Theo Epstein sent a message of rebuilding today. Actually he already sent that message earlier this week when he said that the Chicago Cubs were not interested in acquiring Prince Fielder. It’s clear: a youth movement, rebuilding from scratch is going on in Chicago.
Today, Theo acquired left-handed pitcher Travis Wood, outfielder Dave Sappelt and minor league infielder Ronald Torreyes from the Cincinnati Reds for left-handed pitcher Sean Marshall. Marshall leaves the Cubs with a 32-40 record, seven saves and a 3.96 ERA in 292 appearances over six seasons.
Wood is 11-10 with a 4.18 ERA in 39 games (35 starts) over two major league seasons with the Reds.
Originally selected by Cincinnati in the second round of the 2005 MLB Draft, Wood was named Cincinnati’s 2009 Minor League Pitcher of the Year and the Southern League’s Most Outstanding Pitcher after combining to go 13-5 with a 1.77 ERA (33 ER/167.2 IP) in 27 starts between Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Louisville. Wood’s 1.21 ERA (16 ER/119.0 IP) was the lowest in Southern League history. He got called up to Triple-A that summer, going 4-2 with a 3.14 ERA.
Sappelt was the Reds’ 2010 Minor League Hitter of the Year and Southern League Most Valuable player after hitting .342 with 32 doubles, 11 triples, 10 home runs, 74 RBI, 72 runs scored and 25 stolen bases at three stops within the Reds minor league system. His .361 batting average at Double-A in 2010 was a Carolina club record and led the Southern League.
Torreyes batted .364 (228-for-627) with 38 doubles, 17 triples, eight home runs, 125 runs scored, 87 RBI and 37 stolen bases in 158 professional games in the Reds minor league system the last two years. The right-handed batter and thrower has a career .419 on-base percentage and .517 slugging percentage, good for a .935 OPS.
The 2011 campaign marked Torreyes’ first full season in the United States and he hit .356 (99-for-278) with nine doubles, five triples, three home runs and 12 stolen bases in 67 games for Single-A Dayton, where he earned Baseball America Low Class A All-Star honors. Torreyes struck out only 19 times in 306 plate appearances last year, an average of only one strikeout every 16.1 plate appearances.
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