Nico: Hairline fracture, out at least another month

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

horsefeathers

[Cubswin11]

Good to see we have some synergy going up and down the organization from the majors to the minors with misdiagnosing injuries

[Regular Show]

Good to see we have some synergy going up and down the organization from the majors to the minors with misdiagnosing injuries

 

To be fair to the Cubs, I wouldn't necessarily call this a "misdiagnosis" because hairline fractures can be very difficult to discover. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize they have one or had one -- they just endure the pain (which can vary from moderate to severe). Nico probably started swinging the bat in light workouts and started noticing the pain from swinging in his wrist, but otherwise felt fine.

 

This news sucks, but he should be fully healthy in like a month. Plenty of time left in the season at AA and we were never planning on calling him up this year. I also seriously doubt we'll include him in any trade package.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Good to see we have some synergy going up and down the organization from the majors to the minors with misdiagnosing injuries

 

To be fair to the Cubs, I wouldn't necessarily call this a "misdiagnosis" because hairline fractures can be very difficult to discover. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize they have one or had one -- they just endure the pain (which can vary from moderate to severe). Nico probably started swinging the bat in light workouts and started noticing the pain from swinging in his wrist, but otherwise felt fine.

 

This news sucks, but he should be fully healthy in like a month. Plenty of time left in the season at AA and we were never planning on calling him up this year. I also seriously doubt we'll include him in any trade package.

 

The worst part for me is that this probably eliminates any chance he had of making the team out of Arizona next spring and Russell being punted away.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Good to see we have some synergy going up and down the organization from the majors to the minors with misdiagnosing injuries

 

To be fair to the Cubs, I wouldn't necessarily call this a "misdiagnosis" because hairline fractures can be very difficult to discover. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize they have one or had one -- they just endure the pain (which can vary from moderate to severe). Nico probably started swinging the bat in light workouts and started noticing the pain from swinging in his wrist, but otherwise felt fine.

 

This news sucks, but he should be fully healthy in like a month. Plenty of time left in the season at AA and we were never planning on calling him up this year. I also seriously doubt we'll include him in any trade package.

 

The worst part for me is that this probably eliminates any chance he had of making the team out of Arizona next spring and Russell being punted away.

 

Question: Doesn't Nico have enough time still in the the second half of the season that they would be comfortable bringing him up after they screw with the service time issue?

 

Because if Russell sucks like he did last season, I could see them not tendering him as his salary figure goes up even more for 2020.

[Hrubes20]

Good to see we have some synergy going up and down the organization from the majors to the minors with misdiagnosing injuries

 

To be fair to the Cubs, I wouldn't necessarily call this a "misdiagnosis" because hairline fractures can be very difficult to discover. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize they have one or had one -- they just endure the pain (which can vary from moderate to severe). Nico probably started swinging the bat in light workouts and started noticing the pain from swinging in his wrist, but otherwise felt fine.

 

This news sucks, but he should be fully healthy in like a month. Plenty of time left in the season at AA and we were never planning on calling him up this year. I also seriously doubt we'll include him in any trade package.

 

That's the silver lining for me. Highly doubt he gets dealt for bullpen help now.

[Tryptamine]

Good to see we have some synergy going up and down the organization from the majors to the minors with misdiagnosing injuries

 

To be fair to the Cubs, I wouldn't necessarily call this a "misdiagnosis" because hairline fractures can be very difficult to discover. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize they have one or had one -- they just endure the pain (which can vary from moderate to severe). Nico probably started swinging the bat in light workouts and started noticing the pain from swinging in his wrist, but otherwise felt fine.

 

This news sucks, but he should be fully healthy in like a month. Plenty of time left in the season at AA and we were never planning on calling him up this year. I also seriously doubt we'll include him in any trade package.

 

That's the silver lining for me. Highly doubt he gets dealt for bullpen help now.

 

I don't think dealing him was ever a realistic option. With Bryant,Baez, Contreras,etc. getting more expensive, they're going to have to replace people like Zobrist with cheap talent.

[Cubswin11]

Good to see we have some synergy going up and down the organization from the majors to the minors with misdiagnosing injuries

 

To be fair to the Cubs, I wouldn't necessarily call this a "misdiagnosis" because hairline fractures can be very difficult to discover. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize they have one or had one -- they just endure the pain (which can vary from moderate to severe). Nico probably started swinging the bat in light workouts and started noticing the pain from swinging in his wrist, but otherwise felt fine.

