Analyzing the Cubs to death since July 2001.
2013 Draft Pick Order
The Cubs have clinched the #2 spot in the 2013 draft. Congrats?
2013 Draft Pick Order
- Houston Astros
- Chicago Cubs
- Colorado Rockies
- Minnesota Twins
- Cleveland Indians
- Miami Marlins
- Boston Red Sox
- Kansas City
- Pittsburgh Pirates (for not signing Mark Appel)
- Toronto Blue Jays
Cubs Roster Info
********************
ELIGIBLE FOR DECEMBER 2013 MLB RULE 5 DRAFT
Last updated 5-9-2013
Depth Chart
AZ Phil's Roster Info
Hunter Ackerman, LHP
Arismendy Alcantara, INF
Gioskar Amaya, INF
Jose Arias, RHP
Frank Batista, RHP
Xavier Batista, OF
Dallas Beeler, RHP
Justin Bour, 1B
Sergio Burruel, C
David Cales, RHP
Esmailin Caridad, RHP
Marcelo Carreno, RHP
Lendy Castillo, RHP
Javier Castro, RHP
Zach Cates, RHP
Hunter Cervenka, LHP
Pin-Chieh Chen, OF
Casey Coleman, RHP
Gerardo Concepcion, LHP
Willson Contreras, C
Wes Darvill, INF
Antonio Encarnacion, RHP
Luis Flores, C
Anthony Giansanti, OF
Enyel Gonzalez, RHP
Carlos Gutierrez, RHP
Jae-Hoon Ha, OF
Eric Jokisch, LHP
Dong-Yub Kim, OF
Austin Kirk, LHP
Luis Liria, RHP
Matt Loosen, RHP
Jeff Lorick, LHP
Eric Martinez, RHP
A. J. Morris, RHP
Chad Noble, C
Loiger Padron, RHP
Juan Carlos Paniagua, RHP (see NOTE)
Amaury Paulino, RHP
Felix Pena, RHP
Starling Peralta, RHP
Dae-Eun Rhee, RHP
Kevin Rhoderick, RHP
Greg Rohan, IF-OF
Jose Rosario, RHP
Zac Rosscup, LHP
Victor Salazar, RHP
Brian Schlitter, RHP
Ryan Searle, RHP
Elliot Soto, INF
Nick Struck, RHP
Luis Villalba, LHP
Yao-Lin Wang, RHP
Oliver Zapata, OF
NOTE: Player not eligible for selection if added to MLB 40-man roster by 11/20. Also, Juan Carlos Paniagua signed his first contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks as "Juan Callado" on 5-8-2009 and pitched for the DSL Diamondbacks in the Dominican Summer League in 2009-10, but the contract was "pending" for almost two years and was never officially approved by MLB. The contract was eventually rejected by MLB due to "fraudulent paperwork" and Paniagua (Callado) was suspended for one year and then was declared a free-agent. He signed with the New York Yankees in March 2011 but then was suspended again and that contract was rejected, too, because his birth certificate could not be verified. Paniagua was cleared by MLB in 2012 and he signed with the Cubs on 7-9-2012. Therefore, Paniagua could be eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in December 2013, since 2009 was his "first season" on the field and he was 18 on the June 5th immediately preceding the signing of his first contract, or he might not be eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft for the first time until December 2015, if 2012 is considered Paniagua's "first season" for Rule 5 eligibility purposes.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Ugh
they have an entire section of the bleachers today...kinda creepy.
Mets fans are louder than Cubs fans. A new low point.
Brett Jackson...
"Some of the best advice I've gotten is, I was sitting with Ian Stewart, talking about hitting and I was feeling for my swing as you do early in the season," Jackson recalled. "He asked if I was comfortable at the plate and I said I'm not very comfortable right now. He's like, 'You need to be yourself at the plate and be comfortable and be the type of hitter [you] want to be.'"
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130518&...
Geiger-Soler put on a fireworks show in yesterday's Daytona Cubs doubleheader...
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130518&...
Soler...
Interesting tweet in the tweet box: z'Remember when Rizzo was striking out a lot? No K's in last 31 AB's..tied for 2nd longest active streak in majors"
Don't know if that includes last night, but it sure goes a long way to explaining his improved hitting. It's a curious thing, though, the difference between the way his season started and now. How does that happen?
A short doc on a long ago MLB legend
Semi NSFW
http://www.roopstigo.com/reel/morganna-a-kissing-b...
This awesome
http://mlb.mlb.com/photos/gallery.jsp?content_id=4...
Baseball America Hot Sheet:
Christian Villaneuva, 3b, Cubs
Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .435/.500/.739 (10-for-23), 3 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO, 1-for-2 SB
With Adrian Beltre on their big league roster and Mike Olt dominating in the upper levels of the minors last year, it made sense for the Rangers to include Villanueva in last summer’s trade to acquire Ryan Dempster. Villanueva got off to a sluggish start, but this past week has been better. He probably won’t see time in the big leagues this year, but he has a chance to be a contributor in Chicago by 2014.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot...
