jumbo

You forgot about Justin Grimm Good call. I knew I was forgetting someone. Justin Grimm, professional setup man I'm reminded of the Daily Show highlight of GW Bush listing war allies: "You forgot about Poland!"

You forgot about Justin Grimm

so at this point I'm just basing ratings off of the other rankings that have finished. I want to vote for Torres because he's not that far off of Jimenez. I also see the multitude of ready pen arms and potential starters and have no clue how to discern who may be a better vote. I guess I would need 10 votes at this point if I were to rank equally so I'm just going to watch it unfold from here on in. I only mention this in the comments because I'm curious how many other readers feel the same.

From TCR: http://www.thecubreporter.com/cant-wait-day-cubs-finally-operate-javy-machinery#comments So many guys I forgot about... CUBS MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS ELIGIBLE FOR SELECTION IN DECEMBER 2014 RULE 5 DRAFT (last updated 2-15-2014): Gilberto Abreu, RHP Gioskar Amaya, INF John Andreoli, OF Delbis Arcila, OF Jose Arias, RHP Jeffrey Baez, OF Frank Batista, RHP Yaniel Cabezas, C Javier Castro, RHP Zach Cates, RHP Hunter Cervenka, LHP Pin-Chieh Chen, OF Gerardo Concepcion, LHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Willson Contreras, C Wes Darvill, INF Taylor Davis, C Frank del Valle, LHP Zeke DeVoss, OF Alberto Diaz, LHP Jose Dore, IF-OF C. J. Edwards, RHP Kevin Encarnacion, OF P. J. Francescon, RHP Victor Garcia, LHP Dustin Geiger, INF Anthony Giansanti, OF Reggie Golden, OF Jae-Hoon Ha, OF Kyle Hendricks, RHP Marco Hernandez, INF Michael Jensen, RHP Eric Jokisch, LHP Jin-Young Kim, RHP Austin Kirk, LHP Matt Loosen, RHP Rafael Lopez, C Jeff Lorick, LHP Barret Loux, RHP Dillon Maples, RHP Eric Martinez, RHP Andrew McKirahan, LHP Trey McNutt, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Alberto Mineo, C Carlos Montero, INF Yoanner Negrin, RHP Loiger Padron, RHP Amaury Paulino, RHP Carlos Penalver, INF Felix Pena, RHP Wilfredo Petit, C Ivan Pineyro, RHP James Pugliese, RHP Austin Reed, RHP Greg Rohan, IF-OF Victor Salazar, RHP Francisco Sanchez, INF Tayler Scott, RHP Rock Shoulders, 1B Rubi Silva, OF Brian Smith, LHP Kenny Socorro, INF Elliot Soto, INF Nick Struck, RHP Antonio Valerio, C Yao-Lin Wang, RHP Ben Wells, RHP Oliver Zapata, OF Brad Zapenas, INF Tony Zych, RHP Additionally, any player eligible to be a Rule 55 Six-Year Minor League Free-Agent (6YFA) post-2014 who signs a 2015 minor league contract or agrees to a 2015 minor league successor contract prior to the December 2014 Rule 5 Draft will be eligible for selection. Also, any player eligible to be a Rule 55 Second Contract Minor League Free-Agent who signs a 2015 minor league contract prior to the December 2014 Rule 5 Draft will be eligible for selection if the player was 18 or younger on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 5th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract, or the player was 19 years or older on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 4th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract. CUBS RULE 55 MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS POST-2014: SIX-YEAR FREE-AGENT: Lars Anderson, 1B (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Jeffry Antigua, LHP John Baker, C (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Emilio Bonifacio, IF-OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Marcelo Carreno, RHP Lendy Castillo, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Hunter Cervenka, LHP (see NOTE) Chris Coghlan, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Casey Coleman, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Aaron Cunningham, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Charlie Cutler, C Paolo Espino, RHP Eduardo Figueroa, RHP Luis Flores, C Edgar Gonzalez, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Carlos Gutierrez, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Marcus Hatley, RHP Tommy Hottovy, LHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Walter Ibarra, INF Ryan Kalish, OF Mitch Maier, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Darnell McDonald, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Jonathon Mota, INF Starling Peralta, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Carlos Pimentel, RHP Dae-Eun Rhee, RHP Ryan Roberts, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Jose Rosario, RHP Jonathan Sanchez, LHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Brian Schlitter, RHP (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Ryan Searle, RHP Jeudy Valdez, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Chris Valaika, INF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Casper Wells, OF (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) Eli Whiteside, C (Article XX-D player - can elect free-agency if drafted & then later re-claimed by Cubs) NOTE: Hunter Cervenka will be eligible to be a Rule 55 minor league 6YFA post-2014 if he signed a 2008 contract when he signed his "first contract" with the Boston Red Sox on 8-15-2008. However, if he was “Signed for Future Service“ (first contract was a 2009 contract), he will not be eligible to be a Rule 55 minor league 6YFA until post-2015. SECOND CONTRACT FREE-AGENT: Carlos Figueroa, INF (previously released by CHC) Humberto Garcia, INF (previously released by CHW) Chang-Yong Lim, RHP (previously non-tendered by CHC) Alan Oaks, RHP (previously released by MIA) Yomar Pacheco, RHP (previously released by PIT) Brohiglyn Rivero, RHP (previously released by TB) Orbandy Rodriguez, RHP (previously released by AZ) Roberto Vahlis, C (previously released by TOR) Tsuyoshi Wada, LHP (contract expired with BAL) NOTE: Even if they sign 2015 minor league contracts, B. Rivero, Vahlis, and Wada will not be eligible for selection in the December 2014 Rule 5 Draft.

