Spring Training Thread

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Could force their way into the pen with strong performance or injury elsewhere: Vizcaino, Rusin, Grimm

 

Rosscup.

[Guest]

Guaranteed a spot unless they're hurt: Veras, Parker, Strop, Wright, Russell, Villanueva

 

Competing for the one current spot: Rondon, McDonald

 

Could force their way into the pen with strong performance or injury elsewhere: Vizcaino, Rusin, Grimm.

 

 

If neither Grimm nor Ramirez makes a notable contribution in 2014, that trade looks a bit less bright. Unless Olt can see after all.

 

I might be being a little stubborn with Grimm, but my personal hope is that he takes the first couple months to work on refining his repertoire in Iowa, then he's a strong candidate to be a back-end SP as early as the all-star break. Opportunity would dictate his impact at that point. If I'm wrong and they see his likely role as a reliever, then if his stuff plays well he should be able to fight for a job pretty quickly.

 

Ramirez I may have misjudged a little bit(I don't think I realized he had such a long and unsuccessful AAA stint in 2012), so if healthy you can add him to the Vizcaino, Rusin, Grimm pile that can push for a spot. Despite his age I'm not going to judge him by his 2014 contribution though, with his health problems it'd be normal development to spend the year in Iowa and wait for opportunity. The pen is strong and deep enough that it's not much of an indictment to me.

 

Could force their way into the pen with strong performance or injury elsewhere: Vizcaino, Rusin, Grimm

 

Rosscup.

 

Maybe, but considering there's 2 LH locked in place and he only has 7 IP in Iowa himself, I think there's far more likely options. He'd have to be a clear frontrunner from the group of Rondon, Vizcaino, Rusin, and Grimm, and that's assuming Arrieta's hurt and McDonald/Villanueva aren't in the mix.

[Guest]

The Logan posted this in the Bonifacio thread....guessing he meant to put it here.

 

http://boysofspring.com/cubs-camp-photos/

 

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Barney-1024x695.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jason-Hammel-1024x654.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jose-Veras-826x1024.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Matt-Szczur-1024x674.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Nate-Schierholtz-753x1024.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Nate-Schierholtz-2-1024x683.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Rizz-785x1024.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Rizz-Barn-Font-1024x674.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Travis-Wood-1024x682.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Villanueva-1024x670.jpg

 

http://boysofspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Rizz-Ren-1024x657.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

The spring training jerseys are worse than ever.

[Clem Fandango]

Well crap. I had two NSBB windows open in the browser. Guess I selected the wrong one

[treebird]

this is the first year i have ever looked at the first spring training pictures and felt nothing.

[Guest]

I have a man crush on Rizzo

 

Which feels extra weird because he's almost 10 years younger than me.

 

When did I get older than all of these guys? Ugh.

[Sammy Sofa]

this is the first year i have ever looked at the first spring training pictures and felt nothing.

 

I think I recognize three people.

[rocket]

who's the goofball with the mustache

[Guest]

who's the goofball with the mustache

 

Villanueva

[Sammy Sofa]

who's the goofball with the mustache

 

You mean who is the sexy beast who is 1 of the 3 I can tell apart from the pack of plain-flavored goo?

[Guest]

who's the goofball with the mustache

 

You mean who is the sexy beast who is 1 of the 3 I can tell apart from the pack of plain-flavored goo?

 

Rizzo, Barney, and Villanueva?

 

Don't recognize Schierholtz or 2013 All Star Travis Wood?

Edited February 15, 2014 by David

[sneakypower]

good to see Wood's taking hydration seriously

[Sammy Sofa]

who's the goofball with the mustache

 

You mean who is the sexy beast who is 1 of the 3 I can tell apart from the pack of plain-flavored goo?

 

Rizzo, Barney, and Villanueva?

 

Don't recognize Schierholtz or 2013 All Star Travis Wood?

 

Yes, yes and yes and no and no. I swear that every time I saw Schierholtz last year it was like seeing him for the first time.

 

Wood has a goatee, right?

 

How soon before the meatballs complain about Castro not being there?

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Nasty Nate is a sexy man.

[mul21]

Who's the clown with the neck tat? By default I can't like him because I bitched about Yadi's neck tat forever.

[Guest]

Who's the clown with the neck tat? By default I can't like him because I bitched about Yadi's neck tat forever.

 

Ryan Roberts

 

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/not/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ryan-roberts-tattoos.jpg

 

[JeffH]

Who's the clown with the neck tat? By default I can't like him because I bitched about Yadi's neck tat forever.

 

Ryan Roberts.

[Sammy Sofa]

Who the [expletive] is Ryan Roberts? How did he end up on the Cubs? Why am I not just looking these things up? WHY HAVE I FORSAKEN THEE, BASEBALL.

[mul21]

Who's the clown with the neck tat? By default I can't like him because I bitched about Yadi's neck tat forever.

 

Ryan Roberts

 

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/not/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ryan-roberts-tattoos.jpg

 

Just no. He has a star branded on his side? Go away. He appears to be a Theriot level douche on steroids.

[Guest]

Who the [expletive] is Ryan Roberts? How did he end up on the Cubs? Why am I not just looking these things up? WHY HAVE I FORSAKEN THEE, BASEBALL.

 

He's a backup infielder that probably won't make the roster now that Bonifacio is on board.

 

 

Fun fact - He hit 19 HR in 2011 and was worth 3.7 wins that year.

[Sammy Sofa]

Who the [expletive] is Ryan Roberts? How did he end up on the Cubs? Why am I not just looking these things up? WHY HAVE I FORSAKEN THEE, BASEBALL.

 

He's a backup infielder that probably won't make the roster now that Bonifacio is on board.

 

 

Fun fact - He hit 19 HR in 2011 and was worth 3.7 wins that year.

 

Less fun fact: Wikipedia tells me his nickname is "Tatman." What the odds that he gave himself that nickname, and tries way too hard to get everyone else to call him it but nobody ever does?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Who the [expletive] is Ryan Roberts? How did he end up on the Cubs? Why am I not just looking these things up? WHY HAVE I FORSAKEN THEE, BASEBALL.

 

He's a surprisingly not-bad candidate for the 6th infielder spot, although I like him better as one of a bunch of guys fighting for that job and not just winning it by default.

[davell]

I wonder if Roberts and Bonifacio can both make this team without Barney getting dealt? If Olt is somehow fixed, I can see Barney dealt, Valbuena/Roberts as a platoon at 2B and Bonifacio playing everywhere.

[Guest]

Watch Olt have some ridiculous spring that turns out not to be anything.

[mul21]

Who the [expletive] is Ryan Roberts? How did he end up on the Cubs? Why am I not just looking these things up? WHY HAVE I FORSAKEN THEE, BASEBALL.

 

He's a backup infielder that probably won't make the roster now that Bonifacio is on board.

 

 

Fun fact - He hit 19 HR in 2011 and was worth 3.7 wins that year.

 

Less fun fact: Wikipedia tells me his nickname is "Tatman." What the odds that he gave himself that nickname, and tries way too hard to get everyone else to call him it but nobody ever does?