Ruggiano traded to Mariners for RP prospect Brazis

[Deeg]

I think people are reading way too much into this, trying to see implications for Bryant in the tea leaves. Justin Ruggiano has no impact on the future of Kris Bryant. This is to clear space for Gomes, plain and simple. That deal will be announced as soon as the roster issues are sorted out.

 

What this does do, however, is make the need to add another CF that much more urgent. There's no possible way you can go into a season with Alcantara and Sweeney (who I'm not convinced isn't released at some point) as the only guys who can play CF. I sincerely hope this is where the FO makes an impact move, because for all Theo's talk about adding veteran presence and referring to stuff like the Werth signing in Washington, this team is not at the stage where they can add mascots for veteran presence - they have way too many holes on the major league roster. What the Cubs need is a veteran everyday player (like Werth was) - someone to provide some lineup protection for all the prospects.

[Guest]

I think people are reading way too much into this, trying to see implications for Bryant in the tea leaves. Justin Ruggiano has no impact on the future of Kris Bryant. This is to clear space for Gomes, plain and simple. That deal will be announced as soon as the roster issues are sorted out.

 

What this does do, however, is make the need to add another CF that much more urgent. There's no possible way you can go into a season with Alcantara and Sweeney (who I'm not convinced isn't released at some point) as the only guys who can play CF. I sincerely hope this is where the FO makes an impact move, because for all Theo's talk about adding veteran presence and referring to stuff like the Werth signing in Washington, this team is not at the stage where they can add mascots for veteran presence - they have way too many holes on the major league roster. What the Cubs need is a veteran everyday player (like Werth was) - someone to provide some lineup protection for all the prospects.

"way too many holes"?

 

I don't see that as accurate, really. There are several positions where the production is unpredictable due to youth and inexperience (Baez, Alcantara, Hendricks). But there are few true "holes" on the team at this point.

 

(Cue sneaky saying Baez is the biggest hole on the team right now)

[Deeg]

I think people are reading way too much into this, trying to see implications for Bryant in the tea leaves. Justin Ruggiano has no impact on the future of Kris Bryant. This is to clear space for Gomes, plain and simple. That deal will be announced as soon as the roster issues are sorted out.

 

What this does do, however, is make the need to add another CF that much more urgent. There's no possible way you can go into a season with Alcantara and Sweeney (who I'm not convinced isn't released at some point) as the only guys who can play CF. I sincerely hope this is where the FO makes an impact move, because for all Theo's talk about adding veteran presence and referring to stuff like the Werth signing in Washington, this team is not at the stage where they can add mascots for veteran presence - they have way too many holes on the major league roster. What the Cubs need is a veteran everyday player (like Werth was) - someone to provide some lineup protection for all the prospects.

"way too many holes"?

 

I don't see that as accurate, really. There are several positions where the production is unpredictable due to youth and inexperience (Baez, Alcantara, Hendricks). But there are few true "holes" on the team at this point.

 

(Cue sneaky saying Baez is the biggest hole on the team right now)

 

The OF in general is a giant hole at the moment. The only guy who figures to be a plus offensive player is Soler, and he has a Grant Hill-like injury history (not quite, but you get the point). The CF is a prospect coming off a rough debut who's a career IF - the LF is a mediocrity who's as classic a regress-to-mean candidate as they come. The backup is a guy who probably shouldn't even be in the major leagues. That's a hole.

 

Soler, obviously, needs to play every day as long as his legs hold up (or maybe 5 times a week so his legs hold up). But you could add two starters in the OF without "blocking" anybody, really. Coghlan certainly doesn't need to be deferred to, and playing a season as a super-sub certainly wouldn't derail AA's career. And there's no impact OF who's knocking on the door in the minors, unless you write off Bryant as a 3B.

 

More broadly, the lack of experienced bats throughout the lineup is itself a hole. You're dumping a huge load on Castro and Rizzo here, both of whom are still young and the former of which is hardly a sure bet to succeed. The lack of OBP and speed is also a major hole. There's plenty to choose from, and what this roster needs isn't cheerleaders - it needs players. Gomes is fine as a 5th OF and a PH, maybe a RH platoon with a decent lefty LF. No more than that.

[Guest]

I think people are reading way too much into this, trying to see implications for Bryant in the tea leaves. Justin Ruggiano has no impact on the future of Kris Bryant. This is to clear space for Gomes, plain and simple. That deal will be announced as soon as the roster issues are sorted out.

 

What this does do, however, is make the need to add another CF that much more urgent. There's no possible way you can go into a season with Alcantara and Sweeney (who I'm not convinced isn't released at some point) as the only guys who can play CF. I sincerely hope this is where the FO makes an impact move, because for all Theo's talk about adding veteran presence and referring to stuff like the Werth signing in Washington, this team is not at the stage where they can add mascots for veteran presence - they have way too many holes on the major league roster. What the Cubs need is a veteran everyday player (like Werth was) - someone to provide some lineup protection for all the prospects.

"way too many holes"?

 

I don't see that as accurate, really. There are several positions where the production is unpredictable due to youth and inexperience (Baez, Alcantara, Hendricks). But there are few true "holes" on the team at this point.

