"Why Schwarber Should Give Up Catching" - BCB

[Jazz]

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/2/29/11127218/why-kyle-schwarber-should-give-up-catching

 

Interesting article about the longterm benefits of keeping Kyle away from the plate. What do you guys think?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There are good reasons not to have Schwarber catch, but that article did not do a good job of articulating them. 'Catching is hazardous' followed by Mauer(who had some knocks but also played a ton of catcher for many years before truly breaking down) and Posey(hurt on a freak play that was legislated out of the game) is not very compelling.

 

Even if Schwarber is not good enough defensively to catch more than a backup's share of games in a year, that flexibility is extremely valuable. Plus if he's only catching 20-40 games a year then the wear and tear argument is hard to take as an imminent threat either. Let him keep trying to catch, let his performance(and those around him like Montero and Contreras) dictate how much he catches. If he proves able to handle it full time then cross the bridge of avoiding wear and tear at that point.

[CubinNY]

Schwarber is the most valuable trade chip the Cubs have, unless his defense greatly improves.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

I feel like with this lineup and this veteran starting staff, this season and next may be the best (only) time to utilize Schwarber for 20-30 games as a useful catcher, even with average-to-below-average defense. In theory, we will have monster lineups, mash the other teams to death and win 99% of the games he starts due to our offense alone... Imagine inserting Mike Piazza in to that late 90's Cleveland beast, or something.... But anyway, in the rare chance that he is a disaster back there and getting run all over town, then I've got faith Maddon will figure it out quick and salvage the situation. It would also be a good way to keep Montero fresh, especially if we end up having to use him through his contract.

[David]

Schwarber is the most valuable trade chip the Cubs have, unless his defense greatly improves.

 

he can be exactly as good defensively in LF as he was last year and be more than worth having on the team.

[imb]

i like the catcher thing just out of flexibility, provided he can be just a little below average or whatever, but catchers have such a short shelf life, i really dont want his ass over there very much at all.

[David]

i like the catcher thing just out of flexibility, provided he can be just a little below average or whatever, but catchers have such a short shelf life, i really dont want his ass over there very much at all.

i'm not sure they have a much shorter shelf life than any other position, really.

[imb]

i like the catcher thing just out of flexibility, provided he can be just a little below average or whatever, but catchers have such a short shelf life, i really dont want his ass over there very much at all.

i'm not sure they have a much shorter shelf life than any other position, really.

 

i would highly doubt that BUT i also pulled it out of my ass so maybe

[mul21]

i like the catcher thing just out of flexibility, provided he can be just a little below average or whatever, but catchers have such a short shelf life, i really dont want his ass over there very much at all.

i'm not sure they have a much shorter shelf life than any other position, really.

 

i would highly doubt that BUT i also pulled it out of my ass so maybe

 

Also out of my ass, but it seems to me they fall off a cliff much more regularly than the gradual decline seen out of a lot of other position players.

[David]

There are two links like 4 posts above in this very thread refuting that sentiment as largely being a myth.

[mul21]

There are two links like 4 posts above in this very thread refuting that sentiment as largely being a myth.

 

Look, I'm not a robot. I don't have time to read every link that gets posted here......

[nolanwood]

Schwarber is the most valuable trade chip the Cubs have, unless his defense greatly improves.

 

100% agreed with this

 

100% disagree with the idea of trading Schwarber.

[Tim]

Schwarber is the most valuable trade chip the Cubs have, unless his defense greatly improves.

 

100% agreed with this

I don't think his defense is really that bad in LF.

[David]

Schwarber is the most valuable trade chip the Cubs have, unless his defense greatly improves.

 

100% agreed with this

I don't think his defense is really that bad in LF.

 

it's the new narrative after the ugly plays in the NLCS

 

everybody nationally is convinced he is worse than adam dunn bad in LF now

[chopsx9]

There are two links like 4 posts above in this very thread refuting that sentiment as largely being a myth.

 

Would the fact that catchers have shorter careers skew those numbers at all or has that been accounted for?

[Cubswin11]

 

100% agreed with this

I don't think his defense is really that bad in LF.

 

it's the new narrative after the ugly plays in the NLCS

 

everybody nationally is convinced he is worse than adam dunn bad in LF now

Yeah it's really horsefeathering dumb, but recency bias at its best. He was pretty adequate during the regular season and outside of a few flukey plays in the NLCS was fine in the playoffs. I'm really not all that worried about him being able to be a slightly below average LF. With Heyward moving to RF a lot more now I wonder if they shade Fowler a little more towards LF a lot of time to help out even more?

[Banedon]

The Cubs aren't trading Schwarber. They'll need him when they add the DH in the new CBA.

[David]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ChiApparel/status/704639219629748224[/tweet]

 

OK a lot of times these shirts are dumb but I really like that bottom right one

[Banedon]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ChiApparel/status/704639219629748224[/tweet]

 

OK a lot of times these shirts are dumb but I really like that bottom right one

 

I saw that tweet this morning and told my wife the same thing.

[Derwood]

The bottom right one is my least favorite

[David]

the top right one is awful because it has maddon as president and theo as the running mate/VP

 

nope nope nope

[jersey cubs fan]

all of those shirts are terrible

[sneakypower]

Schwarber is the most valuable trade chip the Cubs have, unless his defense greatly improves.

just a reminder that including the playoffs, Schwarber in his age-22 season had a 650 PA pace of 45 HR, 121R, 109 RBI, 86 BB, .255/.362/.529

 

unless he starts diving out of the way of balls hit directly at him, i'm ok with keeping him

[Banedon]

unless he starts diving out of the way of balls hit directly at him, i'm ok with keeping him

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/6/7/2/124613672/051515_pitchc_polanco_polanco_fall_med_awp0fhes.gif

[treebird]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ChiApparel/status/704639219629748224[/tweet]

 

OK a lot of times these shirts are dumb but I really like that bottom right one

 

the bottom right one would be good if it said dongs and the bear was getting hit in the face by the dong