand, Jayson Stark reports that one GM, after talking with Jim Hendry, got the impression that there was "no likely scenario in which Hendry would be interested in moving Dempster."
Of course, as is typical with rumors this time of year, teams are quick to deny them. The Yankees did their part by calling the Zambrano rumors "B.S" and saying the Yankees are "not interested".
At this point its a little early to put any stock into these rumors. Sure the Cubs would love to part with Zambrano. The Yankees seem like a good fit for the Big Z, as they have money to burn and holes in their rotation, however, there are probably more appealing candidates out there for them. You know, pitchers whose ERA's are below 4.50, don't come with a $28 million price tag and a lot of excess baggage.
For now, at least, the Cubs are likely stuck with Zambrano's bloated contract. But it doesn't hurt to dream, does it?
It all started a couple days ago when Bruce Levine reported that the Yankees had "top advisers to Yankees GM Brian Cashman" watching Carlos Zambrano pitch on the Cubs last road trip. However, he also stated that the Yankees could be more interested in Ryan Dempster.
For his part, Zambrano towed the company line saying that he prefers to stay in Chicago, but that he would not block a trade if the Cubs decided to move him.
On the other hand, Jayson Stark reports that one GM, after talking with Jim Hendry, got the impression that there was "no likely scenario in which Hendry would be interested in moving Dempster."
Of course, as is typical with rumors this time of year, teams are quick to deny them. The Yankees did their part by calling the Zambrano rumors "B.S" and saying the Yankees are "not interested".
At this point its a little early to put any stock into these rumors. Sure the Cubs would love to part with Zambrano. The Yankees seem like a good fit for the Big Z, as they have money to burn and holes in their rotation, however, there are probably more appealing candidates out there for them. You know, pitchers whose ERA's are below 4.50, don't come with a $28 million price tag and a lot of excess baggage.
For now, at least, the Cubs are likely stuck with Zambrano's bloated contract. But it doesn't hurt to dream, does it?
Friday, June 17, 2011
Brett Jackson Watch: Jackson trying to get back on track
Brett Jackson is still trying to get his timing back after a May finger injury. He is finally starting to show signs of life, going 4 for 13 with 4 walks over his last 4 games. However, that only raised his June line to .220/.340/.366.
After a strong April (.317/.424/.537), Jackson struggled in May (most likely due to the injury). However, when he's on, he has shown the ability to be the Cubs leadoff hitter (and center fielder) of the future.
Here are his season stats through June 16:
After a strong April (.317/.424/.537), Jackson struggled in May (most likely due to the injury). However, when he's on, he has shown the ability to be the Cubs leadoff hitter (and center fielder) of the future.
Here are his season stats through June 16:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Peoria Chiefs mock LeBron James
According to the official press release of the Peoria Chiefs (a Chicago Cubs affiliate), they have added a special promotion tonight in honor of LeBron James.
The promotion features a replica LeBron James 2011 NBA Championship ring giveaway to enhance its Salute to the 1990's Chicago Bulls Championship Teams Night (note: the rings, like LeBron's, are non-existent).
In addition, the Chiefs are looking into whether or not the league will allow them to skip the 4th inning because, as team President Rocky Vonachen says "if LeBron doesn't need to show up for the fourth, maybe we won't either."
Vonachen went on to say that "really this is just us getting back to the real world and waking up today and trying to solve our own personal problems."
Rocky's father, Pete Vonachen, obviously taught his son well.
The promotion features a replica LeBron James 2011 NBA Championship ring giveaway to enhance its Salute to the 1990's Chicago Bulls Championship Teams Night (note: the rings, like LeBron's, are non-existent).
In addition, the Chiefs are looking into whether or not the league will allow them to skip the 4th inning because, as team President Rocky Vonachen says "if LeBron doesn't need to show up for the fourth, maybe we won't either."
Vonachen went on to say that "really this is just us getting back to the real world and waking up today and trying to solve our own personal problems."
Rocky's father, Pete Vonachen, obviously taught his son well.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Are Jim Hendry's hands tied?
A couple interesting articles caught my eye over the past few days:
First, Joe Aiello over at View from the Bleachers wrote a nice article talking about the Cubs' limited options when it comes to being sellers this July.
Then, an article by Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun Times indicated that, due to the Cubs' debt situation, they would not be able to pursue any big free agents this offseason.
