Mesa Solar Sox Update/Stats

Not much has gone right for the Mesa Solar Sox as they currently sit at 6-16 which is good for dead last in the AFL East.  Wanted to bring you up to speed on how the Cubs prospects are doing, it’s been a rough go of it.

Matt Szczur 

I’m actually happy with what Szczur has done with the Solar Sox so far.  He’s not driving the ball much, but he is getting on base at a .353 clip, and is stealing bases, something a good lead off hitter does.

Javier Baez

What a weird season for Baez, his average was way down and so was his OBP.  His power numbers were through the roof however, as he blasted four home runs and drove in 16 during his injury shortened AFL season.  Not thrilled with the OBP, but it’s hard not to be impressed with his production.

Rubi Silva

It’s been a tough AFL season for Silva, but I expected that as he is not playing every day and is finding it hard to find a groove.  Silva is not making enough contact, but that’s why these players are here, to learn and develop.

Logan Watkins

Watkins was a late addition to the AFL roster, he was summoned after Javier Baez was injured.  Watkins is showing outstanding plate discipline early, something he has done all year, and what a year it was for the Cubs minor league player of the year.  It’s nice to see the patience, I know the organization is loving that too.

Dae-Eun Rhee

Really like the innings Rhee has been able to throw down in Arizona, the results, not so much.  Command has been spotty for Rhee, and it shows with the 6 walks and 22 hits in just under 17 innings.

Nick Struck

Struck has been able to wiggle off the hook many times already during the AFL season.  Command has gotten him in trouble as he as walked 8 guys in just 12 innings.  However, his ERA hasn’t really taken a hit as it sits at a respectable 3.75 for the season.

Tony Zych

Zych has been really good down in Arizona, he has given up more hits than innings pitched but he doesn’t walk guys.  Zych has only walked one guy in 10 innings of work, and sports a sparkling 2.70 ERA on the season.

Kevin Rhoderick

Rhoderick has been very good for the Solar Sox, his 4.82 ERA might suggest otherwise, but he’s been dominant at times.  In just over nine innings of work Rhoderick has stuck out 14 and only walked two, he’s only given up seven hits.  The long ball has hurt him as he has given up two home runs which have accounted for the majority of the runs he has given up.

Thanks for reading,
– George

Injury Ends 2012 AFL Season for Baez

It’s not the end of the World, but it’s never good to report news of an injury to a top prospect.  Javier Baez was removed from Saturday’s AFL game, and reports are that he will miss the remainder of the AFL season now with a possible broken left thumb, the tip of the thumb specifically.  It’s been a long 2012 for Baez as he destroyed MWL pitching with the Peoria Chiefs, then struggled with the transition to the Daytona Cubs, then produced at a ridiculous rate for the Solar Sox in the AFL but saw his average drop off.  In the grand scheme of things Baez will not miss much baseball, the only thing he will miss out on is some development time with the Solar Sox in Mesa.  He should be all set to go in 2013, odds are that he will start the 2013 campaign with the Daytona Cubs.

Thanks for reading,
– George

October 24, 2012 AFL Recap; Rhoderick Implodes in Ninth

FULL BOX SCORE

When things are going well teams find ways to win, especially in games where they aren’t their best, or don’t deserve to win, this is the opposite of that.  The Mesa Solar Sox are beyond struggling and this latest loss pretty much sums up the first 13 games this season.  Things were going well enough for the first seven innings as the Solar Sox held a 3-0 lead heading to the 8th inning.  The Scorpions scored once in the 8th and three times in the ninth to walk away with a 4-3 victory, what’s worse is the blown save and loss were registered to Cubs prospect Kevin Rhoderick.  Rhoderick pitched the ninth inning and didn’t have anything working as he allowed three runs on two hits while walking one and striking out one.  On the bright side Nick Struck had a dominant performance, he worked two innings and struck out three without allowing a base runner.  Matt Szczur had a decent day at the plate going 1-for-4 with another walk and a run scored.  Rubi Silva was the only other Cubs position player to get into this one as he went 1-for-4 in the loss.

Thanks for reading,
– George

October 23, 2012 AFL Recap; Solar Sox Don’t Win or Lose

FULL BOX SCORE

Hey, at least it’s not a loss, right?  The Solar Sox showed some life in this one as they led Phoenix 6-2 in the seventh inning.  Unfortunately the Solar Sox chucked that lead, only a run in the ninth saved this from being yet another loss.  The two teams called it quits after each went scoreless in the 10th and settled for a tie.  Dae-Eun Rhee got the start for the Solar Sox and the Cubs prospect pitched well, he gave up two runs on six hits in 3.2 innings.  Tony Zych also made an appearance for the Solar Sox, and he was outstanding again, tossing a scoreless 1.2 innings while giving up three hits.  Javier Baez was the only Cubs position player to get into the game today, and it was another clunker.  Baez finished the day 1-for-5 with an RBI at the plate, but made two more errors, that brings his AFL total nine, and he’s only played in ten of the games.

