Cubs Minor League Daily: Welcome Mike Olt

mike olt iowaNow that Wrigley Field is very likely to be largely renovated eventually, there is another park that may draw the Cubs’ attention.

The Boise Hawks could really stand to have an upgraded facility of their own. Last summer the mediocre amenities and player training facilities in Boise briefly became an issue when some members of the Boise media became convinced that the Cubs were about to dump the Hawks and that minor league baseball in Boise could be threatened as a result.

I don’t think the Cubs leaving Boise was ever really in the cards, but the Cubs did make it clear they wanted the facilities in Boise to be improved. So far several plans to replace or renovate the ballpark in Boise have been tried and discarded, but the issue is still kicking around the Boise political scene. Now that the Cubs management is likely on the edge of the finish line with the Wrigley situation, I would not be surprised for the front office to take some interest in Boise. I doubt the Cubs do more than offer public support, but I don’t think there is any doubt that improvements in Boise are somewhere on the Cubs’ wish list.

Odds are good, though, that the process in Boise will not turn as contested and bizarre as the process in Chicago has been.

Scores From Yesterday

Iowa – For the second day in a row the Cubs were caught in a pitching duel. This time the lost in ten innings 2-1.
Tennessee – Tennessee scored early, scored late, and generally kept Huntsville off the board in the middle. They won 6-1.
Daytona – One of these days Daytona is going to get snowed out and it’s going to be a huge story. But not yesterday. Yesterday was an ordinary FSL rain out.
Kane County – The Cougars had the hits, but could not assemble the runs. They lost 5-1.
Boise – Boise got on the board in the ninth, but could not complete the comeback. They lost 5-1.
Arizona – Arizona had the night off.

Performances of Note

  • [Iowa] Brooks Raley pitched a nice game. Over 7 innings he struck out 6 and allowed a run on 3 hits and 3 walks. The run he gave up came on a solo homer.
  • [Iowa] Eduardo Sanchez also pitched well. He stuck out 4 and walked one over 2 innings of two-hit ball.
  • [Iowa] Mike Olt made his Iowa debut in this game. He finished 1 for 5 with 3 strikeouts as the No. 6 hitter. Josh Vitters, now in left field, finished 1 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout batting third.
  • [Tennessee] Dae-Eun Rhee gave up 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6 in his 5 innings of work.
  • [Tennessee] Hunter Cervenka, Yeiper Castillo, and Zach Rosscup each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
  • [Tennessee] Home runs were provided by Javier Baez (Double A No. 6), Justin Bour (No. 11), and Rafael Lopez (No. 7). Baez and Bour each doubled as well.
  • [Kane County] Rock Shoulders and Reggie Golden each had two hits for the Cougars. Golden and Albert Almora each doubled.
  • [Kane County] Jose Rosario stuck out 5 in his 4 innings of relief. Two walks came back to bite him, though, despite allowing a single hit.
  • [Boise] Kris Bryant and Jacob Hannemann both doubled, as did Carlos Penalver. Also of note after yesterday’s game, Bryant did not strike out.
  • [Boise] Jasvir Rakkar gave up just two hits in his 3.1 innings of relief. Unfortunately, both of those hits were home runs.
  • Other News

  • Dylan Heuer strikes again. The baseball photographer and fan of Bleacher Nation was at the Iowa Cubs game last night, and got some very nice shots, including that there picture of Mike Olt. See a catch at the wall, funny faces from baserunners, and a batter apparently falling back on his shoulders after swinging. Dylan was also kind enough to let us share some of the shots over at the BN Facebook page. You can follow Dylan on Twitter here, if you’re so inclined.
  • Scott Baker lasted 3 innings in his rehab start for Kane County. He gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks.
  • written by

    Luke Blaize is the Minor League Editor at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @ltblaize.

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