So, if he cannot trade veterans to acquire talent or pursue any big free agents, are Jim Hendry's hands tied in terms of rebuilding the Cubs?
Not necessarily.
Per Paul Sullivan of the Tribune, Jim Hendry denied that the Cubs won't spend in 2012. Thus, the Cubs will probably pursue some free agents this offseason, but I get the feeling they won't go after any big fish (e.g. Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder). Hendry has already been burned by handing out long-term contracts to aging veterans (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Milton Bradley, etc) and probably does not want to go down that road again. Instead, look for a more cautious approach, along the lines of the 3-year deal the Cubs gave Marlon Byrd.
In addition, even though it would be very difficult for Hendry to trade some of his veterans, its not impossible. For example, although Aramis Ramirez has come out and said he would not waive his no trade clause (by virtue of his 10 and 5 rights), that doesn't mean he won't change his mind later. If given a choice between staying with a sinking ship or going to a contender, I would think most players would want the chance to play for a contender. Remember that Derek Lee invoked his 10 and 5 rights last year to veto a trade to the Angels before finally accepting a trade to the Braves.
As for some of the other veterans (Soriano, Zambrano, Fukudome and Grabow), it basically comes down to how much money the Cubs' would have to include in the deal or what bad contract they have to take on in return. Everyone has their price and if other GM's come down to Hendry's level, a deal will get done.
Finally, just because Hendry has limited ability to sell off his veterans or pursue big name free agents, there are other options. For instance, as he showed when he acquired Matt Garza, Hendry is not adverse to trading prospects for a "proven" player. With more of an emphasis on player development in recent years, the Cubs are starting to churn out players that other teams covet and that gives them bargaining chips for acquiring the players they need to fill their holes.
Of course, one would prefer to see the players developed in your farm system end up becoming low cost replacements for your own free agents. However, if you scout and develop your minor leaguers well, you should have some areas of excess that can be traded to fill other needs.
Bottom line, there is more than one way to fix this mess. But, I'm wondering how many Cubs' fans are with me in thinking that Hendry is not the right man to do it.
First, Joe Aiello over at View from the Bleachers wrote a nice article talking about the Cubs' limited options when it comes to being sellers this July.
Then, an article by Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun Times indicated that, due to the Cubs' debt situation, they would not be able to pursue any big free agents this offseason.
So, if he cannot trade veterans to acquire talent or pursue any big free agents, are Jim Hendry's hands tied in terms of rebuilding the Cubs?
Not necessarily.
Per Paul Sullivan of the Tribune, Jim Hendry denied that the Cubs won't spend in 2012. Thus, the Cubs will probably pursue some free agents this offseason, but I get the feeling they won't go after any big fish (e.g. Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder). Hendry has already been burned by handing out long-term contracts to aging veterans (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Milton Bradley, etc) and probably does not want to go down that road again. Instead, look for a more cautious approach, along the lines of the 3-year deal the Cubs gave Marlon Byrd.
In addition, even though it would be very difficult for Hendry to trade some of his veterans, its not impossible. For example, although Aramis Ramirez has come out and said he would not waive his no trade clause (by virtue of his 10 and 5 rights), that doesn't mean he won't change his mind later. If given a choice between staying with a sinking ship or going to a contender, I would think most players would want the chance to play for a contender. Remember that Derek Lee invoked his 10 and 5 rights last year to veto a trade to the Angels before finally accepting a trade to the Braves.
As for some of the other veterans (Soriano, Zambrano, Fukudome and Grabow), it basically comes down to how much money the Cubs' would have to include in the deal or what bad contract they have to take on in return. Everyone has their price and if other GM's come down to Hendry's level, a deal will get done.
Finally, just because Hendry has limited ability to sell off his veterans or pursue big name free agents, there are other options. For instance, as he showed when he acquired Matt Garza, Hendry is not adverse to trading prospects for a "proven" player. With more of an emphasis on player development in recent years, the Cubs are starting to churn out players that other teams covet and that gives them bargaining chips for acquiring the players they need to fill their holes.
Of course, one would prefer to see the players developed in your farm system end up becoming low cost replacements for your own free agents. However, if you scout and develop your minor leaguers well, you should have some areas of excess that can be traded to fill other needs.
