Cubs Minor League Daily: Pelicans Likely For The Playoffs

Iowa (49-66) and Tennessee (18-25) are effectively out of playoff contention. The Smokies are only seven games back, but they would have to vault three teams on their way to the top and that just adds to the challenge. Short of a dozen or so game winning streak starting right about now, the odds are not with the Smokies.

There are, however, three teams who have already locked up a playoff slot. South Bend, Eugene, and Arizona each won their respective first half titles, and that means each of these teams has a playoff ticket assured when the postseason begins in early September.

That leaves Myrtle Beach. The Pelicans lost the first half title to Salem, and they have trailed Salem for much of the second half, but their current eight game winning streak has allowed the 26-17 Pelicans to open up a two and a half game lead over Salem for first place in the division. If Myrtle Beach wins the division, they are in the playoffs.

And if they lose the division, they are likely in the playoffs anyway. The rules on the Carolina League website do not spell out what happens in the event that Salem wins both the first and the second half, but typically there are two possibilities: either the second place team in the second half wins the second playoff slot, or the team with the second best record for the entire season wins it.[adinserter block=”1″]

The Pelicans hold a seven game lead over the current third place team (Winston-Salem) in the second half, so they are looking good on that front. And for the season, that lead is fifteen games. I believe the Carolina League uses season standings; if so, the Pelicans could lock up a playoff slot within the next two weeks.

In short, the Cubs are very likely to have four farm teams in the playoffs this year. That’s pretty impressive for an organization that has graduated so much talent in recent years. Especially when that graduated talent seems likely to be making a playoff trip of their own.

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 6, New Orleans 1
A lot of potential September callups are playing pretty well right now.

Trevor Cahill: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K

Pierce Johnson: 1.2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K

Felix Pena: 2 IP, 2 BB, 4 K

John Andreoli: 2 for 4, BB

Logan Watkins: 3 for 5, 2B

Bijan Rademacher: 2 for 4

Taylor Davis: 3 for 4

Double A: Tennessee Smokies
Montgomery 7, Tennessee 5
The Smokies chipped away at a five run deficit, but ran out of outs.

Jen-Ho Tseng: 4 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 8 H, 4 BB, 1 K

Victor Caratini: 1 for 4

Kelly Dugan: 0 for 2, 2 BB

Ben Carhart: 1 for 3, 2B, BB

Jason Vosler: 4 for 4, 2B. Not bad for a Double A debut.[adinserter block=”2″]

High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Myrtle Beach 4, Carolina 3 in eleven innings.
Five shutout innings from the bullpen allowed this win to happen.

Jeremy Null: 6 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K

Daury Torrez: 3 IP, 3 BB

Ryan McNeil: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K

Charcer Burks: 3 for 4, 2B, 2 BB

Bryant Flete: 2 for 5

Jeffrey Baez: 2 for 4

Daniel Spingola: 1 for 4, 2B, BB

Low A: South Bend Cubs
South Bend 5, Great Lakes 4
The Cubs didn’t take the lead for good until the eighth inning.

Adbert Alzolay: 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K

Tanner Griggs: 2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K

Eloy Jimenez: 1 for 3, 2B

Eddy Martinez: 2 for 4

Matt Rose: 1 for 4, 2B

Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
Eugene 5, Vancouver 4
Another impressive starting pitching performance for Eugene.

Manuel Rondon: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K

Michael Knighton: 1.2 IP, 2 BB, 1 K

Stephen Bruno: 1 for 2, BB. He is in Eugene on a rehab assignment.

Wladimir Galindo: 2 for 4, 2B, SB

Zack Short: 2 for 4

Michael Foster: 2 for 4, 2B

Darryl Wilson: 2 for 3, 2B, HR

Rookie: Arizona Cubs

Arizona had the day off.[adinserter block=”3″]

Other Notes

To make room for Jason Vosler, the Smokies moved Chesny Young to the 7 day disabled list.

Charcer Burks remains one of the hottest hitters on Myrtle Beach right now. Not only did he finish with three more hits yesterday, his third hit drove home the winning run in the eleventh inning.