Please post here more often.

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I really don't care that he is gone. I am just saying that more times than not position players do not stick when taken in the rule 5 draft. Burning a roster spot for a guy who isn't a huge prospect and who hasn't played much above AA is bold to say the least. That being said, if the Cubs cared he would have been protected and if Baltimore really likes him they will just work out a small trade that then allows him to remain an Oriole without being on the 25 man roster.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Chicago Cubs Top 20 Prospects for 2012

by John Sickels on Jan 6, 2012 11:45 PM EST

Chicago Cubs Top 20 Prospects for 2012

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize.

The list and grades are a blending of present performance and long-term potential. Comments are welcome, but in the end all analysis and responsibility is mine of course. Full reports on all of players can be found in the 2012 Baseball Prospect Book. We are now taking pre-orders. Order early and order often!

QUICK PRIMER ON GRADE MEANINGS:

Grade A prospects are the elite. They have a good chance of becoming stars or superstars. Almost all Grade A prospects develop into major league regulars, if injuries or other problems don't intervene. Note that is a major "if" in some cases.

Grade B prospects have a good chance to enjoy successful careers. Some will develop into stars, some will not. Most end up spending several years in the majors, at the very least in a marginal role.

Grade C prospects are the most common type. These are guys who have something positive going for them, but who may have a question mark or three, or who are just too far away from the majors to get an accurate feel for. A few Grade C guys, especially at the lower levels, do develop into stars. Many end up as role players or bench guys. Some don't make it at all.

A major point to remember is that grades for pitchers do NOT correspond directly to grades for hitters. Many Grade A pitching prospects fail to develop, often due to injuries. Some Grade C pitching prospects turn out much better than expected.

Also note that there is diversity within each category. I'm a tough grader; Grade C+ is actually good praise coming from me, and some C+ prospects turn out very well indeed.

Finally, keep in mind that all grades are shorthand. You have to read the full comment in the book for my full opinion about a player, the letter grade only tells you so much. A Grade C prospect in rookie ball could end up being very impressive, while a Grade C prospect in Triple-A is likely just a future role player.

1) Brett Jackson, OF, Grade B+: I love his broad range of skills...speed, power, patience, defense. Only problem is a high strikeout rate which could foretell adjustment issues and/or preclude a high batting average. A more complete player than newly-acquired Rizzo, so ranks ahead for me.

2) Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Grade B+: Acquired today from Padres for Andrew Cashner. Nobody should panic about 128 at-bats. Although he's not going to hit .300 in the majors, Rizzo should provide plenty of power and walks and I think he'll make the needed adjustments. Maximum outcome: Ryan Howard. Worst-case: Chris Davis.

3) Javier Baez, SS-3B, Grade B: 2011 first-round pick. Outstanding bat speed, should hit for average and power. Questions revolve around future position as well as volatile personality. Higher ceiling than Jackson or Rizzo but we need to clear these issues up first.

4) Matt "Scrabble" Szczur, OF, Grade B-: Borderline B. Grade under review. Outstanding tools but still learning how to play baseball. Uses speed very well, skilled defensively, should develop more power but plate discipline slipped in High-A.

5) Trey McNutt, RHP, Grade B-: Hampered by nagging injuries in Double-A and gets a partial mulligan, although stock is legitimately down a bit. I am concerned by low strikeout rate.

6) Dillon Maples, RHP, Grade B-: 14th round pick with second-round talent, hasn't pitched yet. Scouting reports point to number two starter potential, or perhaps a relief ace if he doesn't develop a changeup, or if his funky delivery results in durability issues. Grade speculative given lack of pro data.

7) Dan Vogelbach, 1B, Grade B-: 2011 second-round pick. I really, really believe in this bat. Enormous power combined with legitimate hitting skills and strong plate discipline. Main problem is jumbo size; at times he has carried more pounds than I do, and he's not a sedentary middle-aged writer. If he can stay in decent condition he could move quite quickly and provides a backup plan if Rizzo doesn't work out.

