SB Nation - Neal Cotts

Sunday morning Rangers things

Adam J. Morris — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:31:37 -0000

Yesterday was the deadline for teams to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players. You can see the complete list of non-tendered players here.

Along with the guys we talked about already, some other interesting names include John Buck, who the Rangers supposedly have interest in and who has been the Royals' regular catcher the past few years; Jack Cust, the A's DH; and Neal Cotts, a hard-throwing lefty reliever whose control abandoned him last season.

The Boston Globe is reporting that the Max Ramirez/Mike Lowell deal is being held up over concerns about the health of Mike Lowell's thumb.

Evan Grant says that being aggressive in negotiations with Rich Harden, rather than waiting and seeing how the market shook out, resulted in the Rangers getting Harden away from teams with more money to spend.

Jon Paul Morosi writes that the A.L. West is the most "captivating" division in baseball right now, with three teams that will head to spring training with a realistic chance of winning the division.

The NL Central Offseason Revue: Ursine Children

the red baron — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:43:23 -0000

Sure, I've used it before. It's a good picture, damn it.

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But first, a story. (Just so you know it's a Baron post.)

Last weekend, my mother and I went shopping. The Cherokee Street Antique Row Association was holding their annual Cookie Spree, and we go every year. There's always people milling around, free hot apple cider, and most of the shops are decorated.

We met up in South County, deciding it was a better idea to take one car. Mom tends to get motion sickness when not driving, so I generally just ride with her. We headed up 55 toward the city, then exited at the 4500 block of Broadway.

At the bottom of the ramp was an old woman holding a sign. A square of cardboard scrawled all over in black marker, I couldn't read exactly what was written but the message was clear nonetheless. It was cold out, and the ragged old overcoat she was clutching around her looked woefully inadequate. I've been conned before, I'm sure, but this was no panhandler. This was an old woman with no place to go who badly needed help.

We came to a stop at the bottom of the ramp, and I dug out my wallet. Mom reached for her purse, and I told her I would get it. I opened my wallet and grabbed the first two bills in it, a ten and a twenty. Then, guided by some internal calculus I don't at all understand, I put the ten back. I handed my mother the twenty, she motioned the old woman over, and gave it to her. The old woman said something, toothless mouth moving quickly, blessing us and wishing us well, but by then the car was moving and I couldn't entirely tell what it was. We continued on our way, had hot chocolate and apple cider and cookies. I bought an antique light fixture; it seemed like a fine day.

I tell you all this not to make you think I'm some sort of saint for giving this old woman twenty dollars, but because ever since then I haven't been able to stop thinking about the ten dollars I didn't give her. I had almost $300 in my wallet that day, and a credit card nowhere near the limit to boot. In no way, shape, or form would that extra ten dollars have hurt me, yet I put it back. And worst of all, I don't understand why. I like to think I would do whatever it takes to help someone in need, but apparently that only goes so far. Apparently there's a price on my generosity, and it's painfully low. A truly good person would have been willing to hand over everything they had in hand and never thought twice about it; I certainly didn't need another antique to litter my already cluttered house.

We went back the same way later, on the way back to my car, but the old woman was gone. I hope what I gave her was enough to help, but I can't stop thinking about that moment, when I arbitrarily decided the limits of how much I was willing to help another human being.

I've had these posts in mind for a while now, trying to take a look around the division at our rivals and what their offseasons might look like, but simply hadn't had the chance to do so yet. With my inability to post a full post on Wednesday, I thought I might ask Dan if he minded me taking today. He seemed amenable to the idea, unsurprising given the dearth of real meat to work with this time of year and what is undoubtedly a crowded schedule for everyone. So here I am, telling you what the Cubs need to do this winter.

I begin with the Cubs because they are our chief rivals and also because it simply fits. We care more about the Cubs. So here we are.

As the Cubbies head into their first offseason with new ownership, the question of payroll undoubtedly must be raised. Their new owner, Tom Ricketts, has pledged to update the stadium and build a winner, but just how much one will impact the other remains to be seen. For now, it looks as if Ricketts is willing to pour money into the franchise in order to win, and we'll have to operate under that assumption.

Offense

The Cubs' offense took a huge hit last season from the high times of 2008, due to several players underperforming. Alfonso Soriano was the biggest culprit, stumbling to an OPS+ of 84 after three seasons over 115. Geovany Soto went through an awful sophomore slump, falling from a 118 OPS+ to 79. Aramis Ramirez missed significant time with a shoulder injury, and Derrek Lee struggled mightily early in the season before turning it around.