If I'm following the author's argument, he's claiming that Starlin's low babip, and by extension poor performance in 2013, can be attributed to a new swing that brought about a dip in his contact rate on balls in the zone. Leaving aside whether or not Castro's swing really changed that much, two criticisms occur to me. First, what does contact rate have to do with babip? And second, Starlin's Z-Contact fell from an average of 92.6% in 2010-2012 to 89.2% in 2013. That's not entirely negligible, but it isn't much either. In his three full seasons, Castro saw an average of 2577 pitches per season. Using that number (for purposes of comparison) Castro swung and missed at about 23 more pitches in the strike zone in 2013 relative to his 2010-2012 rate. Even if you assume all those balls would have been put into play if struck, and furthermore that about a third of them would have fallen for hits, that still only gets you to about a .258 average. Am I missing the point? This article didn't agree with the one I read about Castro taking more pitches early in counts but then swinging more later in the counts/with two strikes.

For me, for simplicity I use simple whole-number roundoff numbers. A-: 20 A+: 21 AA: 22 If you don't round off, I assume in A- it would be more on the 19.7 than 20.3 side of 20. *Likewise it's younger for top-5 guys per league, guys who tend to show up on Top-100 or Top-50 overall lists. *Anybody else have more precise numbers? I look at BA's top-20 for their leagues for this purpose. The average age for the 10-20 guys is older than for the 1-5 group. Vogelbach was not young for an A- prospect. Soler was not young for an A+ prospect. Even using top-20 age averages, it still skews deceptively on the old side. For college guys like Bryant and Pierce Johnson, they were 21 in A+, not young. But having used 3 years in college, how could they be young for their level? kind of an old article, but one I bookmarked for this type of discussion/reference http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/minor-league-leaderboard-context/

What was Remlinger's ridiculous injury? Not "tripped over my dog" ridiculous, but didn't something bizarre happen to him? May be thinking of someone else

Gonna have to turn it down though. I was hoping it would come up later on in the decade. 2016/2017+ Decided to sign on to the waiting list after reading this (and others). I am 92930 (or so). What am I looking at 6-7 years? Does anyone have good experience making money on the tickets? Maybe splitting with someone is necessary? Any insight would be appreciated. I've only got a few years to figure this out

I went with Vizcaino and Olt. I love Candelario - I think I had him at 8 during last year's voting - but he's got a ways to go and both Olt and Vizcaino have pedigree on their side despite lack of recent success. I'm very encouraged that the team will have 3B filled through the system just depends on who wins the battle. Olt, Villanueva, Bryant is a pretty good base for the competition. Obviously lots of other possibilities/arrangements

He is their god, along with Marlin Bistro

But the tips are not frosted Edmonds' style

How do you guys interpret Jose Reyes light? 3 war player with a couple years touching 4? Reyes was consistently around 6 barring injuries

Not to defend the FO too much, but I definitely think the new CBA hurt the dual fronts plan the most. Essentially the only way to stock up in the draft is to have a top pick. Yes, the Cardinals and Rays will make good picks and help their farm, but for the Cubs to stock the system (instead of those team re-stocking) they had to lose. I'm not at all happy about the MLB team sucking or the renovations, etc, but if the club could have spent freely in the draft I think the dual front campaign would have been more realistic to carry out.

Well, I went with gut feeling, but this makes me feel a lot better about voting for CJ. Converted me to CJ instead of Soler

They'll both be up in 2014. I asked him and he said he only put it that way because KB has a position to come up to, while Javy doesn't. He doesn't know if Olt will be back to normal or not, so he kept him off the list. And just to head things off at the pass, Chris is extremely hard to get an 80 grade out of. I think Hamilton's speed may be the only one currently for him. I'm more curious how KB has a higher present than future grade. With the glove? Guess he figures he's as good as he'll get at 3B currently? My assumption is that he'll get bigger and lose agility/etc. Some of those ETA dates seemed aggressive to me - anyone else think that? Candelario in 2016 Eloy Jimenez in 2017 (just three years - where does he start in this scenario, Kane County?) Frazier in 2016 (wasn't he a HS pick)

You're kidding, right? I have a feeling you knew all along...even mentioned it twice to not look like a pervert. That's fine, I'll do it. https://www.google.com/search?q=Mai+Satoda&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HCjUUomHG4Xd2QW0uICoAg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=775

This was it for me with Almora. I thought he was outstanding without any of the leadership aspect, which has definitely overshadowed his playing ability. Almora/Soler/Edwards to me are 3a/b/c right now. I do enjoy reading everyone's case for each player. Helps make up for a boring offseason and no Bears playoff (though that would have ended last week anyway).

The poll does not take into account which name you clicked first. You essentially just voted for nobody. Since either Baez or Bryant will win. What you just did was place one chip on red and one on black, on a roulette board that doesn't have green or 0. Those two are 1a and 1b to me so I'm . Maybe I did vote for no one, but by your logic anyone voting for both players voted for nothing, whether a third player was chosen or not. It really doesn't matter for this vote anyway unless the majority of those responding only pick the single player they would choose as #1.

Initially I voted Bryant only (before I saw multiple vote option) because I'm a but concerned that Javy can't reproduce the absolutely amazing year he had last year. Then I voted for both Bryant and Baez as 1a/1b type thing, with no 3rd vote.

Too lazy to look it up, but I was thinking it was May 1. Late enough to lose a big part of the season.

Agreed and as I'm thinking about it now it did have a feel of "We're the polished radio hosts - you're a dumb jock who's lucky in his friends" feel to it. Like I said though, I wasn't listening closely and it really didn't sound that bad to me. There are a few hosts (Holmes) on the Score who try to emulate Bernstein - which I find really annoying since Bernstein is a total dick to callers (meatballs and all). I do agree but there are a lot of meatball callers that deserve their treatment. I can tolerate Bernstein, he's at least intelligent, but Boers is horrible. So is Jerkovich on ESPN1000. I listen to B&B when I can't stand more shitty news about congress or the middle east. Bernstein runs the show and is a total [expletive]. He's bright, but he gets in a shitty mood and treats people like [expletive]. Many deserve it, but many others don't even get a chance. Boers is a completely [expletive] worthless yes man

I've never taken the time to split up his numbers, but from memory I thought that Lake started out ridiculously hot (Puig hot you might say), then looked like a 23 year old rookie. His total numbers may look good at the end of the year, but it seemed like he had one awesome month in a partial season.

Does anyone want to handicap whether or not Beeler gets added to the 40 man? Is he anything more than a back-end type?

Debt servicing could technically be considered part of the budget and push the total higher. While I'm not sure that still would make the total expenditures higher, since revenue also is down, maybe as a ratio it's higher. None of us have ever seen a MLB budget from top to bottom and few of us would even be equipped to understand it fully, so I don't think you can really say horsepoop in response. "All these documents are yours. The people's property, you pay for it! But because the Ricketts considers you children who might be too disturbed or distressed to face this reality, or because you might possibly lynch those involved, you cannot see these documents for another seventy-five years. I'm in my early forties, so I'll have shuffled off this mortal coil by then, but I'm already telling my eight-year-old son to keep himself physically fit, so that one glorious September morning, in the year 2038, he can walk into the Triangle Building across from Wrigley, and find out what the Ricketts and Sam Zell knew! They might even push it back then, hell it may become a generational affair, with questions passed down from father to son, mother to daughter, but someday, somewhere, somebody will find out the damn truth." Awesome

I'd pump the breaks on Maddux being the greatest pitcher in our history. If it's our history then his braves years are thrown out, if that's the case he can't touch Mordecai Brown. . It's a lot closer than you'd think. I know it's close, just not the slam dunk it should be. Stupid Cubs letting Maddux walk. According to Baseball Reference, Mordecai Brown was worth 45.3 WAR in 10 seasons as a CUB, while Greg Maddux was worth 33.8. Brown played 5 seasons for other teams at the end of his career, in which he totaled 9.8 WAR. Maddux, of course, spent 11 years with the Braves, amassing 66.0 WAR. In 4 years with the Dodgers and Padres he totaled 4.8 WAR. Brown had some pretty incredible seasons. It's crazy to look at those numbers from the 1900's and 1910's and think about the run scoring environment as it compares to today. I know ERA isn't the stat, but in his peak his ERA was under 1.50 four straight seasons. It may be evven more unbelievable that Maddux had consecutive seasons with ERAs of 1.56 and 1.63, with WARs of 8.5 and 9.7.