The Crash Davis Minors Report

What a first week of the season!!! On Opening Day came the news the Cubs are for sale and will be sold at the end of the season. Of course the rumors started to fly on who would be purchasing the team on the North Side of Chicago. From Jerry Colengelo to Mark Cuban to a name mentioned by Phil Rogers on XM Radio on Tuesday....Steve Stone, it should be an interesting story to follow over the next few months. The announcement actually overshadowed Opening Day and many speculated the performance of Carlos Zambrano with his contract extension rumored to be on hold.

After the Cubs announced Mark Prior would stay in Arizona for extended spring training, later in the week the announcement was made Prior would start the season on the Iowa Cubs DL, his 4th straight season started on the DL. The Cubs minor league teams announced their rosters as well and began playing meaningful games. Here is the rest....

One month from today pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park.... Professional sports have changed from back in the day. Maybe it is the instant gratification society we live in but whatever the case may be the days of being a casual sports fan are long gone. In attempting to keep up with all of the moves and news this off-season a very well-respected Cubs prospects list was missed. Baseball Prospectus released their Cubs Top 10 Prospects way back in November, even before John Sickels at Minor League Ball. So without any further delay....

The Cubs signed pitchers Adam Harben and Matt Harrington to Minor League Contracts on Wednesday

The Cubs made a couple of additions to their farm system on Wednesday. They resigned Adam Harben, who they did not tender a contract to on Tuesday, and signed right-handed pitcher Matt Harrington.

The Chicago Cubs announced a change to their Minor League system on September 21st. The Tennessee Smokies are now the Double-A affiliate of the Cubs replacing the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. The Diamond Jaxx had been an affiliate of the Cubs organization since 1998. The Cubs and Smokies agreed to a 2-year player development contract....the Smokies were a part of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for the past two seasons.

The Tennessee Smokies organization has a long history that dates back to 1896. They were most recently apart of the Blue Jays organization for 22 years before the St. Louis Cardinals made them their affiliate in 2003 and the Diamondbacks took over in 2005....and now they are a part of one of the most storied franchises in the history of the game.

I was on a flight recently with a member of the Smokies staff, Dan Blue. He was kind enough to take some time to answer a few questions for the CCO....

With the Cubs expecting to announce Lou Piniella as their new manager this week, the entire organization could have an entirely new feel and attitude by weeks end. While the Detroit Tigers await the winner of the Cardinals-Mets series, there is other baseball going on out West. The Arizona Fall League is in full swing and will continue until mid-November. The Mesa Solar Sox had Sunday off but they did play games on Friday and Saturday....unfortunately after losing both, they stand at 1-3 on the season.

Here is the latest from the Land of the Sun....

The Cubs have had some movement in their Minor League system over the past couple of weeks. The September call-ups are around the corner with the Minor League season just about completed. Here are the latest promotions, demotions, signings and more information on Chris Robinson, the player the Cubs received from Detroit for Neifi Perez.

The Arizona Fall League (AFL) Rosters were announced on Monday and several members of the Cubs Farm system are on the list.

Rich Hill is scheduled to start the game for the Pacific Coast League All-Star team on Wednesday night in Toledo, Ohio. Hill is tied for second in the league in strikeouts (107) and has held opponents to a .183 batting average. Geovany Soto and Kerry Ligtenberg were also named to the squad but Ligtenberg will be unable to attend due to prior commitments.

The 2006 Southern League All-Star (AA) game took place on Monday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama. Several members of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx participated in the game. Chris Walker (CF), Scott Moore (3B), Nic Jackson (RF) and Juan Mateo (P) started the game, Eric Patterson, Miguel Negron (RF), Chris Shaver (P) and Rocky Cherry (P) all played for the North All-Stars as they beat the South All-Stars, 9 to 4. Juan Mateo picked up the win, he threw one scoreless inning, struck out one and gave up a hit. Scott Moore went deep twice in the game, once in the 5th a 2-run shot and again in the 7th a solo shot. Moore was 3 for 4 with 2 home runs, 4 RBI's, 2 runs scored and a walk....Scott Moore was named the game's MVP.

More from the Southern League All-Star Game, Sean Gallagher K'd 12, Ryu to the DL, Watson Trade Update, Iowa Cubs and West Tenn Updates and Stat Watch.....plus a retirement of sorts.

Colvin and Lansford Agrees to Terms, The Diamond Jaxx All-Stars, Jeff Samardzija Makes His Debut and Wade Miller Results from Tuesday

There were eight current and three former West Tenn Diamond Jaxx named to the Southern League All-Star team on Tuesday. Rocky Cherry, Juan Mateo, J.R. Mathes and Chris Shaver, pitchers....Nic Jackson and Chris Walker, outfielders....Eric Patterson and Scott Moore infielders and Carlos Marmol, Clay Rapada and Randy Wells were named as well but because of promotions they are unable to participate. The Southern League All-Star game takes place in Montgomery, Alabama at Riverwalk Stadium on July 10th.

Angel Pagan made his first rehab start for the I-Cubs, Rich Hill throws 7 innings of shutout ball, the first place West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, A Roster Move and Wade Miller to Start on Tuesday for the Peoria Chiefs, plus All-Stars on the Farm

Angel Pagan made his Iowa Cubs debut on Monday night and started in right field. Pagan went 0-2 with a walk and was replaced in the 7th inning by Felix Pie. Rich Hill dominated the New Orleans Zephyrs (Washington Nationals), struck out 9 and only allowed 1 hit in 7 innings. Hill combined with Kerry Ligtenberg and Michael Wuertz to throw a 2-hit shutout and the I-Cubs won the game 2-0. The only hit off of Rich Hill was by Kenny Kelly in the bottom of the 3rd.

Wade Miller Started for the Peoria Chiefs on Thursday night.

Updated - 7:20am C.T., June 23rd

Wade Miller made his first rehab start of the season for the Peoria Chiefs at O'Brien Field on Thursday night. Miller threw three scoreless innings, gave up 3 hits and struck out 3. Of the three hits off of Miller, one was a double and he also walked 1 on the night. Miller faced 12 batters and recorded 2 groundouts and 3 fly outs. The Chiefs lost the game 4-0 in front of just 2,390....a considerably smaller crowd than the ones at O'Brien Field for Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.