Junior Lake, SS, Grade C+: Borderline B-. Excellent athlete, with power and speed, great throwing arm. Poor plate discipline, erratic track record, and probable position switch hurt stock, but has tremendous upside. Much better physical ceiling than Vogelbach, of course, but I'm less confident in his ability to hit.

9) Welington Castillo, C, Grade C+: Considerable power with a great throwing arm, still somewhat raw with the glove. Spotty strike zone judgment could be an issue, but could supplant Geovany Soto eventually.

10) Dae-Eun Rhee, RHP, Grade C+: Tommy John survivor saw velocity boost, continued to throw strikes, and was extremely effective in High-A down the stretch, posted 32/5 K/BB in last 25 innings with 2.16 ERA. If he maintains that momentum in 2012, will break through and shoot up prospect lists.

11) Josh Vitters, 3B-1B, Grade C+: Placement is very difficult. You can make a case as high as eight or as low as 15. Strengths remain age (22) and contact ability, but still short-circuits himself with impatience. At some point he's got to produce more than this, and with the new regime in place he needs to take that step forward now.

12) Jeimer Candelario, 3B, Grade C+: Outstanding performance in the Dominican Summer League. Scouting reports are good, too. Unfortunately DSL performance is not particularly predictive, but he has good plate discipline and scouts are impressed with him. May face position switch. Could rank much higher once we see him in North America.

13) Marco Hernandez, SS, Grade C+: Solid performance in Arizona Rookie League, gap power, should hit for average, and can remain at shortstop. Could also rank much higher a year from now.

14) Chris Carpenter, RHP, Grade C+: Power arm pitched poorly in Triple-A bullpen due to command issues but looked much better in Arizona Fall League. Dominant when his command is working.

15) Rafael Dolis, RHP, Grade C+: Could rank as high as 10th if you aren't concerned by his poor strikeout rate in Double-A. Power sinker could get him significant major league innings in 2012 but will need better command to close. I don't like him as much as some other people do, but upper-90s sinkers are rare.

16) Zach Cates, RHP, Grade C+: Acquired in the Cashner/Rizzo trade. Often overlooked due to 4.78 ERA in Low-A, but he has a live arm and peripheral stats were much better. Breakthrough possible.

17) Ben Wells, RHP, Grade C+: Arkansas high school talent from 2010 draft is another sinkerball expert, impressed scouts in Northwest League. Number three starter upside.

18) Dave Sappelt, OF, Grade C+: Acquired in Sean Marshall deal. Perfect fourth outfielder with a broad balance of average tools/skills.

19) Ronald Torreyes, 2B, Grade C+: Acquired in Sean Marshall deal from Reds. Excellent performance record, hits for average, very reliable with the glove, but undersized at 5-7, 150. Can he do what Jose Altuve did with the Astros?

20) Reggie Golden, OF, Grade C+: Struggled with contact in Northwest League. A raw hitter, but power potential is quite impressive. High risk/high reward type.

21) Gioskar Amaya, INF, Grade C+: Hit .377 in rookie ball, lacks distance power at this time and needs better plate discipline. Long-term position unsettled as well, but a nice ceiling.

22) Tony Zych, RHP, Grade C+: Lively arm drafted in fourth round in '11, projects as a closer if he sharpens his command.

23) Shawon Dunston, Jr, OF, Grade C+: Excellent speed, but lacks strength/power and raw for a bloodline player. Good upside as a leadoff type but will take time to get there.

24) Aaron Kurcz, RHP, Grade C+ Good year as a swingman in Florida State League, excellent K/IP ratio with few hits given up, above-average stuff.

OTHERS: Jeffry Antigua, LHP; Dallas Beeler, RHP; Jeff Beliveau, LHP; Jeff Bianchi, INF; Lendy Castillo, RHP; Pin-Chieh Chen, OF; Zeke DeVoss, 2B; Jae-Hoon Ha, OF (a lot of people really like him but he looks like a tweener to me); Jay Jackson, RHP; Eric Jokisch, LHP; Austin Kirk, LHP (season collapsed after he threw the no-hitter);; Luis Liria, RHP; Kevin Rhoderick, RHP; Jose Rosario, RHP; Neftali Rosario, C; Hayden Simpson, RHP; Nick Struck, RHP; Yao-Ling Wang, RHP; Logan Watkins, 2B; Robert Whitenack, RHP.