Bottom line, there is more than one way to fix this mess. But, I'm wondering how many Cubs' fans are with me in thinking that Hendry is not the right man to do it.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Minor League Monday: Who's next to get the call?
Due to injuries and other factors, the Cubs have employed 8 rookies so far this year: Darwin Barney, Welington Castillo, D.J. LeMahieu, Brad Snyder, Marcos Mateo, Scott Maine and Jeff Stevens. Led primarily by Barney's strong rookie season, the hitters have combined for a .273/.297/.327 line, while the pitchers have combined to go 1-1 with a 6.67 ERA in 29.2 IP.
The youth movement is obviously here for the Cubs, which makes one wonder, who will be called up next.
Here are some possible candidates:
Brett Jackson, OF, Tennessee - there has been talk of a Jackson callup since early in the season, but, as I discussed in the Brett Jackson watch on Friday, I don't see it happening anytime soon. If the Cubs continue to be beset by injuries, then its possible he could be called up early, otherwise, I would not expect to see him until September.
Steve Clevenger, C, Iowa - Geovany Soto has already spent time on the DL this year and has been pretty ineffective while active. Another injury or possibly even a trade could open up a spot for the hot hitting Clevenger, who has a .337/.393/.556 line between AA and AAA.
Jay Jackson, RHP, Iowa - Jackson has struggled so far this year at Iowa, with a 6.31 ERA in 51.1 IP. However, with the Cubs still searching for an adequate 5th starter, Jackson just might get a shot, if he can get straightened out.
Ryan Flaherty, 3B, Tennessee - the Cubs have already had one rookie skip a level to reach the majors in LeMahieu. Could Flaherty be next? Flaherty has hit well (.301/.381/.565) and could get a shot if the Cubs can convince Aramis Ramirez to waive his no trade clause.
Trey McNutt, RHP, Tennessee - the best pitching prospect in the Cubs system, McNutt could eventually force his way into the Cubs rotation. He is pitching well in AA (2.70 ERA in 36.3 IP), but may need to get some AAA experience first.
John Gaub, LHP, Iowa - despite continued struggles with his command (19 walks in 27 IP), Gaub has been unhitable when he finds the strike zone (43 K's). If he can just harness his stuff a bit more, he could get the call if/when the Cubs can find a taker for John Grabow.
If I had to guess, I would pick Gaub as the next callup, mainly because many teams, including the Cubs, like to shuttle relievers back and forth from their AAA affiliate to provide extra depth. Barring injury, the other players will probably be called up in September.
The youth movement is obviously here for the Cubs, which makes one wonder, who will be called up next.
Here are some possible candidates:
Brett Jackson, OF, Tennessee - there has been talk of a Jackson callup since early in the season, but, as I discussed in the Brett Jackson watch on Friday, I don't see it happening anytime soon. If the Cubs continue to be beset by injuries, then its possible he could be called up early, otherwise, I would not expect to see him until September.
Steve Clevenger, C, Iowa - Geovany Soto has already spent time on the DL this year and has been pretty ineffective while active. Another injury or possibly even a trade could open up a spot for the hot hitting Clevenger, who has a .337/.393/.556 line between AA and AAA.
Jay Jackson, RHP, Iowa - Jackson has struggled so far this year at Iowa, with a 6.31 ERA in 51.1 IP. However, with the Cubs still searching for an adequate 5th starter, Jackson just might get a shot, if he can get straightened out.
Ryan Flaherty, 3B, Tennessee - the Cubs have already had one rookie skip a level to reach the majors in LeMahieu. Could Flaherty be next? Flaherty has hit well (.301/.381/.565) and could get a shot if the Cubs can convince Aramis Ramirez to waive his no trade clause.
Trey McNutt, RHP, Tennessee - the best pitching prospect in the Cubs system, McNutt could eventually force his way into the Cubs rotation. He is pitching well in AA (2.70 ERA in 36.3 IP), but may need to get some AAA experience first.
John Gaub, LHP, Iowa - despite continued struggles with his command (19 walks in 27 IP), Gaub has been unhitable when he finds the strike zone (43 K's). If he can just harness his stuff a bit more, he could get the call if/when the Cubs can find a taker for John Grabow.
