2024 Spring Training Game Thread

[Stratos]

21 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Over the course of the winter I've mostly resigned myself to the fact that Brown is not going to be a SP.  But he's going to be an absolute monster reliever.

Why is that?

Just noticed he's dropped to #11 on the MLB.com Cubs Top 30 prospects which was just updated, down from #6.  Which doesn't really mean anything, just reflects the walk issues he had in AAA last year.

[Bertz]

2 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Why is that?

Just noticed he's dropped to #11 on the MLB.com Cubs Top 30 prospects which was just updated, down from #6.  Which doesn't really mean anything, just reflects the walk issues he had in AAA last year.

It's like 70% the lack of innings (he's topped out at 104 in a season) and like 30% the control issues that cropped up at Iowa.

I think too with the team entering a more competitive window and having other talented young pitchers, there's not going to be a ton of opportunity available for him to struggle as a starter.

[Stratos]

27 minutes ago, Bertz said:

It's like 70% the lack of innings (he's topped out at 104 in a season) and like 30% the control issues that cropped up at Iowa.

I think too with the team entering a more competitive window and having other talented young pitchers, there's not going to be a ton of opportunity available for him to struggle as a starter.

He's a TJS guy so it might just be teams being careful and building him up slow.

[LBiittner]

7 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

3 games watched this spring, 3 shutouts. Hmm.....

Please avoid watching during the regular season. 

Get a radio app.

[Bull]

9 hours ago, muntjack said:

In a comically small sample size, PCA has been a trainwreck.  It's been painful to watch. 

More nincompoopery

[thawv]

9 hours ago, Crusader said:

Ben Brown. He was filthy. Dude looks MLB ready already. Matt Shaw can play some excellent defense at third. The future is bright.

Brown IS MLB ready.  Maybe with CC making decisions, we'll see Brown sooner than later on this roster.  

[CubinNY]

10 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

3 games watched this spring, 3 shutouts. Hmm.....

Once they get their regular lineup together start watching. Yesterday at top level pitcher was carving up minor leaguers. 

[BigbadB]

10 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

3 games watched this spring, 3 shutouts. Hmm.....

That equates to minus runs scored during the regular season since the air is thin in AZ.

[Bertz]

1 hour ago, thawv said:

Brown IS MLB ready.  Maybe with CC making decisions, we'll see Brown sooner than later on this roster.  

Among the 357 MLB pitchers with at least 50 IP last year, Brown's rate of pitches hitting the strike zone at AAA last year would have ranked 349th.  Are we really trying to make this one of those stupid "David Ross is bald and dumb" things?  Not to mention before the injury he was tracking towards being a September callup regardless.

[Stratos]

Kilian experienced shoulder discomfort last night when pulled.  MRI done and awaiting results:

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/03/06/caleb-kilians-injury-issue-was-with-his-shoulder-and-it-is-concerning/

[Bertz]

In better injury news

[WhyCantWeWin]

Hoyer probably anticipated that Ross wouldn't use Brown anyways. He wasn't "one of the guys that got us here" look at Little, was barely used and the bullpen was imploded by Ross's stupidity. 

[Crusader]

46 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Kilian experienced shoulder discomfort last night when pulled.  MRI done and awaiting results:

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/03/06/caleb-kilians-injury-issue-was-with-his-shoulder-and-it-is-concerning/

Not good. Respect to Hudson though. He saw it right away and immediately signaled the dugout to get him out. He might have prevented it from getting any worse.

[squally1313]

1 hour ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Hoyer probably anticipated that Ross wouldn't use Brown anyways. He wasn't "one of the guys that got us here" look at Little, was barely used and the bullpen was imploded by Ross's stupidity. 

Not to relitigate this, but I don't know if David Ross not using Luke '42 walks in 64 minor league innings' Little enough is really some fatal flaw. 

[Bertz]

On the topic of pitchers who can't throw strikes, I thought this was a fun one.  I feel like this is the sort of thing that probably only works with a bonafide stuff-monster like a Pete Fairbanks, but the idea of throwing it down the middle and letting your natural wildness keep it to the edges of the strike zone is interesting.  Might be a way to coax a bit more out of a Palencia or a Little a bit faster than you'd be able to otherwise.

[LBiittner]

My opinion only. But curious why Busch isnt playing every freaking opportunity at 1stbase in these tuneup games? If he's the 1stbaseman he'd better be playing the last 2 weeks heading into the season. 

Sorry for the rant, just have a scar from Ross/Hosmer lovefest last year.

[Crusader]

Morel showing why he shouldn’t be playing 3rd today.

Edited March 6, 2024 by Crusader

[chibears55]

Morel not having a good defensive game today so far, but I think he'll still be the starter there come OD. 

 

 

[WhyCantWeWin]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

Not to relitigate this, but I don't know if David Ross not using Luke '42 walks in 64 minor league innings' Little enough is really some fatal flaw. 

Given the circumstances he should have, not having the foresight to realize running your bullpen ragged would lead to injury or ineffectiveness was what mostly led to the Cubs epic collapse. Hindsight 20/20 but I think most people realized that Merryweather, Leiter and Alzolay were looking cooked the last 2 months and I was cringing each time they came in with big leads. 

[Bertz]

I think even if this Morel at 3B thing works out, he probably cant start there on Steele or Wicks days.

[Rcal10]

17 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I think even if this Morel at 3B thing works out, he probably cant start there on Steele or Wicks days.

I am as big a supporter of Morel playing third as we have in this board. and I absolutely agree with this statement. 

[squally1313]

58 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Given the circumstances he should have, not having the foresight to realize running your bullpen ragged would lead to injury or ineffectiveness was what mostly led to the Cubs epic collapse. Hindsight 20/20 but I think most people realized that Merryweather, Leiter and Alzolay were looking cooked the last 2 months and I was cringing each time they came in with big leads. 

But a tired good reliever is still potentially better than a bad, fresher reliever, or at the very least it's not an automatic decision. And who's to even say Little was fresh? He'd thrown 65 innings in 2022, 64 innings going into his callup, which is the same amount of innings as Azlolay and Leiter threw all year and just 8 less than Merryweather threw the whole season. 

The bullpen options all sucked, there was no good answer. Blaming Ross instead of Hoyer for that, or in your scenario giving Hoyer a pass for not calling someone up because he couldn't make the manager, the guy who reports to him, use the guy, is not how you should be looking at it. 

[Hunter]

1 hour ago, LBiittner said:

My opinion only. But curious why Busch isnt playing every freaking opportunity at 1stbase in these tuneup games? If he's the 1stbaseman he'd better be playing the last 2 weeks heading into the season. 

Sorry for the rant, just have a scar from Ross/Hosmer lovefest last year.

I've been wondering as well. Unless he has been sequestered to a practice field to take grounders and throws all day, he should be playing more regularly.

[Bertz]

 

 

[Stratos]

The Angels were bunting like mad on Morel at 3B, they smelled weakness after the 2 errors.  Weird thing to do in a ST game.