Castro is back (plus a farm report)
We'll get to a lot of stuff today, including a mini "Farm and Fleita" minor-league report below. We'll also talk about the Cubs' hitting, or lack thereof, with runners in scoring position. Starlin Castro is back in the lineup tonight after getting his “mental day off” for not being fully into a sequence Sunday night. A lot of the same questions were asked today, and the answers were pretty much the same.
“We always talk about the physical nature of this game,” said manager Mike Quade. “We don’t need to talk about his talent. His experience and the development he needs, absolutely. The mental part of the game matters. Sometimes that gets left behind. We’re here to help people and help people get better. I was disappointed because we’ve spent a ton of time and emphasis on this part of his game. Ultimately, he’s responsible.”
“If it was for lack of paying attention to his part of his game, I would feel like we had let him down. But it hasn’t been. It doesn’t take away from the progress that we’ve seen from him, and it doesn’t mean he’s on Mike Quade or anybody else’s time schedule.”
Lineup vs. lefty Mike Minor:
Castro, SS
Johnson, RF
Ramirez, 3B
Baker, 2B
Pena, 1B
Byrd, CF
Soriano, LF
Soto, C
Coleman, P
Last night, the Cubs stranded 15 runners and were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. In July, they batted .270 as a team with runners in scoring position, going 51-for-189. In August, however, the Cubs are 36-for-191 (.188) with RISP, including a .167 (14-for-84) mark in the last eight games. For the season, the Cubs are batting .236 with runners in scoring position and .228 with RISP and two outs. Here is a look at some of the key individuals and their averages with RISP:
Barney: .299
Byrd: .204
Castro: .306
Colvin: .091
DeWitt: .222
Hill: .000 (0-for-28)
Johnson: .325
Pena: .169
Ramirez: .286
Soriano: .233
Soto: .222
'FARM AND FLEITA' MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT
We'll get to some comments from farm director Oneri Fleita in this section and have some notes on a recent draftee or two. Let's start at Class AA Tennessee. The Smokies collected 17 hits and beat Chattanooga 9-2. Northwestern's Eric Jokisch, in his second Double-A start, got the win, working 6 innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 run. He walked two and struck out 10.
First baseman Rebel Ridling (.302) reached base four times, going 3-for-4 with a walk and a homer. He also drove in 4 runs, extending a hitting streak to seven.
"That was a little more like it," Smokies manager Brian Harper told the Knoxville News Sentinel. "Last night we had trouble getting the big hit. We got a few today. Rebel Ridling has been hot and that was a big home run there. The kid is putting together a good year and he's been real clutch for us lately."
Jim Adduci was 4-for-5. Josh Vitters (.287) was 3-for-3 with a double. Andrew Cashner makes a rehab start for Tennessee tonight.
Class AAA Iowa beat Oklahoma City 4-0 behind Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who went 7 shutout innings, giving up 4 hits while walking one and striking out four. Brett Jackson (.313) was 2-for-4 with a double, 2 runs and his sixth stolen base.
I had a chance to ask Oneri the other day about lefty Chris Rusin, promoted in-season from Tennessee. Rusin, a product of the University of Kentucky and a fourth-rounder in 2009, is a combined 6-4 with a 3.62 ERA. His groundout/flyball out ratio is 1.93. His WHIP at Iowa is 1.18.
"He got off to a little bit of a slow start," Oneri said. "He had some blisters, kind of like Trey McNutt. I thought it was something with the baseballs, honestly (laughing). It turned out it wasn't. He's put that behind him. He's an older guy, 24 years old, a college kid. He knows how to pitch. He's not afraid of contact. He pitches to contact and gets groundballs. He's one of those crafty lefties, and you've got to give him a chance. I think he's a tough kid. He's a guy who can always pitch above his stuff. He's got really good command, and he'll have to have good command. There's no reason not to challenge him."
Daytona (A) had the day off. Peoria (A) fell 6-2 to Cedar Rapids. Starling Peralta took the loss, working 4 innings and giving up 9 hits and 6 runs, 3 earned. He's 2-5 with a 6.85 ERA. Rubi Silva went 2-for-4 and has hit safely in 18 of 19 games. Richard Jones was 2-for-4 with his team-leading 88th RBI.
