Re: Starlin Castro making decision tough on Chicago Cubs

[David]

If Castro was beyond ready come June, I could see a platoon of Fontenot and Theriot at 2nd, a platoon of Fukudome/Baker in RF and Castro at SS. To bring Castro up would require someone else be sent down or cut. Isn't Fuld out of options?

 

Why so desperate to get Jeff Baker into the lineup?

 

I wouldn't see him getting into a platoon with Fuk over Nady...esp considering Nady should be full speed by June.

[David]

Is castro a "five tool guy" if he is bring him up!!! :roll:

 

wat

[jersey cubs fan]

If Castro was beyond ready come June, I could see a platoon of Fontenot and Theriot at 2nd, a platoon of Fukudome/Baker in RF and Castro at SS. To bring Castro up would require someone else be sent down or cut. Isn't Fuld out of options?

 

Why so desperate to get Jeff Baker into the lineup?

 

I wouldn't see him getting into a platoon with Fuk over Nady...esp considering Nady should be full speed by June.

 

Is Nady healthy, if so let him play. :roll:

[CubColtPacer]

If Castro was beyond ready come June, I could see a platoon of Fontenot and Theriot at 2nd, a platoon of Fukudome/Baker in RF and Castro at SS. To bring Castro up would require someone else be sent down or cut. Isn't Fuld out of options?

 

Fuld has an option left. And if Castro came up it would certainly spell the end for Blanco if all the infielders were still there at that point of the season.

[David]

If Castro was beyond ready come June, I could see a platoon of Fontenot and Theriot at 2nd, a platoon of Fukudome/Baker in RF and Castro at SS. To bring Castro up would require someone else be sent down or cut. Isn't Fuld out of options?

 

Why so desperate to get Jeff Baker into the lineup?

 

I wouldn't see him getting into a platoon with Fuk over Nady...esp considering Nady should be full speed by June.

 

Is Nady healthy, if so let him play. :roll:

 

 

not quite nonsensical enough

[Guest]

I forgot about Nady, and Blanco actually. I doubt Castro sniffs the bigs this year other than maybe a September call up.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/03/cubs-ramirez-on-castro-if-youre-ready-youre-ready.html

 

Is it the right call?

 

"I don't agree with that," Aramis Ramirez said.

 

Ramirez wasn't questioning the Cubs' decision on Castro, but the philosophy that dictates a 19-year-old can't possibly be ready to play in the majors.

 

"I don't think there is a right age to play baseball," he said. "Just because he's 19 doesn't mean he's not going to perform. At the same time, he's still a kid. He can still get better in the minors and come up and be a great player, but I don't think there should be an age for when."

 

Ramirez came up to the majors when he was 19 with Pittsburgh in 1998. He skipped Double-A completely, and spent only 47 games in Triple-A before the Pirates called him up on May 26. Ramirez hit .235, and was up and down the next two seasons before becoming a mainstay in 2000 and having a breakthrough season in '01.

 

"I came up at 19," he said, "But everyone is not the same. Every organization is not the same."

[CUBZ99]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/03/cubs-ramirez-on-castro-if-youre-ready-youre-ready.html

 

Is it the right call?

 

"I don't agree with that," Aramis Ramirez said.

 

Ramirez wasn't questioning the Cubs' decision on Castro, but the philosophy that dictates a 19-year-old can't possibly be ready to play in the majors.

 

"I don't think there is a right age to play baseball," he said. "Just because he's 19 doesn't mean he's not going to perform. At the same time, he's still a kid. He can still get better in the minors and come up and be a great player, but I don't think there should be an age for when."

 

Ramirez came up to the majors when he was 19 with Pittsburgh in 1998. He skipped Double-A completely, and spent only 47 games in Triple-A before the Pirates called him up on May 26. Ramirez hit .235, and was up and down the next two seasons before becoming a mainstay in 2000 and having a breakthrough season in '01.

 

"I came up at 19," he said, "But everyone is not the same. Every organization is not the same."

 

Hard to argue with what he is saying.

[biittner77]

Hard to argue with what he is saying.

 

Seems like the Pirates would have been much better off promoting Ramirez when he was ready at age 22 instead of rushing him up at age 19. They could have gotten more production out of him or perhaps more from the Cubs in the trade.

[woodchip2153]

Hard to argue with what he is saying.

 

Seems like the Pirates would have been much better off promoting Ramirez when he was ready at age 22 instead of rushing him up at age 19. They could have gotten more production out of him or perhaps more from the Cubs in the trade.

 

Can't a lot of his poor production be linked to an ankle injury, though?

[jersey cubs fan]

Hard to argue with what he is saying.

 

Seems like the Pirates would have been much better off promoting Ramirez when he was ready at age 22 instead of rushing him up at age 19. They could have gotten more production out of him or perhaps more from the Cubs in the trade.

 

It's probably more important for a poor team to keep their kids in the minors longer, to prolong their affordability, whereas a bigger payroll team can afford to take that risk with the expectation that when it comes to that time, they can resign their own guy.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Is the Cubs bigger payroll team if they are let him play :roll:

[David]

Hard to argue with what he is saying.

 

Seems like the Pirates would have been much better off promoting Ramirez when he was ready at age 22 instead of rushing him up at age 19. They could have gotten more production out of him or perhaps more from the Cubs in the trade.

 

Can't a lot of his poor production be linked to an ankle injury, though?

 

 

Pretty sure that was his 02 season, after his very good 01.

[NonProfitCow]

Is the Cubs bigger payroll team if they are let him play :roll:

well done

[Guest]

The only real question should be, will he perform better than whomever is starting now? If the Cubs think so then he should be up. If they don't, then he should be in AA (I don't want him around Sandberg anymore than he has was last year). However, I see no reason to have him with the big club right away.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Anyone notice Theriot with lower hands and a slight toe tap? Looks like Rudy may have been working on him seeing the ball longer, possibly to increase walk totals for the leadoff spot?

[Peoriaman]

Why don't you want him around Sandberg? Did i miss something?

 

The only real question should be, will he perform better than whomever is starting now? If the Cubs think so then he should be up. If they don't, then he should be in AA (I don't want him around Sandberg anymore than he has was last year). However, I see no reason to have him with the big club right away.

[Sammy Sofa]

Many of us think Sandberg is not a very good manager.

[Guest]

Many of us think Sandberg is not a very good manager.

 

I think Sandberg would be a horrendous manager at the MLB level, but I don't see any reason to be afraid to send a player to a MiLB level that he coaches.

[Sammy Sofa]

For me it depends on how hands-on he is with their hitting development, and I honestly have no idea how he is in that area.

[Guest]

For me it depends on how hands-on he is with their hitting development, and I honestly have no idea how he is in that area.

 

I doubt it's a significant influence. What about Sandberg makes you think he'd be a poor instructor?

[Sammy Sofa]

His rhetoric and many of his in-game decisions seemingly deferring to variations of "small ball" thinking too often for my liking.

[NCCubFan]

For me it depends on how hands-on he is with their hitting development, and I honestly have no idea how he is in that area.

Von Joshua is back as Iowa hitting coach, though, so that's an argument in favor of sending him to Iowa.

[Sammy Sofa]

This is true.

[sneakypower]

Sandberg's a career .285 hitter, of course he'd make a good hitting instructor