July 23 MiLB

by ajake57 on Jul 23, 2009 2:56 PM EDT Comment 34 comments

Today's Probables Include:

AAA - Carlos Carrasco, Andy Sonnanstine, Chris Tillman and Hector Rondon

AA - Junichi Tazawa, Tim Alderson v Brad Holt, Trevor Reckling and Kasey Kiker

A - Tim Hudson (second rehab start, could be an impact for the Braves down the stretch?), Chris Carpenter, and Tim Melville

SS - Matt Hobgood

and there are also many others, of whom I know nothing about. There was also some early action today, but I didn't see much of note in there.

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ah I was about to post it

Might as well post my body right now. SP’s that caught my eye:

AAA:

IL: Phil Humber (I remember when those three were supposed to be really good … what happened to Townsend again), Andy Sonnanstine vs. Brad Lincoln, Chris Tillman vs. Bobby Brownlie (the Cubs fan in me wants to throw a brick into a window for some of our top picks), Colin Balester, Carlos Carrasco (I tend to think he’s a bit underrated now)vs. Jack Egbert, Hector Rondon PCL: Guillermo Moscoco, Charlie Haeger, Trevor Bell, Adam Eaton

AA:

TL: Trevor Reckling, Trey Hearne vs. Samuel Deduno, Justin Souza. SL: Jeff Lyman (Starting experiment seems okay), Aneury Rodriguez vs. John Ely, Sean West vs. Dan Cortes (fascinating matchup to me for some reason). EL: Matchup of the Day (on paper, imo) Tim Anderson vs. Brad Holt, Erik Arnesen, Junichi Tazawa vs. Deolis Guerra (guess they bumped him up to see what he had huh), Jeanmar Gomez

Hi-A:

FSL: Tyler Robertson, Jose Rosario, Chris Carpenter vs. Nicholas Additon, Scott Moviel (geesh he’s big) vs. Michael Bowman. Carolina: Pedro Beato (haven’t followed closely enough to know what happened here) vs. Stephen Fife, Ronald Uviedo, Another fascinating matchup Danny Duffy vs the rehabbing Tim Hudson. Cal: Scott Barnes, Kyle Smit (those numbers don’t seem bad for Cal League at all) vs. Alex Torres,

Low-A:

SAL: TJ House (seems like a decent young lefty to follow), Robert Bono (ridiculous control), Brock Huntzinger, Dimaster Delgado, Ari Ronick vs. Stephen Sauer (a bit old, but not that old),Andrew Brackman. MWL: JC Sulbaran, Kenn Kasparek, Joel Carreno vs. Justin Bristow, Buddy Boshers, Tim Melville.

Shortseason: NYP: Adam Wilk, Alex Colome, Preston Guilmet, Jack McGeary. NWL: Jeremy Toole (color me fascinated with Salem-Keizer for some reason), Jon Nagel vs. Matt Jackson.

Rookie Leagues: (Appalachian) Matt Hobgood, Leondy Perez.

by toonsterwu on Jul 23, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions

This is Hudson's 2nd start

by Jay212033 on Jul 23, 2009 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

My bad

I knew that, too

by ajake57 on Jul 23, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Hobgood

whoa, posting a non-Cubs prospect.

Hobgood, M 2.0 ip, 1 h, 3 r (2 unearned), 3 bb, 3 K’s, 1 WP.

Opposing him was the Astros squad, leading me to Jiovanni Mier

(game not done yet) 1/2, bb, sb.

by toonsterwu on Jul 23, 2009 9:14 PM EDT reply actions

Chris Davis

Hit his fourth AAA home run tonight in around 60 at bats. Even more impressive for him he has not struck out in his last 20 plate appearances and has only struck out 10 times in 60 at bats. That is around a 16% rate, last year in AAA he was around a 25% k rate. Maybe some of the things they were trying to work on in the big leagues are finally starting to click..

by tt68 on Jul 23, 2009 9:15 PM EDT reply actions

Brad Holt

6 IP, 9 H (4 HR), 5 ER, 0 BB 3K. One of the HRs was by Alderson.

by jibs on Jul 23, 2009 9:25 PM EDT reply actions

what's with all thes eGiants pitchers deciding to go homer happy

didn’t bum hit a homer last night.

There’s a part of me that thinks Holt’s a tad overhyped. Then there’s a part of me that’s really intrigued by his upside. I guess both can go hand in hand.

by toonsterwu on Jul 23, 2009 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Brackman

Ben Badler is scouting Brackman’s start tonight and posting updates to Twitter, and his notes are about as ugly as his numbers have been lately: FB 89-91 in the first inning, was down to 83-86 by the 3rd inning, and the curve is not as good as it was when he was in college.

2.1 IP, 7 ER, 6 H, 5 BB, 3 K

by jibs on Jul 23, 2009 9:57 PM EDT reply actions

He must be hurt

he was hitting the mid-90’s in Hawaii and earlier in the season. Or else having a mechanical issue or going through a dead arm period. Brack has been dreadful of late.

http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com

by lemonjello on Jul 24, 2009 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Its been widely reported

that his mechanics are a mess… like they usually are. Havent heard anything about injuries and Law, KG and Badler have all tweeted about him recently.

by alskor on Jul 24, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't know

This pattern of rumored success sprinkled among steaming piles of manure seems pretty typical for the Brackman I remember from college.

by aCone419 on Jul 24, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

dan duffy: 6.2 ip, 5 h, 1 er, 1 bb, 5 k
tim hudson: 2.2 ip, 5 h, 3 er, 1 bb, 1 k

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Jul 23, 2009 9:58 PM EDT reply actions

HR Stanton

in AA, #20 on the season. Beast.

