NEWSLETTER
The Cub Reporter put together an *excellent* summary of this week’s “Talking Baseball” with Bruce Levine (ok, so it isn’t technically a “Bruce Levine interview”), where the guest of note was Cubs Vice President of Player Personnel, Oneri Fleita.
I strongly suggest checking out the whole article, but here’s a quick rundown of the highlights (of the highlights):
Fleita: Vitters is by far our best pure hitter in the organization. I believe if we put him in the Florida State league rather than Peoria, he may flourish and move real fast. Peoria in the spring is like Chicago, it’s real cold and difficult on a hitter in the midwest league, early in the season, especially players from California, Florida, Texas, or somewhere in Latin America, It’s tough to swing the bat and young hitters can lose their confidence. He’s the best young hitter in this organization and I think will be a very good mlb player.
So if I’m reading correctly between those not too subtle lines, it looks like Josh Vitters is going to start the year out in High-A Daytona.
Fleita then gave his brief thoughts on the three arms acquired in the Mark DeRosa deal. I’m trying not to read too much into it, but it doesn’t sound like the remarks of a guy who thinks these pitchers will be in our system for very long.
To bring in guys like Jeff Stevens who is real close to the major leagues. John Gaub, a left handed reliever, who is now healthy, with good stuff. That’s an area in the game that everone is always looking for, left handed pitching, especially relief pitching. The young kid Chris Archer, the needle is pointing north. He’s got a great ceiling. He throws in the mid-90’s. He’s 20 years old. Those are the kind of guys we can’t get enough of. I’m thrilled we’ve added them to the organization.
And perhaps the most interesting tidbit from the program:
Levine thinks Hendry is still going after a #1 pitcher and that’s why Jake Peavy is back on the radar. Bruce Levine still thinks there is about an 80% chance of a Peavy deal happening.
Tons more in the article. Check it out.
