It is fairly safe to say that Tuesday was a good day for the Cubs. Joe Maddon’s team won both games of the day-night doubleheader against the Cardinals. It was just one day and two games, but the Cubs showed they could not only play with the Cardinals but they could actually beat them. Maddon must make sure his team builds on Tuesday and does not have a letdown in the series finale Wednesday night or over the weekend against the White Sox. Anthony Rizzo went a combined 2-for-5 with a home … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 07/03/15
Pitching dominated the end of the week as Eugene got a nine strikeout performance from Oscar De La Cruz while Justin Steele continued to dominate the Northwest League. Pierce Johnson looks ready to make the next step in his development as he, along with two home runs, helped Tennessee to victory. Meanwhile, Carlos Pimentel also fanned nine for Iowa. And the AZL Cubs saw the return of one-time Top Ten prospect Trey McNutt for the first time since 2013. There’s also a lot more, so take … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/29/15
Streaks were the big story to start the week as South Bend came off of All-Star break and extended their winning streak to five games thanks to Gleyber Torres. Winning four games in a row brought Eugene’s record even as Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ came up big. Both Tennessee and Iowa had modest two game streaks with strong performances from Albert Almora Jr. and Kyle Schwarber. On the downside, Myrtle Beach has yet to win a game in the second half of the season despite an excellent outing by … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/26/15
The end of an exciting week saw three affiliates start the second half of their seasons as Tennessee got a big boost from catcher Taylor Davis. South Bend also started off with a win as Jason Vosler went deep. Iowa swept a doubleheader thanks to an excellent pitching performance by Carlos Pimentel and Eugene took a series thanks to some patience and the pitching of Justin Steele. The affiliates also saw rehabbers galore as Mike Olt, Neil Ramirez, Rob Zastryzny, and Trey Masek are on the … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/22/15
As the first half of the minor league season closed, all teams are now in play as both the Northwest League and the Arizona Rookie League opened this weekend. The first half concluded with Myrtle Beach the Carolina League South Division Champions on the strength of pitchers Josh Conway and Daury Torrez. First round draft pick Ian Happ has made a splash for Eugene by cracking two home runs in the first three games he has played in. And while Tennessee fell out of playoff contention, a buzz … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/19/15
The end of the week saw Myrtle Beach edge closer to a playoff berth as relievers Juan Paniagua and James Pugliese gave the Pelicans a chance to come back. Tennessee holds a slim playoff chance as Pierce Johnson began to heat up. Iowa remains in the hunt as John Andreoli provided a spark. Meanwhile, the struggling South Bend Cubs dropped two despite the efforts of pitchers Michael Wagner and Jake Stinnett. The Eugene Emeralds kicked off its season with a sloppy loss behind LHP Carson … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/15/15
It was a “system sweep” on Sunday as all of the Cubs’ affiliates came away victorious. South Bend used a 5-for-5 performance by shortstop Gleyber Torres, while All-Star Jonathan Martinez tossed a two-hitter for Myrtle Beach. Tennessee had a second successful rehab start by Jacob Turner, and Iowa received another good outing from Dallas Beeler. But that is not all, as youngsters Pedro Silverio and Andres Bonalde had excellent starts in the Dominican and Venezuelan leagues. With all of the … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/10/15
Early summer rains were the norm to start this week, as three of the four affiliates were rained out on Monday and South Bend lost both games to weather. Doubleheaders ensued as Myrtle Beach split a pair with Frederick, and Chesny Young remaining a hitting machine. Tennessee also split as they suffered the indignity of being no-hit by Birmingham. But the Smokies held on in the nightcap thanks to Albert Almora Jr. and Kyle Schwarber. Iowa also had mixed results in their two games, as Dallas … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/08/15
Success is building throughout the minor league system as first place Myrtle Beach was able to stop a losing streak on National Television with the help of Mark Zagunis. Both Iowa and Tennessee are in second place and hot on the heels of the front runners as Taylor Teagarden had a breakout game and Frank Batista pitched a gem in a losing effort. South Bend remains buried in the first half standings, but are pointing to being competitive in the second half thanks to strong pitching from … [Read more...]
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 06/05/15
An infielder is knocking at the door for the majors, but it’s not who you think it is. Christian Villanueva has had a monster week, with four home runs in four games for Iowa. In Tennessee, the Smokies have moved into first place thanks to efforts of pitchers Ryan Williams and Felix Pena. It was All-Star time in the Midwest League as South Bend’s Charcer Burks, Gleyber Torres, and Cael Brockmeyer were named to the squad and came through in a win. Myrtle Beach remains in a funk despite a good … [Read more...]