Iowa Cubs (63-61)
The Iowa Cubs lost to the Portland Beaver, 10-9 in 13 innings.
A long time ago, Mitch Atkins started this game and he got knocked around for six runs in only four innings. Atkins surrendered six hits and three walks. He struck out four.
Jeff Stevens and Justin Berg each threw two shutout innings before Blake Parker entered the game in the 13th and allowed the winning run. Parker was credited with a third of an inning pitched, and he gave up one run on three hits and an intentional walk. Parker struck out one.
Catcher Chris Robinson was 2 for 4 with a double and two walks. Robinson had four RBI tonight and he scored once himself. First baseman Matt Craig hit two doubles and walked once in a 3 for 6 night. Craig scored twice and had two RBI.
Right fielder Micah Hoffpauir went 2 for 5 with two walks. Hoffpauir also had two RBI and scored twice. Finally, shortstop Darwin Barney was 2 for 4.
Tennessee Smokies (28-25)
The Smokies pushed two runs across in the bottom of the ninth inning to blindside the Chattanooga Lookouts, 5-4. It was their fifth win in a row and moved them into a tie for first place in their division.
Starter Andrew Cashner had a few troubles tonight, as he allowed three runs on five hits in only four innings. He walked two. The good news was that he struck out six.
Marco Carrillo pitched the top of the ninth and got the win. He gave up one hit, didn't walk anyone and struck out two.
Right fielder Tyler Colvin stayed hot tonight, going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Colvin is hitting .383 in August.
First baseman Russ Canzler went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Robinson Chirinos was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Daytona Cubs
Rained out.
Peoria Chiefs
Did not play
Boise Hawks (27-31)
The Hawks beat the Spokane Indians, 1-0.
Robert Hernandez was excellent tonight, throwing six innings and allowing four hits and a walk. Dionis Nunez pitched the ninth inning and got his fifth save. He allowed only one hit and struck out one.
Shortstop Hak-Ju Lee was 2 for 4.
AZL Cubs
Did not play.
0 recs | 17 comments
Resolved:
Mr. or Mrs. New Owner,
Since minor league ball is very important to the success of a major league baseball team
Since High A Level ball is very valuable in developing future big leaguers
Since it rains in Florida as much as it does in any part of the USA
Since rain (or thunder) are not particularly good for playing baseball
Since you should have scouts in every minor league anyway, sending in reports
Since it doesn’t take much longer for a scouting report to reach anywhere in the country when arriving from California than from Florida
Please get us out of the ‘Florida State Weather Forecast, Rain Delay, and Inclement Weather Game Postponement League’ and into a league where we can play more than four games a week.
Thank you for your time and concern.
tim815 - August 20, 2009
I'd rather stay in the FSL
the Other High A options are Carolina League and Cal League. Cal League is so hitter-friendly. I’ve read remarks before where scouts, not fans, acknowledge that they have difficulties judging their own guys in the Cal League. Some teams explicitly try to make sure their top arms avoid the Cal League – the Mariners partially skipped Phillipe Aumont to AA, even though he shouldn’t be that high, due to that. The Red Sox explicitly bought a Carolina League team so they could move their squad out of the Cal League.
Between the Carolina League and FSL, I can’t say there’s any huge distinction that I know about, but I prefer the 12 team league to the 8 team league personally, allowing our players to see other players.
toonsterwu - August 20, 2009
"Allowing our players to see other players"?
If that’s the only reason, I say switch to the Carolina League. Daytona hasn’t been good in terms of getting players consistent playing time with all the rainouts.
Al Yellon - August 20, 2009
sold
carolina it is. asap.
tim815 - August 20, 2009
gotta find a spot first
I really wouldn’t have a problem if we moved to the Carolina League. I actually forgot that the Carolina League was expanding to 10 next year, with the Bakersfield club moving, and another club that I don’t think has been named yet. I mean, I sort of like the FSL for the fact that our guys come up with the Brewers/Cardinals/Reds guys, so they get to know them. But yeah, if we move the Carolina League, from what I can recall right now, I’ve got no issues with that.
Off the top, though, I’m not sure there’s an opening there in the near future. I’d have to see how long our contract is with Daytona. Some of the spots are pretty much set – Frederick/Potomac/Salem don’t seem likely to switch affiliations. Kinston has been with Cleveland and Myrtle Beach has been with Atlanta for so long that I can’t imagine a move from either side to break a 20+ year arrangement (in Atlanta’s case, 30 year arrangement). Sure, some teams may up and decide to change affiliations on occasion, but typically, these long arrangements usually hold unless there’s some external factor. I don’t know what the situation is with the two clubs moving over from the Cal League, but last I recall, I think they were moving with the current affiliations.
That leaves Winston-Salem (currently with the White Sox for a decade plus) and Wilmington (currently with the Royals, spent 2 years with the Red Sox, was with the Royals for a long stretch prior). If there’s a spot, I’m not against it. Anyhow, it also depends on how long our contracts run with Daytona. Typically, IIRC, it’s a 2 year deal, but considering the long affiliation Daytona has had with us (this year is the 16th), they could have a different arrangement.
