Cubs Minor League Wrap -- July 27

by Josh Timmers on Jul 28, 2009 2:01 AM CDT in Minor Leagues

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs lost to the Albuquerque Isotopes, 5-2.

Jose Ascanio got the start this afternoon and took the loss, allowing three runs over five innings. Ascanio gave up eight hits. He walked two and struck out four.

Bobby Scales was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Shortstop Darwin Barney was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies beat the Mobile BayBears, 8-2.

David Patton had the rehab start tonight and he allowed two runs on three hits over 2.2 innings. However, both runs were unearned. Patton didn't walk anyone and struck out one. Patton threw 45 pitches, 28 for strikes

Jeremy Papelbon got the win with 4.1 innings of shutout relief. Papelbon allowed three hits, struck out two and didn't walk anyone.

Second baseman Tony Thomas hit his ninth home run tonight, a two-run homer in the second inning. Thomas was 2 for 4 and scored twice.

Right fielder Doug Deeds also homered and had a double as well. Deeds was 2 for 3 with a walk. Deeds scored three times.

First baseman Blake Lalli went 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. However, he committed two errors as well. Catcher Mark Reed had a double in a 2 for 4 night. Reed scored twice and had two RBI.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were infiltrated by the Sarasota Reds, 1-0.

Starter Rafael Dolis allowed only one hit over five shutout innings. Dolis didn't walk anyone and struck out four.

Henry Williamson got the loss in relief. He allowed one run on four hits over 2.2 innings. Williamson didn't walk anyone and struck out two.

Center fielder Brandon Guyer was 2 for 3 with a double.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs skinned the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 2-1.

Tonight's game was about as rare as you'll see in the minor leagues, especially in the lower minors. In a nine-inning game, both starting pitchers threw a complete game. The winning pitcher was the Chiefs' Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who allowed his one run on a solo home run in the fourth inning. He allowed five hits total, didn't walk anyone and struck out seven.

First baseman Rebel Ridling was 4 for 4 with a solo home run. Shortstop Ryan Flaherty was 1 for 4 with a solo homer.

Right fielder Kyler Burke went 2 for 4.

Boise Hawks

The Hawks were made green with envy by the Eugene Emeralds, 10-2.

Starter Robert Hernandez took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits over three innings. Hernandez walked one and struck out three.

Center fielder Brett Jackson kept his hitting and on-base streaks alive by going 1 for 4 with a run scored.

AZL Cubs

Got pummeled by the Athletics, 12-4.

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Comments

LeMahieu

just got promoted to Peoria and will rotate time at 2B, SS and DH with Flaherty and Lake

by CHCOWNTHECENTRAL on Jul 28, 2009 4:57 AM CDT reply actions

thanks for the update

cajuns don’t need potatoes anyway. anyone getting sent from peoria?

by tim815 on Jul 28, 2009 7:23 AM CDT up reply actions

2B DJ Fitzgerald being reassigned to Boise

apparently with LeMahieu’s promotion they were at their limit of DJs. I don’t know anything about Fitzgerald other than he’s been nothing but a bench warmer hitting .231 in 65 ABs

by CHCOWNTHECENTRAL on Jul 28, 2009 8:28 AM CDT up reply actions

I never realized how big he is

If my memory serves me right, he is like 6’4’’. What is his power like? Will he be able to develope into an Utley like 2B?

by Don't Fear the Reaper on Jul 28, 2009 8:44 AM CDT up reply actions

i was looking forward to seeing him in the college world series

i’d heard middling reports on him. i wasn’t sold, one way or the other, on him. had some decent at bats early. no stupid defensive plays. ran the bases well. nothing flashy. first-to-third on singles. a gapper or two. looked bad on wicked breaking balls.

then when the games got reeeeeally important, he came up down a run with two outs game on the line. gets an inside fastball and drilled it out to left down the line. aluminum bat, but it was a legit homer. also had a key triple.

the dude can play. the next night i mentioned on a game thread how he reminds me at the plate of ryne sandberg. someone agreed with me.

i think he will learn from ryno when he gets the chance. i don’t see him developing utley power, but he’ll be a solid player. either for us, or decent trade bait for someting special. between watkins/lee/castro/lamahieu/flaherty/thomas, we might not have to worry about skimping up the middle in about three years.

by tim815 on Jul 28, 2009 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions

We definitely have some nice 2b/SS prospects in the lower systems

by thehat34 on Jul 28, 2009 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions

Interesting how some guys they push and jump levels- like LeMahieu and Castro

and other similar guys they don’t- like Flaherty and B Jackson.

by CA Cub Fan on Jul 28, 2009 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Just a thought

Maybe they didnt want to break up the combo of Hak Ju Lee and Watkins and thought Lemahieu could mix in with Flaherty and Lake and that they may have pushed Fitzgerald a little fast and it gives him more at bats than he would have received in Peoria.

by Slamdog on Jul 28, 2009 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Maybe this has already been posted, but if not

The Cubs’ signed a Taiwanese pitcher – Wang Tsu-an.

