Random Cubs Musings

[Banedon]

Improving our chances: Wainwright to have MRI on elbow.

 

The St. Louis Cardinals evidently survived a scare Wednesday, when an MRI on Adam Wainwright's pitching elbow revealed that the ace right-hander has no structural damage in his surgically repaired ligament.

[Guest]

@sahadevsharma: Luis Valbuena has a .288/.394/.456 line. His 136 wRC+ is first among 2B & 4th behind Chisenhall, Donaldson & Beltre for 3Bs (min 180 PAs).

[RynoRules]

@sahadevsharma: Luis Valbuena has a .288/.394/.456 line. His 136 wRC+ is first among 2B & 4th behind Chisenhall, Donaldson & Beltre for 3Bs (min 180 PAs).

 

In that case he should be a shoe-in as an AS reserve, no?

[Andy]

@sahadevsharma: Luis Valbuena has a .288/.394/.456 line. His 136 wRC+ is first among 2B & 4th behind Chisenhall, Donaldson & Beltre for 3Bs (min 180 PAs).

 

In that case he should be a shoe-in as an AS reserve, no?

Rizzo and Samardzija (and perhaps Hammel too) are already after ASG spots. I'd be surprised if there's room for Valbuena.

[davell]

Anyone hear Hoyer on Mac and Spiegel this morning? Evidently he was talking about buying and selling. Anyone hear it?

[Felix Leiter]

Anyone hear Hoyer on Mac and Spiegel this morning? Evidently he was talking about buying and selling. Anyone hear it?

 

I heard it, very little new. Jed's surprised with the progress of Kris Bryant. They'll plan on keeping him @AA so he can be with same team and same manager for awhile. They're looking to see how he handles adversity(as everyone does) and then go from there. Nothing on Shark. Team makeup going forward will have veterans(Rizzo and Castro) to help younger players(Baez, Bryant, etc..). A couple experienced SP in minors to serve as backups will be part of that plan. Jed says they have the $$$ to spend now and not depending on signs and new tv deal. Nothing on deals this year.

 

My takeaway is that no one will be rushed up here and that 2015 probably looks the same as this year.

 

Hope this helps.

[imb]

that line about "facing adversity" is funny. He's Bondsing AA, he's more likely to face adversity in AAA.

[treebird]

that line about "facing adversity" is funny. He's Bondsing AA, he's more likely to face adversity in AAA.

 

yeah, unless the plan is to force him to start switch-hitting, that line is just total nonsense

[Sammy Sofa]

My takeaway is that no one will be rushed up here and that 2015 probably looks the same as this year.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks, my eyes were pretty dry without all of these tears.

[jersey cubs fan]

that line about "facing adversity" is funny. He's Bondsing AA, he's more likely to face adversity in AAA.

 

He's spending the summer in the American South. He's facing adversity.

[Sammy Sofa]

If they really want him to face adversity just bring him up to our current nightmare.

[imb]

Theo: "Kris, I ... I don't know how to tell you this. It's your mother ... she was murdered, as were your young siblings."

 

*Kris begins to openly sob*

"oh my god ... that's horrible. Oh no."

 

Theo: "It gets worse, Kris. The police are saying your father killed them. Also he's a Nazi. I know this is a lot to take in."

 

*Kris' face tightens, his eyes fill with rage*

THAT SON OF A BITCH. I'LL MAKE HIM PAY FOR THIS. I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE."

 

*Theo puts on his sunglasses and puts his hand on Kris' shoulder.* "Kris, that was just a test. You passed." *Theo reaches into the pocket of his khakis and pulls out a cellphone. He taps a contact and places the phone to his ear*

"He's ready."

[davell]

We all know its a BS answer when it comes to KB. My guess is the FO has fun coming up with stupid excuses. But the bottom line is they can't really talk about service time and [expletive].

[sneakypower]

Cubs have just 2 players with over 100 PA with better than a .315 OBP

 

outside of Rizzo & Valbuena, team OBP is .275

[d_money]

Sullivan did a piece on Soler today. He might be one of those guys that's always nursing an injury. I forgot about his size...6'4 and 240...what a load.

[KaiserCesar]

Going into the season, I thought the Cubs' medium-term problem was a lack of elite talent which would require all eight starting positions as well as the bench to be at least solid contributors. After glancing at the fWAR totals so far this year, it looks to be the opposite situation.

 

The Cubs have their fair share of top players with Rizzo as the 16th best position player, Valbuena in the mid 30's and Castro giving them a 3rd in the top 90. However, beyond that, you have 1 player in the 90-180 range (Bonifacio) and 2 in the 180-270 (Castillo and Ruggiano). If you don't count the pitchers, Lake is the only other positive player, not even leaving the Cubs 8 positive fWAR position players.

 

From this perspective, the major league team is actually in a very good position to be improved by graduating prospects in the upper minors. Elite production from Baez, Bryant and Soler would be a huge plus, but Rizzo and Valbuena's emergence makes contending with a few additional average contributors a reality. It also makes free agency a much more viable solution to filling the needs of the team.

[Backtobanks]

Going into the season, I thought the Cubs' medium-term problem was a lack of elite talent which would require all eight starting positions as well as the bench to be at least solid contributors. After glancing at the fWAR totals so far this year, it looks to be the opposite situation.

 

The Cubs have their fair share of top players with Rizzo as the 16th best position player, Valbuena in the mid 30's and Castro giving them a 3rd in the top 90. However, beyond that, you have 1 player in the 90-180 range (Bonifacio) and 2 in the 180-270 (Castillo and Ruggiano). If you don't count the pitchers, Lake is the only other positive player, not even leaving the Cubs 8 positive fWAR position players.

