New Blood at the Ranch
There apparently was a change in the itinerary for the Boise Hawks, as the roster will not be announced until after today's workout, and the team will not leave for Idaho until after tomorrow's work-out.
Therefore (naturally), there was another intrasquad game today.
In addition, Cubs 1B Daryle Ward, who is on the 15-day DL with a back problem, has finally arrived at Fitch Park.
The Cubs ace LHPH took about 30-swings in a "standard" early-morning BP session (coach throwing "BP fastballs" from in front of the mound) on Field #4 and he looked OK. (He hit a couple over the fence onto 6th Place). He did not participate in the intrasquad game, however.
Also, the Cubs will be converting still another position player to pitcher, as OF Leon Johnson (2007 10th round pick out of BYU) will become a LHP.
Johnson, who had his collegiate career interrupted for a couple of years while serving on an LDS mission in Siberia, was probably the fastest runner and best bunter in the organization, as well as being a well above-average defensive CF with a plus-arm.
The one thing he just couldn't seem to master was the art of hitting, and apparently he decided to try pitching after being demoted to EXST from Peoria last week while in the midst of a major slump.
There also were still more new-arrivals at Fitch Park today, as several more of the Cubs 2008 draft picks reported for duty.
As of today, the following 2008 Rule 4 Draft picks have physically reported to Fitch Park (others may have signed, but they haven't reported yet):
PITCHERS:
James Leverton, LHP (8th round pick out of Texas Tech)
Jay Jackson, RHP (9th round pick out of Furman U.)
Josh Whitlock, RHP (26th round pick out of U. of West Virginia)
Tommy Mejia, RHP (NDFA out of Dominican College)
CATCHER:
Michael Brenly, C (36th round pick out of UNLV)
FIRST-BASEMEN:
Ryan Keedy (16th round pick out of UAB)
Rebel Ridling (25th round pick out of Oklahoma State U.)
Sean Hoorelbeke (33rd round pick out of Western Michigan U.)
SECOND-BASEMAN:
Jake Opitz (12th round pick out of U. of Nebraska)
OUTFIELDERS:
David Macias (19th round pick out of Vanderbilt U.)
TeWayne Willis (28th round pick out of Lincoln Memorial U.)
Kurt Calvert (32nd round pick out of U of Missouri)
Some initial observations about the new recruits...
Ryan Keedy has a nice short line-drive stroke with some power behind it and he drives the ball all over the yard, but he is a VERY slow runner. EXTREMELY slow. He's also very stiff at1st base.
Jake Opitz made a couple of nice plays at 2B, one going to his left, and another going to his right. He also roped an opposite-field RBI double into the LF corner. However, he also struck out (swinging) twice.
Michael Brenly is a solid defensive catcher, but a better hitter than I thought he would be. He's also one big boy. (He looks like he could play left tackle for the Bears!)
David Macias brought both an infielder's glove and an outfielder's glove with him to Fitch Park, and he worked out at 2B, 3B, LF, CF, and RF. He is a versatile defender. And he's a scrapper!.
TeWayne Willis is as fast as Ryan Keedy is slow. Willis is essentially Dwaine Bacon Redux.
Here is the abridged box score from today's intrasquad game...
NOTE: The position players who arrived yesterday (Opitz, Willis, Macias, and Keedy) played in the game, but they were allowed to bat out of turn several times to maximize their ABs.
Also, Nelson Perez played for both squads, as he was "traded" from SQUAD "A" to SQUAD "B" in the middle of the 4th inning.
