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Cubs Top 20 Review


Brian Dopirak

Chicago Cubs Top 20 Review

  1. Brian Dopirak: .239/.282/.384 for Class A Daytona, with a 8/25 BB/K ratio in 138 at-bats. He's cut down on his strikeouts, but his production is down across the board.
  2. Felix Pie: .355/.404/.638 at Double-A West Tennessee, with 13 steals. Looks like a breakout season, putting his tools together.    
  3. Billy Petrick: 1-3, 4.50 in 7 starts for Daytona, 22/15 K/BB in 32 innings. Mediocre performance, he is capable of better than this.  
  4. Angel Guzman: Still struggling with shoulder problems.
  5. Reynel Pinto: Recently demoted to Double-A after poor performance in Triple-A, due to command problems.  
  6. Jason Dubois: Slugging .574 for the Cubs, albeit in limited action.
  7. Bobby Brownlie: 5.59 ERA with 23/16 K/BB in 37 innings for Triple-A Iowa. Looked very bad when I saw him back in April.  
  8. Carlos Marmol: 4-1, 3.02 in 8 starts for Daytona, with a 42/22 K/BB in 45 innings. Doing just fine.  
  9. Ryan Harvey: .280/.344/.500 for Class A Peoria. Good power so far, plate discipline still shaky (5 walks, 25 strikeouts in 82 at-bats).    
  10. Sean Marshall: 2-1, 1.85 in 6 starts for Daytona, 31/11 K/BB in 34 innings. Pitching well.  
  11. Matt Murton: .403/.481/.590 in 36 games for Double-A West Tennessee. Excellent performance, showing sound strike zone judgment.    
  12. Ricky Nolasco: 2.06 ERA, 6-0 record in 8 starts in Double-A, 48/14 K/BB in 48 innings. Doing well, destined for Triple-A soon.    
  13. Mark Reed: Horrible start at Peoria, (.135 in 14 games), now at extended spring training.
  14. Grant Johnson: Extended spring training.  
  15. Matt Craig: hitting .280/.344/.488 for Double-A West Tennessee.    
  16. Brandon Sing: Hitting .342/.467/.739, 10 homers for Double-A West Tennesee. Fine performance.  
  17. Bear Bay: Traded to the Indians, is 4-1, 2.63 for Class A Kinston.
  18. Jermaine Van Buren: 2.55 ERA, 22/11 K/BB in 18 innings for Triple-A Iowa. Has had some bouts of shaky control but still in line for a middle relief job.      
  19. Jon Connolly: Made 1 start on April 10th in Double-A, but hasn't pitched since.      
  20. Richard Lewis: Very disappointing, hitting .203/.288/.254 through 37 games at Triple-A Iowa.
Status Improving: Pie, Murton, Nolasco
Status Slipping: Dopirak, Reed, Pinto, Brownlie

Keep an Eye On: Sean Gallagher, 4-1, 0.37 with a  55/10 K/BB in 49 innings, 20 hits allowed, for Class A Peoria. A 12th round pick from a Florida high school last year, Gallagher made my 2005 book as a Grade C prospect, albeit with a "sleeper" notation. I'd say he has woken up.

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Thanks John
I love this website.

I've had an eye on Pie for a couple of years now, really for no reason other than that he was a notable prospect at such a young age.  Good to see him taking a step foward.  How do his skills compare to Corey Patterson's?  Less power, more speed?  

"Well I believe in the soul..."

by D O on May 18, 2005 1:06 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Rich Hill
John, If you mention Sean Gallagher as a "special mention", you can't forget about lefty Rich Hill, who is performaing at Double-AA on a scoreless streak of 27 innings now.  On top of this he is striking guys out at an alarming rate (73K in 47.2 innings).  Hill is maybe the closest pitching prospect to the majors right now for the Cubbies.  Slowed by only his control, Hill boasts a "sneaky" fastball sitting in the low 90's, a fantastic 12-6 Curveball, and a much improved change.  In his last 4 or 5 starts, Hill has suddenly put everything together.  Definitely a guy to watch in my book.  

