Best young crop of talent in quite some time

[JonnyRed]

Amid all the banter about brawls, hat kicking and bullpen blow up is the fact that this is the best young group of players we have seen in quite a while. Pie should likely become our best position prospect of the last 10-15 years (maybe dating back to Grace). Therriot has fast become a nice everyday starter. Fontenot is now making a solid contribution. Guzman and now Marshall have solidified the #5 starter role, Hill is fast emerging as one of the best young lefties in the game and Marmol has been solid out of the pen. The future looks bright!

[Soriano12]

The best young crop of talent was in 03 when we had Prior, Wood, and Z in the mix for the rotation.

 

 

Pie is the only position player worth mentioning. Theriot and Fotnenot are nice stories, but nothing to get excited about other than both are better options over Izturis.

[Outshined_One]

Theriot and Fotnenot are nice stories, but nothing to get excited about other than both are better options over Izturis.

 

I think both of those guys have a good chance to become excellent utilitymen/slightly above average starters.

 

Objectively, that's not saying much, but with this system, that's a huge success.

[Soriano12]

There is still no legit corner OF power and nothing really spectacular in the infield outside of EPatt, whom it appears, they are trying to make a LF. Edited June 12, 2007 by Soriano12

[Ding Dong Johnson]

isn't there a member guideline that forbids optimism?

[TruffleShuffle]

Theriot and Fotnenot are nice stories, but nothing to get excited about other than both are better options over Izturis.

 

I think both of those guys have a good chance to become excellent utilitymen/slightly above average starters.

 

Objectively, that's not saying much, but with this system, that's a huge success.

 

I really don't think Theriot projects as a slightly above-average starter at any position... his performance this year is a lot more like what you'd expect than the fluky power he showed last year. He's a guy who can maybe put up a 700 OPS with a solid .340 OBP. Pie certainly has the potential to be an above-average CF, though.

 

This org needs more impact bats in the minors, especially at the corner OF positions. A great-hitting RF would be ideal, but there aren't any of those in the pipeline. They really need to get the ownership issue resolved so that they can spend like a big-market team in the draft and internationally as well.

 

The Cubs' development Latin American position players has been abysmal. I'm guessing this is because many young Latin players are free swingers, and they're not getting the proper instruction to correct holes in their swing and their approach. Unless it's a very physically gifted player like Pie, the players don't make the right adjustments, and aren't able to climb the ladder.

[Soriano12]

Also, I wouldn't get too attached to Guzman, because of the injury history. If there has been one player that I have really been impressed with, it is Marmol. I think he is gonna be a guy that you can bring in late in the game against good right handed hitters, and a guy that can absorb a high workload.

[Abe Frohman]

Theriot and Fotnenot are nice stories, but nothing to get excited about other than both are better options over Izturis.

 

I think both of those guys have a good chance to become excellent utilitymen/slightly above average starters.

 

Objectively, that's not saying much, but with this system, that's a huge success.

 

If anything, Theriot & Fontenot could make Hendry look really foolish for spending millions on DeRosa (not so much), Jones, and Izturis.

 

This org needs more impact bats in the minors, especially at the corner OF positions. A great-hitting RF would be ideal, but there aren't any of those in the pipeline.

 

Tyler Colvin is a pretty nice looking prospect who has the arm to play RF and the range/speed to play CF.

[TruffleShuffle]

Tyler Colvin is a pretty nice looking prospect who has the arm to play RF and the range/speed to play CF.

 

I'm talking about a guy with the potential to be a .900 OPS masher. Colvin certainly doesn't look the part, and his patience at the plate thus far doesn't suggest that he'll be a high OBP guy either.

[Soriano12]

Colvin is a light hitting corner OF who can't take a walk.

[Amazing_Grace]

There is still no legit corner OF power and nothing really spectacular in the infield outside of EPatt, whom it appears, they are trying to make a LF.

 

Why are they moving a guy that has value at 2b to LF, where he'll have much less, if any value?

[CubColtPacer]

There is still no legit corner OF power and nothing really spectacular in the infield outside of EPatt, whom it appears, they are trying to make a LF.

 

Why are they moving a guy that has value at 2b to LF, where he'll have much less, if any value?

 

Iowa is filled with guys who are alternating between positions right now. They want to get Patterson's bat up to the majors faster, but they don't think they can have a bench spot for him if he only plays 2B because he struggles quite a bit with 2B defensively, and so they are trying him in LF from time to time.

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Who is the last player drafted and brought up throught the Cubs' farm system to hit 30 HR in a season (in the majors) for any team?

[CubinNY]

Who is the last player drafted and brought up throught the Cubs' farm system to hit 30 HR in a season (in the majors) for any team?

