These are no particular order, just prospects to keep your eye on. I'm limiting this list to players with no Major League experience. So guys like Geovany Soto, Kevin Hart and Sean Gallagher are not going to be on it. Also, I divided up the slots so it would be 5 hitters and 5 pitchers. In parentheses is the level I think they will start out the season.
Hitters
1. Josh Vitters - 3B - (Low A)
Vitters need to show some improvement from his disastrous pro debut. Granted this was a small sample size, there will be pressure on him being the 3rd overall pick in last years draft. While he will be an offense first type of player, he needs to improve his glove to stick at 3B instead of a corner OF position. Luckily, Aramis Ramirez is signed through 2011 and this should keep the Cubs from rushing him through the system like some of their other highly touted prospects. This should give Vitters time to develop into a power hitting 3B with average.
2. Tyler Colvin - OF - (AA)
They say patience is a virtue, Colvin thinks it's overrated. At least he plays like it and this is evident by his inability to get walks (32BB/757 AB). With that being said, he has been a solid all-around player at every minor league stop. I believe he will start the year at AA with the Cubs hoping he becomes more patient at the plate and learns how to better deal with off-speed pitches. He is an average to slightly above average defender and this bodes well for him in the future as a player that can play all three outfield positions. If he develops as he has been, he will see time in Iowa later this year and possibly a September call-up.
3. Tony Thomas - 2B - (High A)
Unlike Josh Vitters, Thomas had a solid pro debut at Boise with numbers like .308/.404/.533 along with 28/30 in SBs. He gets those numbers with a nice level swing that won't produce many home runs but provides line drives to all parts of the field. These are good numbers for a 2B but he has to stick at 2B because there is no other position on the diamond for him. There are hardly any questions about his bat, but if he wants to progress and have a shot as an everyday player at the big league level he needs to solidify his 2B defense,
4. Josh Donaldson - C - (High A)
Another converted 3B into a catcher, Donaldson was snagged by the Cubs with the 48th overall pick. Since he is a converted catcher, he has more athleticism and offensive upside. Though he threw out 38% of would be basestealers, he showed his lack of experience at the position by allowing 11 passed balls in only 45 games. Hopefully Soto entrenches himself as the starting catcher and thus, giving Donaldson time to develop.
5. Josh Lansford - 3B - (High A)
Unlike Tony Thomas, Josh Lansford lets his glove do the talking. He has strong bloodlines with his father winning an AL batting title and three relatives drafted in the first 2 rounds of the draft. He was voted as the best defensive 3B in the Midwest league by the managers but he needs to improve upon his average and approach. Lansford suffered a knee injury but it has healed and he will be good to go this season. He could very easily turn it around and start hitting and climb up the Cubs' prospect rankings.
Pitchers
1. Jose Ceda - SP/RP - (AA)
Ceda was stolen from the Padres in the Todd Walker deal in 2006. He was hurt to start off the 2007 season but came back as a reliever and dominated. Opponents batted .093 against all year but he had an ERA of 3.11 (in A ball). This leads us to his biggest problem, control. He had 31 walks in 46 innings but on the bright side, only gave up one home run. The Cubs need to decide whether to make him a starter or reliever. His lack of a decent 3rd pitch should keep him as a Marmol-type of reliever. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, has hit 99. His slider has improved and could be another plus pitch for him. His changeup is just for show and not quite effective right now. The Cubs should promote him to AA in order for him to face tougher competition and stress his mechanics.
2. Jeff Samardzija - SP/RP - (AA)
Here is another issue of the Cubs deciding on what to make him, either a starter or a reliever. Unlike Ceda, I think Samardzija has a future as a starter, or at least more of a future. There is extra pressure due to his 10 million dollar Major League contract. His stuff is electric and there is no question about that. He throws a heavy fastball. It sits in the low to mid 90s and tops out at 98. His slider can also be a plus pitch but he needs to be more consistent with it and throw it for strikes. The same can be said about his change up but it doesn't have the upside of his slider. All of that being said, Samardzija managed only a 4.1K/9 and opponents hit over .300. For some reason, his numbers improved once he received a promotion to AA, and some say because of the improved defense behind him. That's where he should start off the year. He stayed healthy all year and that's a plus considering he hasn't pitched much due to his football career at Notre Dame. As long as he polishes his stuff, a call up to Iowa should follow later this season.
3. Donald Veal - SP - (AA)
Veal had great success in 2006 but could not follow up with a solid 2007 and struggled mightily. Granted he did jump up to AA and that's a big step for players. He will repeat the level again but should improve his numbers. Veal features a strange delivery and needs to work on staying on top of his curve ball. His curve ball has shown signs of being a solid pitch but needs to tighten it up. His fastball is in the low 90s and he throws it to both sides of the plate. Veal's change up is a solid 3rd pitch. All this adds up to him having ceiling as a number 2 but I think it is more likely for him to end up as a number 3.
4. Robert Hernandez - SP - (High A)
Most Cubs fans might not have heard of this pitcher but I think he has a bright future in the organization. Also, he is my breakout candidate for this upcoming year. Right off the bat, he won't turn 20 until October and that means he is farther along than most players his age. He already has two above average pitches, fastball and change up. His fastball sits in the low 90s and he has tried his hand at a curve ball and slider but those two pitches need much refinement. He stands at 6'2" but only weighs 165. This means he has yet to fill out and this alone will add more zip to his fastball.
He has shown that he is not afraid of older batters and can throw strikes. He will likely be sent to High A and once again be one of the younger pitchers/players in that league. His key for 2008 is to develop a breaking pitch that he can consistently rely on while trying to stay healthy by keeping up on his mechanics. The Cubs are more than willing to take their time with this precocious youngster, lets hope he can turn into a pitcher like his fellow countryman, Carlos Zambrano.
5. Chris Huseby - SP - (Low A)
Huseby is an intriguing prospect in many ways. He landed a 1.3 million dollar bonus in the 2006 draft even though he was drafted in the 11th round and was coming off of Tommy John Surgery. His fastball only reached the mid-80s and topped out at 90 but he should get stronger as he comes back at full strength after surgery. Also, he stands 6'7" and will fill out in the future adding some speed to his fastball. Huseby features a hard breaking ball that sits between 76-80. His changeup is in progress but should get better with experience. He has hardly pitched the last 2 years and will improve by just pitching a full season worth of innings. Like most young pitchers, Huseby needs to improve his control and command and try to not always go for the strikeout.
Subscribe
I always love when guys like Howry say "it's only one game", and "there's a long way to go". For all the millions being earned it would be nice for these ego-athletes to realize that a win in April means the same as a win in August or September. How about competing like every game might be the last. I don't recall Michael Jordan ever "calling it in" during an 82 game season.
Matt, I'm with ya. For my own well-being, I don't except losing or not getting the job done. I have too much chivalry to be a loser, even if it's just 1 game.....especially if I am making millions of dollars!
I think what they mean is that its not the end of the world. But, I get your point. I'm sure they wanted to win it and they put their best effort toward it.
By the way, was watching the game while at work(MLB.TV) and when ramirez got walked in the 9th to bring up Fuko, I started think wow we could possibly tie this game up. Just as I thought this, my computer freezes up and I lose my coverage.
by the time I got it to come back up it was 3-3 and obviously Fuko hit a homerun(would of been one of the biggest moments in Cubs History if we would of won, still might be) and I missed it because my computer froze up. I have to say I was pissed.
But, oh well. Hopefully there will be more memorable moments to chose from this year.
I accept that it's a long season, but can you imagine going to your corporate boss (while you're making millions of dollars) and state "sorry boss, but I won't be producing much in Q1 and Q2, but don't worry...I'm a late starter and will really get it in gear in the second half".
Is there a reason Howry can't be mentally and physically ready to produce in April. This guy obviously needs to change his off-season regimen of preparation. But overall he should rebound well...he's in contract year!
Yes, it's only Game 1. But I agree with Matt. You're paid to produce...every game/every day. Stop with the "long season" cliches. I'd rather see us up 8 games in June than behind by 8 (which is our typical mode of operation). And I love Soriano's comments that Opening Day just wasn't that special because of the weather. Sorry Alfonso that we couldn't produce 72 degree clear skies for you while you put up another "o-for" again. Way to earn that money baby!
I accept that it's a long season, but can you imagine going to your corporate boss (while you're making millions of dollars) and state "sorry boss, but I won't be producing much in Q1 and Q2, but don't worry...I'm a late starter and will really get it in gear in the second half".
Is there a reason Howry can't be mentally and physically ready to produce in April. This guy obviously needs to change his off-season regimen of preparation. But overall he should rebound well...he's in contract year!
Yes, it's only Game 1. But I agree with Matt. You're paid to produce...every game/every day. Stop with the "long season" cliches. I'd rather see us up 8 games in June than behind by 8 (which is our typical mode of operation). And I love Soriano's comments that Opening Day just wasn't that special because of the weather. Sorry Alfonso that we couldn't produce 72 degree clear skies for you while you put up another "o-for" again. Way to earn that money baby!
I accept that it's a long season, but can you imagine going to your corporate boss (while you're making millions of dollars) and state "sorry boss, but I won't be producing much in Q1 and Q2, but don't worry...I'm a late starter and will really get it in gear in the second half".
Is there a reason Howry can't be mentally and physically ready to produce in April. This guy obviously needs to change his off-season regimen of preparation. But overall he should rebound well...he's in contract year!
Yes, it's only Game 1. But I agree with Matt. You're paid to produce...every game/every day. Stop with the "long season" cliches. I'd rather see us up 8 games in June than behind by 8 (which is our typical mode of operation). And I love Soriano's comments that Opening Day just wasn't that special because of the weather. Sorry Alfonso that we couldn't produce 72 degree clear skies for you while you put up another "o-for" again. Way to earn that money baby!
Cary, looks like you experienced a server acceptance delay to the site. But good message.
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, it's preferable to judge our heroes and horribles in 10 game sequences. Most of the time when Z (or any of our pitchers)gives up 0-2 runs in 6 innings, we will win. Two times through the rotation and 40 a.b.'s should show us whom we have to worry about.
I do think cold temps bother old guys more than young ones--probably the decreasing blood flow to the extremities that is really obvious to some of us who (politely speaking) are playing the back nine. It's greed that forces the cold weather teams to open at home. Even though it's cold for both teams, it doesn't make much sense for the players or the fans.
Some predictions and one that happened. Alex Cintron has signed a minor league contract with the O's. In other week or so, he will be the O's shortstop. If Theriot falters in the first few games, I look for Cedeno to start and do well. Kloser K will get the job done in his next outing--starting a pattern that will continue.
OMG! I can't believe McFail finally pulled the trigger.
http://www.camdenchat.com/2008/4/1/388540/roberts-traded
had me for about 1/2 a minute with that link
Cliff...it's an April Fools joke out of Baltimore. You needed to reach the other reader links following the "trade".
Guys...it's an April Fools joke out of Baltimore. You need to read the other reader posts below the "trade".
Mike - Thanks Captain Obvious.
Cliff...Ah, you're a funny guy you moron.
Guys, the season is 162 games for a reason. Howry is one of the only pitchers out of our bullpen who has shown he IS mentally and physically tough over the course of the whole season. Why should we sweat his ability? And players are not paid to produce each and every day, they're paid to produce over the course of a season (or many seasons). Cf. A-Rod. What I'm more concerned about is why our closer came out to pitch in the ninth inning of a 0-0 tie game. Unless I missed something, this is a problem of mis-management. Perhaps Lou was a bit overzealous on opening day? A bit too excited?
This is a bit off of the topic, but has anyone else noticed that on Directv they have been showing not only each game, but both team's broadcasts of the games? Does anyone know if they plan to continue this? I live out west, and am technically considered to be in the broadcast range of the Rockies and the D-Backs, but I don't live close enough to get the local channels for either team's broadcasts. It upsets me that I can't watch the Cubs when they play the Rockies, cause of where I live. It would be great if they continue this.
LOL....
you guys...I'm just as upset as all of you about the loss, and I usually am the negative one on here, but let me just say this....
Thank you Raul for the prospect list and your insight...that was much appreciated, and I'm sorry it went unnoticed---I guess that happens when we lose, right?
Anyway, here's what I think:
1)Micah Hoffpauir should be on that list, though he's too old to be considered a true "prospect"
2)Cedeno would be in the minors on any other team
3)Fontenot would be in the minors on any other team
4)Theriot would be a bench player on almost every team
5)Pie is still an enigma
6)Howry and Eyre should've been traded in the offseason, as I believe high-priced, overworked relievers are never a good idea...especially aging ones at that. It has been shown repeatedly that young guys from the minors can get the job done. Wuertz, Marmol, Pignatiello, and Hart are all recent examples.
7)Why are Dempster and Marquis in the rotation again?
8)Soto has returned to earth and has exhibited nothing of what he did last year---not even in spring training...It's a sophomore slump, where teams have video and scouting reports on you, and you have to prove you can make adjustments---he hasn't. Like Cedeno, Theriot, and Murton before him, he's struggling now. Fontenot had one friggin' month, and everyone figured him out all of a sudden...because they had VIDEO and scouting reports on him by then....Soto really had one full month last year, and we all bough into this idea that he somehow solved all our catching issues.
9)I really miss Steve Stone
10)but most importantly, I really miss Harry Caray
THE END
I think a good example of why not to overreact to these early games is the way the Cards are dominating the Rockies...it's actually making me sick.
Besides I think it's a good omen we lost. It seems like we not only win the 1st game recently, but win huge, then tank the rest of April.
Man the Rockies had bases loaded in the top of the 8th with no outs and only plated one! I hope that will be enough. Rockies 2 Cards 1 bottom 8th.
I know i'm talking to myself but LaRusa brought in Isringhousen in the top of the 9th down by one so Lou's decision to bring in Wood apparently isn't all that crazy
Hey guys, please bare with me. I know the site is having problems. I am working with the server/host company to try to get this resolved.
I appreciate everyone's patience. And I will delete any double posts.
Down go the Cards!
Gosh, I leave for two days and everybody has gotten really mean. Ahem, Mark and Hubert. -.-
Its just one game guys! We'll be alright. Im still pumped as hell. Remember Lily's post loss stats from last season? Hmmmmm...
2008 is gonna rock, lets do this!
Baseball is an athletic contest. Regardless of whether players make millions or the minimum fans can only truly expect them to do their best and hope the effort was enough for a W. With no scripts or guarantees of a W discussions of salary as correlated to wins is foolish. Again, as long as good performance is provided on the field. If you're getting good performance and still not satisfied with the salary to win ratio you can only question the business end of the operation as to them spending Tribune money foolishly. Finally, with a 162 game season baseball is the sport where teams will absolutely gravitate to a position commensurate with their ability, regardless of salary. My point - until a trend starts to emerge lets not talk about $/W and focus on the quality of the play.