by jonpyardi on May 18, 2005 2:00 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

hill
Yep. Hill is also off to a great start, as you rightly point out.

by John Sickels on May 18, 2005 2:13 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

West Tenn
Just about everyone is doing well for West Tenn. As pointed out Hill has been dynamite save his first couple of outings.

by Ienpw on May 18, 2005 5:25 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Grant Johnson
Do you have any info on Grant Johnson.  I know he was rehabbing a sore hamstring to start the season, but has he started to throw?

by Cabbage on May 18, 2005 5:38 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Johnson
I read somewhere he could be pitching in Peoria within the next week or so.

by Ienpw on May 18, 2005 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Johnson
Yes, he's started to throw. He's made a couple of starts in extended spring training (Mesa). Last week at least the plan was for him to be assigned to Peoria this upcoming weekend.

by John Hill on May 18, 2005 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Felix Pie
John- What kind of ceiling do you see Pie having? Will he be a Corey Patterson or a Carlos Beltran or better? He's still very young. Is he one of the better centerfield prospects in the minors? It looks looks like the Cubs sure could use his talents.

by slugggo on May 18, 2005 6:05 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Felix
Pie has been very good this year, only thing you can fault him on is not walking enough and being caught to many times (though he is making progress over last year). He just hit another hr his 8th in 142 AB's, which ties his career high from all of last year (412 ab's). It certainly does look like he is having a break out year at age 20, I personally look forward to seeing how he progresses cause he has so much ability.

by hybrid on May 18, 2005 6:22 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Pie
Besides not walking enough (he's walking less than Corey Patterson did at the same level) and getting caught stealing too much, he's still got strikeout issues too, in the long run, when his batting average on balls in play drops below four hundred, and it will, that'll suppress his average and consequentially his on-base percentage. His power though so far this year is definitely refreshing, there had been question marks over whether he'd fulfil his status as a five-tool talent, but I think his year he's putting them to rest. I think the best of those tools actually is his defence, which makes Corey Patterson look like Bernie Williams out there.

Von Joshua, the hitting coach at West Tenn, said that Pie most reminds him of this guy, for what it's worth.

by John Hill on May 18, 2005 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well...
Yeah Pie strikes out more then you would want someone at the top of your order to do. But when you consider he is only 20 and very young in AA, also in a pitchers league ... I don't think it's that big of an issue (though plate discipline  he obviusly needs to work on). He is showing progress from last  year where he k'd every 3.71 AB, where as this year he k's every 5.07 AB.

For example, I know Hermida has much better plate discipline, but he has k'd 32 times in less AB's.

by hybrid on May 18, 2005 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Strikeouts
For me, at least, strikeouts are the biggest indicator of whether a player will have a major league future. Strikeouts suppress batting average, and that in turn suppresses on-base percentage and slugging percentage. For me then, they are always that big an issue.

He has made improvements, but he needs to make further improvements. He won't be able to rely upon a batting average on balls in play above .400 in the long term, speed to first base or not. Once he starts to face more advanced pitching and defences, those balls in play will start getting turned into outs at a much more normal rate, and his average will nosedive. Right now he's a natural .270 to .280 hitter, and that's even after the improvements he's made in the strikeout department this year. Combine that with a Corey Patterson-like walk rate and he's not going to be much use to anyone in the long term as a lead-off hitter. In fact, he's becoming to look more like Corey by the day now that he's showing all this power.

He's extremely young though, and he has enough time and talent to improve and become the prospect a lot of people think he is. But I hope we don't see Pie in Chicago before 2007. The Cubs should have learnt their lesson with the way they rushed Corey Patterson to the majors. Corey's only now learning the lessons that he should have been learning five years ago, and it's for that reason that so far he's been a pretty big disappointment (though I still think he'll eventually break out, this year or next).

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 19, 2005 6:59 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Re: Strikeouts
I never meant to imply that strike outs aren't important in the least. I agree they are very important in determining a hitting prospect.

