Beeler Back on Hill at Salt River Fields
Kevonte Mitchell (RBI single), Michael Foster (RBI double), and Vimael Machin (RBI single) stroked run-scoring hits and RHP Jesus Castillo tossed four innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts, helping the Cubs edge the Diamondbacks 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Ramada Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.
Joel Novas belted an RBI triple and a double for the Diamondbacks in a losing cause.
The game was called by mutual consent after7-1/2 innings of play.
On the Cubs MLB 15-day DL since Spring Training with right shoulder inflammation, RHSP Dallas Beeler saw his first Cactus League EXST game action since being shut-down mid-AB in a rehab start at Riverview Park on April 30th. Beeler threw a 1-2-3 inning (14 pitches) with two strikeouts today, and is scheduled to make his next start (where the number of innings and pitches will be increased) early next week
Prior to the Cactus League EXST game, RHSP Jen-Ho Tseng (on AA Tennessee DL since May 9th with right shoulder inflammation) threw a two-inning 40-pitch "live" BP session at Riverview Park and looked very good. Whether he will return directly to Tennessee or make a rehab start or two at EXST is TBD.
In EXST Cubs roster news, RHRP Daniel Lewis has been moved-up to Myrtle Beach. Lewis was one of the last pitchers cut from the South Bend roster at the end of Minor League Camp, so it is not surpising that he got the call. Lewis served four years in the U. S. Air Force after graduating from high school, and was discovered by a Cubs scout pitching at Pensacola JC in Florida in 2014. He's 25, but because of the years lost to military service he still has a "young arm" (he's only been pitching for two years). He throws hard (a 94-96 MPH fastball that touches 97 and a mid-80's slider), and is a fierce competitor.
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):
CUBS LINEUP:
1. Ruben Reyes, LF: 1-4 (P-4, K, K, 1B, CS)
2. Roberto Caro, CF: 2-4 (1B, 1B, 5-3, K, R, SB)
3. Vimael Machin, SS: 1-4 (1-3, 1B, 6-3, L-1, RBI, SB)
4. Kevonte Mitchell, DH #1: 1-2 (1B, K, BB, RBI)
5. Marcus Mastrobuoni, 1B: 0-3 (F-9, F-7, 4-3)
6. Kwang-Min Kwon, RF: 0-2 (F-8, 3-U, BB)
7. Jhonny Pereda, C: 0-3 (F-7, 6-3, 6-4 FC)
8. Rafael Mejia, 3B: 0-3 (K, E-5, 6-3)
9. Edgar Rondon, 2B: 1-2 (1B, K, BB, R, PO)
10. Michael Foster, DH #2: 1-3 (2B, F-7, F-9, R, RBI)
CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Dallas Beeler: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 14 pitches (10 strikes)
2. Jesus Castillo: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HBP, 3/1 GO/AO, 53 pitches (38 strikes)
3. Scott Frazier: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 16 pitches (10 strikes)
4. Alexander Santana: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/AO, 14 pitches (8 strikes)
CUBS ERRORS: NONE
CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Jhonny Pereda: 1-1 CS
ATTENDANCE: 6
WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80's
Recent comments
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crunch 1 day 4 hours ago (view)
a lot of people were all-in on it being a 2022 thing, but given how MLB has held the DH over the player's heads like it's some kind of extremely valuable chip worth more than the players seem to think it's worth...who knows...
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Cubster 1 day 5 hours ago (view)
any estimates on the chances of the DH in the NL anytime soon?
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crunch 1 day 6 hours ago (view)
k.schwarber is hella good at post-season baseball.
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Cubster 1 day 7 hours ago (view)
Carter Hawkins introduced to the press...
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crunch 1 day 8 hours ago (view)
e.castillo and t.payne off the 40man in 100% totally expected moves.
both are/were catcher organizational depth.
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crunch 1 day 9 hours ago (view)
for those keeping track of the heating-up Mets head of baseball operations search, theo has already ruled himself out.
mets want(ed) some heavy hitters (including b.beane and d.stearns), but none of them are on board...well, MIL took stearns off the board before he could chime in because he has a year left on his contract.
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Arizona Phil 1 day 13 hours ago (view)
Something to keep in mind about clearing MLB 40-man roster slots for players eligible for selection in this year's Rule 5 Draft is that you can't non-tender players to create 40-man roster space for Rule 5 Draft eligibles. That's because players can only be non-tendered on 12/2, and the pre-Rule 5 Draft roster filing deadline is 11/19 (almost two weeks - PRIOR TO -the contract tender date). NOTE: Normally the roster filing deadline is 11/20, but it's moved up to 11/19 this year because 11/20 falls on a Saturday in 2021
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Arizona Phil 1 day 14 hours ago (view)
BRADSBEARD: Just one game, some BP, infield practice, and baserunning drills. So not much to glean from that so far.