I really don’t see us bolting Daytona to be honest. It’s such a long affiliation and IIRC, both sides have been pleased. We weren’t pleased with West Tennessee due to, amongst other things, the stadium. While the Jack is really old, I haven’t heard much complaints over it.
toonsterwu - August 20, 2009
left out lynchburg
as a possibility, they’ve been with pittsburgh for 14 years now.
toonsterwu - August 20, 2009
No
I don’t see us leaving Daytona either. But again, the plan to move Bakersfield and High Desert is dead. But if they were moving, one of those clubs would be a choice for the Cubs.
Josh Timmers - August 20, 2009
I should say
“Dead for now.” If two cities in the Carolinas are willing to build new stadiums, the move is back on. But the whole move was because of the depression-era west-facing stadium in Bakersfield and the plans for a new stadium in Bakersfield that collapsed along with the California economy. But the Carolina economy wasn’t any better, so the teams have to stay.
Josh Timmers - August 20, 2009
It's not the whole Cal League
so much as it is Lancaster and High Desert. The rest of the Cal League isn’t so bad. And since both Lancaster and High Desert are in the Southern Division, putting a team in the Northern Division isn’t a problem. Of course, you don’t want to be in Bakersfield either, because the stadium is 70 years old and faces west. So that leaves Modesto and Visalia. (San Jose is tied to the Giants and Stockton to the Athletics.)
The Red Sox were a bunch of crybabies from the moment they got stuck in Lancaster. They were bitching about it before they even played their first game. (In the local papers, too, which I’m sure was great for attendance.) I don’t think it had much to do with the hitting environment as much as it did the distance from Boston. And don’t forget, they got stuck there in the first place because they treated Wilmington so poorly that they chose to affiliate with the KC Royals instead of the Red Sox. That says something about the way the Red Sox treat their affiliates.
Most of the bitching about the Cal League comes from the Red Sox. The Giants did the same thing the Red Sox did—they bought in to the San Jose Giants to ensure that they could keep their franchise there. And the Giants didn’t have any problems sending Madison Bumgarner to San Jose.
I also don’t think the Cal League is going to be a 8 team league or the Carolina league a 12 team league either. Unless you’ve heard something recently, the move of two Cal League teams to the Carolina League is dead and has been for many months.
Josh Timmers - August 20, 2009
Cal League
Modesto is a gap friendly park, and Visalia is a hitter’s park. Bakersfield has long been a homer friendly park, as has Stockton. Sure, there are a few places that tilt towards being pitcher’s park (San Jose comes to mind – hence why they wouldn’t be afraid of sending Bumgarner there), but out of all the leagues, it is the most offensive friendly full season league.
As for Wilmington, it is important to note that prior to the 2 years with the Red Sox, they were long with the Royals, so going back to KC shouldn’t be viewed as a indictment in of itself. IIRC, the talk out of Boston was partially distance, but that there was serious concerns about judging talent/impact on talent due to the hitter friendly environments.
As for the Cal League, to the best of my recollection, the rumors started late 2008 in regards to a move in 2009. They were promptly dismissed, but at some point this summer, there were rumors starting again that Bakersfield was set to move. Not sure if that’s been dismissed since then, but it wouldn’t really surprise me if it did happen.
toonsterwu - August 20, 2009
There was an informal agreement
in 2008 that the Cal League would buy Bakersfield and High Desert and then sell them to investors who would move them the Carolina League for 2009 or 2010. This collapsed because they couldn’t find any investors and they couldn’t find any cities in the Carolinas that would build them a ballpark. It could be revisited later, but the deal collapsed.
As far as the hitters parks in the California League go, sure, it’s a hitter’s league. The Epicenter in Rancho Cucamonga is a good place to hit. But my point was that only Lancaster and High Desert are the “ridiculous” hitters parks where you have to worry about development. I used to watch Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders and Nick Adenhart all pitch for Rancho—it didn’t seem to have any consequences on their development.
Josh Timmers - August 20, 2009
I should add
that High Desert, at least, is trying to get a new ballpark built, hopefully in Victorville. Putting that stadium in Adelanto was ridiculous. The High Desert is already in the middle of nowhere, but to then put it out in Adelanto, which is what people who live in the middle of nowhere call “The middle of nowhere” was a mistake.
Bakersfield would like to build a new stadium that the Blaze would share with the CSUB Roadrunners, who have an emerging baseball program. Obviously the budget problems in California make that impossible right now. Last I heard the Bakersfield owners were traveling around the state asking every town they could if they want a minor league ballclub. Clearly the best solution would be staying in Bakersfield and sharing a stadium, but that’s not going to happen for several years, if ever.
Josh Timmers - August 20, 2009
Iowa Cubs/Portland Beavers
on FSN Northwest tonight, and in the Fox Sports Tier FCS/Pacific 7p/PST. Replay 12am FCS Pacific.
San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - August 20, 2009
I'll Set My DVR
memphiscub - August 20, 2009
May and Struck
Reading some in other blogs that we signed Brandon May our 35th or 36th round pick and Nick Struck a 39th rounder and r-handed pitcher from Mt. Hood CC in Oregon. I think it was Northside or bleacher bums
Slamdog - August 20, 2009
Hey guys
This is why I loe this site. I vent a little, and my .02 is rewarded with a handful of bills worth of information. I understand the situation a lot better now.
tim815 - August 20, 2009
Smokies Tied With Jaxx for First
Tennessee is tied with West Tenn for first place in the SL North going into Thursday’s action.
memphiscub - August 20, 2009
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Bleed Cubbie Blue to post a comment.