The exact rankings of the players, especially 12-24, is quite difficult in this system, so don't get bent out of shape if you think the guy at 19 should be at 12 or something like that. If you are looking for guys who will help in the short run, someone like Sappelt would move up the list. Some guys in the "Others" section could see major league action soon and help out, including Jeff Beliveau, Rule 5 pick Lendy Castillo, and Nick Struck.

The major league roster needs a revamp, and the new Epstein/Hoyer administration is hard at work on that. But even before the Cashner and Marshall trades, the farm system had some good things going for it and was, in my opinion, underrated.

The weakness heading into the off-season was obvious: lack of impact talent close to the majors beyond Brett Jackson. Acquiring Rizzo helps with that. But there are very intriguing players at the lower levels who have the potential to develop considerably, particularly products of the solid Latin American and Asian programs. In this respect the Cubs remind me of the Indians system: there is a LOT of depth in C+ and "Grade C with upside" type prospects. Some of those guys will develop.

The biggest problem I see currently is lack of high-powered pitching. There is nobody here who looks like they can anchor a major league rotation with any certainty. That's not to say that there aren't live arms; there are quite a few, although most of them project better as relievers or back-end starters. There are a few candidates who can get beyond that, although they all have significant questions attached. McNutt had a bad year but could rebound, it is too soon to tell about Maples, and both Rhee and Cates could take big steps forward.

Overall, if I was a Cubs fan, I would be pleased with the level of depth, but anxious (in a good way) to see how the new front office manages the draft and international scouting to bolster what is already present.

4) Matt "Scrabble" Szczur, OF, Grade B-: Borderline B. Grade under review. Outstanding tools but still learning how to play baseball. Uses speed very well, skilled defensively, should develop more power but plate discipline slipped in High-A.

Only the Cubs have their number four prospect listed as "still learning to play baseball". Yes, I know what he means. It just made me laugh.

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Cubs Den

By John Arguello, today at 10:56 am

So you've probably heard it said that one area the Cubs would like to shore up is the starting pitching talent at the upper levels. The Cubs have made several moves to revamp the starting rotation that will likely see three new faces in Paul Maholm, Travis Wood, and Chris Volstad. There is experienced depth behind them as well in Randy Wells, Casey Coleman, and Andy Sonnanstine. A potential Matt Garza trade, though looking less likely to happen before Opening Day, would certainly give the depth an even bigger boost.

The Cubs are not completely devoid of starting pitching prospects at the AA and AAA levels, however it isn't exactly brimming with front line starter types. There is some interesting talent to keep an eye on, though, and I'll list them here along with age and the level at which they're expected to play in 2012.

I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of these names found their way to the rotation by 2013 and 2014, perhaps even sooner if one of these pitchers has a major breakthrough.

1. Trey McNutt, RHP, 22, (AA)

McNutt was a guy the Cubs refused to part with in any early compensation talk and rightfully so. At worst, he's probably a late inning reliever with his ability to hit the upper 90s with his fastball. At best, he has two plus-plus pitches and can slide in somewhere in the front of the Cubs future rotation. His secondary pitch is something of a hybrid between a curveball and a slider in that it has both big break and high velocity. If he can command it, it gives him a second knockout pitch to go with his fastball. If he can get just add an average changeup along with regaining some of the command he had in 2010, McNutt can still reach his ceiling as a #2 starter. One thing he has in his favor is good athleticism, which leads to good body control and being able to repeat your delivery. That gives the Cubs hope that he can pitch with the type of command required to be a quality starter.