 

This news sucks, but he should be fully healthy in like a month. Plenty of time left in the season at AA and we were never planning on calling him up this year. I also seriously doubt we'll include him in any trade package.

 

That's the silver lining for me. Highly doubt he gets dealt for bullpen help now.

I doubt Hoerner would’ve been traded for bullpen help, I think the FO is too high on him, if he gets moved it will be for a controlled SP or bat. I’d say the same about Amaya but with Willy back to being good there is some redundancy there and I’d be more willing to move Amaya for “just” bullpen help (but it would have to be like Doolittle, Treinen or something elite and controlled for another year+).

[Regular Show]

The worst part for me is that this probably eliminates any chance he had of making the team out of Arizona next spring and Russell being punted away.

 

I think he was never going to make the team out of Arizona next spring (no matter how good his stats are). It sounds like the plan is to keep Nico at AA for the whole year, and let him start next season in Iowa. He'll probably get called up sometime next year in May/early June is my guess.

 

The best chance for Russell finally being excised from this team now is a trade. We just need to pray some team needs help at SS/2B before the trade deadline and is willing to take the PR hit/bad press to acquire him. The hard trade deadline (can't make trades in August anymore) could help us here in that regard.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Regular Show

[squally1313]

The worst part for me is that this probably eliminates any chance he had of making the team out of Arizona next spring and Russell being punted away.

 

I think he was never going to make the team out of Arizona next spring (no matter how good his stats are). It sounds like the plan is to keep Nico at AA for the whole year, and let him start next season in Iowa. He'll probably get called him sometime next year in May/early June is my guess.

 

The best chance for Russell finally being excised from this team now is a trade. We just need to pray some team needs help at SS/2B before the trade deadline and is willing to take the PR hit/bad press to acquire him. The hard trade deadline (can't make trades in August anymore) could help us here in that regard.

 

Unfortunately, given the current situation, the team that might need help at SS/2B is us.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The worst part for me is that this probably eliminates any chance he had of making the team out of Arizona next spring and Russell being punted away.

 

I think he was never going to make the team out of Arizona next spring (no matter how good his stats are). It sounds like the plan is to keep Nico at AA for the whole year, and let him start next season in Iowa. He'll probably get called him sometime next year in May/early June is my guess.

 

The best chance for Russell finally being excised from this team now is a trade. We just need to pray some team needs help at SS/2B before the trade deadline and is willing to take the PR hit/bad press to acquire him. The hard trade deadline (can't make trades in August anymore) could help us here in that regard.

 

Unfortunately, given the current situation, the team that might need help at SS/2B is us.

 

Tampa fits the bill.

[Hrubes20]

 

To be fair to the Cubs, I wouldn't necessarily call this a "misdiagnosis" because hairline fractures can be very difficult to discover. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize they have one or had one -- they just endure the pain (which can vary from moderate to severe). Nico probably started swinging the bat in light workouts and started noticing the pain from swinging in his wrist, but otherwise felt fine.

 

This news sucks, but he should be fully healthy in like a month. Plenty of time left in the season at AA and we were never planning on calling him up this year. I also seriously doubt we'll include him in any trade package.

 

That's the silver lining for me. Highly doubt he gets dealt for bullpen help now.

I doubt Hoerner would’ve been traded for bullpen help, I think the FO is too high on him, if he gets moved it will be for a controlled SP or bat. I’d say the same about Amaya but with Willy back to being good there is some redundancy there and I’d be more willing to move Amaya for “just” bullpen help (but it would have to be like Doolittle, Treinen or something elite and controlled for another year+).

 

I don't think there was a huge chance of it happening, but Nico being out another month just drops those chances even further. To clarify, I wasn't insinuating the FO would deal him for a rental, like Gleyber was. We all know that was a perfect storm that won't come around again. But a really good reliever that is under control for multiple seasons? I absolutely could have seen the FO dealing Nico for a guy like that.

[Regular Show]

 

That's the silver lining for me. Highly doubt he gets dealt for bullpen help now.

