Projecting the 2016 Cubs

[North]

The Javy projections are awesome, and I don't think they are that far fetched, but I'm not sure he can get 500 PAs. Even if Javy strikes out 30% of the time, he could still be a 100 wRC+ hitter if he hits 22 homers and walks at like a 6% rate. That's encouraging to me. His defense, at least at 3B, looks damn good as well.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

I know nothing is impossible, but I really don't see Schwarber getting dealt as long as he hits the way he does and gets paid what he gets paid.

[Irishoshea21]

I think Baez gets 300-350 PAs this year playing mostly 2B, but also LF, maybe some CF, as well as SS and 3B. While I'm starting to view the whole OF thing as mostly a red herring, bouncing him around to get PAs and game experience might be a good way to break him in. He seems like a pretty intense kid, letting him run around a little, in a sense, might be a good way to loosen him up offensively against ML pitching. I really don't see it as any different from breaking in a young SP through the bullpen to get them used to the speed and polish expected at the highest level.

 

His performance in AAA last year went under the radar and I am pretty excited about Baez. Expecting him to start pushing Zobrist off of 2B as soon as 2017 and they trade one of the corners for pitching. I like him more over the next 5 years than either Soler or Schwarber. He can be yet another position player capable of hitting, playing defense, and running a little on this roster.

 

Eh, they really just need him to play solid defense this year and hit a little bit. i'm not sure he's going to be able to hit in the majors. Can he still hit for power and not strikeout 35% of the time? They just need hi this year to play good defense (his best skill right now), mostly in the infield, and then get a little lf/Cf as needed. We'll see a lot of late game switches of Baez to 3B, KB to RF.

 

Schwarber isn't going anywhere and I think Soler is about to put it together. He has shown he has power, can walk, and his contact improved. just gotta stay healthy.

[RammyFanny]

I know nothing is impossible, but I really don't see Schwarber getting dealt as long as he hits the way he does and gets paid what he gets paid.

 

Yeah, the defense wasn't great, but it wasn't remotely close to being the albatross that the media makes it out to be after the Mets series fiasco. Surprised me with his arm out there as well.

 

Still played at a 4+ WAR pace over a full season last year. Plus he's still only 22. Kind of weird to think he's younger than Javy. That 17% BB and 20% K-rate during his longest stint at AA still stick out to me. Those power/walk/contact skills have the potential to be immensely valuable if he can continue to make improvements. He does scare me a little against lefties. But if he can just maintain a good approach and have a passable OBP against them, I think that'll suffice.

[sneakypower]

He does scare me a little against lefties.

like Kevin Siegrist?

[JennieGarthAlgar]

I could totally see the Cubs trading Schwarber in the future. It's all fun and games now, slap on some Benny Hill music whenever he's running, defending, or facing a lefty, but eventually that new shine will wear off. Could be Soler and not Schwarber, but I think one of them is gone for a pitcher by the 2018 season.

 

Why is it "all fun and games now" but it still can't be for the next 3-4 years?

 

If Manny went 3-5 with a HR, 2B and BB but made Sportscenter Not Top 10 or whatever set to benny hill music, do you think Theo gave a [expletive]?

[RammyFanny]

He does scare me a little against lefties.

like Kevin Siegrist?

I know, that was the first thing that came to mind. But his numbers against lefties took a nosedive the higher the minor league ladder he climbed, and then he struggled pretty bad in the majors obviously. Like I said though, I think he's got a good enough approach regardless of who is pitching that it won't be a serious issue unless we are maybe talking late game switches.

 

Edit: maybe "nosedive" was too dramatic. .760 OPS against them last year in minors isn't terrible when you are crushing all righties.

[Guest]

I could totally see the Cubs trading Schwarber in the future. It's all fun and games now, slap on some Benny Hill music whenever he's running, defending, or facing a lefty, but eventually that new shine will wear off. Could be Soler and not Schwarber, but I think one of them is gone for a pitcher by the 2018 season.

 

Why is it "all fun and games now" but it still can't be for the next 3-4 years?

 

If Manny went 3-5 with a HR, 2B and BB but made Sportscenter Not Top 10 or whatever set to benny hill music, do you think Theo gave a [expletive]?

It's a different run environment now.

 

If Schwarber can not embarrass himself in LF on a regular basis they should keep him until he starts costing.

[Guancous]

For comparison's sake, here are the 2013 projections:

 

http://cdn.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Cubs-Depth.png

[JennieGarthAlgar]

I could totally see the Cubs trading Schwarber in the future. It's all fun and games now, slap on some Benny Hill music whenever he's running, defending, or facing a lefty, but eventually that new shine will wear off. Could be Soler and not Schwarber, but I think one of them is gone for a pitcher by the 2018 season.

 

Why is it "all fun and games now" but it still can't be for the next 3-4 years?

 

If Manny went 3-5 with a HR, 2B and BB but made Sportscenter Not Top 10 or whatever set to benny hill music, do you think Theo gave a [expletive]?

It's a different run environment now.

 

If Schwarber can not embarrass himself in LF on a regular basis they should keep him until he starts costing.

 

Yeah. That's what I've been saying