Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 15

by Josh Timmers on Jun 15, 2011 10:15 PM CDT in Minor Leagues

Don't forget to go to milb.com and vote for Iowa Cub Bryan LaHair for the Triple-A All-Star Game. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs stopped the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 9-5.

Ramon Ortiz started and got the win. He pitched eight innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. Two of the hits were home runs. Ortiz did not walk anyone and struck out three.

Second baseman Bobby Scales hit a grand slam as part of an eight run eighth inning. It was Scales seventh home run of the year. Scales went 1 for 3 with three walks.

DH Bryan LaHair went back-to-back with Scales in the eighth inning; his 18th home run this year. LaHair was 2 for 4 with two RBI.

Catcher Chris Robinson was 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI. Center fielder Matt Camp was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Camp scored twice and had one RBI.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies game was rained out tonight. Jackson lost to Carolina, so the Smokies magic number fell to one.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs lost to the Brevard County Manatees (Brewers), 5-1 in a game shortened to five innings because of smoke coming from wildfires in the area.

Starter Dae-Eun Rhee pitched all five innings and allowed the five runs on nine hits. One of the five runs was unearned. Rhee walked one and struck out five.

The D-Cubs only had three hits. Michael Burgess was 1 for 2 with a double and a run scored.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs dropped a double-header to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 2-1 and 6-2.

In the first game, Angel Guzman started and pitched the first two innings. He allowed one run on two hits and a walk. He did not have a strike out.

Brett Ebinger got the loss in relief, although he pitched well. Ebinger allowed one run on seven hits over five innings. He did issue a walk and he struck out one.

Catcher Sergio Burruel had a double and two walks in three trips to the plate. He scored the Chiefs lone run.

In the second game, starter Cam Greathouse allowed the first six batters he faced to reach base and five of them scored. After that, he settled down, but still got the loss. Greathouse pitched four innings and allowed the six runs on three hits and four walks. Greathouse struck out one.

Shortstop Arismendy Alcantara was 2 for 3 with a double.

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Comments

Will Colvin get some time at first?

That’s my question. At least one spot will be open in the outfield for next year, maybe two. But, do the Cubs still harbor any thoughts of Colvin playing first in the majors? Part of me wants Colvin to play everyday at first at Iowa for the rest of the year.

by Nibbles on Jun 16, 2011 12:22 AM CDT reply actions

How do you see two openings?

Byrd and Fukudome are hopefully gone, but Soriano and Jackson have two spots, which leaves one, and maybe none if they keep Byrd.

by Ryno G on Jun 16, 2011 1:29 AM CDT up reply actions

He won't hit enough for a starting 1st baseman but

as a 4th outfielder/1st baseman that makes a lot of sense. Problem though is that he needs to focus on hitting right now. Adding a new position is probably not the best thing right now.

John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.

by rlpete on Jun 16, 2011 8:52 AM CDT up reply actions

Matt Szczur

In the first game he was 1-3 with a BB and a SB—his 15th. Good to see him finally swipe another bag.
In the second game he was 1-2 with a 3B and BB.

Good games from him and it looks like he’s got 4 games left in a Chiefs uniform. Not sure if Ha or Crawford will get moved up to Tennessee at the same time, but they’ll make room for him. Possibly send Silva back down. Hopefully Kirk only has one more start in a Chiefs uniform, as well. He’s been nasty.

by Ryno G on Jun 16, 2011 1:32 AM CDT reply actions

No news on minor league front

Carpenter looks like Shark 2.0 It’s great that he hits 98 but can he locate. Doesn’t appear to have control or a quality secondary pitch. What are the scouting reports on him? Having been a starter for yrs you would think he would have more polish.

by joeby231 on Jun 16, 2011 4:37 AM CDT reply actions

Disagree.

Carpenter’s secondary pitches are better than what Samardzija’s were when he was called up in 2008. Problem is — he hasn’t thrown those secondary pitches when he needed to.

I think Carpenter is fine.