What I was merely saying was that I don't think his K's are so much of a big issue as much as him not walking more. He is striking out less, which is good, but his walks are on the same pace as before. A quick look at Hermida's numbers show 32 K's which is more than Pie, but he also has 36 BB's which tend to make the K's a non-issue. He just needs to learn to be more patient at the plate.

I believe the Cubs will leave him at each level for a year, which is the best way to go. Obviously they rushed Patterson and it's done nothing but harm him developement, hopefully they realize their former mistake.

I've never seen Pie play more then a game or two so it's hard to really judge him to Patterson. Corey though still tends to swing at everything, he is lucky he has great bat speed which reduces his K's. Felix from what I gather is one of those raw hitters that likes to hit and doesn't like to walk, it should get better ... but I don't see him as a traditional lead off hitter.

by hybrid on May 19, 2005 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Pie
A few years ago he was compared to the likes of Vlad and Sosa. Of course I highly doubt he becomes power hitter that they were. I would compare him to Bobby Abreu, but Abreu is an OBP machine and Pie isn't.

by Ienpw on May 18, 2005 6:27 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Not that relevant, but interesting nevertheless...
Pie at Double-A so far...

Pie, age 20, 142 AB, 359/410/655, 8 HR, 12 BB, 28 K

And those other hitters you mentioned and how they fared at Double-A...

Vlad, age 20, 417 AB, 360/432/612, 19 HR, 51 BB, 42 K
Sosa, age 20, 273 AB, 297/338/458, 7 HR, 15 BB, 52 K
Abreu, age 20, 400 AB, 302/372/530, 16 HR, 42 BB, 81 K

So that's Vlad's power and Sosa's strikeout rate!

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 18, 2005 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

West Tenn
What are they putting in the water down there? This team makes me very happy for the Cubs future.  Pie,Murton,Sing,Nolasco,and Hill are all doing great. They have 9 players with OBPs 360 or above. 7 players slugging over 480. Great stuff.

by OldStyleCubbie on May 18, 2005 7:09 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Murton in the bigs?
Is Murton showing enough to be in the bigs?  He's obviously killing AA pitching, and considering the Cubs' problems with injuries all over the field, when will they give this steal a chance to play?

by lenred on May 18, 2005 7:25 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I'm still disappointed
in Hendry not protecting Sisco.  He's throwing great for KC.  Must be nice to have a dominant LH in the 'pen.  I just don't know how you could risk exposing a LHP throwing 95 MPH.  Surely he has more upside in his pinkie than Sergio Mitre.  He'll be "one that got away" as we look back over the years.  Hendry did a remarkable job bringing talent in and to let talent that immense go just doesn't make sense.  He should have been protected and starting or relieving in AA.

by So Cal Bob on May 18, 2005 7:31 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Mitre
What's your problem with Sergio Mitre?

Mitre's a good pitching prospect. Solid control, decent strikeout rate, and by virtue of a nice sinker, he keeps the ball in the park and churns out groundballs. He's refined his changeup and so in the long run he should be able to get left-handers out (that was his only real problem last year). Given all that, and since I don't have any concerns about getting right-handers out, he projects as a major league starter. Whether or not it'll be with the Cubs is another matter, since he's not only blocked but in the process of burning his third option year this year (so he'd have to be protected on a 25-man roster next year or sent through outright waivers), but at the very least he's good trade bait. Certainly he'll never be an ace, but that's not the be all and end all. Look at the amount of money major league teams lavished on non-ace starting pitchers this winter.

If you have a problem with anyone because Sisco got away, it should be John Koronka, who Hendry actually chose to protect over Sisco, probably because he'd have been a minor league free agent. Hendry then outrighted Koronka off the 40-man roster after Spring Training, so either something changed over the winter, or Koronka just never was any good in the first place. Or both, because the latter is definately true.