Boise (A) got 14 hits and 5 stolen bases but lost 9-8 in 10 innings to Yakima. Willengton Cruz worked just one-third of an inning, giving up 2 hits and 3 runs. Zeke DeVoss, drafted this year in the third round, went 4-for-6 with a double, 2 RBI and a stolen base, his 13th. Ryan Cuneo extended a hit streak to six games, going 2-for-4 with a walk and a homer. He has 5 homers in his last 8 games.
Mesa (Rookie) lost 7-1 to the Diamondbacks. Brian Smith worked 3 shutout innings, giving up 2 hits. Second-rounder Daniel Vogelbach, making his professional debut, was 1-for-4. Second baseman Gioskar Amaya, whom some here have asked about, was 2-for-4.
"We signed him last year as one of our bigger signings internationally, he and Marco Hernandez, out of Venezuela," Oneri said. "He's a switch hitter, a really good baseball player. They did a really nice job when they signed this kid. He can play short, second or third. He just knows how to play the game of baseball. He does a lot of things right. He can really catch a ball. He always throws to the right base and understands the bunt situations and really handles the bat."
Marlon Byrd, who is 3-for-20 on the homestand and 20-for-100 for the season with runners in scoring position, is not in tonight's lineup:
Castro, SS
Barney, 2B
Ramirez, 3B
Pena, 1B
Colvin, RF
Soriano, LF
Campana, CF
Soto, C
Wells, P
Look, it's fun and all to dream about Pujols or Fielder. But there is snowball's chance in hell either wants to play for a rebuilding Cub team, plus Ricketts is doubtful willing to shell out $175 to $250 million that it will take to sign either. At least at this point of Cub evolution.
Pena makes lots of sense to bring back in 2012. He apparently has strong leadership qualities and is very good defensively, which is important given how raw Castro is defensively. He also delivers a reliable amount of left handed run production.
Cubs have a LOT of work ahead of themselves to get back to competitve status. Bringing Pena back for a year or two is good business as part of that overall strategy.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
With his $5M due in January - I can't see how the Cubs don't let him get claimed. Try to work out a trade to defer some of that money and get prospects, but if the claiming team is just blocking, letting him go must be a no-brainer, right?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/08/carlos-pena-claimed-on-waivers.htm...
Read the newly added detail about Pena's contract in the MLBTR piece. Says contract stipulates Cubs still on hook for $5M payment in January even if Pena claimed.
Funny how these little details never known to the public until last minute. If trading him just saves $1M, then I'd hold out for good prospects rather than just dump him.
If the Yankees would only be out a million and yet every other contender elected not to put in a claim on Pena, that pretty much sums up how much the rest of MLB feels about his value and how much the Cubs overpaid him. If they decide to bring him back, it should certainly be at a much cheaper rate. But alas, the Cubs figure to pull him back rather than work out a trade. And before anyone says they wouldn't get anything of value back for Pena, or Johnson, or Baker, etc., keep in mind that the Cubs obtained Baker two years ago for Al Alburquerque, who has given up just 18 hits in 37 innings for the Tigers this season to go with 57 K's and a miniscule .141 BAA.
was traded to the Rockies and he didn't do squat there. He was dumped by them because he wasn't very good. He had almost a 5 era last year. So this is pretty surprising.
Couldn't the Cubs still work out a deal where the Yankees pick up part of the deferral in exchange for a lesser prospect? I wonder what this interim regime has the power to do/not do.
include Cleveland, LA Angels, perhaps Oakland
Is getting the draft pick from the type B status worth $1mil? If it is why not keep him and let LaHair come up Sep 1 -if not let him go. They need to make room on the 40 man for LaHair when he comes up.
It's the Yankees, according to ESPN.
I'd still rather save the $1M and get LaHair up here for rest of season...nice little reward for him.
Absolutely...PLEASE do the right thing here...
Yet another example of wondering what is running through Quade's head while the game is going on. Last night we had Byrd at the plate with the bases loaded in a one run game. How many times have we seen Byrd go after the first pitch and top one meekly to one of the infielders? Happened again last night, on a chest high pitch that was a ball.
Here's an idea - give Byrd the take sign! Work the count - the pitcher can't afford to walk him and let in the tying run. Wait for your pitch, don't swing at the pitcher's pitch! These are all things we learned in Little League - it's a shame neither Quade nor Byrd seemed to have a clue.
