Rockies Victory at Riverview Strictly Kafkaesque

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 10/15/2021 - 7:34pm

Rockies 2021 1st round draft pick Benny Montgomery drilled a two-run single and scored a run to highlight a three-run third inning, Rockies 2021 8th round draft pick Robby Martin ripped a two-run single in a two-run seventh, and RHSP Cullen Kafka (Rockies 2021 9th round pick) tossed two innings of no- run / no-hit ball and combined with five relievers on a five-hitter, helping the Rockies defeat the Cubs 5-3 in AZ Instructional League game action Friday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Kevin Alcantara tripled, walked, and scored two runs and Peter Matt laced a two-run single, walked, and stole a base for the Cubs in a losing cause. 

The game was pre-planned as a seven-inning contest. The Rockies canceled yesterday's game at Salt River Fields because they didn't have enough pitchers available to play a game.  

Here is the abridged box score (Cubs players only): 

CUBS LINEUP:
1. Kevin Alcantara, RF: 1-3 (K, BB, 4-3, 3B, 2 R)
2. Ezequiel Pagan, CF: 1-4 (F-8, F-8, 2B, 5-3, RBI)
3. Peter Matt, 3B: 1-3 (F-9, 1B, BB, 4-3, 2 RBI, SB)
4. Bryce Ball, 1B: 0-3 (5-3, P-4, K)
5a. Moises Ballesteros, C: 0-2 (F-8, 4-3)
5b. Miguel Fabrizio, C: 0-1 (K) 
6. Reggie Preciado, DH: 1-2 (BB, 1B, F-9)
7. Yeison Santana, SS: 0-2 (5-3, BB, K)
8. Frank Hernandez, LF: 1-3 (1B, F-9, 6-3)
9. Liam Spence, 2B: 0-3 (4-6 FC, K, K, R)

CUBS PITCHERS:  
1. Michael McAvene: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 2/2 GO/AO, 33 pitches (22 strikes)
2. Daniel Palencia: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 3 WP, 0/1 GO/AO, 36 pitches (22 strikes) 
3. Luis Devers: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 PO, 4/2 GO/AO, 31 pitches (23 strrikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 1 
RF Kevin Alcantara: E-9 (dropped fly ball in RF corner allowing batter to reach 3rd base safely) 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Moises Ballesteros: 0-2 CS, 1 PB

ATTENDANCE: 18 

WEATHER: Sunny and a bit breezy with temperatures in the 80's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen" 

Tags: 
Cubs AZ Instructional League game report
Kevin Alcantara
Peter Matt

Comments

Submitted by tim815  on Fri, 10/15/2021 - 10:06pm  

If Matt is "not horrible" at third, that could be useful.

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 5:05pm  

TIM: Peter Matt looks very comfortable at 3B. He is a classic "four-corner" guy (1B-3B-LF-RF). 

Submitted by tim815  on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 7:15pm  

Cool. Should help his trade value if the bat plays.

Submitted by Hagsag  on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 5:15am  

Phil, tell me about Frank Fernandez.

Submitted by Wrigley Rat  on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 12:53pm  

HAGSAG - Not Phil, but I think this info was from him in the past:

RHP/OF (signed as a two-way player - seems to be sticking with hitting for now), R/R, 5'11 180, Age 18, SPAIN

The 18-year old Hernandez (he turns 19 next month) was the star (OF & RHP) of the Spanish 18U team that played for the World Cup in South Korea last summer, and he is the first player ever signed by the Cubs out of Spain. He has been assigned to DSL Cubs Blue (Future Service Contract - signed 2020 contract) and is being officially carried as a pitcher on the DSL Cubs Blue roster, although he was signed as a "two-way player."

NOTE: Hernandez was signed prior to January 1st so he can be carried as a "Future Services Player" (and thus not count against the DSL Cubs Blue reserve list limit until DSL Opening Day). Although Hernandez was signed about a month ago, the filing of his contract and the required approval by MLB was delayed because the MLB office was closed for two weeks over Christmas - New Year's.

