MiLB.com will be visiting each Spring Training site in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues this month to report on the most significant stories involving each club's Minor League system as players get ready for the 2008 season. We'll find out who's impressing the organization, who's hot and who's not, and sit down for an exclusive Q&A with a top prospect.
Team: Chicago Cubs Burning Question Can Jeff Samardzija continue his strong pitching after being promoted to Double-A last year and prove once and for all that he chose the right sport? Mention Samardzija to Cubs farm director Oneri Fleita and he admittedly has a hard time containing himself. But the right-hander out of Notre Dame has been everything advertised and then some. "I know it sounds over the top, but he's awesome," Fleita beamed. "He continues to get better every time out. Every time we see him, he's learning something new. He's very gifted and the sky is the limit with him." With many two-sport stars -- Samardzija was an elite wide receiver prospect while at Notre Dame -- figuring out the nuances of baseball can often take a long time. That Samardzija makes it look so easy is perhaps one of the most impressive things about him. It's hard to know what's made the bigger impression on the Cubs since Samardzija chose the diamond over the gridiron -- his tremendous athletic gifts or his makeup. He's been extremely coachable -- kudos to his family and Notre Dame, says Fleita -- and has been a sponge for information. As he heads back to Double-A, where he posted a 3.41 ERA in six starts at the end of last year, his combination of tools and intangibles should quiet the questions about his football past. "It wouldn't have surprised me if he could have been good at both sports," Fleita said. "But he has the chance to be the complete package, a 200-plus inning starting pitcher in our rotation in the very near future. We want to teach him how to pitch and he's already on that path. He's no longer just a thrower. My goal is to make sure he becomes an impact player in the big leagues. And he's the type who will never be satisfied until he reaches his full potential." Other News of the Day One of the biggest strengths of the Cubs system is its depth at the hot corner. At just about every level, there's at least one player who could have a legitimate big-league future. It filters down all the way to the lowest full-season team in the system, the Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League. With Jovan Rosa and 2007 draftee Marquez Smith (out of Clemson) set to man third for the Chiefs in 2008, 2007 top pick Josh Vitters will be calling Mesa home for a while longer. It's not just a depth thing -- if the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft was completely ready for full-season ball, there's little doubt room would be made for him. But there's no question that a little time in extended spring training will be beneficial. #ques_include {width:300px;float:right;margin-left:5px;} #ques_content {border-top:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;padding-left:5px;} .ques_schedule {margin-top:5px;font-size:11px;} .ques_dates {font-size:11px;font-style:italic;color:#999;} 
It's not that Vitters, considered to be one of the top high school hitters in last year's class, couldn't handle the challenge. In fact, he dropped about 10 pounds during the offseason and showed up in terrific shape this spring. But sending a kid from Southern California straight to the chilly April climate of Peoria may not be the best way to get what could be a long and successful career off on the right foot. Their depth enables the Cubs to allow Vitters to get extra work in here and then dictate whether he heads to short-season Boise or Peoria when he's ready. "It's a nice problem to have," Fleita said. "Now we can let him get some confidence." Another area in which the Cubs have depth is behind the plate, starting with Geovany Soto in the bigs. A couple of converted catchers continue to make an outstanding transition. Casey McGehee has opened some eyes in big-league camp, hitting .429 in 35 at-bats and appearing very comfortable behind the plate, though he's not gotten much game-action. He'll catch and play both third and first at Triple-A Iowa. Steve Clevinger was a fill-in during the AFL season who worked his way into games when other catchers left. Pitchers felt extremely comfortable throwing to him. That hasn't changed this spring and he'll catch and play some first base for Daytona. ... 