Hot Sheet Chat:
Ryan (Chicago): Does Christian Villaneuva have enough power to be an everyday 3rd baseman in the Bigs?
Matt Eddy: That will be the determining factor. Scouts see Villanueva as being right on the borderline now between first- and second-division in the HR department. His glove will allow him ample time to develop his power approach at Triple-A if that’s what stands in his way of playing in the bigs.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot...
wow...Arizona Phil's universe intersects with Wrong-way Phil Rogers!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Pete...
per Roto...
Remember Albert Almora? The Cubs’ first-round pick last June is almost all the way back after breaking his hamate bone in mid-March. He’s been playing center field and hitting in extended spring games in Arizona and should soon be assigned to the low-A Kane County Cougars. There’s no sign yet of Junior Lake, who suffered a stress fracture to the top rib on his right side in mid-March. Outfielder Reggie Golden, a second-round pick in 2010 recovering from two torn ligaments in his left knee, appears close to completing his recovery. He has a slash line of .250/.438/.470 in extended spring, according to “Arizona Phil’’ of The Cub Reporter, who tracks these things.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whit...
USA Today Article on Mark Appel.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/...
Scouting report
http://orioles-nation.com/2011/07/28/scouting-the-...
#2 Mark Appel
"Analysis: This is Appel or Gray, assuming one of them goes first, with Appel the preference. The Cubs are in the catbird seat in this draft -- they don't have to pay the premium that comes with picking first overall but are guaranteed to get one of the two huge arms in the class."
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9277478/...
"Nick D. (Atlanta)- Barring injury, is there any chance the Cubs reach outside of Gray and Appel at #2?
Klaw - I believe there is zero chance of that."
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/47998
Why would you want the threading on the balls to be different?
then maybe the greater story is that when he pitched here on the 6th the balls he was using, at least in the 1st inning that day, were PCL's...otherwise, as that Gilda Radner character used to say on SNL, 'never mind...'
America's wang.
MIKE: MLB rehab pitchers always get to use MLB baseballs when they pitch in a minor league game, even at Extended Spring Training. Healthy MLB pitchers use MLB baseballs when they pitch in a Minor League Spring Training game, too. You'll notice the home plate umpire changing out his baseballs every half-inning (unless two MLB pitchers are pitching against each other in the same minor league game).
However, MLB position players rehabbing in a minor league game or playing in a Minor League Spring Training game have to hit minor league baseballs.
The main difference between MLB baseballs and minor league baseballs is the threading of the seams. Not a lot of difference, but MLB pitchers can tell one from the other.
The hemorrhoid of America.
florida
Garza at 42 pitches through 3 IP. No runs, 2 hits, 4 K's, No BB. 1-0 Iowa Cubs after 3.
Go Mike!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa4aCVOpPIo
rays games are a lot more enjoyable when brian knobs (yes, the wrestler) and rob szasz (the nobody) aren't in attendance yelling at players for 3 hours straight in an effort to make sure everyone in the place has to hear what they have to say in their form of "heckling."
...because the game is on the field...not the idiots in the stands...
soler is a lot more important than szcuzur and ha...no doubt.
one of them has to move to AAA to play RF/CF to open up a slot for soler in AA, though.
right now b.jackson, d.sappelt, and b.bogusevic are hogging the OF slots in AAA.
if r.sweeney doesn't start hitting that could be figured out rather soon with sappelt coming back up, b.jackson getting called back up, or bogs (who's been playing all 3 OF slots) being added to the 40-man and opening up a place for szcuzr/ha to move up and open up RF for soler in AA (both szcuzr and ha are better used in CF).
soler is hands down the most important player out of everyone mentioned...especially given his contract/pay. i doubt he'll be blocked if/when he starts mastering A ball to the point it's a joke...something will be forced to happen.
~sings~ "Golden sparkles fill your eyes..."
Dough? Yeah, you kneed good dough to make rolls.
gonna go see if garza can keep his errorless games streak alive tonight...
D'oh!
Reply from the Trib on the Sullivan article:
It was the Cubs first home series win since August. Home is the key word and it was missed in the fast work on deadline last night.
We’ll set the record straight tomorrow.
Mike Kellams
Tribune Sports
There is an abundance of rolls now that hendry is gone.
That's the problem Vogelberg and Shoulders found all the rolls
;-)
A quick look at this year's results -- haven't the Cubs won 3 series in 2013 befe this one?
2 of 3 vs. Pirates ot start the season, 3 of 4 vs. Marlins, 2 of 3 vs. Nats.
