Albuquerque Isotopes 0 @ Iowa Cubs 3 This one was a pitching duel, so not much in the way of offense. J.C. Bocan had a 2-run double that put the game away in his 1-3 day. Darnell McDonald was 2-2 with a walk. Other than that, meh. Guillermo Moscoso was tremendous, though, taking a no-hitter into the 8th, finishing with …
The National League All-Star Merit Team
The ASB is basically here, and as we know, This Time It Really Matters (No, Really, Please Watch This Game). I'd like to take to remake each team and not abide by the silly rule of having a player from each team. Today, I'll look at the NL. Catcher There are 2 catchers I'd definitely take. Yadier Molina is going to be my …
JOT: Cubs Minor League Recap 7-11-13
Hope you had your free slushies yesterday… Albuquerque Isotopes 4 @ Iowa Cubs 1 Ian Stewart went deep for the 'Topes, part of a 2-3, BB day. His BA is a blistering .194 at the moment. Whatever. Logan Watkins was 1-3 with a HBP. The only other noteworthy performance was the 1-4, 3B from Brad Nelson. Barret Loux struggled with command …
Searching for Javier Baez Comps
The Cubs promoted 20-year old Javier Baez to AA Tennessee this past weekend after a scorching half-season or so in Daytona. Baez's power output in the Florida State League was pretty incredible, as he hit 17 homers in a very pitcher-friendly league despite his young age. Last season, he hit 16 homers in 80 games spread between Peoria (in the …
Kris Bryant Signs with the Cubs
Our long regional month of boredom is over. Jim Callis is reporting that second overall pick Kris Bryant has agreed to terms with the Cubs for exactly what was prescribed by slot value, $6,708,400. Jon Heyman appears to have gotten the story first, but Scott Boras neglected to fill him in on the details, instead emphasizing the "record-setting" nature of …
Three former shortstop prospects struggle offensively
Prior to the 2010 season, Alcides Escobar was ranked by Baseball America as the 12th best prospect in baseball. That same year, Starlin Castro was ranked 16th. Also prior to 2010, Elvis Andrus had just completed an impressive rookie season with the Rangers. Andrus was ranked as high as 19th by Baseball America. Escobar was 23, Castro was 20 and …
JOT: Cubs Minor League Recap 7-7-12 and 7-8-12
July 7 Iowa Cubs 8 @ Albuquerque Isotopes 5 Very even effort from the boys here. Every starter had exactly one hit save Brad Nelson, who had 2 walks and a run anyway. Both Anthony Giansanti and Ty Wright had a pair of doubles; Wright had a walk as well, while Giansanti had a double instead of a single. Logan Watkins had his 10th …
2013 International Free Agency: Jen-Ho Tseng, Leandro Linares, and an Update on the Budget
Jen-Ho Tseng Interest? Today Jesse Sanchez reported that the Cubs are the favorite to acquire Taiwanese right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng. The Twins have previously been reported as interested. Tseng was at one point was considered the best player in this class, according to BA, but his stuff seems to have regressed somewhat, and they ended up ranking him at #23 (TAM #12). My understanding is that …
2013 MLB Draft: Tyler Alamo Signs, Bryant in a Holding Pattern
Tyler Alamo Signs, Bryant Close? Sunday we got word that Tyler Alamo, the Cubs’ 24th-rounder in the 2013 MLB draft had officially signed. Alamo was a high school catcher with a commitment to Cal State Fullerton, and speculation has been that he would require more than slot value to sign. Here’s what BA had to say about Alamo, who they ranked #348 in …
Dalier Hinojosa Stats, and a Comparison with Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez
Updates: If interested in more defector profiles and comparisons, here are Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, Odrisamer Despaigne, Aledmis Diaz, Dariel Alvarez, Alexander Guerrero, and Misael Siverio. Last week, I profiled Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, a Cuban defector drawing lots of attention on the free agent market. Gonzalez is still seeking approval from the US Treasury, but could sign with the Dodgers an MLB team soon. Dalier Hinojosa is …