There were bright spots, such as the improvement Kosuke Fukudome made from his first season in the majors or the continued non-suckitude of Ryan Theriot, but overall it was an intensely disappointing season for Chicago at the plate. In 2008 the Cubs scored 855 runs; in 2009 they plated only 707. Enough said.

Starting Pitching

If the Cubs' offense was decidedly disappointing, the pitching was underwhelmingly good. Carlos Zambrano continued his human roller coaster act, yet still managed to post an ERA under 4.00 for the eighth straight year. Nonetheless, the Big Z is no longer quite the intimidating force at the front of a rotation he once was. He's still solid, but he doesn't really scare you anymore. (Well, unless you happen to be something edible or punchable in the dugout, that is.)

Ryan Dempster fell off from his 2008 performance, but was still a plus pitcher for Chicago. He was awful much of the early portion of the year, but came on strong late to lower his ERA to 3.65. Dempster provides much-needed innings, and at a reasonably high level. After Z and Dumpster, though, things get a bit murkier.

Ted Lilly, a relatively unsung contributor to the Cubs' back-to-back division titles, has had shoulder surgery already this offseason. It was minor shoulder surgery, yes, but then again, I'm not entirely sure there is such a thing. Lilly was absolutely brilliant in 2009, posting a 3.61 FIP, but until he can prove his shoulder is unequivocally sound, he has to be a concern.

Perhaps the brightest spot of all for the Cubs in '09 was the performance of their rookie hurler, Randy Wells. He went 12-10, 3.05 in his first extended taste of the majors at 27. His peripherals were mostly in line as well, so it doesn't appear he did it all with smoke and mirrors. Still, Wells is a relatively unknown commodity, and may simply be waiting until the time is right to give up a crippling home run, then rip open his jersey, revealing the Cardinal jersey underneath. So there's that.

The Cubs' fifth starter spot was, for the most part, a disaster. Sean Marshall continued to impersonate Sean Marshall. The Cubs acquired Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates, and he picked up basically where he left off in Pittsburgh. There were positives in his performance, but for the most part it was another disappointing season for the man once voted Most Likely to Actually Live Up to His Billing among all Pittsburgh left-handed starting prospects.

Relief

Carlos Marmol is sort of the pitching equivalent of a British motorcycle. Yeah, it's a whole lot of fun when it's working, and it certainly looks impressive, but damned if the thing isn't broken down and spilling oil all over your driveway more often than not. Marmol has some of the nastiest stuff in the game, but not much idea where it's going a fair amount of the time. Hitters did a much better job of laying off his slider in 2009, and he had a tough time throwing it for strikes. He still struck out a bunch of hitters (93 in 74 innings), and didn't give up many hits (43), but he also walked 65 hitters, leading to a 1.46 WHIP fueled almost entirely by batters simply standing there and doing nothing.

Kevin Gregg was solid, though not the force the Cubs were undoubtedly hoping for, and he has now departed via free agency. Angel Guzman was impressive, combining a repertoire just a step down from Marmol's with actual control, but he remains very young and was shut down late in the season with an injury. Neal Cotts was, um, how do I put this?- shitty, only to be replaced as the primary lefty by John Grabow. Grabow did what he always does, and should be a definite plus in the 'pen for 2010.

Jeff Samardzija continued his enigmatic career arc, following up his 2.28 ERA in 2008 with a 7.53 in 2009. Sure, he's talented, but at some point Samardzija is going to have to come up with something more than a big fastball and a passing resemblance to Andy Samberg if he wants to succeed at the major league level.

Needs

Any discussion of the Chicago Cubs' offseason has to begin with the outfield, where they badly need to figure things out. Milton Bradley wasn't a bad player for them in 2009; on the contrary, he was probably still their best outfielder, but all signs point to him being dealt this offseason, and I'm not sure I can blame the Cubs. As much as Bradley wasn't the problem with the team this year, I just don't know if his relationship with the fans, not to mention his teammates, is a tenable one.

