Cubs things major and minor
With such a quick turnaround from yesterday, it was a short and sweet media session with Lou today. Kosuke Fukudome’s hitting coach from Japan, Kyosuke Sasaki, is back with the Cubs.
“The last time he was here, I thought he helped Kosuke,” Lou said. “He’s very knowledgeable. He does a nice job. I know that Kosuke enjoys him being here, and we’re appreciative that he comes over here and helps out a couple times a year.”
Lineup
Fukudome, CF
Theriot, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Bradley, RF
Soto, C
Scales, LF
Blanco, 2B
Wells, P
“Just trying a couple different people,” Lou said. “Tomorrow, we’ll get back to a little different lineup. I’m playing different people.”
Jake Fox has not started since Sept. 3 against the White Sox.
“There’s nothing wrong with Fox," Lou said. "We’ve been facing a lot of right-hand pitching. I’ve got so many left-hand hitters here. We’ve been playing some left-hand hitters against right-hand pitching. We’ll get him in there before long.”
Since it was a quiet morning, I had a chance to shoot the breeze with farm director Oneri Fleita and scouting director Tim Wilken today. Lefty Austin Kirk, the Cubs’ third-round pick this year, was at Wrigley today throwing in the bullpen. Between Arizona and Boise this year, Kirk went 2-1 with a 3.95 ERA.
Last night, Class AA Tennessee evened its Southern League series with Huntsville at one game apiece with a 3-1 victory. Casey Coleman, a leading candidate for Cubs minor-league pitcher of the year, worked 7.2 innings giving up 4 hits and 1 run and getting the victory. It was Coleman’s 15th victory overall this year. Park Ridge’s Brian Schlitter got the save. Oneri said Starlin Castro had a nice plate appearance, looking at an outside pitch before hitting a sac fly. Castro looks to be the fastest-rising position player in the system, and he’s only 19.
Coleman is a 2008 draft pick of Wilken, as were Andrew Cashner, Chris Carpenter and Jay Jackson. Tim told me he likes “athletic” pitchers. He says not only does that help them at the plate and in the field, but it also helps them to “repeat their deliveries.” Interesting stuff.
Tim said one guy to keep an eye on in the low minors is righty Kenneth McNutt, who went 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP at Boise. In 20.1 innings, McNutt gave up 9 hits. He’s a 32nd-round pick this year, and people say he reminds them a little of Cashner
Wilken also said the Cubs were happy with lefty Brooks Raley, a sixth-rounder this year. Raley was 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA between Arizona and Boise.
As far as other position players go, Oneri talked up right fielder Kyler Burke, who had a Midwest League-leading 43 doubles to go along with a .405 OBP at Peoria.
“Kyler Burke had a tremendous year," Oneri said. "You look at the categories: a big man who hits for power, he can run, plays really good defense, has a tremendous throwing arm. I think he recorded his 15th outfield assist in the playoffs. He also has on-base percentage, doubles. He’s a run producer, and it’s not very often you can find guys who can give you all those type of skills and be a big corner outfielder.”
I'd like to see the Cubs develop at least one rookie every year. Given the perceived depth-Coleman, Cashner, Jackson, Samardzija-you'd like to think we could add one rookie starter to the rotation.
That said, I think the decision on Harden rests on whether or not the Cubs have had it with Zambrano. If they decide to reconstruct this team-they could trade Zambrano-in my opinion he'd waive his no trade. Possible destinations would be the Dodgers or Mets. I'd say Andre Eithier would be a prime target.
If they keep Zambrano, I could see the Cubs making a push for Carl Crawford, which would require a pool of young talent-possibly Carlos Marmol as the centerpiece.
Hi Bruce,
Do you have any thoughts on him with regards to free agency/offering arbitration/potential contract?
I'm sure you have the numbers - in how many of his starts did he go 5 innings or less?
I'd like to see the Cubs move on. This guy just taxes the bullpen way too much, and personally he looks like he doesn't want to be here - way too much pressure.
With Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster and Wells, the Cubs may want to look into an innings eater for #5. If the Cubs offense can score like they are capable of doing, I would have no issue with a guy, who pitches 200 innings an has an ERA of 4.5. Jon Garland would be fine by me.
Hoops
A lot of people seem to think it's a no-brainer that the Cubs will offer him arbitration. It's not that cut-and-dried. If they offer and he accepts, do they have the money if he wants $10 mil? I was on ESPN radio with Chuck Swirsky the other night, and he asked me, "Yes" or "No," whether I thought Harden would be back, and I said, "No."
Bruce, if the Cubs offer Harden arbitration and he asks for $10M while the Cubs submit $8 for their bid, why would that be so bad? They usually end up settling by splitting the difference rather than going to touchy arbitration proceedings. And in this case, they would certainly prefer to agree on $9M as opposed to trying to "win" arbitration to save $1M. Harden typically doesn't go very deep into games but he's well worth $9M and still very young. Put him in the rotation between the two pitchers that average the most innings per start, and the bullpen should be rested enough to throw three or four innings if necessary when Harden starts. With Harden's history of injuries and the fact that he's had an off year in terms of how well he's pitched, I have a tough time seeing another club offering him much of a multi-year deal, especially when they know it will cost them a first or second round draft pick to sign him. I guess I'm not sure what the down side would be to offering him arbitration. Can the Cubs afford to head into 2010 with a rotation of Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster, Wells, and Gorzellany, with not much of anything in the way of depth if one of those five were to get hurt? Some are high on Samardzija, but he's yet to show much IMO. Personally, I'd rather see them trade Zambrano and swing a deal for Halladay, and bring back Harden. Halladay, Harden, Lilly, Wells, and Dempster sounds much better and Gorzellany adds depth. I know, trading Zambrano and trading for Halladay are longshots, but if we can't dream a little after such a disappointing season, what fun is it to be Cub fans?
Seriously, they HAVE to offer Harden arbitration. If a few million bucks is going to cost the Cubs 2 draft picks, its yet another strike against Hendry and his overpaying ways. Harden's getting $7 million this year, $10 million in arbitration should not scare Hendry off.