Who do we trade and what do we expect in return?

[Castros trade value]

Forget next year, after today the Cubs could be 7 back in the loss column for the final WC. :stickman:

 

 

I want so badly for the Cubs to go on some little hot streak and force everyone to notice that they are only like 6.5 games out of the second WC or something. I doubt they could get any closer than that, but I want some sort of buzz to replace the "well, we can't possibly win before 2016" mantra.

 

That's what I want as well. Could you imagine if the Cubs were like 3 back heading into Sept with a bunch of kids on the roster?

[Guest]

We have a lot of money to spend and have shown ourselves at being fairly adept at navigating the mid-level FA market. We'll find out who is going to hit. They don't have to already be in place.

 

And some of them are

 

To the tune of an about league average offense (8th in wOBA 9th in R) and that's WITH fairly to hugely disappointing seasons out of Rizzo and Castro.

 

I don't understand why so many people think this team is so much worse than it is. It's not bereft of talent.

 

well before it was OMG WE'LL NEVER BE GOOD WITH SORIANO'S BURDEN OF A CONTRACT COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE TEAM, so now it has to be something else.

 

 

How did you get to that abuck? I was referring to the offensive players likely to be on the team. Rizzo, Castro, Castillo look like they can be starters but not stars. Is a league average offense good enough to win the world series - probably considering last year's result but the cubs pitching is also good but not dominant. I don't think you can fall back on a good bullpen and they are .500. The Cubs are a slightly below .500 team right now - where is the talent for 12 more wins coming from in the next two years?

[jersey cubs fan]

Forget next year, after today the Cubs could be 7 back in the loss column for the final WC. :stickman:

 

 

I want so badly for the Cubs to go on some little hot streak and force everyone to notice that they are only like 6.5 games out of the second WC or something. I doubt they could get any closer than that, but I want some sort of buzz to replace the "well, we can't possibly win before 2016" mantra.

 

A Cubs fan that wants his team to win games and be in contention for a playoff spot, how crazy.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I don't think you can fall back on a good bullpen and they are .500. The Cubs are a slightly below .500 team right now - where is the talent for 12 more wins coming from in the next two years?

 

Free agency, trades, internal improvement.

 

Was that a real question?

[abuck1220]

We have a lot of money to spend and have shown ourselves at being fairly adept at navigating the mid-level FA market. We'll find out who is going to hit. They don't have to already be in place.

 

And some of them are

 

To the tune of an about league average offense (8th in wOBA 9th in R) and that's WITH fairly to hugely disappointing seasons out of Rizzo and Castro.

 

I don't understand why so many people think this team is so much worse than it is. It's not bereft of talent.

 

well before it was OMG WE'LL NEVER BE GOOD WITH SORIANO'S BURDEN OF A CONTRACT COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE TEAM, so now it has to be something else.

 

 

How did you get to that abuck? I was referring to the offensive players likely to be on the team. Rizzo, Castro, Castillo look like they can be starters but not stars. Is a league average offense good enough to win the world series - probably considering last year's result but the cubs pitching is also good but not dominant. I don't think you can fall back on a good bullpen and they are .500. The Cubs are a slightly below .500 team right now - where is the talent for 12 more wins coming from in the next two years?

 

how many years do you think it takes to add 12 wins to the previous year's total?

[Little Slide Rooter]

@Buster_ESPN: Cubs may also be a destination for Ian Kennedy -- along with the Padres/Angels, as @SteveGilbertMLB. But probably won't happen with SD.

 

What would it take? If it's salary relief they want, we just saved a nice chunk of change on Soriano. As far as player/prospect return, we certainly have more moveable assets than the Angels.

[Guest]

The Cubs are a slightly below .500 team right now - where is the talent for 12 more wins coming from in the next two years?

 

http://i.imgur.com/LTmNuo2.png

[mookie]

I always have liked Daniel Hudson more than Kennedy, so I wouldn't want to give up too much for the guy.

[Guest]

The Cubs are a slightly below .500 team right now - where is the talent for 12 more wins coming from in the next two years?

 

http://i.imgur.com/LTmNuo2.png

 

 

yes, yes, I agree it can be done. Where is it coming from? Luck? Rizzo is probably at his permanent level. Castro you can hope will be better. Who else are they adding? The point is not that they can't win, its that trading shark might be the better path to get there than keeping him.

[mookie]

HOLY [expletive]!

 

Rizzo is peaking RIGHT NOW

[KingCubsFan]

@Buster_ESPN: Cubs may also be a destination for Ian Kennedy -- along with the Padres/Angels, as @SteveGilbertMLB. But probably won't happen with SD.

 

What would it take? If it's salary relief they want, we just saved a nice chunk of change on Soriano. As far as player/prospect return, we certainly have more moveable assets than the Angels.

I like these types of moves. Similar to when MacPhail picked up Rondell White at the deadline when the team was out of it. I'd like to see them go after Tommy Hanson too.

[Guest]

Rizzo is 23 and hasn't hit last year's level of productivity, he's hardly plateaued. Same for Castro who is still pre-prime as well.

