Cubs & Pelicans Pitchers Give Bees & 66ers That Sinking Feeling
Chesny Young belted a two-run triple, singled, and walked, Jason Vosler doubled twice, singled, and scored a run, Jesse Hodges ripped an RBI double and a single, Rashad Crawford roped a line-drive RBI single, drew a walk, stole a base, and scored a run, and Jeremy Null threw five innings of two-run ball with an amazing 12/1 GO/FO, as the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) rallied from a 3-0 deficit to edge the Burlington Bees (Lo-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels) 4-3 on Field #5, and Daury Torrez threw six shutout innings with four strikeouts and an 11/2 GO/FO, Kevin Brown belted a two-run triple, singled twice, and scored a run, Varonex Cuevas doubled twice, singled, and scored a run, and Danny Lockhart roped a two-run single, walked, and scored a run, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (the Cubs Hi-A affiliate) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Hi-A affiliate) on Field #6, in Cactus League Minor League game action this afternoon at Mesa CubTown at Riverview Park.
The 66ers had just scored four runs in the top of the 9th off Myrtle Beach lefty reliever Gerardo Concepcion to take a 6-2 lead, but the Pelicans came right back with four of their own.
Both Daury Torrez and Jeremy Null had the sinker working to perfection, combining to produce a 23/3 GO/FO ratio over 11 innings of work, one of the most extraordinary groundball heavy minor league doubleheaders I have seen in some time. Torrez will join Duane Underwood, Tyler Skulina, Paul Blackburn, and Jen-Ho Tseng in the Myrtle Beach starting rotation, and Null will be part of a South Bend rotation that will also feature Jake Stinnett, Erick Leal, Trevor Clifton, James Norwood, and/or Zach Hedges (last slot still TBD)
The defensive play of the day was turned-in by South Bend CF Trey Martin, who made a spectacular diving catch in right-centerfield after a long run at full speed. Martin is a "long-strider" who can make long distances seem shorter than they really are, but what was especially impressive about Martin's play was that he dived onto his left (non-throwing) shoulder to complete the catch, the same shoulder that was surgically repaired about a year ago.
With the exception of Travis Wood and Kyle Hendricks, the Chicago Cubs left town after last night's Cactus League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in anticipation of their MLB Opening Day game tomorrow night at Wrigley Field, leaving minor league players behind to be presented as the "Chicago Cubs" for this afternoon's MLB Cactus League finale. Most of the players assigned to the MLB game at Chase were pulled from the AAA Iowa Cubs roster, but a few came from the Tennessee and Myrtle Beach squads as well. Also, several members of the Myrtle Beach squad were moved up to the Iowa Cubs for this afternoon's Cactus League minor league game in Tempe against the Angels AAA Salt Lake City affiliate, and a number of players from the Cubs Extended Spring Training contingent filled in for the missing Pelicans at Riverview, as well as providing roster depth in the South Bend, Tennessee, and Iowa games.
Here are the abridged box scores from the two games played today at Riverview Park (Cubs players only):
FIELD #5
SOUTH BEND LINEUP:
1a. Chesny Young, 2B: 2-3 (3-U, BB, 1B, 3B, 2 RBI)
1b. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 0-1 (3-1)
2. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 1-4 (K, 1B, K, 6-3)
3a. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 2-3 (1B, F-9, 2B, RBI)
3b. Adonis Paula, 3B: 0-1 (F-9)
4. Yasiel Balaguert, DH: 0-4 (K, L-9, 5-2 FC, 5-3)
5. Cael Brockmeyer, 1B: 0-4 (L-4, 5-3, K, K)
6. Jason Vosler, SS: 3-4 (1B, 2B, F-8, 2B, R)
7. Trey Martin, CF: 0-4 (F-8, K, F-8, K)
8. Rashad Crawford, LF: 1-3 (4-3, 4-3, BB, 1B, R, RBI, SB)
9. Gioskar Amaya, C: 0-2 (K, BB, BB, 4-3, 2 R)
SOUTH BEND PITCHERS:
1. Jeremy Null: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER). 0 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 12/1 GO/FO, 62 pitches (46 strikes)
2. Jordan Minch: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 3/1 GO/FO, 30 pitches (22 strikes)
3. Tommy Thorpe: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 13 pitches (8 strikes)
4. Yomar Morel: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
SOUTH BEND ERRORS: 1
SS Jason Vosler - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
SOUTH BEND CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Gioskar Amaya: 1-1 CS
FIELD #6
MYRTLE BEACH LINEUP:
1a. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 0-3 (5-3, L-6, 6-4-3 DP, BB)
1b. Miguel Rico, PH: 1-1 (2B, R)
2. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-3 (BB, K, 5-3, F-9 SF, 2B, R, RBI, SB)
3. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 1-4 (BB, F-8, 4-3, P-6, 1B, R, 2 RBI)
4. Kevin Brown, CF: 3-5 (F-7, 1B, 1B, F-9, 3B, 2 RBI, CS)
5. Ben Carhart, 1B: 1-4 (6-3, 1B, F-8, L-8, F-8 SF, RBI)
6. Eloy Jimenez, RF: 0-5 (F-9, F-8, 1-3, K, 3-1)
7. Varonex Cuevas, 3B: 3-4: (2B, K, 2B, 1B, R)
8. Alberto Mineo, C: 0-3 (BB, 3-1, K, K)
9. Roberto Vahlis, DH: 1-2 (1B, BB, HBP, 6-3, R)
MYRTLE BEACH PITCHERS:
1. Daury Torrez: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 GIDP, 11/2 GO/FO, 75 pitches (58 strikes)
2. Tayler Scott: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 6/0 GO/FO, 35 pitches (24 strikes)
3. Gerardo Concepcion: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 PO, 28 pitches (17 strikes)
MYRTLE BEACH ERRORS: NONE
ATTENDANCE: 26
WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80's
Recent comments
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crunch 6 hours 14 min ago (view)
semi-interesting winter league note...
