Cubs management has been pleading for patience in the rebuilding process. Lets take a look at what the North Side faithful have to wait for in this week's minor league update.
AAA Iowa Cubs
Much has been said about the minor league juggernaut that is Anthony Rizzo in the past couple weeks. He is absolutely dominating the Pacific Coast League and many Cubs fans want to see him at the Friendly Confines immediately. But in all honesty, what is the hurry? No single player is going to turn a team with the second worst record in baseball into a contender and a call up now would simply cost the Cubs significant money in the long run. Regardless of the increased press on Rizzo he continues to dismantle pitchers at the AAA level. Last week, Rizzo went 8-for-26 (.308), with three home runs, five RBIs and an absolutely ridiculous OPS of 1.214. Rizzos consistent offensive production has landed him at the top of many hitting categories including: OPS (1.095), SLG (.681), and HR (15). He is also second in RBIs (40) and top 10 in average (.344). It is only a matter of time until Cubs fans will get the chance to see if Rizzos success will translate to the big leagues.
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It is a reality that with the good we must also accept the bad and right now Brett Jackson is making sure the scale remains balanced. Last week, Jacksons month-long skid continued with a 6-for-29 (.207) performance, dropping his average to .228. He also fanned 17 times in his 29 plate appearances reducing his OBP to a simply unacceptable .243. Yes, people are still murmuring about a Jackson call up this summer, but if he wants the murmurs to become anything more than that, his production at the plate must improve.
Also, the always entertaining Carlos Marmol will begin his rehab in AAA Iowa this week.
Class AA Tennessee Smokies
BaseballAmerica.com ranked right hander Trey McNutt the organizations number four prospect this offseason and last week McNutt gave us a glimpse why. After a slow start in 2012, McNutt got back on the right track this week achieving wins in both of his two starts. Collectively he recorded 10 innings pitched, allowing only three earned runs and tallied six Ks. The two solid starts lowered McNutts ERA to 2.67.
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It appears as if Smokies shortstop Junior Lake is beginning to get comfortable in his second week of action after being called up. Lake had a solid week at the dish going 10-for-32 (.313) with a very respectable OBP of .385. He also managed to accumulate four RBIs and his first homerun of the season. Lake was a highly touted prospect coming into the season and it looks like his mental and physical growth is right on schedule.
Class A Daytona Cubs
Cubs center fielder and top 10 prospect Matt Szczur struggled mightily in the first month and a half of the 2012 season, but last week Szczur seemed to have turned the corner. He went 10-for-27 (.370) bumping his average a full 20 points to .270. Szczur had three extra base hits, one homerun, four RBIs and an OPS of 1.07. This is night and day in comparison to the Matt Szczur of April and early May. In the coming weeks we will see if he can sustain this type of success.
Daytona second baseman Ronald Torreyes had high aspirations coming into the season, but he has yet to come even remotely close to any of them. In 35 games Torreyes is batting .158 with only 6 RBIs and an OBP of .224. Last week, Torreyes struggles continued as he went 1-for-24 (.042) with one RBI and one walk.
Joe Musso also contributed to this article