New Pie article on Cubs.com

[Brian]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051012&content_id=1247516&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

Carrie Muskat shows her great journalism when quoting Triple A Hitting instructor Von Joshua

 

 

 

 

"It's OK," Pie said. "You won't have to wait long for me. I'm on my way."

[CubsWin]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051012&content_id=1247516&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

Carrie Muskat shows her great journalism when quoting Triple A Hitting instructor Von Joshua

 

 

 

 

"It's OK," Pie said. "You won't have to wait long for me. I'm on my way."

We all know Carrie doesn't follow the Cubs minor leagues like we do.

 

On another note, should this be moved to the minor league forum?

 

Finally, about the article, there are some very encouraging quotes from Pie, or to be more precise, Pie's interpreter...

Told that he is projected to be in Chicago soon, Pie downplayed the talk.

 

"That's fine and that's good, but he's not interested in what people say," Garcia said, translating for Pie. "He wants to prove he can play and wants to work hard to continue on the path he's on."

 

What does he need to work on? More plate discipline, improving his baserunning and using the bunt more in a game, Pie said.

Its good to hear that he sees that he is on a path and not ready yet. And that he knows he needs to improve upon his plate discipline, baserunning and using the bunt more. If he can do that, he can be special. Its going to take a lot of hard work and drive, but apparently he's got that covered as well...

"He's very, very hungry to succeed. He wants to be a great player. He doesn't just want to get to the big leagues. He wants to be somebody who, when you open a history book on Major League Baseball, his pictures are in there and there are articles wirtten about him because of his success and things that have happened with him. That's how he's driven. He wants to be a great player. He doesn't just want to get to the big leagues, he wants to be a great player."

Hmmm, a good plan, his feet firmly planted on the ground and a good head on his shoulders, plus the competitive drive to see it through. In this way, he does sound a bit like Michael Jordan. :wink:

[SeldomSeen]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051012&content_id=1247516&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

Carrie Muskat shows her great journalism when quoting Triple A Hitting instructor Von Joshua

 

 

 

 

"It's OK," Pie said. "You won't have to wait long for me. I'm on my way."

 

Sig material, for sure.

[TB_11]

Good to hear he wants to work on his plate discipline. Hopefully he'll play for a manager who feels the same and a team willing to be patient with his development.

[daske17]

Good to hear he wants to work on his plate discipline. Hopefully he'll play for a manager who feels the same and a team willing to be patient with his development.

 

So he'll play for the Braves is what you're saying. :D

[CuseCubFan69]

I wonder if Pattersons struggle in 2005 has turned on a light for our young Pie. I still don't like Pie's ave/obp differential.

[goonys evil twin]

Wow, what a puff piece. I guess we can all expect Pie in Wrigley next year, k/bb be damned.

[CuseCubFan69]

Wow, what a puff piece. I guess we can all expect Pie in Wrigley next year, k/bb be damned.

 

Puffy Muskat? I'm curious if Mr. Hendry thinks Pie will be ready for spring 2006?

[mg420]

Wow, what a puff piece. I guess we can all expect Pie in Wrigley next year, k/bb be damned.

 

Puffy Muskat? I'm curious if Mr. Hendry thinks Pie will be ready for spring 2006?

 

Jonathan Mayo (whoever he is) seems to think so:

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051012&content_id=1247554&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[Geech]

Wow, what a puff piece. I guess we can all expect Pie in Wrigley next year, k/bb be damned.

 

I'm really starting to dislike this organization.

[CubsWin]

Wow, what a puff piece. I guess we can all expect Pie in Wrigley next year, k/bb be damned.

 

I'm really starting to dislike this organization.

It just amazes how two people can read the exact same article filled with the exact same quotes but hear two completely different things.

 

I read Pie's quotes like...

Told that he is projected to be in Chicago soon, Pie downplayed the talk.

 

"That's fine and that's good, but he's not interested in what people say," Garcia said, translating for Pie. "He wants to prove he can play and wants to work hard to continue on the path he's on."

And...

 

What does he need to work on? More plate discipline, improving his baserunning and using the bunt more in a game, Pie said.

And what I hear is a guy who isn't interested just in getting to the bigs a soon as possible, but someone who knows that he has things to work on and will get there when he gets there.

 

There isn't one single solitary quote from anyone on the instruction level or managerial level that said anything in this article remotely close to that Pie would be up with the big club next year regardless of his k/bb ratio. I can't understand how a rational human being deduces that statement from this article.

 

Come on, goony, that comes perilously close to trolling. And I know you're not a troll. So what are you are doing?

 

And then to have Geech follow up that completely baseless comment with a statement like they are "really starting to dislike this organization" is ridiculous. Based on what?! That they've got a guy like Pie in the organization who is incredibly talented and driven and wants to win?

 

Wow.

[Brian]

What I like from what I read from/about Pie, he wants to win and he wants to be one of the best ever. So if had a season like Patterson just had, do you think he would "contemplate" winter ball as Patterson is... I think not he's going to bust his 'butt'.

[Geech]

According to that article he would have been up in July if he hadn't gotten hurt, even though he acknowledges some real problems with his patience. That certainly seems to support goony's statement.

[NewUserName]

I am really glad that he does understand his shortcomings. I also think it isnt really that important how good his plate discipline his if he is hitting for power and playing a good CF. It would be a plus if all that came with a 380 obp. I just hope that Dusty doesnt think that he should be batting at the top of the order though.

 

All this being said and I am a big proponent of bringing up the kids, I still hope he plays in Iowa next season. He is still very young and wouldnt hurt if he played Iowa next year.

 

Although what really would have been bad about him coming up in July. We were going nowhere, he certainly couldnt have been any worse than CPatt. Maybe he is one of those special players like franceur who could have come up and ignited the team. Of course I am sure that Dusty would have found some reasons not to play him. Actually I am changing my mind it would have been bad for him to come up because Dusty would have probably completely missused him and only screwed him up.

[Andy]

According to that article he would have been up in July if he hadn't gotten hurt, even though he acknowledges some real problems with his patience. That certainly seems to support goony's statement.

He would have been up in July because he was the best batter to call up. We still wouldn't have seen Greenberg in the bigs if it weren't for Pie's injury. After all how is Pie ever going to become a decent major leaguer if he never plays in the bigs??

[USSoccer]

According to that article he would have been up in July if he hadn't gotten hurt, even though he acknowledges some real problems with his patience. That certainly seems to support goony's statement.

He would have been up in July because he was the best batter to call up. We still wouldn't have seen Greenberg in the bigs if it weren't for Pie's injury. After all how is Pie ever going to become a decent major leaguer if he never plays in the bigs??

 

He's only 19 or 20 ( i forget), and still has plate discipline issues. He is a raw talent, who relies on physical ability more than baseball skill.

 

He needs, IMO, 1 more full, uninterrupted season in either AA or AAA before being called up in September, and being a 25 man roster guy in 2007.

[CubsWin]

According to that article he would have been up in July if he hadn't gotten hurt, even though he acknowledges some real problems with his patience. That certainly seems to support goony's statement.

That is old news and not supported by any quote in the article. But, fine, if that is what goony wants to take from this article...

[Geech]

the left-handed hitter would've been introduced to the big leagues in July

 

It's actually right there in plain english, CubsWin.

[VVMattVV]

Didn't Hendry say he would have called up Pie in an interview with Len and Bob towards the end of the year?

[XZero771679666304]

Didn't Hendry say he would have called up Pie in an interview with Len and Bob towards the end of the year?

 

Yeah, and Gammons reported it earlier than that.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

According to that article he would have been up in July if he hadn't gotten hurt, even though he acknowledges some real problems with his patience. That certainly seems to support goony's statement.

He would have been up in July because he was the best batter to call up. We still wouldn't have seen Greenberg in the bigs if it weren't for Pie's injury. After all how is Pie ever going to become a decent major leaguer if he never plays in the bigs??

 

Well, he's 20 years old. That would make him young for AA! Why rush him to the big leagues when he's not ready - it's going to be a much bigger detriment to him becoming a decent major leaguer than waiting a year to get to the big leagues.

[CubsWin]

the left-handed hitter would've been introduced to the big leagues in July

 

It's actually right there in plain english, CubsWin.

Are you looking to start something?

 

I don't think you are, I just can't come up with another reason why you would write what you wrote. Unless maybe you didn't really read my post. I never said it wasn't mentioned. What I did write was pretty clear.

 

Once again, it was old news and not the thrust or even a smaller point of this story. It was an afterthought. It was also something the author chose to include and not a quote from anyone in the Cubs organization.

 

There are so many other pieces of direct evidence that contradict goony's statement that to come away after reading this article with that as your only comment is impossible to justify rationally without completely ignoring much of the rest of the article.

 

That said, making rational and/or justified statements isn't a prerequisite on this or any other message board. So, I'm not saying you shouldn't be allowed to write whatever you want. I'm just calling those comments in this thread baseless.

[CubsWin]

According to that article he would have been up in July if he hadn't gotten hurt, even though he acknowledges some real problems with his patience. That certainly seems to support goony's statement.

He would have been up in July because he was the best batter to call up. We still wouldn't have seen Greenberg in the bigs if it weren't for Pie's injury. After all how is Pie ever going to become a decent major leaguer if he never plays in the bigs??

 

Well, he's 20 years old. That would make him young for AA! Why rush him to the big leagues when he's not ready - it's going to be a much bigger detriment to him becoming a decent major leaguer than waiting a year to get to the big leagues.

I completely agree with you, but this brings up an interesting topic. What evidence is there that tells us that plate discipline cannot be learned at the major league level?

 

I think there is plenty of evidence to suggest that if a kid strikes out at the rate Pie did at AA that he will strike out even more in his first year at the major league level. And that would hurt his ability to help the Cubs offense score runs which would be the whole reason to bring him up.

 

But is there any evidence to suggest that it would take him any longer to learn plate discipline while at the major league level than it would if he were seeing lesser pitching? I'm not saying that there isn't. I just don't know if there is.

[CuseCubFan69]

According to that article he would have been up in July if he hadn't gotten hurt, even though he acknowledges some real problems with his patience. That certainly seems to support goony's statement.

He would have been up in July because he was the best batter to call up. We still wouldn't have seen Greenberg in the bigs if it weren't for Pie's injury. After all how is Pie ever going to become a decent major leaguer if he never plays in the bigs??

 

Well, he's 20 years old. That would make him young for AA! Why rush him to the big leagues when he's not ready - it's going to be a much bigger detriment to him becoming a decent major leaguer than waiting a year to get to the big leagues.

 

Why do I envision a desperate Cub team forcing Pie into action? I would like to see Greenberg get a shot at being the 5th OF with a possibility of starting in CF.

[imb]

Well, Im pretty much resigned to the fact that Pie is going to be in the majors this year, plate disciplined be damned. I just hope it doesnt stunt his development like it did Patterson. Would be a shame to blow it with our two best positional prospects from the last decade.