The Arizona Cubs have concluded their season, the first of the six U.S based teams to do so. This conglomeration of 2012 and 2013 draft picks mixed together with a fair helping of international free agents and injury rehab assignments finished the year a little under .500 at 27-28 overall.
If we learned anything in Arizona this summer, it is that Erick Leal and Daury Torrez are not pitching prospects we want to ignore. There was plenty of talent on this pitching staff, but those two broke out enough to place themselves firmly on our prospect radar as we head into the postseason. They are not in the upper echelon of the Cubs pitching prospects, and might not even make the Top 40 this winter, but they caught my attention. It may be two or three years before we really know what the Cubs have in those two (particularly Leal), but there is a chance that it will be well worth waiting for.
There were quite a few other good stories coming out of the Arizona Rookie League this season, but we will save those for the winter.
Scores From Yesterday
Iowa – I’m not sure what’s gotten into these Iowa Cubs, but they seem to have forgotten how to lose. Yesterday’s 4-2 win completed a sweep of first place Omaha. Tennessee – Tennessee looked very good as they one-hit Chattanooga in this 5-0 win. Daytona – Daytona played just one game yesterday, and they won yet again. The final was 3-2. Kane County – The Cougars scored in the ninth but still lost 5-2. Boise – Boise dropped back into a tie following this 10-8 loss. Arizona – The Cubs finished the season off with a bang, winning 8-1.
Performances of Note
[Iowa] Casey Coleman gave up just 2 runs on 5 hits over 6 innings while walking 3 and striking out 3. One of those hits was a home run.
[Tennessee] Welcome to the Cubs Neil Ramirez. Over 4.2 innings the newly acquired hurler struck out 5 and gave up just 1 hit and 2 walks. P.J. Francescon stuck out 3 more in his 1.1 innings, and Yeiper Castillo completed the one-hitter with 3 innings of 1 strikeout ball.
[Tennessee] Arismendy Alcantara doubled (No. 35), tripled (No. 4) and scored twice for the Smokies. His was the only multi-hit game. Christian Villanueva had the only home run, his 17th.
[Daytona] Corey Black pitched a very nice game. Over 6 innings he struck out 6 and allowed just 1 run on 3 hits while walking no one.
[Daytona] Bijan Rademacher doubled and finished the game 2 for 5. Zeke DeVoss walked twice and stole his 36th base.
[Kane County] The 26th double of the season by Rock Shoulders was the only extra base hit Kane County came up with.
[Kane County] Marco Hernandez finished 2 for 4 and the only multi-hit day for the Cougars. He also stole his 19th base.
[Boise] The pitching as a whole was not good in Boise’s loss, but Tyler Bremer was brilliant. Through 2.2 innings he surrendered nothing and struck out 5. Eddie Orozco was also very good, striking out 2 in his inning of work.
We might need to seriously start talking about scenarios with these Iowa Cubs. When I wrote that they needed to win out to have a shot at the playoffs I really did not expect it to happen, but the hard part is over. They swept the series from Omaha and in the process dropped Omana into a tie with Memphis atop the division with the Cubs just two games back with four games to play. Memphis plays an excellent Oklahoma City team, and Omaha get the a good Round Rock squad to finish the season. Iowa visits the hapless Nashville Sounds. If Iowa can sweep the Sounds (not easy, but doable) and both Memphis and Omaha split their final series (also very possible), then we are looking at a three way tie atop the division when the season ends.
I can’t find expanded standings for the Pacific Coast League anywhere, so I’m counting up games for the tiebreakers by hand. The first tie breaker in either a two way or a three way tie is the record of the teams against each other, and that scenario is not all good news for the Cubs. I have Iowa at 11-4 on the season against Omaha, but just 6-10 against Memphis.
Dylan Heuer strikes again, this time back on his familiar turf in Iowa. Check the pictures out here.
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NEWSLETTER
The Arizona Cubs have concluded their season, the first of the six U.S based teams to do so. This conglomeration of 2012 and 2013 draft picks mixed together with a fair helping of international free agents and injury rehab assignments finished the year a little under .500 at 27-28 overall.
