The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Question: If you HAD to get rid of one, who are you getting rid of?



Castro

Baez

Russell

None. Zero. No reason too.

They are SS. they are more often than most the most athletic players on the field. just put them anywhere they will be fine.


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[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

None. Zero. No reason too.

They are SS. they are more often than most the most athletic players on the field. just put them anywhere they will be fine.


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Yeah, I'd still prefer to keep them all for now, but it would depend on the packages being offered in return. If we traded Castro or Russell in some sort of deal that brought in an ace, I wouldn't be upset.

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Question: If you HAD to get rid of one, who are you getting rid of?

Castro
Baez
Russell

Castro likely has the highest value, so he should bring in the best player(s).

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Question: If you HAD to get rid of one, who are you getting rid of?

Castro
Baez
Russell

Maybe it's cause I have the least "attachment" to him, but I'd say Russell. I would be in favor of them keeping all three though.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Question: If you HAD to get rid of one, who are you getting rid of?

Castro
Baez
Russell

I would change the game so I could keep all three.

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

None. Zero. No reason too.

They are SS. they are more often than most the most athletic players on the field. just put them anywhere they will be fine.


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So Baez at 2B, Castro at SS, and Russell at 3B?? Can Russell play CF? Alcantara can play CF, but doesn't have the arm strength for that position. I really don't want to see Mendy go. He's a nice compliment to all the power hitters they have. How about this lineup for some time in 2016:

Russell CF
Castro SS
Rizzo 1B
Bryant LF
Schwarber C
Soler RF
Baez 3B
Alcantara 2B

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

So Baez at 2B, Castro at SS, and Russell at 3B?? Can Russell play CF? Alcantara can play CF, but doesn't have the arm strength for that position. I really don't want to see Mendy go. He's a nice compliment to all the power hitters they have. How about this lineup for some time in 2016:

Russell CF
Castro SS
Rizzo 1B
Bryant LF
Schwarber C
Soler RF
Baez 3B
Alcantara 2B

In my head it would be Russell at SS, Castro at 3B, Alcantara at CF, Baez at 2B, and the rest as you had.

Alcantara doesn't have a great arm, but he's athletic and has a good glove. Jacoby Ellsbury's arm is worse than Chad Pennington post-surgery but I'd still love to have someone like him.

[Mo]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

This is very relevant to us

http://www.gammonsdaily.com/video-peter-gammons-on-odds-of-cubs-mets-deal-struggling-top-prospects-and-giancarlo-stanton/

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

This is very relevant to us


http://www.gammonsdaily.com/video-pe...carlo-stanton/

Lol, I love the radio guy.

"...but Russell is a SS so they have to give us Castro for whatever we offer them."

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Thought I would share some observations of the Iowa Cubs after taking a little trip to Des Moines recently and catching a couple of games.

1) Kris Bryant sat the 1st night with a foot bruise, but pinch hit late, was promptly walked, and then was pinch run for. He started at 3B in the game the day after. He looked healthy to me, so no worries. I only saw a few ABs of his, but really saw the entire package of things from him. It looked like the Bees (LAA affiliate) wanted no part of him and he was "unintentionally" walked the first 2 times on 8 total pitches. He also hit a screaming 2B to the opposite field wall and struck out on some good heat. Made a nice play on a grounder ranging to his left and another where he double clutched a bit, but left himself plenty of time to get the out at 1B. He looks ready to me.

2) Jorge Soler is not ready yet. His hitting approach still needs a lot of work and I believe Sept. might actually be pushing it. Sure, there may be no downside given his contract, but he is a bit lost up there right now and slumping. He's still at see ball, hit ball. He free swings (actually swung on a ball that bounced) and seems predetermined to be too aggressive at times or too passive at times. He stuck out a few times and grounded out twice to SS. He also misjudged a couple of balls down the RF line that either dropped in just fair or went foul, but he should've been closer to making a play. Arm looks good and he's a good runner, but either his jump/recognition or effort are not there yet on defense. One thing I did notice, and it's hard not to, is that Soler is an absolute specimen of a man. Tall, lean, muscular, long legs, lots of tools and athleticism to work with.

3) Dallas Beeler might be verging on quad A player status. He's a little too good for AAA, but not sure he has enough stuff to stay up in the bigs. Was sitting low 90s (90-93) the entire start in really hot weather.

4) Jonathan Mota has a little more pop than I expected. He was a hard luck case as he really destroyed a couple of balls that just went right at people.

5) Logan Watkins...don't sleep on him yet. He had a massive night game (the first game I saw there) with 2 doubles, 4 RBI, and some web gems up the middle. He made one of those plays that you see in The Show where he snared a ball between his spot at 2B and 1B in a full on run toward 1B, dove, and flipped over his back to make a throw from the seat of his pants to get the out. With all the heralded MI prospects we have, don't count Watkins out just yet. Very good approach at the plate, uses the whole field, and is good enough at 2B I wouldn't hesitate to spot start him at SS.

6) Ryan Kalish looks very quad A down there also. He had 3 singles in the game he started and was robbed on what would've been a 4th.

7) Manny Ramirez homered! Was glad to see that. He got down 0-2 on some questionable called strikes, worked it full, fouled off some pitches, and went yard. He's a fan favorite there and seems happy to be around. I could see him coaching for real up the line somewhere. But, he's definitely done as a player...he's getting beat on 88 mph fastballs at times and is nothing close to what he once was. Sporting a short hairdo, almost a crew cut or something, not the long stuff we are used to seeing on him.

8) Cam Bedrosian (Bees closer) is nasty. He was sitting 92-95 and blowing I Cubs away. This guy will be in Anaheim soon and I don't think he's coming back down when he gets there.

9) Eli Whiteside looks like he's 55 years old. The man is completely gray and grizzled, lol. Saw him up real close when he was warming up Alberto Cabrera in the pen. I guess that's what catching will do to a guy.

10) Junior Lake and Mike Olt are total wild cards right now. There is no consistency to either's game. Olt struck out 4 times (all swinging) in one of the games including with the game on the line, but came back with some nice swings and hits the next game. Saw him play 3B and 1B. Prefer him at 1B. He actually hurt himself making a running catch and had to come out. Lake is the same thing. Looks lost one game and hit-happy the next.

Wish I could've seen Russell or Baez up close (and you can get REALLY close at Principal Park--from our $12 1st row seats, I could've patted Carlos Pimentel on the shoulder when he was warming up Blake Parker), but I will take having seen Bryant and Soler for now.

[CBoller1331]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

WTNY thanks for the AAA report! Some good stuff there...

As for your comments on Soler, I don't think any of that should keep him out of Chicago this September as he's already on the 40-man. Nor should it be too concerning. Hopefully you just caught him on a cold streak. With that being said though, there's obviously a lot of work to be done on his approach, just like Baez. Maybe bringing him up so they can both work on their approach/pitch selection will help them both out.

On a side note....anyone know what the deal is with the Giants protesting tuesdays game after the rain delay? Kind of a weird story

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Not sure I agree on Soler. Haven't been all reports been than of all the hitting prospects coming up his hitting approach was far more advanced than the others. I know he's been struggling lately but that's a sss.

[ThreeKing]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Addison Russell went yahtzee for the 3rd straight game last night.

With Hammel and now even Samardzija struggling, I almost feel a little bad for Beane and the A's with that trade. If the A's don't make the World Series, that trade would be a total disaster. Eeeeshhh.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Not sure I agree on Soler. Haven't been all reports been than of all the hitting prospects coming up his hitting approach was far more advanced than the others. I know he's been struggling lately but that's a sss.

I only saw a couple of games, but what I saw on top of a massive slump he's in the middle of tells me he's just not ready yet. He's at .194/.281/.433 in August. I don't see how you promote him without him getting hot first. If he's struggling, there's no need to throw him to the wolves just to do it.

[Mo]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

It's not about being ready, It's all about getting him AB since he's missed about a big chunk of the past 2 seasons.

Since he's already on the 40, might as well call him up and have him seeing ML pitching