TopFrog
Lifelong Frog
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/apr/07/c...ner=yahoo_feeds
[SIZE=14pt]Cashner first for Smokies[/SIZE]
By Nick Gates
A trip to the disabled list last season deprived Andrew Cashner his first opening day start as a pro. The 6-foot-6 right-hander will experience the hoopla tonight at Mississippi against the Braves when he starts the 2010 Southern League season as the Tennessee Smokies' ace.
It's no surprise Cashner has that role in new manager Bill Dancy's five-man rotation. The 23-year-old Texan was Chicago's first-round draft pick - 19th overall - in 2008 after a stellar career at Texas Christian University.
Cashner was 1-0 with a 3.60 earned-run average in four games with the Cubs in exhibition games and averaged a strikeout per inning. Eight walks in five innings was the only alarming part.
"I absorbed a lot," Cashner said recalling his second major league training camp experience. "You get to talk to Greg Maddux every day," he said. "That was a real treat."
The former Cy Young Award winner is back with the Cubs as an assistant to general manager Jim Hendry.
"During drills, he'd explain something to you," Cashner said. "He is really soft-spoken, I did more listening that talking.
"During the games, I'd be there and he'd come up and we'd start talking about hitters and different things. I learned a lot about hitters talking with him and his take on certain pitches."
That should prove to be beneficial this season as Cashner anchors a staff Dancy hopes will be good enough to take the Smokies back to the playoffs, where they finished runner-up to the champion Jacksonville Suns last season.
But Maddux wasn't the only one to leave an impression on Cashner, who is rated the fourth best prospect in the Cubs' organization by Baseball America. He also scrutinized Cubs starters Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly.
"I saw how hard those guys work," he said. "It's definitely a lot harder to stay there than it is to get there."
Cashner's mid-90s fastball made him an ideal closer in college. He also relies on his slider and worked to develop his change-up this spring. He needs to improve his command to deal with major league umpires, who are known for their tight strike zones.
Cashner will try to accomplish against the Braves Class AA farmhands what he attempts to achieve every time he starts: give his team a chance to win.
"I think it's just another game, no different than spring training," said Cashner, noting that crowds of more than 10,000 packed HoHoKam Park, the Cubs' spring home in Mesa, Ariz.
But he quickly revised his take on opening night.
"I think if somebody ever says they're never nervous, they're lying," he said. "Sure, I'll be a little nervous. Definitely not as nervous as pitching in front of 14,000 at HoHoKam."
[SIZE=14pt]Cashner first for Smokies[/SIZE]
By Nick Gates
A trip to the disabled list last season deprived Andrew Cashner his first opening day start as a pro. The 6-foot-6 right-hander will experience the hoopla tonight at Mississippi against the Braves when he starts the 2010 Southern League season as the Tennessee Smokies' ace.
It's no surprise Cashner has that role in new manager Bill Dancy's five-man rotation. The 23-year-old Texan was Chicago's first-round draft pick - 19th overall - in 2008 after a stellar career at Texas Christian University.
Cashner was 1-0 with a 3.60 earned-run average in four games with the Cubs in exhibition games and averaged a strikeout per inning. Eight walks in five innings was the only alarming part.
"I absorbed a lot," Cashner said recalling his second major league training camp experience. "You get to talk to Greg Maddux every day," he said. "That was a real treat."
The former Cy Young Award winner is back with the Cubs as an assistant to general manager Jim Hendry.
"During drills, he'd explain something to you," Cashner said. "He is really soft-spoken, I did more listening that talking.
"During the games, I'd be there and he'd come up and we'd start talking about hitters and different things. I learned a lot about hitters talking with him and his take on certain pitches."
That should prove to be beneficial this season as Cashner anchors a staff Dancy hopes will be good enough to take the Smokies back to the playoffs, where they finished runner-up to the champion Jacksonville Suns last season.
But Maddux wasn't the only one to leave an impression on Cashner, who is rated the fourth best prospect in the Cubs' organization by Baseball America. He also scrutinized Cubs starters Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly.
"I saw how hard those guys work," he said. "It's definitely a lot harder to stay there than it is to get there."
Cashner's mid-90s fastball made him an ideal closer in college. He also relies on his slider and worked to develop his change-up this spring. He needs to improve his command to deal with major league umpires, who are known for their tight strike zones.
Cashner will try to accomplish against the Braves Class AA farmhands what he attempts to achieve every time he starts: give his team a chance to win.
"I think it's just another game, no different than spring training," said Cashner, noting that crowds of more than 10,000 packed HoHoKam Park, the Cubs' spring home in Mesa, Ariz.
But he quickly revised his take on opening night.
"I think if somebody ever says they're never nervous, they're lying," he said. "Sure, I'll be a little nervous. Definitely not as nervous as pitching in front of 14,000 at HoHoKam."
