What does Bote need to do to make the team?

[Bull]

He was worth half a win last year in very limited playing time (127 PA). Does that scale to 300 PA and 1.2 wins, or is he the type that would have diminishing returns?

 

Wisdom was only worth 1.1 fWAR in 534 PAs. Why is there not more conversation about giving more of that playing time to Bote? Wisdom (3), Bote (1) and Madrigal (2) all have options. Bote is younger than Wisdom, older than Madrigal. I just don't understand why he's not getting more attention. Is it the fact that he was able to clear waivers due to his higher salary, and therefore doesn't take up a 40 man spot, while the others wouldn't pass waivers and therefore do take up a spot? I understand the concept of sunk cost, but if he's able to outperform Madrigal, isn't Madrigal the sunk cost?

[Tim]

Honestly, Bote is probably also behind Morel, McKinstry and Mastrobuoni on the depth chart at this point.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Bote is not a good major league baseball player. He’s maybe ok for a team as a 26th man who doesn’t already have 4 better 26th men.

[WrigleyField 22]

Bote is not a good major league baseball player. He’s maybe ok for a team as a 26th man who doesn’t already have 4 better 26th men.

So like a 30th man?

[Bertz]

I wouldn't be especially shocked if Bote got back to quality bench material now that he's another offseason removed from his injury. But RHH infielder without elite defense is a pretty crowded field in this org, and the 40 man situation gives him another hurdle to overcome.

 

Rios is probably the favorite for that last bench spot, but we shouldn't be especially shocked with anybody ending up with it.

[Tim]

Oh yeah, add Rios to my list from earlier.

[champaignchris]

He was worth half a win last year in very limited playing time (127 PA). Does that scale to 300 PA and 1.2 wins, or is he the type that would have diminishing returns?

 

Wisdom was only worth 1.1 fWAR in 534 PAs. Why is there not more conversation about giving more of that playing time to Bote? Wisdom (3), Bote (1) and Madrigal (2) all have options. Bote is younger than Wisdom, older than Madrigal. I just don't understand why he's not getting more attention. Is it the fact that he was able to clear waivers due to his higher salary, and therefore doesn't take up a 40 man spot, while the others wouldn't pass waivers and therefore do take up a spot? I understand the concept of sunk cost, but if he's able to outperform Madrigal, isn't Madrigal the sunk cost?

 

Wisdom’s low WAR last year was largely due to his defense that graded very poorly and swung pretty wildly away from his previous relatively decent grades, as defensive metrics sometimes do. I think he’s a better defensive player than what the metrics showed last year, and is probably closer to a 2 to 2.5 WAR player.

[Bertz]

He was worth half a win last year in very limited playing time (127 PA). Does that scale to 300 PA and 1.2 wins, or is he the type that would have diminishing returns?

 

Wisdom was only worth 1.1 fWAR in 534 PAs. Why is there not more conversation about giving more of that playing time to Bote? Wisdom (3), Bote (1) and Madrigal (2) all have options. Bote is younger than Wisdom, older than Madrigal. I just don't understand why he's not getting more attention. Is it the fact that he was able to clear waivers due to his higher salary, and therefore doesn't take up a 40 man spot, while the others wouldn't pass waivers and therefore do take up a spot? I understand the concept of sunk cost, but if he's able to outperform Madrigal, isn't Madrigal the sunk cost?

 

Wisdom’s low WAR last year was largely due to his defense that graded very poorly and swung pretty wildly away from his previous relatively decent grades, as defensive metrics sometimes do. I think he’s a better defensive player than what the metrics showed last year, and is probably closer to a 2 to 2.5 WAR player.

 

He also really rushed back from that finger sprain late in the year. He had a 111 wRC+ when he went on the IL in August, and had a 54 from when he came back through the end of the year.

 

That is one of the things I'm hoping that this year's team can avoid doing and help hit their 70th or 80th percentile outcome. Between a versatile bench and the fairly loaded Iowa club, the team can go three deep essentially everywhere. That *should* allow them to put guys right on the IL after they tweak something, and at the same time not rely on the #2 guy on the depth chart to be an ironman while the first guy's out.

[Backtobanks]

The Cubs should have traded Bote when they had a chance. Take another over-paid/negative trade value player, pay part of his contract, get some minor league roster filler, etc.

[Cubswin11]

The Cubs should have traded Bote when they had a chance. Take another over-paid/negative trade value player, pay part of his contract, get some minor league roster filler, etc.

You were never getting anything of value for Bote, even before his contract extension.

[Derwood]

What does Bote need to do to make the team?

 

He needs the team to be the Pirates

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Bote's best bet for getting on the 26 man roster is probably to hit so undeniably well at Iowa that he's in line for a bench spot over the alternatives when there's injuries/bad performance. I'm not sure he has enough going for him that even a hot spring training and mass underperformance from the alternatives(there's what, six guys reasonably ahead of him?) could put him on the opening day roster.

[Backtobanks]

The Cubs should have traded Bote when they had a chance. Take another over-paid/negative trade value player, pay part of his contract, get some minor league roster filler, etc.

You were never getting anything of value for Bote, even before his contract extension.

 

My list of options never mentioned getting anything of value.

[Cubswin11]

The Cubs should have traded Bote when they had a chance. Take another over-paid/negative trade value player, pay part of his contract, get some minor league roster filler, etc.

You were never getting anything of value for Bote, even before his contract extension.

 

My list of options never mentioned getting anything of value.

Then there’s no point in anyone in the FO ever exploring trading him since it’s a waste of time

[Backtobanks]

You were never getting anything of value for Bote, even before his contract extension.

 

My list of options never mentioned getting anything of value.

Then there’s no point in anyone in the FO ever exploring trading him since it’s a waste of time

 

There might have been someone out there that might be a better fit for the team (BP?) or someone with options left. The White Sox before getting Andrus might have taken a flyer on Bote as 2B/backup 3B.