Cubs 2015 spring training

[UMFan83]

I'm still trying to figure why you guys ever listen to sports talk radio. I mean, maybe just to laugh for 10 minutes, but then don't your ears start to bleed...at least figuratively?

 

If I didn't listen to it, I'd have nothing to bitch about.

 

Almost all of the music radio stations suck in Chicago, I don't have XM, and my car is from 2010, right before USB ports became the norm in cars. So basically its either sports radio, NPR or being forced to talk to my wife.

[Andy]

I'm still trying to figure why you guys ever listen to sports talk radio. I mean, maybe just to laugh for 10 minutes, but then don't your ears start to bleed...at least figuratively?

 

If I didn't listen to it, I'd have nothing to bitch about.

 

Almost all of the music radio stations suck in Chicago, I don't have XM, and my car is from 2010, right before USB ports became the norm in cars. So basically its either sports radio, NPR or being forced to talk to my wife.

I have one of those after-market stereos and an AUX cord. I haven't listened to the radio in a car I've owned in like 6 years.

[Guest]

I'm still trying to figure why you guys ever listen to sports talk radio. I mean, maybe just to laugh for 10 minutes, but then don't your ears start to bleed...at least figuratively?

 

i like hearing the news and some of their opinions on it as it happens. i only listen in my car and occasionally at my desk at work if something big happens.

[Guest]

Joe Maddon ‏@CubsJoeMadd 5m5 minutes ago

Thanks to Allen Family for lamp....Grandpop Carmen founded C Maddon and Sons Plumbing and Heating...circa 1935

[jersey cubs fan]

Police described the suspect as a male in his 40s wearing black pants and a gray shirt. He has a tattoo on his neck and a bald head.

 

[expletive] Molinas

[sneakypower]

did we part with Ryan Roberts on good terms?

[XZero771679666304]

I have one of those after-market stereos and an AUX cord. I haven't listened to the radio in a car I've owned in like 6 years.

 

 

Pretty much every car I've driven since the early 2000s has had an auxiliary port standard. I don't think I've listened to over the air radio in the car since 2002-03.

 

And even if I had no option but the radio, I'd rather listen to the worst AM white noise than sports talk radio. It's like listening to a bunch of agitated apes flinging verbal poo.

[Guest]

Mark Gonzales ‏@MDGonzales 50s51 seconds ago Mesa, AZ

C.J. Edwards optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Roster at 52.

[Tryptamine]

Mark Gonzales ‏@MDGonzales 50s51 seconds ago Mesa, AZ

C.J. Edwards optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Roster at 52.

 

I was holding this small irrational hope that he'd be the 5th.

[Guest]

It's funny to me that what he said here is being characterized as Maddon saying Javy is no lock (which he's been saying since before ST - so it's not really news), but anyway, here's what Maddon is thinking on Baez right now...

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/29284/baez-no-lock-for-roster

 

"Of course there's a chance he doesn't make the team because there's no lock in regards to that," Maddon said Thursday afternoon. "The entitlement program doesn't exist."

 

Maddon has used that last line often since being hired. Draft status simply does not matter once you get to the big leagues. And while a player like Jorge Soler has only played a handful of games in the majors, he looks more prepared. Of course, his swing didn't undergo an overhaul.

 

"To this point he's (Baez) had a lot of good at-bats," Maddon stated. "And then he'll show one with the out of control swing that bothers him a little bit. And I think it bothers the fans more than it bothers me. He's just a young guy trying to figure this all out. [He has] sterling bat speed."

 

As if on cue a few hours later, Baez had one of those games. He struck out looking bad in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks but then worked a walk -- his first of the Cactus League -- two innings later. One inning after that, he struck out again. And two more times after that, including the final out of the game.

 

"Of course he needs to get better but I don't want to force or push things right now with a guy like that," Maddon said.

 

Baez is 3-for-30 (.100) this spring after those five at-bats with one home run and 11 strikeouts. It can't be a shock to anyone if he's sent to Triple-A Iowa -- though the Cubs have stated they only like to promote players once. There's always exceptions of course. Maddon made sure to heap praise after recognizing the obvious.

 

"The thing no one talks about is this guy is a really good baseball player," he said. "Defense is spectacular, base running is outstanding, his acumen on the field is well beyond his years. The thing that's lagging a bit is the adjustment at the plate."

 

 

"This other stuff at the plate he'll figure it out," Maddon said. "In the meantime, he hits homers, you know. Dan Uggla did that for a while and made a lot of money. And I'm not saying that's who he is."

 

Maddon is taking a sensible approach. If Baez is Uggla now, the manager is hopeful time will turn him into something better. But should that happen in the minors or majors? We'll find out soon enough.

 

"I like him as a baseball player," Maddon said. "He's a tough guy."

 

 

EDIT - This one has a little more of what he said. Specifically mentions him needing to get more MLB plate appearances.

 

“It’s just a young guy trying to figure this all out. Sterling bat speed. Incredible bat speed. That all, I think, is going to be rectified. He just needs plate appearances. The thing that nobody talks about — this guy is a really good baseball player. Defense is spectacular. Base-running is outstanding. His acumen is on the field is well beyond his years.

 

“The thing that’s lacking a bit is just the adjustment at the plate. So we got to make sure that gets done. Of course, he needs to get better. Of course, he needs to make some adjustments. But I don’t like to force or push things right now with a guy like that.”

 

 

It sounds like the Cubs won’t be putting Baez in another sink-or-swim situation in the big leagues.

 

After listening to Rick Renteria’s non-answers — and remembering the time Dale Sveum threatened to send Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro to Iowa — it’s interesting to hear the way Maddon gives an honest answer while trying to defuse the question and take heat off a young player.

 

“He’s a tough guy,” Maddon said. “This other stuff at the plate, he’ll work it out. But in the meantime, he hits homers. Dan Uggla did that for awhile, too. Made a lot of money doing that stuff.

 

“I’m not saying that’s who he is. I’m just saying he’s capable of launching the baseball. And I think as he gets more major-league appearances at the plate, you’re going to see him refine his approach a bit.”

 

This is also a game of expectations. At this time last year, we all wondered how the Cubs could send down Baseball America’s No. 5 overall prospect.

 

“He’s going to be a very good Major League Baseball player,” Maddon said. “Once he figures out the command of his swing, he’ll just take off.”

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-no-%E2%80%98entitlement-program%E2%80%99-javier-baez

[Tracer Bullet]

I just [expletive] love Joe Maddon. I hope he lives forever.

[Guest]

I just [expletive] love Joe Maddon. I hope he lives forever.

 

seeing your post on the "last post" thing freaked me the hell out

[Guest]

Maddon on Hendricks:

 

"I watched the guy go about his business and there’s nothing I can say to help him except 'hello,' " Maddon joked. "I’m very careful regarding being too smart with people who don’t need your help. I’m not interfering with anything. I love watching him play.

 

"I watch him pitch closely for the first time and it looks very solid. He’s also a man of few words, so I don’t want to interfere with his prep, but I’m sure we’ll do a lot of talking before the season is over. I respect what he does and how he does it."

 

Maddon defending Hendricks' style, which depends more on location and change of speeds than velocity.

 

"The thing about him is everyone is going to play the (radar) gun game," Maddon said. "Take his velocity, combine that with location and then realize the actual effectiveness of that pitch. That’s where he really excels. People will not project on him highly, maybe because he wasn’t lighting up the gun. But he lights up the location, and ask a hitter what he thinks.

 

"He’s the kind of guy who won’t worry about a gun reading. He just gets hitters out."

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-joe-maddon-doesnt-speak-to-kyle-hendricks-20150319-story.html?track=rss

 

Maddon on defensive positioning in the OF and Fowler:

 

Maddon on Fowler: The Cubs manager has an idea on how Cubs centerfielder Dexter Fowler can elevate his defensive game but he’s not telling the public -- just Fowler.

 

“There’s one thing maybe he can get better at,” Maddon said. “That’s going to be an emphasis in this camp. I put it out there for him I think it’s in his abilities to win a gold glove.”

 

Incidentally, Maddon wants Fowler to play a deep center field but didn’t always think that way.

 

“The data suggests more extra base hits and more runs are taken away,” he explained. “I switched my thinking. I looked at the stuff and I was wrong.”

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/29295/chicago-cubs-notes-kris-bryant-goes-deep-javier-baez-strikes-out-4-times

[MWV]

In years past, I never would have expected to hear Cubs manager utter the phrase "The data suggests", much less follow that statement with "I changed my thinking".

We're a long way removed from Dusty and Lou.

[imb]

Is it weird that I want a Maddon jersey? I mean it's probably weird that I want any jersey.

[ctcf]

All of those quotes are absolutely freaking wonderful. What a long way we've come from Dusty [expletive] Baker.

[ctcf]

Is it weird that I want a Maddon jersey? I mean it's probably weird that I want any jersey.

 

I think this is a normal and expected reaction.

 

Those Hendricks quotes made me [expletive] giddy.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is it weird that I want a Maddon jersey? I mean it's probably weird that I want any jersey.

 

I was going to answer "kind of" to the question then your second point reminded me it's no more silly than all the rest. I'm not a baseball jersey fan, but I like the jersey T. If you want one there's probably nothing wrong with a Maddon. At least you know he's probably unlikely to get injured and miss a year or suddenly go into the tank right after you buy it.

[Guest]

Is it weird that I want a Maddon jersey? I mean it's probably weird that I want any jersey.

 

Understandable but weird. Maybe limit it to a shirtsey.

 

I [expletive] love Theo and almost everything he says and you wouldn't catch me dead in one of those THEOlogy t-shirts or whatever.

[Sammy Sofa]

A Maddon jersey seems like a great idea, but I'd be wary because he seems to be barely walking the line between genius and madness.

[jersey cubs fan]

Mark Gonzales ‏@MDGonzales 7m7 minutes ago Mesa, AZ

Cubs-Rangers Futures Game March 30 at Sloan Park. proceeds will benefit the Cubs Charities Diamond Project to help kids in Mesa community.

[Guest]

Is it weird that I want a Maddon jersey? I mean it's probably weird that I want any jersey.

 

I was going to answer "kind of" to the question then your second point reminded me it's no more silly than all the rest. I'm not a baseball jersey fan, but I like the jersey T. If you want one there's probably nothing wrong with a Maddon. At least you know he's probably unlikely to get injured and miss a year or suddenly go into the tank right after you buy it.

 

This is such an over-the-top example of battered cubs fan syndrome, and yet I still can't find any reason to disagree.

[Guest]

@CarrieMuskat #Cubs Maddon also says talked to Theo about finding creative way to keep both EJackson and TWood on roster at start of season

 

I cannot tell you how badly I want them to try piggybacking Wood and Jackson.

[treebird]

@CarrieMuskat #Cubs Maddon also says talked to Theo about finding creative way to keep both EJackson and TWood on roster at start of season

 

I cannot tell you how badly I want them to try piggybacking Wood and Jackson.

 

was just coming to post this. agree so hard.

[ctcf]

@CarrieMuskat #Cubs Maddon also says talked to Theo about finding creative way to keep both EJackson and TWood on roster at start of season

 

I cannot tell you how badly I want them to try piggybacking Wood and Jackson.

 

was just coming to post this. agree so hard.

 

omg yes plz