Minor League Roundup

[BT]

SI ranks us 18th in minor league systems. Cardinals are ranked 29, by the way.

[Andy]

I don't know if it's been mentioned, but Castro is hitting .182/.280/.182 in 8 games for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican League. I'm sure he's tired, but it's odd that while the media couldn't stop talking about him in the AFL, they haven't said a word about him in the DWL.

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=70622:date=Dec 4 2009, 10:14 AM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Dec 4 2009, 10:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->SI ranks us 18th in minor league systems. Cardinals are ranked 29, by the way.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I read that article yesterday and didn't like it. They did poorly looking at the depth of each system and more relied on the big names in each one or just higher level (AAA and AA) prospects. I don't know too much about all the minor league systems. For instance, from what I know about the Cardinals is they are depleted but still near the middle of the pack.

[Mikey]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->12/3 Winter ball update
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Yesterday at 8:56am

Brad Snyder had two hits and Jeff Stevens picked up his second straight save in Mexicali's 4-1 win over Culiacan on Wednesday. Snyder, who was claimed off waivers from Cleveland in September 2008, is batting .373 in 42 games in the Mexican Winter League with 36 RBIs. At Triple-A Iowa this year, he batted .278 with 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 69 games.

In Venezuela, Robinson Chirinos hit a two-run homer in Magallanes' 8-7 loss to Margarita. Chirinos now has seven homers and 23 RBIs in 35 games.

In the Dominican Republic, Jake Fox went 1-for-4 in Licey's 4-3 win over Gigantes. Fox went hitless for the first time on Tuesday, and now is batting .296 in seven games.

-- Carrie Muskat<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Coach]

I think that Snyder may have a chance to make the roster as a backup OF.

[Ace]

<!--quoteo(post=70624:date=Dec 4 2009, 09:38 AM:name=Andy)-->QUOTE (Andy @ Dec 4 2009, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I don't know if it's been mentioned, but Castro is hitting .182/.280/.182 in 8 games for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican League. I'm sure he's tired, but it's odd that while the media couldn't stop talking about him in the AFL, they haven't said a word about him in the DWL.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Eh - that's like a mini bonus league as a reward for the organization's top prospects, I think. I don't know how much anyone reads into it.

[Mikey]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->12/14 Winter ball update
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Today at 9:01am

Brad Snyder went 2-for-4, including a triple, and drove in two runs for Mexicali on Sunday. The outfielder was batting .380 with eight homers and 47 RBIs in 52 games in the Mexican League. Snyder batted .278 at Triple-A Iowa this season.

Matt Camp went 1-for-5 and was batting .336 in 53 games. Jeff Stevens walked two and gave up two runs in one-third of an inning for Mexicali. In 12 games, the right-hander has a 4.61 ERA. He has walked eight and given up nine hits over 13 2/3 innings. Jim Adduci was playing for Hermosillo, and batting .224 in 20 games.

In Venezuela, catcher Robinson Chirinos went 2-for-4 Sunday for Magallanes. He was batting .338 in 43 games with eight homers and 26 RBIs. The Cubs were worried they would lose Chirinos in the Rule 5 Draft.

Andres Blanco has apparently finished his Winter Ball stint, batting .294 in 35 games for Magallanes. His last game was Dec. 4.

-- Carrie Muskat<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Mikey]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->12/17 Minor matters
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Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 3:30pm

The Cubs named their Minor League coaching staffs on Thursday. Ryne Sandberg was promoted to Triple-A Iowa, Bill Dancy takes over at Double-A Tennessee, and former big league catcher Jody Davis returns to managing in Boise where he'll be joined by Jeff Fassero.

Sandberg, the Hall of Fame second baseman who led Tennessee to the Southern League championship in 2009, was moved up when Iowa manager Bobby Dickerson left to join the Baltimore Orioles' organization. Sandberg will be joined at Iowa by pitching coach Mike Mason and hitting coach Von Joshua.

Dancy joins the Cubs after spending the past 30 years within the Philadelphia Phillies (1978-2009) and Kansas City Royals (2009) organizations. In 2005-06, he was the Phillies' third base coach. Dennis Lewallyn will join Dancy as the Smokies pitching coach and Tom Beyers as the hitting coach.

Davis, who managed Peoria and Daytona, spent the 2009 season as the Cubs' Minor League catching instructor and returns to the dugout for Class A Boise. Ricardo Medina, who previously coached with the Dominican Summer League, will serve as Boise's hitting coach.

Davis, who was the Cubs catcher from 1981-1988, will be joined by former big league pitcher Fassero, who helped with the Cubs this summer in Mesa. Being retired was nice but the left-hander wanted to do more.

"I played golf," Fassero told me in October, "but you can only do that for so long."

Dave Bialas and Mark Riggins both return to the Cubs in 2010 as the Minor League field coordinator and pitching coordinator, respectively. So does ex-Cub Bobby Dernier, back as the outfield and baserunning coordinator. Infield coordinator Franklin Font and hitting coordinator Dave Keller also return. Carmelo Martinez enters his 13th season with the Cubs, and third as Latin American field coordinator, and Marty Pevey takes over as catching coordinator.

Buddy Bailey, who has been with the Cubs since 2006, will return to Class A Daytona and be joined by pitching coach Tom Pratt and former big league outfielder Richie Zisk. Casey Kopitzke, who managed at Class A Boise in 2009, will move up to Peoria in 2010. David Rosario and Barbaro Garbey will join Kopitzke as the pitching and hitting coaches, respectively.

Juan Cabreja will be the Rookie League Mesa manager for the second straight year and Rick Tronerud returns to handle pitching coach duties for the 10th consecutive season. Desi Wilson joins the staff as the hitting coach after handling those duties for Peoria last year.

-- Carrie Muskat<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Mikey]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->12/22 Winter ball update
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Today at 8:48am

Cubs prospect Robinson Chirinos has been on fire in Venezuela. On Friday, he went 4-for-4, hitting a home run and driving in two runs, to help Magallanes beat Caribes, 7-4, in the Venezuelan Winter League. The catcher followed that with a 1-for-3 game on Sunday. He's batting .359 in 46 games with 10 doubles, nine homers and 32 RBIs.

Andres Blanco played 37 games with Magallanes, and hit .291 with 11 doubles, two triples, two homers and 27 RBIs. He played primarily at second base and hit second in the order.

Sam Fuld played in six games for Aragua in Venezuela, and batted .241 with two doubles, two triples and five RBIs.

In the Mexican League, Jeff Stevens struck out one in one inning of relief Sunday for Mexicali. Stevens has appeared in 16 games for the Mexican League team, and has a 0-4 record, two saves and a 4.15 ERA. He's walked nine over 17 1/3 innings and struck out 12. The right-hander is holding batters to a .212 average.

Infielder Junior Lake, who batted .248 for Class A Peoria this season, was 7-for-16 in four games with Estrellas in the Dominican League.

Outfielder Jim Adduci appears to have finished his Winter League assignment. He played in 20 games for Hermosillo and batted .224 with two homers and seven RBIs. Infielder Matt Camp batted .333 in 56 games for Mexicali. He hit 18 doubles, two triples, and two homers.

-- Carrie Muskat<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->