SQUAD "A":
1. Bryan Jost, 1B 1-2 (3B, R)
2. Dwayne Kemp, LF: 0-3 (2 K)
3. Josh Vitters, 3B: 2-4 (2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R)
4. Junior Lake, SS: 0-4 (2 K)
5a. Kevin Soto, CF: 1-1 (2B, RBI)
5b. Jake Opitz, 2B: 1-3 (2B, RBI, 2 K)
6a. Nelson Perez, RF: 0-1 (K)
6b. TeWayne Willis, CF: 0-3 (K)
7. Carlos Perez, DH-C: 1-3
8a. Jeffrey Rea, 2B: 1-1
8b. David Macias, RF: 0-3
9a. Robinson Chirinos, C: 0-1 (K)
9b. Ryan Keedy, 1B: 0-3 (R, K)
SQUAD "B":
1. Drew Rundle, RF-LF: 0-3 (K)
2. Marwin Gonzalez, DH #1: 0-2 (BB)
3. Starlin Castro, SS: 2-3 (R)
4. John Contreras, 3B: 1-3 (R, CS)
5. George Matheus, LF-DH #3: 0-2 (SF-RBI)
6. Nelson Perez, RF: 0-2
7. Cesar Salazar, CF: 0-3
8. Kyler Burke, 1B: 0-3 (K, CS)
9. Jose Made, 2B: 0-3 (2 K)
10. Roberto Sabates, DH #2: 0-3
11a. Alvaro Sosa, C: 0-2 (K)
11b. Michael Brenly, C: 1-1 (2B)
PITCHERS:
SQUAD "A":
1. Miguel Sierra - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
2. Yohan Gonzalez - 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
3. John Muller- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
4. Luke Sommer - 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP
SQUAD "B":
1. Mark Pawelek - 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K
2. Jose Pina - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
3. Michael Bunton - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
4. Manolin DeLeon - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K
ERRORS (3):
Jeffrey Rea - E4, bobbled ground ball, allowing batter to reach base
Ryan Keedy - E3, missed catch on what should have been a 4-3 GO at 1st base allowing batter to reach base and runner at 2nd base to advance one extra base
Jose Made - E4, muffed ground ball allowing batter to reach base
CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Carlos Perez: 2-2 CS
WEATHER: VERY hot & sunny
ATTENDANCE: 2
Comments
Re: the Cubs will be converting still another position player to
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Re: New Blood at the Ranch
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Re: New Blood at the Ranch
Submitted by Jace on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 4:00pm.
Okay, so what is your opinion on Josh Vitters at this point? I know he was having his problems in the field earlier, and it didn't seem as though he was hitting, either. In the last few reports, it appears that he is not making errors, and he appears to be hitting now. What do you think? Thanks, as always!
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JACE: Josh Vitters is really starting to hit, with two more doubles today. The simple solution of wearing batting gloves may be the answer to his various hand problems (blisters & tendinitis).
Vitters has plus-power that should result in high HR totals as he gets older (he's only 18), but my main concern about him is his defense at 3rd base, or more specifically, his throwing. It's like David Kelton all over again. The sooner the Cubs move Vitters to 1st base or a corner OF spot, the better. I wouldn't want to see his throwing problem get into his head and affect his hitting.
I like Marquez Smith and Jovan Rosa just fine for the Potential Future Cubs Third-Baseman (when and if one is needed), so it's not like Vitters was the only long-term future option there.
Vitters fields OK, he just can't make accurate throws across the diamond.
BTW, have you noticed how top Cubs prospect turned suspect Dylan Johnston has turned his career around after moving from SS to RF in Minor League Camp?
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Submitted by springs on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 4:53pm.
Pawelek's numbers don't look great but he did have 4Ks. Is he still progressing back to prospect status?
Also what is your opinion of Marwin Gonzalez and Starlin Castro -- they seem like people to be excited about, though they aren't the most often mentioned.
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SPRINGS: Though he gave up four hits in three innings, today may have been Mark Pawelek's best outing yet this Spring.
Why?
He threw strikes.
Pawelek has gone back to throwing the way he did when the Cubs drafted him in 2005. He has reactivated both his four-seamer and his dynamite power-slider (the reason he gets so many HBP is because his slider will sometimes clip right-handed hitters on the foot), and just lets it fly. This results in him being what would be best-described as "effectively wild," something he will probably always be. But at least now his velocity has come back close to where it was in HS, and he is pitching with a lot of confidnce.
BTW, the reason Pawelek hasn't been moved up to Peoria is because he still can't run full-speed. He suffered a sprained ankle at the very start of Extended Spring Training in April and missed about three weeks, and although the ankle no longer affects his throwing off the mound, he still can't change direction while running, and the Cubs are not willing to allow him to pitch in a "real" game if he can't adequately cover 1st base on a grounder to the right side of the infield, or back-up 3rd base or home plate.
As for Starlin Castro and Marwin Gonzalez...
I would rate Castro as a very good defender at both SS and 2B, and a decent-enough hitter but with only very occasional power. He also isn't particularly fast (he has just average speed for a middle-infielder), and he doesn't walk much. He reminds me a lot of Jonathan Mota, the Cubs back-up middle-infielder at Daytona.
Marwin Gonzalez is a big kid with power potential (he's grown a couple of inches and put on some muscle over the past couple of years). He's a switch-hitter with OK speed (like Junior Lake, he's a "long-strider"), and a versatile and athletic defender who can play all four infield positions and probably all three OF spots, too (although he doesn't play OF very often).
Gonzo's best defensive position is definitely 3B, but the Cubs use him a lot at SS and 2B because 3B is "occupied" by one of the Cubs best prospects (Josh Vitters), and Marquez Smith and Jovan Rosa are also best-suited to play 3B as well.
