Cubs Minor League Daily: Lots of Offense, Happ Homer, One Notable Walk

Albert Almora took a walk. It was his first walk since April 23, and given the focus that is on Almora right now, it was one of the most anticipated walks we’ve seen in some time. This walk will do nothing to shake that spotlight, and it really doesn’t address any of the questions regrading Almora’s bat, but it is a walk.

And since we’re talking about walks, and since it is a Monday, let’s do some walk related trivia.

At the start of yesterday’s game, Almora had six walks. There were only three players in the Cubs’ organization who also had six or fewer walks and had totaled at least one hundred plate appearances. Who are they?

First clue: they are all three teammates.

Second clue: all three have appeared on both the infield and the outfield in 2016, and all three have played at least four positions this season.

Got some names in mind? As always, the answers will appear at the very end of this column.

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 6, Memphis 1
The winning streak is up to nine.

• Alex Sanabia: 5 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K
• Brandon Gomes: 1 IP, and a line full of zeroes.
• Armando Rivero: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
• Carl Edwards Jr.: 0.2 IP and a line full of zeroes. Notably, he was pitching in the second of two straight games.
• Felix Pena: 1.1 IP, 2 K
• Albert Almora: 1 for 4, BB, SB
• Matt Murton: 2 for 3, HR, BB
• Juan Perez: 2 for 4, 3B
• Alex Sanabia: 2 for 2

Double A: Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee 11, Mississippi 6
Six runs in the sixth were the key to this win.

• Miguel Mejia: 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K
• David Garner: 1 IP, 2 K
• Jacob Hannemann: 2 for 5, HR, SB. He now has six homers and twenty steals.
• Mark Zagunis: 1 for 5, 3B
• Jeimer Candelario: 1 for 3, HR, 2 BB
• Cael Brockmeyer: 2 for 5, 2B
• Carlos Penalver: 2 for 3

High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Myrtle Beach 15, Potomac 0
Now that’s what I call an emphatic win.

• Trevor Clifton: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K. Clifton continues to be good.
• Daniel Lewis: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
• Rashad Crawford: 1 for 4, 3B, 2 BB, SB
• Gleyber Torres: 1 for 2, 3 BB, 2 SB. He now has ten steals.
• Ian Happ: 2 for 4, HR, BB, SB
• Yasiel Balaguert: 2 for 4, HR, BB
• Gioskar Amaya: 2 for 5, HR
• Daniel Lockhart: 3 for 4, 2B, 3B
• Shawon Dunston Jr.: 1 for 4, 3B, BB
• Charcer Burks: 2 for 4, 2B

Low A: South Bend Cubs
South Bend 2, West Michigan 1
The Cubs did their scoring early, and the pitching took care of the rest.

• Kyle Twomey: 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 K
• Greyfer Eregua: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K
• P.J. Higgins: 1 for 4, 2B
• Jesse Hodges: 1 for 3, 2B

Other Notes

• Willson Contreras had the day off. His streak of hitting an extra base hit in 10 consecutive games remains intact.
• The DSL Cubs 2 opened their season on Saturday with a combined three hit shutout of the Mariners. Hector Garcia struck out three and gave up a hit in five innings, Fauris Guerrero struck out one and gave up a hit in three innings, and Robert Severino allowed a hit and struck out two in the final two frames. That’s right, it was a ten inning game. Aramis Ademan hit a game winning RBI single in the tenth to plate the only run of the game.
• We’re still a long ways away from a Kyle Schwarber rehab assignment, but he is walking now, and it sounds like things are going well. He still plans to come back “bigger, faster, stronger.” Hopefully not too much stronger; I’m not sure the city would be happy if he toppled the video boards into the streets.
• And now let’s get to some highlight videos. First up, Gioskar Amaya homers down the left field line for the Pelicans.

• Ian Happ also went deep for the Pelicans in their blowout – how about those jerseys, eh? Happ just barely clears the 308-foot marker the opposite way:

• Next up, Iowa highlights. A couple homers, and a good play on a low throw at first by Vogelbach.

• And finally, the answers to today’s question. The three players in the farm system who had six or fewer walks and at least one hundred plate appearances are all playing for Iowa. Logan Watkins had the fewest (five walks in 121 plate appearances). Tied with Almora at six walks were Juan Perez (149 PA) and Kristopher Negron (161 PA).