This was an interesting question brought up by Danny Mac this morning. He seemed to think it is Paul Konerko who is that with his professionalism the way he goes about his business and the fact he has a ring to show for it. I tend to disagree....Konerko is a fine player who plays for a team that half the town could care less about. Yes, the Sox had their one-hit wonder in 2005 but I tend to think the face of sports here in town now is Jonathan Toews. He's the consummate professional and is great at both sides of his game unlike Konerko who's a one-trick pony with his hitting. Furthermore, the Hawks won the most recent title here in this town and are clearly aligned to win another one in the near future better than the Sox or any other Chicago team. What do you think? Who's your face of Chicago sports....and why?
I'm a huge hockey freak and there is no denying Toews is among the elite players in the NHL. But hockey is very much a niche sport in Chicago, at least at this point. So face of Chicago sports? No.
Rose? Does anybody really care about the NBA anymore? I'm not so sure. So answer is no.
Cutler? Immensely talented and immensely criticized. His acerbic personality rubs too many people the wrong way for him to be the face of Chicago sports.
Konerko? One of the classiest guys in all of professional sports. A consummate professional and a big time performer. Face of Chicago sports? No.
I'm not so sure that is the case here anymore. The Hawks are definitely back in the minds of sports fans here and are sure to gain more fans and attention with continued success and also with the NBA lockout too. Yes, this is still a Bears town bar none but the Hawks are no longer an afterthought.
1 Rose
2 Cutler
3 Toews
don't think anyone on either baseball team warrants inclusion
From Chicago
League MVP
plays for the only basketball team in town (no split allegiances)
fairly controversy free
revitalizing a once proud franchise
from the south side and is easy for african american kids (well all kids) to idolize
Rose has revitalized the Bulls but he hasn't won a championship yet. Toews has and was the MVP in the Cup finals.
Forgot about him....
Scratch my ballot for Urlacher and agree about Rose.
Other than having someone take the SAT's for him he's the face of this city.
Carlos Zambrano.
Since Shoeless Joe Jackson, getting run out of town in disgrace after a great career epitomizes Chicago sports.
Good question, but I don't really think there is any right now.
Maybe Urlacher
Non athlete who everybody's eyes are on in sports?....
Ricketts & Quade
Cashner seems to be fragile and is probably best suited for a bullpen role where his usage is carefully choreographed. He doesn't appear to have the durability to withstand 30 starts a season. Maybe with luck he can become a quality set-up guy.
Cashner seems to be fragile? Show me another time he has had even a minor injury. If he continues to get hurt then fine, but he has had no history of injury until now.
I'm in the camp that you pick up the Ramirez option for '12. Put the ball in his court - if he wants to seek a multi-year deal, then he does so without a $2M sendoff. If he declines the mutual option, offer arbitration and get the Type B draft picks. If he stays for 2012 - he's still a very good, middle of the lineup hitter which the team is sorely lacking, and he's off the books entirely for 2013 and beyond.
The Cubs don't have a guy in their system ready to come up and play third base next year. Every option I can think of (on farm or via free agency) would be a 1-2 year stopgap anyway. Promoting Josh Vitters next year when he's not ready helps nobody. I think La Mahieu will battle Barney for 2B next year, but otherwise don't see him as a long-term solution at 3rd.
If someone has a legitimate answer for who we could play at 3rd base next year that could be our 3rd basemen through 2016 - I'm all for pursuing as well. But as stated many times, we're not the Tampa Rays, we have the payroll flexibility to pay this guy for one more year. It accomplishes nothing to say - let's go with a Baker/ DeWitt platooon. It does not impact the focus of draft, acquire, develop that Ricketts is preaching. I get the criticism of Ramirez work ethic and poor defense, but don't think he is a cancer or otherwise is harming the team/ culture the way other posters do.
The Cubs CAN compete next year that's not even worth debating (they are even adding another Wild Card team). It's not likely - I don't see any avenue in FA/ trades where they can maneuver to become the division favorites, for example. But having Ramirez around for one more year definitely increases their chances over having a DeWitt/ Baker platoon, or rushing a Josh Vitters to big leagues.
>> The Cubs CAN compete next year that's not even worth debating <<
There you go again before the dust is even kicked up over the direction the organization plans on heading.
I'm on the fence regarding Ramirez.....
On the one hand I'd like to see a complete purge of those players with ties to the previous playoffs and their resulting dump during & afterward. These aren't your driven money-players who relish the chance to go for all the marbles. PLUS.... I find it dubious how Ramirez suddenly kicked it in gear in a contract year and somehow managed not to go on the DL. Hmmm.