 

From this perspective, the major league team is actually in a very good position to be improved by graduating prospects in the upper minors. Elite production from Baez, Bryant and Soler would be a huge plus, but Rizzo and Valbuena's emergence makes contending with a few additional average contributors a reality. It also makes free agency a much more viable solution to filling the needs of the team.

 

I wouldn't count Bonifacio or Ruggiano to be contributors next season. Bonifacio is a prime trade candidate and Ruggiano is his year's Schierholtz.

[Andy]

Going into the season, I thought the Cubs' medium-term problem was a lack of elite talent which would require all eight starting positions as well as the bench to be at least solid contributors. After glancing at the fWAR totals so far this year, it looks to be the opposite situation.

 

The Cubs have their fair share of top players with Rizzo as the 16th best position player, Valbuena in the mid 30's and Castro giving them a 3rd in the top 90. However, beyond that, you have 1 player in the 90-180 range (Bonifacio) and 2 in the 180-270 (Castillo and Ruggiano). If you don't count the pitchers, Lake is the only other positive player, not even leaving the Cubs 8 positive fWAR position players.

 

From this perspective, the major league team is actually in a very good position to be improved by graduating prospects in the upper minors. Elite production from Baez, Bryant and Soler would be a huge plus, but Rizzo and Valbuena's emergence makes contending with a few additional average contributors a reality. It also makes free agency a much more viable solution to filling the needs of the team.

 

I wouldn't count Bonifacio or Ruggiano to be contributors next season. Bonifacio is a prime trade candidate and Ruggiano is his year's Schierholtz.

Bonifacio might be out until close to if not past the all-star break, so if he was a trade candidate he probably won't be now.

[KaiserCesar]

Going into the season, I thought the Cubs' medium-term problem was a lack of elite talent which would require all eight starting positions as well as the bench to be at least solid contributors. After glancing at the fWAR totals so far this year, it looks to be the opposite situation.

 

The Cubs have their fair share of top players with Rizzo as the 16th best position player, Valbuena in the mid 30's and Castro giving them a 3rd in the top 90. However, beyond that, you have 1 player in the 90-180 range (Bonifacio) and 2 in the 180-270 (Castillo and Ruggiano). If you don't count the pitchers, Lake is the only other positive player, not even leaving the Cubs 8 positive fWAR position players.

 

From this perspective, the major league team is actually in a very good position to be improved by graduating prospects in the upper minors. Elite production from Baez, Bryant and Soler would be a huge plus, but Rizzo and Valbuena's emergence makes contending with a few additional average contributors a reality. It also makes free agency a much more viable solution to filling the needs of the team.

 

I wouldn't count Bonifacio or Ruggiano to be contributors next season. Bonifacio is a prime trade candidate and Ruggiano is his year's Schierholtz.

 

I wouldn't, either, but they haven't been huge contributors this year, anyway. Their place among the Cubs' top performers underscores the need for more players who can play at an average level at least.

[Guest]

Going into the season, I thought the Cubs' medium-term problem was a lack of elite talent which would require all eight starting positions as well as the bench to be at least solid contributors. After glancing at the fWAR totals so far this year, it looks to be the opposite situation.

 

The Cubs have their fair share of top players with Rizzo as the 16th best position player, Valbuena in the mid 30's and Castro giving them a 3rd in the top 90. However, beyond that, you have 1 player in the 90-180 range (Bonifacio) and 2 in the 180-270 (Castillo and Ruggiano). If you don't count the pitchers, Lake is the only other positive player, not even leaving the Cubs 8 positive fWAR position players.

 

From this perspective, the major league team is actually in a very good position to be improved by graduating prospects in the upper minors. Elite production from Baez, Bryant and Soler would be a huge plus, but Rizzo and Valbuena's emergence makes contending with a few additional average contributors a reality. It also makes free agency a much more viable solution to filling the needs of the team.

 

I wouldn't count Bonifacio or Ruggiano to be contributors next season. Bonifacio is a prime trade candidate and Ruggiano is his year's Schierholtz.

 

Seems you completely missed the point of his post.

[imb]

Going into the season, I thought the Cubs' medium-term problem was a lack of elite talent which would require all eight starting positions as well as the bench to be at least solid contributors. After glancing at the fWAR totals so far this year, it looks to be the opposite situation.

 

The Cubs have their fair share of top players with Rizzo as the 16th best position player, Valbuena in the mid 30's and Castro giving them a 3rd in the top 90. However, beyond that, you have 1 player in the 90-180 range (Bonifacio) and 2 in the 180-270 (Castillo and Ruggiano). If you don't count the pitchers, Lake is the only other positive player, not even leaving the Cubs 8 positive fWAR position players.

 

From this perspective, the major league team is actually in a very good position to be improved by graduating prospects in the upper minors. Elite production from Baez, Bryant and Soler would be a huge plus, but Rizzo and Valbuena's emergence makes contending with a few additional average contributors a reality. It also makes free agency a much more viable solution to filling the needs of the team.

 

I wouldn't count Bonifacio or Ruggiano to be contributors next season. Bonifacio is a prime trade candidate and Ruggiano is his year's Schierholtz.

 

Seems you completely missed the point of his post.

 

lol imagine that

[Guest]

Theo is gonna be on with Spiegel and Abbatacola on the Score at noon.

[Guest]

Maybe I just totally forgot it, but I don't think I knew that Rizzo spent the winter working out with Joey Votto.

[apete6]

Theo is gonna be on with Spiegel and Abbatacola on the Score at noon.

 

Sounds great overall, but he definitely went heavy on the business plan issues and that he knows people are tired of hearing about it, but that it's a reality.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Theo is gonna be on with Spiegel and Abbatacola on the Score at noon.

 

Sounds great overall, but he definitely went heavy on the business plan issues and that he knows people are tired of hearing about it, but that it's a reality.

 

Winners win, Theo.