Rosscup, as I am sure you all remember, was that other pitcher who came along with Matt Garza from Tampa. He pitched pretty well for the High A Daytona Cubs in 2011 before being shut down with an injury. Now rehabbed and back at full strength, the Cubs have been moving him swiftly up the farm system. After one game in Arizona and three games with the Chiefs, Rosscup is now set to make his Double A debut. For the time being I think the lefty will work out of the bullpen, but I would not be surprised if the Cubs choose to stretch him back into starting shape.
Rosscup has a fastball that hang out around 90 MPH in addition to a curve and a change up he can throw for strikes, but, at last report, none of his pitches were particularly impressive. What was impressive was his tendency to throw strikes. For his career he has a K/BB ratio of nearly 4.00. So far hitters have not been able to make solid contact off his pitches in the zone. If that trend continues, the Cubs may have a quality pitcher.
Scores From Yesterday
Iowa – Iowa scored in the bottom of the eleventh to secure a 5-4 win. Tennessee – The Smokies split a doubleheader. They won the opener 5-1, but lost the nightcap 3-1. Daytona – Fantastic pitching carried the Cubs to a 5-1 win. Peoria – There were a total of seven errors in this game, a game Peoria lost 8-3. Boise – The Hawks fell in eleven innings, 5-4. Arizona – The Cubs won in a blow out, 10-3.
Performances of the Day
[Iowa] Michael Bowden blew the save by allowing a solo home run, but he stayed on the mound for three full innings to pick up the win in extras.
[Iowa] Josh Vitters doubled, walked twice, and earned his second steal.
[Iowa] Welington Castillo homered and scored twice. He now has three long balls for Iowa.
[Tennessee] Eric Jokisch allowed just five hits in six innings as he picked up his fourth win of the season.
[Tennessee] In Game Two, Nick Struck struck out six in his five innings of work, but he took the loss by allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits. Tony Zych struck out three in his inning of work.
[Tennessee] The Smokies did not have much offense in their two games. Greg Rohan‘s double and Logan Watkins‘ 16th stolen base are about as good as it got.
[Daytona] It doesn’t get a whole lot better than the game Matt Loosen enjoyed on Friday. Loosen scattered three hits across seven innings while striking out ten.
[Daytona] Arismendy Alcantara fell a single short of the cycle. His three hit game included his seventh triple and sixth home run of the year.
[Daytona] Rubi Silva also had a great game. Playing right field in this game, Silva finished with four hits and his seventh stolen base.
[Peoria] Sheldon McDonald finished the game with 2.1 innings of three hit, four strikeout baseball.
[Boise] Michael Heesch struck out four in two perfect innings of relief.
[Boise] At this rate Bijan Rademacher will not be in Boise for long. The 2012 draft pick has hit safely in every game he’s played for the Hawks, including his 2 hit performance on Friday.
[Boise] What can’t Jeimer Candelario do? In addition to another multi-hit game and his third home run of the season, the third baseman also stole his first base in this game.
[Arizona] Matt Iannazzo struck out four in his two innings of work.
[Arizona] Daniel Vogelbach hit his third home run of the season. Despite the questions that dogged him heading into the season, the big first baseman has had little trouble making contact. He’s currently hitting .370.
Other Minor League Notes
Matt Loosen had another great game on Friday. After pushing him rapidly up the system last season, the Cubs appear content to let Loosen pick up plenty of practice in Daytona this season. He has responded with some of the best pitching in the farm system. His ceiling remains that of a potential No. 3 starter, but he is definitely one of the pitchers Cub fans should be monitoring. His time with Tennessee last season did not go all that smoothly; hopefully he will get another chance at Double A later this year. Until he has some success in that tougher league, it would be best to stay cautiously optimistic on him.
If my math is correct, Josh Vitters surpassed his career high in walks yesterday. In 84 games he has walked 23 times, one more than his 2011 total gathered over 129 games. What’s more, Vitters has walked seven times in the past ten games alone. It is true that one of his walks last night was of the intentional variety, but that is still somewhat to his credit.
Farm System Standings
AAA – Iowa Cubs : 36 – 53.
Pacific Coast League American Northern Division – Third Place: 20.0 Games Behind.
