Rojas & Morel Lead the Way at Sloan Park

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 10/07/2022 - 10:34 pm

Jefferson Rojas belted a two-run HR to cap a three run first inning and drilled an RBI single and stole a base in the sixth, Rafael Morel singled three times, stole a base, scored three runs, and drove-in a run, Pedro Ramirez singled, walked, stole two bases, and scored a run, and SP Nick Hull and three relievers hurled seven innings of one-run ball and struck out ten, as the Cubs "Blue Squad" defeated the Cubs "Red Squad" 6-1 in AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Friday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Andy Garriola laced a single and a double, stole a base, and scored a run for the "Red Squad" in a losing cause.  

The game was pre-planned as an eight-inning contest. 

Here is the box score from the game: 
CUBS "RED SQUAD" LINEUP: 
1a. Ke'Shun Collier, CF: 0-3 (E-6, K, K, CS) 
1b. Carlos Ramos, C: 1-1 (1B) 
2. Reggie Preciado, 3B: 1-4 (1B, F-8, K, L-9, SB) 
3. Cristian Hernandez, SS: 0-4 (L-9, K, K, F-8)
4. James Triantos, 2B: 1-3 (K, 1B, BB, K) 
5a. Moises Ballesteros, 1B: 0-2 (F-8, 4-6-3 DP) 
5b. Miguel Pabon, 1B: 0-0 (BB) 
6a. Andy Garriola, RF: 2-2 (1B, 2B, R, SB) 
6b. Cristian More, CF: 0-1 (6-3 DP) 
7a. Malcom Quintero, C: 1-2 (K, 1B, RBI)
7b. Yoanis Aleksandrov, C-DH: 0-1 (K)  
8. Alexis Hernandez, DH-LF: 0-2 (BB, P-4, K) 
9a. Christian Olivo, LF: 1-2 (P-4, 1B) 
9b. Frank Hernandez, RF: 0-1 (L-8) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" LINEUP:
1. Pedro Ramirez, 2B: 1-3 (BB, F-7, 1B, K, R, 2 SB) 
2. Ismael Mena, CF: 0-4 (K, F-8, 1-3, P-4) 
3. Haydn McGeary, C-DH: 0-3 (5-3, 6-3, 5-3) 
4. Rafael Morel, 3B: 3-3 (1B, 1B, 1B, 3 R, RBI, SB)
5. Jefferson Rojas, SS: 2-3 (HR, F-9, 1B, R, 3 RBI, SB) 
6. Ethan Hearn, DH #1: 1-3 (6-3, 1B, K, RBI, SB) 
7. Anderson Suriel, 1B: 1-3 (4-3, K, 1B) 
8. Josefrailin Alcantara, RF: 0-2 (K, K, BB) 
9. Erbin Jaque, LF: 0-2 (K, BB, K, R, SB)
10. Brayan Altuve, DH #2: 0-1 (K, BB) 
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
11. Adan Sanchez, DH-C: 0-2 (P-3, K) 
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER

CUBS "RED SQUAD" PITCHERS: 
1. Grant Kipp: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 4/2 GO/AO, 41 pitches (24 strikes) 
2. Michael Arias: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 0/2 GO/AO, 37 pitches (21 strikes) 
3. Max Bain: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/AO, 15 pitches (11 strikes) 
4. Luis Rujano: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 20 pitches (10 strikes) 
5. Michael McAvene: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 12 pitches (7 strikes) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD PITCHERS: 
1. Nick Hull: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 0/4 GO/AO, 50 pitches (34 strikes)  
2. Brandon Birdsell: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 1/1 GO/AO, 26 pitches (21 strikes) 
3. Frankie Scalzo Jr: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 1/1 GO/AO, 31 pitches (16 strikes) 
4. Mason McGwire: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/AO, 14 pitches (6 strikes) 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" ERRORS: 2 
1. SS Cristian Hernandez: E-6 (fielding miscue allowed batter to reach base safely) 
2. P Michael Arias: E-1 (errant pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed runner to advance to 3rd) 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS "RED SQUAD" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
1. Malcom Quintero: 0-1 CS 
2. Yoanis Aleksandrov: 0-3 CS 
3. Carlos Ramos: 0-2 CS, 1 PB 

CUBS "BLUE SQUAD" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Haydn McGeary: 1-3 CS 

ATTENDANCE: 13 (including Mark McGwire)

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service

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

Tags
2022 Cubs AZ Instructional League
Jefferson Rojas
Rafael Morel

Comments

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 10/07/2022 - 10:51 pm

PITCHNG REPORTS FROM THE GAME: 

