Let me just start by saying that signing Jim Edmonds would be a really, really bad idea.  Let me also point out that Felix Pie is out-hitting him this season, and defensively, it's no contest.   Joe Sheehan over at Baseball Prospectus compared him to Dale Murphy--expect to see Dale Murphy's career in Colorado recreated here if he signs with the Cubs.

On to happier things.

Iowa Cubs

The I-Cubs stopped the Portland Beavers, 10-6.

Sean Marshall started and was pulled after four innings and 63 pitches, as the I-Cubs build up his stamina. Marshall allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits and two walks.  He struck out three and allowed one gopher ball.

Randy Keisler got the win with four innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits and a walk.  Hector Carrasco allowed two runs in the ninth.

The Micah Hoffpauir groupies can swoon tonight, as Hoffpauir went 3 for 5 with a home run and four RBI.  The home run was his first of the year.  Matt Murton went 2 for 4 with two doubles.  Right fielder Josh Kroeger, upset that his groupies have left him for Hoffpauir, went 2 for 4 with a double and a triple.  Third baseman Bobby Scales was 2 for 5 with 2 RBI and shortstop Luis Figueroa went 2 for 4 with one ribbie.

Tennessee Smokies

Tyler Colvin's big night wasn't enough as the Smokies lost to the Huntsville Stars, 9-7.

The wheels seem to have come off of Mark Holliman in the past few weeks. Holliman gave up four home runs and eight runs total in 4.2 innings.  Holliman allowed ten hits total, walked one, hit a batter and struck out one.

Colvin had what might have been the biggest night of his professional career at the plate.  Colvin went 4 for 4 with two doubles and two home runs.  He had five RBI on the night.  The home runs were his fourth and fifth of the season.

Left fielder Jake Fox went 2 for 5 with a home run.  Second baseman Nate Spears went 3 for 5 with a triple.  First baseman Doug Deeds was 2 for 4 with a double.

Daytona Cubs

Daytona came back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Brevard County Manatees, 7-4.

Jose Ceda didn't have a good start tonight.  He went two innings and gave up four runs on four hits and four walks.  He didn't strike out a Manatee batter. 

I should add on Ceda that the Cubs do intend to return him to the bullpen, but that starting is, as many have suggested, a way of getting him regular work.  It does seem that the Cubs are more serious about seeing if Alex Maestri can be a starter. Unlike the information on Ceda, though, I don't have any direct quote from anyone on the team saying that, just Maestri himself on his blog talking about wanting to build up his stamina and work deeper in games.

Darin Downs got his first win of the year with three innings of shutout relief.  Downs allowed three hits, walked nobody and struck out two. Casey Lambert picked up his sixth save of the year.

First baseman Blake Lalli has been tearing up High A since his promotion a few weeks ago.  He went 2 for 3 with two doubles, a walk and two RBI.  He's now hitting .373 in 16 games for Daytona.  Still, don't get excited about him.  He's already 25 years old.  But he's doing great nonetheless.

Third baseman Jonathan Mota went 2 for 4 with a double and four RBI.  Mota's only 20 and he's hitting .326 in High A in the 14 games since his promotion.  Unfortunately, he hasn't drawn a walk for Daytona, has almost zero power and not much speed.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs scored six runs in the first inning and then hung on to defeat the Quad City River Bandits, 7-5.

Ryan Acosta got his first win of the season in what might have been his worst start of the year.  Acosta went five innings and allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk.  Acosta struck out three.  Craig Muschko got his second save of the season with two innings of perfect relief.

Center fielder Cliff Andersen went 2 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored.  He also stole his fourth base of the season.  Shortstop Nate Sampson was 2 for 5 and DH Elvis Lara was 2 for 4. Dylan Johnston was 1 for 4 and stole two bases.

Personally, for me, this was a very surprising game.  That's because I didn't realize that the Swing of the Quad Cities had changed their name back to the Quad CIty River Bandits, which is what they were when I used to go to their games.  I thought Bix Biederbecke might have been upset by this slight, but I asked Bix and he said he didn't care because he was both drunk and dead for 77 years.