2014 Roster Discussion

[Guest]

I don't like hammel at all.

[CubsWin]

I don't like hammel at all.

Rockies - 2009 overall 4.33 ERA, 1.387 WHIP, Away from Coors 3.13 ERA, 1.189 WHIP

Rockies - 2010 it was the reverse. He was terrible on the road. Go figure.

Rockies - 2011 overall 4.76 ERA, 1.426 WHIP. Away from Coors 4.28 ERA, 1.321 WHIP.

 

The rest of career was spent pitching in the AL East. Typically coming from the AL to the NL leads to statistical improvement for a pitcher. He's not great, but as a 5th starter who will be 31 until September, he's a maybe.

[North]

I don't like hammel at all.

Rockies - 2009 overall 4.33 ERA, 1.387 WHIP, Away from Coors 3.13 ERA, 1.189 WHIP

Rockies - 2010 it was the reverse. He was terrible on the road. Go figure.

Rockies - 2011 overall 4.76 ERA, 1.426 WHIP. Away from Coors 4.28 ERA, 1.321 WHIP.

 

The rest of career was spent pitching in the AL East. Typically coming from the AL to the NL leads to statistical improvement for a pitcher. He's not great, but as a 5th starter who will be 31 until September, he's a maybe.

 

Yep. I'd actually expect a Hammel acquisition if the team doesn't land Tanaka. I wouldn't mind it either. I'm not sure what to think of Hammel because of his year to year fluctuations in hit outcomes and swinging strike fluctuations. One year he draws 50% grounders, the next he's drawing 15% IFBs, and then his K/9 doubles and gets cut down significantly the following year. I don't get him. He's had prior success in a large sample, and prior failures in large samples. Perhaps better coaching can help him improve.

[CubsWin]

I don't like hammel at all.

Rockies - 2009 overall 4.33 ERA, 1.387 WHIP, Away from Coors 3.13 ERA, 1.189 WHIP

Rockies - 2010 it was the reverse. He was terrible on the road. Go figure.

Rockies - 2011 overall 4.76 ERA, 1.426 WHIP. Away from Coors 4.28 ERA, 1.321 WHIP.

 

The rest of career was spent pitching in the AL East. Typically coming from the AL to the NL leads to statistical improvement for a pitcher. He's not great, but as a 5th starter who will be 31 until September, he's a maybe.

 

Yep. I'd actually expect a Hammel acquisition if the team doesn't land Tanaka. I wouldn't mind it either. I'm not sure what to think of Hammel because of his year to year fluctuations in hit outcomes and swinging strike fluctuations. One year he draws 50% grounders, the next he's drawing 15% IFBs, and then his K/9 doubles and gets cut down significantly the following year. I don't get him. He's had prior success in a large sample, and prior failures in large samples. Perhaps better coaching can help him improve.

Well, Bosio has done it the last two years in a row. Hammel doesn't strike me as a guy who would improve enough to be flippable at the deadline for very much, but who knows. Certainly for what he is likely to cost, it wouldn't be a bad gamble to take.

 

That said, I'll forgo signing Hammel if it means getting the other guy...

 

Signing deadline is exactly three weeks away. Come on, Theo, work your magic and beat the odds.

[CubsWin]

To date, there have been no additions to the Cubs roster that are likely to impact 2015. Wright will be arb eligible. Veres has a club option for 2015 which only makes him more flippable, and even if he does stick around, his "impact" will be slight. In the grand scheme, this off season has done nothing to further the rebuild. And yet, 2014 can still be the year the rebuild takes it's largest leaps forward.

 

Seeing how Baez, Bryant, Almora, Soler, Johnson, Edwards and Alcantara all progress or don't progress will affect how Theo & Co. approach 2015 more than anything. But there are more questions that will be answered, important ones in there own right. Castro and Rizzo. Olt and Arrieta. Sweeney and Lake. Grimm and Rondon. Vizcaino and Hendricks. That's 17 players who could either be playing for the Cubs in 2015 or solidify the front office's confidence that they will be key contributors shortly thereafter.

 

So despite all my disappointment in this off season to date, would it have been wise for the Cubs to do more than they have (outside of possibly shoring up the back end of the rotation with guys like Hammel and Baker) with so many wait-and-see questions yet to be answered?

[Ryne Ween]

Yea we need another 60 win season to evaluate the progress of 8 prospects.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Yea we need another 60 win season to evaluate the progress of 8 prospects.

 

Well, if those guys progress, we'll need good baseball players to help us win more games.

 

And if they don't, we'll need good baseball players to help us win more games.

 

You can see how waiting is crucial given that dichotomy.

[jersey cubs fan]

So despite all my disappointment in this off season to date, would it have been wise for the Cubs to do more than they have (outside of possibly shoring up the back end of the rotation with guys like Hammel and Baker) with so many wait-and-see questions yet to be answered?

 

My answer to that question is yes, it would have been wise to try and do more to make the 2014 roster better.

[SouthSideRyan]

Yea we need another 60 win season to evaluate the progress of 8 prospects.

 

Well, if those guys progress, we'll need good baseball players to help us win more games.

 

And if they don't, we'll need good baseball players to help us win more games.

 

You can see how waiting is crucial given that dichotomy.

 

Nah, if they don't progress then we should probably hold off on making the same spending spree mistake we did last offseason.

[davell]

Ricketts , may in fact, be [expletive] brilliant. He's effectively lowered expectations to the point that we're [expletive] happy with ANYTHING. I know SSR was being facetious about the "spending spree" but it's legitimately mentioned as such by the media and it seems quite a few actually look at it as such.

 

Seriously, I hope someone tears them a new [expletive] at their session.

[jersey cubs fan]

we're [expletive] happy with ANYTHING.

 

we all aren't

[davell]

we're [expletive] happy with ANYTHING.

 

we all aren't

The vast, vast majority. We've certainly been on different sides of the rebuild debate, but when it began....I was under the impression it was the choice of the FO and that money would be there when needed. If money is THIS tight, it wasn't a choice, it was a necessity. And the lack of spending a dime on the Arizona complex and the lack of movement with the renovations(which could even be a planned stall, for all we know) truly makes me question Ricketts long term. Not just now.

[treebird]

Ricketts , may in fact, be [expletive] brilliant. He's effectively lowered expectations to the point that we're [expletive] happy with ANYTHING. I know SSR was being facetious about the "spending spree" but it's legitimately mentioned as such by the media and it seems quite a few actually look at it as such.

 

Seriously, I hope someone tears them a new [expletive] at their session.

 

everyone is so happy with the team that attendance is the lowest in fifteen years, we can't find anyone who wants to bother putting the games on the radio, and wgn is going to broadcast games on tv in 2015 despite paying the cubs in corner gas dvds.

 

MASTER TACTICIAN

[davell]

Ricketts , may in fact, be [expletive] brilliant. He's effectively lowered expectations to the point that we're [expletive] happy with ANYTHING. I know SSR was being facetious about the "spending spree" but it's legitimately mentioned as such by the media and it seems quite a few actually look at it as such.

 

Seriously, I hope someone tears them a new [expletive] at their session.

 

everyone is so happy with the team that attendance is the lowest in fifteen years, we can't find anyone who wants to bother putting the games on the radio, and wgn is going to broadcast games on tv in 2015 despite paying the cubs in corner gas dvds.

 

MASTER TACTICIAN

He's making money.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Ricketts , may in fact, be [expletive] brilliant. He's effectively lowered expectations to the point that we're [expletive] happy with ANYTHING. I know SSR was being facetious about the "spending spree" but it's legitimately mentioned as such by the media and it seems quite a few actually look at it as such.

 

Seriously, I hope someone tears them a new [expletive] at their session.

 

everyone is so happy with the team that attendance is the lowest in fifteen years, we can't find anyone who wants to bother putting the games on the radio, and wgn is going to broadcast games on tv in 2015 despite paying the cubs in corner gas dvds.

 

MASTER TACTICIAN

 

Underrated Canadian comedies are the new market inefficiency.

[CubsWin]

So despite all my disappointment in this off season to date, would it have been wise for the Cubs to do more than they have (outside of possibly shoring up the back end of the rotation with guys like Hammel and Baker) with so many wait-and-see questions yet to be answered?

 

My answer to that question is yes, it would have been wise to try and do more to make the 2014 roster better.

So who do you sign and why?

[SouthSideRyan]

So despite all my disappointment in this off season to date, would it have been wise for the Cubs to do more than they have (outside of possibly shoring up the back end of the rotation with guys like Hammel and Baker) with so many wait-and-see questions yet to be answered?

 

My answer to that question is yes, it would have been wise to try and do more to make the 2014 roster better.

So who do you sign and why?

 

Ellsbury and one of a host of starting pitchers who aren't Scott Baker or some other such rehab/flier [expletive]. Because they're good players.

[Ryne Ween]

I want to be actively watching games and looking at the division standings at least into July. It would be wise for them to try to make that happen./

[Guest]

I'm pretty sure they'll add a SP, either Tanaka or someone further down the totem pole from him, but I do really want to see them add another OF. San Diego is still looking for relief help, right? Wouldn't Russell for Kyle Blanks make a good bit of sense?

[Guest]

I'm pretty sure they'll add a SP, either Tanaka or someone further down the totem pole from him, but I do really want to see them add another OF. San Diego is still looking for relief help, right? Wouldn't Russell for Kyle Blanks make a good bit of sense?

 

You're gonna have to do a hell of a TT sell job on this one.

 

Not so much the trading Russell for him part...the wanting him at all part.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'd like to see the TT sell job on oh well we missed on Tanaka, BUT we are getting Scott Baker again

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Yeah, Kyle Blanks? the [expletive]?

[Guest]

I'd like to see the TT sell job on oh well we missed on Tanaka, BUT we are getting Scott Baker again

 

I'd much rather not see that one.

[Guest]

Blanks has a good pedigree, is prime aged, and has big power, so if he pans out there's legitimate upside to be gained by adding him. He hasn't been given an extended shot at the MLB level, but even then his career line is fine for a backup OF, and he hasn't been disproportionately shielded from RHP(nor does he have much of a platoon split). Getting him away from 100 games per year in SD/SF/LAD can't hurt either, and Hoyer would have some first hand knowledge of if he's a good breakout candidate. He's been a plus fielder in LF and 1B(giving him a few ABs on the rare day Rizzo needs off), which is fine because there's already 3 guys who can play CF and 4 who can play RF on the roster.

 

Blanks wouldn't be counted on for every day at bats, but he fits the roster pretty well, has set a higher baseline than a lot of 5th OF candidates and has the ability to step into a greater role if he outperforms other options. I don't think there's much out there to be had in the way of starting caliber OF that aren't way overpriced(Cruz, Morales) or not available at the price the Cubs can or should pay(most trade targets). Blanks, like Ruggiano, is depth with promise, and should be available.

[Guest]

I'd like to see the TT sell job on oh well we missed on Tanaka, BUT we are getting Scott Baker again

 

That's more prediction than hope. I guess they could be in on Ubaldo or Garza, but I don't think it's that likely. There's a reason my Plan B for Tanaka was "there is no Plan B" back in the Plan the Offseason thread.