Report from Boise

Hawks win!! I'm up in Boise visiting my in-laws and just got home from the Boise Hawks 9-3 victory over the Spokane Indians.  And since I'm sure all Cub fans are anxious to know how our short season A team is doing, I decided to do a report right away.

This isn't the first time I've seen the Hawks play, but it is pretty clear that this really is the lowest of the low in the minor leagues.  Yes, the rookie ball league in Arizona is technically lower, but those teams play in major league spring training fields.  Mike Campbell Field, home of the Hawks, was the worst looking field I have ever seen in a professional game.  The grass had huge brown splotches and the infield dirt looked like a gravel pit.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that it would be considered a poor field for a high school game in Southern California.  So take that into account with what I write.

The game went very quickly, and was pretty much over in the third inning when Boise exploded for eight runs, highlighted by a pair of three run homers by shortstop Matt Matulia and first baseman Russ Canzler.  The Hawks pitching did the rest, giving up only one solo shot home run and two other solo tallies in innings that Boise made errors.

With the caveat that I'm neither a scout nor an expert in minor league prospects, let me tell you my impressions.

1.  The Cubs aren't really teaching patience at the plate in the low minors.  After the first six batters reached in the third for Boise, the Indians brought in a new pitcher who threw nothing but fireballs but couldn't hit the plate if it were the size of a free throw lane.  After Josh Lansford took the first two pitches that were a foot outside and in the dirt, Lansford took a mighty hack at a high 2-0 pitch, fouling it off.  He eventually got a single after the count went to 3-2, but there is no way he should have been swinging 2-0 in that situation.  Like father, like son, I guess, as Carney never took a walk either.  There were some patient hitters, but it seemed like at least 2/3 of the lineup had a "hack first and ask questions later" attitude.  I don't think the Cubs teach that, but they don't discourage it either.
2.  Mark Pawelek and Jeremy Papelbon didn't pitch, so don't ask me about them.  The starting pitcher, 20 year old Jose Pina, is a dead ringer for Juan Cruz on the mound.  A bit taller than Cruz, but the same lanky body and funky delivery.  He could also bring the heat like Cruz, but if he was mixing in a slider, I couldn't really tell.  I don't think he's much of a prospect until he develops a  better slider or a changeup.
3. The second pitcher was Alex Maestri, whom apparently the Cubs signed off the Italian World Baseball Classic team this year. And he's an actual Italian, not like Mike Piazza or David Dellucci. Hadn't heard about him before.  He didn't really impress except that he threw strikes, let his defense make plays and didn't get rattled when people got on base.  The final pitcher, Rocky Roquet, just threw heat and struck out two and got a popup in one inning.  He's a 23 year old undrafted free agent so he's a longshot, but he was the most impressive Hawk pitcher of the evening.
4.  I LOVE MATT CAMP!  A 13th round pick out of NC State, he could be a real find.  The program lists him at 6'0, 190, but I think that's BS.  He looks to be more like 5'10", 170, which is probably why he lasted until the 13th round.  A left-handed hitting CF, Camp was the star of the game.  He went 3-5 (all singles) and worked the count each time up.  His last hit took a low and outside pitch to left field.  He got picked off first base and managed to beat the throw to second for a stolen base.  After a bloop hit to CF in the seventh, Camp caught the runner straying too far off of first.  Showing instinct that most major leaguers don't have, instead of throwing the ball to a base, he ran the ball into the infield before successfully starting the rundown.  A smart, smart play. Camp is going to be a pest.  Lenny Dykstra, David Eckstein and Ryan Freel were all names that went through my head watching him play.  Please, Peoria BCBers, check this guy out next season.  Tell me if I'm wrong.  This guy really could be our CF and leadoff hitter in 2009.
5. Tyler Colvin.  Great level swing.  Nice bat speed.  Good strike zone judgment for the most part.  He just didn't hit the ball hard.  Unlike two years ago when I saw Ryan Harvey in Boise and took one look at him at the plate and said "uh-oh," I couldn't really see anything wrong with Colvin.  I doubt he'll hit many homers with that swing, but many, many doubles are possible.  But not tonight.  His only hit was a 20 foot dribbler that stayed fair.  He also dropped a flyball, although it was after an amazing run and dive on a ball I didn't think he could even get to.  He hustles, and that's a positive thing to say about a first rounder.

6. In contrast, Matt Matulia had a great night, making a few nice throws at short, going 2-3 with a walk and a three run bomb.  Yet the stat sheet says he's hitting .184/.280/.264.  I guess it was just his night.
7.  Russ Canzler has great power.  He had the other three run homer and hit a line shot double.  He also stole a base when the Spokane pitcher just  forgot about him at first.  But he can't play his position, which is a problem because he's a first baseman and we can't move him to an easier position.  He made one error when the ball went between his legs and the two other errors were throwing errors to first.  Sure, they were bad throws but the kind that a good first baseman saves.  Only twenty, he need to inprove his glove to advance in the organization.  But he hits the ball hard and has 10 HRs in 48 games.
8.  No one else really stood out much.  Josh Lansford is a lot like his dad--swing at everything, hit the ball hard, dive for everything at third so you don't have to run to it. The catcher Mario Mercedes didn't do anything to impress or not impress me, except his stat line of .353/.357/.471 in 20 games is downright weird.  Only 19, I guess that makes him one to watch too.