Minor League Update 4-7-12

Fuck Ubaldo Jimenez. I hope that fucker loses that game.

Garza is some kind of terrible at fielding baseballs.

No more no-hitter for Ubaldo.

Good defensive positioning on that one.

Soriano is fun to watch

@ bubblesdachimp:
Sometimes.

bubblesdachimp wrote:

I love Easter Kate
http://vimeo.com/39890323

This should have been a Forum shot.

@ GBTS:

Aggressive baserunning seems to be working today.

Hopefully this works

Dolis in.

Doling looked good. I had that 95 mph two seamer being absurdly hard to hit

Whoops.

Wood-Marmol combined BS today?

I feel like I’ve seen this before.

Maybe Wood should have faced more than seven batters during ST.

Ugh.

This is the best part of the Cubs bullpen too.

@ Suburban kid:
Is that all he faced?

(dying laughing)

Ah, who saw that coming…

mb21 wrote:

This is the best part of the Cubs bullpen too.

Seriously!

well some things never ever change

Why didn’t they bring in Lopez?

(dying laughing)

its been a pretty shit start for closers this year.

Welcome to Chicago, Daley, Theoey and Jeddy.

Marm was throwing hard, according to the radar gun, hitting 95 a couple of times.

Let It Happen To You

Oy.

Our bullpen sucks? That was unexpected. In other news, I think this is 2008.

@ ACT:
I don’t know. You bring up an ace reliever like that and it’s a shame not to use him in such high leverage situations.

@ mb21:
We’ll never know, since the media isn’t in a position to confirm how many weeks he took off during the Cactus League.

The only way Demp or Garza will win a game this year is if they go all 9.

At least we extended Marmol when his value was at his unsustainably highest. (dying laughing)

WTF

Judging by the crowd noise, I think we have a pretty good idea of how much the fans are going to tolerate this season.

@ GBTS:
That was so much smarter than trading him.

Garza —> No win —> Bad outing

@ josh:
At least they’re showing up. For now.

@ josh:
There won’t be any fans in a few weeks. Just us.

@ Suburban kid:
I’d be inclined to put money on record low attendance this year.

(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)

And to think, this all happened with 2 outs.

@ josh:
I am at the game and I can confirm they did boo.

I’m not even mad. I’m (dying laughing) my ass off.

Didn’t someone say that tickets for games this weekend were going for like 6 bucks?

That last out is quite elusive.

@ GBTS:
You’re still there?

When you have a 2 run lead in the 8th and let 11 batters come to the plate, it’s usually not good.

@ mb21:
I got tix for Monday night for $1 each (dying laughing)

Just unreal ho bad Kerry and Marmol are

mb21 wrote:

@ Rice Cube:
For $1? That’s a complete waste of money. (dying laughing)

@ mb21:
Yeah they’re letting me throw the ninth.

@ mb21:
It can change a whole season.

The Cubs have gotten two very good starts from their starters and they’re 0-2.

@ GBTS:
Not like one pitch can.

@ mb21:
I mainly did it to try to sneak down and see if I can get A-Ram’s autograph. Since I unfortunately never got the chance when he was a Cub. I might do the same when the Marlins come to town.

Samardzija will probably go 3 innings and allow 7 runs tomorrow with the Cubs winning.

@ mb21:
Well at least we know the rest of rotation won’t let the that trend continue. (dying laughing)

RC did you get them on Stub Hub or Craigs List or what? Al? (dying laughing)

@ mb21:
Because he’s transformed into a winner.

Nice AB from DeJesus there.

@ mb21:
He’s a winner

A bunt. Now. Fuck you, Reed, you dunce.

@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Brought to you by Neifi Perez

Hell of an at bat. If you take away the bunt attempt. And the third strike. (dying laughing)

@ Suburban kid:
Bulk order via the University. Face value $2, I paid $1. Love student subsidies.

Also got free tix from a friend for Thursday’s game.

Always good for my wallet when the Cubs suck.

Is there some kind of rule for Cub RPs that they must throw 20 pitches per appearance?

Who hits in Camp’s spot? DeWitt?

@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Does it matter?

Wood pitched 5 innings in the Cactus League. Marmol threw 8.1.

I know they throw on the side, but can that really be enough prep?

This guy throws 100 mph.

Woah. 99 MPH on the fastball for Rodriguez

At least it looks like Dolis had a good inning

Rodriguez is throwing straight gas. Ye gods.

This “scout” feature on Gameday is pretty cool.

Clown. Shoes. Jeff Baker, sit the fuck down.

@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I was more impressed by the 94 mph changeup.

He threw Baker 4-seamers at 99, 99, & 100 and then came back with a 85 MPH slider. That’s nasty.

@ Berselius:
I can confirm he was not booed.

He also had an 85-mph slider that I think he used to strike Castro out.

@ ACT:

Yeah, the pitch F/X on him looked pretty filthy.

Aaron Hill is singlehandedly destroying the Giants.

CARLOS MARMOL REALLY IS THE PERFECT CUBS CLOSER. WILD, UNPREDICTABLE, AND PRONE TO FREQUENT FAILURES.— Not Buster Olney (@TrippingOlney) April 7, 2012

Carl Pavano’s fastball averaged 85.2 yesterday. Yipe.

Sandoval just got a hold of one.

Prince just hit his first AL homer.

And Albert just got his first AL hit (double).

@ ACT:
I’m happy I’m paying MLB from preventing me from watching that game.

Man it is almost impossible to find online streams of MLB games.

Eric Byrnes is a dreadful color analyst.

RBI double for Aramis.

I miss him.

Fielder goes yard again.

Pujols blows through the stop sign, TOOTBLANs, yells at ump. (dying laughing)

Theriot stares at a belt-high FB right over the heart of the plate.

“Without Ryan Theriot, there wouldn’t be any rings in St. Louis.”

Save me, Jeebus.

Hosmer homered for the Royals.

@ GBTS:
These days, I miss Sean Marshall even more.

(dying laughing)

Thom questioning the Matt Cain deal because he is under .500 for his career.

Which is worse: FOX News anchors, FOX NFL announcers, or FOX MLB announcers?

@ Mercurial Outfielder:
News, by miles

@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I thought Joe Buck did both NFL and MLB, so if you combine that, that would be the worst.

Howdy Doody homers for the fat hairy unwashed.

Josh Beckett had a rough day.

Mercurial Outfielder wrote:

“Without Ryan Theriot, there wouldn’t be any ringworm in St. Louis.”

he misspoke

@ Mercurial Outfielder:
The Tigers’ plan to score 11 million runs to make up for their crappy defense is working like a dream.

…except for the crappy defense part, apparently.

@ ACT:
Well, if you score a bajillion runs and only give up a million, you’re bound to win more than you lose. Right?

Mercurial Outfielder wrote:

“Without Ryan Theriot, there wouldn’t be any rings in St. Louis.”

Theriot is so good he brought 11 world championships to St. Louis. Without him, they’d have 0.

I can’t believe the Sox are doing so poorly even after banning fried chicken, beer and video games from the clubhouse.

@ ACT:
I blame Bobby Valentine.

Oh, one more thing from today’s game that I have to get off my chest. Garza’s (lame) bunt attempt with runners on first and second with one out should not have happened. Even worse, Brenly referred to it as an “obvious” bunting situation. It’s a terrible bunting situation.

@ ACT:
It’s a terrible bunting situation if it was a position player at bat, but I thought “The Book” had the stipulation that if the pitcher was terrible at hitting otherwise, he might as well bunt?

@ Rice Cube:
Not with 2 runners on and 1 out. Never bunt then.

@ ACT:
I will have to re-read that chapter to refresh my knowledge then. I also would have preferred that he swing away because I have an irrational hatred of bunting (dying laughing)

It’s moments like that that have convinced me that we need to get rid of have the DH in both leagues.

ACT wrote:

It’s moments like that that have convinced me that we need to get rid of the DH in both leagues.

So we can see more shitty bunting? MO’s worst nightmare.

Oops! I meant “have the DH.” I fixed it now.

@ ACT:
I’d be hoping for more pitchers who knew how to hit, but we all know that’s improbable…

I don’t know what took me so long to come around on the DH rule. I guess it was allegiance to the league I grew up with and Carlos Zambrano (not a “good” hitter, but a lot of fun to watch).

@ Rice Cube:
Well…

@ ACT:
We have the technology…

…and just in time for Zombie Jesus Day, too!

Jamie Moyer’s “fastball” = 78 mph by Pitchf/x on Gameday.

@ Rice Cube:

…and Jordan Schafer still swung and missed.

(dying laughing) x 2 or 288

@ Rice Cube:
Maybe he thought he was facing Aroldis Chapman.

@ Rice Cube:
Shut me right up.

Looks like Mish was in Baltimore today.

DPleted

Is mlb.tv not working for anyone else?

@ GBTS:
I don’t have a subscription, so I tried the free game (Bal-Min) but it was subject to blackout restrictions.

The live look-in works fine.

It was working for me earlier during that shitty game by that shit team.

@ Suburban kid:
Let shit happen to you.

Hayden Simpson did not suck tonight. No word on his velocity though

fastball only 86. Shucks

dylanj wrote:

No word on his velocity though

That’s because they’re still waiting for his fastball to cross home plate.

@ dylanj:
Yeah, I don’t even want to hear about his performance numbers unless he can somehow get his fastball up to the 90’s again.

Its really hard to explain how a kid goes 95 to 84-86 without a major injury that should show up on some test.

@ dylanj:
It is possible that the scout’s radar gun was busted before Theo and Jed came on board and upgraded their equipment.

I think the high velocity readings that led to his signing were a fluke.

@ ACT:
I don’t know if you can still find the scouting video that MLB had to dig up after a few hours of “who the fuck is that” when the Cubs drafted him. But the radar reading graphic looked like it was in 8-bit. Not that that should matter, but I just thought it was amusing.

with the amount of scouting that goes in it couldnt really be a fluke. Something is wrong with that kid.

(dying laughing)

STRASBURG WOO

Rice Cube wrote:

Jamie Moyer’s “fastball” = 78 mph by Pitchf/x on Gameday.

Nice.

/Simpson’d

I see the Rays are doing well.

Wow, Mike Napoli is the #8 hitter today.

I wish our #8 hitter was Mike Napoli.

Does anyone know if there’s like a free (no blackout) preview of mlb.tv to start the season? I’m getting the White Sox/Rangers game and I don’t know why.

Longoria might have just lost a two-run homer because of a dumb ass fan.

Houston ——-> lost
Cubs ———> 6th place
Tomorrow: Samardzija ———> slump stopper? (dying laughing)

Aisle424 wrote:

Houston ——-> lost

False

@ Rice Cube:
They beat up a 49-year-old. I hope they’re proud of themselves.

Aisle424 wrote:

Tomorrow: Samardzija ———> slump stopper? (dying laughing)

At the very least, tomorrow’s game is unlikely to follow the pattern of the previous 2 (i.e., a good performance from the starter ruined by the bullpen).

Pittsburgh just won. The Cubs are in sixth place all alone.

@ Rice Cube:
I didn’t think they’d have a chance. Lee v. Karstens looked to be the most one-sided pitching match-up so far this year. This just goes to show what a sorry state the Phillies’ offense is in.

@ Rice Cube:

(dying laughing)

By “lost” I meant they won. Duh.

@ Aisle424:
In a way they have lost…they surrendered the inside track to the #1 pick to the Cubs.

@ dylanj:
IIRC, the 95 mph was his peak fastball. He was more like 90-92 on average. I’ll look around.

Still a surprise to see him lose that much velocity though.

Southern Arkansas coach Allen Gum found the most successful pitcher in school history literally right next door. Simpson, his next-door neighbor in Magnolia, Ark., has gone 35-2, 2.39 with 323 strikeouts in 271 innings in three seasons with the NCAA Division II Muleriders. Though he’s just 6 feet and 175 pounds, he has a strong lower half and a quick arm that delivers 91-93 mph fastballs that peak at 96. His fastball is fairly straight and he tends to pitch up in the zone, which could lead to difficulty with tougher competition. He has a pair of hard breaking pitches, an 82-83 mph slider and an 78-80 mph curve. He also has a changeup that he uses sparingly, and he commands his entire repertoire well. His velocity decreased a little toward the end of the season, and some scouts are wary of his size and the fact that he’s never ventured far from Magnolia. Nevertheless, his fastball could get him drafted as high as the fourth or fifth round.

You probably need a subscription to read it, but here’s the scouting report: http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-preview/2010/2610038.html

They had 91-93 so a little faster than I was remembered, but it did decrease at the end of the season. Who knows?

I know I’ve never believed the 95 mph stuff.

mb21 wrote:

Nevertheless, his fastball could get him drafted as high as the fourth or fifth round or the 1st round if the Cubs are picking.

Aisle424 wrote:

Tomorrow: Samardzija ———> slump stopper? (dying laughing)

I think the technical term is slumpbuster (dying laughing)

I still don’t get why Valbuena was one the roster for a single day.

@ Berselius:
His name contains the Spanish word for “good”!

Prediction: Samardzija goes 8 strong and drives in all 3 runs, and Lopez gets the save.

^ If that prediction comes true, I’ll look like a genius. If not, people will think I was sarcastic. Win-win.

new shit: http://obstructedview.net/minor-leagues/minor-league-update-4-8-12.html