Re: Starlin Castro promoted (!)

[Sammy Sofa]

 

Who is everyone? Kelly was horrible last year.

 

ZiPS Chone Marcel Fans Bill James

Kelly Johnson .824 .794 .777 .769 .799

Mike Fontenot .751 .726 .752 .714 .758

 

Yech, those are both wretched options for 2B. Yeah, that's technically predicting he would be better, but neither was being predicted to be a good option at 2B except ZiPS. Johnson's numbers right now are well beyond anyone's expectations.

 

ZiPS and Chone were the two most accurate projection systems last year.

 

ZiPS had Johnson rated as the third-best offensive 2B before the season, and Chone had him at #9.

 

You're right, Johnson would have been a wretched option for 2B and nobody could have possibly predicted he'd be much better than Fontenot. :roll:

 

But it wasn't a matter of stacking up Johnson vs. Fontenot. It was Johnson vs. a Fontenot/Baker platoon. With Johnson coming off of a crappy year and plenty of sources predicting him to so NOT be the offensive force that of course you knew he would be, it was hardly a bad move at the time for a team to opt to go with the in-house platoon that had a decent chance of matching or surpassing those predictions instead of shelling out for Johnson (and yes, I know what he's "only" making), especially given their reluctance to spend too much money with the sale completing. But yeah, go ahead and pretend all you want. The Diamondbacks got lucky. Good for them.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Sammy Sofa

[jersey cubs fan]

youre average cub fans knows very little about baseball, after going to wrigley it makes me think that cubs fans are some of the dumbest in baseball.

 

there's idiot fans in every market.

[KaiserCesar]

If he struggles, I would hope the fans realize it's not his fault that he was promoted too quickly. I think the average Cubs fan is at least intelligent enough to know that.

 

I think you grossly overestimate the average Cubs fan. They've heard all about him for 6+ months now, and if he's not good soon, they are going to feel they were sold a bill of goods.

 

The good news is he'll put the bat on the ball and the average cubs fan can cheer for him since he didn't strikeout like a failure. Remember how Neifi was pretty immune from boos?

[Sammy Sofa]

If he struggles, I would hope the fans realize it's not his fault that he was promoted too quickly. I think the average Cubs fan is at least intelligent enough to know that.

 

They weren't with Pie.

[erik316wttn]

Fangraphs take on it

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/castro-called-to-cubs/

 

Read the second-to-last paragraph. Fangraphs seems to think that Theriot is some sort of god on defense.

[JonJayCutler]

I don't mind it simply for the fact that this team needs some sort of spark right now. All I ask is that they leave him here and let him fight through his struggles, not send him down.

[Derwood]

Fearless prediction: Castro goes 1 for his first 9 with 3 K's, gets in Lou's doghouse, and we see him pinch-hit twice a week for the next 2 months

[cheapseats]

With Johnson coming off of a crappy year and plenty of sources predicting him to so NOT be the offensive force

 

Plenty of sources like your cousin Billy and the bagger at Dominick's?

 

Other than having the facts on your side, great argument bro.

[RedFlash]

I assumes on the days Castro plays he will bat 8th, or is that spot only for Soto? If it is, I cannot wait to see Soto hitting behind a rookie. :roll:

[chasinf5s]

youre average cub fans knows very little about baseball, after going to wrigley it makes me think that cubs fans are some of the dumbest in baseball.

 

there's idiot fans in every market.

 

Yes but im willing to bet that a majority of "cubs fans" are too stupid to realize anything of what is being talked about in here. Seriously i had two girls last week asking if the first team to score wins.

[CUBZ99]

I like this move. Castro did great in the AFL, Spring Training and AA. The way the Cubs are playing right now, they can afford to give him a shot. Worst case scenario, he has some growing pains and the Cubs have to live with low production from their SS. That is no worse than playing Fontenot and Baker on a daily basis. Best case scenario is that he catches fire and some of the other hitters catch fire and the Cubs offense puts up some numbers more in line with expectations.

