A major pitcher's duel in Des Moines tonight. And if Randy Wells even finishes in the top three in the ROY voting, I'll feel stupid for leaving him off my top 20 prospects list at the beginning of the season. Of course, everyone else did too.
Almost everyone lost tonight. Only the rookies saved the system.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were outlasted by the Oklahoma City RedHawks, 1-0 in 14 innings.
Jose Ascanio went back to starting and had four great innings, allowing only two hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Ascanio was then followed by, in order, James Russell, Jeff Stevens, Blake Parker and Justin Berg. John Gaub then threw a scoreless inning, but started the next one and had to be removed for an injury. Vince Perkins then walked the batter that Gaub had started on and when he came around to score, Gaub got the loss.
Darwin Barney was 1 for 5 in his AAA debut.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies were downed by the Huntsville Stars, 3-1.
Jeremy Papelbon started and pitched five shutout innings, allowing only three hits and three walks. Papelbon struck out three.
Jake Muyco pitched two innings and took the loss. He gave up two runs on four hits and two walks. He didn't record a strikeout.
Left fielder Tyler Colvin was 2 for 3 with a walk. Shortstop Jonathan Mota went 2 for 3 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Right fielder Doug Deeds went 2 for 5.
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs were bitten by the Jupiter Hammerheads, 5-2
Ryan Searle has gone from all-star to the junk heap over the last month. Searle only lasted four innings tonight, allowing four runs on seven hits, two of which were home runs. Searle walked two but did strike out seven.
Center fielder Tony Campana went 2 for 4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. Campana has 23 steals so far this season. Second baseman Marwin Gonzalez scored once in a 2 for 3 game.
The Chiefs lost to the Kane County Cougars, 3-2.
Starter Justin Bristow took the loss. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks over three innings. One of the runs was unearned. Bristow struck out one.
Third baseman Jose Made had a triple in a 3 for 4 night. Made had two RBI.
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks were choked and blinded by the Tri-City Dust Devils, 6-4
Starter Robert Hernandez didn't get the loss, but he got knocked around for four runs on four hits over four innings. Two of the hits were home runs. Hernandez walked one and struck out three.
AZL Cubs
The rookie league team salvaged the night and pounded the Indians, 12-3.
Catcher Richard Jones went 3 for 5 with two home runs and five RBI.
0 recs | 18 comments
Fun times down in Mesa
A bunch of draftees made their debuts their tonight for the AZL Cubs:
1st rounder Brett Jackson
7th Rounder Blair Springfield
9th Rounder Richard Jones
12th Rounder Runey Davis
Three main notes from the game:
-Jackson walked twice without striking out (yay)
-One of Richard Jones’ HRs was inside the park
-RHP Toby Matchulat had his third straight strong outing of the year. So far, he’s pitched 11 scoreless innings with 10 Ks and 4 BBs. An 11th rounder out of Wabash Valley CC (IL) last season, Matchulat has good stuff to go with a history of control problems (29 BBs in 18.7 IP last season). His start to the season is a welcome development.
Outshined_One - July 2, 2009
Why is Jackson in the AZL?
Isn’t that way below his level? Shouldn’t he at least be in Boise?
Al Yellon - July 2, 2009
Maybe just getting his feet wet for a bit with a promotion coming soon?
I hope.
Archie - July 2, 2009
Jackson
Hasnt played in over a month!!!
Slamdog - July 2, 2009
They do that with just about every college kid who signs
Prior to the Boise (short season A) starting the guys that sign play on back fields in ARZ to get ready and no one notices. But once the short season has started they have to play them there to get in some work before moving them up.
Boise has a expanded active roster (I think 35 or 40) so they can pretty much add guys as they sign once they are ready.
CA Cub Fan - July 2, 2009
Thanks for the explanation.
Al Yellon - July 2, 2009
A LH hitting catcher
with blinding speed and an OPS of 2.400. Bring him to Wrigley for The Brewers series.
tharr - July 2, 2009
let us know
when you have anything on the gaub injury. that sux.
tim815 - July 2, 2009
If anyone is bored an interested
I’m going to a couple Smokies games next week—anyone feel like giving me some players summaries of people to watch, descriptions, etc?
tomas21 - July 2, 2009
Rockies fan here.
In the BCB Jeff Baker trade Fanshot, I asked for info about Al Alburquerque, and was redirected here by a poster with the suggestion I may get better info from you, Josh 77.
What can you tell me about him, and his arm injury that sidelined him for 2008?
Greg Stanwood - July 2, 2009
One thing I know
At least half the Rockies fans will misspell his name.
rlpete - July 2, 2009
More than half
He’s been the bane of my existence.
Josh Timmers - July 2, 2009
He had shoulder surgery
and that’s all I know. It knocked him out for a year and a half, so it wasn’t a minor procedure.
Alburquerque throws hard and has done well this season since returning from the surgery, but he’s strictly middle-relief material.
Josh Timmers - July 2, 2009
I like Al Al
Mid-90s FB as a starter. (Maybe throws harder now in relief? I haven’t gotten a reading this season.) Good slider. I was wondering if he’d have a more advanced role next season when he had put more distance from his arm operations. Colorado promoted him to AA.
Raisin - July 2, 2009
I heard
more low-90s as a starter and now mid-90s as a reliever. Of course, it’s hard to say because when he was a starter was when he was having all the shoulder problems.
I’ve never actually seen him pitch, though.
Josh Timmers - July 2, 2009
Fair enough
Either way, intriguing arm and great K/BB ratio. That he’s still around after multiple arm/shoulder injuries and this effective is something.
Raisin - July 2, 2009
July 2nd - Latin American FA Signing Opens
And the Cubs sign a guy who was available to be signed before today: 17-year old Venezuelan catcher WIlson Contreras received an $850,000 bonus which would be the most money the Cubs have given to an international amateur since Larry Suarez in 2006. The Cubs have already signed OF Dong-Yub Kim (South Korean, age 18, $550,000 bonus), IF Ping-Chieh Chen (Taiwan, age 17, $300,000 bonus) and RHP Yao-Lin Wang (Taiwan, age 17, $250,000 bonus).
The Cubs are still in the running for a couple other Latin prospects who will receive 6 or possibly even 7-figure bonuses: SS Humberto Valor (Venezuela), RHP Jochi Ogando (Dominican Republic), C/1B Jacob Beltre (Dominican Republic) and LHP Kirby Peña (Dominican Republic). The most highly thought of Latin American prospect this year – Miguel Angel Sano – has not yet been cleared to sign by MLB due to potential irregularities with his age. The Cubs were at one time thought to be a potential suitor for him but now the leading candidates are the Pirates, Twins and Orioles.
Raisin - July 2, 2009
I actually hope
the Pirates get Sano, even though that means we’d face him 16 times a year or however many times we play the Pirates.
Pirate fans need a big morale boost that a Sano signing would give them, and it’s not like Sano by himself would turn the Pirates into a good team.
Although BP is saying the other team in on Sano now is Minnesota, which wouldn’t hurt us at all.
Josh Timmers - July 2, 2009
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