Results tagged ‘ Luis Valbuena ’
Winter League Highlights: Valbuena boosts Cardenales
(Photo by Stephen Green)
With four games left in the Venezuelan round-robin playoffs, Lara is tied for the second and final championship spot, with much on the line. On Thursday, the Cardenales de Lara played like they wanted that final spot with a 9-2 win over the Leones del Caracas.
Behind the push was Cubs third baseman Luis Valbuena, who has come up big on multiple occasions for the Venezuelan team all season long. The 27-year-old’s name was atop many of the offensive statistic leader boards this winter as he finished with a .306/.414/.497 line (AVG/OBP/SLG) during the regular season.
On Thursday, the infielder was 2-for-3 with two walks, a double and three RBI.
With his side already up 3-0 when he got to the plate in the bottom of the first, Valbuena ripped a single up the middle, but he was left stranded on first. He was hit by a pitch in the fifth but was again stranded at first. He reached on a walk in the seventh, and after getting to third on a single by Joe Thurston, he was again left on base.
But in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded and the game well in hand, Valbuena smacked a double to right, scoring three.
Winter League Highlights: Caribbean action wraps up soon
(Photo by Rodger Wood)
The Caribbean baseball leagues are nearing the final days of their postseason play, with a trip to the Caribbean Series up for grabs for each country. The Dominican postseason round robin wraps up on Jan. 17, with the top two squads facing off in a best-of-nine series for the nation’s title.
The Puerto Rican league, which concludes its round-robin format on Jan. 16, and and the Venezuelan league, which wraps up on the 21st, will each have a best-of-seven series to determine its winner. The Mexican league wraps up on Jan. 20, with a seven-game series of its own.
The winners of each league will compete in the seven-day Caribbean Series, which begins Feb. 1. As the number of teams dwindles, there are fewer players to highlight. Still, a pair of Cubs who have been noted on more than a few occasions this winter came up big again Monday.
Junior Lake went 1-for-4 with an RBI triple for the Estrellas de Oriente of the Dominican league. He also scored a run in the 7-3 win.
Luis Valbuena had an RBI single for the Cardenales de Lara of Venezuela. His side fell 4-3 in the Venezuelan playoffs.
Winter League Highlights: Ty’Relle Harris having a solid winter
Cubs prospect Ty’Relle Harris had an active 2012 that took him all over the minor league system. After a stellar April and May in High-A Daytona, the right-hander was promoted to Tennessee. Then he got a late-season call-up to Iowa to round out the year.
He wrapped up the regular season with a combined 4-6 record and a 3.84 ERA in 82.0 innings at three minor league levels. Harris struck out 67 batters and walked 39.
After taking a few months off, he headed to the Caribbean, where he’s been playing for the Gigantes de Carolina, a squad in Puerto Rico. Because he joined late, Harris didn’t see a lot of time during the regular season, but his 12.2 innings were solid regardless.
The 26-year-old posted a 0.71 ERA in five regular season winter league games, including two starts. In the only outing in which he surrendered a run, he allowed six hits over six innings, striking out nine. And he’s only walked four batters total.
Harris’ one winter league blemish came on Sunday, as he gave up three runs in two innings in a 14-7 Gigantes playoff loss.
Other notes around the Caribbean:
Luis Valbuena had a pair of hits and two RBI for the Cardenales of the the Venezuelan league. He also scored a run.
Winter League Highlights: Caridad’s strong effort not enough
(Photo by Stephen Green)
All year long, Cubs prospect Esmailin Caridad has had to be ready to enter the game in any situation. The 29-year-old racked up 65.1 innings in 44 games in Triple-A Iowa and has pitched more than his fair share of innings for the Yaquis de Obregon of the Mexican league this winter.
In 42.0 innings pitched over 37 games (including one start), the Dominican native has put up a 2.57 ERA, fanned 49 batters and walked just 12. Ironically, the right-handed pitcher seems to handle left-handed batters slightly better, posting a 2.45 ERA against them, compared to 2.66 against righties.
