Cubs Minor League Wrap--May 14
by Josh Timmers on May 14, 2009 11:54 PM CDT
in Minor Leagues
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PrintJust want to remind everyone that we need to keep the scouting reports coming. After an initial burst, we haven't heard much recently about people seeing Cubs farm teams in person. You can contact me through the sidebar if you want further instructions or if you want to mail me a report rather than posting it yourself.
It's the everyone wins edition tonight! (OK, Peoria lost too.)
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs topped 15 runs for the third day in a row while running the Colorado Springs Sky Sox through the wringer, 17-4.
Jeff Samardzija got the start tonight and, after allowing a two-run home run in the first, settled down despite pitching in the thin Colorado air. The Shark pitched four innings and allowed only the two runs on six hits. He struck out three and best of all, didn't walk anyone. Samardzija was also 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Vince Perkins got the win after allowing two runs in 3.2 innings of relief. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out five.
Jake Fox added to his minor-league leading HR total by jacking his 15th bomb tonight. Fox had a 4 for 6 night with a double and the home run. Fox scored three times and batted two in.
Right behind him in the home run chase is right fielder Brad Snyder, who went yard twice tonight for his tenth and eleventh homers of the season. Snyder went 3 for 6 with four RBI and three runs scored.
Think I forgot about Jason Dubois? Nope the left fielder also blasted two home runs tonight in a 2 for 5 evening. Dubois also walked once. He scored twice and batted three in.
Second baseman Matt Camp was "only" 2 for 4 and he didn't go deep, but he did have five RBI tonight. Camp doubled and scored once.
Center fielder Sam Fuld was 3 for 6 with a triple. Fuld scored twice and had two RBI. Catcher Chris Robinson was 2 for 6 with a run scored. Third baseman Kyle Reynolds went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. Reynolds scored twice.
Shortstop Andres Blanco was the only person in the starting lineup who didn't have two hits. Blanco was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Tennessee Smokies
The Smokies burned down the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, 7-1.
Starter Casey Lambert was magnificent for six innings. Lambert shut the Diamond Jaxx out on only one hit and one walk. Lambert struck out two.
Second baseman Tony Thomas led off the bottom of the first inning with his sixth home run of the year. Thomas was 3 for 5 tonight.
Third baseman Marquez Smith doubled three times in a 3 for 4 evening. Smith scored once and batted one in.
First baseman Blake Lalli was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Center fielder Brandon Guyer went 2 for 4 with a double.
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs harpooned the Clearwater Threshers, 7-4.
Starter Ryan Searle pitched four innings and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks. Searle struck out two.
Jose Piña got the win in relief with 2.1 shutout innings. He allowed one hit, walked no body and struck out three. And yes, Piña did deserve the win in this situation.
Henry Williamson entered the game with two out in the ninth and the bases loaded. He struck out the only batter he faced to record his first save on the year.
Left fielder Jonathan Wyatt was been hot lately, and tonight he added to his totals by going 3 for 5 with his first home run on the season. Wyatt scored three times, batted two in and stole a base.
Center fielder Francisco Guzman was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Second baseman Nate Samson went 2 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
First baseman Ryan Keedy went 2 for 3 with a hit-by-pitch.
Peoria Chiefs
The Chiefs split a double-header with the Quad City River Bandits, winning the first 7-3 and losing the nightcap 4-1 in eight innings.
In the first game, Jeff Beliveau started and allowed only one run on one hit over three innings. Beliveau walked two and struck out six.
Chris Huseby got the win in relief. Huseby gave up one hit in two shutout innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three.
The Chiefs hit three home runs in the first game. One was by catcher Michael Brenly, who was 2 for 3 with a two-run home run, his first on the year. I bet you'd never know about Brenly's homer if you didn't read about it here.
First baseman Rebel Ridling's solo home run was his fourth of the year. Ridling was 2 for 3. The final home run went to second baseman Ryan Flaherty. It was his third homer. Flaherty was 1 for 3 with two RBI.
In the second game, starter Chris Carpenter was very good in a six-inning start. Carpenter allowed one run on four hits and two walks. Carpenter struck out four.
Reliever Erik Hamren took the loss in relief. Hamren allowed three runs in two innings.
Rebel Ridling doubled his pleasure in the second game by going deep for the second time today. It was a fifth-inning solo home run. Ridling went 2 for 3 with a walk in the nightcap and was 4 for 6 on the day.
Third baseman Josh Vitters was 3 for 3 in the second game and 4 for 6 total for the day.
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Vitters
Vitters can definitely hit singles and he’s still young, but going forward he is going to have to hit for more power if he’s going to play 3rd. It will be interesting to see how he develops.
