Results tagged ‘ Yoanner Negrin ’
Winter League Highlights: Top Cubs performers
Cubs outfielder Dave Sappelt was one of the top performers in the Venezuelan league this winter (Photo by Stephen Green).
Winter league regional play finally came to a conclusion last night as Magallanes fended off Luis Valbuena and his Lara squad to win the Venezuelan title and claim the final spot in the Caribbean Series. The offseason leagues were an opportunity for players to rack up a few more innings of experience while still competing at a high level. Many of the Cubs took advantage of the opportunity, and some excelled in their respective leagues. Below is a list of Cubs representatives who fared well this winter.
Dominican League
Michael Bowden: Pitching for the Aguilas Cibaenas, Bowden posted a 2.76 ERA in 32.2 innings of work. He earned a 3-2 record and struck out 35 batters.
Alberto Cabrera: Playing for the Toros del Este, the Dominican native was used more frequently in the postseason. In 19.2 innings and four starts, Cabrera went 1-1 with a 0.92 ERA, fanning 15 batters and walking just six. He surrendered two earned runs in the playoffs.
Junior Lake: Representing the Estrellas de Oriente, Lake tore apart opposing pitchers, finishing with a line of .312/.382/.474 (AVG/OBP/SLG). The infielder was one of the Cubs’ top performers, hitting five homers, driving in 24 and stealing 11 bases in 154 at-bats.
Nelson Perez: A teammate of Lake’s in the Dominican, Perez was often utilized as a bat off the bench. In 84 at-bats, he compiled a .443 on-base percentage, drawing 29 walks and driving in 21. The Estrellas made the playoffs but were eliminated in the round robin portion.
Mexican League
Esmailin Caridad: The lone Cubs representative who will be participating in the Caribbean Series, Caridad was a solid bullpen arm this winter. In 42.0 innings during the regular season, the righty had a 2.57 ERA, struck out 49 and walked 12.
Jay Jackson: Jackson put up consistent numbers for the Venados de Mazatlan, posting a 3.86 ERA in 49.0 innings of work. The righty went 3-2 and struck out 34 batters over 10 starts.
Venezuelan League
Yoanner Negrin: In 12 starts for the Leones del Caracas, Negrin was tough to beat. Not a huge strikeout guy (38 K in 58.2 innings), the righty still managed a 2.61 ERA and a 4-1 record.
Dave Sappelt: Sappelt was another elite player this winter. In 116 at-bats, the outfielder put up a .336/.378/.526 line, belting five home runs and five doubles. He also stole five bases and drove in 15.
Luis Valbuena: One of the top performers in all the winter leagues, Valbuena powered his Cardenales de Lara side all the way to the Venezuelan championship. The Cardenales were eliminated last night, losing 11-9 in a back-and-forth Game 7 affair. During the regular season, the Cubs infielder hit .306/.414/.497 with 39 RBI in 183 at-bats. He also drew 34 walks. All of those totals were good enough for top 10 in the league. In the postseason, he hit .341 and drove in 21 in 91 at-bats.
Winter League Highlights: Negrin powers Leones to victory
Right-handed starter Yoanner Negrin has had a solid 2012 winter ball campaign for the Leones del Caracas of Venezuela. He’s been tough all year, posting a 2.61 ERA in 12 starts, fourth-best of all starters in the league. The 28-year-old also has a 4-1 record, which is tied for third in the league. Over his last 20 innings, he’s allowed just two earned runs and struck out 10 batters.
Negrin continued his consistent ways Thursday, allowing three hits over five innings and surrendering one unearned run in a Leones victory. He was awarded the win for his efforts.
Other notes around the Caribbean:
Rafael Dolis pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Estrellas of the Dominican league, striking out a batter in the loss. Dominican teammate Nelson Perez had a pair of hits.
Justin Bour had a two-RBI double and scored a run for Carolina of the Puerto Rican league.
Tony Campana had a pair of hits and a walk for Leones. He also scored a run.
Dave Sappelt had a base hit for the Bravos de Margarita of the Venezuelan league.
Winter League Highlights: Negrin shines in win
Yoanner Negrin is an arm many people outside the Cubs organization view as an unknown commodity. The Cuban pitcher signed with the Cubs in August of 2011 and spent much of 2012 in the Mexican League—often compared talent-wise to Triple-A ball. He made an August appearance at Double-A Tennessee before a prompt promotion to Triple-A Iowa to wrap up the season. He finished 2012 with a combined 8-7 record, a 3.05 ERA in 124.0 innings, and 91 strikeouts.
Negrin was solid for his Venezuelan Winter League club, Leones del Caracas, Sunday. He went five strong, surrendering one earned run on eight hits with three strikeouts and a walk in a 4-2 win. On the winter, he’s 2-1 with a 3.30 ERA in nine starts (43.2 innings), and has struck out 31 batters and walked 13.
Other winter league highlights include Jae-Hoon Ha‘s solo home run in a Tigres de Aragua 12-4 loss. Cubs infielder Luis Valbuena went 0-for-1 with four walks for the Cardenales’ in a 10-9 win.
Junior Lake was 1-for-3 with a walk in a 4-1 Toros del Estre win over Estrellas Sunday afternoon in the Dominican. Nelson Cruz also drove in a run in his only at-bat for the Toros.