[BeerHere]

Fearless prediction: Castro goes 1 for his first 9 with 3 K's, gets in Lou's doghouse, and we see him pinch-hit twice a week for the next 2 months

I fear this as well.

[chasinf5s]

I assumes on the days Castro plays he will bat 8th, or is that spot only for Soto? If it is, I cannot wait to see Soto hitting behind a rookie. :roll:

 

he is batting 8th tonight

[BeerHere]

I see this as a knee-jerk reaction to a stumbling offense. Unless Castro is here to play third or they move Fontenot to third I don't see how this helps.

[Keener98]

I dont really have a problem with this other than the fact I don't trust Lou to be patient with him, and hitting him 8th is a horrible horrible decision. Either put him 2nd or put him 7th and let Soto hit behind him.

[Keener98]

I assumes on the days Castro plays he will bat 8th, or is that spot only for Soto? If it is, I cannot wait to see Soto hitting behind a rookie. :roll:

 

This is the one instance where Id have no problem with Soto hitting 8th.

[Sammy Sofa]

With Johnson coming off of a crappy year and plenty of sources predicting him to so NOT be the offensive force

 

Plenty of sources like your cousin Billy and the bagger at Dominick's?

 

Other than having the facts on your side, great argument bro.

 

Uh, how about all of the sources you yourself posted? None of them predicted him getting off to a start this good (which is exactly what I said in the quote you decided to focus on, and you're a fool if you think anyone predicted he'd be as good as he is right now. He's hitting out of his mind), and 3 of them predicted pretty average at best seasons. Based on the numbers you yourself posted there's little to show that at the time Johnson was signed, back in December, that he was likely to be enough of an improvement over a Fontenot/Baker platoon to justify the money to sign him. The Cubs only "missed the boat" the same as every other team except the Diamondbacks did, and the Diamondbacks sure as [expletive] weren't expecting to get what they got. Again, a lot of times these kind of signings are luck, like when the Cubs picked Edmonds off the trash heap in 2008.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Sammy Sofa

[apete6]

[expletive] you Jim Hendry. I'll save my cursing for Lou until when he inevitably benches him after a 1-11 series. I hope Ricketts is just patiently watching this sinking ship of desperation and making back channel contacts to fill the GM and manager positions after the season. I'm sick of this [expletive].

[Keener98]

I see this as a knee-jerk reaction to a stumbling offense. Unless Castro is here to play third or they move Fontenot to third I don't see how this helps.

 

Fontenot and Baker haven't been good.

[RedFlash]

I see this as a knee-jerk reaction to a stumbling offense. Unless Castro is here to play third or they move Fontenot to third I don't see how this helps.

 

I tend to believe that Castro is here to play SS, with Theriot switching to 2B, and Baker moving into Chad Tracy's role as super sub.

[Sammy Sofa]

I see this as a knee-jerk reaction to a stumbling offense. Unless Castro is here to play third or they move Fontenot to third I don't see how this helps.

 

Fontenot and Baker haven't been good.

 

Though Baker is still a good option to have off the bench against lefties.

[erik316wttn]

I see this as a knee-jerk reaction to a stumbling offense. Unless Castro is here to play third or they move Fontenot to third I don't see how this helps.

 

Fontenot and Baker haven't been good.

 

Is Baker's butt healed?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I see this as a knee-jerk reaction to a stumbling offense. Unless Castro is here to play third or they move Fontenot to third I don't see how this helps.

 

I tend to believe that Castro is here to play SS, with Theriot switching to 2B, and Baker moving into Chad Tracy's role as super sub.

What would make you think that? Seems like a huge stretch.

[Old Style]

Anyone else think it was on purpose that he gets his first action as a Cub on the road?

[Roast]

I'm actually really excited by this. Mainly because it gives me a reason to watch. Also, I think if Lou actually gives him the chance to play through his slumps this could turn out to be a great move.