That said though, I suspect Sisco was left unprotected for non-baseball reasons (and not because the Cubs liked Koronka more). The Cubs back in November were still in the process of performing their exorcism of clubhouse cancers. Sisco last year reportedly had attitude problems, he was allegedly lazy and disruptive (he had a fight with Jae-Kuk Ryu, the Osprey prospect) and he allowed his weight to balloon well over 300 pounds (from his normal 265). I suspect that the Cubs were trying to shock Sisco into changing by not protecting him, gambling that since he'd never pitched above A-ball and had had a relatively disappointing year at Daytona nobody would select him, or if they did select him they certainly wouldn't keep him. The gamble's so far backfired.

Sisco's not been as good in May as April though - 8 G, 6.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB and 9 K. We'll see what happens and if the Royals still stick by him if that kind of form continues.

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 19, 2005 7:19 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Koronka outrighted?
Are we still sure about Koronka getting outrighted? I remember Baseball America said something that indicated that he was outrighted and not optioned, but cubs.com still has him on their 40 man roster. Of course they're not too great at updating that list, BUT....

The Cubs recent manuevers seem to indicate that there's no room on the 40 man roster. I say this because they had to put Chad Fox on the 60 Day DL to sign Enrique Wilson. I believe you can only place a guy on the 60 day DL to free up 40 man roster space if there's no room left on the 40 man roster. If Koronka had been removed from the 40 man roster, I think that would have left a spot open and thus no need to transfer Fox to the 60 day DL. Also with the recent injuries, the Cubs have only been promoting players on the 40 man roster such as Novoa, Leicester, Mitre, Fontenot, Cedeno, Wellemeyer when they could have POSSIBLY promoted Jermaine Van Buren or Nolasco if a 40 man spot was open.

Basically I'm just wondering if you have a source that Koronka was outrighted indeed.....

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter

by robg on May 19, 2005 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Koronka
I can't find a source for it any more. I can't remember whether I ever did in the first place.
I may have just taken Arizona Phil's word for it. So don't take my word for it. In fact, assume that he's still on the roster, my bad.

Either way though, on or off, Koronka's still not very good, and the Cubs aren't ever going to need him.

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 19, 2005 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't know what you have been watching...
but Mitre is below average for a major leaguer as he doesn't have one quality major league pitch.  That may be ok in the minors, but doesn't hold water in the bigs.  He has gotten SHELLED consistently when he makes his spot starts for the Cubs.

Here are his AAA numbers 2-4, 5.31 era, 39.0 ip, 44 h, 12 bb, and  29 k's.  Hardly a prospect as you alluded to.

I would rather have a kid who is 20-21 years old who throws 95-97 mph from the left side as opposed to that--cancer or not.  The goal of the minors is to develop kids whether they have attitude probs or mechaincal flaws.  Development--period.

Hanley Ramirez had an "attitude" prob and now he's no longer even mentioned with any issues.  The red Sox handled him flawlessly and got through to him.  These players are kids and need time to mature and figure things out.

by So Cal Bob on May 19, 2005 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sisco and Mitre
Hey, I'm not saying the Cubs were right to leave Sisco unprotected over non-baseball issues!

I completely disagree that Mitre hasn't got a single quality major league pitch. Sinker, slider, changeup, all are now solid enough offerings for him to have success at the major league level (that wasn't the case with his changeup a year ago, and so, more specifically, he got shelled by lefties, not just shelled by everyone).

And I'm not sure where these four starts fit in with him being shelled "consistently"...

04/10; 7.2 IP, 2 R/ER, 5 H, 0 HR, 1 BB, 3 K
04/21; 6.0 IP, 0 R/ER, 4 H, 0 HR, 3 BB, 7 K
05/09; 6.0 IP, 3 R/ER, 10 H, 0 HR, 1 BB, 3 K
05/15; 6.0 IP, 3 R/ER, 6 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 3 K
Total; 25.2 IP, 2.81 ERA, 25 H, 1 HR, 8 BB, 16 K

That's four of his nine major league starts to date. Not a great ratio at all, and he was hit hard in the others, but that's what happens when you try and go through an order three times with two pitches (as I said, his changeup was poor back then, since refined and improved).