2. Dae Un Rhee, RHP, 23 (AA)

It's curious that the Cubs left Rhee unprotected despite being a starting pitcher who has mid-rotation ability. It's likely that they took that risk because of Rhee's injury history and the fact that he has yet to pitch above high class A ball. Rhee was a promising prospect before Tommy John surgery and it took him a while to regain the stuff and command that had the Cubs hopeful he could develop into a top SP prospect. Late last season he began to show glimpses of his old self. He can hit 95 mph on a good day but most often works in the 91-93 mph range with his fastball. Rhee's best pitch, however, is his changeup which makes his fastball play up even more. His curveball also shows the potential to be a plus pitch. Encouraging numbers from Rhee last year include a 3.58 FIP and an 8.25 K/9 ratio. He was also able to get his walks down to an acceptable 3 per 9 IP. Three solid to plus pitches make Rhee a potential #3 starter if he proves durable and improves his command.

3. Dallas Beeler, RHP, 22 (AA)

The Cubs made a strategy of drafting good players late and paying them over slot bonuses in 2011, but Beeler was a forerunner to that in 2010. Having had TJ surgery while at Oral Roberts University, Beeler pitched just 12 games and 24 innings as a draft eligible sophomore and was expected to head back for his junior year to improve his stock and draft position. The Cubs stole him in the 41st round and convinced him to go pro. He's a big kid at 6'5" and while his fastball is solid (90-93 mph), control is his biggest asset. He walked just 1.23 hitters per 9 IP between A ball and AA. He had more success overall in A ball, posting a 1.66 ERA and had a 7.27 K/9 ratio. He also kept the ball in the park with a miniscule 0.21 HRs/9 IP. How far Beeler will go depends on the development of his secondary pitches and, of course, his health and stamina. Right now I see him as a 4th starter, but there is still wiggle room for him to improve on that.

4. Chris Rusin, LHP, 25 (AAA)

Rusin is the most ready of all the arms on this list. He's a finesse pitcher who works with good control and a good change-up, though his fastball is fringy at 87-90 mph. At his advanced age, it's likely he is topped out from a physical standpoint. Any further improvement will come from experience and learning the leagues and how to approach more advanced hitters. At one point I liked him as a 5th starter for the Cubs in 2012, but the Cubs have 3 starters on the 40 man roster with MLB experience ahead of him on the depth chart (Coleman, Sonnanstine, Wells) should one of the top 5 get hurt or pitch ineffectively. He also has the advantage of being the most advanced LH starter at the upper levels, so Rusin could leapfrog some of the rostered depth and get the call with a big season at Iowa.

5. Nick Struck, RHP, 22 (AAA)

Struck has better stuff than Rusin and is younger, so you can make a good argument at putting him ahead of Rusin on this list. As far as long term potential goes, I would certainly rank him higher. Like Beeler, I see Struck as a 4th starter type with his low 90s fastball. Struck has 4 pitches, however, and has a more advanced arsenal overall. Moving through 3 levels last season, Struck is an aggressive pitcher who attacks the strike zone, something that should endear him to the new Cubs front office. He put up sub 3.00 FIPs between high A ball and AA last season and, although he didn't get good results at AAA, his 3.60 FIP suggests he pitched better than his 2-4, 5.49 season suggests. One concern is a falling strikeout rate from 8.46 to 6.69 to 5.49 as he moved up each level. He'll likely get another shot at AAA this season, though the Cubs increased depth may force him to start the season in AA, where he excelled in just 6 starts. He's young and there's no need to rush him as the Cubs did last year.

Honorable Mention:

Robert Whitenack, 23, RHP, AA?: Whitenack would have cracked the top five easily had he stayed healthy. Unfortunately TJ surgery cut into what was looking like a breakthrough season. Whitenack sits in the low 90s with his fastball but can reach the mid 90s and showed excellent command and control last season.. Long time Cubs fans may remember Burt Hooten, well, Whitenack has his own version of a knuckle-curve and it is a legit out pitch. A healthy season where Whitenack regains velocity and command is on the table for 2012. That would put him back on the prospect map for 2013. Best case scenario is that he finishes the year healthy where it ended last year, at AA.

Eric Jokisch, 22, LHP, AA: The 2011 Cubs minor league pitcher of the year, Jokisch is perhaps a younger version of Chris Rusin. Jokisch profiles as a back of the rotation, finesse type who pitches primarily in the high 80s with his fastball. He has to continue to hit his spots and change speeds to have success against more advanced hitters.

