Let’s talk Spring Training

[CubinNY]

First workout is today, Super Bowl Sunday.

who is going to be in the best shape of their life: over in the minors forum Big Mo looks like he dropped 30 pounds.

which pitcher is going to have some mystery injury right at the start of camp? 
 

It’s time to get excited March 18 is right around the corner. 

[PackLandVA]

After living in AZ for the past 5 1/2 years, I'm hoping to finally get up to Mesa for a game or two this spring.

[jersey cubs fan]

2 hours ago, PackLandVA said:

After living in AZ for the past 5 1/2 years, I'm hoping to finally get up to Mesa for a game or two this spring.

I empathize with your ambivalence toward the team to be in state and still avoid 2 months of their bs

[BigbadB]

I just downloaded the Marquee Network, so I'm ready.

[PackLandVA]

13 hours ago, jersey cubs fan said:

I empathize with your ambivalence toward the team to be in state and still avoid 2 months of their bs

Nope, not ambivalence.  Just life getting in the way. I went up for the "futures" game last year and it was rained out. Plan on heading up this year for one of the two futures games they play.

[Rcal10]

7 minutes ago, PackLandVA said:

Nope, not ambivalence.  Just life getting in the way. I went up for the "futures" game last year and it was rained out. Plan on heading up this year for one of the two futures games they play.

I live in Az too. I get to about 4 or 5 spring games a year. This year only 3 because of them leaving in the middle for Japan. 

[Rcal10]

How long before the Padres get reasonable about Cease or King? And when they do what shoukd the cost be?

I feel if the Cubs gave them either Wicks or Assad they shouldn’t also have to give one of their top prospects. Maybe a younger guy with high risk high reward. Maybe Canario? That is losing a pitcher for one year and getting  BOR maybe MOR starter for at least 4 years. And you get some young talent. And it is saving them money. If someone offers more, that is on them. I don’t feel the Cubs have to lose Cassie, Alcantara or even Triantos in this sort of deal. Now, if they don’t want Assad or Wicks I can understand why they would want a better prospect. But not both a major league pitcher and top prospects. 

Edited February 9, 2025 by Rcal10

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

How long before the Padres get reasonable about Cease or King? And when they do what shoukd the cost be?

I feel if the Cubs gave them either Wicks or Assad they shouldn’t also have to give one of their top prospects. Maybe a younger guy with high risk high reward. Maybe Canario? That is losing a pitcher for one year and getting  BOR maybe MOR starter for at least 4 years. And you get some young talent. And it is saving them money. If someone offers more, that is on them. I don’t feel the Cubs have to lose Cassie, Alcantara or even Triantos in this sort of deal. Now, if they don’t want Assad or Wicks I can understand why they would want a better prospect. But not both a major league pitcher and top prospects. 

If you ask the Padres, they’re being reasonable. If he gets traded there’s going to be tippy top prospects going back and more than one. 

[Rcal10]

59 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

If you ask the Padres, they’re being reasonable. If he gets traded there’s going to be tippy top prospects going back and more than one. 

As I said, there can be one but then not also Assad or Wicks. And if they do get more, I hope it is from someone else. They don’t pay that much for Cease for 2 years. If that’s Peller being reasonable IMO they will just have them all year and lose then for nothing except a draft pick comp for the QO. If he is ok with that, fine.

[Eeyore]

Is everybody injured yet?

[Stratos]

Just looked at the Spring/Japan schedule, it's pretty cool, looks like they leave for Japan around the 12th of March, get to play 2 exhibition games vs Japanese league teams in Tokyo (Giants, Tigers), then play the 2 Dodgers games, then fly back to AZ and a week to later play a series vs the Dbacks for their home opener.

I'm more excited to watch them play vs the Japanese teams to be honest.  I wonder if Imanaga gets the Opener or Steele, i'm hoping Shota.

[Stratos]

15 hours ago, BigbadB said:

I just downloaded the Marquee Network, so I'm ready.

Is it just me or is or the availability on tv apps pretty limited?  Can you get it on a Samsung or Sony tv, or do you have to get ie a Fire stick or Apple TV app?

[Stratos]

8 hours ago, Eeyore said:

Is everybody injured yet?

Carter Hawkins today said no new pitching injuries in camp so far.

[BigbadB]

7 hours ago, Stratos said:

Is it just me or is or the availability on tv apps pretty limited?  Can you get it on a Samsung or Sony tv, or do you have to get ie a Fire stick or Apple TV app?

I have an old Samsung and I haven't checked it yet, but I probably should have mentioned that I downloaded Marquee to my phone. I'll have to use Air Play. I do still have a couple of working Fire Sticks laying around that I can download the app to, also, if casting ends up being a problem. I haven't done much of that.

[morrisjon]

I would really like to see Assad show up in shape this year.  

[squally1313]

10 hours ago, Stratos said:

Is it just me or is or the availability on tv apps pretty limited?  Can you get it on a Samsung or Sony tv, or do you have to get ie a Fire stick or Apple TV app?

 

3 hours ago, BigbadB said:

I have an old Samsung and I haven't checked it yet, but I probably should have mentioned that I downloaded Marquee to my phone. I'll have to use Air Play. I do still have a couple of working Fire Sticks laying around that I can download the app to, also, if casting ends up being a problem. I haven't done much of that.

Yeah my Samsung TV didn't have it as of last year. Probably the excuse I need to switch over to a Roku situation because the Samsung interface seemingly keeps getting slower. I had minimal problems with Air Play last year. Probably won't reactivate the channel until April though. 

[mul21]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

 

Yeah my Samsung TV didn't have it as of last year. Probably the excuse I need to switch over to a Roku situation because the Samsung interface seemingly keeps getting slower. I had minimal problems with Air Play last year. Probably won't reactivate the channel until April though. 

I replaced my living room TV a few months ago and went with a Roku because the user interface is so much better.  My old Samsung was doing all kinds of weird stuff between the apps and a giant blue splotch on the screen.  They're so incredibly cheap too.

[Longhorn20]

Just found out the Cubs are going to open the season in Japan then come back and resume exhibition games.. How ridiculous! Why can't they just promise to play their regulars those 2 days. And to try hard.

[BKHoo]

22 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

How long before the Padres get reasonable about Cease or King? And when they do what shoukd the cost be?

I feel if the Cubs gave them either Wicks or Assad they shouldn’t also have to give one of their top prospects. Maybe a younger guy with high risk high reward. Maybe Canario? That is losing a pitcher for one year and getting  BOR maybe MOR starter for at least 4 years. And you get some young talent. And it is saving them money. If someone offers more, that is on them. I don’t feel the Cubs have to lose Cassie, Alcantara or even Triantos in this sort of deal. Now, if they don’t want Assad or Wicks I can understand why they would want a better prospect. But not both a major league pitcher and top prospects. 

I feel you are way underestimating the value of what will need to be given. Cease is a true #1. Not cheap. 

[Rcal10]

46 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

I feel you are way underestimating the value of what will need to be given. Cease is a true #1. Not cheap. 

What did they give up for 2 years of Cease? They can’t get more than they gave up. 

[squally1313]

5 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

What did they give up for 2 years of Cease? They can’t get more than they gave up. 

I mean, they certainly could ask for more. He went to SD and put up a career high in IP and fWAR and a career low in FIP and xFIP. As free agent contracts get larger and larger, his arbitration number becomes more and more attractive. 

I'm personally fine overpaying in a non-Shaw way, but aware I'm being at least semi-impatient/irrational/not caring enough about the future. Right now I think I'm confident in a 'this team is better than they're getting credit for' way. Putting Cease at/near the top of the rotation turns us into a scary team. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Cease did not pitch all that well in 2023 and a rookie GM traded him for a dude who had absurd helium at the time. I think that should be accounted for. In 2023 he was healthy and accumulated the lion's share of his value through sheer volume. In 2024 he again pitched like a TORP. 

[Bertz]

And so it begins

 

[KCCub]

9 minutes ago, Bertz said:

And so it begins

 

Don't love seeing this after day 1. On the plus side, it's Feb 10th so get these out of the way asap I guess. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

We can ban the shift but we can't ban obliques?  Get your focus right Manfred