As you obviously heard a million times yesterday, the Chicago Cubs acquired minor leaguers Robinson Lopez, Tyrelle Harris, and left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Lorick from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for first baseman Derrek Lee and a cash consideration.
There was some disgust in Chicago over Lee’s departure, but seriously what do you expect? This season has been meaningless since before Flag Day, and you knew this $150 million bunch of underachieving MLBers was out of it since Memorial Day. OF COURSE, you have to fire sale and rebuild.
Lee departs after seven seasons and 179 home runs, 11th most in franchise history. In Chicago he hit .298 (1,046-for-3,514) with 578 runs scored, 239 doubles and 574 RBI, making two All-Star appearances and winning a natting title in 2005.
However, he REALLY struggled this year batting .251 (105-for-418) with 16 home runs and 56 RBI in 109 games. His (and Aramis Ramirez) lack of performance this season, are two big reasons why the Cubs never spent a game above .500 this season. Yes, you read that correctly. A $150 million team was never even ONE game above .500
But enough about Lee.
By Paul M. Banks
Everyone’s talked about Lee to death. Let’s meet the new prospects that the Cubs received in return
Robinson Lopez, 19, is in his second professional season after signing with the Braves as a non-drafted free agent on November 19, 2008 out of Moca , Dominican Republic . He was named Atlanta ’s Gulf Coast League Most Valuable Player last year after going 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA (7 ER/48.2 IP) in 11 appearances (eight starts) with the organization’s rookie league club. Lopez struck out 42 and walked only 12 batters in 48.2 innings pitched, an average of 7.8 strikeouts and only 2.2 walks per nine innings.
He’s considered the jewel of the deal by far, and I found this quote via Mike Newman from the prospect site Scouting The Sally,
He’s the type of high ceiling arm ANY organization would covet. It just so happens the Braves find them better than anybody else and Lopez was a project in an organization needing to win now.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Lopez is 3-8 with a 4.37 ERA (45 ER/92.2 IP) in 24 appearances (16 starts) at Single-A Rome this season. He has a 2.61 ERA (6 ER/20.2 IP) in eight relief outings and a 4.88 ERA (39 ER/72.0 IP) in his 16 starts. Lopez is limiting opponents to a .241 batting average, including a .232 mark by right-handed hitters and a .252 mark by left-handed hitters.
Tyrelle Harris, 23, has combined to go 1-2 with six saves and a 2.90 ERA (16 ER/49.2 IP) in 30 appearances this year, all but one in relief, between three levels of the Braves farm system. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Harris has struck out 60 batters in 49.2 innings pitched, an average of 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings, and has yet to allow a home run at any level this season.
According the SB Nation Atlanta Braves blog “Talking Chop.”
All three pitchers profile as relievers, with Lopez really being the only one with a shot at being a starter. Tyrelle Harris is a good relief prospect who could move to the Majors quickly.
The righthanded Harris joins the Cubs from Double-A Mississippi , where he has no record and a 1.46 ERA (2 ER/12.1 IP) in four appearances (one start). Harris has limited Double-A batters to a .140 batting average, including a .167 mark by lefthanders and a .105 mark by righthanders. He was originally selected by the Braves in the 19th round of the 2009 Draft out of the University of Tennessee . In two professional minor league seasons, Harris has gone 2-3 with seven saves and a 2.42 ERA (18 ER/67.0 IP) in 42 appearances (one start).
Jeffrey Lorick, 22, is 3-6 with four saves and a 2.32 ERA (13 ER/50.1 IP) in 26 appearances (four starts) for Single-A Rome this season. The southpaw has held foes to a .227 batting average against, including a .128 batting average by left-handed hitters and a .261 mark by righthanders. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has a 1.87 ERA (7 ER/33.2 IP) in 22 relief appearances this season compared to a 3.24 ERA (6 ER/16.2 IP) in his four starts.
Originally selected by the Braves in the 20th round of the 2009 Draft out of the University of Virginia, Lorick is 5-7 with seven saves and a 2.95 ERA (28 ER/85.1 IP) in 44 minor league appearances (seven starts) the last two seasons.
Written by Paul M. Banks, President and CEO of The Sports Bank.net , a Midwest focused webzine. He is also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, the Chicago Tribune’s blog network, Walter Football.com, the Washington Times Communities, Yardbarker Network, and Fox Sports.com
You can follow him on Twitter @thesportsbank and @bigtenguru