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Deeg

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Everything posted by Deeg

  1. If Theo tried to get Zimmerman for Castro straight up, the real negotiations would start only when Rizzo stopped laughing.
  2. He does. That's a fantasy.
  3. Another gem from Brett at BN: "Castro has far more value than Zimmerman right now".
  4. http://chicagosuntimes.com/sports/sources-cubs-in-talks-to-acquire-jordan-zimmermann-from-nationals/ A one-year guy, but a true #1 starter - no caveats there. What would the cost in prospects be, and would they try and extend him first?
  5. Per Cotillo, Kwang-Hyun Kim bidding is over but the Wyverns are pissed about how low the bids are and may not post him. No word on who won the bidding.
  6. It's as good as moot, because his opt-out is only to choose arbitration over his existing salary. He can't become a FA, and if he's performing well-enough to earn more in arbitration the Cubs would hardly bat an eye at the modest additional cost. If he's good enough to choose to opt-out, he'll be a huge bargain either way and his FA date is unaffected by his callup date.
  7. Part of the consideration with Baez being called up was not having all the A-list prospects reach FA in the same year. And it's a moot point with Soler, who was already on a major-league contract. The only concerns with him were baseball (and health) ones.
  8. This is BA on Russell's defense in their own words: If that's skepticism, I'd hate to see glowing. One doesn't need to rely on gibbering morons like Arguello to find consensus on Russell's defense. And really, the argument against dealing Castro based on defense is based on all three of Russell, Baez and Alcantara being unable to play SS on the major league level. I'm no believer that there's any such thing as a can't-miss prospect, but the odds of that are pretty low.
  9. Actually Baez has the best arm of the three, which is the only reason why it's kind of a shame to use him at 2B. But the scouting on Russell's defense over the last year has been basically unanimous - clearly the best SS defender of the three right now, never mind when he's Castro's age. You'd really only move him of SS if you didn't want to move the established player (which I think would be a major mistake).
  10. It is very, very far from a given that both Russell and Baez will be better defenders. Possible? Absolutely. Probable? One or the other most likely will be. But there's been more than a few concerns about both Baez and Russell as defenders that they've been suggested as potential 3B, and there's also the SNTS that we don't know much about them as defenders aside from scouting reports, which notoriously skew positive. I haven't seen a single informed opinion that Russell is anything but the best SS of the three, going away. If you want to make the argument with Baez, that's at least feasible - but again, I think the overwhelming consensus (and we have visual observation at the ML lever here too) is that he has better defensive tools at SS than Castro. But given how good Russell is there, that's actually not a crucial point in its own terms.
  11. The equation for Castro and position movement doesn't hinge on all three of Baez, Russell and Bryant being better infield defenders. It hinges on Bryant' ability to play third. It's pretty much a given that Russell and Baez are better defenders, long-term. If Bryant can handle third and you're moving him to LF to accommodate Castro, you're diluting some of Bryant's value (and Castro's too, by moving him off SS). Alcantara is a wild-card - he offers insurance in case Baez or Russell flame out or Bryant can't play 3B, which makes the risk in trading Castro more acceptable. And I certainly don't think it's a lock he won't be a better offensive player, long-term. None of this means you must trade Castro. But it does mean you can, with a reasonably low amount of risk. It's a matter of whether his value as a shortstop is enough to fetch the right pieces in a trade. If you can get the maximum value out of everyone playing their maximum value defensive position, that's ideal. But if not, you can move guys around when the right deal isn't there.
  12. several really smart teams care a lot about pitch framing i know, but what else Defense. Patience at the plate. Even with his BABIP regressed he should be an above average offensive C. i know, but for 5/75 or whatever? i feel like we have a million potentially good position players, and i'm not convinced that we aren't still poor. i still believe we'll get an elite pitcher, but i'm also terrified that maddon and martin are going to be our 2 big offseason acquisitions. The Cubs aren't giving him that. If he signs for 4, they're going to get him. If the Dodgers go 5, they're out.
  13. Didn't Theo tell the NY Times that we had a 70% chance of signing an "unnamed" free agent a few months ago? Wonder who that could have been. Darwin Barney.
  14. It's pure fantasy to think Martin can be had for 3 years. I think the critical issue for the Cubs - and not just them - will be whether he can be had for 4.
  15. Not for the first time, I'm glad Epstein is running this team and not a bunch of guys on a message board.
  16. And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind. He was really, really, really bad and has some serious flaws in his game. I hope he turns it around. He's been really, really bad pretty much every time he's moved up a level - and the last jump he made was by far the biggest. He'll be 22 all of next season - I think it's crazy not to give him every chance to work through his flaws in a Cubs uniform.
  17. And trading him for Hamels (which still makes zero sense to me) is hardly the only suggestion we've seen that involves getting rid of Baez. My puzzlement is more with the overall negativity towards him than with a specific deal in mind.
  18. I continue to be mystified by the eagerness to give up one (or more) of our top prospects for Hamels when there are 2 legit #1s on the FA market this year and several more next year. Hamels is undeniably very good, but he's not Kershaw good - and he's not exactly underpaid. And he has some niggling arm issues. Sorry, I don't buy it - I'd much, much rather be on the hook to Lester for the extra year (or even two) especially given that he's a good bet to age better than Hamels. I'm also mystified that so many seem eager to dump Baez when all he did was do what he's done at every level after promotions - struggle out of the gate. Guys with legit 40+ HR power who can play a good major league shortstop (even if Russell's presence means he might not have to for us) are golden unicorns.
  19. Hey, it's fun when a guy can give give good press. Lou could, and it was enjoyable. The other great line - so politically incorrect - was "That's a shot and a beer. The Hazelden way." I know he really said Hazelten, but it's too great a coincidence of words not to laugh.
  20. "And I did say doo doo there..." Maddon is a walking dictionary of quotations, that's for sure. Everything is rosy and perfect today, but there's no denying he's an unusually articulate and thoughtful guy with a great sense of humor. No matter what the sabermetrics guys say, that matters.
  21. He's a lock to get 4 years, though probably not five. I'd guess $14 per. You may feel that's too much, fine, but I see no reason to expect he'll age worse than typical catchers, and he might hold up better. He's very athletic compared to most.
  22. Molitor is going to be the new manager and Bosio played 7 seasons with him. Yes, and the idea was that Molitor was going to gather a "reunion staff", completely composed of old Brewers teammates. It sounds like something a reporter made up on a slow day, to be honest, but as far as Bosio is concerned I think it's a tempest in a teapot.
  23. Without even considering hesitation for a nanosecond, yes. And I like Derek Johnson where he is. I very much doubt Theo gives anyone permission to talk to Bosio, and I'm not at all certain Bosio would be interested anyway.
  24. Catchers are like pitchers - the reality of the FA market is that you're going to have to overpay at the end of deals when they're likely in decline. Montero isn't a FA but is his deal more of an overpay than 4/56 (conservatively) for Martin? It's not a slam-dunk. It would certainly be better to have both Montero and Castillo than just Montero. But if that's the approach, I think you'd have to give up something of some value. I don't think Montero is a straight salary dump at this point
  25. I'm not sure the upgrade is all that incremental. Even if you assume Montero never gets close to the guy he was before 2013 (which is by no means a safe assumption) he was still 100 OPS points better than Castillo vs. RHP last season. And it's pretty obvious the Cubs don't think Castillo's skills behind the plate are acceptable.
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