Recent Minor Moves: NL Central

Cubs:

Demoted C/1B/OF Jake Fox and P Mark Holliman from Iowa to Tennessee. Fox was squeezed out of playing time when Micah Hoffpauir was activated from the DL by the ICubs. Holliman was part of a mass shuffle that occurred when Rich Hill was sent down; he’s a finesse guy who survives by changing speeds and keeping the ball down, which is tough to do in the PCL.

DL’d Ps Edward Campusano (biceps) and Jesse Estrada at Tennessee. Estrada took a line drive in the head a week ago. Ps Grant Johnson and Michael Cooper were activated from the DL.

Sent P Billy Petrick to Daytona from extended spring training. Petrick has been held back due to shoulder problems; he will probably pitch for Daytona for a couple of weeks and then head for AAA.

Peoria manager Ryne Sandberg was suspended for three games by the Midwest League after a bench-clearing incident in a game against Clinton, in which Sandberg confronted Clinton manager Mike Micucci about a sacrifice bunt attempt that Micucci ordered with his team holding a 6-0 lead. 3B Josh Vitters was sent back to extended spring training; he’s been nursing a hand injury.

Cincinnati:

Released P Scott Sauerbeck from Louisville. Sauerbeck made just 4 appearances with the Bats, allowed 4 runs and 6 hits with 4 walks and 5 Ks in 4 IP.

Promoted SS Chris Valaika from Sarasota to Chattanooga. Valaika, a 2006 3rd-rounder, hit .363/.393/.585 in the FSL before his promotion.

Promoted SS Todd Frazier from Dayton to Sarasota. Frazier, a supplemental first-rounder in 2007 out of Rutgers, was a man among boys in the Midwest League, hitting .321/.402/.598 for the Dragons. He’s hit everywhere he’s played during his (brief) minor league career; if he can survive the FSL and stay on SS, he should be on the fast track to AA by the end of the year even though Valaika is ahead of him on the organizational depth chart at the moment.

Houston:

Promoted INF Richard Paz and P Kyle Middleton from Corpus Christi to Round Rock. Paz, who is still only 30 and was an OBP machine in the Orioles’ organization in the late ‘90s (career OBP of .402), has been playing in indy ball the last two years before the Astros picked him up in the spring. He hasn’t changed much - he hit .386/.516/.457 in the Texas League and is at .214/.353/.321 since coming to the Express. Middleton, a 49th-round pick of the Royals in 1999, was a starter in KC’s organization but couldn’t get by AA; the Astros converted him to a closer after picked him up as a minor league free agent a year ago, and he saved 23 games for the Hooks in 2007.

Released OF Victor Diaz from Round Rock. The former Dodger, Met, and Ranger hit .296/.398/.366 for the Express; he was subsequently signed by Seattle and assigned to Tacoma.

Milwaukee:

DL’d P Josh Wahpepah at Brevard County. Wahpepah is spending his third consecutive season at Brevard County despite being a FSL All-Star in each of his first two years there; he has pretty average stuff and has gradually been shifted from being a rotation mainstay toward being a utility pitcher.

Pittsburgh:

Sent P Josh Shortslef to Altoona from extended spring training. Shortslef, a 6th rounder in 2000, has been battling shoulder problems.

DL’d P Pat Bresnehan (arm fatigue) at Altoona. Bresnehan, a 2006 5th rounder out of Arizona State, spent most of 2007 pitching in relief at Lynchburg, and was filling a similar role for the Curve in 2007.

Sent OF Jamie Romak to Lynchburg from extended spring training. Romak, acquired from the Braves in the Adam LaRoche trade, had been sidelined by an elbow injury.

St. Louis:

DL’d OF Amaury Marti at Memphis. Marti, a Cuban defector who was drafted in the 18th round by the Cardinals in 2006, split 2007 between the Cards’ AA affiliate in Springfield and the Petroleros de Minatitlan of the Mexican League, hitting well in both places; he is 33, however, and isn’t likely to have much of a major league career.

Promoted Ps Jaime Garcia and TJ Walters from Springfield to Memphis. Garcia, picked in the 22nd round in 2005, has been on the fast track for a while, but he was slowed by an injury a year ago that limited him to 103 innings with Springfield. He started out strong this year and pitched well in his first AAA start. Walters, a 2006 11th round pick from South Alabama, pitched very well at three levels a year ago, and followed that up with six solid starts at Springfield before his promotion.