2007 draftee Tony Thomas showed right away that he has excellent instincts as a base-runner by going 28-for-30 in stolen-base attempts for Boise last summer. He also can hit, with a .308 average there after hitting .430 in his last season at FSU. Working with Bob Dernier on the finer points of base-stealing this spring will only make him more dangerous. ... Fellow draftee Jonathan Wyatt, out of Georgia, has been on a tear this spring. The Cubs think he could probably handle a jump straight to Double-A, but he'll likely begin the season in Daytona and move from there, a la Tyler Colvin a year ago. ... Remember Ryan Harvey? The 2003 first-round pick wasn't put on the 40-man roster this past offseason and could have been taken in the Rule 5 Draft. He wasn't, but it seems to have served as a wakeup call to Harvey. He reported to camp 25 pounds lighter. He's moving better than he has in a long time and the Cubs plan to challenge him with a move to Double-A. Five Questions with Donnie Veal MiLB.com: If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, who would it be? DV: Probably Jackie Robinson. I would like to talk to him about everything he went through, to just talk about baseball and what it was like during that time, because it's totally different than now. MiLB.com: People would be surprised to know that I... DV: I really like bell peppers, uncooked. I just wash them and eat them all the time. MilB.com: You had an up-and-down season on the mound in 2007. What are you working on this spring to try to find more consistency? DV: The main thing has been just attacking the strike zone, trying not to be too timid or fine. I need to stop trying to do too much, always trying to hit the black with every pitch. I just need to throw the ball over the plate and use what God gave me. MilB.com: Does it seem likely that you're headed back to Double-A to start the year? How do you feel about that? DV: I'm pretty sure I am headed there. In the first half last year, I struggled, but my second half was better. I tried to do too much because it was Double-A. I'm there because I can pitch against that level of competition. I'm hoping to build off of that. Hopefully I'll put together a good first half and move from there, either to Triple-A or eventually to Chicago. MilB.com: You had to deal with a great deal of personal tragedy this offseason when you lost your father. What has it meant to you to be able to get out here and focus on baseball and how have you responded to the support you've gotten? DV: It's like relief. Yes, it's my job, but it's an escape from everything I've had to deal with. It's far exceeded my expectations what people have done. It shows the support we have in our system and from outside, too. It's amazing and it's been greatly appreciated. Fans interested in contributing can donate to the Donnie and Devin Veal Trust Fund, Smith Barney/Citigroup, 701 Market Street, Suite 1500, St. Louis, Mo., 63101, Attn: Brad Rippelmeyer. Lasting Impression It was a scene that normally wouldn't stand out, one that you could find in 29 other Minor League facilities: a bunch of young players talking and goofing around waiting for the next set of drills to begin. What made this one at Fitch Park different was at the middle of it was Dae-Eun Rhee. The right-handed pitcher was signed out of Korea last July and he just turned 19 on Sunday. He didn't make his pro debut last summer, though he was here in Mesa for instructs last fall. The fact he could joke around with teammates in English already speaks volumes about Rhee's willingness to do what he needs to in order to make a smooth transition. Oh, and he can pitch a little too. He's got three solid pitches already, including a 94-95-mph fastball and the kind of smooth delivery you don't want to tinker with. He's had a strong spring and is already exceeding expectations. "Our scouts are making our coaches look really good," Fleita said. "At the beginning of the spring, I would've guessed he would have stayed here in extended and then gone to Boise. But he's making the Peoria club and it's not even close." Parting Shot Heading over to Fitch Park, the Cubs' Minor League facility, is always a treat. In most Spring Training locations, a Minor League reporter can be alone in a sea of prospects and coaches. Not so here in Mesa. In Cubs land, every move made by the men in blue is watched carefully, and that goes from the superstars playing in HoHoKam Park this spring to the kids over at Fitch hoping to make the Peoria roster. Wandering around from field to field, watching even the most mundane spring activities such as pitchers' fielding practice, is a fairly substantial assortment of folks from Cubs Nation. The numbers pale in comparison to the 12,000+ they draw for the big-league games for Cactus League action, but rest assured that the Minor Leaguers pursuing that elusive dream love to see the crowds watch them work out. Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
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