R.I.P. to my grandfather, Andrew Wiley
The reason I am a Cub fan forever

by Unique on Jun 16, 2011 8:06 AM CDT up reply actions

I saw Carpenter throw a pretty filthy slider in his first outing.

Baseball is pitching, hitting, baserunning and defense.

by daver on Jun 16, 2011 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions

hopefully someone

In our minor system will be a good mlb player cause so far the only person up I’d remotely play is Campana. Sad

by bleedinblue76 on Jun 16, 2011 7:26 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

DJ

should play and will be a much better player than Campana if given the chance.

by Grockcubs on Jun 16, 2011 8:03 AM CDT up reply actions

I just really like Campana’s speed and love the base stealing.

by bleedinblue76 on Jun 16, 2011 8:06 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I don't love the .255 OBP.

You can’t make a career out of hitting the ball to the 2B or SS and try and outrun the throw to 1st base.

I’m still amazed that players like Campana and Barney have no on-base skills at all. They should watch a Brett Butler career retrospective everyday.

John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.

by rlpete on Jun 16, 2011 8:56 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Campana could be a good MLB player if he'd learn plate discipline and take some walks.

At least, a decent fourth or fifth outfielder.

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by Al Yellon on Jun 16, 2011 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions

See the thing with that is that...

plate discipline just isn’t that easy to learn. At 25 I don’t expect to see any major leaps in this area….though he could shut me up and do it.

by SenorGato on Jun 16, 2011 9:57 AM CDT up reply actions

If the roster allows it...

…I’d love to see Campana stick around as a fifth outfielder. I wouldn’t go too far beyond that but, as we saw the other night, his speed can be incredibly useful in the right situations. And he seems solid enough defensively.

Baseball is pitching, hitting, baserunning and defense.

by daver on Jun 16, 2011 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions

If the Cubs had a Darryl Ward type 4th OF/1B then

Campana could work out as the second bench lefty/5th outfielder. As you say, his speed can be useful. He shouldn’t be the primary left-handed PH which is what he is right now without Colvin.

John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.

by rlpete on Jun 16, 2011 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions

I think he is usefull for the big league team too

I wouldn’t have him as the primary PH, but he is very fast and is useful as a PR and defensive replacement in key situations. Kind of like how Fernando Perez was used in TB.

by srwilly on Jun 16, 2011 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions

What about the no power/no OBP part of his game?

by SenorGato on Jun 16, 2011 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions

Campana isn't a MLB starter.

And Flaherty, Brett Jackson, Ha, Szczur all project to be a starter at some point.

R.I.P. to my grandfather, Andrew Wiley
The reason I am a Cub fan forever

by Unique on Jun 16, 2011 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions

They project to do so, but they've still got a ways to go

At the AA level and below, we have several guys who could become major league regulars. Campana projects to be a pinch runner at the MLB level, or more accurately a AAA player.

by SouthernCub on Jun 16, 2011 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions

Campana has a sub-.600 OPS

That’s worse than a lot of pitchers. He’s fast, but he can’t hit and he doesn’t walk. Being fast is useless if you aren’t getting on base.

The only young guy who should be playing is LeMahieu. I’d be even more interested in playing LeMahieu than Barney, who I don’t think has the bat to be a major league starter (sub-700 OPS despite having a very high BABIP this year). LeMahieu may or may not either, but I’d like to see him try.

by SouthernCub on Jun 16, 2011 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Wow, a smoke-shortened game.

That’s a new one.

Baseball is pitching, hitting, baserunning and defense.

by daver on Jun 16, 2011 8:45 AM CDT reply actions

It's happened to Daytona before

by Josh Timmers on Jun 16, 2011 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions

Jackson is going to start next year?

I hadn’t heard that he’d been crowned already. We’ll have two spots open next year. Byrd’d contract is moveable, and Fukudome won’t be resigned. If Campana shows any ability to get on base maybe he makes a case for CF, but, that’s a big if. His speed is certainly a disruptive force, but I still believe Colvin’s power wasn’t a mirage last year. Quade just destroyed his confidence this year.

by Nibbles on Jun 16, 2011 9:55 PM CDT reply actions