If I had to guess, I would pick Gaub as the next callup, mainly because many teams, including the Cubs, like to shuttle relievers back and forth from their AAA affiliate to provide extra depth. Barring injury, the other players will probably be called up in September.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Brett Jackson watch: Cubs in no rush
With the passing of the unofficial Super Two cutoff date, we have seen several top prospects get called up by their teams, including Charlie Blackmon (Col.), Dee Gordon (LAD), Jemile Weeks (Oak), Anthony Rizzo (SD) and Mike Moustakas (KC). However, don't expect Brett Jackson to be called up anytime soon.
According to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, the Cubs are in no rush to promote Jackson to the bigs. Jackson only recently returned from a finger injury that kept him out of the lineup for a little over two weeks. Since his return, he has gone just 5 for 35 (.143). Here are his stats to date:
The Cubs are being conservative here, as they should be. Jackson is not going to save the Cubs season, just as Starlin Castro did not save the Cubs last year. Jackson needs more time to develop and perhaps some time in AAA as well.
I would prefer Jackson to not receive a callup until September (if at all) this year. In the meantime, give players like Tony Campana, Lou Montanez and Brad Snyder a chance to show us what they can do and allow Tyler Colvin some playing time to re-establish himself.
According to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, the Cubs are in no rush to promote Jackson to the bigs. Jackson only recently returned from a finger injury that kept him out of the lineup for a little over two weeks. Since his return, he has gone just 5 for 35 (.143). Here are his stats to date:
| Year | Tm | Lev | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Tennessee | AA | 41 | 179 | 147 | 31 | 38 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 13 | 28 | 41 | .259 | .382 | .469 | .851 |
The Cubs are being conservative here, as they should be. Jackson is not going to save the Cubs season, just as Starlin Castro did not save the Cubs last year. Jackson needs more time to develop and perhaps some time in AAA as well.
I would prefer Jackson to not receive a callup until September (if at all) this year. In the meantime, give players like Tony Campana, Lou Montanez and Brad Snyder a chance to show us what they can do and allow Tyler Colvin some playing time to re-establish himself.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Cubs 2011 Draft Analysis
The 2011 First Year Player Draft is in the books. For a full list of the Cubs picks, check out Baseball America's Draft Database.
Let's breakdown the Cubs draft picks and see what we've got.
First off, here is the split between high school, junior college (or community college) and (4-Year) college players:
High School -18
Junior College/Community College - 9
College - 19
Foreign -4
High school players are generally considered riskier than college players, mainly because they need more time to develop and its harder to project them. Overall, the Cubs picks are pretty evenly split between high school and college, with some Juco's and foreign players mixed in.
However, a more telling stat is that 10 of the Cubs first 14 picks were high school players. This is the meat of the Cubs draft and tells me that the Cubs were willing to trade some risk for players with higher upside. Javier Baez is a perfect example of that. He has high upside, having drawn comparisons to Gary Sheffield and Hanley Ramirez, but he also carries some extra baggage, namely his attitude on and off the field.
Now let's take a look at the breakdown by position:
Catcher - 3
First base - 4
Second - 0
Third - 1
Short - 4
Outfield - 11
UT - 1
RHP - 21
LHP - 5
Again, a pretty even split between position players (24) and pitchers (26), however, the top end of the draft tells a different story. Of the Cubs first 20 picks, only 5 were pitchers.
With all the problems with the Cubs pitching this year, you would think the Cubs would focus on pitching in this year's draft, at least in the early rounds, but that was not the case. It appears that Cubs Scouting Director Tim Wilken and GM Jim Hendry went with the best talent available approach versus drafting for need.
Overall, I can't argue with this approach. Its usually easier to project hitters than pitchers and thus hitters tend to be a little less risky. Besides, as Hendry showed this past offseason, you can always trade your top prospects for the next Matt Garza.
Finally, let's look at the breakdown by state:
Florida - 8
California - 6
Texas - 4
Georgia, Tennessee, Canada - 3
Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina - 2
Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington - 1
Once again, proof positive that the warm weather states of Florida, California and Texas tend to produce the best baseball talent. I'm kind of surprised that the Cubs selected only one of the 34 Illinoisan's who were picked in this year's draft, as I would think that the home state team would have an advantage over other teams in scouting those players. However, its probably just a sign that scouting has become increasingly global over the years.