trey mcnutt (yes, that guy) is having a hell of a winter league in mexico (one of the less talented winter leagues) so far as a closer. 15.2ip 8h 4bb 24k, 0.57 era.
giants signed him to a minor league deal a couple weeks ago. he never went anywhere. he's been consistently playing ball in the minors and indie league ball since he was last a noteworthy player. last season he played in the OAK minor league system. 30 years old now...
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jdrnym 13 hours 11 min ago (view)
Brad Brach signs with the Mets for $850K but the Cubs are paying $500K, per Ken Rosenthal. Wasn't his 2020 club only supposed to be on the hook for league minimum?
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crunch 13 hours 48 min ago (view)
when he got to the mets he suddenly learned how to throw with control (small sample size etc). last year was not a fun bullpen year...
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crunch 16 hours 5 min ago (view)
Yeah, I've made myself familiar with a lot of the changes, but AZP's posts have both added more information and cleared up stuff I didn't fully grasp. I appreciate the hell out of it. Thanks Phil, thanks TCR.
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bradsbeard 17 hours 47 min ago (view)
Looks like Savant has his breaking pitch classified as a curve while Fangraphs calls it a slider. Suppose by ST he could have made everything over in the pitching lab, so who knows!
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Arizona Phil 18 hours 3 min ago (view)
Again, none of these rules (including the one that requires a pitcher to face a minimum of three batters or else record the final out of the inning) have been officially approved.
I think one possible caveat that might be added to the three-batter minimum rule would be that the pitcher can be replaced prior to facing three batters or recording the final out of the inning if the other team puts up a pinch-hitter.
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Arizona Phil 18 hours 7 min ago (view)
Ptchers would also be treated differently under the new rules as far as the Injured list and Optional Assignment to the minors is concerned, with pitchers having to spend at least 15 days (up from 10 days) on the Injured List before being eligible to be reinstated and at least 15 days (up from 10 days) on Optional Assignment before being eligible to be recalled (inless the pitcher is being recalled to replace a pitcher on the 26-man roster who has been placed on an MLB inactive list).
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Arizona Phil 18 hours 8 min ago (view)
SONICWIND: As the rule is proposed, prior to the start of each MLB regular season a club must designate all players on its Opening Day 26-man roster as either a "pitcher" or a "position player." A maximum of 13 can be designated as pitchers (14 pitchers max when rosters expand from 26 to 28 beginning on 9/1).
For players who come up during the season, the club must designate the player as either a pitcher or a position player when the player is placed on the MLB active list roster.
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Arizona Phil 18 hours 20 min ago (view)
BRADSBEARD: Fangraphs shows the CT as his primary pitch in 2018 with the SL & FB (and an occasional CH) as his secondary pitches, with no CV at all. I guess I'll find out for sure in Spring Training.
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Sonicwind75 19 hours 37 min ago (view)
AZ Phil, thank you as always for the detailed information. How is the "cannot be a pitcher" part of the rule to be enforced? With a few two way players and the increasing amount of mop up innings being handled by position players it seems like there could be a gray area there. What is preventing a team from stashing an athletic relief pitcher as a "5th outfielder" that could be a pinch runner and play a passable OF when needed but could also provide them with extra relief pitcher. Anytime I hear of a new rule I always think of how Bill Billichek would circumvent it t
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bradsbeard 19 hours 37 min ago (view)
AZ Phil, looking around Baseball Savant, it looks like Winkler now primarily throws a low 90s cutter, a 4-seamer that he throws a little harder (but is less effective), a curve and a sinker. The slider and change haven't been a major part of his repertoir the last two years. The cutter has been really effective the last two years but it looks like he lost command/effectiveness of his 4-seemer and curve last year For whatever reason
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bradsbeard 22 hours 57 min ago (view)
They just signed this guy:
https://twitter.com/mlbastian/status/1202973097223237632
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Hagsag 1 day 13 min ago (view)
There seems to be a lot of player movement so far. Too bad the Cubs aren't involved.
