By the time minor league games fire up tonight, the trade deadline will have come and gone. That means there will be no hugs to watch for. Any players who are dealt will know they are dealt before their team takes the field. I’m not sure watching for scratches or other changes of that nature will be helpful either. Since the deadline is well before the first minor league game (at Tennessee, 7 PM ET), there is no need to make any lineup adjustments until after the deadline.
Waiver based trades can and do include minor league players, but any notable prospects are likely to be Players To Be Named Later. Off hand, I don’t recall very many August trades being tipped by dugout hugging.
That means, for 2018, HugWatch is pretty much over.
Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 8, Sacramento 1
The Cubs jumped out to an early lead, and the pitching made sure it stood up.
Duane Underwood: 6 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 4 K
Brad Markey: 2 IP, 1 K
Dillon Maples: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Chris Coghlan: 2 for 5
Ryan Court: 2 for 4, 2B, BB
Bijan Rademacher: 2 for 5, SB
Jason Vosler: 2 for 5
Chris Gimenez: 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB
Trey Martin: 2 for 3, 2B, BB
Double A: Tennessee Smokies
Chattanooga 3, Tennessee 0
Nothing doing for the Smokies bats in this one.
Duncan Robinson: 5 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 1 K
Zach Hedges: 2 IP, 2 H
Wyatt Short: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Jake Stinnett: 1 IP, 1 K
Charcer Burks: 2 for 4
Zack Short: 1 for 4, 2B
Ian Rice: 2 for 3, BB
High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Pelicans had the day off.
Low A: South Bend Cubs
West Michigan 3, South Bend 0
The Cubs were held to just four hits and no walks in this one.
Ryan Lawlor: 4 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Brendan King: 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K
Yapson Gomez: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K
Chris Singleton: 2 for 3, SB
Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
Eugene 5, Vancouver 3
The Emeralds broke a three game losing streak.
Riley Thompson: 2 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H
Faustino Carrera: 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Casey Ryan: 1 IP and a line of zeroes
Grant Fennell: 2 for 4, HR
Jonathan Sierra: 1 for 2, 2 BB
Luis Vazquez: 2 for 4, 2B, SB
Rookie: AZL Cubs 1
Cubs One had the day off.
Rookie: AZL Cubs 2
The game was suspended due to wind two outs into the bottom of the first.
Other Notes
One oddity from Iowa’s game: with two outs in the seventh and the bases loaded, the Iowa Cubs chose to pinch hit for Duane Underwood. That part makes sense. The pinch hitter was… Casey Coleman? Turns out Coleman is a decent hitter. His minor league career line (103 AB) is .291/.330/.359. Still, you don’t expect to see a pitcher come to the plate as a pinch hitter in a non-bunt situation.
The fact that Iowa was way ahead may have had something to do with it, but it was still a strange call.
His home run last night was the first for Eugene from Grant Fennell, and the second this season (he hit one for Arizona). Who is Grant Fennell? He’s a baseball sage whose thyme has come, is great on the basil paths and is going to make a mint. He’s a nondrafted free agent the Cubs signed in mid-July as a third baseman. I’m not sure why he went undrafted out of Nevada, but for the season (134 PA across two stops) he is hitting .339/.388/.556 with two homers and a steal.
We may have to take some time this winter to explore the Cubs non-drafted free agent and independent ball signings this year. It feels like there are more of them, but it may just be that we are talking about them more often because they are playing well. I’m not sure if we’re seeing a change in strategy (sign more independent and non-drafted guys) or an improvement in scouting (the ones they sign are better), but I’m a fan either way. More talent is better than less talent.
NEWSLETTER
