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Theo Epstein and the rest of the Cubs baseball operations brain trust are here in Mesa now, they are in meetings both today and tomorrow. That means not much happening out on the fields at Fitch Park. I offered to pitch bp, and hit infield/outfield, but I was told I might be better suited helping the grounds crew rake the infield. So instead I figured I would write about one of the young guys trying to make an impact this spring.
Beliveau at Fitch Park |
Jeff Beliveau is not an unknown considering he was the Cub organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2011, but Beliveau (pronounced BELL-eh-voh) also has not pitched above the Double-A level . That is very likely to change this year, the question is will he make a stop in Iowa or leap Triple-A altogether? Some have speculated Beliveau could be part of the compensation to the Red Sox for Theo Epstein but I’ve also heard Theo really likes the lefty. The Cubs new regime seems to be good at the cat and mouse games when dealing with potential trades and personnel moves, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that Theo is letting the Red Sox think he really likes and wants Beliveau, when in reality he really wants J.B. to be the compensation. OK, that type of reverse psychology thinking is making my brain hurt. Let’s talk about Jeff Beliveau and what he offers the Chicago Cubs.
The control Beliveau has shown in the minor leagues can be attributed to the greater control of his overall body. In the early part of his 4 minor league seasons with the Cubs organization the now 25 year old was listed weighing as much as 215 lbs., he is now listed at 190 lbs. How did the change come about? MMA and preparing for the Octagon of course. Well not exactly, Jeff’s brother was working to become a Mixed Martial Arts Fighter and in order to get in better shape he joined his brother’s workouts. Workouts that included fast paced drills mixed with wrestling, heavy bag work, along with push ups, and pull ups. The result was a weight loss of 20 pounds and far greater body control, which he credits in helping his pitching.
Days and counting |
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