2015/16 offseason

[Guest]

phil rogers just said he doesn't think the cubs want to keep fowler because they have albert almora in the pipeline

 

lmfao

That seems pretty far down the list of outrageous things that Phil Rogers has said. The Cubs have shown they're pretty confident in their player development system.

I'd have to imagine they would like Fowler back on the QO, but may prefer not to go multiple years, in part due to Almora. If not Fowler I'm sure they'll have some acceptable vet and not be counting on Almora for 2016.

[XZero771679666304]

phil rogers just said he doesn't think the cubs want to keep fowler because they have albert almora in the pipeline

 

lmfao

That seems pretty far down the list of outrageous things that Phil Rogers has said. The Cubs have shown they're pretty confident in their player development system.

I'd have to imagine they would like Fowler back on the QO, but may prefer not to go multiple years, in part due to Almora. If not Fowler I'm sure they'll have some acceptable vet and not be counting on Almora for 2016.

 

I can't imagine that the FO is counting on Almora for anything. The way he finished 2015 was certainly encouraging, but it was just a couple months on the back of a couple mediocre years. None of the CF talent should be considered MLB ready, or nearly so.

[Guest]

phil rogers just said he doesn't think the cubs want to keep fowler because they have albert almora in the pipeline

 

lmfao

That seems pretty far down the list of outrageous things that Phil Rogers has said. The Cubs have shown they're pretty confident in their player development system.

 

yeah, no, it's really stupid

[Guest]

BIG LEAGUE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ALBERT ALMORA HOLY [expletive]

 

 

this is a team trying to win a world series ffs

Edited November 5, 2015 by David

[Guest]

phil rogers just said he doesn't think the cubs want to keep fowler because they have albert almora in the pipeline

 

lmfao

That seems pretty far down the list of outrageous things that Phil Rogers has said. The Cubs have shown they're pretty confident in their player development system.

I'd have to imagine they would like Fowler back on the QO, but may prefer not to go multiple years, in part due to Almora. If not Fowler I'm sure they'll have some acceptable vet and not be counting on Almora for 2016.

 

I can't imagine that the FO is counting on Almora for anything. The way he finished 2015 was certainly encouraging, but it was just a couple months on the back of a couple mediocre years. None of the CF talent should be considered MLB ready, or nearly so.

 

some sanity. praise the lord.

[Guest]

BIG LEAGUE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ALBERT ALMORA HOLY [expletive]

 

 

this is a team trying to win a world series ffs

Should? Or actually does?

[Guest]

BIG LEAGUE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ALBERT ALMORA HOLY [expletive]

 

 

this is a team trying to win a world series ffs

Should? Or actually does?

 

our FO isn't stupid so they go hand in hand

 

there is no way they are basing anything about their decision for their everyday CF next year for a team coming off 97 wins on a guy who has underperformed significantly in the minors and is in AA. is dude even a top 100 prospect at this point?

[Guest]

BIG LEAGUE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ALBERT ALMORA HOLY [expletive]

 

 

this is a team trying to win a world series ffs

Should? Or actually does?

If you allow the assumption that our front office will generally do the smart thing, then they will not base decisions about what to do in CF on Almora, Happ or any other potential CF in the pipeline.

[Guest]

is dude even a top 100 prospect at this point?

I bet he will be on some lists. He is a superior defender at a value position on the field and has a solid ability to put the bat on the ball. He's scouted as a guy that will add power over time.

[Guest]

BIG LEAGUE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ALBERT ALMORA HOLY [expletive]

 

 

this is a team trying to win a world series ffs

Should? Or actually does?

 

our FO isn't stupid so they go hand in hand

 

there is no way they are basing anything about their decision for their everyday CF next year for a team coming off 97 wins on a guy who has underperformed significantly in the minors and is in AA. is dude even a top 100 prospect at this point?

