Cubs 2015 spring training

[Guest]

Why Cub fans are so reluctant to accept this inevitability is beyond me, but in the end that they are is irrelevant. If it weren't for Russell being in the pipeline Baez would probably have already pushed Castro to 2B, but there's no point in moving Castro for Baez just to move Baez when Russell comes up. If you have to move Baez anyway, may as well do it upfront and save one position change. It makes absolutely no sense to move two better defenders to leave the weakest defender of the three at SS long-term.

People overvalue prospects all the time, but this is really bad. Castro is a proven SS in the upper echelon of his position and is 24. Russell is all potential and Baez, is Baez.

 

As far as I'm concerned they both are potential trade chips until they prove they can produce at the big league level.

[Guest]

I don't know if it's BS but Kurkijan just said Soler put on 20 lbs over the winter (working out). I'm going to doubt it but who knows.

 

https://instagram.com/p/ziyhQiyBQy/?modal=true

 

just for mojo

 

He sure doesn't look smaller.

Hopefully he stretched those hammy's all winter too.

[Deeg]

We're also talking about moving a perennial All-Star and the longest-tenured player in his organization off of his natural position for a prospect. Not that it outright prevents Russell from becoming the SS with Castro on the team, but it's not something that happens often.

 

Russell is right now, at 21, a better defensive SS than Castro by almost universal agreement. Whether he's going the be the better player is of course an unknown - if it were a lock that Russell would be what the scouts project, he certainly will be, but we don't know that. But the difference in defensive ability is reason enough to keep Russell at SS. It's not as though we're talking about moving a franchise player (which Castro is not) for a punchless defensive specialist.

 

As to whether Castro is traded, that's hard to say. I think he's the most likely of our bevy of SS to be moved, but there are a lot of variables - what the potential return is, whether Bryant looks like he can stay at 3B, Russell's timeline, et al. The Cubs will be in a lot better position to answer those questions this summer, and if Castro is moved that will probably be when it happens.

[Guest]

universal agreement

[Guest]

I don't know if it's BS but Kurkijan just said Soler put on 20 lbs over the winter (working out). I'm going to doubt it but who knows.

 

as long as he didn't say "20 lbs of muscle" it's totally believable

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Russell is right now, at 21, a better defensive SS than Castro by almost universal agreement.

 

This is an egregious example of prospect creep.

[Guest]

https://instagram.com/p/yr7k3cSBc9/?modal=true

 

Yeah, Georgie is looking like a straight beast

[shnsajax]

We're also talking about moving a perennial All-Star and the longest-tenured player in his organization off of his natural position for a prospect. Not that it outright prevents Russell from becoming the SS with Castro on the team, but it's not something that happens often.

 

Russell is right now, at 21, a better defensive SS than Castro by almost universal agreement. Whether he's going the be the better player is of course an unknown - if it were a lock that Russell would be what the scouts project, he certainly will be, but we don't know that. But the difference in defensive ability is reason enough to keep Russell at SS. It's not as though we're talking about moving a franchise player (which Castro is not) for a punchless defensive specialist.

 

As to whether Castro is traded, that's hard to say. I think he's the most likely of our bevy of SS to be moved, but there are a lot of variables - what the potential return is, whether Bryant looks like he can stay at 3B, Russell's timeline, et al. The Cubs will be in a lot better position to answer those questions this summer, and if Castro is moved that will probably be when it happens.

 

In a year we are looking to contend I don't see us trading basically our most veteran hitter. Sure the rookies could all play lights out but that scenario is unlikely. Castro getting traded this break is probably more due to his play than anyone else's. And if he is playing poorly/dumb we will be selling low.

[shnsajax]

https://instagram.com/p/zkaH_VwRC9/

 

This is pretty [expletive] great.

 

I wish Manny was a Cub 10+ years ago.

