Independence Day Weekend Open Thread

Fontenot has gaught to got...

for 3rd game in a row I-Cubs hold opponent to a single run...and this time they WON!

Another roster move option is a DL stint for Soriano if the 2 days off dont do any good for him. I think its pretty obvious that leg injury he has been nursing isnt helping with his sitution even if it isnt the cause of it. I guess if Bradley doesnt produce this weekend he could be the next DL stint for anxiety in MLB. Unless Fonenot has a couple multi-hit games he is going back to Iowa as Blanco is safe (unless they trust Fonty to back up SS). I imagine they could always go down to 11 pitchers but that hasnt happened under Pinella.

With Fuld producing in the leadoff spot, it is stupid to take him out of there if he is playing and the postgame show on CSN hinted that he will be playing CF today. With Fuld on the roster the excuse that there is no typical leadoff hitter on the roster is now gone, so either Lou, Sori, or both of them are stubborn about him being there.

Submitted by The Real Neal on Fri, 07/03/2009 - 11:03am.

Vitters got two singles and Carpenter didn't give up any runs in his first game in Daytona yesterday.

=============================================

REAL NEAL: 9th round pick C-1B-DH Richard Jones (The Citadel) is a big-time left-handed power-hitter. Jones jacked two home runs in his pro debut at Fitch Park Wednesday night, and if you have been to Fitch and know what a huge park it is, it is really an amazing acomplishment to do what Jones did.

Also, #1 pick CF Brett Jackson is playing for the AZL Cubs for a while before he gets moved up to Boise. I would think Richard Jones will probably go with him.

And 12th round pick OF Runey Davis (played this past season for national JC champ Howard JC after leaving the University of Texas) and 7th round pick IF-OF Blair Springfield (MacArthur HS - Decatur, IL) are also playing for the AZL Cubs.

Apparently, Fuld NOT starting.

I like Blanco. A lot. He is consistent in the field, and certainly can make the spectacular plays.

However, he looked just horrible at the plate last night swinging at pitches nearly hitting his foot. Really Soriano-like.

It won't be long until the league realizes he cannot hit breaking balls well, as Bren. mentioned last night.

I hope he sticks. If you compare him to Cedeno (now hitting .126 I think with Seattle), it is an upgrade, imo.

I still can't figure out why Derrek Lee is still a Cub. Why do the Cubs keep playing him every day?

Ohh thats right its now Soriano's turn to get the Dlee treatment. Time to bench/release/trade him cuz he is worthless and Sam Fuld can do a better job. ThEEEE Sam Fuld of 14 career AB's.

Submitted by The Real Neal on Fri, 07/03/2009 - 11:47am.

Thanks AZ Phil,

Have you got to see this Jones kid catch yet or heard the scuttlebutt on him playing that position? Think the writeup on the draft called him a good hit no field guy, but is that correctable or is he a first basemen?

=======================================

REAL NEAL: It's hard to draw any conclusions so far about Richard Jones remaining a catcher, but if he can stay back there, he would just have to be passably-mediocre because he has plus-power. Or to put it another way, if he was just a 1B-DH type, he'd still have a good shot to make it.

The Cubs got themselves a top pitching prospect (who can also hit, BTW) in the 9th round last year (RHP Jay Jackson out of Furman, who I rank as the Cubs #2 prospect), and it looks like they may have done it again in the 9th round this year, but this time they got a bat.

Interesting that Furman and The Citadel are both in the Southern Conference. They apparently develop some pretty good baseball personnel down there...

Soriano, LF
Theriot, SS
Lee, 1B
Bradley, RF
Fukudome, CF
Fox, 3B
Fontenot, 2B
Hill, C
Zambrano, P

2008 11th round pick RHP Toby Matchulat (Wabash Valley JC) has pitched lights out so far for the AZL Cubs (11 scoreless innings) and should be ready for a promotion to Boise, if not to Peoria. Matchulat couldn't hit the broad side of a barn last year, but he has revamped his delivery and altered his arm slot (kudos to Mark Riggins and Rick Tronerud) and has really got it together.

Matchulat, LHP Melvin Vasquez, and RHP Dionis Nunez were battling for the last slot at Boise at the end of EXST, and Nunez won (and he has pitched well so far at Boise), but Matchulat is way too good to remain at Fitch Park.

DFA 2b/3b/SS/OF Russ Adams...don't tell Hendry.

http://muskat.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/07/73_quic...

* New infielder Jeff Baker will likely get at-bats vs. left-handed pitching. "He's basically in the (Mark) DeRosa mold," Piniella said.

Cubs have signed Casey Fossum to a minor league deal as well...

CUBS STILL UNDEFEATED IN JULY!!!

tough call to end the game for brewers, it looked just high, but we'd be going nuts if that call went against the cubs.