2014 Bold Predictions Thread

[Tim]

I'll kick it off with this:

 

Next offseason we will talk about the system being pitcher-heavy.

[Cubswin11]

Vogelbach hits the most HR of all Cubs minor leaguers

 

Candelario takes the biggest step forward outside of the top 4 and starts turning those 2B's into HR's

 

Alcantara is the starting MLB 2B sometime in July/August

 

Blackburn puts up similar numbers to PJ last year, becomes a org top 10 prospect going into next year

 

Maples looks like he may actually become a thing as a SP and pitches most, if not all, of the year healthy in a starting role with good results

 

Olt isn't fixed

 

Hendricks gets bombed in his chance to pitch in MLB and gets put in the AAAA category

 

Villanueva starts more than 30 games at 3B in MLB

[davell]

Paniagua becomes the beast we thought we were getting last year and Jimenez shows why he got such a big bonus.

 

Javy, KB, Hendricks, Rosscup, and Olt graduate. Cabrera, Vitters, and Brett Jackson are out of the system.

 

Biggest positive movement for a hitting prospect will be Willson Contreras.(outside of Jimenez)

 

Biggest positive movement for a pitching prospect will be Corey Black.

 

Two other big jumps in the lower levels- Marck Malave and Daury Torrez.

 

Cubs rankings in BA's top 100 for NEXT year

 

Almora-7

Soler-24

Tyler Beede-28

Edwards-29

Alberto Tirado-61(acquired with Marcus Stroman, who graduates, in Shark deal)

Candelario-77

Alcantara-80

Vogelbach-84

 

Will be a top 3 system, with Javy, KB, and Marcus Stroman(other main part of Shark deal) graduating.

[davell]

And major league lines for our current minor leaguers....

 

Javy in 75 games goes .278/.312/.575 with 18 HR

KB in 48 games goes .246/.329/.498 with 9 HR

Olt in 134 games goes .233/.323/.451 with 17 HR

Hendricks starts 13 games, goes 4-5 with a 3.60 ERA/1.20WHIP with6.8K/9

Rosscup gets 47 appearances, goes 0-3 with a 4.25 ERA/1.48WHIP with 9.9K/9

Stroman(combined TOR and CHC) starts 19 games, goes 5-9 with a 4.44 ERA/1.30 WHIP and 8.6 K/9

[Clem Fandango]

Olt isn't fixed

 

This is the bold predictions thread.

[Guest]

Hendricks posts the highest WAR of any prospect that graduates this year

 

Almora looks a lot more like Matt Szczur than we want by year's end

 

Hannemann hits so well he is a lock to start 2015 in AA

 

Soler is considered closer to MLB than Bryant by the end of the season

[WrigleyField 22]

Vitters outproduces Lake at MLB level.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Soler struggles and takes a step toward bust-dom.

[A New Era]

let's see bold, bold.

 

CJ puts up even better #'s in AA and less talk of possible bullpen and more talk of possible Ace

Zystryzny puts up impressive year and starts to enter that top 100 talk

Cubs extend Shark mid season instead of trading him (I know, bold right?)

Mike Olt proves his doubters wrong and solidifies a spot as the Cubs starting third baseman.

[sneakypower]

And major league lines for our current minor leaguers....

 

Javy in 75 games goes .278/.312/.575 with 18 HR (~2.6 WAR)

KB in 48 games goes .246/.329/.498 with 9 HR

Olt in 134 games goes .233/.323/.451 with 17 HR (~2.8 WAR)

Hendricks starts 13 games, goes 4-5 with a 3.60 ERA/1.20WHIP with6.8K/9

Rosscup gets 47 appearances, goes 0-3 with a 4.25 ERA/1.48WHIP with 9.9K/9

Stroman(combined TOR and CHC) starts 19 games, goes 5-9 with a 4.44 ERA/1.30 WHIP and 8.6 K/9

Javy & Olt might very well be the leaders in team WAR if they do those things

 

and a prediction: Soler asserts himself as easily a top-15 prospect

[Guest]

Not really bold but Blackburn and Skulina are the pitchers I think will have the biggest breakouts this year.

 

I'm with sneaky on Soler. I also like davell's prediction on Contreras.

[bukie]

Kris Bryant will be the starting RF and the best hitter on the Cubs by the end of the year.

[rawaction]

Vogelbach starts getting Joey Votto comparisons as he puts up a .311/.423/.498 line between high A and AA. Down side is his HR numbers, still hover around 15-18, but he puts up over 30 doubles. He also gets some non-disasterous reps in LF.

 

Shawon Dunston Jr steals 50+ bases at Kane County. Hits .300. Still no power.

 

Yasiel Balaguert leads the MWL with 24 HRs.

 

Stephen Bruno makes sure we don't forget about him and gets healthy and back to hitting in the .320s in AA.

 

Arodys Vizcaino starts in the Iowa rotation and dominates to the tune of low 2s ERA, WHIP under 1.1 and sub .200 BAA. Cubs keep him in the Iowa rotation until they shut him down.

 

Ryan McNeil is the star pitcher for Boise, leads the league in ERA, Ks, and BAA. Gets 2 starts to end year in KC at 19-20.

[Guest]

Vogelbach starts getting Joey Votto comparisons as he puts up a .311/.423/.498 line between high A and AA. Down side is his HR numbers, still hover around 15-18, but he puts up over 30 doubles. He also gets some non-disasterous reps in LF.

 

Shawon Dunston Jr steals 50+ bases at Kane County. Hits .300. Still no power.

 

Yasiel Balaguert leads the MWL with 24 HRs.

 

Stephen Bruno makes sure we don't forget about him and gets healthy and back to hitting in the .320s in AA.

 

Arodys Vizcaino starts in the Iowa rotation and dominates to the tune of low 2s ERA, WHIP under 1.1 and sub .200 BAA. Cubs keep him in the Iowa rotation until they shut him down.

 

Ryan McNeil is the star pitcher for Boise, leads the league in ERA, Ks, and BAA. Gets 2 starts to end year in KC at 19-20.

 

That's gotta be the boldest thing in here.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Arodys Vizcaino gets hurt in spring training.

 

Kyle Hendricks gets shelled in the majors.

 

Kris Bryant plays his last game ever at 3b sometime in August.

 

Christian Villanueva puts up eye-popping numbers in Iowa, receives a surge of interest and support.

 

Javy puts up another 4-HR game. I continue to use #religion even though no one joins me in making it a thing. He also becomes the only player I regularly refer to by first-name only.

 

CJ Edwards' numbers start to be merely "really good" instead of "best in the minors."

 

Zastryzny moves quickly to Daytona, maybe early June.

 

The Tennessee rotation isn't as amazeballs as we all hope.

[Guest]

Volgebomb reports to spring training 30 pounds lighter.

 

Reggie Golden has a break out season (second year running on this prediction).

 

Rubi Silva will show plate discipline and be the first position player called up to the majors. He will play some at 2nd.

[SouthSideRyan]

Tony zych becomes a setup man in the bigs by the trade deadline. Cubs draft another position player in 1st round

[BeerHere]

Maples continues to struggle and spends more time in EXT than anywhere else.

Vitters is traded at the deadline as a throw-in.

[TheDude]

I'm fully on the Soler train. Watching him hit in Daytona was a treat. I think he pushes himself into the top 10 prospect list going into 2015.

[rawaction]

Volgebomb reports to spring training 30 pounds lighter.

 

Bad news, he also shows up to spring training headless.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

One of Daury Torrez or Erick Leal will be in Daytona by mid-season.

[davell]

One of Daury Torrez or Erick Leal will be in Daytona by mid-season.

 

Now THAT is the boldest prediction in this thread. That's a whole lot of great pitching and leapfrogging others, for that to happen. I expect them to both be in Boise most of the year. Not a knock, I've got both in or around my top 30.

[Guest]

One of Daury Torrez or Erick Leal will be in Daytona by mid-season.

 

Now THAT is the boldest prediction in this thread. That's a whole lot of great pitching and leapfrogging others, for that to happen. I expect them to both be in Boise most of the year. Not a knock, I've got both in or around my top 30.

 

Yeah, I'd be surprised if either gets more than a few token weeks at Kane County to end the season.

[rawaction]

Isn't Torrez like 21 years old? Is it completely out of the question he's in KC to start the year?

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Go bold or go home. I'm obviously betting on one of them skipping Boise entirely, which I really do think will happen, most likely Torrez.