AA – Tennessee Smokies : 7-9
Southern League North Division – Third Place : 3.0 Game Behind
High A – Daytona Cubs : 8-8
Florida State League North Division – Fourth Place : 1.5 Games Behind
Low A – Peoria Chiefs : 5-10
Midwest League Eastern Division – Fifth Place : 5.0 Game Behind
Short-Season A – Boise Hawks : 7 – 15
Northwest League East Division – Fourth Place : 5.5 Games Behind
Rookie League – AZL Cubs : 10 – 4
Arizona Rookie League East – Second Place : 2.0 Game Behind
I know that Joe Buck is a polarizing broadcaster. Some people love him. Some people hate him. I also know that he seems to have gone through phases in his career where there were stretches I thought he was mutably...
Pete Crow-Armstrong put on a show last night, which I mean in the most literal sense. It was more like a performance than a baseball game. Bases-loaded HBP while showing bunt? OK, sure. Running easily to first on a dropped...
Northwestern will be making a return to Wrigley Field not just once this season, but twice! Due to the construction of their brand new football stadium, the Cats will be playing five of their seven home games at its temporary...
The Cubs come back home from the Pittsburgh-Atlanta road trip having split it 3-3, and I gotta say, that's a pretty solid outcome when (1) you're facing Jones and Skenes, (2) you're playing three in Atlanta where they'd lost just...
Just about as soon as I could talk about how Brennen Davis had homered for the third time in four games, he homered AGAIN, making it four times in five games. And this time, just for fun, B.J. Murray Jr....
The Chicago Cubs' bats finally came alive last night in Atlanta, albeit with a little bit of help from Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton. On the other side, Javier Assad was brilliant once again. Good win. Needed win. Enjoy the...
The Cubs took the lead on the very first pitch of the game and didn't look back. They needed that. I needed that. Offense up and down the lineup. Two extra-base hits for Seiya Suzuki. Three times on base for...
There's fast, and then there's Curt Casali fast. Er, well, not his basepath speed, but the speed with which he went from catching at Triple-A Iowa for the Cubs to starting behind the plate tonight for the Giants in San...
The Cubs scored exactly zero runs in their last 18 innings in Atlanta. But Mike Tauchman did not let that streak continue long tonight. On the first pitch of the game, Tauchman lifted one over the left field wall for...
CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs have dropped each of the first two games in this series, failing to score a single run. Let's see if the following Cubs lineup can have any more luck against Charlie Morton and the Braves...
The Houston Astros (18-25) host the Oakland Athletics (19-26) at 8:10 PM ET Thursday for a sluggers' duel between two of the best home-run hitters in baseball. Kyle Tucker has racked up 13 homers this season (No. 1 in the...
The Chicago Cubs (25-19) are set to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (19-25) Thursday at 7:40 PM ET, airing on MARQ. The Cubs are listed as -132 favorites by sportsbooks, while the underdog Pirates have +113 odds for the contest.Justin...
I know that Joe Buck is a polarizing broadcaster. Some people love him. Some people hate him. I also know that he seems to have gone through phases in his career where there were stretches I thought he was mutably...
It appears we won't be getting a repeat performance from last year's PGA Championship darling Michael Block. The club pro from Mission Viejo, California had an epic underdog run during last year's event at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester....
Pete Crow-Armstrong put on a show last night, which I mean in the most literal sense. It was more like a performance than a baseball game. Bases-loaded HBP while showing bunt? OK, sure. Running easily to first on a dropped...
Entering Thursday's matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies (31-13), the New York Mets (19-23) are on a three-game losing streak. The contest starts at 6:40 PM ET on MLB Network with the Phillies listed as -143 favorites, while the are +122...
The Boston Red Sox (22-21) and Tampa Bay Rays (22-22) meet Thursday at Fenway Park, with first pitch at 7:10 PM ET on BSSUN. The Red Sox are -110 moneyline favorites for the contest, however, the Rays are favored against...
The Chicago Cubs (25-19) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (19-25) square off at Wrigley Field on Thursday at 7:40 PM ET, beginning a four-game series.The probable starters are Justin Steele for the Cubs and Jared Jones (2-4) for the Pirates.Cubs vs....
The Oakland Athletics (19-26), who lost their previous four games, face the Houston Astros (18-25) at Minute Maid Park on Thursday. First pitch is at 8:10 PM ET.The Astros will give the nod to Cristian Javier (2-1, 4.01 ERA), who...
Things are a little groggy for me today because allergies and a cold did quite a number on me last night. It'll be a chicken noodle soup day (recipe courtesy of my friend Jim) for me. The Chicago Bears 2024...
NEWSLETTER
