Thrilho

I'm with you. I'm not pining to trade any of these guys, but relative to the other veteran "big bat" names that are popping up I'm looking for a guy who fits into one of these categories: 1. A 3+ WAR type player on a 3+ year deal, if we're talking about moving one of the big 4 2. Could play CF, allowing the Cubs a year to see what they've got in Baez and Russell, and Bryant. 3. Is a one year rental LF who doesn't cost any of the big 4. So guys like Alex Gordon or Upton would be great, but I wouldn't trade any of the big 4. Carl Crawford wouldn't work for me because he's pretty mediocre, old, and has a fairly long contract. CarGo is a maybe if it takes Baez to get him. Tulo would give near MVP numbers for the next couple years and tail off/move to third as the other guys are hitting their prime. His addition could put the Cubs around 90 projected wins for 2015, using Fangraphs projections. He doesn't lock Bryant into having to play third. Headley would be a similar type get, but then you're guaranteed to have to have to move one of the big 4. At least this way, you move one but get an elite guy back. I'm not pining for the deal, but Rosenthal brought it up and it seems plausible enough to spend some time thinking about.

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Alcantara's power could play well there too. Is Russell + Alcantara + PJ/Edwards enough?

True, he's a huge injury risk. But there's a Blackhawks thread at the top of the active threads and I'm digging for an idea to keep this party alive. It seems like the Cubs are well equipped to take the risk if they want to. They've got short stops who can step in if Tulo gets hurt, and they've got the luxury of being able to play him at third. So, anyone have any thoughts on what a deal would look like that they might do and you would too? I wouldn't let go of 2 of the big 4 (of which Baez is still one for me). Would they do the deal with Russell as the only big 4 member going? Throw Almora, Edwards in if that helps. I doubt they'd build a deal around just Javy right now, but maybe midseason if he redeems himself. I wouldn't trade Bryant or Soler because of the huge injury risk you mentioned. But a lot of Russell's value is defensive, which we wouldn't be as important. There aren't many teams with the financial flexibility to trade for him and a package that could compete with a deal built around Russell/Almora/Edwards. Or maybe there are. Pleased keep talking Cubs!

How about Tulowitzki? He was the one bat that Rosenthal threw out in the piece below. Also, there was the rumor that the Cubs were talking to the Rockies. Everyone assumed CarGo, but maybe they were taking Tulo? http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/cubs-rock-baseball-world-add-lester-beware-nl-central-epstein-maddon-121014 He's signed up through 2020, on a 10 year $157.5 million deal. His numbers blow pretty much anyone else we're looking at out of the water, even if you just look at his road numbers. Road wOBA of .354 in 2014 and .368 in 2013 (at Coors was .530 and .431). And the 2014 road wOBA came with a .274 BABIP, lower than his career road BABIP of .299. So Tulo is awesome. And he's been rumored to be on the block. Seems like if they were going to trade him, the Cubs would be the team they'd go to.

My preference would be for Grandal, but I've got no idea what it would take to get him. If they can't, another option for left handed catcher platoon is Jason Castro. The Astros just picked up Hank Conger, so they may end up trading Castro (see articles at the end of the post.) Castro positives: - Career 9.0% BB rate. Was 6.6% in 2014, but had never been below 9% in pro baseball. - Hits righties: career .333 wOBA, .334 OBP, .171 ISO, 23.2% K% (vs 32.4% against lefties) - Improving pitch framer: 9.0 RAA in 2014 vs -3.9 in 2013 Negatives: - Bad 2014 overall: .291 wOBA, .286 OBP, .144 ISO, 29.5% K rate, .294 BABIP - Bad 2014 against righties: .296 wOBA, .290 OBP, .156 ISO, 28.8% K rate, .279 BABIP - Career 26.5% K rate - Fangraphs defensive values 2012-2014: -6.1, 1.0, -1.9 Potential mitigating factors for 2014: He never had that much pop until the .209 ISO the posted in 2013. It was .129 in the minors and .144 in 2012. He may have changed his swing after/during 2013, and that could be the cause of his bad 2014. His LD% rates from 2012-2014 were 27.5%, 25.3%, and 19.6%. Before that he was in the minors, so I can't say if the ~25% was way out of line, but he was a .293 minor league hitter with BABIPs ranging .330-.350. As a catcher without much pop, it seems like a fair bet he was hitting line drives. So not sure if the FO wants another strikeout guy, but I could see it if they like his swing and pitch framing potential. Here's an article on his pitch framing. It's from April 17, 2014, so it's a small sample size, but he did end up improving quite a bit this year. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/jason-castro-and-making-a-framer/ Castro good (2013): http://www.faketeams.com/2014/1/20/5327658/catcher-profile-jason-castro Castro disappointing (2014): http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/jason-castro-disappoints/ Some rumor stuff: “Because we have three major league catchers, I’ve had clubs inquire about all our catchers quite frankly,” said Luhnow. “So we need to figure out some resolution prior to Opening Day. There’s no urgency." “A right-handed hitter complements Jason,” said Luhnow. “Conger’s better from the left side.” http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/jason-castro Seems available

For anyone worried about Martin blocking Schwarber, there's a fair chance the NL has the DH by the time Schwarber is ready to catch. If that happens, it allows Schwarber to break in without having to be the primary catcher on a contender.

Castillo not one of the cool kids. If the FO is looking for a veteran bat I'd rather keep the corner OF spots free and sign Martin. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4616&position=C

Underwood got back on track tonight with no walks in five innings, after 3 and 4 walks respectively in his last two outings. I found this video from him striking a guy out in May, in case anyone is curious what he's working with. http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=33067293&sid=milb

Russell lives! Pinch hit single. In other news, he committed his 2nd error since joining the Smokies. That drops his fielding percentage to a laughable .989. Also just noticed he's sporting a 4.61 range factor, compared to a 3.97 in 2013 and 4.06 in 2012. Those are eye popping numbers in a pretty large sample size.

Get ready to work those sugar mines, Wainwright.

Soler will probably be pretty divisive. He's performed much of the year like a top 10 prospect, but he's got the injuries and a lot of people didn't have him in their midseason top 50.

Still no swinging strikes from Soler on 15 pitches. AB went foul, called, called. Bryant on the other hand, has 5 swinging strikes on 13 pitches, excluding the one that hit him.

Soler is hitting from behind in the count tonight. The HR was on an 0-2 pitch and the double was on a 1-2 pitch. In 12 pitches (excluding the intentional walk) he hasn't swung and missed at a pitch. He fouled off three in a row before his double. Plus, he hit a monster home run right after Bryant got hit. After going down 0-2. This guy is ready. Hopefully this will be like the Javy 2 HR 2 walk game that gets him the call.

I was watching the game, and I think Javy's line should read 2-2 with 3 walks. He took a 3-2 fastball that looked low and away to me. Gameday says different, but they had the center field camera and showed it twice. Javy was livid and sat on his heels in the left hand batters box for a couple seconds.

I'm pretty sure they have even more sophisticated info than that. Sure, they're doing stuff with the big computer, but I meant they're probably watching these Iowa ABs as intently as we are. A 2 strikeout night with one looking will be bad for his K rate, roughly neutral for his whiff rate, but I'm sure the front office is watching these at bats with bated breath to see what kind of progress Javy is making. Although if they were doing that, they've got to be asking themselves how Tennessee has a center field camera and Iowa doesn't.

At least Soler's K and Javy's second K were looking. I'd guess the FO has a pulse on how they're getting their Ks. Soler's was an 8 pitch AB in which he never swung and missed. Javy's second was a fastball that looked a little off the plate outside. His first one though, was swinging out in front of a breaking ball away. Yes sir, it sure is going to be nice to have this MiLB TV subscription I bought earlier today...

Soler swung out of his shoes with his first swing trying to follow up that Javybomb. Every swing he took in the AB was a hard cut. Which made the it all the more impressive that he laid off close pitches on pitches 6 and 8 to get the walk.

Soler looking for blood. Hard single back through the box, nearly hit the pitcher in the leg.

The first two pitches to Soler were right down broadway and looked like they could have been strikes. Ball four was right under his chin. Looking forward to seeing the second time through the order.

Soler flies out "sharply" to the wall in center. Javy had a two RBI double to the wall in center.

It was definitely a Schwingle.

Blackburn's second inning sucked (3 walks and a HR), but he shut it down for the last three innings, allowing a single and no walks in between 5 Ks and 3 ground outs.

Or people bust or you move them if Schwarber is better. I guess the point is that a few weeks ago I was all about rushing him up, but with all these positions filled up with guys I have confidence in you mind as well take a shot at filling your one projected hole with another masher if you have the option and time.

The thought of leaving him at catcher if he's got any shot is starting to look more appealing. If nobody busts and they don't trade a short stop they've got the corners outfield spots filled. If they think he has no shot then just rush him up and hope DH is on the way in 2017.