Cubs 2015 spring training

[Brian707]

Since I don't see myself ever using heroin, I presume reading this article is the next best thing:

 

http://grantland.com/features/2015-mlb-preview-chicago-cubs-world-series-contenders/

 

 

That was fantastic

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzw133qjqC1r2dgi3o1_400.gif

[Guest]

Since I don't see myself ever using heroin, I presume reading this article is the next best thing:

 

http://grantland.com/features/2015-mlb-preview-chicago-cubs-world-series-contenders/

 

you people need to read this [expletive] thing it's great

 

he worst Cubs team of the next six years looks like at least a fringe contender. Objective projection systems agree that the Cubs will be in the hunt for at least a wild-card spot: Baseball Prospectus has the Cubs at 84-78, with a 43 percent chance of making the playoffs, while FanGraphs projects them to go 83-79 with a 42 percent shot.

 

And yet, from where I sit, even those numbers seem low. The Cubs are absolutely poised to contend for not only a wild-card spot but the NL Central crown. Some of that optimism stems from considering their competition. Despite winning 90 games last year, the Cardinals outscored their opponents by only 16 runs all season. The tragic death of Oscar Taveras10 deprives them of their best prospect, and while new right fielder Jason Heyward gives them everything Taveras would have, he came at the cost of no. 3 starter Shelby Miller. The Pirates, meanwhile, lost Martin, who was worth 5.5 bWAR last year, and that stat doesn’t even account for his pitch-framing skills. Both teams are likely to be good; neither team is likely to be great. The Reds and Brewers aren’t even likely to be good.

 

But the main source of my optimism is that this isn’t an ordinary youth movement. For one thing, Bryant isn’t an ordinary prospect. He isn’t even an ordinary no. 1 overall prospect. His minor league performance is almost unprecedented; in particular, his .666 slugging average as a pro is higher than any minor league prospect’s in the last 30 years.11 In 174 professional games, Bryant has hit 52 home runs. And not that it means anything, but he leads the world in home runs this spring, with nine.

[jersey cubs fan]

Since I don't see myself ever using heroin, I presume reading this article is the next best thing:

 

http://grantland.com/features/2015-mlb-preview-chicago-cubs-world-series-contenders/

 

you people need to read this [expletive] thing it's great

 

do you finally feel like you have a friend in the media?

[Guest]

Since I don't see myself ever using heroin, I presume reading this article is the next best thing:

 

http://grantland.com/features/2015-mlb-preview-chicago-cubs-world-series-contenders/

 

you people need to read this [expletive] thing it's great

 

do you finally feel like you have a friend in the media?

 

YES

[treebird]

Since I don't see myself ever using heroin, I presume reading this article is the next best thing:

 

http://grantland.com/features/2015-mlb-preview-chicago-cubs-world-series-contenders/

 

you people need to read this [expletive] thing it's great

 

do you finally feel like you have a friend in the media?

 

i can see where this post went wrong

[BCVM22]

Maddon says Kris Bryant will be in left field tomorrow. He's not in the starting lineup tonight but is listed among the available extras.

[Guest]

Theo commenting on Bryant again, and more specifically the Boras PR tour: http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-theo-epstein-responds-scott-boras%E2%80%99-criticism-kris-bryant-situation

 

The below is basically a transcription of the (autoplay, why CSN why) video at the link.

 

“I have a lot of respect for Scott and he by and large does a great job for his clients," Epstein said. "The only part about it that bothers me is that he certainly could have picked up the phone before going to the national media about this. He never once called me and asked me if Kris would make the team or anything about his situation. So just from a personal level and professional respect, that would have been something that I would have done if I was in his shoes.

 

"Beyond that, Scott has a forum and obviously people are publishing what he says. He has a job to do and he has a great client who is a fantastic kid. The person who is handling this with the most professionalism and maturity is Kris Bryant. I couldn’t be more proud of how he is handling a very difficult situation. He is getting asked about it every day. He doesn’t get to just go focus on playing the game; he is asked about this from all corners and he is handling himself in a way that makes the Cubs proud.

 

"As far as when Kris makes his major league debut and whether it will be part of this Opening Day roster, we haven’t put that final roster together yet," Epstein said. "I can say this: This is my 13th time putting a team together at the end of spring training and I have never once put a young prospect on an Opening Day roster when he had to make his major league debut (with the exception of a Rule 5 player).