I doubt Hoerner would’ve been traded for bullpen help, I think the FO is too high on him, if he gets moved it will be for a controlled SP or bat. I’d say the same about Amaya but with Willy back to being good there is some redundancy there and I’d be more willing to move Amaya for “just” bullpen help (but it would have to be like Doolittle, Treinen or something elite and controlled for another year+).

 

I don't think there was a huge chance of it happening, but Nico being out another month just drops those chances even further. To clarify, I wasn't insinuating the FO would deal him for a rental, like Gleyber was. We all know that was a perfect storm that won't come around again. But a really good reliever that is under control for multiple seasons? I absolutely could have seen the FO dealing Nico for a guy like that.

 

Well, I hate to break it to you, but the injury didn't really affect his stock...

 

Teams that are interested in Nico are still interested in Nico. This isn't some chronic or career-altering injury, and he's not a pitcher. I don't think this affected his chances of getting traded, unless his performance nosedives when he comes back due to the injury.

 

I don't think the Cubs are trading top prospects to upgrade the team for a couple reasons: 1.) We don't have a top rated farm system 2.) We didn't really replenish the farm system with IFA signings + draft picks 3.) The Cubs got incredible value from journeyman Jesse Chavez (and Cole Hamels) last year by leaning on their analytics department/special pitcher "support" group that includes Hottovy, Borzello and others.

 

The Cubs probably think they can do the same thing and improve whoever they acquire at a low cost, and that's a smart strategy (not sure it's a completely viable strategy). I would try to do the same thing this year if I were Theo.

[CubsWin]

I don't think the Cubs are trading top prospects to upgrade the team for a couple reasons: 1.) We don't have a top rated farm system 2.) We didn't really replenish the farm system with IFA signings + draft picks 3.) The Cubs got incredible value from journeyman Jesse Chavez (and Cole Hamels) last year by leaning on their analytics department/special pitcher "support" group that includes Hottovy, Borzello and others.

 

The Cubs probably think they can do the same thing and improve whoever they acquire at a low cost, and that's a smart strategy (not sure it's a completely viable strategy). I would try to do the same thing this year if I were Theo.

Good list. I agree, and I'd like to add one more.

 

4.) Unless, the Cubs are willing to blow past the top luxury tax limit next season, they're going to need young, effective, inexpensive players going forward. If a player like Nico or possibly Alzolay has the ability to provide quality production at the major league level in the near future, the Cubs will likely value him more than any other team.

 

Trading guys like they last year (Thomas, Butler, Lacy, Romero, Monasterio) worked pretty well. They probably could trade guys like Amaya and Ademan who are far enough away and play positions that will be filled by players likely to receive extensions in the coming years (Baez and Contreras).

 

Who could this year's Eddie Butler be? Ricky Tyler Thomas? Rollie Lacy? Could it be Alec Mills? Might Jesus Camargo be enticing enough as a High-A guy putting up good numbers? Javier Assad? Paul Richan?The Cubs have built up a backlog of mediocre starts at the upper levels. They'll need options like Clifton, Miller and Abbott but they could part with one of them. Will Keegan Thompson, Erich Uelman, Alex Lange get healthy and perform well enough to draw interest by the deadline?

 

I'm doubtful, but I still can't believe they got Hamels, Chavez and Murphy for what they gave away, so...

[Bertz]

4.) Unless, the Cubs are willing to blow past the top luxury tax limit next season, they're going to need young, effective, inexpensive players going forward. If a player like Nico or possibly Alzolay has the ability to provide quality production at the major league level in the near future, the Cubs will likely value him more than any other team.

 

This is where I'm at too. "The Core" is 2.5 years from FA. If a guy has an ETA of 2019 or 2020 I don't think he's going anywhere. They're going to want to start folding these guys in so A) the team doesn't totally collapse in 2022 because literally everyone is a FA and B) they have an idea of how many guys they can afford to extend.

 

That being said, even though many would consider him our top prospect I think Amaya has a good chance of being shipped off. Willson has an extra year of team control, and also might be the easiest guy to extend. I could also see a one of Almora/Bote/Caratini/Happ getting sent off. At this point they're clearly the second tier, it might make sense to trade one for pitching and then backfill that role with a vet. Caratini especially might be a real sell high opportunity given the dearth of offense at C currently.