Cubs Minor League Daily: We Have No Hugs To Watch … Yet

Trade Deadline day approaches, and all remains quiet on the minor league HugWatch front. The players we would expect to play are playing, there are no suspicious scratches, and generally a complete lack of any signs of imminent deals. Not that any of that means anything. It appears unlikely that the Cubs will make a major trade, so odds are good that we won’t see their few remaining notable prospects changing address.

But you never know.

One thing I do wonder about; what impact does the constant HugWatch have on the minor league teams themselves? Up until last year this organization was not likely to be dealing away prospects at the deadline and everyone knew it. The Cubs were much more likely to be acquiring prospects. Or, from the standpoint of the guys in the minors, they were more likely to gain new teammates, not lose current ones.

But after the Chapman and Montgomery trades last year, not to mention the Quintana trade this year, the indications that the Cubs are open for business and will trade any prospect of any ability at any level are unmistakable. And if we can’t mistake them, I wonder what is like for the guys in the minor league clubhouses. I suspect there is an impact, and that quite a few players will relax a bit once the deadline has passed.

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Albuquerque 8, Iowa 1
The Cubs narrowly avoided being shutout, thanks to a run in the ninth.

  • Aaron Brooks: 6 IP, 5 R, 8 H, 4 K
  • Chesny Young: 1 for 2, 2 BB
  • Mark Zagunis: 1 for 5, 2B
  • Chris Dominguez: 2 for 5
  • Double A: Tennessee Smokies
    Montgomery 4, Tennessee 1
    The Smokies have lost six in a row.

  • Adbert Alzolay: 5 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K
  • Steve Perakslis: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
  • Ian Rice: 1 for 4, HR
  • High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
    Myrtle Beach 5, Potomac 4
    The Pelicans got their first win since last Saturday.

  • Duncan Robinson: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K
  • Casey Bloomquist: 1 IP, 2 H
  • Pedro Araujo: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K
  • Zack Short: 1 for 2, 3 BB
  • Eddy Martinez: 1 for 4, HR
  • Tyler Alamo: 3 for 4
  • Low A: South Bend Cubs
    Bowling Green 5, South Bend 4
    The Cubs now have a three game losing streak.

  • Bryan Hudson: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K
  • Jhon Romero: 2.1 IP, 4 K
  • Darryl Wilson: 2 for 3, HR, BB
  • Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
    Eugene 11, Hillsboro 2
    Eugene had scored ten of their eleven runs by the end of the third.

  • Javier Assad: 6 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 9 K
  • Erich Uelmen: 2 IP, 2 H, 5 K
  • Aramis Ademan: 2 for 4, 2 2B
  • Brandon Hughes: 1 for 4, 2B, SB
  • Austin Filiere: 1 for 4, HR
  • Gustavo Polanco: 3 for 5
  • Michael Cruz: 1 for 3, 2B, BB
  • Chris Carrier: 2 for 3, 2B, BB
  • Jose Gonzalez: 1 for 2, 2 BB
  • Rookie: AZL Cubs

    The Cubs were rained out.

    Other Notes

  • Since coming back from the disabled list (66 PA) D.J. Wilson is hitting .273/.360/.530 with four home runs, a triple, and a steal. And his usual great defense.
  • If we are going to see a suspicious scratch today on the pitching front, Myrtle Beach seems likely to be where it happens. Tom Hatch is scheduled to take the mound, and he is one of the Cubs’ better pitching prospects. He has also been pitching pretty well lately. If the Cubs did have to trade a pitching prospect, I suspect they would prefer to trade one like Hatch who is a little further from the majors, as opposed to one in the upper minors.
  • Then again, about this time last year the Cubs had a similar need for upper minors pitching and they sent Paul Blackburn from Tennessee to the Seattle organization anyway.
  • You would think that after typing up Iowa games for five years that I would be able to spell Albuquerque without triple checking it. And you would be wrong.
  • 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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