Dempster Traded to Texas for 3B Villanueva & RHP Hendricks

[Shilzzz]

consider the amount of work hours it takes to get a chance to have a flag fly...

and all of the hitches that can wrench the cogs along the way.

it's an odd profession to choose, but they all are i suppose

[Irrelevant Dude]

With all this talk of Vitters vs. Villanueva at 3B, does it really matter if Baez projects as a third baseman?

[Guest]

Jay Glazer ‏@JayGlazer

just saw the most impressive pass of any camp - Jay Cutler flat footed w 4 hands in his face, perfect touch pass to Forte 30 yds on wheel rt

[dew1679666265]

If he works 87-89 and can reach back for 91-93 through an entire start you have to like that.

 

I don't really dislike him, I'm just not very excited about him. Seems like a throw-in and I'm not sure I like Villanueva enough to be excited about him and a throw-in.

[Cubswin11]

Jay Glazer ‏@JayGlazer

just saw the most impressive pass of any camp - Jay Cutler flat footed w 4 hands in his face, perfect touch pass to Forte 30 yds on wheel rt

:-k

[davell]

To me, I think I like the combined return of what we got a bit more than what we may would have gotten, if we'd gotten Delgado for Dempster and been left trying to trade Maholm. Vizcaino is a damn good alternative. Hell, his upside is higher than Delgado's. I think we lucked out partially because Maholm has pitched extremely well in Atlanta, over his career. As far as Vitters vs. Villanueva? I'll take Villanueva. Glove isn't even close here and his approach at the same age is better than Vitters' was. The Garza injury was bad luck, hopefully he comes back and pitches well the rest of the season. Plenty of teams will be looking for pitching and there's not much on the FA market. Yeah, I figure we lost somewhat on a possible return on him, but my guess is any offers had an injury effect to them as well. So we may very well get more in the offseason than what we were getting for him today.

[scarey]

It's pretty plausible that he's touched 93 at some point in his career but works 87-89.

 

He also throws a 2 seamer, 4 seamer, and cutter, so it could be a matter of pitch mix.

 

If he can spot all those pitches, he could be successful even at 87-89. That being said, I'm holding out hope that he can work in the lower 90s like some of these reports indicate.

[El Duderino]

Signed out of Mexico in 2008, the 21-year-old Villanueva is one of those players whose greatest strength might be a lack of weaknesses. He has a good idea at the plate and a quick bat; he uses all fields and projects as a .280 hitter in the big leagues. He has gap power now, and scouts believe that will turn into solid average power down the road as he fills out, with 15-20 home run potential. He's a good athlete and an average runner, and an easy plus defender with a strong arm. He's a bit on the small side at 5-foot-11, which hurts his projection, but he looks like he should be a solid-average everyday third baseman if his development stays on track.

 

An eighth-round pick in 2011 out of Dartmouth, Hendricks has had a successful full-season debut, with a 2.82 ERA and a remarkable 112-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 130.2 innings for High-A Myrtle Beach. Based on those numbers, it's no surprise that some feel he has the best control in the system. That's also his best asset, as his below-average fastball sits at 86-90 mph with a bit of life, and his arsenal is no more than average across the board. He succeeds by throwing strikes and changing speeds, and it will be a challenge for him to find the same success at the upper levels while lacking an out pitch

[dew1679666265]

Jay Glazer ‏@JayGlazer

just saw the most impressive pass of any camp - Jay Cutler flat footed w 4 hands in his face, perfect touch pass to Forte 30 yds on wheel rt

:-k

 

Must've been a PTBNL in the Demp trade that everybody missed. Not sure how the Rangers got Cutler though.

[Guest]

Jay Glazer ‏@JayGlazer

just saw the most impressive pass of any camp - Jay Cutler flat footed w 4 hands in his face, perfect touch pass to Forte 30 yds on wheel rt

:-k

 

Must've been a PTBNL in the Demp trade that everybody missed. Not sure how the Rangers got Cutler though.

 

 

WHOOPS

[Warpticon]

Jay Glazer ‏@JayGlazer

just saw the most impressive pass of any camp - Jay Cutler flat footed w 4 hands in his face, perfect touch pass to Forte 30 yds on wheel rt

 

I think someone flew out of the tab vortex to somewhere other than where they thought they were.

[Guest]

I'm just going to say it now and flame away but I like Vitters more as a prospect than Villanueva. Vitters is only a little over 1 year 10 months older. Vitters has a higher OPS and it looks like they walk at around the same rate.

Park/league factors have to be taken into account when making the comparison.

 

Yes, plus how do you just dismiss a 2 year age difference? Not to mention Villanuueva's fielding advantage.

Two years, but also two levels.