I would project Gonzalez as one of those valuable "super-sub" type bench guys if he ever makes to the big leagues.
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woo..
Re: New Blood at the Ranch
Re: New Blood at the Ranch
Submitted by carlosrubi on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 6:36pm.
Another day, another time I think Leon Johnson is black. My mind's messed up, man! I tell ya!
By the way, you dodged my question about 22 year old righthander James Russell last week, AZ Phil. What do you think of him? In my opinion, he's the prize/steal (pitching-wise) of the 2007 draft. I compared him to a young John Lieber; an innings eater-soft tosser, with great strike-throwing abilities and fantastic control but with some homerun tendencies. He's already in AA, too. His minor league numbers through 75.2 IP are: 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA and a 22/55 BB/SO ratio and 11 homeruns allowed.
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CARLOS: I saw very little of James Russell last year in August at Fitch Park with the AZL Cubs, and then he did not participate in the AZ Instructional League, although he was initially on the Cubs AZ Instructs roster. (Apparently he got shut-down for some reason).
So the first time I really had a chance to see him "up close & personal" was in Minor League Camp this past March, and he was just flat out great. He was the first minor league pitcher to go four innings (12 up & 12 down, too), and was (hand's down) THE best pitcher in Cubs Minor League Camp. So I wasn't real surprised when he made the Daytona Cubs Opening Day starting rotation, or when he got promoted to AA Tennessee.
Russell is a polished pitcher with an excellent change and breaking ball, an advanced approach to working hitters (his dad was an MLB closer, so he might get some of that from him), and he can spot his fastball on the corners with outstanding control.
I project him as a future MLB rotation starter, so I have him rated #5 in my mid-season Top Ten Cubs Prospects list.
Re: New Blood at the Ranch
Submitted by Raisin101 on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 7:50pm.
As always, thanks, AZ Phil.
Two quick questions...
what do you think the chances are Vitters goes back to Peoria rather than Boise (with, say, Marquez Smith going to Daytona)?
Also, I take it from your comments about Pawelek's ankle that he won't be going to Boise either?
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RAISIN: I think Vitters will initially go to Boise, but he certainly could get promoted to Peoria if Marquez Smith moves to Daytona and the Cubs choose to leave Jovan Rosa at 1B at Peoria.
I saw Rosa play 3B last year for the AZL Cubs, and he was a much better defender at that time at that position than he was this past March (at Minor Lreague Camp) after he was moved to 1B.
I believe the Cubs should move Rosa back to 3B and just leave him there, and go with a 3B "pipeline" of Reynolds-Lansford-Smith-Rosa, and see who develops. (I've got my money on Marquez Smith).
Vitters is a different matter though, because his throwing problem could get into his head and affect his hitting (as happened with David Kelton a few years ago).
Vitters actually is an OK fielder, it's throwing accuracy that causes him problems. (Same thing happened with Dylan Johnston at SS before he was moved to RF, BTW). Which is why I believe Vitters should be moved to 1B sooner rather than later (2008 AZ Instructional League would probably be the ideal time to do it), and if the Cubs do in fact do that (move him to 1B), Vitters would not block anybody else of significance in the organization between Fitch Park and Wrigley Field (and nobody of significance would block him).
That said, if Vitters were to remain at 3B for a while longer, he could put up some monster power numbers at Boise, and it might even be good for his ego to spend some time there whomping on NWL pitchers before moving onward and upward. Because the Northwest League is a BIG TIME hitters league (especially for power hitters).
As for Pawelek, I don't know where he will end up. He's pitching well enough right now to be a rotation starter at Peoria, but the Cubs (logically) should keep him at Fitch Park on a "rehab assignment" throwing sim games until his ankle is 100%, if running is indeed so important.
But then maybe the Cubs were just using the ankle problem as an excuse not to promote him to Peoria. I guess we'll find out tomorrow where the truth lies!
Re: #20
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Submitted by Q-Ball on Fri, 06/13/2008 - 5:26am.
AZ Phil, speaking of position players converted to pitchers, I noticed Richard Parker is tearing it up at Peoria. Legit prospect?
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Q-BALL: RHP Blake Parker is a legit relief prospect. I would expect him to get promoted to Daytona fairly soon.
standing room only tixx
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Re: New Blood at the Ranch
Pie
Re: The swing was REALLY long and choppy.
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Passport
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Re: Eric Patterson doesn't have a passport.
Re: Eric Patterson doesn't have a passport.
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Re: Don't forget our sponsor
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