 

(Cue sneaky saying Baez is the biggest hole on the team right now)

 

The OF in general is a giant hole at the moment. The only guy who figures to be a plus offensive player is Soler, and he has a Grant Hill-like injury history (not quite, but you get the point). The CF is a prospect coming off a rough debut who's a career IF - the LF is a mediocrity who's as classic a regress-to-mean candidate as they come. The backup is a guy who probably shouldn't even be in the major leagues. That's a hole.

 

Soler, obviously, needs to play every day as long as his legs hold up (or maybe 5 times a week so his legs hold up). But you could add two starters in the OF without "blocking" anybody, really. Coghlan certainly doesn't need to be deferred to, and playing a season as a super-sub certainly wouldn't derail AA's career. And there's no impact OF who's knocking on the door in the minors, unless you write off Bryant as a 3B.

 

More broadly, the lack of experienced bats throughout the lineup is itself a hole. You're dumping a huge load on Castro and Rizzo here, both of whom are still young and the former of which is hardly a sure bet to succeed. The lack of OBP and speed is also a major hole. There's plenty to choose from, and what this roster needs isn't cheerleaders - it needs players. Gomes is fine as a 5th OF and a PH, maybe a RH platoon with a decent lefty LF. No more than that.

Alcantara was a mid-season top 50 prospect in the game. Calling him a "hole" is a bit of a stretch. Other than that, you described LF, a single hole, in several different ways and called it multiple holes. Getting one very good bat in the OF addresses quite a bit of what you're complaining about. I'm in favor of getting another upgrade in the OF over the bench guys that are there (and as backup in case the young guys need more time). But, IMO, you're being a bit over-dramatic with your depiction.

 

Last week I posted how awful the bottom 1/4 of the team's AB's were (not even counting the pitchers). The offense will improve a huge amount by simply limiting the damage done giving away at bats to awful players. The catching platoon addresses quite a bit of that. The arrival of the young guys addresses more (if they perform!). The team has one big hole and needs one more big veteranny bat and the OF is the logical place for it. Upgrading from Sweeney to someone that could do a better job in CF if Alcantara or Baez flame out isn't really a "hole", but it is a way to provide insurance to the team's performance.

[Abe Frohman]

The OF can definitely use an upgrade (particularly in CF), but I think Coghlan gets slighted. He was a pleasant surprise last year.

[Lefty]

I still think the FO would prefer a left side of Bryant and Russell. I can see a trade w/Dodgers like Castro, Jackson and Wood for Crawford and Greinke.

[Tryptamine]

I still think the FO would prefer a left side of Bryant and Russell. I can see a trade w/Dodgers like Castro, Jackson and Wood for Crawford and Greinke.

 

I would be absolutely livid if we gave up Castro for one year of Greinke, who can opt out after this year.

[SouthSideRyan]

it's kyle. he doesn't actually understand baseball remember?

 

I'm just a known idiot, but I am aware that this crazy thing called "Spring Training" exists.

 

"Hey Kris, go spend twenty minutes tracking down fly balls" on some high-sunned March morning.

 

Boom, he now can handle left field.

 

this post just makes me want a 20 minute video of you trying to catch fly balls on a sunny day.

 

1 minute of Kyle trying to catch fly balls, 19 minutes of him being loaded up and taken away in an ambulance.

[treebird]

it's kyle. he doesn't actually understand baseball remember?

 

I'm just a known idiot, but I am aware that this crazy thing called "Spring Training" exists.

 

"Hey Kris, go spend twenty minutes tracking down fly balls" on some high-sunned March morning.

 

Boom, he now can handle left field.

 

this post just makes me want a 20 minute video of you trying to catch fly balls on a sunny day.

 

1 minute of Kyle trying to catch fly balls, 19 minutes of him being loaded up and taken away in an ambulance.

 

omc would be suuuuuuper into that video

[seanimal]

it's kyle. he doesn't actually understand baseball remember?

 

I'm just a known idiot, but I am aware that this crazy thing called "Spring Training" exists.

 

"Hey Kris, go spend twenty minutes tracking down fly balls" on some high-sunned March morning.

 

Boom, he now can handle left field.

 

this post just makes me want a 20 minute video of you trying to catch fly balls on a sunny day.

 

1 minute of Kyle trying to catch fly balls, 19 minutes of him being loaded up and taken away in an ambulance.

 

omc would be suuuuuuper into that video

 

*conditional upon the amount of pieces kyle is in

[Sammy Sofa]

"He can't hear you; his ears are packed with gauze."

[imb]

20 minutes of kyle taking bad routes to fly balls to avoid the black outfielders

[Sammy Sofa]

20 minutes of kyle taking bad routes to fly balls to avoid the black outfielders

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U7DUkxUfLCY/TxnxObm7E2I/AAAAAAAAAUI/tYYlBzXBnsI/s1600/SchmittsGay-ThankYou.gif

[Hairyducked Idiot]

20 minutes of kyle taking bad routes to fly balls to avoid the black outfielders

 

I am at a hotel in Elk Grove and it just took me almost an hour to get to and back from a McDonalds less than a block away because it was on the other side of a six-lane road and an intersection and I kept driving past my turns because I couldn't get over in time.

[Proven Veteran]

20 minutes of kyle taking bad routes to fly balls to avoid the black outfielders

 

I am at a hotel in Elk Grove and it just took me almost an hour to get to and back from a McDonalds less than a block away because it was on the other side of a six-lane road and an intersection and I kept driving past my turns because I couldn't get over in time.

Big Ben, parliament?

[Cubswin11]

Ruggiano was just DFA'd