Minor League Roundup

[savant]

I would promote him to wherever he is going to play next year for the last three-four weeks of the season. It will give him an idea of what he will be up against next year, and give him a chance to familiarize himself with his new surroundings.

[ColoradoCub]

I could get behind Savant's suggestion. I just looked at his stats, and while they're good, he appears to need to work on his patience...

.354/.382/.604
9 HR, 24 RBI, 23 K's and 3 BB's in 144 ABs

[Clapp]

I still think we'll trade him anyway.

[Kid]

<b>May 23:</b>


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                 R  H  E
Fresno (22-20)   8  14 2
Iowa (22-19)     2  10 3
WP: Kevin Pucetas (4-1)
LP: Esmailin Caridad (3-4)
HR: FRE - Steve Holm (1)

Caridad: GS, 6.0 IP, 5 R, 2 ER (4.87 ERA), 8 H, 1 BB, 7 K
Andres Blanco: 2-4 (.310), K
Jake Fox: 2-5 (.423), 2B (14)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Birmingham (29-13)   2  6  0
Tennessee (19-21)    5  8  0
WP: Casey Coleman (4-1)
LP: Brian Omogrosso (4-2)
SV: Brian Schlitter (6)
HR: TEN - Welington Castillo (4), Russ Canzler (2)

Coleman: GS, 5.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER (3.21 ERA), 3 H, 3 BB, 1 K
Blake Lalli: 3-4 (.355), 2 2B (9), RBI (12), R
Tony Thomas: 2-4 (.326), 2B (10), BB, K<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                   R  H  E
Lakeland (17-19)  
Daytona (19-19)    (PPD/Rain)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
South Bend (20-21)   3  10 2
Peoria (22-19)       2  3  0
WP: Taylor Sinclair (1-1)
LP: Marcus Hatley (3-2)
SV: Yonata Ortega (1)
HR: SB - Alfredo Marte (2)

Hatley: GS, 5.0 IP, 3 R, 3 ER (5.14 ERA), 8 H, 1 BB, 8 K, WP
Manolin De Leon: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER (1.93 ERA), 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Josh Harrison: 1-3 (.381), R, BB, K<!--c2--><!--ec2-->

[kbwsb]

Jake Fox sucks.
His batting average took yet another tumble after getting only 2 hits tonight.

[Ace]

Tennessee has a couple of impressive Caseys.

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=39819:date=May 24 2009, 09:24 AM:name=Ace)-->QUOTE (Ace @ May 24 2009, 09:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Tennessee has a couple of impressive Caseys.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yeah, they're flying up the prospect list as are a lot of the Cubs minor leagers. If a lot of these guys can keep up their production, it will be interesting to see where our system ranks at the end of the year.

[Scarey]

So, has anyone seen what Blake Lalli has quietly done the last two years? He's always been a good contact hitter, but since he was promoted to +A ball at the beginning of last year, he's put up a .513 slugging %. He seems to be a pretty good defender at 1B and the one negative I've always heard about him is he didn't drive the ball enough to be a legitimate first baseman and that's why they were trying him behind the plate.

I wonder if he's a legitimate option for a Derrek Lee successor? He just turned 26 so he's old for AA, but this is only his fourth year as a Cub and they've been trying to convert him to catcher in the lower minors. If he's adjusted his swing for power and can still hit for contact (hitting .355 in AA) I could see him being a surprise late bloomer much like Soto.

If Fox gets a call up to Chicago, I would expect Lalli to be called up to AAA. It'll be interesting to see what he does there.

[Kid]

<b>May 24:</b>


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                 R  H  E
Fresno (23-20)   3  5  1
Iowa (22-20)     2  8  3
WP: Felix Romero (2-2)
LP: Jeff Stevens (0-1)
SV: Geno Espineli (4)
HR: FRE - Andres Torres (1)

J.R. Mathes: GS, 7.0 IP, 2 R, 1 ER (3.40 ERA), 3 H, 2 BB, 1 K
Nate Spears: 2-3 (.190), 2B (6), RBI (11)
Andres Blanco: 2-4 (.315), 2 R, SB (2)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Birmingham (29-14)   3  5  1
Tennessee (20-21)    5  11 1
WP: Jay Jackson (3-3)
LP: Kyle McCulloch (4-4)
SV: John Gaub (1)

Jackson: GS, 6.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER (3.57 ERA), 3 H, 3 BB, 8 K
Todd Blackford: 2.0 IP, 2 R, 2 ER (6.75 ERA), 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K, HBP
Steve Clevenger: 3-4 (.365), RBI (10), R<!--c2--><!--ec2-->



Game 1:
<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                   R  H  E
Lakeland (17-19)  
Daytona (19-19)    (PPD/Rain)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->

