5/6 Dusty Baker's Nats (The Rural Scherzer) @ Cubs (Lackey) 1:20 CDT CSN/MLBN

[squally1313]

hadn't really given it much thought, but is there any reason baez shouldn't start over russell on a more consistent basis?

 

Does it matter? With Bryant and Zobrist both with the ability to play OF and Soler not hitting, you can start them both every day if you wanted to.

 

FWIW, I think Russell still has more offensive upside than Baez and is on par or better as a defender.

 

In terms of predicting future performance, Russell has probably been the better offensive player this year too. Jav is maybe hitting the ball a little harder, but they have the same K rate and Russell's 14% BB rate looks a lot better than Baez' 4%. Put Baez' BAPIP on Russell's numbers and they'd be pretty amazing.

 

Russell has played 25 games and has 0.8 WAR. Over 150, that's 4.8. Let's not mess with what's working.

[sneakypower]

lmao "Rural Scherzer"

[sneakypower]

hadn't really given it much thought, but is there any reason baez shouldn't start over russell on a more consistent basis?

when Russell sorts it out offensively he's going to be a monster, and he's probably not far off from doing so

[Banedon]

hadn't really given it much thought, but is there any reason baez shouldn't start over russell on a more consistent basis?

when Russell sorts it out offensively he's going to be a monster, and he's probably not far off from doing so

 

Yeah, Russell has had some down stretches before offensively and worked through it. I'm more in favor of Baez getting regular 3B time with Bryant moving to LF...even though Bryant has played a solid 3B.

[NOLA]

hadn't really given it much thought, but is there any reason baez shouldn't start over russell on a more consistent basis?

 

Does it matter? With Bryant and Zobrist both with the ability to play OF and Soler not hitting, you can start them both every day if you wanted to.

 

FWIW, I think Russell still has more offensive upside than Baez and is on par or better as a defender.

I know this is splitting hairs, and in the end Russell will probably figure it out and be the better player, but why wouldn't you still give a higher offensive upside to Baez? I also think Javy could be a gold glove caliber infielder.

[abuck1220]

yeah, i realize there are plenty of ways to get baez a bunch of abs, and i'm not saying they should bench russell. i just realized that i was like "oh good, baez starting over russell today."

[Sammy Sofa]

yeah, i realize there are plenty of ways to get baez a bunch of abs

 

He just has one huge one.

[squally1313]

yeah, i realize there are plenty of ways to get baez a bunch of abs, and i'm not saying they should bench russell. i just realized that i was like "oh good, baez starting over russell today."

 

I was more like 'oh good, baez is starting today' and then a little disappointed when it was over Russell. I get LaStella is tearing the cover off the ball right now, I just...can't bring myself to care. I'd love to see more of the Baez in center thing once Fowler slows down...maybe give us another option besides Almora and having to move Heyward after this year.

[UMFan83]

hadn't really given it much thought, but is there any reason baez shouldn't start over russell on a more consistent basis?

 

Does it matter? With Bryant and Zobrist both with the ability to play OF and Soler not hitting, you can start them both every day if you wanted to.

 

FWIW, I think Russell still has more offensive upside than Baez and is on par or better as a defender.

I know this is splitting hairs, and in the end Russell will probably figure it out and be the better player, but why wouldn't you still give a higher offensive upside to Baez? I also think Javy could be a gold glove caliber infielder.

 

As mentioned before, Addy has shown much better plate discipline. Javy has been great and has a higher power upside but he's also benefiting from a nice BABIP I believe. And yes Javy can be a GG caliber IF and maybe already is but Russells advanced defensive metrics last year show that he is already one of the top few defensive IFs in baseball. As a 21 year old rookie

[Omar]

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[Andy]

Good to see Heyward back. Hopefully he's close to 100% now and is ready to unleash some line shots on top of his awesome fielding.

[bukie]

He hasn't earned PT and I'm pretty frustrated with him and I love what Javy's been doing, but its a bit sad that Soler has lost the majority of his PT. Maybe they should just send him down for a few weeks and let him get his confidence back in Iowa. I know that we are short handed in the OF right now but if Soler isn't hitting, he really doesn't provide much value with his glove or his baserunning, so there's really no point in keeping him up here.

 

A demotion isn't the end of the world. He just turned 24 and didn't have much minor league time to begin with. Despite all the struggles, I believe he still has the potential needed to be a star, but he's not going to get there sitting on the Cubs bench, nor is he going to increase his trade value there.

Yeah with the Cubs scuffling like they are now there's just no way to be patient with a guy like Soler, who has a 12% walk rate and a ridiculous low babip.

[Andy]

He hasn't earned PT and I'm pretty frustrated with him and I love what Javy's been doing, but its a bit sad that Soler has lost the majority of his PT. Maybe they should just send him down for a few weeks and let him get his confidence back in Iowa. I know that we are short handed in the OF right now but if Soler isn't hitting, he really doesn't provide much value with his glove or his baserunning, so there's really no point in keeping him up here.

 

A demotion isn't the end of the world. He just turned 24 and didn't have much minor league time to begin with. Despite all the struggles, I believe he still has the potential needed to be a star, but he's not going to get there sitting on the Cubs bench, nor is he going to increase his trade value there.

Yeah with the Cubs scuffling like they are now there's just no way to be patient with a guy like Soler, who has a 12% walk rate and a ridiculous low babip.

La Stella is spraying laser beams everywhere, I think we can ride that out for a while and come back to Soler when it inevitably slows down. It's not going to kill him.

