Midseason look at the Cubs top prospects, part 4

In Minor Leagues by dmick89113 Comments

Over the last week we’ve looked at the top 20 Cubs prospects according to John Sickels and how they’re performing this season. We’ve also looked at 15 or 16 additional players worthy of some discussion for one reason or another. Many of the 2010 draft picks, especially the high school ones, have very little playing time to their name. Few …

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D’oh! Cubs, D’oh!

In News And Rumors by aisle424250 Comments

The Cubs have had injury problems.  This is not a secret.  Tom Ricketts will tell anyone with a camera or a microphone about the injuries and how they ruined a perfectly good baseball team. But when you look at the injuries piled up together and and see how the Opening Day roster has been beaten within an inch of its …

Midseason look at the Cubs top prospects, part 3

In Minor Leagues by dmick89119 Comments

We’ve taken an extensive look at the top 20 Cubs prospects this season by Sickels so it’s time to look at some others who weren’t ranked. John Gaub Gaub is coming of a season in which he walked almost a batter per inning and allowed a tons of runs, but this season he’s been pretty good. His strikeouts are through …

Midseason look at the Cubs top prospects, part 2

In Minor Leagues by dmick89143 Comments

A few days ago we looked at Sickel’s Cubs prospects ranked 11-20 entering the season and how they’ve done so far. This time we’ll look at the top 10. 10) Alberto Cabrera, RHP, Grade C+: Another live arm that needs polish. Cabrera made 9 starts for AA Tennessee and then was promoted to Iowa. I’m pretty sure the only reason …

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Tom Ricketts and Player Acquisition

In Unobstructed Views by GW83 Comments

Tom Ricketts has been vocal since buying the Cubs about the need to strengthen the minor league system.  It’s getting harder to doubt his sincerity given the construction of a new facility in the Dominican Republic, the increased number of overslot draftees in 2011, and the newly competitive nature of the organization in plucking sixteen year-olds out of foreign countries. …

Starlin Castro is an All-Star

In News And Rumors by berselius124 Comments

Sean Marshall, Carlos Marmol, or maybe Aramis Ramirez might have been better picks but I’m happy with this selection. Good for the kid. The NL roster: StartersBrian McCannPrince FielderRickie WeeksJose ReyesPlacido PolancoRyan BraunLance BerkmanMatt Kemp PitchersJoel HanrahanRoy HalladayCliff LeeCole HamelsTim LincecumMatt CainBrian Wilson‘s BeardRyan VogelsongTyler ClippardJair JurrjensClayton KershawHeath BellJonny Venters Reserves Justin UptonChipper JonesStarlin CastroBrandon PhillipsJay BruceJoey VottoTroy TulowitzkiGaby SanchezHunter …

Cubs sign Enrique Acosta for $1.1 million

In Unobstructed Views by dmick894 Comments

It’s always nice to see the Cubs make a splash in the Dominican or Venezuela. They signed Enrique Acosta for $1.1 million. The full scouting report is here (subscribers only). He’s ranked 9th. Acosta, who is represented by Rob Plummer, has one of the best bats in the Dominican Republic. Acosta, 16, has a short load and gets his hands …

Midseason look at the Cubs top prospects, part 1

In Minor Leagues by dmick89182 Comments

I figured now was a good time to post something about the Cubs top prospects since it’s past the midway point in the full minor league seasons. The short-season teams just got under way. I’m using Sickel’s top 20. I’m breaking this into three parts. I’ll cover 11-20 here and then 1-10 while the final part will focus on players …