If Bradley is dealt, the Cubs will have to come up with someone to try and replicate his offensive contributions, and several names have been floated. Rick Ankiel was thought to be their first choice until fairly recently, but things seem to have cooled slightly on that front since Scott Boras made his comments about multiple years and big dollars for Swingin' Dick's services. The Cubs don't seem to have much interest in Matt Holliday, perhaps being a bit gun shy after witnessing how horribly wrong a seven-year deal for an outfielder can go. They also haven't been mentioned all that much in the Jason Bay sweepstakes, so I have to assume they're looking at lower-hanging fruit.

Beyond the outfield, it's somewhat doubtful the Cubs will be able to make any substantial upgrades to their offense. Both corner infield positions are set, and rightfully so. Soto will be looking for a bounceback season; it's far too early to write him off as a one-year wonder. The only spots the Cubs could look to upgrade are the middle infield positions, but I'm not sure how much help is really available at those spots this offseason. Perhaps the Cubbies get involved in trying to trade for Dan Uggla? They do have an exciting young middle infield prospect in the pipeline named Starlin Castro, who has garnered plenty of comparisons to Edgar Renteria, and could draw interest from Florida, but little beyond that.

The bullpen has to be an area of concern, and priority one has to be sorting out who will at least begin the season as the Chicago closer. Marmol, I'm sure, will have the inside track on the job, but after his 2009 performance it shouldn't be a foregone conclusion. I doubt the Cubs will go outside the organisation to find a stopper, but it's likely they'll try to acquire at least an arm or two to bolster the overall depth of the 'pen.

Priorities

Deal with Milton Bradley situation. Trade is most likely outcome.
Acquire offensive upgrade to replace Bradley's production. Left-handed hitter would be desirable.
Shore up bullpen, likely through trades. (Bradley?)
Look at other possible offensive upgrades, i.e. Uggla or Mark DeRosa as utility player.
Acquire 5th starter/ insurance arm for Ted Lilly.
???
World Series title.

The Bottom Line

The Cubs are by no means in dire straights. They underachieved badly last season, but the offense should receive a boost from a full season from Ramirez and, hopefully, better years from Soriano, Soto, and Lee. The same can't really be said for the pitching, which performed right about where one would expect, given the talent level. The starting rotation will remain their biggest strength, while the bullpen remains somewhat suspect.

At this point, the Cubs have to be considered the Cards' main competition for the division again in 2009. Both teams are clearly a step or two ahead of the pack.

There you go, folks. One in the can, four to go.

The Baron's Playlist for the 11th of December, 2009

"The Blizzard" - Camera Obscura A cover of the Jim Reeves/ Johnny Cash classic. Any CO fans out there (and I know there are some), you might want to check out their holiday 7" release, with the Blizzard backed by Swans.

"My Wife and My Dead Wife" - Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians

"Oh You Pretty Things" - Peter Noone I just heard this on Pop! The Beat Bubble Bursts yesterday morning, and I can't stop listening to it. It's a Bowie cover by the former Herman's Hermits frontman, and it has a bit of an early Harry Nilsson vibe to it. Really great.

"Intermezzo Sinfonico" from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana - James Levine

"Take On Me" - A.C. Newman Another tip of the hat to KDHX, this time to Nick Acquisto and the Space Parlour. Outstanding cover of the A-Ha classic.

Edit: And, of course, on the day I write this, some actual news comes down the pipeline, as the Cardinals have now apparently made an official offer to Scott Boras and Matt Holliday. Sigh. They couldn't have waited just one more day? Really?

Guess The 40-Man Roster Additions

Al — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:15:48 -0000

10:59 pm CST tonight is the deadline for teams to fill out their 40-man rosters with players they want to protect from the Rule 5 draft next month.

With the trade of Aaron Heilman yesterday, the Cubs' 40-man roster stands at 33 players -- so they've got plenty of room to add players they want to protect. This article from the Atlanta Braves website gives some details on how this process works and also about some other upcoming deadlines.

The number of players added by tonight may also give us a clue as to upcoming trades or free-agent signings -- if the Cubs don't fill out the roster to the full 40-man limit, it may presage some acquisitions.

Post your guesses as to who the Cubs might add to the 40-man roster (or who -- cough Neal Cotts cough -- might be removed). Once the Cubs post the full list, I'll update this post, either later today or tomorrow.

UPDATE: From the press release today:

The Chicago Cubs today added five players to the 40-man roster, including left-handed pitcher John Gaub, right-handed pitchers Rafael Dolis and Blake Parker, catcher Welington Castillo and outfielder James Adduci. Chicago's 40-man roster now stands at 38.