 

"We’ve broken in some pretty good young players over the years from Kevin Youkilis to Hanley Ramirez to Dustin Pedroia to Jacoby Ellsbury to Jon Lester to Jonathan Papelbon and we have always given them the benefit of getting into the season in the minor leagues and getting into a good rhythm whether that is on the mound or offensively or defensively and playing in games that count rather than just spring training. We want to let them get into the flow of the season and then we try to pick just the right moment, in our opinion, to have them come up and make their major league debut.

 

"A major league debut is a sensitive time and if it doesn’t go quite the right way and if you don’t put them in the right position to succeed, you can get in the way of their whole integration into the major leagues and it’s something we take seriously. I’ve never once done it. I’ve never put a young prospect in a position to make his major league debut on Opening Day. Opening Day, when it is cold out and there is a lot of attention and even veteran players don’t feel like themselves, they’re not quite into the flow of the season yet.

 

"I’ve never done it and it’s always been for baseball reasons. This is not a different situation than we’ve faced in the past, so let’s make the best decision for the Chicago Cubs and for Kris Bryant’s development."

[Guest]

And there you have it. Theo chose all of the key talking points that give him every bit of ammunition to hold him back. And he was even able to make Boras look bad in the process.

 

Brilliant!

[Tracer Bullet]

Theo commenting on Bryant again, and more specifically the Boras PR tour: http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-theo-epstein-responds-scott-boras%E2%80%99-criticism-kris-bryant-situation

 

The below is basically a transcription of the (autoplay, why CSN why) video at the link.

 

“I have a lot of respect for Scott and he by and large does a great job for his clients," Epstein said. "The only part about it that bothers me is that he certainly could have picked up the phone before going to the national media about this. He never once called me and asked me if Kris would make the team or anything about his situation. So just from a personal level and professional respect, that would have been something that I would have done if I was in his shoes.

 

"Beyond that, Scott has a forum and obviously people are publishing what he says. He has a job to do and he has a great client who is a fantastic kid. The person who is handling this with the most professionalism and maturity is Kris Bryant. I couldn’t be more proud of how he is handling a very difficult situation. He is getting asked about it every day. He doesn’t get to just go focus on playing the game; he is asked about this from all corners and he is handling himself in a way that makes the Cubs proud.

 

"As far as when Kris makes his major league debut and whether it will be part of this Opening Day roster, we haven’t put that final roster together yet," Epstein said. "I can say this: This is my 13th time putting a team together at the end of spring training and I have never once put a young prospect on an Opening Day roster when he had to make his major league debut (with the exception of a Rule 5 player).

 

"We’ve broken in some pretty good young players over the years from Kevin Youkilis to Hanley Ramirez to Dustin Pedroia to Jacoby Ellsbury to Jon Lester to Jonathan Papelbon and we have always given them the benefit of getting into the season in the minor leagues and getting into a good rhythm whether that is on the mound or offensively or defensively and playing in games that count rather than just spring training. We want to let them get into the flow of the season and then we try to pick just the right moment, in our opinion, to have them come up and make their major league debut.

 

"A major league debut is a sensitive time and if it doesn’t go quite the right way and if you don’t put them in the right position to succeed, you can get in the way of their whole integration into the major leagues and it’s something we take seriously. I’ve never once done it. I’ve never put a young prospect in a position to make his major league debut on Opening Day. Opening Day, when it is cold out and there is a lot of attention and even veteran players don’t feel like themselves, they’re not quite into the flow of the season yet.

 

"I’ve never done it and it’s always been for baseball reasons. This is not a different situation than we’ve faced in the past, so let’s make the best decision for the Chicago Cubs and for Kris Bryant’s development."

 

He really is the best.

[nolanwood]

Theo commenting on Bryant again, and more specifically the Boras PR tour: http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-theo-epstein-responds-scott-boras%E2%80%99-criticism-kris-bryant-situation

 

The below is basically a transcription of the (autoplay, why CSN why) video at the link.

 

“I have a lot of respect for Scott and he by and large does a great job for his clients," Epstein said. "The only part about it that bothers me is that he certainly could have picked up the phone before going to the national media about this. He never once called me and asked me if Kris would make the team or anything about his situation. So just from a personal level and professional respect, that would have been something that I would have done if I was in his shoes.

 

"Beyond that, Scott has a forum and obviously people are publishing what he says. He has a job to do and he has a great client who is a fantastic kid. The person who is handling this with the most professionalism and maturity is Kris Bryant. I couldn’t be more proud of how he is handling a very difficult situation. He is getting asked about it every day. He doesn’t get to just go focus on playing the game; he is asked about this from all corners and he is handling himself in a way that makes the Cubs proud.

