Here are the I-Cubs pitchers today: Chris Rusin, Casey Coleman, Hisanori Takahashi, Rafael Dolis and Blake Parker.
Here are the I-Cubs pitcher today who have no chance of ever being good: Chris Rusin, Casey Coleman, Hisanori Takahashi, Rafael Dolis and Blake Parker
Other than Casey Coleman, who threw 2 hitless innings and struck a batter out, the rest of them weren't any good. I-Cubs pitchers today threw 8.2 innings, allowed 12 hits and 9 runs. He walked 2 and struckout 4 while allowing 3 home runs.
Logan Watkins played SS and was 0-4 with a walk and 2 strikeouts. Brett Jackson's new swing was 3-4 with a double and a walk. He did not strike out, which must mean that Josh Vitters took a walk. Yep. He took 2 of them while also going 1-3. Brad Nelson was 2-4 with a home run.
A bunch of others played today who pretty much suck so whatever.
Tennessee Smokies 5 @ Jackson Generals 5
Kyle Hendricks threw 6.2 innings, allowed 4 hits and no runs. He walked 1 and struckout 4. He’s off to a great start this year after struggling when he first came to the Cubs last year. He’s thrown 37.2 innings, allowed 35 hits and only 1 home run. He’s walked 9 and struckout 32. His strikeout percentage is about 21% and his walk rate is about 6%. His FIP prior to last night’s starts was an impressive 2.59. His walk rate is up a bit, but it’s still pretty good. He’s also maintained the same strikeout rate. He’s allowed only 1 home run all season.
He changed his mechanics a bit at the beginning of last season and started focusing on pitch sequences according to Baseball America. He also added a cutter and he said he uses it as a contact pitch. I’d assume this remains true with the Cubs. He sits 87-89 mph so he won’t blow anyone away. He’s in the strikezone regularly. Along with the cutter, he throws a 4-seam and 2-seam fastball, a changeup, a curveball and a slider.
AJ Morris struckout 2 and walked a batter in an inning of work. He also allowed 2 hits, but despite 3 baserunners, no runs were scored. Zach Rosscup finished the game and threw 1.1 hitless innings, allowed a walk and 3 strikeouts. His ERA is down to 1.08.
Matt Szczur was 3-5 with a double. Ronald Torreyes was 1-4 with a double. Arismendy Alcantara was 2-4 with a double and 2 strikeouts. Christian Villanueva was 1-2 with a hit by pitch, strikeout and sac fly.
Kane County Cougars 6 @ Clinton LumberKings 7
I went to Clinton, Iowa once. I don't remember much about it. It was a typical Iowa town along the Mississippi River, which usually meant meth. Lots of meth. I don't know if they've had that problem, but they were a river town. They also had the following motto: So many things to do – With a river view!
It did have a river view, but I don't remember doing shit or ever wanting to go back there again. About an hour away from Clinton is Muscatine, Iowa. It's also on the Mississippi, which means lot of meth. It's also the Watermelon Capital of the World. You could have a lovely picnic along the shitty and disgusting Mississippi River while eating melons and getting high on meth. Way more to do in Muscatine and they have a river view, too.
Getting back to Clinton, I can't think of a minor league team name that I like more. I like because it has two capital letters and it's only one word. And it's a cool name.
Dillon Maples made his first start of the year and threw 5 innings, allowed 6 hits and 3 runs. He didn't walk anybody and he struckout 2. Then came Lendy Castillo and Lendy Castillo fucking sucks. They let Lendy Castillo fucking suck for the rest of the game.
The other day I mentioned that Jeimer Candelario hadn't hit for any power so far this year. For that matter, he hasn't hit for a lot of power in his short minor league career. As a 3rd baseman, that's not good. He did hit his first home run of the season today and went 2-4 with a walk.
Carlos Escobar and Oliver Zapata were also 2-4 each. Gioskar Amaya continues to suck. He was 0-5. Dan Vogelbach was 1-5 with a strikeout.
The Iowa Cubs are seriously depressing.
MylesQuote Reply
I woke up today and got an extension reading about the Rizzo extension.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ Myles:
Yeah hope for the future is pretty much at an all-time low right now
joshQuote Reply
Yesterday was a blur, but I think the I-Cubs did most of their damage against Randall Delgado.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Credit where it’s due; Stewart had a PH 2-RBI triple to bring his average up to .100
MylesQuote Reply
(dying laughing) having been to Clinton a few times for work, this made me laugh my ass off.
Not Stationary WaLiQuote Reply
@ Not Stationary WaLi:
It’s accurate, isn’t it? It’s the same as any Iowa town along the Mississippi. Probably the same as the ones in Illinois.
dmick89Quote Reply
Cool story bro.
No, seriously. I liked it.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Is Clinton that town where every year they do a tug of war across the river with Illinois? I always thought that was pretty cool.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
And I’m not easily impressed.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ dmick89:
I’d say so.
To celebrate Rizzo’s contract I’m going to buy SWMBO a Rizzo jersey for Mother’s Day. We picked up a pair of tickets on Stub Hub for $8 each. Section 409 row 1.
Not Stationary WaLiQuote Reply
@ Not Stationary WaLi:
….second wife’s mother’s brother’s…..orthopedist?
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
(dying laughing) She Who Must Be Obeyed
Not Stationary WaLiQuote Reply
New Aside
MylesQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
(dying laughing) i can’t stop laughing after I read this
dmick89Quote Reply
This is on Bleacher Nation’s FB page, asking fans what’s the first thing they would do if they became commissioner:
Only a fucking Cub fan would say they would “ban the signing of players early” the day after they inked a 23 year old franchise first baseman below market for the rest of the decade.
gbts22Quote Reply
@ gbts22:
What do they mean by “anonymity”? Don’t they know who signed the contract?
Rice in limboQuote Reply
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/cubs-get-a-steal-with-anthony-rizzo-again/
MishQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/news-and-rumors/a-look-at-anthony-rizzos-new-contract.html
dmick89Quote Reply
Speaking of the LuMBerkiNGS, I caught a preview of this book (on the Vice Magazine website, which I’m not going to link to as I desire not to get fired today) which looks pretty good:
http://www.amazon.com/Class-A-Baseball-Middle-Everywhere/dp/0307907546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368465570&sr=8-1&keywords=class+a+baseball+in+the+middle+of+everywhere
Been a while since a good baseball tell-all came out, I guess.
Also, both Muscatine and Clinton are five-time RAGBRAI host cities, so there’s that. My father was born in Muscatine and his family still lives just across the river on the Illinois side, so I’ve spent more time in the Muscatine Hy-Vee than I’d prefer to admit. dm’s description is pretty much spot-on, though I seem to recall that Muscatine was famous for muskmelons.
uncle daveQuote Reply