On the other hand, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and you know what you're getting with Ramirez and what you're risking when he's "comfy" again.
It may be a moot point....
After saying he wanted to remain a Cub, now that Hendry is gone (and possibly the country club atmosphere after this season), his agent is saying that Ramirez will explore all options. Could that mean he's now agreeable to a trade to a contender? Maybe he'll be gone before the season ends.
You are right, Ramirez > DeWitt/Baker. I don't disagree with you there. It's my assumption that the new GM isn't going to keep that salary around and will find someone who can play defense at an at least average level.
It's been proven that the quickest way to turn around a team is by improving the defense and third base is a place were it would make a huge difference.
Okay you just let Aramis walk. He's a 3.3 WAR player so far this year. DeWitt is 0.0 WAR. Baker is -0.3 so those two together don't even equal a replacement player!
Nice job "improving" the team.
No, I said that Ramirez is better than a platoon of Baker/DeWitt, or at least that was my intention. If that is the choice, you keep Ramirez for the last year. Of course, the player will probably opt out if that is the case so it's a moot point.
It's my assumption that the new GM isn't going to want to keep Ramirez's salary on the books any longer than he has to and he's not going to give him a multi-year deal. It's impossible for me to guess what will happen because I don't know who the new GM is going to be and I can't say that (insert name here) will be the third baseman for the Cubs next year. I just think that the combination of Ramirez having the ability to opt out along with a new GM not wanting to negotiate a multi-year deal will end up with Ramirez moving to a new team.
Dewitt is not a ML ballplayer. I doubt any new GM would keep him on the team.
I agree completely with concentrating on defense-but as far as the IF is concerned, 3B would be the one spot that you put a subpar defender. Not to say def isn't important at 3B but statistically it does get fewer chances than the other positions in the IF. Ramirez is not an asset at 3B in defense but I'd like to see how big a liability he is at the position relative to his production
I don't think that the Cubs are going to get better defense at first base next year than they have this year even though they might sign a new player. I think Barney/LeMahieu/whoever at 2b will be better next season. I think that Castro will be a better SS next season, thus leaving me with 3b as the place to make an improvement on the infield as far as defense.
In the outfield you'd love to move Byrd to LF to help the defense but you have the Soriano contract so I'm assuming he's going to be out there at least 60% of the time if he's on the team.
He won't be agreeing to a 1 year deal. If he does, big whoop. He's on the team one more year and could possibly be traded at the deadline.
Time to say goodbye to the cancer no matter how wondrous his offensive contributions may be. The best thing for Starlin Castro's development is removing asap Ramirez and Soriano. Ramirez is a dog and part of the country club culture that needs to be blown up. Plus he is a wretched 3rd baseman at this point.
And how in your right mind do you see the Cubs competint in 2012?!? What, are they going to acquire 3 starting pitchers magically? Not to mention the great uncertainty in the outfield and with the offense as well. You need to burp yourself having drank too many gallons of the koolaid.
>> The best thing for Starlin Castro's development is removing asap Ramirez and Soriano. <<
Can't disagree there. If fact I'll toss Byrd in there, as well. He seems to have caught the same type of flu Ramirez, Soriano and Grabow came down with.
2012 - one more playoff spot?
2011 - see D'Backs and Indians
2010 - see Reds and Padres
Again - the CAN compete statement is not even debateable. Likely to compete - very debateable. I'd take the 10-1 odds OB gave on Cubs making the playoffs again next year (I'd go even lower than that).
PLEASE!
SOMEONE TAKE THIS GUY UP ON THIS ONE AGAIN!!
Maybe if he loses enough of his "bets", he'll learn to be more grounded when it comes to the Cubs.
You really think 10-1 odds is a bad bet on the Cus being one of 5 (of 16) to qualify for the playoffs? You understand my losiing that bet one year does not make it a bad bet? My losing the same bet two years does not make that a bad bet. My losing the bet three years does not make.........................you get the picture by now?
Charlie....
Here's a nice piece on possible Cub GM candidates and the task this guy will have before him.... going into his 1ST YEAR!!!
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ti-brown_hardball_chicago_cubs_gm_...
If whoever it is can get the Cubs to the playoffs NEXT YEAR with all of their "cultural" problems, pitching & defense needs, need for players that don't have embarassing RISP numbers, etc.....
