The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

[k_mac]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

We're a over a third of the way thru the season and he's barely hitting his weight. Is he better than what's behind him? I don't think we can really say one way or the other.

Maybe he's just not that good...he pretty much looks awful anytime he's not hitting a HR.

They'll surely add a bullpen arm, and he's one of our best chips to trade for one.

We've all seen what Soler can do, just look at his stats in the playoffs. You don't just give up on that. He have guys in the lineup that pick up his slack (our run differential makes that very apparent). He just needs time.

That's not to say that it's not frustrating watching him struggle. I honestly think it's bizarre that he plays so poorly in the beginning of the year (because of the cold weather). I don't know, I guess I wasn't born and raised in Cuba so I can't understand it.. lol. Is it just isolated to Soler or do other guys from that area have a hard time coping with the weather? Chicago probably intensifies it by a lot, dude is always bundled up in the early months.

I will say that I'll be ****** if Soler is traded for a bullpen arm.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Yeah, I'm not particularly high on Soler (he's always seemed a bit lazy and uninterested to me especially watching him live in Des Moines), but even I think trading him for a bullpen arm would be selling very low.

I think if we can get a #3 starter (e.g. Teheran or Sonny Gray) with Soler as the main piece, then ok. We know Hammel will fade in about 45 days, so we'll need a starter most likely.

I wouldn't sell any lower on Soler than a young, cheap, pretty good rotation piece unless there are issues we don't know about.

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

He's also still only 24. Not everyone is Bryant. before he got injured he was showing signs of improvement. The other options are Szczur, Coghlan, LaStella, Almora i guess now. Those are platoon or role player types. He Remains the best option.

If they deal him for a RP that would be disgusting.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

We've all seen what Soler can do, just look at his stats in the playoffs. You don't just give up on that.


I will say that I'll be ****** if Soler is traded for a bullpen arm.

So he had a hot streak...

I'm mostly playing devil's advocate at this point...though I do LOATHE giving up on potential and such...and I, too, would think a bullpen piece, unless it was huge, is underselling. Theo undersold Castro, tho...who is much better than Soler.

With each passing series, with each passing contribution from Baez, and with consistent sufficient production from Szczur and LaStella...it becomes less necessary to be patient. It also becomes more difficult to convince other teams that Soler is seen as a "valuable trade piece" rather than "unnecessary/undesired/surplus"

I mean...value is relative...no one here can legitimately feel safe with the middle relief situation as is...everyone will also likely agree that overusing Strop/Rondon might become a possibility far earlier than the postseason...if a TOP SHELF middle reliever is available, and perhaps something else of ML quality is returned...how could we say no?

Everyone knows the Cubs will buy something...and everyone knows it will be middle relief bc everyone knows it's THE weakness...why would they sell cheap?

I"m hoping they aren't putting Almora out there for a brief window display.

[k_mac]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

So he had a hot streak...

I'm mostly playing devil's advocate at this point...though I do LOATHE giving up on potential and such...and I, too, would think a bullpen piece, unless it was huge, is underselling. Theo undersold Castro, tho...who is much better than Soler.

With each passing series, with each passing contribution from Baez, and with consistent sufficient production from Szczur and LaStella...it becomes less necessary to be patient. It also becomes more difficult to convince other teams that Soler is seen as a "valuable trade piece" rather than "unnecessary/undesired/surplus"

I mean...value is relative...no one here can legitimately feel safe with the middle relief situation as is...everyone will also likely agree that overusing Strop/Rondon might become a possibility far earlier than the postseason...if a TOP SHELF middle reliever is available, and perhaps something else of ML quality is returned...how could we say no?

Everyone knows the Cubs will buy something...and everyone knows it will be middle relief bc everyone knows it's THE weakness...why would they sell cheap?

I"m hoping they aren't putting Almora out there for a brief window display.

Castro was also making more than double what Soler is making. Finances were a big reason Castro was traded. You can't look at the Castro deal and say "well we just got a bullpen piece." It freed us up to get Zobrist. Without Castro moving, there's no Zo.

I don't care if it's a top shelf relief pitcher or not, I absolutely think trading Soler for a bullpen piece is the wrong move.

I will agree that I'd be disappointed if Almora is moved. After this season, our CF situation looks like what? Hope Fowler resigns? We've got the prospect pool to trade for relief pitchers, it just doesn't make sense to me to trade off a young guy at the major league level with loads of potential for a reliever. I'm not arguing that it's not an area of need though.

I've heard a lot of rumblings about the Cubs being interested in Jose Bautista.. How do you guys feel about that?

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I've heard a lot of rumblings about the Cubs being interested in Jose Bautista.. How do you guys feel about that?

Fine, if we can get some sort of jaw protection in the deal with him.

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I like Joey Bats. My only concern with bringing in a big personality like that is how it will affect the clubhouse. I've never heard anything negative about Bautista as a teammate, but the team may not want to deal with the bat flipping and stuff.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

If they're looking to add to the offense, I would rather give some other guys a better look...or acquire someone more low profile. Hard to argue with bringing the potential production of a guy like Bautista...

As long as whomever they acquire is a high-OBP guy.

edit: jeezy creezy joey bats walks a lot.

[Jr.]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

I just saw on the ESPN Bottom Line that Contreras is expected to be called up.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Yeah, I think it's a sure thing. This article has been on ESPN all day.

Not sure how they're going to make it work with 3 catchers and Contreras getting any meaningful playing time, but Maddon is the guy to juggle it if it can be juggled.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

This post isn't to bash Starlin Castro although it could certainly be interpreted that way. This is really just to highlight the shrewd decision making that has really been a hallmark of Theoyer's reign.


Starlin Castro ('16): .255/.291/.414, 9 HR 23 RBI. -0.1 fWAR, 87 wRC+, -12.2 UZR/150 at 2B

Ben Zobrist ('16): .314/.421/.495, 9 HR 47 RBI, 2.9 fWAR, 149 wRC+, +6.4 UZR/150 at 2B


Basically, the decision to dump Castro for Warren and sign Zobrist has netted +3.0 fWAR at 2B. Castro is putting up negative value in all phases of the game (offense, defense, baserunning) this year and Zobrist is a positive in all three phases.


But this is just one more move in a pattern of really good moves. Think Cashner for Rizzo. Think Feldman for Arrieta and Strop. Getting Hendricks from the Rangers. Dealing Sean Marshall's hurt arm for Travis Wood. Drafting Bryant, Schwarber and hitting on a whole bunch of other draft picks. Luring Joe Maddon from Tampa. Signing Lackey and Heyward (jury's still out on Heyward signing, I realize) out from under STL's nose. Netting Addison Russell+ for Samardzija. Heck, the only move I can think of that was an objective failure was sending LeMahieu to COL for Stewart + Weathers. But, then again, everyone else thought losing Colvin would come back to bite us, not D.J.

To think that I was watching a team trying to get value for Reed Johnson, auditioning the likes of Alex Hinshaw, and getting its brains beat in back in '12 when Theoyer took over. We were all wringing our hands over Carlos Marmol and Tyler Colvin. At some point, you just build up so much good juju and momentum that it might even be enough to get the Cubs to the top....

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

David Ross, Javy Baez...my goodness. Great job yesterday.

In our discussion of Joey Bautista I was going to offer the suggestion that teh Cubs go for Saunders instead...and then a day later he goes nuts...I'd take either, I suppose...

I"m also happy to see how the OF situation plays out as is...


EDIT: Can someone rationalize for me why Coghlan is in the lineup....anyone??? And when is Hendricks going to get a break? Been drawing a lot of tough opposing starters lately.

Edit: Well, Taillon was brought down to earth...Hendricks is the man. Love that guy.

Edit: K...so...this is the best starting rotation in the history of the club.

Edit: AAAaaannndd they handed that one to the Cards. Cubs need to make them feel lucky to win one while they're in town. They were lucky to win tonight. And dirty. Matheny is a Sumbish.

[k_mac]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Just a random thought I had today:

The best part about the Cubs being legitimate contenders is that Cardinals fans are riled up about coming to Chicago and winning two games. I live in an area that's comprised of primarily Cardinals fans, and what I've seen/heard this year is unlike anything I've ever experienced from them before. Every other year it's "oh your team isn't good" "the Cubs are irrelevant" "Oh, the Cubs beat the Cardinals? Maybe you should look at the standings." This year it's entirely different. I'm not saying it makes any of them more tolerable, but it's funny how the tables have turned.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

Theo....ahem...bullpen help. Any day now would be good, please.

[fugazi]

Re: The Friendly Confines: The Official Chicago Cubs Thread

you have to figure bullpen help would have already arrived if it wasn't for the injury snake-bite the team has been dealing with.

As soon as Soler returns, package him and Vogelbach and whatever for the best arms you can get...

I'm confident in an OF consisting of Fowler, Heyward, Bryant, Sczuzr, Almora, and Coghlan...They can produce enough to make Soler's big question-mark potential irrelevant.

I think they have to keep Baez.