Jason Hammel quieted the concerns about his right hand with an excellent outing Saturday at Miller Park. Hammel pitched seven innings of shutout ball and kept a very good Brewers offense guessing all afternoon. The Cubs are looking for Jason Hammel to be this season’s version of Paul Maholm and Scott Feldman and he could net the Cubs a couple of very good young players in the next two months. But Hammel does not want to play into the trade talk according to a report from Comcast … [Read more...]
Cubs Draft Profile: Tyler Beede
Tyler Beede Position: RHP School: Vanderbilt (College), Junior Bats: R, Throws: R DOB: May 23, 1993 Height: 6-foot-4, Weight: 215 Grades from MLB.com – Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 60 MLB.com uses the 20-80 scouting scale for future tools: 20-30 – well below average | 40 – below average | 50 – average | 60 – above average | 70-80 – well above average Tyler Beede has no-hit stuff, the problem is that he has trouble controlling it. Beede, … [Read more...]
Three Possible Position Players for the Cubs in the Latest Mock Drafts
With the First Year Player Draft beginning in under 10 days (June 5), a new round of mock drafts have been posted with three more possibilities for the Cubs with the fourth overall pick. MLB.com’s Jim Callis released his first mock draft on Friday, Baseball America’s John Manuel posted his third mock draft on Sunday and Keith Law’s second mock draft came out on Tuesday morning. Early in the spring, many felt it was a given the Cubs would take a pitcher in the first round. But with Jeff … [Read more...]
Three Mock Drafts, Three Possible Picks for the Cubs
With the First-Year Player Draft (June 5) just around the corner, the top talent evaluators in the game have begun releasing mock drafts for the first round selections. The general consensus is the Astros, Marlins and White Sox will take pitchers with the first three picks in the draft, which could leave the Cubs selecting a position player at No. 4. The injuries and subsequent Tommy John surgeries to RHP Jeff Hoffman and RHP Erick Fedde have impacted their draft status and reduced the number of … [Read more...]
Cubs Draft Update: Pitching Injuries Muddle Cubs Draft Picture
The recent elbow injuries to RHP Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) and RHP Erick Fedde (UNLV) that resulted in Tommy John surgery for both college right handers have taken two pitching options off the board the Cubs could have selected with the fourth pick in the upcoming draft. It is very likely a team will take a chance on both pitchers next month, but it is not likely that either pitcher will be picked as high as they were once projected to be drafted. As has been reported, the Cubs were very … [Read more...]
Draft Preview: Will the Cubs Select a Pitcher or a Position Player in the First Round?
The Rule 4 Draft, or First-Year Player Draft, is a little under a month away (June 5-7) and has been the case, those three days in June will arguably be the most important days of the year for the Chicago Cubs. The front office will make trades before and after the deadline in order to inject more talent into the system. The draft, however, is viewed by many in the Cubs’ front office as their ‘Super Bowl.’ The Cubs system is viewed as being position-player rich and pitching poor. The top … [Read more...]
Arrieta Season Debut Scheduled for Saturday and Other Cubs News and Notes
According to multiple reports, Jake Arrieta will make his season debut on Saturday afternoon in the second game of the three-game series with the Cardinals. Jason Hammel has been pushed back to Sunday night and will have two extra days off in between starts. Jake Arrieta posted a 4-2 record in nine starts with the Cubs last season. In 51 2/3 innings, he gave up 34 hits with 24 walks and 37 strikeouts (3.66 ERA, 1.12 WHIP). Arrieta feels he is ready to take the next step in his development and … [Read more...]
Arrieta’s Rehab Moved to Daytona, Baez Could Return Sunday and Other Cubs News
Happy Easter The Cubs announced Saturday that Jake Arrieta will make his next, and hopefully last, rehab start with the D-Cubs in Clearwater on Monday and not with the I-Cubs as previously reported. Monday forecast in Des Moines did not look favorable, so Arrieta will put on a D-Cubs jersey and face the Threshers (Philadelphia Phillies) in Clearwater’s park. Jake Arrieta threw 82 pitches over 5 2/3 innings in his last rehab start on Wednesday and would like to stretch his pitch count up to … [Read more...]
All But the Bullpen is Set for Opening Day and Other Cubs News
The Cubs all but finalized their Opening Day roster prior to Friday night’s exhibition at Chase Field. Carlos Villanueva was named the Cubs’ fifth starter and Chris Rusin was optioned to Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs needed the flexibility Villanueva can provide early in the season. The team is committed to having Jeff Samardzija, Edwin Jackson and Travis Wood pitch on a five-day routine. So, with an off-day the fifth starter would get pushed. Villanueva will make his first start on April 6 against … [Read more...]
Samardzija Gets the Opening Day Nod and Other Cubs Spring Training News
The Cubs made it official Friday. Jeff Samardzija will get the ball on Opening Day in Pittsburgh. Unless something happens before the first game of the season, Samardzija will make his second consecutive Opening Day start. And thanks to the schedule makers, Samardzija will become the first pitcher to make back-to-back Opening Day starts at PNC Park. Samardzija will face lefty Francisco Liriano on March 31. Travis Wood follows Samardzija in the rotation with Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel … [Read more...]