Outshined_One

Link In short: -Fastball-slider-changeup pitcher. -Works in the low to mid 90s with his fastball, has touched 99. -Slider is a plus pitch. -Changeup is a work in progress, but could become a plus pitch. -A bit on the short side (6'1/6'2) and needs to fill out a little bit. He's probably the second best HS RHP behind Porcello.

Also, for your convenience:

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I can live with that.

Hey, have some faith, this is Wilken we're talking about here!

Two hours to go!!!! ...wait a second, it's 4 AM there. Boooooooooooooooooooooo!

Pagan's 4 for his last 20 over his last ten games. He still has a .364 BABIP in spite of his recent slump. While I think he's a decent 5th OF, I don't think his recent success will last much longer.

I'd say that his willingness to work showed that he was trying his hardest to adjust. The guy knew he had some serious flaws at the plate and I don't think a guy like him would simply write them off. Frankly, I think part of what doomed him was some terrible coaching. Baker admitting he taught Patterson to swing at face-high fastballs during an Orioles game earlier this year nearly made me lose my lunch. However, the other part that doomed him was an inability to adjust, rather than an unwillingness to do so. Something never clicked for him when it came to plate discipline.

Hey, the Mutts managed to screw up one Zambrano deal. We might as well make them two for two. :D

Gomez + Martinez plz.

Oh dear Lord, this organization is losing it. ...moreso than usual.

Overall numbers: .366/.444/.610 Overall BABIP: .394 Numbers vs. LHP: 55 AB, 3 2B, 2 HR, 15/10 K/BB, 236/.354/.400 BABIP vs. LHP: .289 Numbers vs. RHP: 117 AB, 8 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 11/12 K/BB, .427/.489/.709 BABIP vs. RHP: .434 See, here's my problem. He has an absolutely unsustainable BABIP overall and against RHPs. When he has a BABIP that's actually close to normal (as seen against LHPs), his numbers are not the kind that inspire fear in opposing pitchers. Now, he seems to have a clue at the plate and he clearly is much better against RHPs, which suggests he could turn into an effective platoon mate with an OF who can actually hit LHPs. This assumes that he'll finally be able to break through AAA and become a decent player in the majors, though. Look, I'm happy for the guy as much as anyone, but I'm incredibly skeptical of him. I don't think he'll be an effective answer at one of the corners, much less to the point where he'd be able to replace the production of someone like Jacque Jones. We'll see what happens to him as the season goes on. But for now, I'm going to temper my excitement.

way to do your homework, Cubs :roll: “It was honestly the darkest point in my life,” Clanton says, his voice filled with emotion, cracking in spots. “Jim Hendry once quoted to me, ‘This [organization] is not a democracy. It is a dictatorship. You shut the f--k up.’ Not only is this f*cked up, but could anyone else picture Hendry spitting food out of his mouth while he says this? Yeah, I remember reading that story when it first came out. I was convinced this guy was full of it then and I have yet to change my mind. The guy's got bats in the belfry. See, I'm of the opposite mind. The Cubs have done a phenomenal job of effectively drafting and coaching pitchers through the minors over the past few years, and yet their record with positional prospects has been nothing short of abysmal. Stop and think about the number of products of the Cubs' farm system are pitching in the major leagues now. Cripes, just stop and look at how many former Cubs prospects are currently pitching for the Marlins alone; it's practically insane. The Cubs have an excellent track record when it comes to drafting pitchers, the 2002 draft aside. Moreover, enough of these guys manage to make it to the majors and have varying levels of success to make me think this team is doing something right. But when it comes to positional prospects...ugh. I have high hopes for guys like Felix Pie and Eric Patterson, but history has not been on this team's side when it comes to drafting and developing position players. Moreover, stop and look at this team's farm system. From my standpoint, this is a really weak year down on the farm talent-wise (until the draft goes down, at least). Looking at each team's roster, I'd say way more pitchers have a better chance of making it to the majors than position players. When you get past Pie, Patterson, Fox, and Colvin...it gets ugly. The pitching situation is also bleak, but much of their potential gives me higher hopes than the position players.

How does Jarrod Parker stack up to Tim Lincecum, last year's "short pitcher with really good stuff"?

Pantsless Mascots Chris Baker (NYJ - TE) Cedric Benson (Chi - RB) Anquan Boldin (Ari - WR) Tom Brady (NE - QB) Braylon Edwards (Cle - WR) Brandon Jacobs (NYG - RB) Bryant Johnson (Ari - WR) Chad Johnson (Cin - WR) Kevin Jones (Det - RB) Thomas Jones (NYJ - RB) Byron Leftwich (Jac - QB) Jason Witten (Dal - TE) Nate Kaeding (SD - K) Indianapolis (Ind - DEF) Miami (Mia - DEF)

Bring me Jair Jurrjens or Eulogio de la Cruz!

Wieters + Porcello plz.

I say we trade for him and have Zambrano put the fear of God into him.

Actually, iirc, Barrett wasn't at the meeting. Well he was unavailable to the media before the game, but I think he was in the meeting... I'm almost positive I read somewhere that he was the only guy on the 25 man roster who didn't attend the meeting. Let me do some digging...

Actually, iirc, Barrett wasn't at the meeting. That was the day he was rumored to have been traded. I don't think he showed up at the ballpark until before the game had started.

so basically BA has no idea who the cubs want with that pick ...yay?

I think Wojo would be on my list of "10 members of the sports media I'd like to see shipped off to Uzbekistan without a return ticket". Whatever his experience in Chicago was, he absolutely despises the Cubs and Bears. The man goes out of his way to rip on them whenever possible. Now that he's a mouthpiece on ESPN, it only makes him even more insufferable.

Cripes, it's like the stain of Dusty Baker hasn't been scrubbed from this team yet. I've never seen so many teams moan and complain about being held accountable for their actions in my life. Good to know nothing's changed!

That's because those issues have been massively overblown. Face it, if you have a rotation of five guys who are all RHPs who use a mid 90s fastball with good movement, a good slider, and a good changeup and all post ERA+s in the 120s, something tells me pitching them back to back to back to back to back wouldn't be detrimental to your team. You shouldn't just bring in a LHP just because you need to break up the righties; that's just asinine. I never got the whole RLRLRLRLRLR obsession in baseball, be it in the rotation or lineup. You shouldn't be hitting or pitching someone because you favor traditional matchups, despite the fact that your LHP has a .421 BAA when facing left handed hitters and your left-handed hitter couldn't hit his way out of a wet paper sack. Just pay better attention to your guys' splits and operate from there...sheesh. /end rant

Justin Jackson's the guy I know best about, so I'll quickly fill you in... -He's a projection over production kind of guy. -Currently, his defense is his best tool. He has great range and does a great job with both routine plays and difficult plays. His arm is pretty darn good, to boot. -He's a terrific athlete with enough natural speed to be a stolen base threat. -His bat is where things go more into the projection range. Most people think his bat will develop and he'll hit for more power as time goes on. However, I haven't read glowing reviews about his plate discipline that would get me excited. Most people think it will develop...and I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of this organization teaching a young hitter that tool. -He'll most likely be advised by Scott Boras. HS kids under Boras are notorious for having strict enough demands that they oftentimes end up going to college instead of the pros (Pawelek was the exception, not the rule). If he drops due to signability concerns, I could see the Cubs taking him at 48. We'll see.