This one'll probably be a bit short; writing it in the car on the way to Pittsburgh and PNC Park. Tomorrow's will be a little more detailed.
Omaha Storm Chasers 5 @ Iowa Cubs 5 (Game Postponed in the middle of the 6th)
This game got rained out partway through. Thus far, Steve Clevenger has been the highlight, going 3-3 with a home run. Dave Sappelt was 1-3 with a double. Brad Nelson was 1-2 with a walk. Junior Lake finished up 1-2. Brent Lillibridge was 1-2 with a walk and two SBs. Everybody else is hitless so far, though Darnell McDonald had a walk.
Brooks Raley continues to be not great. 5 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, with 2 Ks over five innings. Jeffry Antigua worked a clean 6th, giving up 1 hit and K'ing 1.
Mississippi Braves 4 @ Tennessee Smokies 3
A nice day for both Ronald Torreyes and Rubi Silva, both collecting 3 hits and a double, Torreyes in 4 ABs and Silva in 5. Torreyes also added a BB. Arismendy Alcantara was 1-2 with 3 walks. Bully for him. Jonathan Mota joined the 3-hit party with a 3-4 day with a walk. Pin-Chieh Chen was 2-3 with a triple. Matt Szczur was 1-4 with a BB.
Austin Kirk had a fairly meh start. 5 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, and 3 each of walks and strikeouts. Tony Zych took the loss, giving up a walk and a run in his inning of work while striking out 2. Trey McNutt worked an inning and faced the minimum. Zach Rosscup gave up a hit and a walk in his inning, but struck out one and didn't allow a run. Frank Batista gave up a hit in the ninth, but was otherwise clean.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5 at Kane Couny Cougars 1
Not much in the way of offense for the Cougars yesterday. Wilson Contreras had the best day of the group, going 2-3 with a triple. That was KC's only extra base hit. Albert Almora was 1-4 and had another caught stealing. As complete a player as Almora already is, he really, really needs work on the basepaths. Or to just stop running. Dan Vogelbach and Rock Shoulders were both 1-4. Bijan Rademacher walked twice. That was the extent of the offense.
On the pitching side, Michael Heesch gave up 5 runs on 8 hits in six innings of work. He struck out one. Nathan Dorris worked a perfect 7th, and Shawn Camp closed out the 8th and 9th, giving up a hit and striking out three in his rehab appearance.
Boise Hawks 7 @ Eugene Emeralds 0
Shawon Dunston led the way with a 4-6 day, including a 2B. Kevin Encarnacion followed up with a 2-4 day with a double of his own, as well as a walk. Jacob Rogers was 1-3, but his one hit was a home run, and he added 2 walks. Yasiel Balaguert was 1-4 with a double and a walk. Trevor Gretzky went 1-5, as did Carlos Penalver. Daniel Lockhart was 2-4 with a walk. David Bote was 1-3 with a walk.
The pitching was the story in this game, shutting out the Emeralds. James Pugliese threw 5 scoreless, striking out 7 and giving up 3 hits. Jasvir Rakkar's only blemish was a walk on 2 otherwise spotless innings. Matt Iannazzo gave up a hit and nothing more in his inning of work. And Michael Hamann was perfect in the 9th, striking out 1.
Comments
I have had a new outlook on Baez recently. I used to be very hopeful that he would incrrease his patience and walk more, and while i still hope he does, I think he is still a great prospect with below average walk rate he has. His stats just scream Soriano when Soriano was good to me. Yes everyone knows that getting on base via the walk is important, so is power and Baez clearly has it in spades. If Baez can hit like Soriano while playing an ok shortstop (which many scouts think he can turn into), or even a good 2B or 3B. Ya he can K a lot and not walk a lot, like Soriano, but that offensive production from that kind of position would be awesome. So i think his floor isn’t as low as people think because its clear he has legitimate power and legitimate ability to make consistent hard contact. Yes he should work on being more patient and K-ing less but if he doesnt, it doesn’t automatically make him a bust. someone with the speed, power, and defensive skills Baez has can be a very valuable player even if they K a little more than average and walk a little less than average.
