Iowa Cubs 1 @ Colorado Springs Sky Sox 11
Logan Watkins had an RBI double. It was the only run the Cubs scored. Brett Jackson 2: Their First (Designated For) Assignment was 0 for 4 with a SO. Josh Vitters had a walk and went 0-3. Forget everyone else.
Brooks Raley has a 40-man spot, just thought I'd remind you. He went 4 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR. Yoanner Negrin pitched 3 innings of relief, allowing 1 unearned run on a walk and a hit. He struck out 5. He isn't on the 40-man roster. Rafael Dolis celebrated his recent demotion with a 1 IP, 2 ER performance.
Birmingham Barons 5 @ Tennessee Smokies 4
Matt Szczur had a nice little game. He went 2-3 with 2 walks, a run scored, and a run bated in. He also stole a base. Rubi Silva also had a good one, going 1-4 with a HR and 2 runs scored. He also stole a base. Arismendy Alcantara went back to SS and had an ugly 0-3, 2K game. Ronald Torreyes went 1-3 with 2 walks. He's having a fine year. Christian Villanueva went 2-3, climbing his average to .216. Progress!
Eric Jokisch couldn't handle the pressures of being the Cubs Pitcher of the Month. He went 4.1 IP, allowing 8 H, 4 BB, and 2HR for 5 ER. That was all the damage the Barons did: Brian Schlitter pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, and Frank Batista finished it off with 2 innings.
Dunedin Blue Jays @ Daytona Cubs (postponed, rain)
Kane County Cougars 4 @ Burlington Bees 1
Daniel Vogelbach went 0-1 with 2 walks and a strikeout. Putting the ball in play is for chumps. The Cougars only had 4 hits, but took advantage of 2 errors and walking 4 times to scratch 4 runs. Rock Shoulders, Bijan Rademacher, David Bote, and Oliver Zapata each had a hit. No one else did. Bote and Zapata also had walks. Jeimer Candelario had a fielding error, but Wilson Contreras one-upped him with 2 errors.
Felix Pena continues to dominate the Midwest League. He went 6 innings, allowing a single run on 2 hits (5 walks, though) and 6 strikeouts. Eddie Orozco got the save in the 7th, but he made sure to load the bases first.
Kane County Cougars 2 @ Burlington Bees 1 (10 innings)
Daniel Vogelbach went 1-4. Bijan Rademacher went 2-4, as did Marco Hernandez. Marco scored an RBI, as did Oliver Zapata. Those were the only two runs the Cougars would score in a game scheduled for 7 innings (it went 10), but it was all they needed. Jeimer Candelario also went 1-4. Rock Shoulders has hitless in 3 AB but also drew a walk.
Tayler Scott went 5.1 strong innings, surrendering a single earned run and 4 hits and 3 walks. The run was a solo home run to the sweetly named Anthony Bemboom. Steve Perakslis, Nathan Dorris, and Ian Dickson combined for 4.2 strong innings in relief, allowing just 2 baserunners between them.
Comments
That Kane County Cougars infield that was supposed to be so good has been a disappointment so far. Vogelbach has a 133 wRC+ and he’s started walking more frequently. He doesn’t strike out that often either, which has impressed me. He’ll have to show more power than he has to this point so that’s really been the only thing that has been unimpressive to this point for him.
As for the rest? A huge disappointment. Gioskar Amaya and Marco Hernandez have been terrible. Jeimer Candelario has a league average wRC+, but a slugging percentage lower than Ryan Theriot. As a 3rd baseman, that won’t work. His slugging is only .314. He has no home runs and his lack of power is what concerned me the most entering the season.
It’s still pretty early in the season, but for Amaya and Hernandez, they’re going to struggle to even end up at league average at the end of the year. That might be a best case scenario for them. It might not even be possible for Hernandez who wasn’t much of a hitter anyway.
dmick89Quote Reply
I was really high on Amaya before this year and he’s been (IMO) an even bigger disappointment than Baez.
MylesQuote Reply
@ Myles:
I was also quite high on Amaya. As for Baez, I figure after this year he’ll have been in the organization for 2+ years. If his walk and strikeout rates aren’t improved considerably over the rest of the season, I’ll probably begin to ignore him as a prospect like I did with Josh Vitters. Vitters’ walk rate was just as bad and his strikeout rate was a lot better. Both had a ton of potential, but some serious issues holding them back. Baez’s strikeout to walk rates are just horrendous. He’s a free swinger who rarely sees a pitch he doesn’t like and has trouble hitting it. Still a lot of potential if he can fix it, but odds keep getting worse.
dmick89Quote Reply
I don’t know why, but I’m really disappointed in Brett Jackson’s struggles. I mean, I knew he had flaws, and I know prospects break your heart, but I still let myself believe that he might actually work out. Just once I want a Cubs prospect to say “Fuck you odds, I’ll cut my K% and up my BB% as much as I damn well please.”
Being a Cubs fan is like playing Hungry Hungry Hippos with the table slanted.
EdwinQuote Reply
@ Edwin:
One of these days, we’ll figure out how to slant the table in our favor.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Strasburg looks great so far.
dmick89Quote Reply
@ dmick89:
Rice CubeQuote Reply
What the hell, Rizzo?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
This got ugly for the Nats in a hurry.
dmick89Quote Reply
1-out sacrifice (first-to-second) with runners on the corners. Ugh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And it worked (DeJesus drove in both runners)! That just makes me angrier.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
You don’t like DeJesus?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
I wasn’t talking about DeJesus. I only added the bit about him in parentheses to explain what I meant when I said the bunt “worked.” (I originally didn’t include it, but I thought it was confusing).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Question of the day: Can Shawn Camp be trusted with a 7-run lead?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Oh I know, I’m just messin’ with ya π π
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
OK, I was debating with myself whether to take that seriously or not (I tend to err on the latter side).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Velocity comparisons:
Strasburg changeup > Camp fastball
Strasburg curveball > Camp slider
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Has anyone seen Vogelbach and could maybe explain his power struggles? The kid obviously has the muscle. Does his swing look any different?
Am I wrong in thinking that an increased walk rate should also mean better contact and thus, more power?
AkabariQuote Reply
@ Akabari:
Maybe he’s not as good as his competition.
EdwinQuote Reply
Watching the Sox/Angels game, Jeff Keppinger’s triple slash through 120 PA:
.195/.192(!!!)/.212
Dear lord.
GBTSQuote Reply
Look, B, I know the Cubs are bad right now, but don’t you think this is a pretty extreme way to escape from them? And did you ask MB, 424, and AC before submitting the for four?
SVBQuote Reply
Germany I am in you
BerseliusQuote Reply
SVB wrote:
I applied for all of them to go in my bid to usurp the Discredited Throne
MylesQuote Reply
New Shit
MylesQuote Reply