The Cubs offseason moves to add depth to the rotation obviously helps the big league team in the event of injury, but it also buys time for their upper level prospects to develop. With the possible exception of McNutt, these aren't guys who can get thrown in to the big leagues and tread water on stuff alone. Time to work on the art of pitching will increase their chances to succeed and make a bigger impact at the big league level.

Looking at that list it really makes you wonder why the Cubs didn't select one of the many available polished college pitchers in last years draft. Baez may end up being a good player but he's years away while pitchers like Jungmann, Gray, Barnes,Bradley, or Anderson would provide a more immediate impact at a position of need. Plus maybe Theo and Co wouldn't be so pressed to trade Matt Garza if they had another young arm in the system to pair with him in the next year or two.

And Tim Wilken is still on the Cubs payroll. ...

They did pick up some highly touted arms in last years draft, but they were all younger.

Interesting Fan Graphs articles on Cespedes


http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.ph ... cago-cubs/

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Team Cutler.

I don't want the Cubs to get this guy.

Why's that?

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Team Cutler.

He's a Cuban 26, which means he's 28 at least. He puts up great numbers in a notoriously easy league (basically high A ball). He doesn't even put up the best stats in the league, so does that mean the other guys are future MLB players? And he wants to be paid $60M.

If all he has ever played in High A ball at "26", how can he be projected to the majors immediately and paid big bucks? To me, he is nothing more than a Bryan Lahair, except a bit younger with more athleticism. At least Lahair has played AAA ball. But no one is suggesting paying him $60M.

There is a chance he could be the greatest thing ever, but I feel he is nothing more than Kosuke 2.0. If the Cubs get him for less than $30M, that's fine. But for $60M, they better be damn sure he is gonna work.

They should get Soler.


Edit: Not to mention the only reason he is a big name right now is because of a work out video. No one really gave a shit about him before.

"@SDUNSTONJR: At Ihop and the server already knew what I wanted before I told her! I probably come in her too much!"

SDUNSTONJR shawon dunston jr
Lol wow disregard my last tweet lol!! #Smh #spellcheck

Already making errors, just like pops.

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I can't wait for the Shawon-O-Meter's triumphant return. .234 and RISING!

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What does Smh stand for?

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

shaking my head

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

ESPN Rankings

89 Brett Jackson
Age: 22 (DOB: Aug. 2, 1988)
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Position: Center field Organization: Chicago Cubs
Top '11 Level: AAA (Iowa)
2011 ranking: Ten who missed

2011 MINORS STATS
GM
115
AB
431
HR
20
RBI
58
SB
21
SO
138
BB
73
AVG
.274
OBP
.379
SLG
.490
Jackson has solid tools across the board, but they're mitigated by a longstanding problem with contact that really limits his offensive upside. Jackson has some bat speed with very little load, getting his weight settled late and not letting the ball travel that well. So despite his size and athleticism, he doesn't project for more than average power. He's an above-average runner who can handle center field and could be worth five runs a year or so there in a full season, or he could move to left and potentially be plus there.

But he punched out in more than 30 percent of his plate appearances in Triple-A, and only two big leaguers qualified for the batting title in 2011 with that kind of strikeout rate -- Drew Stubbs and Mark Reynolds, who had a combined OBP of .322. If Jackson can't figure out how to make better contact, he's probably a solid-average regular; but he could be a grade better if his hit tool improves.

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I really hope you're correct.

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By Keith Law
ESPN Insider

Chicago Cubs
I was never a big Reggie Golden fan out of the draft. I saw an athletic kid with poor pitch recognition who could get tied up inside, but he has made adjustments faster than I anticipated, recognizing breaking balls better and playing stronger defense in right field. His main issue going forward will be conditioning, as he has a maintenance body with a low center of gravity, but I'm coming around on his chance to have some impact with the bat. Also keep an eye on center fielder Taiwan Easterling if you like extreme sleepers. He's a two-sport guy who had more at-bats after signing last June than he did the previous two seasons at Florida State combined.

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Goldstein List. When asked about Rizzo, he said "first base prospect rule." I don't know what that means, but I don't think he is down on him. He was asked about Szczur. Said he wasn't close.

2012 Top 101 Prospects
1. Matt Moore, LHP, Rays
2. Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals
3. Mike Trout, OF, Angels
4. Jurickson Profar, SS, Rangers
5. Julio Teheran, RHP, Braves
6.Dylan Bundy, RHP, Orioles
7. Jesus Montero, C, Mariners
8. Manny Machado, SS, Orioles
9. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Pirates
10. Shelby Miller, RHP, Cardinals
11. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Diamondbacks
12. Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins
13. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pirates
14. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Mariners
15. Jacob Turner, RHP, Tigers
16. Travis D'Arnaud, C, Blue Jays
17. Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians
18. Gary Brown, OF, Giants
19. Wil Myers, OF, Royals
20. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies
21. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Diamondbacks
22. Billy Hamilton, SS, Reds
23. Oscar Taveras, OF, Cardinals
24. Devin Mesoraco, C, Reds
25. Matt Harvey, RHP, Mets
26. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Nationals
27. Bubba Starling, OF, Royals
28. Jake Marisnick, OF, Blue Jays
29. Manny Banuelos, LHP, Yankees
30. Zack Wheeler, RHP, Mets
31. Carlos Martinez, RHP, Cardinals
32. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Red Sox
33. Christian Yelich, OF, Marlins
34. Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Rockies
35. Danny Hultzen, LHP, Mariners
36. Martin Perez, LHP, Rangers
37. Archie Bradley, RHP, Diamondbacks
38. Yasmani Grandal, C, Padres
39. Michael Choice, OF, Athletics
40. Gary Sanchez, C, Yankees
41. Randall Delgado, RHP, Braves
42. Luis Heredia, RHP, Pirates
43. Josh Bell, OF, Pirates
44. Brett Jackson, OF, Cubs
45. Mike Olt, 3B, Rangers
46. Brandon Jacobs, OF, Red Sox
47. Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Royals
48. Jarred Cosart, RHP, Astros
49. George Springer, OF, Astros
50. Jarrod Parker, RHP, Athletics
51. Trevor May, RHP, Phillies
52. Rymer Liriano, OF, Padres
53. Robbie Erlin, RHP, Padres
54. Daniel Norris, LHP, Blue Jays
55. Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Red Sox
56. Starling Marte, OF, Pirates
57. Jedd Gyorko, 3B, Padres
58. Cory Spangenberg, 2B, Padres
59. James Paxton, LHP, Mariners
60. A.J. Cole, RHP, Athletics
61. Wilin Rosario, C, Rockies
62. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, Braves
63. Dellin Betances, RHP, Yankees
64. Brad Peacock, RHP, Athletics
65. Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Rays
66. Javier Baez, SS, Cubs
67. Jean Segura, SS, Angels
68. Anthony Gose, OF, Blue Jays
69. Matt Adams, 1B, Cardinals
70. Zach Lee, RHP, Dodgers
71. Nick Castellanos, 3B, Tigers
72. Sonny Gray, RHP, Athletics
73. Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Astros
74. Joe Wieland, RHP, Padres
75. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs
76. Robbie Grossman, OF, Pirates
77. Neil Ramirez, RHP, Rangers
78. Casey Kelly, RHP, Padres
79. Chad Bettis, RHP, Rockies
80. Jose Fernandez, RHP, Marlins
81. Addison Reed, RHP, White Sox
82. John Lamb, LHP, Royals
83. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, Royals
84. Jessie Biddle, LHP, Phillies
85. Jonathan Schoop, INF, Orioles
86. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Padres
87. Eddie Rosario, OF/2B, Twins
88. Kolten Wong, 2B, Cardinals
89. Jeurys Familia, RHP, Mets
90. Joe Benson, OF, Twins
91. Matt Purke, LHP, Nationals
92. Wily Peralta, RHP, Brewers
93. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Blue Jays
94. Austin Hedges, C, Padres
95. Joe Ross, RHP, Padres
96. Derek Norris, C, Athletics
97. Tim Wheeler, OF, Rockies
98. Ryan Lavarnway, C, Red Sox
99. Mason Williams, OF, Yankees
100. Grant Green, OF, Athletics
101. Jorge Alfaro, C, Rangers