Gaub and Parker are no surprise, as they were in the Arizona Fall League and expected to be in the mix for the 2010 bullpen. There are two open spots; this could portend a trade, a free-agent signing or possibly a Rule 5 pick the Cubs have their eyes on. Stay tuned.

Chicago Cubs interested in former Blue Jay B.J. Ryan

Matt Buggenhagen — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:26:12 -0000

More photos » by Paul Battaglia - AP

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According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Cubs appear to have interest in former Toronto Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan.

Ryan, who was released from the Blue Jays last week, is expected to clear waivers Friday, and all indication is that the Cubs will be interested in signing him.

The Tribune says that the Cubs could move Sean Marshall into the rotation to make room for Ryan.

Once he clears waivers the Blue Jays will be on the hook for most of they money, so from a financial standpoint this deal totally makes sense for the Cubs.

Ryan was put on waivers with $15 million remaining on his five-year, $47 million deal, and any team that claims him would have to pay the freight. After Ryan clears waivers, he becomes a free agent, and any team can sign him for $200,000 in '09 and $400,000 in '10.

I would expect given how affordable Ryan is that several teams will be interested; however, the Cubs are the first team that has shown any public interest.

Last week a report in the Cleveland Plain dealer indicated that the Indians had no interest in signing Ryan.

If the Cubs do sign Ryan it's possible that they could send him down to the minors to get some work in before promoting him to the big leagues.

Marshall has been excellent for the Cubs since replacing Neal Cotts in the bullpen in May. He is 3-6 on the year with a 4.01 ERA, but since he was moved to the bullpen he has only allowed three runs in his last 15 2/3 innings.

All in all it would be a very smart pickup for the Cubs. It will cost them $600,000 to sign him for two years. Worst case he bombs out and they lose AROD's lunch money, but the best case is they get an effective left-handed reliever for really cheap.

Cubs Minor League Wrap -- June 24

Josh77 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:29:14 -0000

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were beaten by the New Orleans Zephyrs, 5-2.

Starter Esmailin Caridad was very effective for four shutout innings, surrendering only one hit and one walk. Caridad fanned five.

Since being sent down to the minors, Neal Cotts had been pitching very effectively, at least until tonight when the Neal Cotts who can't find the plate resurfaced. Cotts walked in a run when he entered the game with the bases loaded in the eighth and then allowed a three-run home run in the ninth. Overall, Cotts was credited with allowing three runs on three hits and a three walks over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one.

Right fielder So Taguchi was 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI. Luis Rivas was 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Ryan Freel finished his rehabbing by going 2 for 4 with a double. He was also caught stealing.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies burnt the Montgomery Biscuits, 6-0.

Casey Coleman improved his season record to 7-3 with six innings, allowing only four hits and a walk. Coleman struck out four.

Left fielder Tyler Colvin hit his sixth home run in only 69 AA at-bats tonight. Colvin went 3 for 4 with the solo home run in the sixth inning. Colvin scored three times.

Right fielder Doug Deeds hit his first AA HR in a 2 for 4 night. Deeds had two RBI and also walked once.

Third baseman Marquez Smith was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.

Daytona Cubs

Daytona split a double-header with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, winning the first 3-2 in eight innings and dropping the second, 6-5.

Rafael Dolis started the first game. He allowed two runs on six hits and a walk over 3.2 innings. He struck out three.

Todd Blackford got the win with two shutout innings. He gave up two hits and a walk and struck out one.

Right fielder Brandon Guyer was 2 for 4 with two doubles and a run scored. Center fielder Tony Campana went 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. He stole one base and was thrown out another time.

Marwin Gonzalez had a double and a run scored in a 2 for 3 game.

In the second game, Dan McDaniel just hasn't been right since his injury earlier in the season. McDaniel gave up six runs on eight hits and three walks in only 3.2 innings. He also hit two batters. Two of the runs were unearned, however. McDaniel only had one strikeout.

Third baseman Jake Opitz was 2 for 4 with a home run. Opitz scored twice and had two RBI. Left fielder Jonathan Wyatt was 2 for 3 with two doubles and a run scored.

Guyer had another big game in the nightcap, going 3 for 4 with a stolen base.

Catcher Luis Flores was 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. First baseman Ryan Keedy went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs are still on the All-Star Break. They finished the first half at 38-31, which was fourth place but only 2.5 games out of first.

Boise Hawks

The Hawks losing ways continued as they were drowned in magma by the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 5-3.

