Cubs Minor League Wrap -- June 27

by Josh77 on Jun 28, 2009 1:08 AM CDT in Minor Leagues Comment 7 comments

Josh Vitters is out of his slump. Jake Opitz has a big night for Daytona.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were run over by the Round Rock Express, 6-5.

J. R. Mathes allowed five runs on ten hits in his five inning start. He didn't walk a batter and struck out four.

Blake Parker gave up a run on two hits in the ninth to take the loss. Parker had no walks and struck out one.

Shortstop Matt Camp went 3 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI. Camp also stole his eighth base of the season.

Third baseman Nate Spears went 3 for 5 with a triple and two runs scored. Right fielder John-Ford Griffin went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk.

Jason Dubois hit his ninth home run in a 2 for 4 game. It was a solo home run in the fourth inning.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies topped the Montgomery Biscuits, 6-5.

Well, he's human. Jay Jackson started tonight and lasted only 4.2 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits and four walks. Jackson only struck out two.

Jake Muyco got the win, even though he gave up a run on three hits over 1.1 innings.

Brian Schlitter notched his 12th save despite pitching poorly in the ninth. He gave up a lead-off home run and loaded the bases with two outs with three singles, but got the last batter swinging to end the game.

Shortstop Darwin Barney gave the Smokies the insurance run they needed in the top of the ninth with a solo home run, his third of the season. Barney went 2 for 4 tonight.

Third baseman Marquez Smith went 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI. Center fielder James Adduci doubled and scored a run in a 2 for 4 game.

Daytona Cubs

The D-Cubs slapped out 16 hits on the way to beating the Fort Myers Miracle, 6-4.

James Leverton improved his record to 5-7 by allowing only one run over five innings. Leverton gave up seven hits and issued two walks. He struck out three.

David Cales got his eighth save with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. He gave up two hits and a walk while striking out two.

Third baseman Jake Opitz went 5 for 5 with a double and a triple. He scored twice and had three RBI.

Shortstop Starlin Castro went 3 for 5 with a run scored. Right fielder Brandon Guyer was 2 for 5 with a double and a triple. Guyer crossed the plate twice.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs were on the bad side of a pitcher's duel tonight as they were outlasted by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 2-1.

Chris Carpenter had 4.1 scoreless innings tonight. He gave up five hits and walked one while striking out two.

Manolin DeLeon gave up a run to take the loss in the 14th, although he didn't allow either a walk or a hit. He was done in by two errors and a wild pitch. He tossed 1.2 innings total and struck out four.

The Chiefs made five errors tonight and both runs allowed were unearned.

Josh Vitters homered again tonight in a 3 for 6 game. DH Josh Harrison went 3 for 5 with a walk.

Boise Hawks

Oh the humanity. The Hawks were blasted again by the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 12-3.

Starter Miguel Sierra didn't make it out of the second inning, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks. The rest of the pitching staff wasn't much better.

Shortstop Hak-Ju Lee now has an eight game hitting streak to start his US career. Tonight, Lee went 2 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and two stolen bases.

Third baseman Greg Rohan and center fielder Jose Valdez were both 2 for 3 with a walk.

AZL Cubs

Clubbed the Athletics, 10-4.

Second baseman Derrick Fitzgerald's 2 for 5 game lowered his batting average in his first seven games to .583.

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Josh,

I was at the Chiefs game against Wisconsin tonight. It was my first look at Vitters. I was impressed. He crushed that homer to left, and flashed some good defense at 3rd also.

It was a long night at the ballpark. Besides the 14 innings, there were three rain delays also. The Chiefs pitching was great.

by montecarlo on Jun 28, 2009 1:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Josh I might have missed this if you mentioned it

but John Gaub was promoted to Iowa which would make it two out three of the prospects we got for DeRosa now pitching at AAA. Has anyone seen Stevens pitch ? His numbers are pretty damn good and given the merry go round in our bullpen I wonder if he might make it up before Sept.

"I daydream just like everybody else, I just do it with my body facing the field, so everybody thinks I'm paying attention."- Greg Maddux

by Doggie Stalker on Jun 28, 2009 2:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually

I did miss that, so thanks for mentioning it. (My life at home is in chaos right now and it’s all I can do to get the nightly reports out. Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad—well, it was bad but that part’s been solved—but the chaos remains.)

Gaub pitched really well for TN with 40 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. Batters were only hitting .188 off of him. The problem is the same one a lot of Cub pitchers have—throwing strikes. He walked 17 in TN.

by Josh77 on Jun 28, 2009 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Some love for Opitz

Not many times will any of our players go 5 for 5. Had a relative of mine at the game last night in Ft.Myers and he said Opitz hit the ball hard five times and his triple was a ball the right fielder dove for and missed and turned a single into a triple. Double was opposite field and hit hard and then his last at bat was against a left hander and that ball was hit hard right up the middle into Centerfield.

by Slamdog on Jun 28, 2009 9:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You know... it's a little funny.

Vitters was slumping this month, but was much better in the field during his slump. He had gone most of the entire month of June without making an error (he entered June with 9 Es). They must have had him focused on his fielding. He made an error over a week ago to give him 10. Then, on Friday night, as he was coming out of his slump with a 2-4 night with a HR, he made 3 fielding errors.

"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 28, 2009 9:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He may have been

spending so much time concentrating on his fielding that his bat slumped. It’s been known to happen.

by Josh77 on Jun 28, 2009 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was at the Smokies game last night

Sandberg got ejected as soon as he walked out to the field arguing a “ball” call against the Biscuits. The umpire immediately ejected him and then Ryno got in his face, had a heated discussion, kicked some dirt on the ump (which I took a good picture of), and then went back to the clubhouse.

I believe he argued the strikezone because the umpire rang up Tyler Colvin to end the top half of the inning on the exact pitch. After Colvin’s strikeout, Ryno walked back to the dugout, but he slowed down near the umpire and I believe he had a few words with him there.

Ryne Sandberg was and is my all-time favorite player and I’m glad I was able to see him. Hopefully he will get a shot to manage the Cubs in the future after Lou retires, or at least become part of the Major League coaching staff. As we all know, most great players that manage in the majors don’t work out very well, but most don’t work their way through the system in the minors either.

by srwilly on Jun 28, 2009 12:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs