Random Cubs Musings: Minor League Edition

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I've seen those. Those are the same sort of fan reports that get people believing Vogelbach can play LF or that we have like five guys who can play MLB above-average defense in CF.

 

I haven't personally scouted him or anything, but I'm sticking with the evaluation we had going into the season: Probably going to outgrow 3b and not athletic enough to handle it consistently at a big-league level.

[Guest]

Bryant is way more likely to play 3b in the majors than Candelario.

Why is that exactly?

 

Both more advanced and more athletic. Candelario is barely hanging on at 3b as it is.

Candelario has gotten very solid reviews at 3B this year. Extremely likely he'll be able to stick there now. While Bryant will certainly start his career there, not even McLeod would come out and say they expect him to be there for long.

 

Bryant is way more likely to play 3B in the majors simply by virtue of the fact that he's far more likely to make it to the majors.

 

And McLeod didn't exactly say he wouldn't be there for long. Leaving it open down the road, maybe.

 

“We do think that in the immediate future he’s going to play third base for quite awhile,” said Jason McLeod, the senior vice president of scouting and player development. “If there’s a time that comes down the road where he continues to grow or continues to get a little stronger and we feel that a move may be necessary, then we’ll deal with it.

[Guest]

I've seen those. Those are the same sort of fan reports that get people believing Vogelbach can play LF or that we have like five guys who can play MLB above-average defense in CF.

 

I haven't personally scouted him or anything, but I'm sticking with the evaluation we had going into the season: Probably going to outgrow 3b and not athletic enough to handle it consistently at a big-league level.

 

No they aren't.

[Guest]

No. He's not.

 

Yes, he is.

[jersey cubs fan]

Seems to me that Candelario is less likely to play 3B in the majors because he is not likely to play in the majors, no?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Seems to me that Candelario is less likely to play 3B in the majors because he is not likely to play in the majors, no?

 

Yes, but even in the context of one of those silly fantasy lineups, I'd put Candelario in LF and Bryant at 3b if they are both being presumed to make it.

[Guest]

Seems to me that Candelario is less likely to play 3B in the majors because he is not likely to play in the majors, no?

 

Yep.

[Guest]

Seems to me that Candelario is less likely to play 3B in the majors because he is not likely to play in the majors, no?

 

Yes, but even in the context of one of those silly fantasy lineups, I'd put Candelario in LF and Bryant at 3b if they are both being presumed to make it.

 

Better scenario, Castro at SS, Baez/Bryant at 3B, Bryant/Baez in whatever corner OF spot Soler isn't in.

[davell]

Seems to me that Candelario is less likely to play 3B in the majors because he is not likely to play in the majors, no?

Thats certainly an easier argument to make and one thats much harder to dispute. But thats not the argument Kyle is making.

[Guest]

Seems to me that Candelario is less likely to play 3B in the majors because he is not likely to play in the majors, no?

Thats certainly an easier argument to make and one thats much harder to dispute. But thats not the argument Kyle is making.

 

Well, his first statement was:

 

Bryant is way more likely to play 3b in the majors than Candelario.

 

 

But he did go on to expand that and say that if both made the majors, Candelario (presumably based on defense only) would be more likely to be the LFer of the two.

 

I think that's true but it's far more debatable.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If we're talking about odds, I don't think either is better than 49% to play 3b in the majors.

[Guest]

With the assumption that both hit enough to become major leaguers, I think Bryant is probably more likely to be a 3B than Candelario. That doesn't mean Candelario is "barely hanging on to 3B as it is" though. He'll get bigger as he matures(a good thing, since power is his biggest present deficiency, at least offensively), but whether that means he's forced off the position like Miggy was or stays at 3B with more limited range like Aramis is a more difficult question. Especially in comparison to Bryant, who has his own concerns about sticking at 3B. His chief comp at the moment is Troy Glaus, a guy who was atrocious defensively through his prime and probably should've become a 1B/OF sooner.

[davell]

In the complete grand scheme of things, if I'm betting, I'll say Baez is our longterm 3B, Bryant winds up in LF, and Candelario is dealt once he hits AA.

[Guest]

Especially in comparison to Bryant, who has his own concerns about sticking at 3B. His chief comp at the moment is Troy Glaus, a guy who was atrocious defensively through his prime and probably should've become a 1B/OF sooner.

 

Yeah, but I think that's based more on their hitting than anything defensively. Was he close to being as athletic as Bryant?

[Cubswin11]

Another factor in the Bryant over Candelario at 3B thing is that they will probably be at about the same minor league stage whenever Bryant gets into the system. Easily could see Bryant starting at KC this year and if Candelario is there Bryant is getting priority at 3B and it's very likely both are at A+/AA sometime next year together as well.

 

If Candelario is forced to move off of 3B because of Bryant/Baez or his own inability what is the next logical position, pretty much down to 1B/LF right? Any chance he could play 2B?

Edited June 20, 2013 by Cubswin11

[Guest]

Especially in comparison to Bryant, who has his own concerns about sticking at 3B. His chief comp at the moment is Troy Glaus, a guy who was atrocious defensively through his prime and probably should've become a 1B/OF sooner.

 

Yeah, but I think that's based more on their hitting than anything defensively. Was he close to being as athletic as Bryant?

 

It's based on body type as well: http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000ERYRo4IJZYI/s/600/600/Glaus-Troy3609-4-Goren.jpg

 

Considering Glaus played SS at UCLA, I don't think it's a stretch to say they were considered similar athletically too.