He also has Tyler Colvin disease...
i.e., inability/unwillingness to take a walk. As long as he’s hitting .320, that’s not a problem. But it will be interesting to see how things go as the talent level against him increases.
And you’re right. He hasn’t shown much power yet. Hopefully the power develops as he fills out. He is only 19 years old, after all.
Two things on Vitters
One, he’s only 19 and in the Midwest League. He’s in the Top 20 on slugging percentage in the league, which isn’t an easy place to hit home runs. Now he doesn’t have the kind of swing that’s going to allow him hit 40 HRs in the majors, that’s true. So we really shouldn’t expect him to be in the league leaders on HRs.
Second, I wouldn’t compare him to Tyler Colvin at all. Colvin had trouble recognizing pitches out of the zone (something he’s improved on) whereas Vitters just has the ability to hit everything thrown his way. He’s got massive plate coverage so he doesn’t lay off pitches that other hitters have to lay off of. Now again, you’re right in that he’s not going to be a guy who draws 100 (or even 70) walks in a season. He’s always going to be a guy who’s OBP is mostly batting average. But he has all the tools to regularly challenge for batting titles in the majors every season.
So while you make valid points, I’d say there is nothing to be concerned about at this time.
by Josh Timmers on May 15, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions
In no way am I comparing Vitters to him
but people should look at Vitters more in a George Brett style of 3rd baseman. High avg, 20 HR’s, lots of doubles, 50 walks.
Sure
We’d be so lucky if he turned into George Brett
by Josh Timmers on May 15, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions
I'd be concerned
3 BB and 16 K in 113 at bats is a HUGE concern. He has to get that fixed to move up and become a better hitter versus better pitching. He should hit well versus Low A-Ball pitchers. He has to get his walk rate up to 10% minimum. Massive plate coverage is not a good thing.
wyatt is not only hot,
he’s bringing it from nowhere. he was invisible the first month or so.
Yeah, Wyatt stunk in April
He’s not a great prospect and I wouldn’t read too much into a hot May. But he does have 4th outfielder potential in the majors.
by Josh Timmers on May 15, 2009 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions
How often
Do you see a line from a pitcher like Shark had?
4IP and he got to bat 4 times?!!
Doesn’t look like the Rockies have too much pitching help down on the farm. We’ve scored 15, 18, and 17 runs the last three games on them.
"Manny Trillo is coming in to pinch run. You know, for a lot of teams, you would pinch run for Manny Trillo." - Harry Caray
How
old is Tony Thomas? I opened his name above and it says he is 109 born in 1900. I think he has served more time in the minors than Scales.
"You can't take life to seriously, you don't get out of it alive"
hopefully he can make it
I'm a lefty, maybe Lou should give me a shot for a position in the bullpen!!
meh didn't send
he’s young and could be our future 2b. How are his stats and how is his glove?
I'm a lefty, maybe Lou should give me a shot for a position in the bullpen!!
Tony Thomas
Stats are fantastic on the year: .352/.441/.611.
For what it’s worth, TotalZone says he was an excellent defender at Daytona last year (+27 runs/150). That’s better than any other second baseman in Sean Smith’s ‘08 database. See this article. Smith says you take off 9 in the transition from high-A to the majors, but even then, his +19 at Daytona would still make him an excellent big-league defender - assuming the minors TZ numbers are reliable (and I don’t know enough to say if they are; you’d have to ask someone like Colin Wyers to fill you in).
Thomas
The scouts don’t agree that he’s an excellent defender. He came out of Florida State with a really bad defensive reputation. However, he did spend most of last season working hard on his defense (which some say caused him to neglect his bat—he didn’t hit well for most of last season) and now the scouting reports on Thomas’ glove range from “adequate” to “above average.”
Thomas is making himself a major prospect. He hit a ton his junior season at Florida State (winning some college player of the year awards) and then tore it up in Boise. He made the jump to Daytona last season and was just sort of mediocre, although as I said, some think he was spending too much time with the glove and not enough with the bat.
But if he continues to hit like he’s hitting down in TN, we could see him at Wrigley sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t be like Lou to bench Fontenot for a rookie from AA, but if someone gets hurt or if Thomas continues to tear it up, his hand might be forced.
by Josh Timmers on May 15, 2009 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions
Yes
Fox only gets called up in Lee or Hoffpauir go on the DL.
by Josh Timmers on May 15, 2009 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions
I had the pleasure of seeing Ascanio make his '09 debut yesterday.
Aside from the long bomb to Jose Drew Macias, he appeared to have good stuff and location. I’d say K’ing three batters over two innings of work is a pretty good way to get on Lou’s good side – even if it was against the noodle-swinging Padres. (Oh, and let’s not forget that Ascanio’s last strikeout was the decidedly NON-noodle-swinging Padre Adrian Gonzalez.)
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
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