Cubs Minor League Daily: Bijan Rademacher To Iowa

iowa cubs logoBijan Rademacher has not been significantly challenged by Double A pitching this season (.313/.395/.484), but for some reason the Cubs were content to leave him there. He already had 113 games in Tennessee last year. Add in 86 more this season and we’re looking at well over a season worth of Double A games.  That is a long time to leave a guy who is doing well in Double A.

Finally, though, thanks to a Mark Zagunis broken toe that left Iowa in need of an outfielder (which, of course, is its own bummer), Rademacher got the call. Now we will see what he can do in the happy hitting ground that is the Pacific Coast League.

As a side benefit, we will also get to see him in action on the Iowa MiLB.tv video feed. That feed is higher quality than the Tennessee one, if not quite on par with the excellent streams that come from South Bend and Myrtle Beach.[adinserter block=”1″]

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
New Orleans 9, Iowa 4
Iowa is now 0 for 1 in the Rademacher era.

  • Pierce Johnson: 2 IP, 1 BB, 4 K. He tossed 29 pitches in this relief appearance.
  • John Andreoli: 2 for 4, BB
  • Logan Watkins: 2 for 4, 3B, BB
  • Albert Almora: 2 for 5, 2B
  • Double A: Tennessee Smokies
    Tennessee 7, Birmingham 6 in ten innings.
    The Cubs scored twice in the top of the tenth, then had to hold off Birmingham one more time.

  • Brad Markey: 6 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 2 K
  • Jack Leathersich: 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
  • Jorge Soler: 2 for 3, BB. He was the DH in this one.
  • Ian Happ: 1 for 4, HR, BB. His third Double A homer came in the tenth.
  • Victor Caratini: 2 for 5, HR. Caratini also homered in the tenth.
  • David Freitas: 2 for 5
  • Carlos Penalver: 1 for 4, 2B
  • High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
    Myrtle Beach 5, Frederick 0
    Two Pelican pitchers combined on a three hit shutout.

  • Trevor Clifton: 7 IP, 1 H, 6 K. He needed 97 pitches for this gem.
  • Ryan McNeil: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K
  • Yasiel Balaguert: 1 for 4, 2B
  • Jeffrey Baez: 2 for 4, 2 HR. Baez now has five homers.
  • Andrew Ely: 2 for 4, 2B[adinserter block=”2″]
  • Low A: South Bend Cubs
    South Bend 2, Fort Wayne 0
    The Cubs used three pitchers in their four hit shutout.

  • Ryan Kellogg: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K
  • Tanner Griggs: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 K
  • Carson Sands: 1 IP and a line of zeroes. This was his first relief appearance this season.
  • Carlos Sepulveda: 2 for 3, SB
  • P.J. Higgins: 2 for 4
  • Vimael Machin: 2 for 4
  • Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds

    Eugene had the day off.

    Rookie: Arizona Cubs
    Cubs 3, Giants 1
    This game also featured some impressive pitching.

  • Josh Conway: 1 IP, 1 K
  • Javier Assad: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K
  • Luis Ayala: 2 for 4, SB
  • Michael Cruz: 2 for 4, 2 2B
  • Rafael Mejia: 1 for 4, 2B
  • Edgar Rondon: 2 for 3, 2 SB
  • Other Notes

  • Sands was activated from the disabled list yesterday, and that trip to the DL may have something to do with why he was working out of the pen yesterday. He only has 66 innings on him, and based on his 2015 total he would probably be good for 85 or 90, so I doubt it is entirely due to work load (although that could play a role as well). I very much doubt, though, that the Cubs have decided to give up on Sands as a starter long term.[adinserter block=”3″]
  • We don’t have video of the Myrtle Beach shutout, but we do of the South Bend one. And it includes some very nice plays by the Cubs infield and some excellent baserunning by Sepulveda:
  • written by

    Luke Blaize is the Minor League Editor at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @ltblaize.

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