Rob

Funny thing is that makes him a FA, so we can still get him if we want him.

@Kevin_Goldstein MLB has ruled that the Cuban LHP is NOT NOT NOT eligible. 1 minute ago

I'm cooking up an entire bag of P.F. Changs frozen General Chang's Chicken. If I'm gonna feel like [expletive] after our pick, I want it to be because I'm about to [expletive].

Yeah, I've been mentally preparing for that. The worst is thinking "Oh, thank god. Rendon is somehow still on the board... I guess we don't have to worry about picking that Cuban 'kid.'" "Oh god dammit!"

Groovy. I guess I was just confused by all the crazy talk of conference calls, live streams, and iphones... you damn kids. And I take back everything bad I said about Starling, Mahtook, Springer... even Lindor. Just please oh please don't make us draft a 23 year old Cuban with no semblance of control.

Is the draft not on TV this year? I just kinda assumed it would be.

I was wondering why I got a headache while I was out shopping... figures. Anybody know where I can get some heroin?

Callis just put up another 1st round projections... subscriber only. Anybody care to help out?

I can't imagine he'd sneak past the Washington. But if they're taking Rendon, odds are Starling would fall to us at 9.

I really doubt Lawrie would be made available. Chisenhall is a bit more likely, but not terribly so... we could probably pry away Kipnis though.

Bundy is going to be expensive though, and they do need to be a bit cost conscious with the #7 pick as it's unprotected for next year. I think the hope for us is that they decide to cheap out there.

Why Lindor to KC? I thought they were in on Bauer. Speaking of, that's my nightmare scenario. 1.) Cole 2.) Rendon 3.) Bundy 4.) A. Bradley 5.) Bauer 6.) Starling 7.) Hultzen 8.) Gray Something tells me that if the draft has gone like this, Wilken will have a surprise for us.

Why Lindor to KC? I thought they were in on Bauer.

I've assumed they would take Bradley in front of us. Hopes rising again. The Indians taking Gray may leave a few higher ceiling guys on the board, but Gray is one player that the Cubs FO has confirmed interest in... if enough of those go off the board, we could always see a crazy pick like Simpson last year.

Mostly lack of upside. He's got 5 tools, but none of them profile as plus. And unless his defense improves, he'll probably be relegated to a corner spot. He's just kinda underwhelming for a first rounder. Edit: That's not to say he's a particularly bad pick or anything... just not the franchise changer we all find ourselves hoping for. I get so addicted to draft stuff in all sports that I could probably talk myself into just about anyone. Let's pretend the Cubs have the third pick, and Cole and Rendon are off the board. Who's your top 5? 1.) Dylan Bundy 2.) Bubba Starling 3.) Archie Bradley 4.) Jed Bradley 5.) Danny Hultzen 6.) Trevor Bauer 7.) Sonny Gray 8.) George Springer 9.) Mikie Mahtook 10.) Taylor Guerrieri 11.) Francisco Lindor I will admit making that list, I had a bit of trouble differentiating guys from 6-11. There's a pretty tight clumping of talent around that level. I'd love to get Josh Bell, but I'd have to see what kind of money it would take to sign him... probably not worth using our 1st rounder on though.

Mostly lack of upside. He's got 5 tools, but none of them profile as plus. And unless his defense improves, he'll probably be relegated to a corner spot. He's just kinda underwhelming for a first rounder. Edit: That's not to say he's a particularly bad pick or anything... just not the franchise changer we all find ourselves hoping for.

My opinion on the matter has often been misconstrued as support for Hendry. However, I don't feel it's unreasonable to have an idea of who our alternatives are before firing him. I don't think anybody would be happy to be in a situation where the only person willing to even interview for the job was Jim Bowden. In short, it's not about firing Hendy... it's about hiring somebody better.

Frankie Piliere seems to believe the Nats have zeroed in on Bubba at #6. I would probably want us to draft Bubba if he falls to us, but I think I'll be relieved if he's off the board by then. There's a lot of risk there and our track record doesn't bode well for his success.

I would. Yankees wouldn't.

I didn't say it was always easy. But failing at respectfully disagreeing, I've found it best to say nothing and click a different thread.

With all due respect Rob, characterizing my viewpoint as "ridiculous crap" makes you part of the elitist know-it-all (and uncivilized) problem others have alluded to. Who are you to decide what's ridiculous crap? It'd be more accurate to characterize me as a liberal amongst a crowd of conservatives (or visa versa). We may not often agree, but that doesn't inherently make either of us idiots, or what we have to say ridiculous. Therein lies the problem here. There's virtually no tolerance for opposing viewpionts or differences of opinion. Right and wrong is treated as black and white. The notion that reasonable minds can differ on a particular issue does not live here. At all. That, as much as anything else, is what has stifled this board, IMO. The fact that this intolerance is often portrayed so smugly and maliciously surely doesn't help matters, either. I both apologized in advance for the remainder of that post and admitted guilt in the past. You were singled out so I hardly begrudge your response, but I hope that in rereading my post you can see that I appreciate the value you bring to this board even when I do feel what you are posting is ridiculous. And I hope you don't feel as though I've been too rude in my interactions with you at those times. That said, I don't blame you if you hit the "foe" button. As to the meat of your post, I'd have to say that reasonable minds can only differ a reasonable amount. After that, somebody is being unreasonable and the responsible thing to do is show why they are mistaken. That's where I feel the breakdown in communication is occurring... instead of people taking the time to point out mistakes, we are just loudly mocking them into submission.

In short, I'm not surprised by the situation. The nature of internet message boards themselves seems to dicate that nobody will stick around forever. The trick is always in keeping fresh blood coming in. And since the Cubs are awful, I can hardly blame people for not being interested enough to show up on the boards. Hopefully registrations will tick up when the Cubs get better. That said, there is a major problem with civility on this board. And it appears to my untrained eye that many mods have decided they would rather have rude members posting correct information than more civil members being stupid. I apologize in advance for the example I'm about to use, but I feel it illustrates the situation fairly well. davearm has been known to annoy the hell out of me. He is constantly posting ridiculous crap that I find patently absurd. It's apparent that most of the board feels the same way, from the reactions he garners. Each and every time he posts, the same people come in and just lambast him... and it's rarely civil. And yet I never see anybody get in trouble for being so rude to him. But without guys like davearm around, I probably wouldn't post at all. Because without an opposing side, there isn't an interesting debate to be had. How he's managed the desire to stick around despite being shouted down on each of his last thousand posts, I'll never know... but I respect the hell out of it. If the quality of posts here is going to go back to where we all want it to, it all starts with keeping a civil tone so that actual conversations can be had. I wont single anybody out, as I have been guilty of it in the past too... but the snark is out of control. We need to stop scaring people away.

A lot of those are operating under the premise that Rendon isn't there at #2.

I could have sworn I read something where Fleita said Ha wouldn't be going back down... guess he changed his mind. Either that or I imagined it.

3.5% 3.2% The top number is Darwin Barney's BB% this season. The bottom number is notably hacktastic and much-maligned Shawon Dunston's career average BB%. If Barney isn't capable of supporting that .331 BABIP he's sporting right now (and he probably isn't), his lack of walks and his lack of power are going to tank his offensive value in a hurry. And that's without even getting into the fact that RBI are a meaningless stat. Don't take this post to mean that I don't like Darwin Barney. Believe it or not, I see his potential as a valuable role player. But make no mistake... if he's going to have value, it'll be coming from his glove. Not his bat. To tie that in with the rest of the thread, that's about how I feel about Campana too. If we stick him at the bottom of the order and never let him bat in crucial situations, he could provide some real value as a fielder and runner. Not a star, obviously... but a decent enough reserve guy.