Minor League Roundup

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=39935:date=May 25 2009, 04:17 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ May 25 2009, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=39920:date=May 25 2009, 02:30 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>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-->
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We'll be 10 games under .500 -- if we're lucky -- by the final week of June.
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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?
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I doubt Fox would make a huge difference, but I'm willing to try anything at this point. I do think bringing up Fox and letting Patton go makes sense. I have no idea why we continue to hide him on our roster when we could clearly use another bat.

It's hard to imagine them continuing to play this poorly for another month, but I'm not willing to rule it out, either. This season just has a bad feeling about it -- a lot like how 2005 felt after Lee got hurt.

[Coach]

<!--quoteo(post=39917:date=May 25 2009, 04:07 PM:name=savant)-->QUOTE (savant @ May 25 2009, 04:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->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.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I think he could be our #1 pitching prospect.

[Kid]

<b>May 24:</b>


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Sacramento (27-17)   5  11 2
Iowa (22-20)         3  7  3
WP: Sean Gallagher (1-0)
LP: Jeff Samardzija (1-1)
SV: Jay Marshall (1)
HR: SAC - Chris Denorfia (3)

Samardzija: 4.2 IP, 4 R, 4 ER (4.40 ERA), 8 H, 2 BB, 5 K, WP
Vince Perkins: 2.1 IP, 1 R, 1 ER (3.63 ERA), 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K
Jason Dubois: 1-3 (.348), 2B (10), RBI (22), BB, K<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Birmingham (30-14)   8  16 0
Tennessee (20-22)    2  7  2
WP: Aaron Poreda (4-4)
LP: Casey Lambert (3-3)
HR: BIR - Gordon Beckham (4), Tyler Flowers (6)

Lambert: 5.0 IP, 3 R, 3 ER (2.32 ERA), 9 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Darwin Barney: 2-4 (.338), 2B (8), K
Blake Lalli: 2-4 (.366), RBI (13), R, K<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
South Bend (20-22)  
Peoria (23-19)       (Canceled/Rain)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=40040:date=May 25 2009, 07:53 PM:name=Coach)-->QUOTE (Coach @ May 25 2009, 07:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=39917:date=May 25 2009, 04:07 PM:name=savant)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (savant @ May 25 2009, 04:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->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.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I think he could be our #1 pitching prospect.
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Yeah it seems like it.

[Coach]

Sean Gallagher!

[savant]

Vitters with #11 tonight, also drew his fourth walk.

[savant]

Cashner had his best pro start tonight going five innings for the first time and only allowing one run.

Carpenter struck out the side in the first, but was then removed because of a rain delay.

This seems to be the deepest group of prospects I can remember being in the Cubs system.

[Kid]

<b>May 26:</b>


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Sacramento (27-17)  
Iowa (22-20)         (PPD/Rain)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->



Game 1:
<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Huntsville (21-20)   6  14 0
Tennessee (21-22)    8  11 0 (F/7)
WP: Todd Blackford (1-0)
LP: Robert Hinton (0-3)
HR: HUN - Vinny Rottino (2); TEN - Brandon Guyer (1), James Adduci (1)

Marcos Mateo: GS, 5.0 IP, 2 R, 2 ER (5.19 ERA), 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Ty Wright: 2-4 (.257), 2B (8), RBI (18), 2 R
Russ Canzler: 2-3 (.280), R, BB<!--c2--><!--ec2-->

Game 2:
<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Huntsville (22-20)   7  7  1
Tennessee (21-23)    1  4  1 (F/7)
WP: Donovan Hand (3-1)
LP: James Russell (2-3)
SV: Derrick Ellison (2)
HR: HUN - Kevin Melillo (3)

Russell: 5.0 IP, 4 R, 4 ER (5.11 ERA), 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 WP
Alex Maestri: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER (2.40 ERA), 1 H, 1 BB, 0 K, WP, HBP
Darwin Barney: 1-3 (.336), RBI (17)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                     R  H  E
Daytona (19-20)      2  8  1
Palm Beach (17-27)   3  6  1
WP: Adam Reifer (1-4)
LP: Luke Sommer (0-1)

Andrew Cashner: GS, 5.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER (2.41 ERA), 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K
Tony Campana: 3-5 (.306), 2B (2), K
Mark Reed: 2-3 (.207), 3B (2), 2 RBI (10)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->


<!--c1-->CODE<!--ec1-->                  R  H  E
Clinton (24-21)   9  15 2
Peoria (23-20)    3  7  2
WP: Cheyne Hann (2-0)
LP: Jeffrey Beliveau (0-1)
HR: PEO - Josh Vitters (11)

Christopher Carpenter: GS, 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER (2.90 ERA), 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Vitters: 2-4 (.359), RBI (28), 2 R, BB
Kyler Burke: 2-4 (.306), 2B (17), 2 RBI (22)<!--c2--><!--ec2-->

[Clapp]

If Darwin Barney can hit over .250, he's going to be a major league player for a long time. I really believe that. Great to see him hitting .336.

[Coach]

Kyler Burke has an OPS of 860 and is slugging over 500 so far. Remember, he only recently turned 21.

[Coldneck]

<!--quoteo(post=40299:date=May 27 2009, 09:20 AM:name=Coach)-->QUOTE (Coach @ May 27 2009, 09:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Kyler Burke has an OPS of 860 and is slugging over 500 so far. Remember, he only recently turned 21.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'd like to see how he does in High A ball.

[BT]

<!--quoteo(post=40305:date=May 27 2009, 08:40 AM:name=Coldneck)-->QUOTE (Coldneck @ May 27 2009, 08:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=40299:date=May 27 2009, 09:20 AM:name=Coach)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coach @ May 27 2009, 09:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Kyler Burke has an OPS of 860 and is slugging over 500 so far. Remember, he only recently turned 21.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'd like to see how he does in High A ball.
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That's a very good point. He is a tools guy, so he may have figured things out. On the other hand, it might all go to shitsville once he hits AA.

[Kid]

<!--quoteo(post=40306:date=May 27 2009, 09:55 AM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ May 27 2009, 09:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=40305:date=May 27 2009, 08:40 AM:name=Coldneck)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coldneck @ May 27 2009, 08:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=40299:date=May 27 2009, 09:20 AM:name=Coach)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coach @ May 27 2009, 09:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Kyler Burke has an OPS of 860 and is slugging over 500 so far. Remember, he only recently turned 21.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'd like to see how he does in High A ball.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


That's a very good point. He is a tools guy, so he may have figured things out. On the other hand, it might all go to shitsville once he hits AA.
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He's had so much success in just his 4th season in the Midwest League. Just think, if we promote him, history suggests he'll be this good in the Florida State League by 2012. He should be MLB-ready by 2020 and all star caliber by 2024.

[BT]

Have you guys noticed the year Huseby is having? It might have been mentioned somewhere in this mega thread, but he's got 25 strikeouts in 19 innings, and a 25 to 2 K to BB ratio. That's pretty impressive.

[rok]

<!--quoteo(post=40281:date=May 26 2009, 11:42 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ May 26 2009, 11:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->If Darwin Barney can hit over .250, he's going to be a major league player for a long time. I really believe that. Great to see him hitting .336.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm ready to turn the page at that position and finally add a true SS to our roster. Here's to hoping Barney or someone in our system is the guy.