2021 Spring Games

[Tim]

A tad disappointing considering the reports of 97-99. So which of these arms are we most excited to potentially become elite bullpen arms for the next few years?

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2021/03/11/building-something-special-the-story-of-max-bains-journey-to-99-mph/

 

I want this guy just for his name.

[Bertz]

A tad disappointing considering the reports of 97-99. So which of these arms are we most excited to potentially become elite bullpen arms for the next few years?

 

Yeah 97-99 would have been really fun. For Megill in particular, since he's so horsefeathering tall, his perceived velocity is probably going to be 1-2 MPH higher than his actual.

 

I think there's two groups that I'm excited to see.

 

1. The Golden Arms - The guys who have the stuff today, no need for projection, but need to prove it against hitters in the upper minors. Marquez if he fails as a starter, and then Manny Rodriguez and Burl Carraway

 

2. The Pitch Lab/Instructs Darlings - The guys who have gotten far more interesting since they last pitched in real games because of glowing reports from last fall's Instructs or because of interesting Statcast data from the Pitch Lab or Driveline. Trevor Megill, Brendon Little, Ethan Roberts, Justin Steele, and Bryan Hudson all qualify here.

 

There's also the more typical channels. A guy like James Norwood, who has historically thrown hard but done nothing else, could figure out a something else and start contributing. A fringey SP like Tyson Miller could be a lot more fun with the RP velocity boost. Those will always be unpredictable sources of relief help. But the 8 names above are the ones I really have my eye on

[CubinNY]

Who is this boring ass dude doing pbp on Marquee?

[David]

Who is this boring ass dude doing pbp on Marquee?

 

i can't tell if you're joking or not since you live in alabama lol

[CubinNY]

Who is this boring ass dude doing pbp on Marquee?

 

i can't tell if you're joking or not since you live in alabama lol

I wish I was joking. It's not Boog.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Who is this boring ass dude doing pbp on Marquee?

 

i can't tell if you're joking or not since you live in alabama lol

I wish I was joking. It's not Boog.

 

[CubinNY]

 

i can't tell if you're joking or not since you live in alabama lol

I wish I was joking. It's not Boog.

 

Is it Boog?

[CubinNY]

I'm having bad allergies so my hearing is worse than it normally is.

[David]

i'm just trying to figure out if you hate pat hughes and are joking/trolling in the way you're saying it, or if you actually don't know that that's pat hughes

 

 

if you hate pat hughes, that's fine i guess, coming from a big vin scully hater

Edited March 12, 2021 by David

[CubinNY]

It's Pat Hughes? Yikes. He sounds different on TV.

[CubinNY]

Kimbrel looks like dreck.

[CubinNY]

i'm just trying to figure out if you hate pat hughes and are joking/trolling in the way you're saying it, or if you actually don't know that that's pat hughes

 

 

if you hate pat hughes, that's fine i guess, coming from a big vin scully hater

No, I had no idea who it was. I like Pat on the radio (a lot), he sounds different to me. BTW, Len is different on the radio than he is on TV to me as well.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Pat definitely sounds different on TV than on the radio.

[David]

Pat definitely sounds different on TV than on the radio.

 

you guys should've realized it as soon as he started describing the uniforms and talking about the village of bedford park

[Derwood]

The replay is on MLBN right now, and Hughes sounds exactly like he does on the radio

[TarzanJoeWallis]

Pat definitely sounds different on TV than on the radio.

I thought he sounded exactly like...Pat Hughes

[Bertz]

So.....Dillon Maples this spring:

 

4 Outings - 21 batters faced, 6 strikeouts, 0 walks, 1 dong, 10 groundballs

 

I don't want to get worked up over 4.1 ST innings, and the balls he's allowed in the air have seemingly all been stung, but it's hard to not notice this what he's doing with his new delivery.

[Cubswin11]

So.....Dillon Maples this spring:

 

4 Outings - 21 batters faced, 6 strikeouts, 0 walks, 1 dong, 10 groundballs

 

I don't want to get worked up over 4.1 ST innings, and the balls he's allowed in the air have seemingly all been stung, but it's hard to not notice this what he's doing with his new delivery.

Think it’s worth giving him a dozen or so appearances to start the year and see if the delivery change sticks. Gonna need innings anyways. If he’s sucking come late April cut his ass.

[CubinNY]

Bryant is a seriously underrated defensive player.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[Bertz]

 

Good pitching day today, though as seems to keep happening it's while they're at a park without Statcast

[CubinNY]

Wholly horsefeathers you should hear this troglodyte with Len on the radio. He must be pulling his hair out.

[David]

Wholly horsefeathers you should hear this troglodyte with Len on the radio. He must be pulling his hair out.

 

darrin jackson? he seems pretty universally liked in town but i obviously haven't spent much time listening to white sox broadcasts. i'm sure he's better than dopey ass coomer.

 

anyway, in that regard, if len could deal with brenly, he can probably deal with this.

[Bertz]

 

Feels like the opening day pen is mostly set after the signings of Workman/Tepera/Chafin right before camp.

 

CL - Kimbrel

SU - Workman

SU - Chafin

MRP - Winkler

MRP - Tepera

MRP - Adam

MRP - Maples

MRP - #2 Lefty (Brothers, probably?)

LRP - Alzolay or Miller, pending whether Alzolay has a MiLB option left

 

Adam has an option, but no reason to think he doesn't have a hold on a spot. And then this is likely Maples' last shot at locking a spot down.

[JeffH]

If Miller makes the team and Alzolay doesn't, I would prefer to see Miller get regular work in the rotation rather than Mills. Mills can fill the "long relief" role.

 

Megill is another that ought to get serious consideration. Yes, I know he's not even on the 40-man at the moment. But he's no kid - he's 27.