The Cubs now have a couple of months to sign as many of the picks as possible. If the Cubs are truly committed to building from within, we should see a good chunk of the early picks signed before the August 15 deadline. For comparison purposes, here's how the Cubs have fared on signing their draft picks over the last five years:
2010 - signed 21 of first 25 picks, 29 of 50 overall
2009 - signed 19 of first 25, 29 of 50 overall
2008 - signed 24 of first 25, 31 of 50 overall
2007 - signed 23 of first 25, 33 of 50 overall
2006 - signed 22 of first 25, 34 of 50 overall
Average - 21.8/25 (87.2%), 31.2/50 (62.4%)
I'll provide an update on who signed (and who didn't) after the August 15 deadline.
Let's breakdown the Cubs draft picks and see what we've got.
First off, here is the split between high school, junior college (or community college) and (4-Year) college players:
High School -18
Junior College/Community College - 9
College - 19
Foreign -4
High school players are generally considered riskier than college players, mainly because they need more time to develop and its harder to project them. Overall, the Cubs picks are pretty evenly split between high school and college, with some Juco's and foreign players mixed in.
However, a more telling stat is that 10 of the Cubs first 14 picks were high school players. This is the meat of the Cubs draft and tells me that the Cubs were willing to trade some risk for players with higher upside. Javier Baez is a perfect example of that. He has high upside, having drawn comparisons to Gary Sheffield and Hanley Ramirez, but he also carries some extra baggage, namely his attitude on and off the field.
Now let's take a look at the breakdown by position:
Catcher - 3
First base - 4
Second - 0
Third - 1
Short - 4
Outfield - 11
UT - 1
RHP - 21
LHP - 5
Again, a pretty even split between position players (24) and pitchers (26), however, the top end of the draft tells a different story. Of the Cubs first 20 picks, only 5 were pitchers.
With all the problems with the Cubs pitching this year, you would think the Cubs would focus on pitching in this year's draft, at least in the early rounds, but that was not the case. It appears that Cubs Scouting Director Tim Wilken and GM Jim Hendry went with the best talent available approach versus drafting for need.
Overall, I can't argue with this approach. Its usually easier to project hitters than pitchers and thus hitters tend to be a little less risky. Besides, as Hendry showed this past offseason, you can always trade your top prospects for the next Matt Garza.
Finally, let's look at the breakdown by state:
Florida - 8
California - 6
Texas - 4
Georgia, Tennessee, Canada - 3
Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina - 2
Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington - 1
Once again, proof positive that the warm weather states of Florida, California and Texas tend to produce the best baseball talent. I'm kind of surprised that the Cubs selected only one of the 34 Illinoisan's who were picked in this year's draft, as I would think that the home state team would have an advantage over other teams in scouting those players. However, its probably just a sign that scouting has become increasingly global over the years.
The Cubs now have a couple of months to sign as many of the picks as possible. If the Cubs are truly committed to building from within, we should see a good chunk of the early picks signed before the August 15 deadline. For comparison purposes, here's how the Cubs have fared on signing their draft picks over the last five years:
2010 - signed 21 of first 25 picks, 29 of 50 overall
2009 - signed 19 of first 25, 29 of 50 overall
2008 - signed 24 of first 25, 31 of 50 overall
2007 - signed 23 of first 25, 33 of 50 overall
2006 - signed 22 of first 25, 34 of 50 overall
Average - 21.8/25 (87.2%), 31.2/50 (62.4%)
I'll provide an update on who signed (and who didn't) after the August 15 deadline.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Cubs final 20 picks of the 2011 Draft
The 2011 First Year Player Draft wrapped up today with the final 20 rounds. Here's who the Cubs selected:
31. Ronnie Richardson, OF, Central Florida
32. Peter Levitt, RHP, Mount Olive (N.C.)
33. Sheldon McDonald, LHP, British Columbia
34. Bobby Kelly, OF, Calhoun (Ala.) CC
35. Ian Dickson, RHP, Lafayette (Pa.)
36. Travis Garcia, UT, Martin Methodist (Tenn.)
37. Steven Maxwell, RHP, Texas Christian
38. Casey Lucchese, RHP, College of Charleston
39. Ricky Jacquez, RHP, Franklin H.S., El Paso
40. Patrick Francescom, RHP, Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.)
41. Austin Urban, RHP, Des Moines Area CC
42. Brad Zapenas, SS, Boston College
43. Jay Calhoun, RHP, Second Baptist H.S., Houston
44. Kenny Socorro, SS, Marshall (WV)
45. Tanner Kichler, RHP, Sherwood (Ore) H.S.
46. Scott Weismann, RHP, Clemson
47. David Ernst, RHP, South H.S., Fargo, N.D.
48. Sam Howard, LHP, Cartersville (Ga.) H.S.
49. Antonio Gonzalez, LHP, Damien H.S., La Verne, CA
50. Cody Edwards, RHP, Bellevue (Wash.) CC
I will provide further analysis of all the Cubs picks tomorrow.