On top of that, quoting his minor league numbers as a whole so far this year is deceptive. Firstly, his peripheral numbers are a lot stronger than his ERA, especially when you consider that four of the five home runs were given up at altitude (Albuquerque and Colorado Springs, which both make Coors look like a pitcher's park) and that five of his twelve walks came in one game when he just didn't have it. Secondly, it's mid-May, and he's thrown just 39 innings, which isn't a particularly meaningful sample size. To say he's "hardly a prospect" on the basis of that is ridiculous. What says it all for the sample size is that this year it's the right-handed hitters giving him trouble. He's never had trouble with them before, and that won't last.

And it was never a choice between Mitre and Sisco. Never. So I really don't know what you're harping on about.

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 19, 2005 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

your first sentence in rebuttal was...
what's your problem with Sergio Mitre?  

I told you my problem with him being protected over Sisco.  It could have been a number of other players too, but he is one that stands out to me.  I think he stinks and was never really good and doesn't have it in him to be a quality major leaguer.  Sisco is 6'9" and throws 96 consistently with a track record of decent success.

You tried to sell me Mitre and I am not buying.  My "hardly a prospect" comment is based on what I have seen of him on tv and in person.  He doesn't throw strikes because he knows his stuff is not quite good enough.  And his strikes when thrown aren't quality--they are center-cut.  And given the light of his less than stellar stats, I don't think he's worth a lot.  Just my opinion.

We agree on the Sisco unprotected issue.  Disagree on Mitre.  And Koronka is a disgrace for Hendry to screw up like that--agreed.

I'd love to hear your take on the Juan Cruz for Andy Pratt/Rich Lewis trade?

by So Cal Bob on May 19, 2005 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

here's his major league number.
Accumulated in 15 G and 11 starts:

60.1 ip, 86 h, 24 bb, 40 k, 1.82 whip .337 avg against, 6.86 ERA

by So Cal Bob on May 19, 2005 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Indeed
I'm aware of his major league numbers.

I can also list you dozens of pitchers that have struggled in their first 60 major league innings (and a lot more) and become a lot better than that. For instance, which pitcher started their career off like this...?

186.2 IP, 225 H, 20 HR, 85 BB, 121 K, 5.59 ERA

Yuck. Hall of Famer? I don't think so!

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 19, 2005 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Low Opinion
Having a low opinion of Sergio Mitre is all well and good if it's what you believe (though I completely disagree with that opinion), but it's got nothing, I repeat nothing, to do with with Andy Sisco going unprotected. Sergio Mitre was added to the 40-man roster after 2002. If the Cubs want to remove him from that roster, they'll have to try and pass him through outright waivers, and he will be claimed and they'll lose him for nothing, it's as simple as that (and doubtless some guys will surface complaining about the Cubs gifting their talent away, just as you're doing over Sisco and others are doing coming out of the woodwork now to cry over the Jon Garland trade). Leave Mitre on the 40-man roster and at least you have the opportunity to trade him and get value in return if you decide he's no longer useful to you.
http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 19, 2005 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I understand
that keeping Mitre on the 40-man has nothing to do with keeping Sisco.  But you lost Sisco for nothing by not protecting him.  Who's a better prospect?

I conveniently used Mitre because, as you stated, I have a low opinion.  He has never shown "star" material but rather a pedestrian organizational roster-filler player with a tiny bit of upside.  That's certainly not the case with Sisco who made numerous top 100 lists if not top 50 lists after his first 2 years.

That's why we have great forums like this--to discuss our opinioins.

Are you a Cub fan?

by So Cal Bob on May 19, 2005 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Do I always have to think of subject names?
I am a Cub fan.

Sisco's the better prospect.

Also, Sergio's answer to you calling him "a pedestrian organizational roster-filler player" was 6 scoreless innings last night (to outpitch Matt Cain). He allowed 5 hit and 2 walks and struckout a season-high 8 batters. I think he's trying to say he doesn't appreciate what you're saying and that he will see you next Tuesday in the big leagues!

By the way, the 186.2 IP, 225 H, 20 HR, 85 BB, 121 K, 5.59 ERA I listed above, that's how Greg Maddux started out his major league career. Now I'm not comparing Mitre to Maddux at all, because there isn't a comparison in terms of talent, but it just goes to show that judging a player upon the basis of their first few innings in the majors is a ridiculous way of going about things, and that, to an extent, is what you're doing.

