Cubs Call Up Starlin Castro

[bestkeptsecret13]

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs have called up top prospect Starlin Castro, and the shortstop is expected to join the team Friday in Cincinnati, the player told ESPNDeportes.com.

Infielder Chad Tracy was sent to Triple-A Iowa to make room for Castro.

The Cubs also elevated prospects Josh Vitters and Andrew Cashner one level. Vitters will report to Double-A Tennessee, and Cashner will report to Triple-A Iowa. It is not known yet which Cubs player will be sent down.

Castro, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2006, was hitting .376 at Double-A Tennessee with one home run and 20 RBIs.

It's expected that Ryan Theriot, who is hitting .341, will move to second base and play in front of Mike Fontenot, who's hitting .296.

Castro also is considered to be a strong defensive shortstop, with very good range and a strong arm.

The Cubs (13-16) were swept in three games in Pittsburgh and have fallen to fourth place in the NL Central, five games behind division leader St. Louis.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5170714

Desperation at its finest... The Cubs just got swept by the Pirates and this morning call-up "the savior" Starlin Castro. Hopefully he doesn't take the same path as Corey Patterson and Felix Pie, but I'll wait and see. I'm more surprised that Vitters moved up to Double-A, are they gonna bring him up at some point too (if Aramis continues to struggle)? This isn't looking like a good year for the Cubs, so hopefully the young guys can show something.

 

[playmaker7]

Meh. I agree with you that this is desperation. I don't think he's ready from what I've seen of him. Not enough to make an informed decision though. He's raw talent right now but you never know this could be great for the Cubs.

 

[jarrod2323]

i'm doubtful a SS is the savior -- sound like pitching!!!

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

i'm doubtful a SS is the savior -- sound like pitching!!!

I was being sarcastic. What the team needs is Ramirez and Lee to get things in gear, everybody else is hitting just fine and the pitching has been decent, just not getting any run support. None the less, this is not a championship caliber team, so might as well just blow this damn thing up and rebuild. I'm just waiting for guys like Castro, Vitters, Andrew Cashner, Brett and Jay Jackson to step up and become the faces of the franchise. Hopefully we see at least three of these guys this year, Castro being the first with Cashner and Jackson hopefully in September, if not sooner.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

HR in his first at-bat, MLB record for most RBI's in a debut... Maybe I was wrong, maybe he is the savior. LOL