Game 2:
<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                   R  H  E
Lakeland (17-19)  
Daytona (19-19)    (PPD/Rain)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
South Bend (20-22)   3  12 3
Peoria (23-19)       4  9  1
WP: Erik Hamren (1-3)
LP: Bayron Zepeda (1-1)
HR: PEO - Josh Vitters (10)

Justin Bristow: GS, 3.1 IP, 1 R, 1 ER (4.64 ERA), 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Vitters: 2-4 (.355), 2 RBI (27), R, E (8)
Michael Brenly: 2-4 (.239), 2B (2), RBI (12)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=39833:date=May 24 2009, 01:38 PM:name=Scarey)-->QUOTE (Scarey @ May 24 2009, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I wonder if he's a legitimate option for a Derrek Lee successor?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'd like to think at first base we'll go out and get a proven 1b in his prime, like the Yankees did with Teixeira. Who knows what position we'll be in financially after next season, but that's my hope anyway.

[Butcher]

Jake Fox needs to get called up yesterday. And can we please drop Patton already? For fuck's sake.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=39892:date=May 25 2009, 08:19 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ May 25 2009, 08:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Jake Fox needs to get called up yesterday. And can we please drop Patton already? For fuck's sake.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They're calling him up for interleague play it appears.

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Jake Fox has a 13-game hitting streak at Triple-A Iowa and is hitting .423 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs in 37 games.

But if the Cubs call him up, it probably won't be until the final week of June, when they get to use a designated hitter in six interleague games against the White Sox and Detroit.

"We've talked about Jake, but where do you put him?" Piniella said. "We know he's swinging the bat really well. ... If he could play third base, that would be an obvious place. He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play.

"I know we're having trouble scoring runs, but, boy, if we give up many, it makes it more difficult. Maybe when we get into the American League and you need a DH, or we want to put him at first base and DH Derrek Lee one day, or something like that, that's a possibility."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[savant]

After Jay Jackson got off to his slow start in AA, he has come on very strong in his last five games. ERA and whip both around 1.00 over that stretch, and has brought his season era down to the mid 3's.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=39911:date=May 25 2009, 02:36 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ May 25 2009, 02:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=39892:date=May 25 2009, 08:19 AM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ May 25 2009, 08:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Jake Fox needs to get called up yesterday. And can we please drop Patton already? For fuck's sake.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They're calling him up for interleague play it appears.

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Jake Fox has a 13-game hitting streak at Triple-A Iowa and is hitting .423 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs in 37 games.

But if the Cubs call him up, it probably won't be until the final week of June, when they get to use a designated hitter in six interleague games against the White Sox and Detroit.

"We've talked about Jake, but where do you put him?" Piniella said. "We know he's swinging the bat really well. ... If he could play third base, that would be an obvious place. He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play.

"I know we're having trouble scoring runs, but, boy, if we give up many, it makes it more difficult. Maybe when we get into the American League and you need a DH, or we want to put him at first base and DH Derrek Lee one day, or something like that, that's a possibility."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We'll be 10 games under .500 -- if we're lucky -- by the final week of June.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=39920:date=May 25 2009, 02:30 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ May 25 2009, 02:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=39911:date=May 25 2009, 02:36 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ May 25 2009, 02:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=39892:date=May 25 2009, 08:19 AM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ May 25 2009, 08:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Jake Fox needs to get called up yesterday. And can we please drop Patton already? For fuck's sake.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They're calling him up for interleague play it appears.

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Jake Fox has a 13-game hitting streak at Triple-A Iowa and is hitting .423 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs in 37 games.

But if the Cubs call him up, it probably won't be until the final week of June, when they get to use a designated hitter in six interleague games against the White Sox and Detroit.

"We've talked about Jake, but where do you put him?" Piniella said. "We know he's swinging the bat really well. ... If he could play third base, that would be an obvious place. He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play.

"I know we're having trouble scoring runs, but, boy, if we give up many, it makes it more difficult. Maybe when we get into the American League and you need a DH, or we want to put him at first base and DH Derrek Lee one day, or something like that, that's a possibility."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We'll be 10 games under .500 -- if we're lucky -- by the final week of June.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No. You really think Jake Fox is going to change things that much though? Even if we had Aramis Ramirez this last week, it's unlikely we win any of those games, <i>maybe</i> 1. When your 1-2 hitters get on base 4 times in 45 plate appearances, it's going to be hard to score very many runs.
Look, there's no big changes we should be looking to make with the offense. These guys have always hit and are going to. Aside from Bradley, they've all hit well at different parts of this early season, just haven't been able to get them going at the same time yet like last year. If I knew Fox could handle 3rd adequately, of course I'd love to have him there right now, and Lou said the same thing. But it's a panic move, begging for any sort of offense. Do you really believe it's going to keep going like this for another month?