[Sammy Sofa]

https://instagram.com/p/yr7k3cSBc9/?modal=true

 

Yeah, Georgie is looking like a straight beast

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/92131350a070b189846e41c34d9447c7/tumblr_mgnrjlbVJH1rhpt5ro1_500.gif

[Banedon]

https://instagram.com/p/yr7k3cSBc9/?modal=true

 

Yeah, Georgie is looking like a straight beast

 

http://scienceblogs.com/purepedantry/wp-content/blogs.dir/454/files/2012/04/i-22781b476a8e487e7ff23bddf3c570d6-carbcake.gif

[Gilby]

Jesse Rogers has said Alcantara will play some 3rd base this spring, but it sounds like he's spent most of his time at 2nd so far. I was thinking Baez would start the season at 2B with Alcantara at 3rd until Bryant arrives, but I'm starting to question that a bit. I don't want to read too much into it, but I'm wondering if the tentative plan is Baez to AAA, Mendy at 2nd, and La Stella at 3rd.

[Guest]

Jesse Rogers has said Alcantara will play some 3rd base this spring, but it sounds like he's spent most of his time at 2nd so far. I was thinking Baez would start the season at 2B with Alcantara at 3rd until Bryant arrives, but I'm starting to question that a bit. I don't want to read too much into it, but I'm wondering if the tentative plan is Baez to AAA, Mendy at 2nd, and La Stella at 3rd.

 

All I've heard points to Alcantara being a bench player and spelling just about everybody, at least initially (like until someone gets hurt or Baez flounders his way off 2B). In fact, Alcantara = Zobrist was pretty much the ST story du jour yesterday.

[Guest]

Yeah, it looks like LaStella/Olt at 3B with Baez/Contra at 2B until Bryant comes up, then LaStella will be more free to insure Baez and let Alcantara rove around to other positions.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm still skeptical that they really intend to give any real PT at 3b to La Stella.

[Guest]

Gotta think there's about what, 10 games max for the LH half of a platoon in the time before Bryant's called up? Give a couple of those to Alcantara for matchup/freshness reasons on top of that and I can see them dealing with whatever LaStella's defense looks like there for a max of 7-8 games.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Gotta think there's about what, 10 games max for the LH half of a platoon in the time before Bryant's called up? Give a couple of those to Alcantara for matchup/freshness reasons on top of that and I can see them dealing with whatever LaStella's defense looks like there for a max of 7-8 games.

 

Can't we just give them all to Alcantara?

[Guest]

Certainly could, maybe we're hearing LaStella at 3B and Alcantara at 2B because they know the former needs reps and they're already comfortable with how the latter looks there.

[Some Guy]

My understanding of the "universal agreement" is that Russell has better hands and instincts than Castro, but Castro has better range and arm. As his yearly error totals show, Castro is getting steadily better at the mental stuff while Russell's athleticism is only going to diminish as he fills out his frame. I don't think it's a situation that screams out for displacing the incumbent.

[jersey cubs fan]

[Sammys Boombox]

https://instagram.com/p/zkaH_VwRC9/

 

This is pretty [expletive] great.

 

I wish Manny was a Cub 10+ years ago.

 

I wish Manny wasn't a Dodger 7 years ago.

[Guest]

@ESPNChiCubs Javier Baez, to Jon Lester, after facing him in batting practice: "I prefer to play defense for you."

 

@MDGonzalez It was only batting practice, but Baez described Lester's repertoire of pitches as "nasty." Ross also thought Lester was impressive.

[Gilby]

Rogers said Soler hit a line drive off Rosscup's arm. Thank God that wasn't Lester. Plz don't let Soler bat against any of our good pitchers.

[jersey cubs fan]

@ESPNChiCubs Javier Baez, to Jon Lester, after facing him in batting practice: "I prefer to play defense for you."

 

@MDGonzalez It was only batting practice, but Baez described Lester's repertoire of pitches as "nasty." Ross also thought Lester was impressive.

 

Mark Gonzales ‏@MDGonzales 5m5 minutes ago Mesa, AZ

More Baez on Lester: "one thing he was doing before he released the pitch. He was acting to if it was a good pitch or bad pitch."

 

I'm going to need a translation on this one.

[Guest]

@ESPNChiCubs Javier Baez, to Jon Lester, after facing him in batting practice: "I prefer to play defense for you."

 

@MDGonzalez It was only batting practice, but Baez described Lester's repertoire of pitches as "nasty." Ross also thought Lester was impressive.

 

Mark Gonzales ‏@MDGonzales 5m5 minutes ago Mesa, AZ

More Baez on Lester: "one thing he was doing before he released the pitch. He was acting to if it was a good pitch or bad pitch."

 

I'm going to need a translation on this one.

 

dafuq