These stats shouldn’t come as a total surprise to Cubs fans, as Caridad was also tough in the Pacific Coast League this summer. Despite a 1-4 record, his 3.03 ERA was strong, especially considering how often he was used. In his 65.1 innings, he fanned 65 hitters and surrendered just four home runs.
In two scoreless innings of relief Wednesday, Caridad struck out one and scattered two hits, but the Yaquis fell in the ninth by a score of 4-3. Caridad’s squad is now 3-3 in the playoff round robin.
Other notes around the Caribbean:
Luis Valbuena went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles for the Cardenales of the Venezuelan league.
Winter League Highlights: Valbuena’s double carries Lara
(Photo by Dave Durochik)
With an increasing number of Cubs heading home from the winter leagues to prepare for the upcoming season, offseason highlights are at a premium. But Luis Valbuena‘s seventh inning output on Monday was more than deserving of mention in an 8-5 Cardenales de Lara win in the Venezuelan postseason.
With Valbuena’s team trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, the 27-year-old drew a walk to start the inning and eventually scored from second. He came up again later in the frame with the Cardenales leading 4-3. With the bases loaded and two out, the infielder smacked a three-run double to put the game out of reach. He scored an insurance run when the next batter drove him in. He finished the day 1-for-3 with three RBI.
The win jumps Lara into a tie for first place in the round robin-style Venezuelan league playoffs, which wrap up January 21.
Winter League Highlights: Valbuena stays solid at the plate
(Photo by Stephen Green)
Luis Valbuena‘s winter play has been a hot topic of discussion for Cubs fans this entire offseason. Though the coaching staff was impressed with his glove in 2012, it’s his bat that’s been opening eyes in the Venezuelan league. Not only did the infielder’s Cardenales de Lara side capture the final spot in the circuit’s round robin postseason tourney, but Valbuena was a key component in an offense that ranked near the top in many categories.
Though the re-signing of third baseman Ian Stewart might have blocked Valbuena’s best chance to play every day for the Cubs in 2013, he again demonstrated his ability to play multiple positions, including second base, his natural position, and third, where he spent most of his time in 2012. His flexibility around the infield as well as his solid glove work might give him the inside track at a hotly contested utility spot on the Opening Day roster.
The 27-year-old finished the winter league regular season hitting .306/.414/.497 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 183 at-bats and drawing 34 walks, second best on the team. He recorded a team best 15 doubles, and his six homers ranked second. The Venezuelan native also scored 32 runs.
The Cardenales dropped their opening game of the postseason 10-6, though Valbuena recorded a single and scored one of the team’s runs. Lara hosts Caribes on Thursday.
Notes around the Caribbean:
Esmailin Caridad picked up the win for the Yaquis de Obregon of the Mexican league Wednesday. The right-handed reliever pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, fanning two and walking one.
Justin Bour had a base hit in a losing effort for the Gigantes de Carolina of the Puerto Rican league.
Winter League Highlights: Dolis fans three
(Photo by Stephen Green)
The 2012 regular season was a wild one for Cubs reliever Rafael Dolis. Things got off to a fast start in Spring Training when the 24-year-old earned a spot in the Cubs’ bullpen. After a combination of his own early-season success and teammate Carlos Marmol’s early struggles, the righty moved into the closer role.
But Dolis had a rough May. He blew two saves, earned two losses, and surrendered two runs or more in two other games, leading to a demotion. After spending much of June at Triple-A Iowa, he got called back up in early July, where he wasn’t much better. After a stint on the DL and another trip to Iowa, Dolis was solid in his late-September chances for the Cubs, holding opponents scoreless in five out of six appearances. Overall, he posted a 6.39 ERA in 38.0 innings pitched.