31. Ronnie Richardson, OF, Central Florida
32. Peter Levitt, RHP, Mount Olive (N.C.)
33. Sheldon McDonald, LHP, British Columbia
34. Bobby Kelly, OF, Calhoun (Ala.) CC
35. Ian Dickson, RHP, Lafayette (Pa.)
36. Travis Garcia, UT, Martin Methodist (Tenn.)
37. Steven Maxwell, RHP, Texas Christian
38. Casey Lucchese, RHP, College of Charleston
39. Ricky Jacquez, RHP, Franklin H.S., El Paso
40. Patrick Francescom, RHP, Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.)
41. Austin Urban, RHP, Des Moines Area CC
42. Brad Zapenas, SS, Boston College
43. Jay Calhoun, RHP, Second Baptist H.S., Houston
44. Kenny Socorro, SS, Marshall (WV)
45. Tanner Kichler, RHP, Sherwood (Ore) H.S.
46. Scott Weismann, RHP, Clemson
47. David Ernst, RHP, South H.S., Fargo, N.D.
48. Sam Howard, LHP, Cartersville (Ga.) H.S.
49. Antonio Gonzalez, LHP, Damien H.S., La Verne, CA
50. Cody Edwards, RHP, Bellevue (Wash.) CC
I will provide further analysis of all the Cubs picks tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Interesting picks highlight second day of draft
Day two of the 2011 first year player draft is in the books. Here are the Cubs selections for rounds 2-30:
Some interesting tidbits from today's selections:
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Some interesting tidbits from today's selections:
- Dillon Maples (45), Tony Zych (50), Dan Vogelbach (109) and Taylor Scott (193) all ranked within Baseball America's Top 200 draft prospects.
- Second round pick, Dan Vogelbach has mammoth power and a mammoth physique. He launched a 508 ft. homerun at the annual Power Showcase (outdistancing Bryce Harper's 502 ft homerun in last year's event). However, he weighed 280 lbs. last year, before trimming down to 240 this year, so weight will always be a factor.
- Fourth round pick Tony Zych is my favorite to reach the majors first. He was a closer in college and relievers tend to move fast.
- The Cubs took a couple familiar names on the second day: Trevor Gretzky, son of Hockey legend Wayne, and Shawon Dunston Jr., son of the former Cubs shortstop. Its only a matter of time until the Shawon-O-Meter Junior makes its first appearance.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Cubs select Javier Baez with 9th overall pick
With the 9th overall pick in the 2011 draft, the Cubs selected Arlington County HS (Fla.) shortstop Javier Baez. Baez may have been a bit of a stretch for the Cubs as Baseball America ranked him as the 18th best prospect and MLB.com ranked him as the 16th best prospect. However, both sources regard him as one of the best high school bats available. Baseball America says he has the “fastest bat in the draft” and has “plus raw power”.
Of concern though is his makeup, with Baseball America saying that he turns scouts off with his “emotional outbursts and off-field demeanor”. However, considering the Cubs of late, he should fit right in.
The Cubs probably would have preferred fellow Florida high school shortstop Francisco Lindor with the 9th pick. However, he was taken one spot before the Cubs by the Cleveland Indians.
Overall, it’s a bit of a risky pick for the Cubs, primarily due to his makeup and that he’s coming out of high school. Although selected as a shortstop, Baez will probably end up at third as he fills out. He has limited range as a shortstop, but that should not hamper him at third and he has the arm for either position.
Baez adds to a long list of infield prospects for the Cubs. With players like Starlin Castro, Darwin Barney, Ryan Flaherty, D.J. LeMahieu and Josh Vitters ahead of him, its hard to see where Baez will fit with Chicago. However, if he hits and hits for power, the Cubs will certainly find a spot for him.
