Hrubes20

I think one underslot guy is enough if you want an overslot pitchers. It would have to be on the basis that the FO really likes those guys as well. It may be a gamble that either Rooker or Gonzalez would be there at 67, but it's dang near guaranteed that a high ceiling prep pitcher with a $2 million price tag will be there. They are every year. I absolutely get if someone wanted to go this route.

He's on the list of positional players beyond the 1st round that I've looked into a bit, due to them seemingly "checking the boxes". A few of the others: Brent Rooker, LF/1B - Mississippi State Riley Adams, C - USD (Hell, they've already even drafted this guy) Kevin Smith, SS - Maryland Jake Mangum, OF - Mississippi State Riley Mahan, 2B/OF - Kentucky Ernie Clement, SS - Virginia Zach Rutherford, SS - Old Dominion MIchael Gigliotti, OF - Lipscomb I could actually see a scenario where Rooker is selected with one of the first round picks as an underslot. He is the 1B this year for MSU, but was just fine in a COF spot last year.

[tweet] [/tweet] He tattooed that thing. Jimenez is really starting to fill out in the lower half, though.

The timing of that is not good. Some arms just can't hold up to the added velo. James Kaprielan is the most recent example of an arm blowing up after extra mphs are discovered.

Thanks again. He seems interesting. Jeremiah Estrada seems to be holding up really well. I could like Austin Beck as an OF prospect, not there yet but that bat speed. If he made it to 27 some how I'd be thrilled. Metal bat or not those oppo wrist flicks are pretty crazy for a high school kid. He kind of reminds me a bit of Clint Frazier. With that said, pretty bummed Pearson threw 101 in front of those scouts. I really wanted him at #30 and I don't see how he'll realistically be there now. Not sure there is any realistic hope of Beck falling to 27, unless his bonus demands are absurd. He was getting buzz to the Braves at #5. Speaking of bonus demands, have there been any made public yet?

The Cardinals have jumped to the front of the bidding for Cuban reliever Hector Mendoza. I saw that about Serrano. This kid was all-state as a HS freshman in Texas, before going to Mexico. I found a blurb from his HS coach that said his changeup was his best pitch, and Badler didn't even mention it. Not to belittle Badler at all, but I can guarantee his former HS coach has seen him more than Badler or the scouts Badler talks to. The coach said he was a baseball rat as well, and was constantly doing stuff after practices and games were over with. Seems to be quite the coup to be able to bring in an IFA like him while still in the penalty box. Theo and Co. are really smart, in case people didn't realize this.

As far as early picks go, Ian Happ & Pierce Johnson both played a few seasons in the Cape Cod League. Hatch spent some time there in 2014 as well. Bryant, Schwarber and Stinnett too. Benintendi famously did not and the Cubs were very high on him. Happ, Donnie Dewees, Ryan Kellogg, Preston Morrison, Scott Effross, and Kyle Twomey I remember from the 2015 class. There may be more after those guys. Hatch, Bailey Clark, Chad Hockin, Duncan Robinson, Wyatt Short, Parker Dunshee (didn't sign), Zach Short from last year's class, and again, there may be more after those guys. Maybe it's just a coincidence, or maybe all teams end up drafting this many Cape league performers. I tend to think it's something the FO is looking at.

This FO has gone heavy with Cape Cod alums in the past. Zach Lowther seems like he could definitely be a target starting as early as the 2nd round.

That's still a good bit down on his stuff from the scant reports we received last year. He was supposedly 94-96, touching 98. 2 mph slower and an inability to command it does not bode well.

I may have missed it, but per AZPhil, Jose Albertos was terrible again yesterday: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BBs, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1:2 GO/AO on 52 pitches Brailyn Marquez wasn't a whole lot better: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1:0 GO/AO on 29 pitches

Yeah, more of the same from Hudson in his first full season start. Dude's a mess.

Everybody is raving about Ademan; especially Arguello. Legit defensive SS with a good hit tool. This is the first I've seen anyone say he has easy power though. That's exciting.

He gives me a bit of a Corey Patterson vibe with less power. I like him.

Good work on this. Did that include the guys drafted that already reached the majors?

That goes without saying.

I strongly disagree. Just because it's unlikely many IFA's have made the bigs yet, doesn't mean we have to ignore prospect status and minor league success. Hell, that's exactly what we did for many of the draft picks during this time. Other teams have multiple LA arms that are showing great in the minors. I believe the Cubs have spent more in IFA in this FO's time than any other team not named the Dodgers (who are loaded with LA arm talent). Yet they don't have the number of regarded LA pitching prospects that teams spending far less have. That could change if Marquez blows up, De La Cruz and Albertos can actually stay healthy enough to log some innings, etc. But as of now, there just isn't as much as there probably should be. Otani won't be available to the Cubs this offseason, so we can forget him. And it would just depend on what a guy like Archer could be had for. It may very well be so costly in prospects that it makes zero sense. But what got this whole discussion started was the idea that Happ was too much to give up. That's just absurd.

To be accurate, I said amateur pitching talent, which includes IFA and makes the successes of other teams all the more glaring in comparison. Teams like the Cardinals, Dodgers, Red Sox, Mariners, Rangers, etc have had much more success than we have there. It especially sucks to see the Cards produce LA flamethrower after LA flamethrower. It is a Cubs forum afterall, but you are viewing a lot of these guys with blue-colored glasses, IMO. That entire 2012 class looks like crap right now and it's unlikely any of them pitch meaningful innings for the big league team. Zastryszny is the only guy in 2013, and he could be a long reliever. Cease does look like he can be a dynamite reliever if he can stay healthy; certainly not a given with him already having TJS. Steele can't throw strikes and is barely worth mentioning anymore, as his stuff isn't good enough with no command. The rest of that class is trash. The entire 2015 looks pretty terrible as well, unless Hudson can pull it together after a disastrous 2016. The latest from AZPhil sounds good, though. You're also missing a lot of legit pitching prospects or big league contributors that were taken after the Cubs' 2nd round pick in your assessment of other teams. I don't want to go through all of them, but here are some top 100 prospects or HM top 100 types you omitted: Brent Honeywell Josh Hader Amir Garrett Stephen Gonsalves Mitch Keller Jose De Leon Brandon Woodruff Jharrel Cotton Anthony Banda Juan Hillman Daniel Gossett Conner Greene Some of the big leaguers off the top of my head and I'm sure there are many more, but I don't have time to look at every roster: Edwin Diaz Keone Kela Robert Gsellman Kyle Barraclough Kyle Crockett But the numbers are obviously still low. I would like to see the percentage of "hits" during this time period, as it feels like the Cubs took more pitchers than most teams, yet still had maybe an average amount of guys somewhat pan out.

Arrieta was really good in 3 of 4 starts last playoffs. That team absolutely had a 3 horse rotation and to think otherwise is ridiculous. But he's gone after the season and Lester is another year older. You don't mess around with any of the premium years of this core by putting out a playoff rotation of Lester/Hendricks/Mike Montgomery?/Cobb?/Liriano?/Butler?/Mills?. This FO may be the best in the business at recognizing and developing amateur offensive talent. Up to this point, they've been bad at recognizing and developing amateur pitching talent. I have all the faith in the world that they can find another Happ. I don't believe they can find a guy like, say, Chris Archer. Eddie Butler and Mike Montgomery disagree. I have no idea what those two have to do with any of what I said. They weren't amateur pitching talent, which is what I directly referenced. Jury is still absolutely out on whether or not either could be a long term SP for the big league team. The only non-Arrieta top tier FA SPs are Yu Darvish (31 and a recent TJS) and Johnny Cueto (32, a lot of innings pitched, and a previous elbow injury as well). Does anyone feel comfortable giving either of these guys 6 years and $20-24 million per? That would be $64+ million in only Lester/FA SP/Heyward at a time when the hitting is going to start getting more expensive. The new TV deal should help of course, but we will never be the Dodgers. It's not a question of them HAVING to pull the trigger on a SP trade. It's a question of whether it is the prudent thing to do. Paying market prices for 30+ year old SPs has not been kind to most teams as of late.

Nope, not really. It's still baseball. Only it's in short series so random lucky crap means a lot more. So, if anything, you could argue the opposite of what you said. You need better to make it through 162 than you necessarily do in a best of 5 and two best of 7s. I mean 1/4 of our playoff rotation was absolute trash last year and we still won the world series...and arrieta was just decent overall. lester and hendricks were great, obviously. the point is, our starting pitching was a bit of a mixed bag and we won it all. Arrieta was really good in 3 of 4 starts last playoffs. That team absolutely had a 3 horse rotation and to think otherwise is ridiculous. But he's gone after the season and Lester is another year older. You don't mess around with any of the premium years of this core by putting out a playoff rotation of Lester/Hendricks/Mike Montgomery?/Cobb?/Liriano?/Butler?/Mills?. This FO may be the best in the business at recognizing and developing amateur offensive talent. Up to this point, they've been bad at recognizing and developing amateur pitching talent. I have all the faith in the world that they can find another Happ. I don't believe they can find a guy like, say, Chris Archer.

So he can fight for 350 PAs each of the next 2 years at the big league level, while 60% of the starting rotation reaches FA? This organization knows how to find people to pitch well enough to win games with this defense and offense. I'm not all that worried about it, whether they sign a couple guys or trade for someone who is undervalued. Trading what is starting to look like an elite young bat (drafted and developed by guys who have had quite a bit of success with that recently) isn't a necessity. Sure. They can find the Jason Hammels, John Lackeys, and Brett Andersons to get the team to the playoffs. But you need better than that to contend once you get there. It's highly unlikely they luck into an Arrieta situation again. Happ has looked terrific ever since ST began, but we should probably pump the brakes on him with only an 8 game sample size. Let's see if he's still making contact this well after 150 PAs. Remember that he's playing in the 2nd most hitter friendly league in all of minor league baseball and he's still not good defensively.

Seriously, he shouldn't be going anywhere except to our 25-man next year (or even sometime this year). So he can fight for 350 PAs each of the next 2 years at the big league level, while 60% of the starting rotation reaches FA?

And Candelario rips a 1-1 pitch for a 2B in his first AB. I believe that's 10 XBHs already. Former Phillie great Vance Worley is the opposing pitcher today.

Keep beefing up that trade value, Happ.

6 up, 6 groundball outs for Hatch in his pro debut. Milb gameday is extremely suspect, but according to it, he's all around the edges and is not getting calls.

23 year old Kyle Funkhouser just had his way with the young South Bend lineup in Game 1. 9 Ks in 5 innings. D.J. Wilson with 2 Ks. Paredes, Galindo, and Peguero with 1. Not surprising to see old collegiate talent dominate young hitters though.