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 20, 2005 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

what?
That's not even close to what I'm doing.  I used him as an "example" of a perceived mistake by Hendry on the 40-man and you've turned into an affront against Mitre.  But if you say so...

I've seen him on tv and in person.  The stuff just isn't there.  Couple the lack of stuff as I've seen with my own eyes with the league average or below numbers, I can't call him a prospect.  Maddux had excellent stuff and breezed through the minors as a dominant force, so I don't understand the use of him as an example.  They are not similar, nor were they ever ranked as similar.

Obviously you have some Mitre stock.  LOL!  As  a Cubs fanatic, I hope he becomes Maddux as I would like nothing more.

As for last night, even a blind squirrel finds a nut.  Just kidding and hope you can see some humor in these posts.

by So Cal Bob on May 20, 2005 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

What?
"That's not even close to what I'm doing."

So why post his major league numbers then?

"Couple the lack of stuff as I've seen with my own eyes with the league average or below numbers, I can't call him a prospect."

Ah, you mean like...

2001 at Boise (Short-Season A-ball, aged 20)
91.0 IP, 3.07 ERA, ? HR, 18 BB, 71 K
2002 at Lansing (Low-A ball, aged 21)
168.2 IP, 2.83 ERA, 7 HR, 27 BB, 96 K
2003 at West Tenn (Double-A ball, aged 22)
145.2 IP, 3.34 ERA, 6 HR, 41 BB, 128 K
2004 at Iowa (Triple-A, aged 23)
102.2 IP, 2.98 ERA, 9 HR, 39 BB, 95 K
Total going into 2005
508 IP, 3.05 ERA, 22 + ? HR, 125 BB, 390 K

That's all of his minor league numbers going into this year (so I've not left any out), and that includes him often being young for his league and taking a double promotion effortlessly in his stride (and Triple-A is also an extreme hitting's park). Sorry, but the only unimpressive numbers Mitre has put up so far are in the majors (the ones you're claiming you're not using to evaluate him) and a small sample size at Iowa this year which is inflated by two starts at altitude.

"Maddux had excellent stuff and breezed through the minors as a dominant force, so I don't understand the use of him as an example.  They are not similar, nor were they ever ranked as similar."

Yes, and I'm not saying they're similar. What I am saying is that if a pitcher as good as Maddux can struggle terribly at first, what chance do mere mortals like Mitre stand?

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 20, 2005 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

you struggle reading my posts
I posted numbers in response to your turning my "example" into a reality exercise.  Again, my initial post was in Hendry's disappointing move about Sisco and since I knew Mitre was on the 40-man I used him as an EXAMPLE.  It could have been a number of players I chose, but I used Sergio.

John, why has he never been a Top Prospect?  Why have the League Managers never given him a Top Prospect nod?  The history book are filled with guys who have good seasons in A-Ball and AA.  And for the record, he was not and is not "young" for his leagues.  He signed out of a California JC in San Deigo and went to the NWL which is a college league.  Then went to Low A as a 1st year player--like most players his age.  Cubs bumped him in year 3 to AA.  Right in line with top college propsects from his draft.  After a good season, AAA was next.  So, he was on a natural path, never rushed or young.

And I trust my eyes and judging of talent to know he'll never make it as anything more than a journeyman.  You continue to look into numbers and miss the real fact that his stuff isn't very good.  88-92 with marginal control, a loopy curveball and a change that is below average in command and deception does not make for a prospect.  Sorry.  That's what my eyes have consistently seen from his big league days.  

We beg to differ about Mitre.  It's cool.  I hope you are right and I am wrong as I want the Cubs to win the World Series every year and do it with players from their farm system.

by So Cal Bob on May 20, 2005 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't struggle at all
Well, OK, I do, a bit. It's still completely lost on me why you brought up Mitre in the first place. The Cubs didn't not protect Sisco because they were short of roster spots, and even if they had, Mitre, even if he's bad as you think he is, still would have a legitimate claim to one in that he's got trade value. Were he not on our 40, would have found his way onto someone else's, either via the Rule 5 draft (had he never been protected) or via waivers (had he originally been protected but then outrighted at a later date).

