Minor League Review: Part 4

by cubsfan1 on Jun 20, 2010 10:30 AM CDT

Another instalement on how some of our Cub prospects are doing. Thanks for all the kind words in the previous entries and as long as some ppl enjoy the threads I'll try and keep them up. I am not positive on when my next will come because I was wanting our rookie and short season teams get up and going. Of coarse we are all interested in seeing how our 2010 draft picks and some of our IFA from last year are going to do.

Chris Archer RHP Daytona (High A) 5-1 3.26 60 2/3ip 73/23 K/BB.... Archer is having a good season and he has improved his command and started attacking hitters more. He's got a good FB that touches 96 but sits 91-93 that can get a bit straight but does have some sink and arm side run from a over the top release point that generates GB, 1.52 GO/AO ratio. His CB can be plus when he commands it but needs to learn to use his CU more. Still up in the air on wheather or not he will remain a SP but has taken a nice step in the right direction. If he can't start he could be a lights out set up guy as long as his command is at least average.

Kyler Burke OF Daytona (High A)- .206/274/331 4 31....Very disapointing season after making nice strides last year. His 71 ks in 248 abs is an obvious flaw that will continue to hold him back unless he can really cut that down. I have yet to see and stretch this season in which he seemed to be making any progress. Still hitting 2B (15) but he's gonna have to prove he can put more consistent wood on the ball to ever hope of being a ML player. Burke is such an enigma. I'm really not sure what to make of him now.

Chris Carpenter RHP Tennessee (AA)- 5-2 3.26 58ip 43/24 K/BB ....He's been getting hit a little much (.280 BAA) for guy with his stuff. He's got a Fb that touches 97 and sits 92-94 with good life and produces a good amount of GB (1.63 GO/FO). His slurve has bite and if he develops his change up that could be a 3rd solid pitch. His stuff can be hard to control and if he wants to reach his ceiling of a 2/3 SP he will need to improve. At some point next season he could slot himself into the back of the Cub rotation or if needed a valuable piece out of the bullpen.

Matt Szczur OF Villanova (5th Round).....Very raw especially considering his college backround. Has some NFL interest because of his speed so I'm not sure what that does for his signability but he has outstanding speed and good OBP skills. No current power and will need to do a lot of work in pro ball to become a ML player.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

couple things

To be fair to Burke, he’s had some bad luck this year. That doesn’t excuse everything, and at the end of the day, you do have to perform. I don’t know how much patience the Cubs will have to see whether or not he can turn it around. With few power prospects in the system, I’m hoping they’ll give him another year to see if can balance it out.

Archer has had a ridiculously dominant stretch of late. Everything’s simply working for him, and I’ve heard positive things on his changeup. Since May 1st, he’s had a K/9 near 11.3, with his BB/9 around 2.7. In June, those numbers are a ridiculous 13.22/1.65. I am curious how his stuff will play in AA, and would love to see Archer (and Brett) up there soon, but right now, he’s establishing himself as a top 5 prospect in the system. Of course, another semi-intriguing arm (Alberto Cabrera) has bombed in the AA move, so a bit of wait and see should be had with Archer, but Archer’s got better weapons.

by toonsterwu on Jun 20, 2010 10:46 AM CDT reply actions

Archer & Burke

Good point on his dominance k and bb wise. And yes I will be extremely interested in seeing B. Jackson, Dolis, and Archer in AA. How they preform there will shed a lot of light on were their ceilings are.

Burke I’m less optimistic since he finally took a large step forward it had seemed last year in his 3rd attempt at low A. I also see him less as a power hitter and more of a doubles hitter. As I pointed he has yet to show for any strertch any signs of getting it going and considering he’s 22 in high A leaves me thinking he may not have the hit tool to be a ML player.

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-cubs-wrigley-bound/

by cubsfan1 on Jun 20, 2010 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions

The Barrett/Burke trade was still totally worth it.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Jun 21, 2010 9:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Carpenter

I think Carpenter has been fine this year considering he threw 1 inning in spring training before being sent to Tenn. If he weren’t on so low of a pitch count early in the year he could be around 9-2 right now, give or take. His ERA has been steadily dropping and his May and June so far has been fine. I do think the change up needs further development.

I’m sorry, but I think far to much emphasis in judgement based on stats, even at the pro level with fans. Watching guys in person over a period of time is a bigger piece of information in my opinion.

by skeezer on Jun 21, 2010 5:23 PM CDT reply actions

It's certainly a fair critique

but the bigger issue is that the reports from Tennessee haven’t been superb. All that said, he is working his way back.

The nice thing is that his K rate has been climbing in June, while the BB rate is decreasing. Could simply be a case of him needing to get into a groove. Here’s hoping.

by toonsterwu on Jun 21, 2010 7:23 PM CDT up reply actions

the stat geeks will cry blasphemy

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Jun 22, 2010 8:05 AM CDT up reply actions

If a kid is good, it will eventually show in his stats,

but often the organization has them working on something specific to the detriment of overall top performance. What you want to see is progress in the skills that will make you a productive MLB player. That is why Archer’s last couple of months have been so encouraging. Missing bats like that is an essential skill to playing in the bigs.

"Manny Trillo is coming in to pinch run. You know, for a lot of teams, you would pinch run for Manny Trillo." - Harry Caray

by Archie on Jun 22, 2010 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions

depends on what stats

a lot of stats can be ignored to some extent at the minor league level because they’re dependent on supporting cast and some leagues play vastly different than other leagues. ERA/WHIP to some extent

a lot of “stat geeks” would know this and understand it

Now if a pitcher is walking a lot of guys or not missing bats at all, I think you’ll get some question as to what’s going on. That was pretty much the big criticism of Shark from the “stat crowd” as he kept getting promoted and the K’s weren’t there. Sure enough he got to the big league level and couldn’t put guys away

follow me on twitter for fantasy sports analysis @http://twitter.com/DrewDinkmeyer or get the full analysis at www.fantistics.com

by DartmouthCubsFan on Jun 22, 2010 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

How is Nick Struck doing down in Peioria?

He worked the baseball camps that I attended in grade school, and I currently attend the high school which he won state player of the year for, and a state championship for. I heard he threw a no-hitter which is great and would like to see how he has been doing.

"Good, Better, Best, never let it rest until your good is your better and your better is your best." Tim Duncan

by flynn4blazers on Jun 21, 2010 7:14 PM CDT reply actions

Average

I was very intrigued with him entering the year. He’s had his moments, but overall, it’s been an up and down year. For a 20 year old in the MWL, not bad, but the bigger issue is that there have been some bad velocity reports. I had heard he was a high 80’s/low 90’s kid with some room for more, but a few weeks back, there was a report of him peaking in the mid-80’s. I had trouble believing it, except for the fact that the radar readings for another pitcher that played the same night was around what I had expected.

Do you know what his velocity was in HS?

by toonsterwu on Jun 21, 2010 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions