Regular Show

Yeah, I don't want anything to do with D. Price at this point. Too much wear-and-tear, bad contract, doesn't seem to handle criticism well. I guess he's a playoff choker? Not sure -- the ole' small sample size caveat. I mean if D. Price is a playoff choker then so is C. Kershaw right?

Yeah I hate this relatively new concept of "Pitch framing" or "Disceiving Umps" or "Stealing Strikes" -- whatever you want to call it. It's dumb and makes fans angry when it happens against your favorite team. Some fans actually like this and claim it's part of the "human element" of the game, but again that's a dumb argument. You wouldn't argue for a system like that in society where you can fool a cop or judge some of the time. Get a horsefeathering Automated Strike Zone and I don't really care what technology you use if it's accurate and reliable. It's going to be better than human Umps, will reduce the game length because managers and players will complain less about the strike zone, and will benefit players (like Rizzo and Zobrist) who know their strike zones really well. Oh, and the last thing is we won't have arguments about acquiring crappy backup catchers and debating whether they're good at "pitch framing" or not.

No, I don't believe Dusty does that or can't recall him doing that when he was with the Cubs. I mean he's old school for sure so maybe he believes in the stupid "eye-for-an-eye" retaliation. The pitch that hit Jeimer was just a bad pitch. Treinen has poor control this year and missed badly. The whole Washington bullpen blows this year lol

How much longer do you guys think we'll have to wait before A. Lange signs? Not a big deal. We're not going to push him and have him throw this summer. I feel like the Cubs could push him pretty fast next year and maybe start him at High-A. That curveball is pretty sick when he can command it.

Man, I can't wait to read the sweet sweet words: "Pitcher John Lackey designated for assignment" Theo's simple justification for said action -- "being J. Lackey".

Does he have any sort of trade value? Even if it's him and something like Zagunis for a Monty type pitcher? He SHOULD. But who knows? Longenhagen just said yesterday he's a bench bat. I'm a bit skeptical that he's seen or heard much on him so far this season. The kid put on some muscle and is OPSing around .875 in AA as a 22 year old.....That's got to raise some serious eyebrows..... The REAL problem though, is who IS the Montgomery this year? I believe C. Burks is viewed as a legit prospect and has some trade value. I saw the note Longenhagen wrote on Burks as well. I mean as the the main piece in a trade for a SP? Lol, no way. But as the third piece or fourth piece in a package -- absolutely. I mean we sent R. Crawford out in the A. Chapman trade and I like C. Burks WAY more than I ever like R. Crawford as a prospect. He's age appropriate and showing increased power. Decent athlete. I believe other teams know who he is and some of those teams must value him.

I think I'm going to say the same thing next time I want to avoid seeing the family when they're in town lol. What other players avoided the [expletive] Grabber-in-Chief? I don't see Strop or Rondon in those Oval Office pictures? Baez is a no-show also right?

Me too Sammy Sofa. Me too...

Also, when he was drafted, I thought his name was Erlich a la Erlich Bachman. It was pretty disappointing to find out it's not but I think I'm still going to call him Erlich. That's such a weird coincidence -- I kid you not, but for some reason in my mind I also thought his name was Erlich, like Erlich Bachman from "Silicon Valley". I don't know why I thought that or think that sounds better in my head, but it's disappointing that his name is just Erich. Also, who the hell names their kid Eric and then decides to spell it E-R-I-C-H? I've never met an Erich, but I know so many Erics.

I'm sorry, but I'm confused. The article in the link is written by B. Badler on Oct. 20th, 2016 -- so from last year before the new CBA. Is MLB still trying to implement an international draft? They already tried and failed, and international players were outraged over its inclusion before they came up with the new system. I don't like the new system either, but I guess it makes it more fair. The Dodgers can't outspend every other team in MLB like crazy anymore. I am worried about teams discovering some loopholes and/or doing some shady under-the-table arrangements -- especially Preller and the Padres Front Office.

The "scouts take" on Cubs picks from The Athletic (really nothing new): Weird to reference a curve when Abbott's big out pitch is his slider (which he famously learned by watching video of Noah Syndergaard). Yeah, I found that part weird too -- about Abbott having a curveball when the scouting reports say he has a pretty effective slider. I mean it could fall in that C. Kluber breaking-ball gray area I guess? I doubt it though. Also, nice to hear the Cubs saved some money on B. Little. I hope they save some when they sign A. Lange too. We really need to develop a pitcher from this draft class, and by pitcher I mean a decent starting pitcher (hopefully mid-rotation starter).

Yeah so I haven't been following the minor leagues super duper closely, but is J. Vosler a legit prospect now? His slash line is now .274/.375/.521 with 13 HRs at AA. He bats lefthanded and if I recall correctly is pretty solid defensively at 3B. I haven't read any reports about him or mentions on other websites. Anyone got reports or a Scout's take on this guy? Seems like a legit prospect to me.

I never thought I'd miss a starting pitcher with an average velocity in the mid-to-high 80s on his fastball so much... Hand tendonitis? Really? Are you horsefeathering kidding me?

Me too. I just hope he doesn't go all "Yadi" on us and get an ugly neck tattoo and Yes, I know he already has a neck tattoo of the MLB logo on the back of his neck but that one is dope lol. Pretty original too (I believe he's the only MLB player with one like it).

Ah, I'm not sure about this since we don't know how much Estrada is demanding, but I don't think the Cubs have enough to sign Estrada and a $500-$600K HS pitcher. I like Estrada and who really knows what will happen? Maybe Estrada will develop into a solid #3 starter and Enlow never makes it to the big leagues. Maybe neither one will make it to the big leagues... Just right now at this moment I wish the Cubs had drafted Enlow in the 2nd round + some pitcher in the 6th round over taking Estrada in the 6th + C. Abbott in the 2nd.

If those guesses are remotely accurate, the Cubs could have/should have taken Enlow at the end of round 2. He was taken 8 picks later by the Twins who everyone knew still had plenty of money to play with after taking Lewis 1st overall because they could underslot him. I don't know what Enlow's demands are so perhaps the math wouldn't have worked out and the Cubs knew it. But, damn, Little, Lange and Enlow would've been a nice haul... Yup. I concur. I'd rather have Enlow than Estrada. We won't know for a few days/weeks what they're signing for. I imagine Enlow is getting more than Estrada. We'll see how much more. You'd think with the heavy emphasis this Cubs regime is placing on pitchers that can throw an above-average curveball that Enlow would be someone they'd target heavily. Enlow has arguably the best curveball in this entire draft class!

I'm still making up my mind about these later draft picks. They don't sound super exciting... I really love Estrada and I'm excited they took a risk on him. I'm worried though that he might not sign. I hope this pick ends up like our 6th round pick in 2014 (D. Cease) and he becomes one of our top pitching prospects. If he doesn't sign then I'm gonna be pretty disappointed. Yeah, we'll take some high ceiling arms in the later rounds just in case Estrada doesn't sign, but I don't like that move. It probably won't work out well. Estrada has great makeup from everything I've read and does some charity work so I was surprised about the poor body language/poor makeup comments. He really reminds me of a young M. Stroman except he doesn't have that killer slider ☹️

Yes, Luis Gonzalez is still available. Yeah, the Cubs passed on SS Nick Allen and RHP Blayne Enlow at the end of the 2nd round. Must be signability concerns meaning neither would sign for around $1.5 - $1.7 million. That's the amount I think the Cubs could've conceivably come up with between the $900,000 slot value of their 2nd round pick, $370,000 in allowable bonus overages and $300,000 - $500,000 saved by underslotting some college seniors in rounds 5-10. I like Nick Allen, but give me Blayne Enlow (a upside prep RHP) along with Little and Lange and call it a successful draft. That would've been two safer college arms and a solid shot at developing a homegrown TOR arm. It's still possible they can underslot Abbott and overslot their 3rd or 4th round pick. They were able to do this in 2015 when they overslotted DJ Wilson stealing him away from fulfilling his commitment to Vanderbilt. The question remains, though, after 29 3rd round picks, who will be left worth overslotting at #105? Damn. Wow...you and I are completely on the same wavelength. Like to a scary degree. Simpatico as they say! I really like B. Enlow too and was also thinking Little, Lange and Enlow would be a very solid draft haul. Yeah I was doing the math and trying to figure out how much the Cubs could save to try to sign either N. Allen or B. Enlow. Like I really wanted the Cubs to draft Enlow, but he's probably too expensive. Good post CubsWin. Also, why are you still up and/or do you usually get up at this time? Actually, I have no idea what time zone you're in lol.

J. Parker was a top pitching prospect that reached the big leagues. He wasn't a complete bust. Got hurt and was never the same. Wilken loved Vitters and other teams did too. If Theo and Jed were in charge for the 07' Draft I guarantee they would've taken M. Wieters. A lot of people and posters here wanted the Cubs to take Wieters. Yet, even M. Wieters has kinda been a disappointment so we might still look back on the 07' draft with disdain. Okay, yeah I know, you can't call Wieters a disappointment when Vitters is the #9 hitter on some shitty Independent league team lol.

So J. Gonzalez (former MLB player L. Gonzalez's son) went in the 2nd round, but the guy we heard being tied to the Cubs (OF L. Gonzalez) is still available right? I need to go back and double-check. So many good players were selected in the 2nd round that I thought had no chance of being signable like M. Vientos and S. Carlson. I guess teams are saving money elsewhere and shelling out overslots to these guys.

No. Not as good as Lester. I doubt he'll develop the outstanding command that young Lester had. I've heard S. Kazmir and P. Gammons said B. Finnegan, which I think is a solid comp. B. Finnegan was really good with KC right after he got drafted.

I was thinking that maybe trying to develop pitchers with really good curveballs might be smart going forward. We know how much our young hitters struggle against good curveballs. Hitters keep striking out at higher and higher rates, and contact hitters are a dying breed. I personally love pitchers that can command a good power curveball. I was taught throwing too many curveballs leads to arm/elbow problems, but I'm pretty sure that isn't the case anymore. So (good) Curveballs all day' everyday I say...

So, I'm not angry over passing Pearson lol. I liked B. Little a lot too. I don't love A. Lange as much. Hopefully they can both move fast.

Man if they pass on Pearson I'm going to be pissed...