He's never been a top prospect because he's never going to be an ace starting pitcher. Prospect lists are all about upside, normally, and Mitre doesn't have much of that. What he does have, in my opinion, is the ability to be a league average starting pitcher.

The changeup you speak of has been refined since the last time he spot-started for the Cubs to the extent it's a much more effective pitch (he's actually been tougher on lefties than righties at Iowa so far this year, ironically), and he throws a slider, not a curve, by the way. And you won't find that many two seam fastballs faster than 92, and Mitre's has enough movement that he's able to churn out groundball after groundball. Also, I struggle to comprehend how you walk as few as Mitre does with only "marginal control" and "below average control" of two of three pitches. When I've seen him, he's always been able to spot his pitches well enough.

I take your point about him not being that young (as in Felix Pie young or something), but the average AAA prospect still isn't 23. It's a contentious enough point though that I'll willingly retract it if you retract your judgment of him having "league average or below numbers", which overwhelming isn't the case. When I provide the evidence of that, for you to say then that I can't look beyond the numbers is a bit ridiculous.

Anyway, all the best, Bob, agree to disagree. We'll see on Tuesday when Mitre will most probably be pitching against the Astros.

http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 20, 2005 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

to answer your question
I used him as an "example" of a player of lesser-ability being on the 40-man than Sisco.  That's all--nothing more nothing less.  I would rather have Sisco than him on the 40-man--that's all.

I guess I base most of my opinion in watching him throw and given his career MLB 1.82 WHIP.  He just hasn't thrown strikes consistently and his stuff is average at best.  So, I'll come off the point that his numbers in the minors and say they are average or slightly above.

I would question the "slider" you refer to.  When it starts out at the hitters head and drops into the dirt at 74-76 MPH, that's a loopy curve.  I have seen this on TV numerous times.  I don't know how you can dispel this.  And if he has come up with a change.

And if you saw the game yesterday, then you saw what a real prospect looks like--McCarthy is what I would like to see brought up instead of the Sergio likes.

Glad to see your passion for the Cubs.  Again, I hope Mitre wins 20+ for the next 10 years.  My thought is he won't ever win 5 in one season.  Here's to hoping he proves me wrong.

by So Cal Bob on May 23, 2005 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Juan Cruz Trade
Hendry's worst. Or at least I can't remember a worse one off the top of my head.
http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/

by John Hill on May 19, 2005 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Patterson...
the other one, not Corey, but rather Eric is a huge surprise.  Shows great speed, patience, and a little juice in his bat.  We may have gotten away with one there.

by So Cal Bob on May 18, 2005 7:33 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Dopirak
I was hoping for big things from Dopirak and thought he would step it up this year.  Has anybody seen him play?  Any ideas why his numbers are so low overall?

by grunts on May 18, 2005 10:40 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Dopirak slow starter
It should be noted that Dopirak started slowly last year as well. Apparently he suffers from the pre-2005 Derrek Lee syndrome of not waking up till June. Last year he went off for a  .390, 10 HR, 27 RBI month of June that got him going for the rest of the year.  Let's hope that trend continues this year.
http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter

by robg on May 19, 2005 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

nolasco
John mentions that Nolasco will be AAA soon. Any sense of how to advance him given how he flopped at AAA last year? A full half season at AA before going to AAA again might be a prudent course On the other hand, he does seem to be outclassing the competition at AA, and at a relatively young age.

What's Nolasco's projection? Middle of the rotation starter? Or better?

by scooter on May 19, 2005 6:03 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

from my observations
he pitches like Jason Marquis on the Cards.  Maybe a middle-of-the-rotation guy.  I'd love to see him up a AAA to redeem himself after last year.  He's gotta be full of confidence today.

by So Cal Bob on May 19, 2005 6:07 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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