Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: September 10

by Josh Timmers on Sep 10, 2011 9:40 PM CDT in Minor Leagues

There is good news on the farm tonight as two teams each took a step closer to a league championship.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies smoked the Chattanooga Lookouts (Dodgers), 7-2. The Smokies swept the best-of-five series three games to none and will make their third straight trip to the Southern League Championship Series.

Starter Trey McNutt got the win. He got a three-run head start in the top of the first and then allowed a solo home run to the first batter he faced in the bottom of the inning. After that he settled down for five innings and allowed only two runs on seven hits. McNutt walked two and struck out three.

Hung-Wen Chen, Jeff Stevens, Jeff Beliveau and Rafael Dolis each threw a scoreless inning to finish out the game.

Left fielder Rebel Ridling was 2 for 4 with a two-run triple in the top of the first inning. He also walked once and scored once. Ridling had four total RBI.

Right fielder James Adduci and second baseman Jonathan Mota were both 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. They both scored once. Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was only 1 for 5, but he scored twice and made two spectacular catches in center field.

The Smokies are now off until the Southern League Championship Series starts on Wednesday. They will take on the winner of the Mobile BayBears/Montgomery Biscuits series. That series is currently tied at a game a piece and the third game is tied at one in the eighth inning as I write this.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs are one win away from their fifth Florida State League Championship as they crushed the St. Lucie Mets, 10-4. They now lead the best-of-five Florida State League Championship Series 2 games to none.

The story for the Daytona Cubs the whole post-season has been starting pitching and tonight Frank Del Valle threw another gem. He pitched six shutout innings and allowed only two hits. Del Valle walked one and struck out eight.

The D-Cubs broke out to a 4-0 lead by the third inning and never looked back. Center fielder Matt Szczur was 3 for 4 with a double and two stolen bases. He had two RBI. Second baseman Logan Watkins was 2 for 5 and scored a run. Right fielder Michael Burgess went 2 for 3 with a double. He scored once and batted two in.

First baseman Justin Bour and DH Jake Opitz put the game away in the seventh inning with a pair of home runs. Bour hit a three-run towering blast in the seventh and Opitz followed him two batters later with a two-run shot. Bour was 2 for 4 and Opitz was 2 for 4 with a double in addition to the home run. Opitz scored twice.

The Daytona Cubs will try to close out the series tomorrow in Port St. Lucie. The game starts at 5:30 Central time. You can listen to the game at daytonacubs.com

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Comments

Great news!

Glad to see Del Valle with a huge game in a big situation. Also Szczur has really stepped up in the playoffs and has looked very impressive.

by bdlugz on Sep 10, 2011 10:12 PM CDT reply actions

+1

by Ryno G on Sep 11, 2011 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Szczur is the man

Law and Goldstein can suck it.

by renocubfan on Sep 11, 2011 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Mobile ended up winning in 11

So they take a 2-1 lead in the series.

by Josh Timmers on Sep 10, 2011 11:23 PM CDT reply actions

See, this is what I don't get.....

I usually post a “more more more” post about rebel Reidling every three weeks. And every time I do, I get shot down by numerous stat heads who tell me that Rebel Reidling isn’t really a prospect. But I’ve been following these (wonderful) Minor league updates all summer and Rebel’s name is constantly being reported as getting the important hit. I know what I read. I also know that power hitters mature in theirown way, hence Micheal Morse at 28 and Andruw Jones at 17. Rebel strikes me as someone who’s trending up. And evenif his average should probably be a little higher as well as other stats, the fact that I’m constantly reading “Rebel Reidling got the go ahead RBI…” as often as I have still gives me a out of hope.

Not to mention it’s one of the few listenable Billy Idol tracks around. So “more more more” Rebel Reidling for me..

"I can't be held responsible for what I personally tell my goons to do...."- C. Montgomery Burns

by yahoodi on Sep 11, 2011 12:21 AM CDT reply actions

Ridling is a lefty-masher

His OPS is 300 points higher against LH than RH pitchers. Maybe he should be considered for a platoon role if the Cubs intend to start Colvin, LaHair, or Pena at 1B or LF next year.

...formerly known as zambranofan

by cubzfan on Sep 11, 2011 12:57 AM CDT up reply actions

There's nothing wrong

with being a Rebel Ridling fan. While I’d be surprised if he had a significant major league career, I won’t stop pulling for him.

You shouldn’t care what I and others say. Keep right on cheering for Rebel Ridling. You think Jessica cares what anyone thinks of Sam Fuld?

by Josh Timmers on Sep 11, 2011 1:06 AM CDT up reply actions

Ridling will be 26 next year...

… and has yet to play above Double-A.

He has a great baseball name. But he seems like a poor man’s Bryan LaHair.

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by Al Yellon on Sep 11, 2011 7:18 AM CDT up reply actions

You forgot to add

that he’s a right-handed first baseman. The standards for those guys are really, really high. Like Albert Pujols/Miguel Cabrera high. They’re trying to get him to play left field this year to give him a little versatility.

But there’s nothing wrong with being a fan of the guy anyway.

by Josh Timmers on Sep 11, 2011 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions

In the Midnight Hour

Bour,Bour,Bour

by joeby231 on Sep 11, 2011 2:04 AM CDT up reply actions

Well played

by RynoRooter on Sep 12, 2011 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions

What I like is,

nobody in the system will be ‘gifted’ a position next season. We have guys like Burgess and Junior Lake with upsides being kept in check by hustling guys like Eliot Soto and Jae-Hoon Ha. Be it Fleita or someone else assigning, there won’t be many assignments of “he is entitled to this position”.

Hopefully Reggie Golden works hard this off-season and earns a spot in Peoria. Del Valle had a solid night last night, for all the world representing a AA starter in 2012.

If the new GM makes a couple crafty 5-for-2 trades and finds a way to unload Z or Soriano for some value at least, 2012 could be fun.

I’m contemplating Solar Sox updates.

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

by timh815 on Sep 11, 2011 9:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Josh, thank you

For your excellent coverage of the Cubs farm system. My thanks is long overdue, as I have enjoyed your reports for a long time. Following the Cubs minor league teams has been my refuge as a Cubs fan since the mid-60’s. So, thank you.

by Bad Dogs on Sep 11, 2011 12:50 PM CDT via mobile reply actions