Cubs Minor League Wrap -- June 20

by Josh77 on Jun 21, 2009 12:12 AM CDT in Minor Leagues Comment 10 comments

The minor leagues have hit full swing tonight with the beginning of the Boise Hawks season. This means a few changes at Minor League Wrap, besides adding two teams. First, it means that the recaps are going to be later, although I don't know how they could be any later than they've been this week. Secondly, it means more work for me, which means I'm going make a few changes.

First, if you're a regular reader of this feature, you know that there is a system for getting mentioned in the wrap. I'm not going to go into it here, but I'm going to relax it for the Boise Hawks this season. I'm still covering the Hawks and will still do a recap, but from now on, just getting two singles in five at bats won't necessarily get a mention for the Hawks. Picking up the save might not either, depending on the night. But I will be covering the Hawks, including driving up to Boise in a few weeks to see them play, and I'm not going to see any of the other teams in person this year.

As far as the AZL Cubs go, I'm only going to mention players who do something particularly noteworthy and prospects who have wider interest. If you remember last season, I usually just provide a link to the AZL Cubs games with no comment. I do this to keep myself from going crazy and because no one has ever convinced me that there is any difference between the Arizona Summer League and Extended Spring Training other than they keep score in one and not the other.

If you've got questions, I'll answer them in the comments section. On to the games.

Iowa Cubs

The I-Cubs de-feathered the Memphis Redbirds, 4-0.

Jeff Samardzija had a great outing tonight, giving up only six singles over eight innings. Four walks were the only blemish on the night. The Shark struck out six.

Bobby Scales and Jason Dubois both homered tonight. It was Dubois' eighth home run and Scales' fourth. Scales was 1 for 3 with two RBI and Dubois was 1 for 2 with two walks and two RBI.

Center fielder Sam Fuld and catcher Chris Robinson were both 2 for 4. Fuld scored once.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies blanked the Carolina Mudcats, 7-0.

Jeremy Papelbon started and allowed only five singles and a walk over 5.2 innings. Papelbon struck out two Mudcats. He was greatly helped in the second inning when his defense pulled off a rare 5-4-3 Triple Play on a ground ball.

Center fielder James Adduci was 3 for 4 with a walk. First baseman Doug Deeds was 2 for 2 with a double and a walk. Deeds scored twice and had an RBI on a sac fly.

Third baseman Jonathan Mota was 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. He also started only the second triple play in Smokies history.

Daytona Cubs

The North All-Stars (and Daytona is in the North) defeated the South All-Stars, 6-4.

I don't know if they give out an MVP award for the FSL All-Star Game, but if they did, shortstop Starlin Castro would be sure to win it. Castro was 4 for 4 with a solo home run tonight.

If they give out a least valuable player award, Ryan Searle would be sure to win that too. Searle was charged with four runs on four hits and a walk without getting a single out.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs smoked the Burlington Bees out of their hive, 5-3.

Chris Carpenter picked up the win tonight, allowing only one run on five hits over six innings. The run scored on a solo home run. Carpenter walked two and struck out three.

Chris Huseby got his seventh save tonight. He gave up a hit in two-thirds of an inning.

Third baseman Josh Harrison went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Harrison stole two bases as well. Right fielder Nelson Perez was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Perez had one RBI and scored once, too.

Boise Hawks

Let's just hope is was opening night jitters, because the Hawks committed seven error on the way to being blown away by the Tri-City Dust Devils, 14-8.

Starting pitcher Jonathan Nagel gave up four runs in three innings in his professional debut, but only one of the runs was earned. Nagel gave up five hits and a walk while striking out one.

Josh Whitlock took the loss as he got pounded for six runs in three innings.

You've been hearing about him for a while, but shortstop Hak-Ju Lee made his pro debut tonight and had singles in his first two at bats. Lee was 3 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored twice and had one RBI. It wasn't all roses for Lee as two of those errors were his--although both were on the same play.

Third baseman George Matheus went 3 for 5 with two RBI.

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Watched most of

the Boise game on there website and have to say im very impressed with Hak Ju Lee. Aside from his two errors on one play in the second he looked to have really solid defense with great range and a good arm.

At the plate he hit is first and 3rd atbats really hard the first one landing for a hit. At one atbat he tried to bunt for a hit and was thrown out by an eyelash, and somthing i found encouraging was that on his last at bat he took the pitch the other way for a hit. I know by my recap he sounds like he is ready for the bigs now haha but he does look so far like he was worth the big bonus.

Life's a garden, dig it.

by easyaspie on Jun 21, 2009 12:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good news

Hopefully he and Vitters can form a dynamic duo on the left side

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Jun 21, 2009 12:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

can bunt, has range, and can throw well

last shortstop candidate with those attributes were….

frankly, i can’t remember one. ever. dunston comes closest, but he couldn’t bunt.

by tim815 on Jun 21, 2009 12:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

is it just me

or does it seem like our minor leaguers are seeming to ‘get it’ more upon arrival to the big club? going back to the days of tye waller, karl pagel, and any of the many other you could name, they weren’t ready.

hoffpauir, jake fox, blanco, scales, randy wells. these guys seem to be guys you can at least expect to throw to the correct base and maybe hit it the other way. they aren’t world beaters, but not abject embarrassments either.

perhaps the guys like thomas, vitters, jay jackson, chris carpenter (ours not theirs), and a number of others will be good enough to be kept around. not just merely trading chips for expensive old guys.

i’d be reading josh’s daily updates anyway, but since there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s all the more fun.

now if the hawks can learn to field.

and yes, castro got mvp.

by tim815 on Jun 21, 2009 12:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well... part of the reason we've won two divisions in a row,.. and are contending for another one

is the fact that we’ve been getting winning contributions from our farm system. It’s no coincidence.

In the years that we were horrible in the 90’s…. we weren’t getting many valuable contributions from the system.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)

Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.

by SackMan on Jun 21, 2009 1:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Castro got MVP

His solo home run was actually an inside-the-parker. Ben Revere (Fort Myers Miracle – Minnesota Twins) was playing center. Castro lined it to center and Ben started to come in, thinking he’d make the catch. But Castro hit it much harder than the fielder thought so at the last second jumped as high as he could, but it wasn’t high enough to make the catch since he’d already run underneath it. Castro was absolutely burning around the bases from the moment the ball left the bat. Sprinted all the way around and crossed home plate without a tag. The rest of his hits were all line-drive singles. He actually had a chance to go 5-for-5 in the 9th inning but Dunedin’s Darin Mastroianni was caught stealing with Castro at the plate and two down.

Starlin doesn’t speak very much English, so the on-field interview was pretty short. I think he said “Thank you” and not much else!

Fact: Your Opinion is Wrong.

by northsider on Jun 21, 2009 2:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Almost an organization-wide winning day...

‘cept for those bums in Boise… they better get their act together or it’s DFA for them all. ;-)

Seriously though, glad to see the whole system playing again. It’s not summer until Single-A baseball kicks into full gear ;-)

by lswaidz on Jun 21, 2009 7:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Seems

are strength is in the infield, with Castro, Lee and the second rounder from LSU. Outfield might be a calling for one.

"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"

by Grockcubs on Jun 21, 2009 7:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed. that having been said

most of our outfield draft picks are listed as centerfielders. perhaps more dascenzo-esque than pie-like, but mebbe were trying for speed in the system.

yay

by tim815 on Jun 21, 2009 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs