Iowa Cubs: June edition
I caught one game of a doubleheader with the Iowa Cubs.
The current mindset of Cubs management is that they have their prospects spend some time in the Triple-A league. It's part of the Moneyball strategy that made the book and movie so famous.
Triple-A is generally a place for rehabbing major leaguers who are injured or slumping, journeymen, role players, and real stars only make the briefest of stops between Double A and majors. But this strategy disagrees with the usual. It also means that I have been going to Triple A games for a few years now, and only saw a couple of bonafide stars, but in the last two or three years, i have seen 5 or 6 major league starters.
The Chicago Cubs are the hottest team in major league baseball because of stars I watched just the last 2 years (Bryant, Rizzo, Szczur, Soler, Baez, Schwarber)
So who's left in Iowa.
Here's the roster with a big nod to Bleed Cubbie Blue, a blog that covers all things Cubs and is my main source of info on this one.
Kyle Vogelbach- 1B- Kyle has been a heralded prospect and the biggest star in the current team. The Chicago Cubs have one of the best 1B in baseball so not sure what that means for Vogelbach's future, but he's been fun to watch.
Jeimar Candelario 3B and Mark Zagunis OF -These two started at Double A and may be the next big Cubs stars, as they tore up the ball and hope to do the same here
Matt Murton OF- Once you get past those three, you start to hit the role players. Murton played for Iowa if you go back to 2008, before spending time in Chicago and then many years in Japan
Kristopher Negron 1B and Juan Perez OF - Role players who have quite a bit of major league experience- Negron (Reds) and Perez (Giants)
Logan Watkins 2B- Watkins appeared to be a potential star at one time. He has been injury prone and time will tell what his future brings.
John Andreoli OF- Andreoli had a great spring training, and has spent time in Iowa where he has either been really hot or really cold. He seems a likely future Cub if he can get past some of those slumps.
Munenori Kawasaki SS- Which brings this to the end of my list. Kawasaki was a star in Japan and one of the most likeable guys in baseball. Fox Sports calls him the best interview in baseballbest interview in baseball and it's hard to fault.
The Cubs wowon the gamen the game 3-0 with 4 pirchers including a rehabbing Dallas Beeler striking out two in his one inning of work.
As the Oakland As are the team known for creating moneyball, they have at least three prospects at the Triple A level- 1B Matt Olson, SS Chad Pinder and 3B Renato Nunez.
All told, a great deal of talent on a good night for baseball.
The current mindset of Cubs management is that they have their prospects spend some time in the Triple-A league. It's part of the Moneyball strategy that made the book and movie so famous.
Triple-A is generally a place for rehabbing major leaguers who are injured or slumping, journeymen, role players, and real stars only make the briefest of stops between Double A and majors. But this strategy disagrees with the usual. It also means that I have been going to Triple A games for a few years now, and only saw a couple of bonafide stars, but in the last two or three years, i have seen 5 or 6 major league starters.
The Chicago Cubs are the hottest team in major league baseball because of stars I watched just the last 2 years (Bryant, Rizzo, Szczur, Soler, Baez, Schwarber)
So who's left in Iowa.
Here's the roster with a big nod to Bleed Cubbie Blue, a blog that covers all things Cubs and is my main source of info on this one.
Kyle Vogelbach- 1B- Kyle has been a heralded prospect and the biggest star in the current team. The Chicago Cubs have one of the best 1B in baseball so not sure what that means for Vogelbach's future, but he's been fun to watch.
Jeimar Candelario 3B and Mark Zagunis OF -These two started at Double A and may be the next big Cubs stars, as they tore up the ball and hope to do the same here
Matt Murton OF- Once you get past those three, you start to hit the role players. Murton played for Iowa if you go back to 2008, before spending time in Chicago and then many years in Japan
Kristopher Negron 1B and Juan Perez OF - Role players who have quite a bit of major league experience- Negron (Reds) and Perez (Giants)
Logan Watkins 2B- Watkins appeared to be a potential star at one time. He has been injury prone and time will tell what his future brings.
John Andreoli OF- Andreoli had a great spring training, and has spent time in Iowa where he has either been really hot or really cold. He seems a likely future Cub if he can get past some of those slumps.
Munenori Kawasaki SS- Which brings this to the end of my list. Kawasaki was a star in Japan and one of the most likeable guys in baseball. Fox Sports calls him the best interview in baseballbest interview in baseball and it's hard to fault.
The Cubs wowon the gamen the game 3-0 with 4 pirchers including a rehabbing Dallas Beeler striking out two in his one inning of work.
As the Oakland As are the team known for creating moneyball, they have at least three prospects at the Triple A level- 1B Matt Olson, SS Chad Pinder and 3B Renato Nunez.
All told, a great deal of talent on a good night for baseball.