Though his opportunities have been limited for the Estrellas de Oriente of the Dominican league this winter, the DR native has been mostly effective. In 7.1 innings, Dolis has a 2.45 ERA and has struck out 11 batters. He’s only been roughed up once (Nov. 26) in eight appearances.
On Wednesday, Dolis was firing on all cylinders, going 1.1 innings, striking out three and surrendering just one hit in an Estrellas win.
Other notes around the Caribbean:
Luis Valbuena recorded a hit for the Cardenales of the Venezuelan league. He is batting .299/.416/.494 (AVG/OBP/SLG) on the winter.
Winter League Highlights: Figueroa secures first win of winter
(Photo by Rodger Wood)
Cubs prospect Eduardo Figueroa was a workhorse for Single-A Daytona in 2012. The reliever saw action in 37 games, pitching 77.2 innings, the most of any bullpen arm. The 6-foot-1 righty also made five starts and picked up a pair of saves. Overall, he posted a 4-5 record with a 2.90 ERA.
Signed as a nondrafted free agent in May of 2007, the 24-year-old found solid footing in High-A over the last year after bouncing around at the rookie and Low-A levels. Though his numbers this winter for Venezualan team Tiburones de La Guaria haven’t been great, he’s been able to get in good work, throwing 29.1 innings and posting a 4.91 ERA.
On Sunday, Figueroa picked up his first win of the winter, pitching 1.1 innings of relief, surrendering one hit and a walk in a 7-4 win over the Leones del Caracas.
Other highlights around the Caribbean:
Luis Valbuena continued to impress in Venezuela. He homered, doubled and drove in five runs as the Cardenales de Lara cruised to an 8-1 win. He also scored a run and drew a walk.
Nelson Perez ripped a pinch-hit, two-RBI single in a win for the Estrellas de Oriente of the Dominican league.
Winter League Highlights: Valbuena tough in losing effort
(Photo by Stephen Green)
With the leagues in Mexico and Puerto Rico off Monday, there was limited Cubs action in the Caribbean. But a familiar name was in the highlights again.
Despite his team taking a 2-1 loss, infielder Luis Valbuena came to play for Cardenales de Lara of the Venezuelan league. The 27-year-old led off the second inning with a double to center but was left stranded. He then drew a walk to load the bases in the third and drew another in the sixth. In the eighth inning, he singled, advanced to second on a bunt and swiped third base.
Valbuena finished the day 2-for-2 with a double and a pair of walks. His .468 on-base percentage still leads the league, and his .336 batting average and 12 doubles both rank second.
Other highlights around the Caribbean:
Arismendy Alcantara came in as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning for Licey of the Dominican league and scored the game-tying run in a 5-4 win.
Winter League Highlights: Caridad on cruise control
(Photo by Dave Durochik)
It’s difficult to get excited about a one-inning reliever, especially one who doesn’t close out games. So it would be easy to overlook Cubs pitcher Esmailin Caridad, who seems to be throwing in almost every game in the Mexican league.
But the 29-year-old reliever has been making contests an inning shorter for opponents, posting a 1.80 ERA in 30 innings over 26 appearances for the Yaquis de Obregon. The Dominican native has fanned 35 batters this winter and boasts a 1.20 WHIP. He spent 2012 in Triple-A Iowa with a 3.03 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 65.1 innings, mostly in relief.
Thursday was more of the same for Caridad, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Yaquis, allowing no runs, no walks and striking out two in an 8-7 loss. The right-hander appeared in 22 games for the Cubs in 2009 and 2010, and should be in consideration for a spot in the Cubs bullpen in 2013.
Other highlights around the Caribbean:
Luis Valbuena was 0-for-4 with an RBI on a bases-loaded walk for his Cardenales team in Venezuela.
Recently acquired Johermyn Chavez went 1-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and a walk in a win for his Venezuelan Caribes team. The Cubs signed the 23-year-old to a minor league deal on Nov. 21.
Dave Sappelt went 1-for-4 with a single in a Margarita win in Venezuela.
The Dominican league was off on Thursday.
