Bruce Levine's interactive Chicago Cubs report card, 2011

[dew1679666265]

Here's what I graded:

 

A's - Marshall, Garza, Ramirez, Castro, Samardzija

B's - Wood, Cashner, Soto, Pena, Fukudome, Russell (who was effective when used correctly)

C's - Byrd, Wells, Marmol, Mateo, LaHair, DeWitt, Johnson, Carpenter, Soriano

D's - Dempster, Zambrano, Lopez, Barney, Campana, LeMahieu

F's - Hill, Grabow, Coleman, Ortiz

 

I was almost right in line with that. The only differences were Russell an A, Cashner a C (due to the injury concerns), Reed a B (while luck the production was excellent), and Dempster a B.

 

I probably should have gone lower with Demp, but I don't know that I'd go as low as a D.

[Guest]

Boy, tough crowd for Barney. 4th best position player on the team, 2+ WAR for the league minimum, didn't underachieve, etc.

[dew1679666265]

Boy, tough crowd for Barney. 4th best position player on the team, 2+ WAR for the league minimum, didn't underachieve, etc.

 

Barney's another difference I had from bukie's list, didn't notice that the first time. I had Barney with a C - the defense was really nice, but the offense was pretty putrid. I considered a B, but just couldn't justify it with the offense as bad as it ended up being.

[bukie]

Boy, tough crowd for Barney. 4th best position player on the team, 2+ WAR for the league minimum, didn't underachieve, etc.

 

Barney's another difference I had from bukie's list, didn't notice that the first time. I had Barney with a C - the defense was really nice, but the offense was pretty putrid. I considered a B, but just couldn't justify it with the offense as bad as it ended up being.

I suppose my problem with Barney stems more from misuse by Quade (top of the order everyday starter for far too long) than anything specifically expected of Barney. So, yeah, he's an effective defender that can't hit much that is a good defensive sub. C player.

[Careless]

Why is Z so highly graded?

[dew1679666265]

Why is Z so highly graded?

 

A D is high for a guy who posted a 4.82 ERA and 4.34 xFIP and an .848 OPS? Combining offense and defense for Z he was a 1.9 WAR player after missing the last month or so of the season. I'd grade him as a C if his blowup didn't lead (rightly or wrongly) to him being suspended for as long as he was.

[javy knows my name]

Oh my God, he really did have an .848 OPS. That's hilarious and unbelievable and awesome.

[Radar3454]

A: Castro, Marshall, Garza,

B: Smardz, Ramirez,Wood, Cashner, Pena, Russell, Johnson

C: Wells, Mateo, Barney, Campana, Soto, Fuku, Z, Byrd,Dempster

D: Marmol, Campana, Lopez, Soriano, DeWitt

F: Hill, Grabow, Coleman, Ortiz, Quade, Z

 

 

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[Careless]

Why is Z so highly graded?

 

A D is high for a guy who posted a 4.82 ERA and 4.34 xFIP and an .848 OPS? Combining offense and defense for Z he was a 1.9 WAR player after missing the last month or so of the season. I'd grade him as a C if his blowup didn't lead (rightly or wrongly) to him being suspended for as long as he was.

He didn't get a D. He's at a C+/B- (better than Dempster, Garza, Soto, Russell) And why are you assuming away something that actually happened?

[hardcorecubfan]

Marshall was the only legit. A for me. Garza was close, but I noticed nobody commente so far in the thread on Quade=F for me.

 

How could Z possibly get an "A" from anybody?

[dew1679666265]

He didn't get a D. He's at a C+/B- (better than Dempster, Garza, Soto, Russell)

 

Sorry, thought you were referring to mine and bukie's posts about the way we were grading. As for Z being at C+/B-, I don't think that's all that high. It's more a grade on his performance while overlooking the blowup, I think. The problem is that Dempster, Garza, Soto, and Russell aren't much higher than that. Demp should be a B or C, Soto should be a B, and Russell and Garza should be As.

 

And why are you assuming away something that actually happened?

 

I'm not sure what your question is here. His pure on the field value is probably a B when you combine his offense, pitching, and defense. However, I think you have to drop him a bit because it was his blowup that led to him missing a month of the season. That's why I'd put him around a C or so.

[dew1679666265]

How could Z possibly get an "A" from anybody?

 

The same way Koyie Hill could get anything other than an F from anybody.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why is Z so highly graded?

 

A D is high for a guy who posted a 4.82 ERA and 4.34 xFIP and an .848 OPS? Combining offense and defense for Z he was a 1.9 WAR player after missing the last month or so of the season. I'd grade him as a C if his blowup didn't lead (rightly or wrongly) to him being suspended for as long as he was.

He didn't get a D. He's at a C+/B- (better than Dempster, Garza, Soto, Russell) And why are you assuming away something that actually happened?

 

You cant really downgrade him because of the idiots he works for who decided to make a big deal out of a not big deal.

[dew1679666265]

You cant really downgrade him because of the idiots he works for who decided to make a big deal out of a not big deal.

 

I think you downgrade him simply because it was his actions that caused them to make the decision. Had he not acted the way he did, the dumb decision would have never been made. I don't think you downgrade him considerably, though.

[BeerHere]

Marshall was the only legit. A for me. Garza was close, but I noticed nobody commente so far in the thread on Quade=F for me.

 

How could Z possibly get an "A" from anybody?

I also gave Quade (and Z) an F. What surprises me more than a Zambrano A is that Coleman got anything above a D from anyone. The guy was brutal. At least Russell was better out of the pen and, in fact, effective when used correctly. Coleman did nothing.