Tryptamine

So much harder than it was a year ago, but here we go. 1)Gleyber:Above average tools across the board except for power and even that may end at a decent 15 per year. He has been pushed very hard so I'm not going to worry too much about a declining BB%. Not an immense ceiling, but a safe bet to be a regular as far as 19 year olds go. 2)Contreras:His explosion couldn't have come at a better time. Vastly improved K rate, climbing BB% and supposed 1.85 to 1.90 pop times. The only guy in the system I have no interest in moving and the Cubs opening day starting catcher in 2017. 3)Jiminez:Nice bounce back after a disappoint 2014. He had a surprisingly low 17.2K% despite prodigious power. For me he unquestionably holds the highest ceiling of all the position players. 4)McKinney:Great plate discipline and good contact skills. Likely relegated to a corner outfield position, his current 10-15HR pop needs to increase for him to be truly exciting. As is, I could see him becoming a David Dejesus type. 5)Happ:I'm going to try and no panic about the bad K rates at lower levels and focus on the better than advertised, power and speed. To go along with a nice BB%. I could see his ceiling as a 20/20 guy which would be a steal if he can stick at 2B or CF. 6)Almora: I'm buying on his improved BB% and power to go with his already elite contact skills. His 2nd half .301/.370/.464 line at AA was a resounding success for a player who will still be 21 when the 2016 season begins. 7)Underwood: Two potential plus pitches with a third that should be at least above average if he can locate it. 2016 will be big for him, because he needs to start showing he can miss some bats. 5.89K/9 isn't going to cut it. Still, the ceiling is substantial 8)Edwards: I'd like to see him spend the entirety of 2016 in a final effort to see if he has any hope of sticking as a starter. The stuff is filthy and his ability to not give up hard contact is otherworldly. Even if he doesn't stick, he's a closer in the making. 9)Cease: Supposedly touched 97-99 in just about all his starts coming off TJS. The control was a bit erratic but that was too be expected. Probably the highest ceiling for a pitcher in the sytem 10)Eddy: Not sure who to believe. One person talks about him like he's just another guy while another talks about him like he's a borderline top 50 talent in the minors. 11)Zagunis:Between the amazing plate discipline, strong arm, moderate power and speed, Zagunis should be able to find a niche as a 4th OFer. If the defense is good enough, I could even see 2nd team starter. 12)Pierce: Already 24, this is the year he has to show if he's going to be a starter going forward or if he's going to be relegated to the pen. The stuff is too good for the poor K rate 6.82K/9. If he does go to the pen I think he can be a strong set up man. 13)Steele: If we're talking about what is as opposed to what might be in the future, Steele has been well ahead of Cease and Sands. He doesn't have Dylan's upside, but he still has middle of the rotation stuff. 14)Candelario: Big bounce back year after nearly falling into the failed prospect abyss. It all depends on his ability to stick at 3B. Another year of his 2015 numbers with solid defense reviews and I'd have him safely in the top 10, but if he ends up at 1B I'm not sure I have him in my top 25. 15)Williams: By all reports the stuff is just so so and yet the guys finshes the season in AA after having not thrown above Short A ball before 2015. He may end up being the cheap answer to replace Hendricks once Hendricks gets to FA.

It took less than 5 minutes after the final pitch for someone to tell me Sveum was a great hitting coach and had nothing to do with the disaster that was Castro and Rizzo 2013.

I'm enjoying that Murphy's error has lead to 4 more runs being scored. If that [expletive] hadn't had the greatest week and a half of his life they probably don't even make it out of LA.

If O'Day can be had for 3/21 or less, I'd absolutely love for him to come in and be the 8th inning guy. Grimm,Strop,O'day and Rondon is a filthy 6 through 9 set up.

I want Brewer's reliever Will Smith on this squad. He's the dominant lefty the bullpen badly needs and I think he could get done for a Vogelbach type return.

Gordon being targeted would really be unexpected. It makes me think Schwarber might be headed out of town. Gordon has only played a grand total of 25 innings of RF in his MLB career, so I can't imagine the Cubs are signing a 32 year old to throw him into a new position.

Zero interest in Storen. He's extremely mentally fragile. He wilts in the playoffs and he went downhill quick once Papelbon joined the Nats.

Can we stop trying to give up Baez for 1 year of an oft injured pitcher. Come 2017 we're either left with a draft pick or paying out 200+M for a guy who can't stay healthy. It's just an absolutely horrible use of resources.

I'd say no as the Cubs. Knowing they want rotation help and presumably aren't as high on Gausman as others what about Wood, McKinney and Jeimer for Gausman? Get a rotation piece back, a good OF prospect and potential 1B down the road? A potential ace for a guy who may not even be offered a contract, a decent prospect, but nowhere near top 100 in Jeimer and a good prospect without a ton of ceiling in McKinney. There's no way.

I think the Orioles say no. They'd basically be punting 2016 as there is no way they could possibly add 3 quality starting pitchers and address 1B with the 40M they have to spend. Also, 3B,SS,2B are all filled with young talents or long contracts. Schoop is on the verge of a pretty big break out.

As of right now the Orioles rotation is Tillman,Ubaldo,Gausman,Miguel Gonzalez and which ever non top prospect they choose for a 5th starter. I feel like it's incredibly safe to say, they aren't dealing Gausman when they themselves are looking to add 2 starters.

I'd much prefer Baez or Castro is dealt, but say Soler is dealt for a young starter like Danny Salazar. Would anyone object to a RF platoon of Coghlan and Chris Young? Combined they'd cost you roughly 6.5 to 7M. Young put up a 162wRC+ against lefties last year and Coghlan put up a 125 wRC+ against righties. It seems like a relatively inexpensive way to get well above average production while biding time for whomever takes over long term.

i don't care what the rumors were...there's no [expletive] way andrew friedman would hire him if ownership tried to force it on him he'd probably walk Dodgers fans already seem to want Friedman and Zaidi gone, especially when they were down 2-1 to the Mets. Apparently acquiring Wood/Latos as fill ins wasn't enough for their fans.

I don't understand how MLB could possibly award EJM to the Giants unless they're suddenly making verbal agreements a binding legal contract, which we all know they aren't.

A no go yet again and I can't justify spending $400+ on standing room seats.

This. There will never be a better time to bring back Sammy and the fans will never be in higher spirits. I want to see one more sprint to the outfield.

Damn it, I like the Nationals, but my god are they just awful when it comes to choosing managerial talent.

Already said it in the other game thread, but I'd rather face 3 very goods and one unproven for 7 games versus 4 or 5 games of super elite. I could see the offense blowing up Syndergaard, Harvey or Degrom. I can't see them doing that to Greinke or Kershaw.

Wow, that is seriously a bummer. By far my favorite guy.

I much prefer the Mets. Greinke and Kershaw are on a different level than than Harvey/DeGrom/Matz/Syndergaard. I feel like the Cubs could get to those guys, while I simply can't envision a scenario where they're putting up 4+ runs on Greinke or Kershaw.

I noticed he had a new hat for the Pirate game. I didn't see any marks at all.

Am I wrong or did the Blue Jays just completely torpedo any chance to resign David Price? They put him into a 7-1 game with game 5 imminent in two days. They clearly had no intentions of ever using him for game 5 instead preferring to go with Stroman. If I'm Price this is a huge slap in the face, because they obviously don't trust me with the game on the line.

The Cubs are 7-0 against the Mets this season. I see no reason to be afraid.

Brett Anderson started the game and got shelled.

Bring on Wainwright. The Cubs have hit missiles of him in both his appearances. BABIP luck saved him in the first appearance.