While we’re waiting on the Cubs to make official the Scott Hairston signing and send Tony Campana into exile, there’s not much else to report. Luckily for me, MLB.com decided to release their 100 top prospects last night. The Cubs managed to place three prospects on said list, the lowest of whom was ranked 42nd.
Shortstop Javier Baez was ranked 16th in the top 100, released late Tuesday, while outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler checked in at Nos. 39 and 42, respectively.
We’ve already heard about these three young men, but I’ll post some quotes in case you want to hear how great they’re going to be.
Did you say prospectors or prospects?
“Javy’s still so young,” said Jason McLeod, the Cubs’ director of scouting and player development. “He’s only played really three months of a full season, and obviously, last year, he took the Midwest League by storm in a short time there and hit some bumps in Daytona. Being that he just turned 20 years old, obviously, he’s a talented young man, and he’s going to ultimately decide [his progression].”
Baez made great strides in showing that he can play both ways, too.
“All of us who saw [Baez] play last year every day on the field felt the same way, like, ‘Wow, this young man can really play short,’” McLeod said. “He plays the game really easy. He slows it down, anticipates, very good instincts. Right now, he’s a shortstop until he shows he can’t be. He’s a very good shortstop, and I see no reason why he won’t be playing there for a long time.”
As for Albert Almora…
Almora said Sveum told him, “You’re ready here in the outfield; we just want to get you more mature at the plate.”
Almora already has an impressive resume, having competed for Team USA since 2009. That year, he was ranked No. 1 in the world by USA Baseball.
“A big part of what we’re working with is his consistency in his approach at the plate,” McLeod said. “He’s competed in his at-bats, but at the same time, he was very aggressive and getting himself out early in counts.
“He has good hand-eye coordination, so he makes a lot of contact,” McLeod added. “We’re talking to him, telling him, ‘Look for that pitch to drive. You don’t have to swing at the first pitch.’ … He wants to go up there and swing the bat and make things happen early. It’s being patient, waiting for a pitch you can drive and being consistent with that approach.”
And on to Jorge Soler…
“What a great, athletic body,” Sveum said of Soler, whom he had seen before only on video. “Great hands — the ball comes off his bat to the pull side pretty nice without a lot of effort. That’s something to build on. When you have those kind of hands and that kind of hand speed, you can always work with that.”
I think the short of it is that we should expect to see these three leading the Cubs to a World Series victory this season.
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130129/chicago/cubs-push-for-more-night-games-concerts-at-wrigley-field-this-year
So it looks like were trying to go from 30 to 33 night games, 3 to 4 concerts etc. Not much of a jump in night games but I guess its a start.
It looks like Tom Tunney is trying to keep the status quo as far as night games is concerned.
That’s won’t fly with the Cubs.
The Cubs are trying to push for at least 40 night games…and I think they’ll actually get them even with the objections of so people in the neighborhood. They might not all come at once, but they might be phased in over the next 5 years as the renovation goes on.
The truth is, the rooftop owners should be pushing for more night games as well.
BTW, what can we do about getting Albert Almora fast tracked to the big leagues?
http://www.bleachernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/albert-almora-300×243.png
Cute . . . but he’s a fetus.
He’s a college kid, he’s even old enough to drink. Come on.
Sounds as if he’s all but ready. FO wants him to show a bit more patience at the plate. He just might be up in 2014 IMO
You may have missed my point
Uh…0 walks in 65 at bats in short season A-ball….might need at least 2 full seasons at age 18.
It’s good to be back =)
Um… Maybe he only faced REALLLLY good control pitchers??
Is it just me or does it sound like Svuem is hot for Soler? That sounded really… seductive.
“Look at that body… and those hands! Mmmm” – Dale Svuem
*facepalm*
Looks like the Cubs have a new marketing slogan,”Come to Wrigley… and see how hot Soler is!!!”
“And watch his fast hands.”
Not just this hands in general…but his hand speed.
Those are some… quick hands”
Is there video of Dale when he said that? And in the video was he drooling? Or was Dale looking at somebody else when he was quoted about Soler?
This Michael Bourne situation is interesting. Boras might have screwed this one up.
That’s what everyone said about Prince Fielder last year.
Boras will pull a rabbit out of his hat just like he always does.
Yep. You just can’t keep Boras down.
He’s like a Chumbawamba song.
Is Boras the whisky drink, or is he the lager drink?
I stupidly drove into work today.
I might not get home tonight.
So which of these fine fellows is slated to start the year in scenic Kane County?
No kidding!! I may have to pre-purchase tix this season with the Cubs part of the picture, rather than just do walk-up like I’ve always done. There wasn’t too much excitement rooting for the Royals’ minor-leaguers.
Baez is probably beyond Kane County in 2013…He’ll either be in Daytona or Tennessee.
Almora is a likely candidate to play in Kane County this year, though if he is as good as everyone is saying, he might move up quickly as well.
Soler might possibly start the season in Kane Country, though he probably will begin in Boise first.
Another guy to watch out for in Kane County this year is Dan Vogelbach…he might be a really fun player to see this year.
Nobody was saying Almora was good. They were saying he was hot.
I read where the Nats owner said they were going to the World Series this year.
How can that happen when the Cubs will be there?
We need to set a date for a Kane County get-together.
*crickets*
You-n-me, Julie. Name the date! Hey if we get a group, we can get their “VIP suite.” Yes, there is one there, seriously.
You know they featured the ballpark on the Food Network? They showed some hamburger that consists of five patties, tons of stuff, corn chips,etc. for $20.00. It was on the “Unwrapped’ show….
I agree. I’m totally in as long as I don’t have to work that day.
http://www.bleachernation.com/2013/01/30/lukewarm-stove-the-impact-of-a-nelson-cruz-suspension-and-chatting-about-cubs-rumors/
Interesting quote in there from Bruce Levine on the Cubs TV deal.
Hey. Have you people liked LOHO’s Facebook page? I post stuff over there that I don’t post over here . . .
https://www.facebook.com/aleagueofherown
Oh…so you prefer putting content on Facebook instead of on your own blog network.
I don’t get it.
Some things are just easier and quicker to share on FB. Not really worthy of a post, but still shareable nonetheless.
I did like the Facebook page, and nothing happened. LOHO does not show up on my newsfeed for some reason…..
I see one of your governors got out of the slammer.
I know, totally unbaseball.
Don’t worry…they’ll probably have another governor going in soon.
Pretty sure he’s a White Sox fan.
Read ‘Ranking Baseball’s most Unhittable Pitches’ and not a Cub pitch to be found.
What?!
With the staff we had last year?!
I thought some of the “ball’s” we threw were pretty unhittable
Carlos Marmol should be on that list for a couple of reasons.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/14619/qa-new-cubs-saberist-tom-tango
The Cubs hired Tom Tango
We already talked about that.