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Jul 23, 2009 10:03 PM EDT reply actions

oops

Was supposed to say 8th in AA, 20th of the season. Beast.

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Jul 23, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions

tim melville

5 ip, 1 h, 0 r, 2 bb, 7 k

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Jul 23, 2009 10:09 PM EDT reply actions

Simon Castro

5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 8 K, 0 BB

Supposedly the Padres are limiting his innings in the 2nd half, so that may be why he only went 5 tonight.

http://mvn.com/mlb-tossingtherosin/

by koolkerns101 on Jul 23, 2009 10:16 PM EDT reply actions

Cubs

Iowa beat Omaha, 5-1.
Tennessee lost to Mississippi, 2-1.
Daytona slammed Palm Beach, 7-0.

Josh Harrison: 2/4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB.
Josh Vitters: 2/5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K.
Brandon Guyer: 1/3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, SB.

Peoria up 4-0 on Lansing in the 8th.

Justin Bristow: 6 ip, 4 h, 8 K’s.

So far : Rebel Ridling: 2/4, 1 R, 1 SB. Kyler Burke: 3/4, 2 R, 1 SB. Jovan Rosa: 2/3, 1 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 K.

Boise/Eugene just getting started. AZLCubs in the 2nd. DSL Cubs1 and 2 scores not listed.

by toonsterwu on Jul 23, 2009 10:29 PM EDT reply actions

what are your thoughts on Hak Ju Lee?

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Jul 23, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions

very excited

he’s a big kid, but he’s light on his feet, with plus speed, and so far, no issues with his glove (unlike, say, Starlin Castro, where there are issues). He’s smart at the plate, works the count. Looks like a top of the order type, and I’m fine with that. One wonders how he develops physically as he matures, but so far, so good.

As an aside, I’m fascinated by another Cubs kid in the lower levels, recent draft pick Wesley Darvill, who I think is quite similar to Hak-ju Lee. Maybe not as talented (although that seems a debatable question, from the little I know), but he’s someone I’m watching. I was posting on BCB about this, but after scanning other systems (and posting these MiLB threads, or at least, checking on them, certainly helps catch up on other systems), I’m not so sure the Cubs system is as bad as some people want to think. The top shelf is excellent. Kevin Goldstein recently ranked the top 5 as studs, albeit, used loosely. There’s some depth in the role player category to the far away upside guys, the C+/C guys. Really, it’s that tier of B-/C+ guys that are a bit weak, as all the guys that could be listed there have glaring questions or issues. But the system isn’t end of the rankings bad anymore, imo. Probably 18-25 area.

Btw, for those too lazy to check, Goldstein ranked the Cubs top 5 in this order: Vitters, Cashner, Jackson, Lee, Castro.

by toonsterwu on Jul 23, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Junichi Tazawa vs. Deolis Guerra

Both pitched well tonight in AA…

But Guerra pitched a little bit better (surprisingly)

7 IP 4 H, 1 BB, 0 Runs , 12 K’s

Maybe letting Guerra go back to his ‘old’ ways or original mechanics was a good move by the Twins AA coach Stu Cliburn / Bobby Cuellar or whoever….. ?

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jul 23, 2009 11:30 PM EDT reply actions

wow

12 K’s against that Portland squad? I mean … it was a doubleheader if I recall when I scanned … so not sure who lined up, but still, impressive.

by toonsterwu on Jul 23, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions

In the Majors

V. Mazzaro
4.1 IP, 8H, 6ER, 4BB, 7K, 1HR

by The Gottfather on Jul 23, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions

BEAST

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Jul 23, 2009 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions

i miss

daaron. Come back daaron.

To be honest, he’s a solid arm. Never as good as Daaron suggested (didn’t he suggest that Mazzaro was an elite prospect in the Hanson level? Could be off on that), but a very good arm.

by toonsterwu on Jul 23, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Mazzaro

If he ever gets his control under wraps look out. Tonight was the first time I saw him pitch live and he really has filthy stuff. Lots of movement on everything.

by loop on Jul 24, 2009 1:15 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Stuff

Mazzaro totally dominated the Yankees over the first 3.0 innings. In the fourth, he gave up a monster HR to Mark Teixeira on a 3-0 pitch. After that, he seemed a bit timid and more reluctant to throw his fastball and instead nibbled more. Welcome to the Show, Vin. He did actually throw several good changeups afterwards. However, the tough Yankee lineup did very well fouling off pitches, found a couple of holes in the Infield, he didn´t receive a couple of close calls on borderline strikes and Posada raked a hard double.

Overall, the potential is absolutely there – haven´t seen many pitchers dominate this lineup the way he did in innings 1 to 3. Most of all, he needs to learn to trust his stuff and not get rattled like he did after the Posada HR. Which is a natural learning process for a 22-year-old. The changeup looked promising. The breaking pitch looked not and he´ll have to improve that to really become a top of the rotation starter.

For now, I´d say he should at least end up as a John Maine type pitcher with the type of movement he has on his mid 90s fastball. If he can consistently throw the changeup like he did last night and improve his slider to being at least an average major league pitch, his upside is huge.

by Doob on Jul 24, 2009 2:27 AM EDT up reply actions