2025 Regular Season IGT

[CSF77]

Happ has to be the most underappreciated Cub ever....

Lead off with a carrer .346 OBA and 18.6 fWAR

Most teams would be happy with that. Not Cub fans...

 

[CSF77]

Happ isn't going anywhere. The guy gives professional at bats and is extremely consistent. Balle can only play three spots C,1st, or DH

Ya I feel that he will end up as a prime trade chip. Dude rakes and teams will be demanding him.

 

[beckdawg]

Another note, Ballesteros is absolutely crushing in AAA. We don't even have room unless move Busch to third and trust him at first. But, any big injury would have to see him coming up.

I think you let him sit in AAA and work on his catching. If he gets to passable that's a monster bat at C. If there's an injury at the MLB level maybe think about him but until then I wouldn't push it

 

[CSF77]

Horton today. 4.2 IP 0 ER 1BB 5K.

Jed just promote the guy and put Rea back in the pen to stabilize the 5-7th innings already...

 

[beckdawg]

They are just going to have to let shaw work through struggles. He's the best option. Workman sucks.

Workman isn't as bad as people think he's just not ready for the majors. That's why he was available in the rule 5 draft. But the guys a legit 4 tool player with the hit tool being questionable. Scouts give his defense a 65-70 grade so plus to plus-plus. He stole 30 bases in AA last year and hit 18 homers. He's also the back up SS as only him and Dansby have played there. If Shaw had been ready people wouldn't care as much it's just unfortunate that someone who was supposed to be a bench bat has been thrust into a bigger role. Also, he's one of like 11 other players in the majors who can play SS and hit left handed. That's a pretty rare skill.

Point here being I wanna see them give him some time. PCA was horrid in the first half of last year as a defense first guy but playing him lead to his second half breakout and then him being really good this year. Workman might not be as good as PCA and I get it his errors are annoying for someone who's calling card is defense but I think you have to give him some time to figure things out. Even if he never does, him eating the spot on the roster is giving Shaw more time to develop which is presumably the one you want to figure things out long term anyways.

 

[CSF77]

I think you let him sit in AAA and work on his catching. If he gets to passable that's a monster bat at C. If there's an injury at the MLB level maybe think about him but until then I wouldn't push it

I still believe if the right deal pops up that Jed will pull that trigger.

This team has some holes going on that internal solutions have not been working.

They need a high leverage arm. David Robertson would be great. But if he decides to pitch at 40 there will be competition for his service. Jed/Tom may not want to pay the cost.

Steele down. 2 unproven internal options and band aids.

3B in flux post Bryant

Maybes are fine on a 70 win team. Not on a 90+ contender in a tough NL top end.

LA , SD, NYM. All 3 are heavyweights this year. Cubs have holes that will get exploited

That is the bottom line

 

[Discus fish salesman]

Happ has to be the most underappreciated Cub ever....

Lead off with a carrer .346 OBA and 18.6 fWAR

Most teams would be happy with that. Not Cub fans...

Cub fans love him generally. I just have always been underwhelmed. He's fine as a role player. His defense is good. He's above average offensively. For me, for a guy with speed and power, he just doesn't do a whole lot with either of those skills. Slugging is meh. Doesn't steal bases or turn singles into doubles, or doubles into triples. He is what he is. He's fine.

I think Ballestroes could be an impact bat though

 

[CSF77]

Cub fans love him generally. I just have always been underwhelmed. He's fine as a role player. His defense is good. He's above average offensively. For me, for a guy with speed and power, he just doesn't do a whole lot with either of those skills. Slugging is meh. Doesn't steal bases or turn singles into doubles, or doubles into triples. He is what he is. He's fine.

I think Ballestroes could be an impact bat though

'Could be' and 'is a' are completely in different worlds.

Until Ballestros is hitting .350 vs pitching that is at MLB callaber then we can talk.

He is 21 years old in a league that is pretty much 25 years old. Most of the pitching is cast off Major League talent. Or not good enough or not ready for the show.

But because he is that young the Cubs have time to allow him to polish as a catcher.

 

[CSF77]

And Shaw is hitting .091 vs that talent

I think he just got hit by a truck by Major League pitching it and he still reeling. Players normally hit a wall when progressing up. He never really did. Now that's a good thing and a bad thing because it took major League pitching to finally shut him down. But this could take a while before he actually makes that adjustment I wouldn't expect this to happen this year to be perfectly honest,if it does great. I wouldn't make my bed in that though

 

[Discus fish salesman]

'Could be' and 'is a' are completely in different worlds.

Until Ballestros is hitting .350 vs pitching that is at MLB callaber then we can talk.

He is 21 years old in a league that is pretty much 25 years old. Most of the pitching is cast off Major League talent. Or not good enough or not ready for the show.

But because he is that young the Cubs have time to allow him to polish as a catcher.

He needs to hit .350 at the major league level? Why?

So he is playing against much tougher competition than he has at any other level and much younger than the average player? Interesting

 

[CSF77]

He needs to hit .350 at the major league level? Why?

So he is playing against much tougher competition than he has at any other level and much younger than the average player? Interesting

You don't listen. He is 21. He has never faced top tier pitching. He has faced pitchers that are AAAA filler for injuries for the most part with a few and I mean a few prospects sprinkled in.

So if he was a 3B then we could have a conversation. Catcher is strong right now. Like top rung in MLB. If you don't believe then look at the numbers and the Cubs are at the top.

So this is all about supply and demand

Cubs are strong at DH.
Cubs are strong at 1B.
Cubs are strong at C.

He is 21 so there is time. But Jed is in his last year.

Don't hold your breath on this one. It is far more likely that we see some mega deals and some butt hurt fans along the way. But it all becomes gravey if they get rings. Plenty of teams have traded away plenty of talent to win it all.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

You don't listen. He is 21. He has never faced top tier pitching. He has faced pitchers that are AAAA filler for injuries for the most part with a few and I mean a few prospects sprinkled in.

So if he was a 3B then we could have a conversation. Catcher is strong right now. Like top rung in MLB. If you don't believe then look at the numbers and the Cubs are at the top.

So this is all about supply and demand

Cubs are strong at DH.
Cubs are strong at 1B.
Cubs are strong at C.

He is 21 so there is time. But Jed is in his last year.

Don't hold your breath on this one. It is far more likely that we see some mega deals and some butt hurt fans along the way. But it all becomes gravey if they get rings. Plenty of teams have traded away plenty of talent to win it all.

That's a lot of rambling. No shit he's blocked. Also, AAA is generally tougher competition than young guys face at A and AA other than a few top prospects they come across. So again thanks for your rambling

 

[CSF77]

That's a lot of rambling. No shit he's blocked. Also, AAA is generally tougher competition than young guys face at A and AA other than a few top prospects they come across. So again thanks for your rambling

And you are a typical over value prospects.

Prospects are a cheaper option for management.

Or another source of revenue to aquire talent.

Don't fall in love with prospects. Fall in love with tenured players that are putting wins on the board

Like Happ did last night and you decided to diss him and make puppy dog eyes at a prospect ..

Grow up

 

[Discus fish salesman]

And you are a typical over value prospects.

Prospects are a cheaper option for management.

Or another source of revenue to aquire talent.

Don't fall in love with prospects. Fall in love with tenured players that are putting wins on the board

Like Happ did last night and you decided to diss him and make puppy dog eyes at a prospect ..

Grow up

I didn't diss him. I've been very vocal of my opinion of happ over the years. Not many others agree and I'm fine with that.

 

[Szlachcic]

He's also the back up SS as only him and Dansby have played there.

You forgetting Nico Horner, who played short before Dansby arrived..

 

[CSF77]

Cubs Sign Nicky Lopez, Designate Gage Workman

The Cubs signed free agent infielder Nicky Lopez to a big league contract. Read more about the move at MLB Trade Rumors.

www.mlbtraderumors.com

 

[CSF77]

That was quick

This year's got a different vibe about it. I think everybody understands that this team is really damn good. And at the end of the I think all of us want this team to win. Probably Jed more anybody else at this point cuz he's got a contract on the line for it.

Regardless if they have to trade away talent and I do have my own biases for sure. Like if they traded Horton away for a rental like Cease. Not going to happen but just say a case analysis and see Cease move on and Horton becomes an all-star yeah I'm going to get pissed. But just like 2016 if you get a ring out of it I think everybody's okay. If it's like 2017 and you come up short it ain't okay anymore.

 

[CSF77]

I thought a little bit on it. If they held on to prospects out of fear for what's happening in the future and they let this year go by without actually putting a full shot into it and they come up short when they could have actually taken it I think I'd be more pissed.

So kind of like **** it you only live once. 2025 matters

 

[46plank]

I don’t know if he was an option, but I think they should have traded Shaw to the Astros instead of Cam Smith. I see Smith being the better of the 2.

 

[beckdawg]

You forgetting Nico Horner, who played short before Dansby arrived..

They wouldn't move a starting 2B to second like that IMO. But it's a moot point because Lopez can play SS/2B now that Workman was DFA'd