[Guest]

Especially in comparison to Bryant, who has his own concerns about sticking at 3B. His chief comp at the moment is Troy Glaus, a guy who was atrocious defensively through his prime and probably should've become a 1B/OF sooner.

 

Yeah, but I think that's based more on their hitting than anything defensively. Was he close to being as athletic as Bryant?

 

It's based on body type as well: http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000ERYRo4IJZYI/s/600/600/Glaus-Troy3609-4-Goren.jpg

 

Considering Glaus played SS at UCLA, I don't think it's a stretch to say they were considered similar athletically too.

 

I just hate the body type argument because guys that size who are very athletic are inherently extremely rare, so of course you don't see a lot of them play that position at a high level. I don't think the sample size is large enough to say someone isn't likely to play the position well BECAUSE of his height/size.

[mul21]

Especially in comparison to Bryant, who has his own concerns about sticking at 3B. His chief comp at the moment is Troy Glaus, a guy who was atrocious defensively through his prime and probably should've become a 1B/OF sooner.

 

Yeah, but I think that's based more on their hitting than anything defensively. Was he close to being as athletic as Bryant?

 

It's based on body type as well: http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000ERYRo4IJZYI/s/600/600/Glaus-Troy3609-4-Goren.jpg

 

Considering Glaus played SS at UCLA, I don't think it's a stretch to say they were considered similar athletically too.

 

I just hate the body type argument because guys that size who are very athletic are inherently extremely rare, so of course you don't see a lot of them play that position at a high level. I don't think the sample size is large enough to say someone isn't likely to play the position well BECAUSE of his height/size.

 

That and you've got a guy like Scott Rolen, who was about the same size as those guys, and was a great defensive 3B.

[Guest]

Soler's injury is a stress fracture of the tibia

 

@CSNMooney: Cubs say Jorge Soler has a stress fracture (tibia) and will be in a walking boot for the next 4-to-6 weeks.

 

@CSNMooney: Soler obviously out for Futures Game but Cubs don't want to call it a season-ending injury yet.

[ctcf]

Soler's injury is a stress fracture of the tibia

 

@CSNMooney: Cubs say Jorge Soler has a stress fracture (tibia) and will be in a walking boot for the next 4-to-6 weeks.

 

@CSNMooney: Soler obviously out for Futures Game but Cubs don't want to call it a season-ending injury yet.

 

*sob*

[dfnowak]

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have not been impressed with the FO's international signings so far. It's frustrating to see Puig, Ceapedes and Ryu have major league success with other teams while Concepcion has been bad/injured and Soler has been only above average in Daytona so far this year and now injured. Am I being a little premature here and should I continue to be patient?

[ctcf]

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have not been impressed with the FO's international signings so far. It's frustrating to see Puig, Ceapedes and Ryu have major league success with other teams while Concepcion has been bad/injured and Soler has been only above average in Daytona so far this year and now injured. Am I being a little premature here and should I continue to be patient?

 

I think you should take a step back and recognize that all of those players signed out of intense bidding processes where we have little to no idea what went down and what the FO's budget in each instance was. I've also read some reports that Cespedes effectively chose the A's over the Cubs without giving the Cubs another chance to top the A's offer.

[Guest]

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have not been impressed with the FO's international signings so far. It's frustrating to see Puig, Ceapedes and Ryu have major league success with other teams while Concepcion has been bad/injured and Soler has been only above average in Daytona so far this year and now injured. Am I being a little premature here and should I continue to be patient?

 

Soler hasn't only been above average in Daytona. Not if you're looking at the right things. The K and BB rates are extremely promising.

[XZero771679666304]

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have not been impressed with the FO's international signings so far. It's frustrating to see Puig, Ceapedes and Ryu have major league success with other teams while Concepcion has been bad/injured and Soler has been only above average in Daytona so far this year and now injured. Am I being a little premature here and should I continue to be patient?

 

I think you should take a step back and recognize that all of those players signed out of intense bidding processes where we have little to no idea what went down and what the FO's budget in each instance was. I've also read some reports that Cespedes effectively chose the A's over the Cubs without giving the Cubs another chance to top the A's offer.

 

The Concepcion signing definitely looks like real stinker. Missing out on Cespedes stings, and I'm not sure I buy the theory that the Cubs weren't allowed to counter, because that would mean his agent is totally incompetent.

 

But other than that I don't see a problem. I may be all wet on this, but I don't recall the word on Puig being overwhelmingly positive prior to his signing, and that the sentiment was that Soler was a better prospect (and I'm far from convinced he won't end up being the better player long term). Hindsight is 20/20, and at the times the moves were made the only ones that bothered me were missing on Cespedes and Darvish. Knowing the financial constraints the FO was working under, the relatively low (blind, mind you) bid on Darvish becomes more understandable, and all I'm left with is angst over missing on Cespedes and signing Concepcion (which is pretty insignificant in the long run). Ryu I could have taken or left, really.

[jersey cubs fan]

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have not been impressed with the FO's international signings so far. It's frustrating to see Puig, Ceapedes and Ryu have major league success with other teams while Concepcion has been bad/injured and Soler has been only above average in Daytona so far this year and now injured. Am I being a little premature here and should I continue to be patient?

 

I don't see the point in lamenting the Soler signing at this point, but they did F up by not hitting on more international signings when it was the only thing they could do at the time (it being buy international free agents).