Rafeal "the benefits of Vigra" Palmeiro

[Lockes Eye Scar]

Who is the last player drafted and brought up throught the Cubs' farm system to hit 30 HR in a season (in the majors) for any team?

 

Rick Wilkins

[JonnyRed]

Wow, you guys have a way of turning a positive post into a steaming pile of crap in no time at all. There's no question that the Cubs farm system has been completely devoid of position talent in recent decades, but I personally like seeing this much young talent producing for the Cubs on the field---instead of all the hype and hope of Prior and Wood.

 

(Not to mention, it's also nice to see the Sox farm system struggle so mightly.)

[moorecg]

isn't there a member guideline that forbids optimism?

 

Don't worry..I'm sure he'll be beat down with sufficient speed to quell any real thoughts of optimism.

[Soriano12]

Wow, you guys have a way of turning a positive post into a steaming pile of crap in no time at all.

 

Well, that is the theme for the 2007 Cubs.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow, you guys have a way of turning a positive post into a steaming pile of crap in no time at all. There's no question that the Cubs farm system has been completely devoid of position talent in recent decades, but I personally like seeing this much young talent producing for the Cubs on the field---instead of all the hype and hope of Prior and Wood.

 

(Not to mention, it's also nice to see the Sox farm system struggle so mightly.)

 

I don't see the the steaming pile of crap. The Cubs have some young offensive players, but they are still lacking in studs.

 

Theriot and Fontenot are nice utility bats, the type of cheap bats you should fill out your bench with, instead of going after guys like Macias and Neifi. But neither is likely to be anything worth writing home about as a starter.

 

I think the future looks okay, but it still needs a good GM making great moves to make this an elite team, which is all I'll be satisfied with.

 

As others have said, there is no stud offensive player in the system, unless Vitters changes that. Colvin is an okay prospect who probably projects better as a nice hitting CF as opposed to a great corner OF.

 

I think that between Fontenot, Theriot, Patterson and Cedeno they can hold their own in the middle infield. But I'd like to see a really good one brought in to truly round out the lineup. Ramirez and Lee are good enough and young enough for the team to win with them here. Soriano can hopefully be an overall net positive for the next few years, because it's almost inevitable he'll be a drag sometime down the line.

 

I think a guy like Soto can be a solid backup C for a few years at minimal cost, but with Blanco still signed and Barrett likely leaving via free agency, the position remains in question. Even if the new draftee comes on fast and strong, 2008 and 2009 are going to be iffy years behind the plate.

 

Pie has looked good in spurts and had some great AAA numbers this year. But his overall body of work still leaves some doubt as to his ability to truly make a great impact in center.

 

The young pitchers are doing well, but they need to keep producing guys because they go through arms rather quickly.

 

Overall this team has some depth, what it lacks is true star potential. And they are still enduring black hole type production from SS (last place in NL for OPS - and no hope on the horizon) and RF (13th in the NL in OPS and no stars in the making).

[SAMMYWHO]

What about Ryan Harvey? I know he had some injuries (broken leg) if iirc but he's shown some flashes of brilliance.

[TruffleShuffle]

What about Ryan Harvey? I know he had some injuries (broken leg) if iirc but he's shown some flashes of brilliance.

 

yeah, in batting practice

[Ding Dong Johnson]

What about Ryan Harvey? I know he had some injuries (broken leg) if iirc but he's shown some flashes of brilliance.

 

there's a mighty big difference between occasional flashes of power and flashes of briliance -- 255/305/463/768 going into this season, 250/283/409/692 this season

[Guest]

Colvin is a light hitting corner OF who can't take a walk.

 

Corner OF? His CF defense is great - good range, instincts and arm. Light-hitting? He has a .491 SLG in the FSL, a pitching-dominated league.

 

But yes, his patience is crap and plate discipline issues are going to catch up to him in AA or higher.

[jersey cubs fan]

Colvin is a light hitting corner OF who can't take a walk.

 

Corner OF? His CF defense is great - good range, insticts and arm. Light-hitting? He has a .491 SLG in the FSL, a pitching-dominated league.

 

But yes, his patience is crap and it's going to catch up to him in AA or higher.

 

He won't be a CF, unless Pie is dealt. For the purposes of judging offensive talent on the Cubs, he's a RF. And that SLG is good for 10th in the league, but propped up by his average. He's still way down the list in HR.

 

Light hitting corner OF who can't take a walk is dead on.

[Guest]

Some of those doubles should turn into HRs as he bulks up, but yeah, he'll end up at RF if Pie is still here and he doesn't have RF power. But as a tradeable asset, he's definitely a CF.