NEWSLETTER
The big name prospects get the spotlight, and deservedly so, but I also like following the stories of the career minor leaguers and ultra fringe players who need the stars to line up just right for them to get a major league chance. They don’t have the star power of the big names, but they can still be quite a bit of fun to watch and ponder on.
Take Lars Anderson, for example. Formerly one of the Red Sox better prospects, Anderson never made it to the major leagues for long, and he never did a whole lot while he was there with strikeouts being just one of his problems. This year for the Cubs, though, the strikeouts are way down (Iowa: 17.8%, Tennessee 18.4%). Combine that with some moderate power and healthy walk rates, and Anderson starts to look like a possible left handed bat off the bench. He has been playing left field lately, and while he is not a defensive wizard out there, he’s easily good enough for part time duty.
The Cubs will have had a bad winter if they go to Mesa needing Anderson to make the major league roster (assuming he is still with the team; he signed a minor league deal in January), but it would not be a bad thing to see him in the fight for the final outfield slot.
Charles Cutler is a more curious case. He has been a mainstay in the lineup for the Smokies this season, appearing at first, behind the plate, in left field, and as a DH. He walks at a high rate (13.1%), doesn’t strike out (9.3%), hits for average (.308), and is left handed. So why is he still in Double A at the age of 28?
Because he’s a DH who has played for National League organizations. Catcher is his most frequent position, and his work behind the plate is not pretty. Triple A catchers tend to be guys who could be called to the majors on a moments notice, but that does not describe Cutler. And while he has very good on base numbers, he is lacking in power. An ISO of .102 in Double A probably is not going to cut it at first or in left.
And yet an OBP of .414 is just too tempting to leave languishing in Double A, isn’t it? Is that OBP worth bringing him to Triple A next year in an effort to groom him for a future as a fifth outfielder and bat off the bench? That probably depends on who else will need at bats on that roster. And, to be honest, probably not. But if Cutler can ever find a positional home, or if he starts hitting for more power, or if the National League suddenly adopts the DH, he may yet get a small window in which to carve out a job.
Scores From Yesterday
Iowa – Iowa fell all the way back to .500 with this 7-2 loss.
Tennessee – The Smokies lost on the road 8-4.
Daytona – An eighth inning run proved key in this 5-4 win.
Kane County – Kane County raced to early lead in this 7-3 win.
Boise Hawks – The Hawks scored five times in the first two innings and twice in the thirteenth in this 7-5 win.
Arizona – Arizona won a rain-shortened shutout 6-0.
Performances of Note
Other News