The Cubs are actually starting to do some little things I like. Soriano's throw last night and Castro's relay was good to watch, like I was actually watching a professional baseball team. Rizzo working the count with a guy on base in the fifth and his late inning double to right, clearly not going for the home run there. And I know some disagree with me here, but I like the aggressiveness on the bases. It forces mistakes.
Thanks guys, and Crunch it seems to me that the only thing that "blocks" Soler is doing what is best for Soler. Any other player that gets in the way of that will find another roll in the organization.
Thanks. I obviously missed that. Miss a little, miss a lot.
Help wanted: proofreader/editorial assistant
Sullivan in the Trib this morning:
"It was the first series triumph for the Cubs since Aug. 25-26, when they also beat the Rockies two out of three."
FOURTH PLACE, BABY!
Don't know if you caught the comments from 5/11 -- "Per the Tribune: "Pitching in an extended spring game in poor conditions at the Brewers' Maryvale, Ariz., complex, the Cubs’ Josh Conway was lost for the season with a stress fracture in his elbow."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs...
Phil added -- "JOE P: Josh Conway has a cast on his right arm, from shoulder to finger-tips."
Phil will have to add any further updates, if he has any.
AZ Phil: I know you reported when Josh Conway got hurt but is there a formal diagnosis? Is his problem surgical? Please update what you can, as you now mention that he's out for the season.
Thanks.
2 really horrible cubs base running errors on the night and we're not even out of the 2nd...especially the valbuena screwup.
also, lol ninja 2 run HR.
1-3, bottom 2nd.
dejesus leadoff HR, bottom 1st...so far so good for the cubs in the battle of the cubs 1st round pick pitchers.
BOB: Jacob Rogers has plus HR power and he takes a lot of walks, so in that sense he is a lot like Paul Hoilman. Meaning Rogers should be the starting 1B at Boise in 2013, and he would have a good shot to be the starting 1B at KC next season. He could keep moving up gradually behind Vogelbach and Shoulders, but ultimately he's blocked by Rizzo.
Jesse Hodges starred for the Canadian Junior National team last sumer in South Korea, and he was signed by the Cubs as a NDFA in September. However, he would not have been eligible to sign at that time if he had enrolled in college (he had signed a NLI with Grayson JC). It's unusual when a HS kid who wasn't drafted suddenly emerges AFTER the draft and becomes a hot item, but that's what happened with Hodges. He is presently battling Mark Malave for the starting 3B gig at Boise, and Hodges (right now) has the edge as far as defensive skill (he made an unbelievable back-hand stop and throw last week) and game power are concerned. However, Malave got a $1.6M bonus, so that automatically buys him some slack with the organization.
BOB R: Though not a hard & fast rule, the minor league all-star games are often the point in the season when promotions are made. So since the FSL All-Star game is June 15th, I would say sometime very soon after that date is when Soler will get promoted to AA Tennessee (presuming nothing bad happens in the meantime).
Other factors influencing promotions and general minor league roster movement are the First-Year Player Draft (Rule 4 Draft) and the conclusion of Extended Spring Training (both coming June 6-8), and the beginning of the "short seasons" (Boise on June 14th, and AZL Cubs on June 20th). It is at this point when there is roster pressure from below (as opposed to Spring Training in March when roster movement is mostly all downward) as players at Extended Spring Training and newly-signed draft picks must be assigned to minor league affilates, and there are only 70 slots available (combined) at Boise and AZL Cubs. So some of the players have to move up to Kane County or Daytona (or get released), and that causes corresponding roster moves at Tennessee and Iowa too.
So probably sometime during the week of June 16-22 would be a likely time for Soler to get promoted to Tennessee.
matt szcuzur and jae hoon ha are blocking him and doing well...effectively right now even though neither are expected to be impact players (or even a solid starter option) compared to soler.
either can/do play CF as well as RF, too...and it seems both are being groomed for super-utility-OF roles while getting the play time and ABs to keep their outside chance of starting roles alive.
val returns...
DeJesus CF Castro SS Rizzo 1B Soriano LF Schierholtz RF Valbuena 3B Navarro C Barney 2B Samardzija P
"In 26 games with High-A Daytona this season, Soler is hitting .281/.369/.542 with five homers, 14 RBI, 19 runs and three steals in four attempts. His 13 walks in 111 plate appearances is an encouraging sign, as he totaled just 12 free passes in 149 PAs at two lower levels last season."
http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/cubs-talk/soler-nam...
While I think it is premature, what do we think would trigger a move up to West Tenn?
http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/2013/05/11/chicago-c...
Taking a minor league chance on a guy that used to be the Cub's ace...
so much fail
http://deadspin.com/batter-celebrates-game-tying-home-run-too-early-flie...
Hi Phil, what's your take on the potential of Jacob Rodgers and 3b Hodges? They caught my eye when I was there in April. Thanks. Bob
Dear Phillies,
If for some unimaginable reason Carlos Zambrano doesn't work out for you, we'll trade you a starter.
Sincerely,
Cubs