But this isn't solely a discussion about next year. I'm sure the QO will be extended, but there's reason to believe they don't want to go multi years on Fowler. So if they can't keep Fo onlywler on a multi year deal, there will be plenty of options to provide CF production worthy of a playoff team for 2016, which isn't Almora. But having a prospect the like makes going with a shorter term bridge potentially more palatable. Not that they're dumb enough to work on certainties. I'm sure they look at all pipeline guys in terms of general probabilities, but they in all likliehood feel comfortable about the mid-term CF pipeline.

[biittner77]

If Fowler wants say a 5 year deal then Almora arriving might make them want to go in a different direction. It's not inconceivable that they'd want to get a placeholder for CF to see if Almora turns into anything. Hopefully, that placeholder is Heyward who then slides over to RF once Almora is ready- if that actually happens.

[Guest]

my god they were going to sign 32 year old russell martin to like a 5 year deal for big money last year...and that was on a team that wasn't established as a contender yet. far from it.

 

would you say kyle schwarber this time last year had a better chance at having a productive/valuable career as a big league catcher than albert almora right now having one as a big league CFer?

 

and remember that this was before schwarber had proven to be too good with the bat to pass up and wait on his development...as recently as 3-4 months ago they were still talking about being committed to him in the long term as a catcher (and also before the emergence of contreras).

Edited November 5, 2015 by David

[Guest]

They also have Ian Happ as a potential CF, but they won't base any decisions on him, either.

 

Having too much talent to play at one time is not a problem the Cubs are worried about at this point.

[Guest]

BIG LEAGUE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ALBERT ALMORA HOLY [expletive]

 

 

this is a team trying to win a world series ffs

Should? Or actually does?

 

our FO isn't stupid so they go hand in hand

 

there is no way they are basing anything about their decision for their everyday CF next year for a team coming off 97 wins on a guy who has underperformed significantly in the minors and is in AA. is dude even a top 100 prospect at this point?

But this isn't solely a discussion about next year. I'm sure the QO will be extended, but there's reason to believe they don't want to go multi years on Fowler. So if they can't keep Fo onlywler on a multi year deal, there will be plenty of options to provide CF production worthy of a playoff team for 2016, which isn't Almora. But having a prospect the like makes going with a shorter term bridge potentially more palatable. Not that they're dumb enough to work on certainties. I'm sure they look at all pipeline guys in terms of general probabilities, but they in all likliehood feel comfortable about the mid-term CF pipeline.

 

yeah and if they're smart, they realize that the probability of albert almora being anything but just a guy is pretty low (and even him becoming that is far from a certainty).

[Guest]

is dude even a top 100 prospect at this point?

I bet he will be on some lists. He is a superior defender at a value position on the field and has a solid ability to put the bat on the ball. He's scouted as a guy that will add power over time.

 

i realize that. but the fact that this is even a question is enough. it's not like he's buxton or something where you might make decisions about 2 years from now based on his presence.

 

as for the defense, i still question if it's as good as it's made out to be or if it's just him making plays he should be making more easily but doesn't because of his lack of speed. obviously, he's very good on the balls he gets to. but we've already seen how unreliable reports are on prospect defense (on both sides - good or bad) can be.

[Pushfrog98]

Fwiw, Almora becomes an absolute beast in iOOTP.

[sneakypower]

yeah and if they're smart, they realize that the probability of albert almora being anything but just a guy is pretty low (and even him becoming that is far from a certainty).

oh pray tell, what are the odds on that

[Guest]

yeah and if they're smart, they realize that the probability of albert almora being anything but just a guy is pretty low (and even him becoming that is far from a certainty).

oh pray tell, what are the odds on that

 

do you think they're high at this point, smart ass?

[Sammy Sofa]

David got his, dammit.

[Guest]

Some of these guys will be leaving in trades, anyway.

 

The Cubs very well may not want to pay Dexter for the next four years for other reasons, but strongly doubt it is specifically because of the presence of Almora.

[KingCubsFan]

my god they were going to sign 32 year old russell martin to like a 5 year deal for big money last year...and that was on a team that wasn't established as a contender yet. far from it.

 

would you say kyle schwarber this time last year had a better chance at having a productive/valuable career as a big league catcher than albert almora right now having one as a big league CFer?