[UMFan83]

He hasn't earned PT and I'm pretty frustrated with him and I love what Javy's been doing, but its a bit sad that Soler has lost the majority of his PT. Maybe they should just send him down for a few weeks and let him get his confidence back in Iowa. I know that we are short handed in the OF right now but if Soler isn't hitting, he really doesn't provide much value with his glove or his baserunning, so there's really no point in keeping him up here.

 

A demotion isn't the end of the world. He just turned 24 and didn't have much minor league time to begin with. Despite all the struggles, I believe he still has the potential needed to be a star, but he's not going to get there sitting on the Cubs bench, nor is he going to increase his trade value there.

Yeah with the Cubs scuffling like they are now there's just no way to be patient with a guy like Soler, who has a 12% walk rate and a ridiculous low babip.

 

That's a fair point, but my whole post was based on the fact that he's lost his PT over the last week or so. If he's not getting ABs here I'd like him to get some development in Iowa. It's not like he will force himself into the ends of games because of his defense. So if Joe isn't starting him, he's in a tough spot to see the field more than 1-2 times a week.

[bukie]

He hasn't earned PT and I'm pretty frustrated with him and I love what Javy's been doing, but its a bit sad that Soler has lost the majority of his PT. Maybe they should just send him down for a few weeks and let him get his confidence back in Iowa. I know that we are short handed in the OF right now but if Soler isn't hitting, he really doesn't provide much value with his glove or his baserunning, so there's really no point in keeping him up here.

 

A demotion isn't the end of the world. He just turned 24 and didn't have much minor league time to begin with. Despite all the struggles, I believe he still has the potential needed to be a star, but he's not going to get there sitting on the Cubs bench, nor is he going to increase his trade value there.

Yeah with the Cubs scuffling like they are now there's just no way to be patient with a guy like Soler, who has a 12% walk rate and a ridiculous low babip.

 

That's a fair point, but my whole post was based on the fact that he's lost his PT over the last week or so. If he's not getting ABs here I'd like him to get some development in Iowa. It's not like he will force himself into the ends of games because of his defense. So if Joe isn't starting him, he's in a tough spot to see the field more than 1-2 times a week.

Thing is, this was always the plan this year. A healthy Schwarber and Baez for the full year were going to limit the ABs for Soler, and La Stella hitting well early has a similar effect. I expect almost everyone on the team to get around 500 PA this season.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

La Stella has also started the last two games against pitchers who are especially tough against righties. With the way Maddon spreads around playing time and with La Stella hitting well, this doesn't mean Soler has been relegated solely to the bench.

[Banedon]

Soler is gonna get hot at some point, and it's gonna be tough to sit him because he'll be donging all over the place.

[bukie]

Like I said in yesterday's game thread, people are practically begging for things to complain about right now.

[BigSlick]

hadn't really given it much thought, but is there any reason baez shouldn't start over russell on a more consistent basis?

Russell is already one of the best defensive SS in the league and getting better with the bat, and Baez can play all over the diamond and be a super-sub so it makes sense to me.

[Omar]

Is Baez the emergency catcher?

[UMFan83]

I really enjoy the inferiority complex thread, aka the other games thread over at GRB.

 

omg CardRed is like my favorite poster ever. I encourage everyone to check out the last 3 "Other Games" threads there. Oh well nevermind I'll just post my favorites all from CardRed:

 

5/3:

Looks like Szczur is hurt now. They are dropping quickly for the Cubs

 

Pirates getting rocked again. Looks like golden boy will be 6-0

 

5/4:

(Comment about Cubs being 5-4 during day games)

And never give Lester run support. They lose today, plus Bucs won't get swept at home.

 

Our pitching is way better than Bucs. We need to get D buttoned up and bats more consistent

 

K well I was wrong there. Damn they outscore Bucs 20-5

 

(Comment about Cubs on pace to allow 400 runs)

Crazy

 

They will wear down and start getting bombed

 

5/5:

I hope Washngton not only sweeps them but bombs their staff

 

Not for long, their pitching is going to wear down.

 

Cubs 32-17 in Hendricks 49 career starts. Make no sense. He's terrible.

 

I've watched the dude pitch, he doesn't have good stuff. I don't get it

 

Cubs falling apart Fowler ejected. Madden will be gone by end of game

 

Nats will take 3/4 in this series.

 

(comment that the Cubs are winning)

Not for long. Nats will get to Hendricks

 

What the hell Nats.

 

And the wheels come off

 

2 hits against Hendricks?

[Andy]

Like I said in yesterday's game thread, people are practically begging for things to complain about right now.

The incessant whining about the complaints in game threads (most of which appear to me to be tongue in cheek anyway) is far more annoying to me than any complaints themselves.

[Omar]

Like I said in yesterday's game thread, people are practically begging for things to complain about right now.

The incessant whining about the complaints in game threads (most of which appear to me to be tongue in cheek anyway) is far more annoying to me than any complaints themselves.

 

so meta

 

the complaining about the whining about the complaining is even farther more annoying than any complains themselves.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Omar

[BigSlick]

Like I said in yesterday's game thread, people are practically begging for things to complain about right now.

Paradoxically, the complaints and neuroticism of Cubs fans actually fuels the strength and power of the team by baseball god magic

 

I will, for example, never stop complaining about Tommy La Stella

[Agony and Ivy]

Like I said in yesterday's game thread, people are practically begging for things to complain about right now.

Paradoxically, the complaints and neuroticism of Cubs fans actually fuels the strength and power of the team by baseball god magic

 

I will, for example, never stop complaining about Tommy La Stella

 

In order to keep my level of Tommy La Stella at an appropriate level I fire up MLB 16 the Show where he constantly boots balls in the infield and is currently hitting .204. I will always hate him.