Minor League Monday: Cubs' May minor league player and pitcher of the month
Another month is in the books and the Cubs' minor league affiliates continue to play well (giving us at least a little hope for the future). Of the Cubs 4 full-season affiliates, only Iowa has a losing record.
Daytona has been the best team so far, posting a 41-16 record. Daytona leads their league in team hitting (.278) and runs scored (308), while sitting third in runs allowed (222).
Tennessee is doing their best to keep up with the torrid pace set by Daytona. Currently, they sit at 36-21. They too lead their league in hitting (.294), runs scored (336) and are 4th in runs allowed (261).
Peoria currently sits in third place in the Midwest League's Western division with a 30-27 record. Although they lead the league in average (.272), they are currently second in runs scored (271) and 4th in runs allowed (224).
Iowa brings up the rear with a 27-30 record. However, that is good enough for second in their division. The hitting has been good for Iowa (.290 average, 329 runs scored). However, here is where the Cubs lack of pitching depth shows as Iowa is second to last in runs allowed (394).
Here are my selections for the player and pitcher of the month:
Minor League Player of the Month: D.J. LeMahieu
With 3 of the 4 Cubs affiliates leading their respective leagues in hitting, there were plenty of candidates available for player of the month. Bryan LaHair hit .379/.439/.689 with 8 homeruns, Brad Snyder hit .385/.427/.656 with 6 homeruns and Justin Bour hit .383/.424/.658 with 7 homeruns.
However, my selection is LeMahieu, who hit .419/.438/.581, earning himself a promotion to the show. LeMahieu is not known for his power, but he has shown why he is considered the best pure hitter in the Cubs' system.
Minor League Pitcher of the Month: Aaron Kurcz
Kurcz gets the nod over Austin Kirk. Kurcz went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in the month of May. He gave up just 15 hits and 9 walks in 23 innings, while striking out 22. A 10th round pick in 2010, Kurcz has pitched well so far this year with an overall 3-1 mark and a 3.24 ERA.
Kirk went 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA and an impressive 27/4 K/BB ratio. A couple of other pitchers of note are Robert Whitenack, who followed up his April minor league pitcher of the month performance with a 4-0 record and 2.84 ERA, and Trey McNutt, who, while still dusting off the rust after dealing with a blister earlier in the year, posted a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings.
Daytona has been the best team so far, posting a 41-16 record. Daytona leads their league in team hitting (.278) and runs scored (308), while sitting third in runs allowed (222).
Tennessee is doing their best to keep up with the torrid pace set by Daytona. Currently, they sit at 36-21. They too lead their league in hitting (.294), runs scored (336) and are 4th in runs allowed (261).
Peoria currently sits in third place in the Midwest League's Western division with a 30-27 record. Although they lead the league in average (.272), they are currently second in runs scored (271) and 4th in runs allowed (224).
Iowa brings up the rear with a 27-30 record. However, that is good enough for second in their division. The hitting has been good for Iowa (.290 average, 329 runs scored). However, here is where the Cubs lack of pitching depth shows as Iowa is second to last in runs allowed (394).
Here are my selections for the player and pitcher of the month:
Minor League Player of the Month: D.J. LeMahieu
With 3 of the 4 Cubs affiliates leading their respective leagues in hitting, there were plenty of candidates available for player of the month. Bryan LaHair hit .379/.439/.689 with 8 homeruns, Brad Snyder hit .385/.427/.656 with 6 homeruns and Justin Bour hit .383/.424/.658 with 7 homeruns.
However, my selection is LeMahieu, who hit .419/.438/.581, earning himself a promotion to the show. LeMahieu is not known for his power, but he has shown why he is considered the best pure hitter in the Cubs' system.
Minor League Pitcher of the Month: Aaron Kurcz
Kurcz gets the nod over Austin Kirk. Kurcz went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in the month of May. He gave up just 15 hits and 9 walks in 23 innings, while striking out 22. A 10th round pick in 2010, Kurcz has pitched well so far this year with an overall 3-1 mark and a 3.24 ERA.
Kirk went 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA and an impressive 27/4 K/BB ratio. A couple of other pitchers of note are Robert Whitenack, who followed up his April minor league pitcher of the month performance with a 4-0 record and 2.84 ERA, and Trey McNutt, who, while still dusting off the rust after dealing with a blister earlier in the year, posted a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings.
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