Larry Suarez pitched in his first game above the rookie ball tonight and didn't last very long. Suarez gave up three runs, two earned, in 1.1 inning. Suarez gave up two hits, walked three and struck out two. Despite having signed with the Cubs back in 1989, Suarez is still only 19 years old. (Just kidding. Suarez signed to much fanfare in 2006.)

Catcher Matt Cerda was 2 for 4. SS Hak-Ju Lee was 1 for 3 with a walk, extending his hitting streak to start his professional career to five games.

AZL Cubs

Crushed the Brewers, 12-6.

Cubs Minor League Wrap -- June 21

Josh77 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:38:05 -0000

And a Happy Father's Day to everyone out there. It's a bit of a bittersweet one for me as it's my second Father's Day but the first one since my father died in February. The good piece of news there is that his granddaughter did visit him once before he died.

Iowa Cubs

It's two shutouts in a row for the I-Cubs as they blanked the Memphis Redbirds, 7-0.

It was Kevin Hart's turn in the rotation today, but his recall to Chicago meant that Iowa went with four relievers today. James Russell started and allowed three hits and no walks over three innings. He struck out one. Then Justin Berg took over and while he walked three and didn't get a strikeout, he didn't allow a hit and picked up the win. Finally, Jeff Stevens and Neal Cotts each threw two innings to finish out the game.

Catcher Steve Clevenger went 2 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. He had three RBI. Center fielder Sam Fuld had an RBI and a run scored in a 2 for 5 game. He also stole his 18th base of the season.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies outslugged the Carolina Mudcats, 8-6.

Starter Casey Lambert was the beneficiary of strong offense, as he grabbed his fifth win despite not pitching well at all. Lambert gave up five runs on eight hits over five innings. Lambert didn't walk a batter and struck out two.

Brian Schlitter gave up a run on three hits over two innings, but snagged his 11th save anyway. Schlitter struck out two and walked nobody.

Third baseman Marquez Smith celebrated Father's Day by hitting two solo home runs. Smith was 2 for 4 and now has five homers on the year.

Catcher Welington Castillo also homered. Castillo hit a three-run shot in the second inning. He was 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Left fielder Russ Canzler also hit a solo home run. Canzler was 1 for 2 with a walk and two runs scored.

Second baseman Tony Thomas and shortstop Jonathan Mota were both 2 for 5. Thomas had an RBI.

Daytona Cubs

Finished up the All-Star break. Daytona finished the first half at an even 31-31, which was good enough for second place in the FSL North Division.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs were stung by the Burlington Bees, 7-1.

Aaron Shafer got the start and was rocked for five runs and seven hits in 4.1 innings. Shafer struck out five and walked one.

Catcher Michael Brenly was 3 for 4. DH Jose Made made his season debut a good one as he was 2 for 4.

Boise Hawks

The Hawks were blinded by the Tri-City Dust Devils, 12-7.

Robert Hernandez used to be a top prospect in the system, but he's trying to get his career back on track in Boise. Tonight he was pretty good as he allowed only one run on four hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out two.

Josh Lansford made his debut on the mound tonight, at least as a regular pitcher and not as an emergency guy they stuck on the mound. Lansford gave up two runs on three hits over two innings. He struck out two and didn't walk a batter.

The Koreans were big tonight as Hak-Ju Lee went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Lee scored twice and had an RBI. Right fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI.

Cliff Andersen was 3 for 4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI.

AZL Cubs

Scored three in the ninth inning to beat the Angels, 6-5.

Cubs Minor League Wrap -- June 17

Josh77 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:02:46 -0000

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs topped the Oklahoma City Red Hawks, 5-4 in 11 innings.

Esmailin Caridad started and allowed one run on six hits over five innings. Caridad walked two and struck out four.

Justin Berg got the win in relief. Berg had 1.2 perfect innings for his second win of the year. Berg struck out two.

Neal Cotts came into the game to retire the final batter and pick up his first save.

Matt Camp went 4 for 6 tonight. Left fielder John-Ford Griffin hit his first home run in the Cub organization. Griffin was 1 for 5 with one RBI.

Tennessee Smokies

Rained out.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs lost to the St. Lucie Mets, 4-1.

Starter Ryan Searle picked up the loss to even his record at 5-5. Control was his problem as he allowed only two hits, but he added in four walks and a wild pitch which led to two runs allowed. Searle struck out two.