AndrewQuote Reply
@ Andrew:
I think he can be valuable, but his window of value may be a little more narrow.
joshQuote Reply
Redemption for Castro!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Well, that was unusual.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
64 wRC+ for Castro now.
dmick89Quote Reply
So how come Mark Appel signed for something like 20% under slot?
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
Is it finalized or just rumor?
dmick89Quote Reply
@ GBTS:
Who wouldn’t be excited to sign with the Astros?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
apparently poncedeleon, who tweeted a picture of himself after signing his contract, is now going back to school.
/resisting the urge to make an “untrustworthy conquistadors” joke
GWQuote Reply
Heyman says deal between $6 and $6.5M. Slot was $8M.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
Probably because Appel didn’t really have any options other than signing for what the Astros offered.
dmick89Quote Reply
Another pitcher head injury: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9390476/alex-cobb-tampa-bay-rays-hit-head-line-drive-vs-kansas-city-royals
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
callis reporting $6.35. could have gotten that (and probably promoted more quickly) with the cubs.
GWQuote Reply
@ GW:
Since he can stay forever young…might as well take his time, right?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ GW:
Where’d you hear this btw? I note that the picture of him holding his contract is no longer on his timeline.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
http://forums.prosportsdaily.com/showthread.php?822175-2013-Chicago-Cubs-Draft-Class-amp-Signings
non-stop twitter stalking there
GWQuote Reply
Happy Father’s Day, everyone!
If you google search “cubs,” our re-undiscredited blog is on the 8th page of hits.
MylesQuote Reply
@ Myles:
Congratulations!
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Myles:
`For me it didn’t show up at all in 27 pages of hits. I think there’s probably some geographic twist to the rankings or I might have missed it scrolling through all those links for the official Cubs LinkedIn page, isthereacubsgametoday.com, Gay Cubs Tube, and BCB.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
GBTSQuote Reply
Thanks, Mets defense!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
http://wapc.mlb.com/chc/play/?content_id=28076431&topic_id=8878538&c_id=chc
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Pac Bell, I am sitting in traffic next to you
Berselius37Quote Reply
That’s the worst way to lose, I think.
joshQuote Reply
Not enough facepalms in the world.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Gerrit Cole now has 3 strikeouts and no walks in 12 career innings pitched.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Anyone watching college world series? NC state is about to upset in-state rival (and #1) UNC because Carlos Rodon looks like a badass on the mound. I think he’s supposed to be a top 5 pick in next years draft. Maybe the Cubs can get him.
Recalcitrant Blogger NateQuote Reply
Carlos Marmol gave up 4 runs on 19 pitches, culminated by a 3-run upper deck bomb from a guy hitting .109.
I can’t even imagine how hard that would be if you TRIED to do that.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
Is it funnier because he wasn’t trying to do that?
rice in limboQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
The only out he got was on a sac bunt.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Marm was unlucky. His ERA for the day was a full 18 runs higher than his FIP (108 vs. 90).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Skulina signs for 800,000. Well overslot. Cubs now over 300k over budget. I feel like they’re still fine, especially if they can get Hannemann signed for a reasonable number
2883Quote Reply
@ Recalcitrant Blogger Nate:
Expected to go #1. a lot can change between now and next June though
2883Quote Reply
@ 2883:
I don’t know, the Marlins are looking pretty bad. It is going to be tough to catch up with them for the #1 overall pick.
WaLiQuote Reply
Busy at work today, so maybe no JOT.
Here’s the affiliates list for today.
http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?sid=milb&org=112&ymd=20130616
MylesQuote Reply
The Cubs are going to be lucky to get a sack of wet dog shit for Marmol at this point.
joshQuote Reply
@ Myles:
I’m going to get the updated prospects list up this morning so no big deal.
dmick89Quote Reply
So what happened with Appel seems to imply that dmick was right about the prospects having zero leverage under the new draft rules.
joshQuote Reply
Assuming the rumors are true, of course.
joshQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/2013-midseason-top-cubs-prospects.html
dmick89Quote Reply