At just 18 years old, Hernandez is still very raw, but he does have some professional experience playing for the Spanish 18 and under international team the past two years where he played both outfield and pitcher. What people don't realize about this signing, is that to be signed by a stateside team, you must have been a standout start at your previous organization. That means Hernandez had to turn heads during his international team run. Right now, there is so much information to sort out regarding Hernandez and what his long-term fit will be with the Cubs. Currently, he is listed as a pitcher on the Dominican Summer League roster, which is what it looks like the Cubs are targeting him to be right now. However, the signing was because of his ability to be a tremendous two-way talent, so I am sure, at some point during the summer, we will get a chance to see not only his arm but his bat.

Not only is he just 18 years of age, but the Cubs can explore with him early on to see what he projects long term. Whether he proves pitching is his true calling or playing in the outfield will take a lot of work, but the Cubs will certainly have some options with him and could certainly use him in different ways.

Submitted by Childersb3  on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 10:07am  

AzP,

Does Bryce Ball have any real bat speed, or is he just a big guy that waves at the ball and makes contact 1of5 times?

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 5:06pm  

Childersb3: Not much bat speed. Just "lug-power." I actually like Matt Mervis better. 

Submitted by Hagsag  on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 2:55pm  

Thanks wrigley rat.

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The first 600 characters of the last 16 comments, click "View" to see rest of comment.
  • crunch 6 hours 46 min ago (view)

    corey seager signed a deal for 32.5m a year and that means carlos correa is having a really great day.

     
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 7 hours 21 min ago (view)

    Texas has a wildly expensive middle infield. They've also set the market really high for the remaining SS. And they did it single handedly.

     
  • crunch 8 hours 48 min ago (view)

    c.seager goes to TEX for 10/325.

    they've committed to spend 1/2 billion this week (marcus semien added, too).

    meanwhile, the cubs complained to the local paper about how their new multi-million dollar sports betting lounge isn't a casino and they sent out a "cyber monday" ad to offer the great deal of it costing nothing to get on the season tickets waiting list.

    it already is and will continue to be a hell of a 24 hours.  maybe the cubs will *shrug* i dunno...do something worth talking about.

     
  • crunch 12 hours 55 min ago (view)

    BA released their top-10 cubs prospects list...

    1. Brennen Davis

    2. Cristian Hernandez

    3. Brailyn Marquez

    4. Pete Crow-Armstrong

    5. Jordan Wicks

    6. Kevin Alcantara

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    8. Owen Caissie

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    reggie preciado got robbed.

     
  • crunch 13 hours 22 min ago (view)

    m.scherzer mets 3/130m (wow)

    that's more than the entire payroll for PIT last season per year and only a bit less than what BAL, CLE, and MIA paid out.

     
  • crunch 13 hours 28 min ago (view)

    both are equally useful to a baseball team.

     
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 14 hours 38 min ago (view)

    The violinist or the camera staring afficionado?

     
  • Hagsag 14 hours 39 min ago (view)

    Taylor Davis might be next.

     
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 14 hours 58 min ago (view)

    STOP THE PRESSES! They signed someone. Some random lefty RP named Locke St.John.

    Sounds like a Bond villain.

     
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 14 hours 59 min ago (view)

    That's a good way of looking at it. The race for the top draft pick is a pretty hardcore competition, too.

     
  • crunch 15 hours 38 min ago (view)

    hey, they're working hard as hell.

    just last week tom ricketts and other chicago sports team owners went out of their way to respond to a Tribune article calling sports betting lounges "casinos" by co-authoring a letter to the paper.

    DraftKings being happy seems to be the cubs #1 offseason priority.

     
  • Sonicwind75 16 hours 32 min ago (view)

    Just depends on what your definition of "being competitive" means.  Technically the Cubs (barring a strike) will be "competing" against other baseball teams and therefore will "be competitive".  

     
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 16 hours 53 min ago (view)

    Flurries of activity and Cubs crickets.

    BuT wE'rE tRyInG tO cOmPeTe!

     
  • Hagsag 20 hours 13 min ago (view)

    Hey, Jed didn't lie. He said this wasn't a rebuild.

     
  • crunch 1 day 7 hours ago (view)

    ...and that was fake.

    you can't even rely on a blue checkmark account anymore on twitter.  thanks world.

    okay, that was a real account (blue check) who retweeted someone they thought was real.  this is inception-level internet stupidity and the account he re-tweeted is now disabled.

     
  • crunch 1 day 8 hours ago (view)

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