Random Cubs Musings

[Guest]

As for Kris Bryant, Epstein said, "Maybe you've heard of him..." which drew a laugh from the crowd. One interesting thing I noted is that he said he expects Bryant to spend most of the season with the Cubs. Most of the season. Translation: they will call him up when they are assured of retaining that one year of cost control, which should be late April to early May. Another thing to note, Epstein talked about being impressed with Bryant's defense in the OF when scouting him in college, saying that he even played CF proficiently at that level, though not good enough for the majors at that position. The subject came up when Epstein was asked how he was going to fit Castro, Baez, Bryant, and Addison Russell in the same infield.

 

As for Addison Russell, Epstein reiterated that he is a true SS but that they have already approached him about taking reps at 2B and 3B, which of course, Russell is willing to do.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2014/10/that-is-soooo-cub-and-thats-a-good-thing/

[DiamondMind]

Baez loses a ton of value if he's moved from 2B to the OF

[Guest]

Baez loses a ton of value if he's moved from 2B to the OF

 

where did you get baez to the OF?

 

because russell will take 2B reps?

[Cubswin11]

Baez loses a ton of value if he's moved from 2B to the OF

He also loses a ton of value if he keeps doing what he does at the plate

[XZero771679666304]

Baez loses a ton of value if he's moved from 2B to the OF

He also loses a ton of value if he keeps doing what he does at the plate

 

And he'd lose even more if he were doing it as an outfielder.

[Guest]

just gonna leave this here

 

[treebird]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

hopefully someday the cubs get a clutch power hitter instead of that scrub

[Splendid Splinter]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

hopefully someday the cubs get a clutch power hitter instead of that scrub

 

 

Like this guy?

 

[Guest]

holy [expletive]

 

agony had 3 HR in the nlcs and a 1.000+ ops. i did not remember that. crazy how differently he's remembered if he handles one ball cleanly.

[Guest]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

this would go down as an iconic baseball moment if the cubs had won the world series (and that game). same with wood's home run in game 7. instead they're almost completely forgotten. :(

[Guest]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

this would go down as an iconic baseball moment if the cubs had won the world series (and that game). same with wood's home run in game 7. instead they're almost completely forgotten. :(

 

lenny harris man

[SouthSideRyan]

holy [expletive]

 

agony had 3 HR in the nlcs and a 1.000+ ops. i did not remember that. crazy how differently he's remembered if he handles one ball cleanly.

 

He was set to be NLCS MVP

[Sammys Boombox]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

this would go down as an iconic baseball moment if the cubs had won the world series (and that game). same with wood's home run in game 7. instead they're almost completely forgotten. :(

 

Wood's HR is my single favorite sports play ever.

[Derwood]

That extra year of cost control is meaningless if they do the right thing and lock Bryant up before the arbitration years kick in

[XZero771679666304]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

hopefully someday the cubs get a clutch power hitter instead of that scrub

 

No kidding. That bum only hit meaningless homers.

[MSG T]

doug dascenzo is one of those cubs names that i inexplicably know since i didn't really follow baseball until 1995. i can totally picture harry saying his name.

 

i did own some baseball cards when i was younger and maybe i had his and thought it was cool since he was on chicago.

 

I was at this game and hung around to watch Dascenzo throw the 9th for the Cubs.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN199107020.shtml

He actually pitched a couple of times and the season after this he showed up to pitchers meetings at spring training.

 

 

IIRC, he had a 2 inning stint earlier that year.

[Gilby]

That extra year of cost control is meaningless if they do the right thing and lock Bryant up before the arbitration years kick in

 

The player has to agree to such a deal as well. There aren't many minor leaguers who earn as much money as Bryant has thus far through his signing bonus and Adidas sponsorship. Throw in Boras and he seems like the type who doesn't need to take the team friendly deal early.

[Guest]

ASGs are used as carrots to get cities, counties and states to pay for a new stadium or renovation. Cubs are doing the renovations on their own. I would not be surprised if Wrigley still does not host an ASG in the next decade plus.

 

Of course, they could always get one just because it has been forever, but all of the cities fronting money will be taken care of first.

 

Patrick Mooney ‏@CSNMooney 3h3 hours ago

Ricketts: "Hopefully we'll have an announcement at some point that brings an All-Star Game to Wrigley Field" once renovations are complete.

 

Looks like they're still trying for one, at least.

[Fro]

Here's the NL teams that haven't hosted since the Cubs last did:

Washington (new park, definitely will get a game)

Miami (new park, franchise never has had an All-Star game but LOL fanbase)

Dodgers (way back in 1980)

 

The Phillies and Padres have newish ballparks where they haven't hosted an All-Star game, but they've hosted since Wrigley has at their old parks. The Braves will have their brand-new park in 2017 but they hosted in 2000.

 

So I think the Cubs are due in 2019, 2021, or 2023 (at the latest).

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

imagine the HR derby at petco

[Guest]

Theo on Manny:

 

Manny Ramirez was not added to the Cubs coaching staff for next season, but his tenure with the Cubs organization may not be over yet. During the On Deck 2015, Theo Epstein was asked about Manny Ramirez’s future with the Cubs.

“Manny, I think surprised a lot of people out there with the work he did, the attitude and just how he’s turned his life around,” Epstein said. “I am happy for Manny [Ramirez] as a person that he’s found peace. It’s genuine desire on his part to invest in young people and make sure they don’t make the same mistakes he made and to help them on the field. You have to see it to believe it. But he showed up every day and I think he made believers out of every one who was around him. So I am happy for him and selfishly happy for the Cubs because we were able to benefit.”

“Manny has a great relationship with the Cubs. He says he doesn’t want to work or play anywhere else. This is his organization now [Ramirez’s words] and it’s really up to him. If Manny decides he wants to keep playing we’ll find a way to have him around Spring Training. If Manny wants to coach then we’re going to make a spot for him. Manny also has a family at home. I’m not sure if he is ready to commit to anything full-time. We will see where that goes. We just left it open-ended where he knows we want him around our young hitters as much as we can possibly have him. And we know when he is ready to get away from home and make contributions to baseball it’s going to be in a Chicago Cubs uniform. I am excited to see what the future brings along those lines.”

 

http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2014/10/daily-cco-kyle-schwarber-catching-full-time-cubs-willing-make-spot-staff-manny-ramirez.php#.VDnlM_ldWVA

[d_money]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

hopefully someday the cubs get a clutch power hitter instead of that scrub

 

 

Like this guy?

 

I love watching that

[rawaction]

just gonna leave this here

 

 

hopefully someday the cubs get a clutch power hitter instead of that scrub

 

 

Like this guy?

 

I love watching that

 

Hahaha 490 ft to straight away left.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

still the best hr in history

[KingCubsFan]

This is so meatball-ish but I love it anyway:

 

But the most fun for me was when Epstein had a couple of anecdotes to tell at the end of his presentation. His demeanor changed from restrained giddiness to one of pride. The first one was at the end of year meetings. The meetings ended with Rizzo saying that, "It's time to win". After the meetings were over, he noted that a group of players had congregated and were talking about winning next season, about how they were going to prepare physically, what adjustments they were going to make, and admonishing each other that this is getting serious and that "nobody better goof off this offseason".

 

The second anecdote is that the young players at instructs have a very different perception of what it means to be a Cub than the national media. They use the word not as a symbol of the "lovable loser" but as a symbol of excellence. Upon a player not running hard to first, one player shouted, "Hey, that's not Cub!"

 

And by the same token, when a player made a spectacular defensive play to end an intrasquad ballgame, the cheer was, "That was Cub right there!!"