 

and remember that this was before schwarber had proven to be too good with the bat to pass up and wait on his development...as recently as 3-4 months ago they were still talking about being committed to him in the long term as a catcher (and also before the emergence of contreras).

Theo can say whatever he wants, everybody knows Schwarber will not be (and never has been projected to be) a full-time catcher.

 

And it's not as if Theo is going to pass on the chance to give Fowler a 3 year deal because they've bookmarked CF for Almora. It's more that they might feel comfortable enough going year-to-year on CF because they feel OK about the CF options they have coming through the pipeline, including Almora. So they'll pass on a 5 year deal for somebody like Fowler. Not sure if I agree with it, but I could see it.

[Guest]

my god they were going to sign 32 year old russell martin to like a 5 year deal for big money last year...and that was on a team that wasn't established as a contender yet. far from it.

 

would you say kyle schwarber this time last year had a better chance at having a productive/valuable career as a big league catcher than albert almora right now having one as a big league CFer?

 

and remember that this was before schwarber had proven to be too good with the bat to pass up and wait on his development...as recently as 3-4 months ago they were still talking about being committed to him in the long term as a catcher (and also before the emergence of contreras).

Theo can say whatever he wants, everybody knows Schwarber will not be (and never has been projected to be) a full-time catcher.

 

oh ok.

[KingCubsFan]

my god they were going to sign 32 year old russell martin to like a 5 year deal for big money last year...and that was on a team that wasn't established as a contender yet. far from it.

 

would you say kyle schwarber this time last year had a better chance at having a productive/valuable career as a big league catcher than albert almora right now having one as a big league CFer?

 

and remember that this was before schwarber had proven to be too good with the bat to pass up and wait on his development...as recently as 3-4 months ago they were still talking about being committed to him in the long term as a catcher (and also before the emergence of contreras).

Theo can say whatever he wants, everybody knows Schwarber will not be (and never has been projected to be) a full-time catcher.

 

oh ok.

Remember when Darwin Barney was a core player? This FO spouts [expletive] frequently.

[Guest]

my god they were going to sign 32 year old russell martin to like a 5 year deal for big money last year...and that was on a team that wasn't established as a contender yet. far from it.

 

would you say kyle schwarber this time last year had a better chance at having a productive/valuable career as a big league catcher than albert almora right now having one as a big league CFer?

 

and remember that this was before schwarber had proven to be too good with the bat to pass up and wait on his development...as recently as 3-4 months ago they were still talking about being committed to him in the long term as a catcher (and also before the emergence of contreras).

Theo can say whatever he wants, everybody knows Schwarber will not be (and never has been projected to be) a full-time catcher.

 

oh ok.

Remember when Darwin Barney was a core player? This FO spouts [expletive] frequently.

 

there was a time when darwin barney provided enough value to be reasonably be seen as a potential regular for a time (and that was a time when the organization was still pretty barren - they didn't know that they'd pull off what they pulled off). i didn't agree with it because i hated him, but they said it because, in 2012, they probably felt it was true.

 

that said, i think they thought there was a non-zero chance that they could develop schwarber into an acceptable enough catcher to play there with that bat. then he schwarbered his way to the big leagues and the bat proved to be too good to not have up in the big leagues while trying to win. between the emergence of contreras and the desire to have schwarber's bat up on the team now and henceforth, i think they've likely given up on that now.

 

but a year ago i think they very much felt it was something worth pursuing and i don't see why they would have had him catch at every level of the minors this year if they didn't.

[Guest]

my god they were going to sign 32 year old russell martin to like a 5 year deal for big money last year...and that was on a team that wasn't established as a contender yet. far from it.

 

would you say kyle schwarber this time last year had a better chance at having a productive/valuable career as a big league catcher than albert almora right now having one as a big league CFer?

 

and remember that this was before schwarber had proven to be too good with the bat to pass up and wait on his development...as recently as 3-4 months ago they were still talking about being committed to him in the long term as a catcher (and also before the emergence of contreras).

Well if they were committed to him as a catcher then he was further away. If he wasn't a catcher, then moot point...