CarolinaCubFan

I was getting my hopes up for Daniel Norris when the Samardzija rumors where flying.

You had me at Daniel Norris.

I was listening to MLB radio the other day and Bowden said he's had conversations with Hoyer concerning the Samardzija contract situation. His takeaway: Samardzija wants paid like a TOR Cubs tell Samardzija he hasn't justified being paid TOR money. Cubs tell Samardzija if he wants paid TOR money, show us you deserve it. Samardzija shows Cubs he is worth it. Now what? Nothing new, but I liked the breakdown. I think there is a good chance Samardzija will remain a Cub. On the same hand, the Cubs will shop him and see if someone will give a kings ransom. Either way, the Cubs are in the catbird seat on this one.

Does anyone have opinions on A.J. Vanegas? Not as the Cubs pick, but overall. Does this guy have any chance as a starter? Last season was rough, but he was recovering from back surgery, then came down with mono.

I like this rumor. If Theo isn't blown away by any offers this winter for Samardzija, hold him. Approach Pittsburgh for a summer deal if they will package Reese McGuire and Josh Bell.

lulz Agreed, although it is nice to see Villanueva's name mentioned.

Rank Player Pos. Team 1 Byron Buxton of Twins No. 1 talent in last year’s draft is even better than expected with power, speed, defense and an extremely advanced hitting approach 2 Oscar Taveras of Cardinals Has been limited by an ankle injury, but power, hitting ability still evident. 3 Miguel Sano 3b Twins Best power in the minors, one of the best arms. Hitting ability has taken a step forward. 4 Xander Bogaerts ss Red Sox Of an impressive group of shortstop prospects, Bogaerts has best combo of hit and power tools. 5 Francisco Lindor ss Indians Smooth-swinging switch-hitter has plenty of range and soft hands at shortstop. 6 Archie Bradley rhp Diamondbacks Bundy-Bradley debate continues. Bundy won ‘12, Bradley is going to win ‘13 and ‘14 by default. 7 Taijuan Walker rhp Mariners Scout: “He could pitch in the big leagues right now.” Improved control is remaining to-do item. 8 Christian Yelich of Marlins Injuries have ruined his first half of the season, but they haven’t screwed up his excellent swing. 9 Carlos Correa ss Astros Correa doesn’t run all that well, but he does everything else you’d look for in a shortstop. 10 Javier Baez ss Cubs Earlier this year became second Florida State Leaguer to hit four home runs in one game. 11 Jameson Taillon rhp Pirates Arrival of Gerrit Cole gives Pirates one future frontline starter, Taillon isn’t far behind. 12 Michael Wacha rhp Cardinals In a thinner organization, he’d have made more than three big league starts this year. 13 Gregory Polanco of Pirates When Polanco joines Pirates outfield, club will field three legitimate center fielders. 14 Tyler Skaggs lhp Diamondbacks Pitching in Reno skews his stats, but has posted 2.62 ERA away from Reno this year. 15 Nick Castellanos of Tigers Took a month to adjust to Triple-A. Since May 1, .321 AVG, 8 HR, 33 BBs, 35 Ks. 16 Albert Almora of Cubs Missed first month with hamate injury, but has made up for lost time since returning. 17 Dylan Bundy rhp Orioles Tommy John surgery is a significant setback, but teams would still love to have him. 18 Jorge Soler of Cubs Will miss two months with stress fracture, but talent is too good to ignore. 19 Addison Russell ss Athletics Slow start behind him, Russell has caught up to the Cal League, will soon surpass it. 20 George Springer of Astros He gets caught on his front foot at times, but his power and speed are worth some strikeouts. 21 Jackie Bradley of Red Sox Ceiling is lower than some lower on this list, but he’s a safe bet to be an long-time everyday center fielder. 22 Jonathan Singleton 1b Astros Returned from suspension to immediately reclaim status as top first base prospect in a thin class. 23 Noah Syndergaard rhp Mets Improved breaking ball has made his mid-90s fastball an even deadlier weapon. 24 Carlos Martinez rhp Cardinals Either going to be a future closer or a solid middle of rotation starter with plus stuff. 25 Travis D’Arnaud c Mets When healthy, he’s top catching prospect in minors, but healthy months are few and far between. 26 Yordano Ventura rhp Royals With an improved curveball and an average changeup to go with a 100-mph fastball, isn’t far from big leagues. 27 Robert Stephenson rhp Reds Not many starting pitchers can touch 100 mph consistently, especially with potential plus secondary stuff. 28 Kyle Zimmer rhp Royals Results have generally been awful, but his stuff is just as good as it was when he was drafted last year. 29 Taylor Guerrieri rhp Rays Rays move pitching prospects slowly, but Guerrieri’s 1.70 career ERA shows it’s working for him. 30 Austin Hedges c Padres Not far away from claiming title of best catching prospect away from injured D’Arnaud. 31 Mike Foltyniewicz rhp Astros Fastball sat at 91-94 mph when he was drafted; now he touched 100 mph regularly. 32 Alex Meyer rhp Twins His acquisition helped fill Twins’ most desperate need–nearly big league ready power pitching. 33 Andrew Heaney lhp Marlins On strict pitch counts as he comes back from strained lat, but has dominated in short stints. 34 Gary Sanchez c Yankees Reports are more optimistic that he could stay behind the plate long-term. 35 Joc Pederson of Dodgers Overshadowed by Yasiel Puig’s breakout year, but Pederson too can hit, hit for power, field and run. 36 Billy Hamilton of Reds Move to outfield has gone well, has best speed in baseball, but his lefthanded swing still needs work. 37 Anthony Ranaudo rhp Red Sox If not for his track record of injuries/ineffectiveness, he’d rate even higher. 38 Danny Hultzen lhp Mariners Stint on disabled list with rotator cuff strain has opposing scouts concerned, but solid in first start back. 39 Alen Hanson ss Pirates Might end up as a second baseman long term, but he hits enough that such a move won’t be a problem. 40 Max Fried lhp Padres As you would expect from young flame-throwing lefty, has shown flashes of brilliance around bouts of wildness. 41 Garin Cecchini 3b Red Sox One of the breakout stars of 2013 ranks second in minors in on-base percentage. 42 Aaron Sanchez rhp Blue Jays Has missed a month with a shoulder injury, but was throwing in mid-90s in his return from the DL. 43 Jesse Biddle lhp Phillies Had one of best outings of year with 16 Ks against Harrisburg in April, but his control frequently wavers. 44 Mike Olt 3b Rangers Vision problems ruined his April, but since his return he’s back to being a low-average, big power third baseman. 45 Rafael De Paula rhp Yankees Long-awaited U.S. debut has gone as expected for De Paula who is moving quickly through minors. 46 Lance McCullers rhp Astros His changeup has a long ways to go, but few pitchers in minors can match his fastball/breaking ball combo. 47 Kolten Wong 2b Cardinals Not flashy, but a safe bet to have a lengthy big league career as a solid all-around second baseman. 48 Adam Eaton of Diamondbacks Big league arrival has been delayed by elbow injury, but Diamondbacks could use him now. 49 Kyle Crick rhp Giants Another injured pitcher who has recently returned to the mound, Crick is next in Giants’ long line of power arms. 50 Adalberto Mondesi ss Royals Has survived Sally League as a 17-year-old shortstop while hitting for cycle and homering twice in one game.

2B - S - Alcantara CF - R - Almora SS - R - Baez 1B - L - Rizzo LF - R - Bryant RF - R - Soler 3B - S - Candelario Catcher - or - 2B - S - Alcantara CF - R - Almora SS - R - Baez DH - L - Vogelbach LF - R - Bryant RF - R - Soler 1B - L - Rizzo 3B - S - Candelario Catcher Trade Castro for a TOR pitcher.

As much as Javy does whatever he wants, he appears to be coachable. He went through a good slump and all of the sudden his approach changed.

I've seen "AA" a few times here of late, are we talking Almora or Alcantara? A.Al. That's what I was thinking.

I've seen "AA" a few times here of late, are we talking Almora or Alcantara?

1 Colin Moran POS: 3B B/T: R/R HT: 6-3 WT: 215 School: North Carolina Analysis: I don't think the Astros will make a formal decision on this pick until Thursday, but the buzz within the industry has Houston leaning toward this scenario: Houston takes Moran, knowing his next-best alternative is to go No. 5 to Cleveland, whose slot value is $3,787,000. By doing this, the Astros could offer him $4 million or so and know he'd accept it. The value of the No. 1 pick is $7.2 million, which means the Astros would then have sufficient savings to take first-round talents who fell at picks 40 and 74, something they've already shopped around to some prep players who aren't going in the top 33. They could take Jonathan Gray but won't get as much of a discount if they do. They're not on Kris Bryant or Clint Frazier, and Mark Appel doesn't seem to be one of their top two options. SCOUTING REPORT | VIDEO 2 Mark Appel POS: RHP HT: 6-5 WT: 215 School: Stanford Analysis: Appel or Gray. I've heard Theo Epstein loves Gray, but overall the Cubs have a real internal debate between the two options. Without a clear inclination toward either guy, I've assigned them the player I think is better. SCOUTING REPORT | VIDEO 3 Kris Bryant POS: 3B/OF B/T: R/R HT: 6-5 WT: 215 School: San Diego Analysis: They've been linked to Bryant all spring, and the industry discussion has had them on hitters. But would they take Gray if he were here? I can't see Gray falling far, with a floor at No. 6. (No way does Miami scouting director Stan Meek, an Oklahoma native who played at OU, pass on a Sooner as good as Gray.) SCOUTING REPORT | VIDEO 4 Kohl Stewart POS: RHP HT: 6-3 WT: 190 School: St. Pius X (Houston) Analysis: This will be Stewart, Gray or Washington prep catcher Reese McGuire on a well below-slot deal. SCOUTING REPORT | VIDEO 5 Jonathan Gray POS: RHP HT: 6-4 WT: 239 School: Oklahoma Analysis: I've heard them on Bryant and Moran all spring, and Chris Antonetti flew to Georgia to meet with Clint Frazier earlier this week, but I think they'll take Gray if he falls to them. SCOUTING REPORT | VIDEO

Rank Name Pos Team Ht Wt 1 Jurickson Profar SS TEX 5-11 165 2 Oscar Taveras OF STL 6-2 180 3 Dylan Bundy RHP BAL 6-1 195 4 Wil Myers OF TB 6-3 190 5 Xander Bogaerts SS BOS 6-3 175 6 Christian Yelich OF MIA 6-4 189 7 Francisco Lindor SS CLE 5-11 175 8 Gerrit Cole RHP PIT 6-4 215 9 Taijuan Walker RHP SEA 6-4 195 10 Addison Russell SS OAK 6-0 185 11 Miguel Sano 3B MIN 6-3 195 12 Tyler Skaggs LHP ARI 6-4 195 13 Zack Wheeler RHP NYM 6-3 180 14 Travis d'Arnaud C NYM 6-2 195 15 Mike Zunino C SEA 6-2 220 16 Jose Fernandez RHP MIA 6-2 220 17 Anthony Rendon 3B WAS 5-11 170 18 Gary Sanchez C NYY 6-2 195 19 Aaron Sanchez RHP TOR 6-4 190 20 Jameson Taillon RHP PIT 6-6 225 21 Shelby Miller RHP STL 6-3 195 22 Byron Buxton CF MIN 6-1 188 23 Kaleb Cowart 3B LAA 6-3 190 24 Carlos Correa SS HOU 6-4 190 25 Trevor Bauer RHP CLE 6-1 185 26 Kevin Gausman RHP BAL 6-4 185 27 Kyle Zimmer RHP KC 6-3 215 28 Julio Teheran RHP ATL 6-2 150 29 Archie Bradley RHP ARI 6-4 225 30 Billy Hamilton CF CIN 6-1 160 31 Javier Baez SS CHC 6-1 205 32 Jonathan Singleton 1B HOU 6-2 215 33 Albert Almora OF CHC 6-1 170 34 Alen Hanson SS PIT 5-11 152 35 Mason Williams OF NYY 6-0 150 36 Austin Hedges C SD 6-1 190 37 David Dahl OF COL 6-2 185 38 Nick Castellanos 3B/RF DET 6-4 210 39 Carlos Martinez RHP STL 6-0 165 40 Jackie Bradley Jr. CF BOS 5-10 180 41 Kyle Gibson RHP MIN 6-6 210 42 Jorge Soler OF CHC 6-3 205 43 George Springer CF HOU 6-4 205 44 Brian Goodwin CF WAS 6-0 190 45 Bubba Starling OF KC 6-4 180 46 Corey Seager SS LAD 6-3 195 47 Taylor Guerrieri RHP TB 6-3 195 48 Robert Stephenson RHP CIN 6-2 190 49 Aaron Hicks CF MIN 6-2 185 50 Jonathan Schoop SS BAL 6-1 187 51 Max Fried LHP SD 6-4 185 52 Tyler Austin OF NYY 6-2 200 53 Chris Archer RHP TB 6-3 180 54 Rymer Liriano OF SD 6-0 211 55 Gregory Polanco CF PIT 6-4 170 56 Dorssys Paulino SS CLE 6-0 175 57 Slade Heathcott CF NYY 6-1 190 58 Trevor Rosenthal RHP STL 6-2 190 59 Oswaldo Arcia OF MIN 6-0 210 60 Casey Kelly RHP SD 6-3 195 61 Alex Meyer RHP MIN 6-7 205 62 Justin Nicolino LHP MIA 6-3 160 63 Allen Webster RHP BOS 6-3 185 64 Arodys Vizcaino RHP CHC 6-0 189 65 Eddie Rosario 2B/CF MIN 6-0 170 66 Danny Hultzen LHP SEA 6-3 200 67 Zach Lee RHP LAD 6-4 190 68 Jake Odorizzi RHP TB 6-2 175 69 Nick Franklin SS SEA 6-1 170 70 Jedd Gyorko 3B SD 5-10 195 71 Mike Olt 3B TEX 6-2 215 72 Daniel Corcino RHP CIN 5-11 165 73 Wily Peralta RHP MIL 6-2 225 74 Courtney Hawkins OF CWS 6-3 220 75 Matt Davidson 3B ARI 6-3 225 76 Kyle Crick RHP SF 6-4 220 77 Lucas Giolito RHP WAS 6-6 225 78 Hak-Ju Lee SS TB 6-2 170 79 Matt Barnes RHP BOS 6-4 205 80 Clayton Blackburn RHP SF 6-3 220 81 Alex Colome RHP TB 6-2 185 82 Jake Marisnick CF MIA 6-4 200 83 Delino DeShields Jr. 2B HOU 5-9 188 84 Luis Heredia RHP PIT 6-6 205 85 Trevor Story SS COL 6-1 175 86 Jarred Cosart RHP HOU 6-3 180 87 Roberto Osuna RHP TOR 6-2 230 88 Joe Ross RHP SD 6-3 185 89 A.J. Cole RHP WAS 6-4 180 90 Cody Buckel RHP TEX 6-0 170 91 Adam Eaton CF ARI 6-2 190 92 Adam Morgan RHP PHI 6-1 195 93 Martin Perez LHP TEX 6-0 178 94 J.R. Graham RHP ATL 6-0 185 95 Jesse Biddle LHP PHI 6-4 225 96 Kolten Wong 2B STL 5-9 180 97 Noah Syndergaard RHP NYM 6-5 200 98 Tony Cingrani LHP CIN 6-4 200 99 Nathan Karns RHP WAS 6-5 230 100 Eduardo Rodriguez RHP BAL 6-2 175

