Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are off to as solid a start to their season as the parent club is. They pounded out 4 hits tonight. All screaming liners, I heard. They also struck out 14 times due to bad umpiring. Leadoff hitter and center fielder, Matt Szczur was 0-4 with a couple of strikeouts. Chris Valaika had one of …
Fantasy Waiver Wire: Week 1
I’m going to try to focus on players who are less than 30% owned, with maybe an exception here or there. If you are in a shallow league, there may be better bets out there, so be warned. Outfielders Melky Cabrera One of my big targets this year. Or more accurately, I didn’t realize how many folks wrote him off …
Minor League Recap 4-5-14
Iowa Cubs It was a long night for the Iowa Cubs as they were beaten 11-1. Matt Szczur was 1-3 with a walk, run scored and a strikeout. Arismendy Alcantara was also 1-3 with a double. He also had an error. Javier Baez was 0-2 with 2 strikeouts and was thrown out of the game arguing the check swing strikeout. …
Minor League Recap for April 4, 2014
I know Myles includes the Cubs, in part because they’re essentially a minor league team and in part because someone requested it. I’m not going to include them. It’s not because I have so much to say about the minor leagues. It’s because I just don’t want to write about them. Emilio Bonifacio? Seriously? No thanks. Iowa Cubs Matt Szczur …
Finding the Keys to Success for the Cubs After Two Games
If you have spent any amount of time on Twitter, listening to Chicago sports radio, or read a Cubs story by any of the Chicago beat writers (I’m making a conclusion based on two data points on that last one because I haven’t), then you probably know already that the Cubs are 1 for 27 with runners in scoring position. …
Journeymen of Tomorrow: 4/3/14
Did the Cubs Win? Cubes 3 @ Pirates 4 (16 innings) OSS: Cubs tie it up in 9th, blow it in 12th, and kiss it goodbye in 16th. Three Up 1. Luis Valbuena‘s single in the top of the 9th tied the game, part of a 3-6, 2 BB day. Even if Olt doesn’t seize 3B, we should really start …
Cubs opening day roster finalized
Alberto Cabrera DFA, Brian Schlitter takes final spot With the bullpen sorted out (for now), the Cubs opening day roster looks like: C Welington Castillo C John Baker 1B Anthony Rizzo 2B/SS Darwin Barney SS Starlin Castro 3B Mike Olt 2B/3B Luis Valbuena 2B/SS/3B/CF Emilio Bonifacio OF Ryan Kalish OF Ryan Sweeney OF Junior Lake RF Nate Schierholtz RF Justin …
Better Know a Cub: Mike Olt
Mike Olt is a strong man. He's a patient man. He's a man with a good glove. And he is a man almost wholly written off in some parts. He's a man with undeniable warts and undeniable talents; this is a quality he shares with everyone in baseball not named Mike Trout. Most importantly to me, he's a man who …
Better Know a Cub: Ryan Kalish
Theo Epstein knows Ryan Kalish as well as any GM in the minors. Kalish was drafted by the wonderkid in the 9th round of the 2006 draft; one pick before Mark Melancon. Quick Aside: Look at the 2006 Red Sox draft. It's pretty great. Epstein drafted Justin Masterson, Daniel Bard, Josh Reddick, Brandon Belt (who didn't sign), and Matt LaPorta …
Irait Chirino Stats and Video
One of the puzzling things I’ve found in digging into Cuban exiles is just who gets coverage. Jose Abreu has received plenty of attention, of course. But so has Yozzen Cuesta. Cuesta defected from a tournament in Canada last August, and has been mentioned as a promising defector in dozens of articles since. (Even on Deadspin!) The biggest mystery for …