Thanks for reading,
– George

October 22, 2012 AFL Recap

FULL BOX SCORE

Mesa came storming back to tie the game in the ninth with a two-out single off the bat of Matt Szczur.  Unfortunately Salt Lake won the game in the bottom of the 10th.  Szczur ended the game 2-for-5 with an RBI and two stolen bases.  Rubi Silva was back in the lineup, hitting second and playing RF.  Silva did not have a hit, but stole his third base of the season.  Javier Baez also got another start and went 1-for-5 with a run scored.  Both Kevin Rhoderick and Nick Struck pitched scoreless innings, with Rhoderick striking out two.

Thanks for Reading,
-Mark

October 20, 2012 AFL Recap

FULL BOX SCORE

Mesa gave up 14 runs in the first two innings and would up losing to Surprise 16-10.  The Cub’s prospects did ok for themselves as Javier Baez connected on his third home run of the AFL season.  He ended the night 1-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.  Matt Szczur led off and went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.  Tony Zych was the only Cubs pitcher to have an appearance allowing one run on two hits in one inning of work.

Thanks for Reading,
-Mark

October 19, 2012 AFL Recap; Solar Sox Get Smacked Around

FULL BOX SCORE

It usually goes like this when you are struggling as a team, once the hitting picks up the pitching disappears, and that’s exactly what happened in this one.  It was also a terrible day for Cubs prospects not named Kevin Rhoderick, Rhoderick tossed a scoreless inning of relief in this one.  Nick Struck wasn’t so lucky as he battled command issues all day, he gave up three runs on two hits it just .2 innings while walking three.  It didn’t get much better at the plate, Javier Baez had another 0-for-4 performance which drops his average to .212 in the AFL this season.  Matt Szczur returned to the lineup and finished the day 0-for-5, Rubi Silva was productive in a back up role today going 1-for-2 with a triple and an RBI.  The Solar Sox can’t buy a win right now, with the loss they drop to 3-7 on the year.

Thanks for reading,
– George

October 18, 2012 AFL Recap; Solar Sox Continue to Struggle

FULL BOX SCORE

It was a quiet day for the Cubs prospects in this one, not just based on production but playing time as only Baez and Silva made appearances.  The Solar Sox fell behind early, by the 5th inning it was 8-0 and all but over, luckily no Cubs pitchers worked in this one.  Javier Baez was back in the lineup at SS today and had a very rough afternoon.  Baez was 0-for-4 at the plate, he did score a run, but he also made two errors which brings his 2012 AFL total to four.  Rubi Silva got the start in RF in this one and went hitless in three at bats, all in all not a good day as the Solar Sox continue their losing ways and the Cubs prospects in action struggled, mightily.

Thanks for reading,
– George

 

October 17 AFL Recap; Solar Sox Bats Go Quiet

 

FULL BOX SCORE

Cubs prospect Dae-Eun Rhee got the start in this one and unfortunately he also got the loss.  Rhee gave up three runs on five hits, he didn’t walk anyone, and he struck out four in four innings.  With the rough outing Rhee dropped to 0-1 on the AFL season, and his ERA jumped to 7.50.  Tony Zych also got a chance to throw in this one and once again he tossed a scoreless inning, par for the course for Zych so far this Fall.  Matt Szczur was 1-for-3 from the lead off spot, he also drew a walk and was caught stealing for the first time this season.  No other Cubs got a chance to swing the bat in this one, with the loss the Mesa Solar Sox drop to 3-5 on the campaign.

Thanks for reading,
– George

Mesa Solar Sox Recap – October 14 Through October 16

Sunday October 14, 2012

No Game.

Monday October 15, 2012

FULL BOX SCORE

A six run fifth was too much for Mesa as they lost to Peoria 9-2.  Matt Szczur led off and was really good on Monday going 3-for-4 with a double bringing his average up to .368.  He also scored a run, drove one in, and stole his fourth base of the AFL.  Javier Baez got another start at shortstop and went 0-for-4 with an RBI.  There were no pitchers from the Cubs system who pitched on Monday.

Tuesday October 16, 2012

FULL BOX SCORE

Mesa dropped another to Peoria on Tuesday losing 4-2.  The Cubs system was well represented on Tuesday as five different players made appearances.  After a great game on Monday Matt Szczur led off once again this time going 0-for-4.  Rubi Silva got the start as the DH and just like Szczur was 0-for-4.  Javier Baez started as well, this time at third base.  He was 2-for-4 with an RBI and is now hitting .280 with nine RBIs this fall.  Kevin Rhoderick pitched a scoreless inning in relief, allowing only one hit and striking out two.  Nick Struck also got an inning of work, pitching a scoreless ninth for Mesa.

Thanks for Reading,
-Mark