First baseman Jovan Rosa was 2 for 3.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs topped the Quad City River Bandits, 7-3.

Justin Bristow was pretty good tonight as he scattered seven hits over five innings, leading to only one run. Bristow secret was that he didn't walk anybody. Bristow only struck out one. He did hit a batter.

Chris Huseby came into the game in the eighth inning and despite allowing a run in the ninth, picked up his fifth save. Huseby threw 1.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits.

Shortstop Junior Lake hit his fifth home run of the year in a 2 for 4 evening. Lake also doubled, scored twice and had two RBI.

Left fielder Josh Harrison was 2 for 4 with three stolen bases tonight. Harrison scored twice and had one RBI.

Second baseman Ryan Flaherty was 2 for 4 with a triple and a run scored. Catcher Michael Brenly went 3 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. With the White Sox broadcast crew at the game today, I'm guessing Michael's dad was in the stands for this one.

Minor League Wrap -- June 14

Josh77 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:28:53 -0000

There was some movement in the minors today as people came of the DL, both in the majors and the minors. I'm not sure if I have it all, but Iowa outfielder Doug Deeds was demoted to Tennessee. Smokies outfielder Brandon Guyer and pitcher Todd Blackford were demoted to Daytona. Daytona outfielder Dylan Johnston was demoted to Boise. Daytona pitcher Steve Vento was released.

Fun fact: Peoria outfielder Kyler Burke leads all of baseball, majors or minors, in doubles with 27.

Iowa Cubs

A three-run bottom of the ninth inning by the Iowa Cubs did not amuse the defeated Omaha Royals, 7-6.

J.R. Mathes has been having a good season, but today he got knocked around for five runs on nine hits over six innings. One of the runs was unearned. Mathes didn't walk a batter and struck out one Royal.

Neal Cotts made an error in the ninth inning, but was otherwise perfect in picking up the win. Cotts did not strike anyone out.

Bobby Scales picked up where he left off in Iowa, going 2 for 5 with two doubles. He had two RBI and scored twice, including the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

Jake Fox saw his batting average drop again by going 2 for 5 with a triple. Hey, when you're batting over .400, that's a bad day. Fox scored once and batted two in.

Center fielder Sam Fuld had a double and three walks today. He was officially 1 for 2 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Left fielder So Taguchi was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies gave up two runs in the bottom of the ninth and flamed out against the Mobile Bay Bears, 3-2.

Pitcher Jay Jackson was activated off the DL and turned in another solid performance. Jackson lasted five innings and allowed one run on a solo home run and four hits overall. His control was great as he struck out six and didn't walk anyone. He threw 72 pitches, 51 of them for strikes.

Jayson Ruhlman took the loss. Ruhlman pitched one inning and was charged with two runs, two walks and one hit.

First baseman Russ Canzler was 3 for 4 with a double and his third home run of the year, a third-inning solo shot.

Left fielder James Adduci was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Catcher Welington Castillo was 2 for 4.

Daytona Cubs

Daytona split a double header with the Fort Myers Miracle, winning 8-1 in the first game and losing 4-1 in the second game.

In the first game, James Leverton got the win. Leverton pitched five innings and allowed one run on a solo home run. He allowed three hits and issued two walks while striking out three. He also hit a batter.

Left fielder Tony Campana was 2 for 4 with a stolen base. He scored once and had two RBI.

The D-Cubs offense was greatly aided by five Miracle errors in this seven-inning game.

In the second game, starter Dan McDaniel got battered around, allowing four runs on eight hits in only three innings. McDaniel also walked three and struck out two.

Brandon Guyer, went 2 for 6 on the day, 1 for 3 in both games. He also drew a walk in the second game.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs brought the Quad City River Bandits to justice, 3-1.

Starter Marcus Hatley was terrific for six shutout innings. He gave up four hits, walking one and striking out two.

Chris Huseby picked up his fourth save, allowing only one hit in 1.1 innings. Huseby struck out three.

He's back. Third baseman Josh Vitters was 3 for 4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.

Center fielder Kyler Burke went 2 for 4 with 27th double. Burke scored once.

Catcher Mario Mercedes went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Cubs Minor League Wrap--June 8

Josh77 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:19:12 -0000

Tomorrow is your last chance to see the Chiefs in Geneva. Actually, they'll be back on June 30, but I've got to believe Josh Vitters will be gone by then.