Winning a wild card wouldn't equal an NL Central Crown. Wake me up when the NL Central Crown is a given and this team is built to go further. Being able to win this division feels like 3rd place. I'm excited about our future, wait till "next year".

This is great!

This.

Nonsense. How many times have we been in the playoff hunt in consecutive years? Multiple times in the past 15 years. 1998 was moderately fluky, but they were good because they had some really good well compensated players. You should want that. You have to pay to play in this league and all this obsessive "don't sign anybody" nonsense infesting everything Cub this year is just stupid. We should be salivating for the next big contract player to come aboard, not rejoicing that none exist. I agree. When Vlad hit free agency, we were sitting there with an old and expensive Alou. I'm happy we aren't in that situation any longer, not that we don't have any good players locked up long term.

I agree.

Nonsense. How many times have we been in the playoff hunt in consecutive years?

Nonsense.

It's mind boggling that people view this sort of thing as refreshing. What's mind boggling about it? The Cubs stink. I'm happy we don't have any of those players locked up long term. It's a clean slate and a fresh start. What is so refreshing about the Cubs stinking? The reason they don't have any longterm contracts is because their players stink. I would love to have good players signed through 2015 and beyond. People have a perverse desire to have no high paid players or longterm contracts on the team but the only teams built like that suck. It's mind boggling that somebody would find it refreshing to be like all the crappy small market teams. The Cubs have stunk my entire life, with a couple of fluke seasons mixed in here and there. I'm not against locking up star players long term, I'm just happy we don't have any of our current "stars" locked up long term. We are starting fresh with nothing to hold us back, and unlike the small market teams, we will have the money to buy their stars when they can't afford them.

It's mind boggling that people view this sort of thing as refreshing. What's mind boggling about it? The Cubs stink. I'm happy we don't have any of those players locked up long term. It's a clean slate and a fresh start.

"particularly since the Ricketts family will give him money to spend once the team is ready to compete." We seem to have our SS, 1B, and CF, which in my opinion are great positions to have taken care of. Once a few more prospects are able to step up, we will have a young core offense. Depth and trade bait in the farm system and a fat checkbook should fill in the gaps. I'm excited.

He has already been drug tested (and presumably passed). So have Arod, Manny, Bonds, Clemens..... One clean test isn't going to remove my caution. Like I said, I feel better safe than sorry on this one. So...don't sign anyone ever. Yeah, that's what I said. I'd love to land Soler.

He has already been drug tested (and presumably passed). So have Arod, Manny, Bonds, Clemens..... One clean test isn't going to remove my caution. Like I said, I feel better safe than sorry on this one.