As noted by Ivy Chat and reported by the Des Moines Register, 27-year-old lefty Raul Valdez had a successful debut for the Iowa Cubs last night. He threw 7 innings, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits and 3 walks, with 4 strikeouts.

There was a small chance Valdez was going to make the big league team this spring in the bullpen before he injured his left thumb in winter ball. When he returned from the injury, Valdez went to double-A West Tenn. He made 5 starts there, throwing 23 innings of 5.09 ERA ball. He did have a nice 18/3 K/BB ratio for West Tenn.

The Register article (without a byline) strangely states that Valdez "also plays on the Cuban national team" (present tense). Given the relations between the United States and Cuba, that's simply not possible. Valdez defected from Cuba two years ago, as an earlier version of the Register story noted.

To make room for Valdez in the Iowa rotation, the Cubs demoted 2004 Cubs minor league pitcher of the year Renyel Pinto to Iowa. Pinto is a 6'4" lefty. Both Smith and Stroh and John Sickels ranked Pinto as the Cubs' #5 prospect before the season started after he had a 2.92 ERA in 141.2 innings last season for West Tenn, with 179 K's (plus 72 walks). However, this season for Iowa, Pinto has been fairly awful. In 6 starts, he's thrown 22.2 innings and allowed 30 runs (24 earned) on 31 hits and 24 walks (clearly control is a problem). He's struck out 24.

Pinto made his debut for West Tenn tonight. He pitched OK, allowing 3 runs in 6 innings. He walked just 1.