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Article on Fangraphs about under the radar rookies who could contribute this season. Ian Stewart vs Ryan Flaherty will be an interesting watch this season:

Ryan Flaherty, IF, Baltimore: You don’t often see Rule 5 picks play key roles at the big league level. However, Flaherty is not your typical Rule 5 selection. He’s likely big-league ready and Baltimore’s lack of depth could provide him with plenty of playing time on the left side of the infield at the hot corner. He can also play second base and both corner outfield positions. Flaherty may not hit for a high average but he has good left-handed pop and takes his fair share of walks. He could end up being a poor man’s Dan Uggla as a Rule 5 pick that goes on to have a solid career at the big league level and makes his previous organization regret letting him go for virtually nothing in return.


http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.ph ... -for-2012/

Does anybody have a scouting report on Cub lefty,Chris Rusin? I never heard of him but he has only allowed 1 ER this spring. His ML stats look decent except for Hits per innings.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

From Sunday night on Twitter:
@tioy11: Tell me about where Rusin's ceiling is. I was impressed today.
@Kevin_Goldstein Not a big prospect. Maybe a relief arm.

Baseball America 2012 Prospect Handbook has him as the top LH starting pitcher in th eCubs system but he did not make their Top 30. 8 RHSP were ranked in their Top 30

McNutt (4)
Maples (5)
Rhee (11)
Beeler (12)
Whitenack (19)
Rodario (22)
Ben Wells (25)
Simpson (29)

on the Relief side 5 RHRP were ranked and again NO lefties

Dolis (7)
the traded Carpenter (13)
Zych (15)
Hatley (26)
the departed Casey Weathers (27)

These rankings were prior to the Rizzo deal that said Zach Cates was not in the San Diego Top 30 and was the was the 12th ranked RHRP.

Cuban LHRP Gerardo Concepcion was also signed after publication of the book.

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Wow,thanks for the update. Anytime you see a LHP doing anything,it perks your interests. Wonder what the deal is on Rusin? They didn't call him up last year when they were desperate. It might be better for him that he has "new eyes" on him.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Rusin has been average to slightly above average in the minors. He generally gives up more hits than innings pitched and averages far less than 1 k per inning. He definitely looks like he has some potential but he is going to have to master AAA before getting a shot.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I thought they used to start the minor league games a few days after the big league openers but it appears not.

The Iowa Cubs did what the big leaguers failed to do and that is win. Rizzo and Jackson both had 2 hits and both drove in runs. Vitters also had a hit. Wells was ok but gave up 3 runs on 2 hits which both left the yard. Corpus and Maine both dealt witch Corpas logging 2 innings of work.

Game is still in progress but what the hell.... In AA Jae-hoon has a pair of hits and under the radar power hitting 1st base prospect Justin Bour is 3-4 with a bomb. Future Mike Fontenot....Logan Watkins has 2 hits as well. Struck pitched 6 strong innings with 1O K's.

I would rather not talk about what happened in Daytona. Szczur went 1-5 and that is the bright spot of the game.

Is Junior Lake hurt? I can't see him just getting a night off.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Junior Lake is injured and will be out at least a month. He will report to AA when he is healthy.

Also, all of the Cubs bonus babies are at extended Spring Training. None made a roster.

The I-Cubs lost 4-3 because Coleman sucked it up early. More importantly Jackson and Vitters each had a hit and Vitters got a walk too!!! Rizzo had 2 hits.

The Smoke Dogs won 1-O with McNutt starting though as per the usual he went an entire 3.2 scoreless innings before the hook. He had 72 pitches which is absurd for that early in the game. He needs to figure this shit out or accept his future in the pen.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

What was the Lake injury?

I'm enjoying this thread. Thanks for the updates!

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

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