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crunch 2 days 5 hours ago (view)
minor league baseball has to provide housing for minor leaguers starting 2022 (paid for by MLB parent clubs). this is HUGE news and will make it possible for guys to stick around longer without having to quit the game just to earn a basic living. for minor league players working in expensive housing markets this is a life saver.
activist players from the OAK and LAA minor league teams as well as minor league player labor advocacy organizations were a huge part of making this happen. good work.
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bradsbeard 2 days 9 hours ago (view)
Did you have any occasion to observe Pedro Ramirez? Not sure if he got into any games or not (now that I think of it, you wrote up at least one game he played in).
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Arizona Phil 2 days 14 hours ago (view)
azbobbop: Certainly LHSPs Drew Gray and Luke Little have emerged as legit significant high-end SP prospects. RHSP Luis Devers has probably displaced Koen Moreno as the top "pitchability" SP prospect in the lower levels of the Cubs system. Tyler Schlaffer (another "pitchability" guy) also had an impressive Instructs, although Devers is a better SP prospect because he has a solid three-pitch mix and knows how to use it, while Schlaffer has just the 92-94 FB & CV (although both are solid offerngs) and isn't as polished as Devers is.
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Hagsag 2 days 20 hours ago (view)
This is the first time I have heard about the four month program in November.
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azbobbop 3 days 3 hours ago (view)
Phil, now that instructional scare finished, which players impressed you the most and who are disappointments.
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tim815 3 days 6 hours ago (view)
Cool. Should help his trade value if the bat plays.
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Arizona Phil 3 days 9 hours ago (view)
TIM: Peter Matt looks very comfortable at 3B. He is a classic "four-corner" guy (1B-3B-LF-RF).
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Arizona Phil 3 days 9 hours ago (view)
KKvG: I strongly suspect Koen Moreno's outing was more about getting out on the mound and throwing in a game than anything. He did get several swings & misses from his CH (which is a plus-pitch), and he uses his low 90's FB to set-up the CH.
I didn't see any breaking balls, although it's possible I might have mistaken a CH for one.
Koen Moreno is what scouts call a "pitchability" guy. Nothing wrong with that, BTW. MLB starting rotations are full of pitchers like that.
Comments
The Cubs have sent LHRP C. J.
The Cubs have sent LHRP C. J. Riefenhauser outright to Iowa.
Cubs MLB 40-man roster now stands at 37 (three slots open).
How strange is this for May?
CHARLIE: The Cubs did the
CHARLIE: The Cubs did the same thing with LHSP Eric Jokisch last month, and it has nothing to do with needing the player's 40-man roster slot.
The hope is that another MLB club will claim the player, so that you aren't on the hook for any termination pay (which you would be if you release him) AND you pick up $20,000 from the claiming team, all for a guy you don't want going forward anyway.
So the Cubs probably intended to release Jokisch when they placed him on Outright Assignment Waivers and were thrilled when the Marlins claimed him, and they were probably disappointed that Riefenhauser wasn't claimed.
Look for Riefenhauser to get released sooner rather than later, as soon as his slot on the Iowa roster is needed. He is on AAA death row awaiting execution.
Thanks, Phil!
Awesome report, and good to
*clap* *clap* *clap*
Well executed!
Speaking of pitching --
so far ryan williams (AAA) is
Ryan Kellogg is still a
Yeah, Underwood impresses the
Phil, it looks like Kevonte
PHIL: Thanks for the wrap. A
E-MAN: I don't think Dallas
E-MAN: I don't think Dallas Beeler has a long-term future with the Cubs, but (when healthy) he has gotten the call over the past couple of years as the "26th man" when the Cubs needed an extra starter in a doubleheader.
The Cubs have four starters at Iowa (Dallas Beeler, Aaron Brooks, Pierce Johnson, and Ryan Williams) who could be considered as a potential "sixth starter" in 2016, except all four are presently on the disabled list, and none of them are the type of pitcher you would want to be an MLB starter for any length of time on a contending team in 2016. (Johnson and Williams have some upside, but neither is a realistic option in 2016). And I don't think the Cubs would consider any of the 4-A type starters at Iowa (Jake Buchanan, Drew Rucinski, Alex Sanabia, or Stephen Fife) as viable options, either
So if a sixth starter is needed at some point in 2016 either because of an injury to one of the five starters or because of a doubleheader, I suspect we will see Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard, or Adam Warren get the start, with the rest of the bullpen ready to cover the remaining innings, since neither Cahill, Richard, or Warren are presently stetched-out as a starter. Cahill is the closest to being stretched-out, but Maddon seems to like him as an innings-eater out of the pen.
Would you say Brooks doesn't