Spring Training Thread

[Cubswin11]

With this depth, it makes all kinds of sense to start Garza on the DL. No reason to rush one of your most valuable pieces.

Agreed. No reason to rush him, he needs to be 100% healthy once he comes back because either we will look to trade him for whatever maximum value he has at this point or probably be looking to extend him after the season.

 

Side question, I'm assuming Garza missing time last year and this year won't affect the draft pick being tied to him in FA if he signs elsewhere and we make a qualifying offer?

[davell]

No clue actually. E-Jax didn't get qualified and Sanchez couldn't. If they had been, who knows if their market would have been different? Unless its an absolute elite player, I think we'll see the qualified players struggle to find homes. Counting on teams with protected 1sts that feel like they're close to contention, to sign them.

[Guest]

Some pics from one of yesterday's games

 

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Cubs-Brewers-3-3-2013-1.jpg

Baez Bomb

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Cubs-Brewers-3-3-2013-2.jpg

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Cubs-Brewers-3-3-2013-6.jpg

 

More here - http://boysofspring.com/cubs-win-cubs-lose/

[jersey cubs fan]

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Cubs-Brewers-3-3-2013-6.jpg

 

Oh God, it's a Pigman!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG81Bvyzi6w

[Shilzzz]

he has to be somehow related to Ruth.

[davell]

Starlin's likely out til next Monday. Precautionary.

[Cubswin11]

Starlin's likely out til next Monday. Precautionary.

He took batting practice yesterday before/during one of the games, saw someone tweeted that

[Guest]

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Cubs-Brewers-3-3-2013-6.jpg

 

Oh God, it's a Pigman!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG81Bvyzi6w

I said it before, a young Chris Farley.

[imb]

my god he's the coolest dude ever

[Guest]

javy is easily cooler

[Sammy Sofa]

I desperately want him to somehow find a place on the team. The combination of a dingus fat white guy clashing with the hilarious terrible defense and inevitable charges of lack of hustle would make the meatballs' heads implode.

[Guest]

When do white guys ever get accused of not hustling?

[Guest]

Although CubsFacebook did just post a bunch of meatballery regarding Rizzo playing for Team Italy.

[Sammy Sofa]

When do white guys ever get accused of not hustling?

 

It would be impossible to ignore with Tubsy McManTits there.

[davell]

my god he's the coolest dude ever

Javy has the MLB logo tattooed on the back of his neck.

[imb]

javy does have the geo eyebrow thing going, too. maybe it's a tie. i dont know, there's something i like about having someone that looks like a 2a high school offensive lineman on the team

[Old Style]

When do white guys ever get accused of not hustling?

 

It would be impossible to ignore with Tubsy McManTits there.

Hmm, I may request a name change to this. It has a nice ring to it.

[Sammys Boombox]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/14855/video-jackson-breaks-down-new-swing

 

I'm no expert. I was just an ok high school hitter on a very good high school team with a very good coach, but I thought the goal was to make his swing more compact and not so long? The only compact swings I saw he was setting his foot down closer to the plate (closed finish) and was cutting off his power. The swings where it looked like he actually finished his swing and still had power were the swings that were not very compact (and supposedly the source of his K rate last season). These swings are not very consistent to me. The only thing that seems consistent is the beginning of the swinging motion looks similar to Rizzo's motion.

 

Edit: It might help if I added the video link.

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2013/02/15/brett-jacksons-new-swing-in-action-video/

 

Keith Law's assessment.

 

Jackson used to have a very short stride without much of a load, and his hands, which have always been quick, would always seem to start forward from a different position. Now, he’s definitely more consistent, starting from a consistent spot with a slightly deeper load, but his stride is very long, leaving him with a wide base before he even gets his hands started, and producing a swing that looks unnaturally long for him. The stride doesn’t get his weight transfer started early enough, and he tends to roll that front foot over through contact. Everything we liked about Jackson before, from the speed to the athleticism to the bat speed to the arm, is still present, but I wish I could tell you I thought this new swing would solve his contact problems.

 

When you cut your power off by closing your stance you tend to roll your foot over. I want to believe in Jackson's performance in ST to this point, but I think once pitchers adjust to him again it could be even more ugly. He's going to see a heavy diet of pitches on the inside corner, or he'll move off the plate to compensate and will not be able to reach the outer half effectively. Again, no expert, and I would much rather be wrong and eat crow, but this is just what my untrained eye sees.

[Guest]

Not sure what direction Kyle will go with this one...

 

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat

#Cubs Sveum calls Brian Bogusevic the "the Joe Mather of camp so far" and he appears to have lead in winning spot on bench

[treebird]

Not sure what direction Kyle will go with this one...

 

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat

#Cubs Sveum calls Brian Bogusevic the "the Joe Mather of camp so far" and he appears to have lead in winning spot on bench

 

the bogus vicar will definitely be putting that quote on his HOF plaque

[Hairyducked Idiot]

When do white guys ever get accused of not hustling?

 

It would be impossible to ignore with Tubsy McManTits there.

 

He'll become a folk hero. Also, he gets graded on such an absurd curve that you'll constantly have people talking about how suprisingly athletic he is.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Not sure what direction Kyle will go with this one...

 

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat

#Cubs Sveum calls Brian Bogusevic the "the Joe Mather of camp so far" and he appears to have lead in winning spot on bench

 

Two thoughts.

 

1) That's not a compliment.

 

2) It'd better darn well be a "six outfielders" scenario and not a "Sappelt gets screwed again" scenario.

[XZero771679666304]

Not sure what direction Kyle will go with this one...

 

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat

#Cubs Sveum calls Brian Bogusevic the "the Joe Mather of camp so far" and he appears to have lead in winning spot on bench

 

Two thoughts.

 

1) That's not a compliment.

 

2) It'd better darn well be a "six outfielders" scenario and not a "Sappelt gets screwed again" scenario.

 

I don't like it, but I'd probably prefer Bogusevic getting a backup spot to Clevenger (whose name I've seen on some bench projections). I could see six outfielders, but I have a feeling Sappelt is going to get left out again. His AAA stats last year dropped way off and he hasn't done much this spring to distinguish himself, either. I'd definitely prefer him to Bogusevic, but I'm not sure it'll play out that way.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Aren't we supposed to not have to worry about the better players being left off the roster for stupid reasons anymore?

[Sammy Sofa]

Yes, the battle over the 25th man spot will be the wobbly block that brings down the mighty Jenga of the Thoyersetin regime.