Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 14

On days like today, I wonder how Cub fans would feel today if the Cubs had traded Starlin Castro to Minnesota for Scott Baker back in 2008. We'd all be happy if Baker led us to the World Series, I guess. I'm sure he could have won three games in the NLDS by himself.

In 1987, the Detroit Tigers traded for Doyle Alexander, an impending free agent pitcher in his mid 30s, as a part of their playoff drive. In eleven starts in Detroit, Alexander went 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA. He finished fourth in the Cy Young vote, despite only 11 starts. The Tigers won the AL East. Then they were eliminated by the Minnesota Twins in five games in the ALCS.

What did half a season of brilliant pitching cost the Tigers? Just John Smoltz. I doubt you'll find a Tigers fan who thought that was a good trade-off.

The Cubs are going to get a good prospect for Ryan Dempster. Maybe a very good one. But the Cubs are not likely to get a Top 50 prospect. If the Cubs are offered a Top 100 prospect, they should probably jump at it. That's a lot for what is likely going to be 11 or 12 starts.

And tossing Josh Vitters into the deal is not going to make a difference.

Hey! I finally won a day of Pick 6!

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were blasted by the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 7-1.

Randy Wells started and didn't make it out of a seven-run second inning. Wells allowed seven runs on six hits over 1.2 innings. One of those hits was a home run to Wil Myers. Wells walked one, hit two batters and didn't strike anyone out.

Casey Coleman relieved him and pitched pretty well after the game was already out of hand. He pitched 5.1 shutout innings and allowed three hits. He walked one and struck out three.

Left fielder Jim Adduci went 2 for 4 with a walk. He also scored the lone I-Cubs run.

Third baseman Josh Vitters doubled in the fifth inning to extend his hit streak to 13 games. Vitters went 1 for 5.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies outmaneuvered the Jackson Generals (Mariners), 4-2.

Dae-Eun Rhee held the Generals to two runs over five innings for his sixth win. Rhee surrendered five hits and issued two walks. He struck out six.

Marcus Hatley had a two-inning save tonight. He walked the first batter he faced, then immediately erased him in a double play. He faced the minimum six batters. Hatley struck out three.

The Smokies jumped on Mariners top prospect Taijuan Walker for four runs over six innings, including two home runs. The first was a three-run home run in the second inning by catcher Juan Apodaca. It was his first home run of Tennessee and second overall. Apodaca went 1 for 2 with a walk.

The second home run was the tenth home run of the year by right fielder Michael Burgess. It was a solo shot in the fourth. Burgess went 1 for 3 with a walk and he scored twice.

First baseman Justin Bour went 2 for 4 with a walk and he scored the other Smokies run.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs blew yet another big early lead as they fell to the Palm Beach Cardinals, 9-6.

Austin Kirk was a bit wild tonight, but he allowed only two runs on six hits over six innings. One of the two runs was unearned. Kirk struck out four, but he walked five.

Jeffrey Lorick and Brian Schlitter teamed up to issue five runs in the eighth inning and blow a four-run lead. Lorick faced three batters and didn't retire any of them, giving up two hits and a walk. Schlitter took the loss when he allowed a runner inherited from Lorick to score, two more runs in the eighth inning and two more runs in the ninth. The final line on Schlittter was 1.1 innings of work, allowing four runs on five hits. Two of those runs were unearned after both Matt Szczur and Elieser Bonne made errors in the outfield and Rafael Lopez had two passed balls in that five-run eighth. Schlitter struck out three and didn't walk anyone.

Shortstop Ronald Torreyes went 3 for 4 and scored twice. He had one run batted in. Left fielder John Andreoli was 2 for 5 and scored a run.

At least Lopez and Bonne had good days at the plate Lopez went 2 for 5 with a double, but he had three total passed balls. Bonne was 2 for 4 with a run scored and one batted in.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs beat the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) to the finish line, 9-8 in ten innings.

Michael Jensen had a rough start. He pitched 5.1 innings and allowed six runs on six hits. He walked four and fanned three.

Yao-Lin Wang pitched a scoreless top of the tenth for his third victory. Wang allowed one hit but did not walk anyone. Wang struck out one.

Another big night for the Money Badger. Shortstop Javier Baez went 3 for 5 with a triple and his eighth home run of the season. The home run came with two on and two out in the fifth. Baez had four total RBI. He also stole his 16th base.

DH Chadd Krist hit the walk-off single with two out in the bottom of the tenth. He is still batting .500 after three games in the Midwest League, as tonight he was 3 for 6. He crossed home twice and had the one RBI.

Center fielder Taiwan Easterling went 2 for 6 with a double. He scored once and had two runs batted in. First baseman Paul Hoilman went 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Hoilman scored once.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks sent the Vancouver Candians (Blue Jays) back to their Arctic wasteland, 9-3.

(It's a joke, Canadians. I know Vancouver is not an Arctic wasteland.)

Starter Ian Dickson went 4.1 innings before hitting his pitch count. He allowed two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out four.

Pete Levitt got the win because Dickson did not go five. Levitt had 1.2 scoreless innings. He allowed one hit. He walked one and did not strike anyone out.

Center fielder Trey Martin hit a three-run home run in the second inning; his second of the season. Martin also tripled in a 2 for 4 game. He scored twice and had four total runs batted in.

Shortstop Marco Hernandez had two doubles in a 2 for 4 effort. Hernandez batted three in and scored once. Second baseman Gioskar Amaya went 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Amaya had three RBI and he scored once.

First baseman Rock Shoulders was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

AZL Cubs

Crushed the Padres, 13-3.

Timothy Saunders was 4 for 6 with his third home run and five RBI.

First round supplemental pick Paul Blackburn made his professional debut tonight. The first batter he faced homered. After that he finished his one inning with allowing one more single, but nothing else of note.

The AZL Cubs are 15-5. They're still in second place behind the Athletics.