Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 24

by Josh Timmers on Aug 25, 2011 12:12 AM CDT in Minor Leagues

What do Smokies manager Brian Harper and I have in common? We both love Steve Clevenger.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs smashed the Oklahoma City RedHawks for the second straight night, 12-7.

The final line on starting pitcher Chris Rusin doesn't look so good, but he pitched well until a five-run seventh inning. Rusin went 6.2 innings and allowed seven runs on ten hits. Rusin walked one and struck out three as he collected his fourth win for the I-Cubs. It helped that Rusin went 2 for 4 with and RBI and two runs scored at the plate.

Robert Coello got out of that seventh inning (after Carlton Smith made it worse) and went the rest of the way to get the save. Coello only allowed one hit and no runs over 2.1 innings. He walked no one and struck out five.

Bryan LaHair smashed two home runs tonight to give him 36 on the year which is the most in all of minor league baseball and only one behind Jose Bautista in all of baseball. LaHair hit his first in the sixth inning with a man on and his second in the eighth inning with two on. LaHair was 2 for 5 with those five RBI.

Third baseman Marquez Smith also hit his seventh home run of the year with a man on in the second inning. Smith went 2 for 4 and scored twice.

Center fielder Brett Jackson and shortstop Marwin Gonzalez were both 2 for 5 with a double. Both scored once and had one RBI.

Right fielder Lou Montanez went 2 for 3 with a double and two walks. Montanez scored twice and had two RBI.

Second baseman DJ LeMahieu was 2 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies set the Chattanooga Lookouts on fire, 8-3.

Trey McNutt got the start and lasted six innings tonight. He allowed three runs on nine hits. McNutt walked one and struck out three.

Shortstop Jonathan Mota hit his first Smokies home run and sixth overall with the bases empty in the fourth inning. Mota was 1 for 4 and had two RBI.

Catcher Steve Clevenger hit his fifth home run for the Smokies and eighth overall. It came with a man on in the seventh inning. Clevenger was 2 for 4.

Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha went 3 for 3 with two walks and a stolen base. He scored twice and made a spectacular catch in center field that you can see in a fanshot on the right.

Left fielder Rebel Ridling went 2 for 2 with a walk and a sac fly. He scored twice and had two RBI.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were swept in a double-header with the Tampa Yankees, 4-3 and 6-2.

In game one, Angel Guzman started and threw a scoreless inning, although he did allow two hits. Guzman neither walked nor struck anyone out.

Casey Harman pitched the next three innings and got the loss after allowing three runs on four hits. One of the three runs was unearned. Harman did not walk anyone and struck out two.

The D-Cubs only had one hit going into the top of the seventh inning, but they scored three runs in the final inning thanks to two-out back-to-back home runs by Michael Burgess abd Jake Opitz. Burgess's homer was his 17th and came with a man on and Opitz's was his sixth. Both hitters were 1 for 3.

First baseman Justin Bour was 2 for 3 with a double and scored on Burgess's home run.

In the second game. Matt Loosen started and got the loss after giving up five runs over 4.1 innings. Two of the five runs were unearned. Loosen gave up three runs and walked two. He struck out three.

Shortstop Elliot Soto went 2 for 4.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs were held up by the Quad City River Bandits, 4-2.

Patrick Francescon started and only gave up one run over three innings, but the Chiefs never came back and he got the loss. Francescon surrendered four hits but no walks. He struck out three.

First baseman Richard Jones was 2 for 4 with a double. DH Ben Klafcyznski was 2 for 3.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks capped the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 7-4.

Yao-Lin Wang was impressive by allowing only one run over six innings. Wang gave up five hits. He walked one and struck out eight as he improved his record to 4-4.

Left fielder Ryan Cuneo homered with a man on in the fifth inning. It was his sixth home run of the season. Cuneo went 2 for 4 and had four RBI.

DH Rafael Lopez also hit a solo home run in the third; his fifth on the year. Lopez was 1 for 4.

Third baseman Willson Contreras went 2 for 4 and scored twice.

AZL Cubs

Too darn hot to play. Actually, that's never stopped them before. Just an off-day.

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Comments

It sounds like

Abner Abreu was about it in the Fukudome trade.

McNutt had trouble getting the third out in the sixth. Two two-out hits gave up his last two runs.

I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.

by timh815 on Aug 25, 2011 12:29 AM CDT reply actions

Smith is awful

so yeah. But what did you expect for two months of Fukudome?

by Josh Timmers on Aug 25, 2011 1:10 AM CDT up reply actions

Salary relief

If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.

by tharr on Aug 25, 2011 4:28 AM CDT up reply actions

Solid games for a few guys.