[Warpticon]

I'm just going to say it now and flame away but I like Vitters more as a prospect than Villanueva. Vitters is only a little over 1 year 10 months older. Vitters has a higher OPS and it looks like they walk at around the same rate.

Park/league factors have to be taken into account when making the comparison.

 

Yes, plus how do you just dismiss a 2 year age difference? Not to mention Villanuueva's fielding advantage.

Two years, but also two levels.

 

Of course, but Villanueva is more productive at that same level than Vitters was, and we're not having this discussion if Vitters didn't just get his walk rate up to an acceptable level this year.

[NewUserName]

I like that the Cubs are getting multiple prospects at some positions. I am going to end up liking the one that pans out or gets us more in a trade.

[Cubswin11]

I'm just going to say it now and flame away but I like Vitters more as a prospect than Villanueva. Vitters is only a little over 1 year 10 months older. Vitters has a higher OPS and it looks like they walk at around the same rate.

Park/league factors have to be taken into account when making the comparison.

 

Yes, plus how do you just dismiss a 2 year age difference? Not to mention Villanuueva's fielding advantage.

Vitters at Villinueva's age now was in AA with nearly the same OPS Villanueva is posting in A ball this year.770 v. .777. I don't think either are elite prospects. I just like Vitters hit/contact tool so much I'd rank him higher. Plus Villanueva's been hit 20 times this year that irrationally inflates his OBP/overall OPS.

Edited July 31, 2012 by Cubswin11

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I definitely think you can make an argument for either V3b to be ahead of the other. It's close. But I really like Vitters, so I don't consider that a bad thing.

[RynoRules]

Overall, this looks like a good pull for 2 months of Dempster - starting 3B with above-average potential and a likely 4th or 5th starter / bullpen swingman, each due to arrive in about 14'.

[Guest]

I'm just going to say it now and flame away but I like Vitters more as a prospect than Villanueva. Vitters is only a little over 1 year 10 months older. Vitters has a higher OPS and it looks like they walk at around the same rate.

Park/league factors have to be taken into account when making the comparison.

 

Yes, plus how do you just dismiss a 2 year age difference? Not to mention Villanuueva's fielding advantage.

Two years, but also two levels.

 

Of course, but Villanueva is more productive at that same level than Vitters was, and we're not having this discussion if Vitters didn't just get his walk rate up to an acceptable level this year.

At the same age, Vitters walked in 6.7% of his PA in A+, while Villanueva is at 5.7%.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm just going to say it now and flame away but I like Vitters more as a prospect than Villanueva. Vitters is only a little over 1 year 10 months older. Vitters has a higher OPS and it looks like they walk at around the same rate.

Park/league factors have to be taken into account when making the comparison.

 

Yes, plus how do you just dismiss a 2 year age difference? Not to mention Villanuueva's fielding advantage.

Vitters at Villinueva's age now was in AA with nearly the same OPS Villanueva is posting in A ball this year.770 v. .777. I don't think either are elite prospects. I just like Vitters hit/contact tool so much I'd rank him higher. Plus Villanueva's been hit 20 times this year that irrationally inflates his OBP/overall OPS.

 

And one guy is good at defense while the other is bad.

[Guest]

btw - the Rangers had been working him out at 2B during instructionals last fall. If that's a possibility, his value goes up significantly.

[RynoRules]

I'm just going to say it now and flame away but I like Vitters more as a prospect than Villanueva. Vitters is only a little over 1 year 10 months older. Vitters has a higher OPS and it looks like they walk at around the same rate.

Park/league factors have to be taken into account when making the comparison.

 

Yes, plus how do you just dismiss a 2 year age difference? Not to mention Villanuueva's fielding advantage.

Vitters at Villinueva's age now was in AA with nearly the same OPS Villanueva is posting in A ball this year.770 v. .777. I don't think either are elite prospects. I just like Vitters hit/contact tool so much I'd rank him higher. Plus Villanueva's been hit 20 times this year that irrationally inflates his OBP/overall OPS.

 

And one guy is good at defense while the other is bad.

 

Exactly. If he puts up a .260/.340/.450 line you can probably live with it assuming his defense is as good as advertised.

[Shilzzz]

villenueva has played 2B some this year, too. with all the other 3B/SS ahead of him in the cubs' system, developing into a solid 2B could make a nice meal ticket

[RynoRules]

btw - the Rangers had been working him out at 2B during instructionals last fall. If that's a possibility, his value goes up significantly.

 

That would be interesting.

[Guest]

Exactly. If he puts up a .260/.340/.450 line you can probably live with it assuming his defense is as good as advertised.

Hopefully the patience will develop. You can't count on the HBP to continue holding up his OBP like that in the future.

[davell]

Power aside, I'm not so sure Villanueva is any more intriguing than Torreyes as a 2B. Different players, with obvious tradeoffs.