Randy Wells - You continue to astound me.

by DGU on Jul 28, 2009 9:57 AM CDT reply actions

Second Wang the Cubs signed this summer in Taiwan

by Raisin on Jul 28, 2009 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions

The Cubs love wangs

"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 Jul 28, 2009 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions

They also signed a Dong this summer

OF Dong-Yub Kim of Korea.

by Raisin on Jul 28, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

they have a facility overseas for the far east signees

when can we expect them in arizona? any guesses?

by tim815 on Jul 28, 2009 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions

3 of the Asian signees played in Australia earlier this summer

MLB has an academy near Brisbane (the MLBAAP) and OF Dong-Yub Kim (Korea, $525,000 bonus), IF Ping-Chieh Chen (Taiwan, $300,000 bonus) and RHP Yao-Lin Wang (Taiwan, $250,000 bonus) all got some playing time (as did Aussie outfielder Sean Williams who signed in 2008).

Some of this year’s signees should end up playing at instructs this fall in Mesa (two falls ago, Dae-Eun Rhee played in Mesa; last fall, Hak-Ju Lee and Su-Min Jung got some playing time in instructs). Otherwise, we’ll see them at spring training. It probably comes down to the visa situation.

by Raisin on Jul 28, 2009 8:53 PM CDT up reply actions

tivo the sportscenter

when he goes against Chieng Ming Wang

by tim815 on Jul 28, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Is Kyler Burke finally turning a corner?

Or is it too late for him in the Midwest League at age 21?

It’s obvious that this has been Burke’s best professional season at any level. He’s setting career marks in every offensive category, and his K-rate has dropped to an “acceptable” level, while his BB-rate has increased markedly.

He’s certainly hitting for “doubles” power, with 33 so far to go with his 8 HR. But I think that it’s the OBP that is the most encouraging – .370-ish all year, after posting a .278 OBP at Peoria last year, and only a .336 OBP at Boise.

At 21, is he considered too old for us to be encouraged by his success at Peoria, or is he being written off as organizational filler? At this point, even though he isn’t totally crushing A-ball, doesn’t Kyler kinda have to be promoted to Daytona, if only to see what we’ve got?

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Jul 28, 2009 10:19 AM CDT reply actions

Well, it is his third attempt at A ball...

and he looked completely overmatched in his first two tries (sub-.600 OPS each year). But he was probably pushed too quickly to A ball at just 19, which probably hurt his development. And he

He’s probably average to slightly above average age for A ball, so I wouldn’t say he’s too old. He’s not a prodigy or anything, but if he progressed on a level per year schedule (A+ next year, AA the year after that) he’d be in AAA at 24. That’s not unreasonably old for a AAA prospect.

Burke just can’t afford to have any more steps backward in order to be on the prospect track. And he probably will need to continue to take a step forward whenever he reaches A+ ball either this year or next.

by SouthernCub on Jul 28, 2009 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Flaherty is his teammate at 23

by tim815 on Jul 28, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions

I hope they sign thee other Taiwanese pitcher

Win-one-soon

by Slamdog on Jul 28, 2009 11:30 AM CDT reply actions

Barney is at AAA?

Wow, he is progressing fast. I really like him.

"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver

by wrigleyrocker12 on Jul 28, 2009 11:43 AM CDT reply actions

Is it me...

or does it look like Soriano has horns in the picture above.

by Don't Fear the Reaper on Jul 28, 2009 11:43 AM CDT reply actions

with Blanco so serviceable and cheap

I’d consider Barney potential trade bait this week.

by tim815 on Jul 28, 2009 1:06 PM CDT reply actions

I agree...

Barney doesn’t bring enough with the bat to replace Theriot at SS, and the Cubs can get the same defensive benefit with switch “hitting” from Blanco for the same cost. And by the time Theriot is a free agent, we may be seeing Lee or Castro take over at SS.

by SouthernCub on Jul 28, 2009 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions