KingCubsFan

It's not the best comparison, but the 2007 Rays had core players who had good years yet they still lost 96 games. Crawford, Upton, Pena, Shields and Kazmir all had good years that they were able to translate over to the following year when they won 97 games. The killers on that team were a horrendous bullpen and bottom of the rotation. So I think it's possible for a rebuilding team to have their core players perform well while still losing a ton of games.

I remember hearing somewhere that he had done a lot of work with Soriano this year and supposedly his great play in May was a result of it. I think that's due to the lighter bat. I'm sure Soriano believes it was Rudy, though.

Earned runs. And there's been a few times where he's been able to salvage a few innings at the end. Without too much digging, I think he's put his team in a deep hole in over half his starts.

It's been mentioned that they've had him working on his fastball and throwing it almost exclusively, IIRC. It was his manager who said it. And even if it's true (seemed like he was just trying to defend his player), his fastball alone isn't working at this level and he needs to be sent down. I realize results aren't everything in the minors (particularly the lower minors), but he's clearly overmatched. Knowing you'll be down 5-8 runs by the second or third inning has to affect the team at some point.

I think it's time to send Concepcion down. He's either (a) not nearly as ready as the Cubs thought, (b) not nearly as talented as the Cubs thought, or © was only signed because he's friends with Soler. No matter the answer, he's better served hanging out with Soler in Mesa.

A) Already in place, so not bought. B) Coming off his best minor league season by far, so not low. So probably doesn't belong in a discussion of buy-low reclamation projects. True, but, broadly speaking, the point of buy-low reclamation projects is to turn something into a valuable asset. By giving him a chance to play, LaHair has turned into an asset that the organization previously didn't have.

Stewart? Wood? LaHair?

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/13068220-419/ian-stewart-dropped-to-9th-in-cubs-order.html Well, that's probably not going to happen at this point. Kinda is what he is defensively. Time to get him some more reps in LF, if the Cubs don't think he can handle 3B in the majors. He's still only 22, and there's no need to rush him. Plus I don't see his bat being a plus in the outfield.

I'd love to see a thread on this at some point. How badly do we want the No. 1 overall pick? On the one hand, that's obviously a huge asset. On the other, it would mean that we'd have to be really, really bad the rest of the season, and that means some long-term assets we are hoping will appreciate will have to perform badly. Unless we can somehow manage to suck entirely on the backs of the expendable veterans while Rizzo, Castro, Samardzija dominate. Or we just have to trade Dempster and replace him with someone awful. That'd go a long way, I'd imagine. I'm more concerned with the pressure and depression of losing all the damn time on guys like Castro/Samardzija. Historically awful teams have a stink on them that's tough to wash off. The Tigers got to the World Series 3 years after losing 119 games.

Agreed, pretty much the same (although the walk rate is cut in half). I was just hoping that the improvements made in August and September would carry over.

Plus he's got good contact skills like Vitters. It will be interesting to see how Baez develops with the new regime compared to how Vitters developed under Hendry.

The lack of improvement in plate patience is a bit disappointing, though. His BB:K ratio was 29:71 in 463 at bats his first year, then 35:96 in his second year. He's currently on pace for 17 walks and 119 strikeouts. And his slugging has remained the same. I think he's definitely pressing, but the lack of improvement in certain areas is a bit disappointing given his finish last year.

That's what I thought king was asking too. yeah that's what I was asking

Are you asking if they'd get the slot for #9 twice (this year's missed pick and next year's newly awarded one)? I can't imagine why they would. It wouldn't make a lot of sense, but most of these new rules don't make sense, and I haven't seen anything about money from a lost pick being carried over.

lmao. Sucks to be Houston. They lose his slot amount if he doesn't sign right? That's really rough. Except that they can't sign him, as they didn't draft him. I have to think that the Pirates are going all out this year, and plan to take the penalties and punt next year. Or get the #9 pick in a probable stronger draft next year. So not a big gamble. I keep going back and forth hating the guy for being snotty and greedy and feeling sorry for him because he's the first casualty of the stupid new CBA. Yeah, I bet this is their thinking. Either Appel takes around slot, or they have two top 10 picks next year in a much better draft. If they dont' sign him, do they get the slot money for next year (meaning they would have slot money for their future top 5 pick, their future #9 pick and their lost pick from this year)?

Not worth it. Given that probably 1 or 2 of these guys will ever be productive in the majors, it's better to maximize your chances as opposed to putting everything into a guy you think is a better bet.

Someone posted a scouting report last night that said his bat speed wasn't great but could improve.

Keith Law put the Cubs in the "Other" category for picks he liked. I'm assuming that means most analysts will put our picks near the top of their lists.

I think I'd still put Baez ahead of Almora.

In his latest mock, Law says Almora to the Cubs is the closest thing to a lock in the top 10.

i don't think harvey ever had that kind of power, though. he was just a kid that was a really really good high school hitter. No, he definitely had that kind of power. I think some people said he had 80 power when he was drafted. He just had no pitch recognition skills. I remember being a spring training way back in the day and being thrilled at the display of power between Harvey and Dope. Unfortunately, that was batting practice. Games...not so much. That Lansing season by Dopirak was amazing.

i don't think harvey ever had that kind of power, though. he was just a kid that was a really really good high school hitter. No, he definitely had that kind of power. I think some people said he had 80 power when he was drafted. He just had no pitch recognition skills.

If your point is that Hendry would have been good if not for injuries, then you really aren't conceding any weaknesses on his part, and thus you shouldn't be listened to. Every GM has injuries, every GM makes several good trades (in ten years! I think I saw FIVE trades listed. Give him a medal) and every GM makes good and bad signings. Hendry's strengths were less and his weaknesses greater than a "good" GM. (And this is not to mention his reactionary attitude toward sabermetrics.) I only listed 5 trades to prove a point, but obviously he made many more. As for the injuries, the Cubs had more than their share including Wood and Prior. There aren't many teams that could absorb the loss of their 2 top pitchers and two of the most dominant pitchers in the league. Hendry had weaknesses which I stated in my post, but far too many posters refuse to admit his strengths. Let's not forget the condition of the team and the minor league system when he took over. As I originally posted, Hendry's situation is completely different than what's going on now. Hopefully, Theo & Co. will get us a World Series Championship. When Hendry took over, he had the best farm system in the game and some of the best young talent in the game (Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Patterson, etc.). Theo started with Starlin Castro. How about Samardzija, Barney, Soto, LaHair, Marshall (netted us prospects), Russell, Cashner (Rizzo), Colvin (Stewart), plus the prospects that netted us Garza. Of course Theo won't be counting on Brett Jackson, Vitters, Lake, Baez, McNutt, etc. Another example of a poster not being able to look past the "Hendry hate" (or "Theo adulation") to see the facts. The fact that you're naming guys like Darwin Barney, Bryan LaHair, and two lefty relievers shows the total lack of talent in this organization right now. Not to mention guys like LaHair and Samardzija have (or will have) derived almost all of their value from Theo's decisions (moving Samardzjia to the rotation and putting LaHair at 1B). I don't hate Hendry. I think he was a pretty good evaluator of talent in a vacuum (and a terrific scouting director). He just didn't know how to build a team. Maybe I misread your point about the condition of the team and minor league system when he took over. My point was that the organization in 2003 was in much, much better shape from a talent standpoint than it is now.

If your point is that Hendry would have been good if not for injuries, then you really aren't conceding any weaknesses on his part, and thus you shouldn't be listened to. Every GM has injuries, every GM makes several good trades (in ten years! I think I saw FIVE trades listed. Give him a medal) and every GM makes good and bad signings. Hendry's strengths were less and his weaknesses greater than a "good" GM. (And this is not to mention his reactionary attitude toward sabermetrics.) I only listed 5 trades to prove a point, but obviously he made many more. As for the injuries, the Cubs had more than their share including Wood and Prior. There aren't many teams that could absorb the loss of their 2 top pitchers and two of the most dominant pitchers in the league. Hendry had weaknesses which I stated in my post, but far too many posters refuse to admit his strengths. Let's not forget the condition of the team and the minor league system when he took over. As I originally posted, Hendry's situation is completely different than what's going on now. Hopefully, Theo & Co. will get us a World Series Championship. When Hendry took over, he had the best farm system in the game and some of the best young talent in the game (Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Patterson, etc.). Theo started with Starlin Castro.

Exactly. You can go back and forth about the various good/bad moves he made in a vacuum, but in the end his teams overall were poorly constructed, and the results reflected that.