Nick Hull:
FB 90-92, SL 83-85 

Grant Kipp:
FB 87-91, CV 78-79, SL 80-82, CH 83-84  

Michael Arias: 
FB 96-98, CV 79-80, CH 86, SL 83-87  

Brandon Birdsell: 
FB 92-95, CV 76-77, SL 82-83, CH 86-88 

Frankie Scalzo Jr: 
FB 93-95, CV 77-80 

Max Bain: 
FB 96-97, SL/CT: 85-88, CV 82-83 

Luis Rujano: 
FB: 91-94, CV 76-80 

Mason McGwire: 
FB: 92-94, CH/SPLIT: 85-88

Michael McAvene: 
FB: 92, CV 81-82, SL/CT 86-87  

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:23 am

DJL: I don't remember what Scalzo's FB velo was last year at instructs or at Minor League Camp, but 95 seems to be his top out velo. Keep in mind these instructs velo readings are calibrated and certified, while the guns at college stadiums and minor league ball parks are usually not, so sometimes you will see an unusually high FB velo that's not real in a college or minor league game during the season that is one or two or sometimes even three MPH too "hot." 

Michael Arias is a converted SS and his FB velo has been consistently 96-98 all year. The problem is his secondary pitches. He found a slow CV at the end of ACL that he could command but it tended to hang. The slider is more electric but he can't command it consistently. The CH is new. I hadn't seen it before. Bottom line is, he has to find at least one effective and reliable seconday pitch that he can command. 

Submitted by Childersb3 on Fri, 10/07/2022 - 10:27 pm

Phil, any thoughts on Birdsell? Any one particular pitch of his grab your attention?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:18 am

Childersb3: Birdsell's FB/SL combo is really good. He also throws a CV and a CH but they're just "show me" pitches at this point. If he can refine all of his pitches he can be a SP, but otherwise the FB/SL combo should play pretty well out of the pen at the higher levels. 

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:43 pm

jackson "the artist formally known as clint" frazier elects FA, shocking no one.

1.5m gamble.  like the 4m defense-only SS they signed, it was a stupid gamble.  frazier's D in the OF is schwarber-eque on a good day.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:30 pm

ESPN not moving games going into extras to make way for scheduled college football.

that's at least some respect ESPN is putting on the game.  TB/CLE game is great.  boog and glanville on the mic.

Submitted by crunch on Sat, 10/08/2022 - 10:49 pm

2 games down to the last out in the 9th with the tieing run at the plate at the same time...hell of a day of baseball drama.

SD goes down (series tied 1-1) and STL stays alive with a hit.

...and STL is done, PHI win the series.  arenado/goldschmidt went 1-15 in the 2 games.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 11:14 pm

The winner of the Glendale Desert Dogs at Mesa Solar Sox game played this afternoon at Sloan Park would get one of the two slots in Friday's AFL play-in game in Peoria that will determine the opponent for the first place Surprise Saguaros in Saturday's AFL championship game in Scottsdale.  

Unfortunately for the Solar Sox, the Desert Dogs rallied for seven runs in the 8th (none of the runs scored off Cubs pitchers) to overcome a 4-3 deficit and take the first slot in the play-in game by a score of 10-4. 

However, despite the loss, the Solar Sox have not been eliminated, as the winner of tomorrow afternoon's Peoria Javelinas versus Mesa Solar Sox game at Sloan Park will get the second slot in the Friday's play-in game. 

So coming into Wednesday's game the Solar Sox had two chances to secure a play-in game slot. They had to win just one of their last two games, both at home. They lost the first one, but they still have one left. 

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40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus three are on the 60-DAY IL

26 players are on the MLB ACTIVE LIST, plus two are on the 15-DAY IL, one is on the 10-DAY IL, and eleven are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors  

Last updated 5-25-2023
 
* bats or throws left
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PITCHERS: 13
Adbert Alzolay
Javier Assad
Jeremiah Estrada
Michael Fulmer
Kyle Hendricks
* Brandon Hughes
Mark Leiter Jr 
Julian Merryweather
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele 
Marcus Stroman
Jameson Taillon 

CATCHERS: 2
* Tucker Barnhart 
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
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Patrick Wisdom

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Trey Mancini 
Seiya Suzuki
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OPTIONED: 11
Keven Alcantara, OF 
Miguel Amaya, C
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Ryan Jensen, P 
Caleb Kilian, P  
Nick Madrigal, INF 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Nelson Velazquez, OF
Hayden Wesneski, P

10-DAY IL: 1 
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15-DAY IL: 2 
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60-DAY IL: 3 
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Ethan Roberts, P
Adrian Sampson, P 

 



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