 

Those two will be the biggest drivers, but you can add players of importance in the offseason to help take some of the burden off Castro/Rizzo. There's FAs like Ellsbury, Choo, or even Cano if you wanted to cast your lot there. The farm system is to the point where you could put together a package for Stanton and still have pieces left over. It's not a difficult argument to make that the Cubs are a non-disastrous bullpen and/or bad scheduling luck from being an 80 win team this year. The incremental wins get more difficult to find, but it's not such a task that you need to trade away your best pitcher who's under control(cheaply!) for several seasons.

[jersey cubs fan]

Rizzo is probably at his permanent level.

 

Based on what?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Rizzo is probably at his permanent level.

 

You wanna take a mulligan on that one?

[Guest]

@Buster_ESPN: Cubs may also be a destination for Ian Kennedy -- along with the Padres/Angels, as @SteveGilbertMLB. But probably won't happen with SD.

 

What would it take? If it's salary relief they want, we just saved a nice chunk of change on Soriano. As far as player/prospect return, we certainly have more moveable assets than the Angels.

 

Kennedy is pretty interesting as a buy-low candidate. He'd essentially eliminate the need for next year's Feldman/Maholm, he has a little better ceiling than that type of pitcher, and he's under team control for an additional year. On the downside, he'll be paid like the Feldman/Maholm already, so the prospect cost needs to reflect only the team control for '15 and that difference in ceiling, with maybe a little bit of consideration to the strength of the FA SP market built in.

 

Towers is a lunatic so I have no idea what the cost would be, but Kennedy seems like a good addition as long as the return wasn't overboard and compromised the ability to make future additions via trade.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Kennedy feels like one of those guys that Bosio could coax a few more ground balls out of.

[Guest]

Rizzo is probably at his permanent level.

 

Based on what?

 

 

Most of the reports I've read on him pegged him about this level. Hopefully he'll get better but anyone expecting a superstar may be a bit optimistic. He's having a decent season. I'm not sure why there is any reason to think last year's level is his true level as opposed to this year's. Age is a positive but doesn't guarantee anything. I'm encouraged that Castro seems more selective but discouraged at the weak contact he generates in hitter's counts. So if you look for them to peak, is that next year? Two years?

 

To me, the problem is the lack of talent in the upper minors. The Cubs need to improve 5 positions - who is going to play OF? Who is going to play 2b? Alcantara? Olt at 3b? If and when are they productive? What is the rotation? Who is in the bullpen? A lot of holes to fill.

[mookie]

R.I.P. Rizzo

[Guest]

Kennedy feels like one of those guys that Bosio could coax a few more ground balls out of.

 

Olney, ABTY, and now Arguello all seem to think there's some smoke here, at least now we have something interesting instead of wondering if Schierholtz will still be here.

 

They also agree that Towers is trying to clear up money to trade for Peavy, which is just the most Kevin Towers thing that could ever be.

[Warpticon]

Rizzo is probably at his permanent level.

 

Based on what?

 

 

Most of the reports I've read on him pegged him about this level. Hopefully he'll get better but anyone expecting a superstar may be a bit optimistic. He's having a decent season. I'm not sure why there is any reason to think last year's level is his true level as opposed to this year's. Age is a positive but doesn't guarantee anything. I'm encouraged that Castro seems more selective but discouraged at the weak contact he generates in hitter's counts. So if you look for them to peak, is that next year? Two years?

 

To me, the problem is the lack of talent in the upper minors. The Cubs need to improve 5 positions - who is going to play OF? Who is going to play 2b? Alcantara? Olt at 3b? If and when are they productive? What is the rotation? Who is in the bullpen? A lot of holes to fill.

 

Maybe you shouldn't be reading baseball player projections from public bathroom walls?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

"I don't know who is going to play X" is not the same as "they can't possibly get anybody good to play X."

[Little Slide Rooter]

Kennedy feels like one of those guys that Bosio could coax a few more ground balls out of.

 

Olney, ABTY, and now Arguello all seem to think there's some smoke here, at least now we have something interesting instead of wondering if Schierholtz will still be here.

 

They also agree that Towers is trying to clear up money to trade for Peavy, which is just the most Kevin Towers thing that could ever be.

 

@SteveGilbertMLB: #Dbacks Gibson: I think right now our starting pitching isn’t really set, our bullpen is in somewhat flux, we’ve got too many outfielders.

 

If it's relievers they seek, I'd send them Gregg and Russell plus whatever cash they need. I know Russell's a valuable asset going forward, but this is a risk worth taking, and we could still potentially go after Price in the offseason. Price-Kennedy-Shark-Jackson-Wood would be ten different kinds of awesom.

[THISisTHEyear09]

Avisail Garcia was removed from Toledo's game tonight. Speculation is he is involved in a deal. Maybe Russel/Barney? Would that be a good deal? I don't know much about Garcia

[Guest]

Avisail Garcia was removed from Toledo's game tonight. Speculation is he is involved in a deal. Maybe Russel/Barney? Would that be a good deal? I don't know much about Garcia

I'd rather take a flier an a rookie level pitcher.

[Guancous]

Rizzo is probably at his permanent level.

 

Based on what?

 

 

Most of the reports I've read on him pegged him about this level.

 

Yeah, check out stories like http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/is-anthony-rizzo-the-best-fantasy-first-baseman-going-forward/ or http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/cubs-get-a-steal-with-anthony-rizzo-again/.

 

Maybe he is referring to this guy.