Cubs GM Jim Hendry spent all day Friday discussing possible scenarios with other General Managers but in the end the price to add a bench player was too high to part with solid prospects from the Cubs rapidly improving system.
Sam Fuld will be officially recalled from Class AAA in time for tonight's game and will take Reed Johnson's place in the outfield rotation. Tom Gorzelanny is meeting the team in Florida where he will throw for Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild. He is on the Class AAA Iowa roster but should the need arise he could start Tuesday against the Reds in Cincinnati.
Down on the Farm....A major league scout who I have known for several years regularly covers the minor leagues and told me today that he believes that the Cubs system is vastly underrated and he points to the hiring of Tim Wilken as scouting director as one of the most important additions that Jim Hendry has made during his tenure as GM. He specifically mentioned Josh Vitters as the 2nd best hitter he has ever seen come out of the Class A Midwest League (the best being Albert Pujols) and he was raving about SS Starlin Castro who was the MVP of the Florida State League All Star game after going 4-4. He projects Castro as a future major league 2B and puts Hak Ju Lee another shortstop prospect as a future star and a top of the order hitter. Lee is hitting .340 in Boise this summer and is just 18 years old. One other name that he mentioned was pitcher Andrew Cashner who is making the transition from reliever to starter. He says he believes the hard throwing Cashner will be in the big leagues at some point next season.
Jim Hendry Worked the Phones but He's Happy With His Roster
3 Comments
kcstu said:
That major league scout who was named Nemmers, also said that Cashner reminded him of another young player who showed great promise at Hamlin Univ some years ago…..
hjb4971 said:
Two comments:
1. The team as is was not strong enough lst night to beat a very poor Miami team. We still do not have enough hitting, and Marmol continues to have HUGE control problems. Last night's loss was his fault due to two walks and a hit battsman.
2. We have hear the stories about stars in the minors before. Pie and the two Patterson brothers weare called can't miss major leaguers, as was Rich Hill. None could play effectively, at the major league level.
Candidly, this team should have acquired another hitter, and is still short one starter.
tom said:
It's Piniella's fault He should yank Marmol as soon as he walks the leadoff batter.After that he loses it and if you notice the majority of the time he hits a batter its on their back leg.He relies on the slider too much
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