Iowa Cubs

Rich Harden was solid in his rehab start as the Iowa Cubs derailed the Round Rock Express, 10-3.

Harden threw seventy pitches tonight, forty-four for strikes. That got him through 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. One of the runs was unearned. Harden walked two and struck out six in his start.

James Russell got the win because Harden didn't go five innings. Russell allowed a run on four hits over 1.1 innings of work. He didn't have a strikeout or a walk.

Don't look now, but Neal Cotts is pitching well. Cotts allowed only one hit over two innings of relief. He struck out three. Of the 35 pitches Cotts threw, 26 were for strikes.

Right fielder So Taguchi was 2 for 3 tonight with two walks. Taguchi also had a double, scored twice and knocked three in.

Center fielder Sam Fuld went 2 for 5 with a triple and a stolen base. Fuld scored once. Left fielder Jason Dubois had a double and a run scored in a 2 for 4 effort.

Shortstop Anderson Machado and second baseman Matt Camp were both 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Machado added in a stolen base and Camp had two RBI.

Tennessee Smokies

Whoa yes they call them The Streaks. The Smokies have followed up their 12 game losing streak with their fourth win in row by running past the Chattanooga (lookattat lookathat) Lookouts, 3-2 in ten innings.

Starter Jeremy Papelbon allowed two runs, one of which was unearned, on seven hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out four.

Alex Maestri hit a batter, but other than that was perfect in three innings of relief. He struck out two.

Jake Muyco pitched the tenth and got the win. He allowed a walk and a hit. He didn't strike out a Lookout.

Center fielder James Adduci went 3 for 5. Third baseman Jonathan Mota was 2 for 2 with a walk, a double and an RBI.

Tony Thomas led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, stole second base, was bunted over to third and scored the winning run on Blake Lalli's sacrifice fly.

Daytona Cubs

The D-Cubs split a double header with the Jupiter Hammerheads by identical 3-1 scores, losing the first and winning the second game.

Starter James Leverton had some control problems as he walked five Hammerheads in 4.1 innings while only striking out one. Leverton also gave up five hits and was very lucky to walk away with only two runs allowed.

The D-Cubs only had four hits in the first game.

In the second game, the Cubs went with the four relievers strategy. Normally a reliever, Craig Muschko started and threw three shutout innings, allowing only one hit. Muschko fanned two.

Dustin Sasser got the win with two innings of relief. He allowed an unearned run, but gave up no hits and no walks. Sasser struck out three.

David Cales recorded his sixth save for Daytona by getting two ground outs on the only two batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh.

In the second game, Jovan Rosa went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Nate Samson was 2 for 3.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs were beaten by the Kane County Cougars, 5-4.

Marcus Hatley got banged around for four runs in four plus innings. Hatley allowed six hits, walked two and struck out two. Hately's record dropped to 4-4.

Chris Siegfried was impressive in relief. He issued one intentional walk, but was otherwise perfect in two innings of relief, striking out five of the six batters he pitched to, not counting the intentional walk.

DH Josh Harrison was 2 for 4 with a triple and two runs scored. Center fielder David Macias was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Grading The Cubs At The Season's One-Third Mark

Al — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:37:20 -0000

More photos » by Tom Gannam - AP

No, Lou. There's no help up there. You'll have to do it yourself.

Browse more photos »

The Cubs finished the first third of the 2009 season -- 54 games -- after yesterday's win with a 28-26 record.

In and of itself, that's actually a good thing. Because of rainouts, the Cubs have played the fewest games of anyone in baseball. There are a couple of teams -- the Dodgers and Indians -- that have already played 59 games, five more than the Cubs have. Despite having long stretches (23 games in a row starting on June 16 due to last week's rainout, which will be made up on June 22 in Atlanta) of games with the makeups, two of those games represent games that Aramis Ramirez might be able to play in, that he otherwise would have missed. This could be a positive thing; also, the 3.5 game deficit in the NL Central is, because of the number of games played, only two in the loss column.

And despite the turmoil of this year, the 2009 Cubs are only five games worse than last year's model after 54 games, although the 2008 team was in the middle of starting their amazing regular-season run right then; the 54th game in 2008 was the fourth of the late-May nine-game winning streak.

So let's grade this year's team and see where we are headed for the remaining two-thirds of 2009.