Then that new GM deserves immediate induction into The Cubs Hall of Fame and a statue at Wrigley.
btw.... I think ANY bet, regardless of the odds, for the Cubs to make the playoffs next season is a sucker's bet at this point in time.
Let's talk after spring training.
You really don't get the absurdity of this statement - do you? If you had been running Vegas 50 years ago, no one would even know it existed today.
You conveniently left out the last part of my sentence.... "at this point in time".
But, if it's just a hunch and it makes you feel like a "real" Cub fan by very likely throwing money away, which makes you feel more interested and involved in their exploits.... than that's what made Vegas, Vegas baby.
Also, as far as Vegas..... YOU'RE NOT THE HOUSE!
Maybe it's just me, but if I have some money burning a hole in my pocket and all my wants for however much it is are taken care of..... it goes toward a food bank, homeless shelter or somewhere that has better immediate use for it than me blowing it on a crazy bet so early in a process.
Not preaching, judging, putting myself above others or claiming that I'm such a wonderful human being.... it's just kinda nuts to go out on a limb right now with the Cubs.
For some reason, I still had the Cubs game on last night into the 9th inning. BTW - good to see Marv Levy do the 7th inning stretch - he's a class act. On to the 9th, Cubs are down one run with two outs and Aramis gets a double, so the tying run is now on 2nd. As we all now, Ramirez is as slow as dirt and just the night before he wasn't able to score from 2nd on a medium range single to center field late in the game. So when he reached 2nd last night, I immediately thought bring in Tony Campana as a pinch runner, and Bob Brenly echoed my sentiment in the broadcast. Instead, Quade keeps Ramirez in the game on 2nd and Colvin strikes out (imagine that) so it ends up being a moot point. But this is further proof that Quade has zero ability to think outside the box. Isn't the rule of thumb that you go for the tie at home and the win on the road? That's one reason why you put in Campana there, he scores on a single and in the least the game is tied, and you go to extras. But you say, the Cubs didn't have anybody left on the bench to play third base ... easy solution, you move Barney from 2nd to 3rd, move Soriano from left to 2nd, and insert Campana in left. It's not like the team is in contention and you have to play everything by the book ... for once Quade, do something a little unorthodox that makes sense, your team is playing for NOTHING, have some guts!
Couldn't agree with you and BB more - the night before they twice had slow runners held at 3rd, unable to score from 2nd on hits and were then shutout. If Colvin had gotten a hit DeJesus may or may not have sent Ramierez home and Campana definitely should have been pinch running. You can't win if you can't get that run in and that's all Quade should have considered.
Quade had to have tv point out Castro the night before - neither he nor any of his coaches notices anything. Then he doesn't pinch run for Ramierez. This guy is bush league, in over his head and a disgrace as a big league manager.
Who you going to play at 3rd in the 9th and in extras when you pinch run for Rameriz? You've already batted DeWitt and Baker.
It doesn't matter if you don't tie (or maybe even win) the game - Quade punted on being creative by not taking his best shot at the game and then worrying about who could play 3rd (Barney? Koy Hill who came up as a 3rd baseman?). It's all academic since they lost -as usual- without taking a creative gamble. What was the downside - losing later (but maybe winning)?
would have been Koyie Hill. He played 3B in college at Wichita State.
The new GM will have a fair amount of cleanup work on the 40 man. There are quite a few endangered members on it now:
Berg
Cabrera
Caridad
Lopez
Maine
Mateo
Sclitter
Smit
Hill
Montanez
Ortiz
Grabow is gone and maybe Zambrano too. Do Dewitt and Coleman have a future with the team under new leadership? There will be a lot of turnover and advancement for some of the younger players in the system.
The Cubs do have a lot of options in this regard. I'd hope they'd keep Cabrera and Mateo. Indifferent on the rest. Will be interesting to see who gets protected this year as well.
Bruce,
What does Fleita say about Gonzalez? He is 22, a switch-hitter, and has done well at AA & AAA. Could he be a homegrown utility player?
Also what is the Cubs philosophy at moving guys up and down in the minors? Cuneo was at Ariz and Boise last year, was at Peoria and now Boise again. He seems to have nothing to prove in a rookie league but couldn't cut it at Peoria.
Also, Amaya and Hernandez seem to have had no problem at Ariz, both hitting in the .330 - .340 range - how come they weren't moved up to Boise?