JOT: Cubs Minor League Recap 5-20-13

Las Vegas 51s @ Iowa Cubs: Postponed – Rain

Tennessee Smokies 9 @ Chattanooga Lookouts 2 (Game 1 – 7 innings)

Matt Szczur had a double and 2 RBI, and a strikeout also. Ronald Torreyes continues to cool off with an 0-4 performance. Arismendy Alcantara is really picking it up as of late, going 3-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. It's nice to see; I have a divergent opinion from Luke regarding Alcantara, and I still think I'm right. His BABIP is lower than it usually is, but it has always been an unsustainably high number. Alcantara does not profile to have a BABIP north of .340; that's just not the type of hitter he is. His walk rate is up (and he's been on fire lately), but so are his strikeouts. He also doesn't look like he can stick at SS (but might stick at 2B). I'm optimistic that Alcantara can take a step forward this year (and with his past 3 games, he's actually improved upon his ISO). He's a terror on the basepaths, also, which will be nice. Christian Villanueva had a 2-run bomb in the 4th inning for his 3rd shot of the year. It was his only hit. Rubi Silva had a double and single for an RBI. Jonathon Mota scored 2 runs on a hit, walk, and strikeout. Alberto Cabrera even drove in a run with a double. 

Alberto Cabrera pitched a complete game for the Smokies. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks accounting for 2 runs, and he K'ed 6. 

Tennessee Smokies 0 @ Chattanooga Lookouts 1 (Game 2 – 7 innings)

The only extra-base hit the Smokies collected was another double from Eric Jokisch, the starting pitcher. The only other players to get a hit were Ronald Torreyes (1-3), Christian Villanueva (2-3), and Ty Wright (1-3). Arismendy Alcantara did have a pinch hit walk, as did Rubi Silva. Those were the only two walks of the game for the Smokies.

Eric Jokisch had a great perfomance. He went 6 scoreless, with 3 hits, a walk, and 5 strikeouts. He needed a good performance after a rash of bad ones. Marcus Hatley blew the game in the bottom of the 7th.

Daytona Cubs 1 @ Jupiter Hammerheads 4

John Andreoli had a rough night. He barely missed the golden sombrero (0-4, 3 K). Zeke DeVoss went 2-3 and was hit by a pitch. Javier Baez had a good night, with his 10th and 11th doubles and a strikeout. His average is now .262 on the year. Jorge Soler had a bad night at the plate; he had a single and 3 strikeouts. Chadd Krist had a single and a walk. As a team, the Cubs struckout 15 times. That's pretty unacceptable; only DeVoss didn't have a strikeout in this game.

Kyler Burke (remember him? Got him in a trade for Michael Barrett as an outfielder, converted to pitcher, 25 years old…) had a good performance in his first start of the season. He went 5 innings, allowed 4 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and a run. You have to figure they'll promote him aggressively. Eduardo Figueroa was tagged for 3 runs in 2.1 innings of work and was quite hittable. Sheldon McDonald allowed a hit in 0.2 innings.

Kane County Cougars 7 @ Cedar Rapids Kernels 8

Gioskar Amaya had a great day. He went 2-4 with 2 doubles and a walk. Dan Vogelbach had 2 strikeouts, 2 RBI, and 2 singles. He was also picked off. Jeimer Candelario had a really nice day, with a run and 2 RBI off of a 4-5 day. Rock Shoulders kept the bat more or less on his shoulder; he went 0-2 with 3 walks. Oliver Zapata was 1-4 with a doulbe and a run scored (also an RBI). 

Tayler Scott has had a pretty nice year but he was awful today. He allowed a home run to Twins' megaprospect Byron Buxton, but he allowed 7 other hits and 2 walks also in a 5.1 IP, 5 R, 4 ER night. He struck out 4. Nathan Dorris blew the save and took the loss with 1.2 innings of 3-run ball. Steve Perakslis mopped it up in the 8th.