McNutt solid, still too many hits. Wang impressive again.

by Ryno G on Aug 25, 2011 12:42 AM CDT reply actions

McNutt really struggling against lefties this year

I know some scouts projected him as a bullpen arm rather than a starter, and if he can’t improve his results against lefties, that may well be the case:

IP H R ER HR BB K AVG
vs L 30.2 50 21 20 2 21 16 .379
vs R 54.1 58 24 23 3 10 42 .284

by MVZ on Aug 25, 2011 5:42 AM CDT up reply actions

Doesn't look like he's doing to well vs. righties either.

Seems like 6 IP with 3 ER is par for the course his last handful of starts.

Come on Lisa, I'm trying to impress people here. You don't win friends with salad. ~ Homer J. Simpson

by TheBeerBaron on Aug 25, 2011 7:54 AM CDT up reply actions

DeVoss

1/4, Drove in 2 runs and stole a base.

by WiscCubsFan on Aug 25, 2011 12:56 AM CDT reply actions

Oops, also a BB and run scored ;)

by WiscCubsFan on Aug 25, 2011 12:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Walks don't count

until the new GM takes over

I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.

by timh815 on Aug 25, 2011 1:32 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Rec'd

For the lulz

Come on Lisa, I'm trying to impress people here. You don't win friends with salad. ~ Homer J. Simpson

by TheBeerBaron on Aug 25, 2011 7:54 AM CDT up reply actions

Ha!

by WiscCubsFan on Aug 25, 2011 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions

I now there is a strong contingent headed by

Al against lahair, but he is mashing the ball. I really hope we get a good glimpse of him in September. I’m probably wrong about the guy and I’ll face up to it, but man his offense is insane right now!!

by Notsnud on Aug 25, 2011 1:22 AM CDT reply actions

I'm flipping on that, and here's why.

Our next GM won’t be fooled by four good weeks of production. We need a plan at first base that keeps us from being embarrassed there next year.

I’d rather see Pena still, though.

Not cost-effective to provide helmets for the fans down the first base line.

I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.

by timh815 on Aug 25, 2011 1:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Also not cost effective to pay $10M

for Pena. I imagine we’d end up with a multi year contract which is even worse.

If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.

by tharr on Aug 25, 2011 4:31 AM CDT up reply actions

Ok, right, take that at face value

I’m in total agreement the plan next year probably needs to include an elite 1B. (It might be better to have a mid-level upgrade at 1B and fill the equally large holes in the rotation and at RF, LF and post-Ramirez 3B. But I digress).

Assuming you sign that player, why would that make it unimportant to see if LaHair’s red hot AAA offense translates to the MLB level?

Worst case, he flops, and you’re no worse off than if you gave him no shot at all.

Medium good case, he hits well up here, and the club is able to trade him a la Jake Fox.

Very good case, he hits well proves to be an asset on the club either in a reserve role, or at another position.

Also, people who say he can’t be good at age 28/29 need to pay attention to what’s happening in Washington. Michael Morse is killing it this year (age 29) and has become a very valuable part of that franchise’s future.

by Orval Overall on Aug 25, 2011 7:37 AM CDT up reply actions

The new GM is the one

who has to be sold. He’s not here yet.

I like Pena happy.

Jake Fox’ value came because he could catch.

Really, do whatever with the big league club. I’m paying attention by board proxy.

I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.

by timh815 on Aug 25, 2011 7:50 AM CDT up reply actions

You and me both

by RynoRooter on Aug 25, 2011 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions

Rebel

Ridling is on fire the past couple of weeks. He has mashed LHP this year as well. I see he’s getting quite a bit of play in LF. Not really a prospect (age 25) but maybe a feasible bench bat/platoon starter at some point.

by Riggs_Stephenson on Aug 25, 2011 1:48 AM CDT reply actions

Definition clarification

If someone is projected to be a major league player for more than a cup of coffee, he’s a prospect. So if you think he’s potentially a bench/platoon player, then he’s a prospect in your eyes. Maybe not a good prospect, but a prospect.

If you think he’s a guy who will bounce between the majors and minors, then you can call him marginal or fringy.

If you think he’s a good teammate to the real prospects, then he’s an Organizational Guy or Org guy. This is what I think Ridling is. In a good mood, I think he’s fringy.

If he’s just a warm body, he’s a non-prospect. Few guys make Double-A without at least being Org guys.

by Josh Timmers on Aug 25, 2011 2:18 AM CDT up reply actions