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Arizona Phil 1 day 16 hours ago (view)
Beginning in 2019, a club must wait a minimum of seven days before it can place a player who was claimed off Outtright Assignment Waivers during the off-season back onto waivers, so because he was claimed off waivers on Wednesday 11/27, yesterday (Wednesday 12/4) was the first day the Cubs could place LHRP C. D. Pelham back onto Outright Assignment Waivers, and so tomorrow (Friday 12/6) is the first day the Cubs can send Pelham outright to the minors (if he was placed back onto waivers yesterday).
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Arizona Phil 2 days 12 hours ago (view)
A Competitive Balance draft slot can be traded only during a period of time starting on December 2nd and extending up until two hours prior to the MLB First-Year Player Draft (MLB Rule 4 Draft), so don't be surpised if these draft picks are traded during the off-season.
Keep in mind that the slot cannot be traded for cash unless it is a financial adjustment made to offset the salary of one or more of the players involved in the trade.
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Arizona Phil 2 days 13 hours ago (view)
The active list roster limit changes scheduled to go in effect in 2020 have not yet been officially approved. Same goes for the three-batter minimum (or else record the third out in the inning) for relief pitchers.
Comments
Prior to games, C-1B Cael
Prior to games, C-1B Cael Brockmeyer was moved down from Tennessee to South Bend. The South Bend Cubs do not presently have a 1st baseman (Danny Canela is on Injury Rehab at Minor League Camp and will be assigned to Extended Spring Training), so Brockmeyer and Justin Marra will alternate with each other at 1st base and at catcher with Gioskar Amaya until Canela is ready to return to game action.
It was interesting watching
It was interesting watching the Iowa Cubs take BP this morning at Riverview, because all of the I-Cubs position players were absent except three: Adron Chambers, John Andreoli, and some guy named Kris Bryant. They were left behind to play in the minor league game at Diablo Park in Tempe, together with several members of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (including Victor Caratini, Jacob Rogers, Shawon Dunston Jr, Wes Darvill, and Andrew Ely) and a few of the Extended Spring Training kids.
Final minor league roster
Final minor league roster adjustments will be in place by tomorrow:
Here are the current up-to-the-minute latest Cubs Spring Traing Minor League Camp rosters:
link
The starting pitching
The starting pitching rotations for the four full season affiliates appear to be:
IOWA:
Eric Jokisch
Pierce Johnson
Donn Roach
Carlos Pimentel
Yoanner Negrin
Drake Britton (once he is "stretched-out")
NOTE: Dallas Beeler will start the season on the Cubs MLB 15-day DL.
TENNESSEE:
C. J. Edwards
Corey Black
Rob Zastryzny
Ivan Pineyro
Felix Pena
MYRTLE BEACH:
Daury Torrez
Tyler Skulina
Duane Underwood
Jen-Ho Tseng
Paul Blackburn
PIGGY-BACK: Jonathan Martinez
SOUTH BEND:
Jake Stinnett
Jeremy Null
Erick Leal
Trevor Clifton
James Norwood
Zach Hedges
NOTE: Which five of the six will start and which one will "piggy-back" is still to be decided. Also, Ryan Williams and Ryan McNeil are stretched-out as starters, but neither will likely be in the SB rotation to start the season.
Cubs minor league RHRP Tony
Cubs minor league RHRP Tony Zych (2011 4th round draft pick - U. of Louisville) was sent to the Seattle Mariners for cash prior to his release officially going through. No players were involved.
The Mariners found out that he was going to be released and offered the Cubs a nominal amount of cash for his contract so they wouldn't have to bid for his services as a minor league FA.
Also, by acquiring Zych's "first contract" instead of signing him to a "second contract" after he is released, the Mariners will retain club control over Zych through the 2017 season (he will be a minor league 6YFA post-2017 if he is not added to an MLB 40-man roster by that time), instead of just for the 2015 season, which would have been the case if they had signed him after he was released.
I guess they got in some BP
I am happy to see my favorite
HAGSAG: The starting rotation
HAGSAG: The starting rotation at Myrtle Beach is loaded. All five of the starters there (Torrez, Skulina, Underwood, Tseng, and Blackburn) are legitimate MLB pitching prospects. Probably not so much at the other levels.
Happy 1st (opening) Day of
Any predictions for the year?
I see such a vast variance of
I believe they will have a
i think the cubs lawyers will
Way to stay positive as
dems jokes...as they are most
╭∩╮(-_-)╭∩╮
this guy...
BTW while it is fun to see te
Cubs have ROY of and runner
Yes. When we all really know
Let's do this !!!!