2015 Spring Training Thread

[beckdawg]

Maddon had no idea what Baez's batting average was prior to Tuesday's game against the Athletics and didn't care.

Find this extremely hard to believe given his make up.

 

[SilenceS]

Find this extremely hard to believe given his make up.

Quote directly from Maddon. Could be lying but he only knows.

 

[beckdawg]

Quote directly from Maddon. Could be lying but he only knows.

Probably just coach speak and i'm not surprised but the fact a report buys into it seems silly to me. I mean you're talking about a top 5 analytical team and arguably the most analytical manager and he's trying to sell that he has no idea Baez is hitting below the mendoza line? Reporters need to be smarter than that.

 

[SilenceS]

Probably just coach speak and i'm not surprised but the fact a report buys into it seems silly to me. I mean you're talking about a top 5 analytical team and arguably the most analytical manager and he's trying to sell that he has no idea Baez is hitting below the mendoza line? Reporters need to be smarter than that.

Does he know Rizzo is hitting below the mendoza line? BA means very little to actual analytical guys. Like I said, he could be lying but none of us know. It was his direct quotes. It also kind of guys hand and hand with Bruce Levine reporting the Cubs saying Baez is probably going to break camp on the 25 man roster.

 

[beckdawg]

Does he know Rizzo is hitting below the mendoza line? BA means very little to actual analytical guys. Like I said, he could be lying but none of us know. It was his direct quotes. It also kind of guys hand and hand with Bruce Levine reporting the Cubs saying Baez is probably going to break camp on the 25 man roster.

Not saying what Baez/anyone else hits matters. Like I said I just find it unlikely whether Maddon said it or not that he doesn't know.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Baez making this roster is probably the first thing I've seriously disagreed with from the FO in months. Still Maddon is one of the best in the game so he gets the benefit of the doubt. Still this could be a tough watch early on.

 

[JP Hochbaum]

Baez K rate is at 35% right now. Maybe that is what they are seeing as worthy enough to keep around? It is an improvement from last year and if they see him being more comfortable in the new swing mechanics we could see enough improvement to possibly see at least a .220 average.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

**** this Spring Training shit! I'm ready for the REAL season to start!

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Baez K rate is at 35% right now. Maybe that is what they are seeing as worthy enough to keep around? It is an improvement from last year and if they see him being more comfortable in the new swing mechanics we could see enough improvement to possibly see at least a .220 average.

The issue I have is that Baez doesn't seem to be the best option at 2B for the Cubs going into a season in which they are ostensibly planning on competing, if not necessarily contending. Tommy La Stella has played a decent second base and looks like he's ready to put up the kind of OBP numbers that were expected of him when he came up for the Braves last year. With power in the lineup not really being an issue with teh likes of Rizzo, Soler, Bryant in a few weeks and eve Starlin Castro who's expected to hit for a little more power, one would think that OBP would be a bigger issue. Add that to the fact that Baez needs to play every day and I don't get how you leave such a hole in your line up in terms of a bat. It just feels like a move in which the Cubs are still using the big league club as part of their developmental system. In 2014 that was fine, in 2015 not so much. I guess the one thing here that I'm not putting enough emphasis on is that by all accounts this is a Joe Maddon decision and he's smarter than me. At this point I'll have to trust in that but until it's proven otherwise I would rather see Baez developing at AAA.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Politics abound. This is how solid MLB prospects end up not becoming every day players. They get blocked by a someone the Club is infatuated with, even though the other player has better numbers/performance.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Politics abound. This is how solid MLB prospects end up not becoming every day players. They get blocked by a someone the Club is infatuated with, even though the other player has better numbers/performance.

Politics? Very possible, I'm hoping it's not. I still think Baez could be a special player, my thing is this is a pretty good ball club that needs a good player and Baez is neither good not special yet, La Stella looks like he might be and Alacantara is there if he isn't. Getting back to the your point and possible politics of the situation I get this feeling that the Cubs want to keep Addison Russell in the minors all year and if Baez can play a solid defense and not hurt the team with his bat there might not be a mad rush to bring Russell up even if he is killing it at AAA. Maybe that's going to far down the rabbit hole, I don't know. I still marvel at how far this team has come in such a short time so maybe I should just trust in Maddon, Theo and company and see how it plays out.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Politics? Very possible, I'm hoping it's not. I still think Baez could be a special player, my thing is this is a pretty good ball club that needs a good player and Baez is neither good not special yet, La Stella looks like he might be and Alacantara is there if he isn't. Getting back to the your point and possible politics of the situation I get this feeling that the Cubs want to keep Addison Russell in the minors all year and if Baez can play a solid defense and not hurt the team with his bat there might not be a mad rush to bring Russell up even if he is killing it at AAA. Maybe that's going to far down the rabbit hole, I don't know. I still marvel at how far this team has come in such a short time so maybe I should just trust in Maddon, Theo and company and see how it plays out.

Yep. There are all kinds of possibilities here. I'm just as curious to see what they do with Jackson.

 

[brett05]

Brett, maybe Bryant starts in MLB, maybe he doesn't.

If he starts in the minors, maybe he sues, maybe he doesn't.

If he sues, maybe he wins, maybe he doesn't.

But let me ask you: Don't you thin you're totally obsessed with this? You post about Bryant and the service time issue every day for the entire offseason!

Whatever happens, happens. Let it go!

I'm rarely the lead if you look at it.

 

[brett05]

Lets see: 9 games with out him = 163 more as a Cub on the back end. So it really is a no brainier in the end.

Was going to happen regardless of the nine games.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Was going to happen regardless of the nine games.

So clairvoyant you are.

 

[CSF77]

Was going to happen regardless of the nine games.

Doubt that. 3/4/5 of Soler/Rizzo/Bryant. I have little doubt that they would have delayed him if that rule was not in place.

I have a problem with the rule. But I have no problem with the Cubs abusing it.

 

[brett05]

Doubt that. 3/4/5 of Soler/Rizzo/Bryant. I have little doubt that they would have delayed him if that rule was not in place.

I have a problem with the rule. But I have no problem with the Cubs abusing it.

I would too if they didn't say they care about winning this year. Like I said those nine games do not change the extra year. It's either bought out, never comes as Kris is a bust, or he's traded prior. I would say it's near nothing that he plays year by year until he reaches FA with the Cubs.

 

[SilenceS]

I would too if they didn't say they care about winning this year. Like I said those nine games do not change the extra year. It's either bought out, never comes as Kris is a bust, or he's traded prior. I would say it's near nothing that he plays year by year until he reaches FA with the Cubs.

Dude, do you watch ESPN. Tim Kurkijan and all off them said its a no brainer to keep him out the 9 games. They all even said that Boras will not allow Kris Bryant to sign before FA. He doesnt do that. Not with that type of player. Literally had a whole segment about it yesterday.

 

[brett05]

Dude, do you watch ESPN. Tim Kurkijan and all off them said its a no brainer to keep him out the 9 games. They all even said that Boras will not allow Kris Bryant to sign before FA. He doesnt do that. Not with that type of player. Literally had a whole segment about it yesterday.

If you have a link to it I'd like to see it. Players like Bryant have done the deal plenty as I posted here several times taken from wikipedia (i know not the best source).

 

[SilenceS]

The issue I have is that Baez doesn't seem to be the best option at 2B for the Cubs going into a season in which they are ostensibly planning on competing, if not necessarily contending. Tommy La Stella has played a decent second base and looks like he's ready to put up the kind of OBP numbers that were expected of him when he came up for the Braves last year. With power in the lineup not really being an issue with teh likes of Rizzo, Soler, Bryant in a few weeks and eve Starlin Castro who's expected to hit for a little more power, one would think that OBP would be a bigger issue. Add that to the fact that Baez needs to play every day and I don't get how you leave such a hole in your line up in terms of a bat. It just feels like a move in which the Cubs are still using the big league club as part of their developmental system. In 2014 that was fine, in 2015 not so much. I guess the one thing here that I'm not putting enough emphasis on is that by all accounts this is a Joe Maddon decision and he's smarter than me. At this point I'll have to trust in that but until it's proven otherwise I would rather see Baez developing at AAA.

I have not been overly impress with LaStella this spring. He seems like an ok player, but his D is just ok. Not the range of Baez. Baez actually has one more walk then LaStella. I think what people are missing is Baez overall game is pretty great. He has tremendous range at second and from everything I read has impressed Maddon and all the coaches with his D. His baserunning in superb. He has a little over average speed, but has great instincts on the basepaths. He is a true joy to watch run the bases. Its why he could steal 20 bags a year because he gets great jumps. People that have bitched about baserunning in the past need to watch him. He is the perfect mixture of aggressive and smart. Also, maybe Maddon just wants Baez by him at all times. He seems to have a strong interest in him. We will see where this goes.