 

"As far as when Kris makes his major league debut and whether it will be part of this Opening Day roster, we haven’t put that final roster together yet," Epstein said. "I can say this: This is my 13th time putting a team together at the end of spring training and I have never once put a young prospect on an Opening Day roster when he had to make his major league debut (with the exception of a Rule 5 player).

 

"We’ve broken in some pretty good young players over the years from Kevin Youkilis to Hanley Ramirez to Dustin Pedroia to Jacoby Ellsbury to Jon Lester to Jonathan Papelbon and we have always given them the benefit of getting into the season in the minor leagues and getting into a good rhythm whether that is on the mound or offensively or defensively and playing in games that count rather than just spring training. We want to let them get into the flow of the season and then we try to pick just the right moment, in our opinion, to have them come up and make their major league debut.

 

"A major league debut is a sensitive time and if it doesn’t go quite the right way and if you don’t put them in the right position to succeed, you can get in the way of their whole integration into the major leagues and it’s something we take seriously. I’ve never once done it. I’ve never put a young prospect in a position to make his major league debut on Opening Day. Opening Day, when it is cold out and there is a lot of attention and even veteran players don’t feel like themselves, they’re not quite into the flow of the season yet.

 

"I’ve never done it and it’s always been for baseball reasons. This is not a different situation than we’ve faced in the past, so let’s make the best decision for the Chicago Cubs and for Kris Bryant’s development."

 

He really is the best.

 

The best of the best.

[NOLA]

In just that snippet, Theo achieved the following:

-Shown himself to be the biggest adult in the room, followed closely by...

-Kris Bryant, who he praised while simultaneously yet subtly showed Kris how he's better than this posturing.

-Put the Boras camp in the position of having to explain why a minor leaguer should get better treatment than accomplished ML allstars.

 

Yeah, it may all be bs, but who cares. That was Clintonesque. Bravo.

[Sammy Sofa]

Since I don't see myself ever using heroin, I presume reading this article is the next best thing:

 

http://grantland.com/features/2015-mlb-preview-chicago-cubs-world-series-contenders/

 

you people need to read this [expletive] thing it's great

 

do you finally feel like you have a friend in the media?

 

YES

 

A single tear of energon slides down Brett's cheek.

[ctcf]

Man Theo is a convincing dude.

[Guest]

13 years of planning has lead us to this moment.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[d_money]

Just got around to reading his comments...as someone already said - Brilliant.

[ctcf]

Patrick Mooney @CSNMooney

#Cubs option relievers Joseph Ortiz and Blake Parker to Triple-A Iowa.

[Guest]

Can t hey please hurry up and get Schlitter the [expletive] out of there

[ctcf]

@CSNMooney: Alberta Almora and Kyle Schwarber are among 10 players sent to #Cubs minor-league camp.

 

Patrick Mooney @CSNMooney

Also assigned to #Cubs minor-league camp: Bard, Baxter, Bueno, Carter, Chambers, De Leon, Germen, Valaika.

[Pushfrog98]

I recently learned that Ortiz is 5'7". That is freaking short for a player, let alone a pitcher. Other than that, I know nothing about him.

[JeffH]

Is Dallas Beeler hurt? He's still in camp, but hasn't pitched at all this spring.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Is Dallas Beeler hurt? He's still in camp, but hasn't pitched at all this spring.

 

Yes. Slowly rehabbing a sore shoulder.

[Banedon]

SI.com has the Cubs ranked 15th with a projected record of 82-80.

 

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/03/23/2015-season-previews-all-30-teams#1to10

 

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/03/25/season-preview-chicago-cubs

 

The Cardinals are in the top 6, but the specific order isn't revealed until sometime today.

[Guest]

With all the big run totals it seems like the Cubs have been putting up lately, I figured I'd take a look at where they ranked in ST.

 

For whatever little it's worth, we're 4th in MLB and 3rd in the NL (not sure if that includes today's 11 spot or not).

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp#elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Team+hitting&game_type='S'&season=2015&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=st&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1427930439634&sortColumn=r&sortOrder='desc'&extended=0

 

Tied for first with LA in dongs.

 

5th in SLG, 15th in OBP, and 4th in OPS.

[Guest]

That graph also tells a lot about the scoring in relation to the Cactus League and Grapefruit League.

 

Cactus has the following ranks in runs scored per that graph:

 

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 16th, 19th.

[ctcf]

Britton cleared waivers and is assigned to AAA. Pretty nice to be able to stash him.