Catching: B-. Geovany Soto has been a huge disappointment this year, showing up out of shape and not hitting at all, so much so that Lou had to give him a "mental break" late last week. He's started to hit a little better lately; since May 12 Soto is hitting .250/.361/.383 with 2 HR in 60 AB. Bump that up another 30 BA points and 50 SLG points and he's close to 2008. The reason the grade is as high as it is, is because of the presence of backup Koyie Hill, who has done a good job both offensively and defensively.

Infield: C. Derrek Lee also got off to a slow start, but since May 1 he is hitting .322/.413/.544 with 5 HR in 90 AB. That kind of production the rest of the year will probably get him to finish with around the kind of numbers he had in 2007 and 2008, maybe a little better if he can sustain it. Ryan Theriot has shown unexpected power, hitting six homers and having a .291/.355/.451 line for the season, fine numbers if he can keep them there. The injury to Aramis Ramirez has exposed how flimsy the bench is -- Mike Fontenot was forced into a fulltime role for which he isn't suited, and the rest of the backups are mediocre. When A-Ram returns, the infield will again be championship quality.

Outfield: B-. Kosuke Fukudome got off to another good start, as he did in 2008. And like last year, when the calendar turned to June, he stopped hitting -- .158 in his first five June games. This trend has to reverse, because with Milton Bradley in and out of the lineup, Fukudome has to play nearly every day. Reed Johnson has provided good bench play; Alfonso Soriano, as usual, is hot and cold, right now cold, but maybe yesterday's HR will start a streak for him. Bradley hasn't played enough to get any sort of rhythm. Since May 8 he is hitting .286/.384/.508 with 3 HR in 63 AB. If he can keep that up, he'll be just fine.

Starting pitching: A-. A shaky beginning by Ryan Dempster and a DL stint and suspension for Carlos Zambrano have faded into the past. The Cubs have gone 7-11 over their last 18 games -- which includes the eight-game losing streak -- but in those 18 games have allowed just 68 runs, 3.78 per game, and not all of those earned, and eight of them came in one blowout loss. Randy Wells has been a revelation, and I think he's for real. We still don't know exactly what's up with Rich Harden; his health is important to the rest of the season.

Bullpen: C-. Only Angel Guzman has been consistently good all season. That's one of the reasons the Cubs haven't been able to set out on a long winning streak -- bullpen failures. Kevin Gregg, better lately, had a shaky start. Aaron Heilman can't stop walking people. Neal Cotts was so bad he had to be demoted. And the formerly trustworthy Carlos Marmol has had control problems, probably from overuse. Guzman may be the savior here.

Management: C. And I happen to like both Lou and Jim and the job they did putting together the 2007 and 2008 NL Central champions. We have discussed many times the conclusion they apparently reached after the NLDS sweep by the Dodgers -- that they lost because they didn't have enough LH hitters. This isn't why they lost, but that obsession pushed them to sweep a lot of useful players out and bring in some that... well, not so much. The Aaron Miles signing was ridiculous -- Bobby Scales could have done the same thing for far less money, and though Milton Bradley may eventually provide production, I can't help thinking that Raul Ibanez or Adam Dunn would look awfully good in right field right now, even with their defensive skillsets. I will give Hendry credit for two minor moves that paid off: making Hill the backup catcher and keeping Guzman, who was out of options, and letting Chad Gaudin (current ERA: 5.01 with San Diego) go.

Lou Piniella looks like a lost little boy when he trudges in and out of the dugout. Even yesterday, when he went out to argue a call, he looked as if he were being bothered to do so, rather than having any passion. I don't need him to throw tantrums or bases or even his cap, but at least look like you care, Lou. It's as if he put every fiber of his being into winning in 2008, and even though he signed an off-season extension through 2010, this year is an afterthought. He's let bullpen pitchers sit for two weeks at a time, effectively playing with a 22-man roster while Z was suspended, and made other inexplicable decisions. Maybe he's the one who needs a "mental break".

Nevertheless, apart from the Dodgers -- and who saw that coming? -- there are no dominant teams in the NL this year. The Cardinals just gave up 28 runs in 3 games to Colorado at home; the Brewers look good, but also are flawed and have injury issues of their own. There's no reason the Cubs can't use the remaining two-thirds of this season to stay right in there until they return to full strength, likely about six weeks from now. All you have to do is get into the postseason -- then it's a crapshoot. Many playoff teams have proven that great regular season records mean nothing, both positively and negatively.

Enjoy the off-day. I'm sure the Cubs are.