All Spring Training IGT

[TC in Mississippi]

I love when people say they don't want to pay Jake 30 million at age 36 as if that matters. Of course no one wants to pay a 36 year old 30 million but you feel a lot better about it if you get him for 30 million at ages 32 and earlier.

The Cubs risk saving money by offering him a contract now to get more info later. Maybe they won't need an ace like Jake and can spend money on their hitters new deals? The reason I would have been for a new deal (especially with an opt after four years) is that odds are you won't get Jake for just four years in two years but you can potentially get him for six now. And the Cubs really won't have to worry about having "too much money" tied up in their arms until their youths (Bryant, Russell, Schwarber) become FA after 2021 (aka six seasons).

All I'm saying is that they have to be smart. If reports are to be believed he wants 7/$200 mil including the buyout of his remaining arb year. I get it, if I were him I'd want that too, I also think the Cubs are going to start having to pay some real money in arbitration awards to their young core in 2018 and I don't see a Cubs payroll ever exceeding say $170 mil, at least not in today's dollars. If money is no object then heck yeah, sign him up. If it is they'll be looking for alternatives. Frankly I don't care either way as long as they have a true #1 pitcher at the top of that rotation.

 

[SilenceS]

Cubs are just not hitting. I know its spring, but it would be nice to see some power.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Cubs are just not hitting. I know its spring, but it would be nice to see some power.

On the bright side Russell is having a nice spring so far.

 

[SilenceS]

On the bright side Russell is having a nice spring so far.

He is and watch him start out slow and the rest of the team hot. Baseball! lol

 

[beckdawg]

Cubs are just not hitting. I know its spring, but it would be nice to see some power.

Saving it for the regular season obviously.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I'm not really bothered by the lack of hitting or the W-L record in ST games but I am getting a bit concerned regarding LH pitching in the bullpen. Rex Brothers, once a near lock to make the roster, has been absolutely terrible. Travis Wood hasn't been sharp either but I'm not really worried there. I guess you know what you're getting in Clayton Richard but I'm not really a fan. I know Edgar Olmos is in in camp and is an option but I would not be surprised if the Cubs are looking around to make a deal.

 

[beckdawg]

So the cards apparently lost Jhonny Peralta til the allstar break. I'm really starting to think they are going to be this year's team who everyone expects to be decent but just falls off a cliff. They were 5th worst in runs scored in the NL last season. They lost Heyward, and already lost half a season of Peralta. They also had a pretty historically good pitching staff last season.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

So the cards apparently lost Jhonny Peralta til the allstar break. I'm really starting to think they are going to be this year's team who everyone expects to be decent but just falls off a cliff. They were 5th worst in runs scored in the NL last season. They lost Heyward, and already lost half a season of Peralta. They also had a pretty historically good pitching staff last season.

You have to figure that Ian Desmond is kicking himself right now as if he had waited 10 days he would probably be a Cardinal and not diminish his value by moving off of SS. As far as the Cards go I'm sure they're working the phones. Erick Aybar would make some sense and I'm sure Atlanta would listen.

 

[85Bears]

As far as W/L record, same thing happened last spring at the start, then they finished ST strong. And then won 97 games.

That said, sure'd be nice to see some wins here... At least Arrieta apparently looked like he was in 2nd half of last regular season form. Now let's see how Lester looks. Game today (Mariners) is on MLB TV, so I get to watch. Wish more ST games were, but they'll start picking up here soon. What I really wanted to see was Lackey's first attempt at a couple innings but tomorrow's not televised.

 

[SilenceS]

I could care less about spring training. It really means nothing. I just would like to see the offense rev up. I mean Soler has 6 k's in 10 at bats. Thats not good for the confidence

 

[85Bears]

I could care less about spring training. It really means nothing. I just would like to see the offense rev up. I mean Soler has 6 k's in 10 at bats. Thats not good for the confidence

Yeah, I know it's pretty much meaningless. Saw an interview with Arrieta and he said if Joe had let him go another inning, he was going to walk the lead off guy so he could practice pitching with someone on base. He said guys do a lot of weird stuff that they would never do in a real game just to work on things.

But dammit, if I'm watching a Cubs game, I wanna see 'em win!

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I'm not really bothered by the lack of hitting or the W-L record in ST games but I am getting a bit concerned regarding LH pitching in the bullpen. Rex Brothers, once a near lock to make the roster, has been absolutely terrible. Travis Wood hasn't been sharp either but I'm not really worried there. I guess you know what you're getting in Clayton Richard but I'm not really a fan. I know Edgar Olmos is in in camp and is an option but I would not be surprised if the Cubs are looking around to make a deal.

And now Rex Brothers is an ex-Cub. Probably for the best.

 

[brett05]

Something has to be wrong with Rex to be just dumped so quickly.

 

[SilenceS]

Lester and defense was awful. Schwarber made a nice throw to home that would have got the runner but Ross whiffed on the ball.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Something has to be wrong with Rex to be just dumped so quickly.

He was awful in three outings and Olmos has out pitched him. Plus it saved them $1 mil before the contract guarantee kicked in. I still think they'll look to pick up another lefty, maybe soon.

 

[beckdawg]

And now Rex Brothers is an ex-Cub. Probably for the best.

He's honestly not worth the monetary risk at this point. Had they kept him into the season he would be making $1.42 million. They signed SOOOO many similar options this offseason that are likely pitching better at the moment and have as much upside. And perhaps they are a bit light on LHP but still think they are largely fine. If we look at how they handled it last year, Grimm vs LHB had .140/.269/.228 over 16.2 IP. Cahill was .105/.150/.105 over 5.2. Strop was .184/.327/.314 over 25 IP. Travis Wood was .227/.297/.300 over 34 IP. Neil Ramirez was .227/.320/.286 over 5.2 IP. Hector Rondon was .228/.293/.347 over 31.2 IP. Richards was .234/.269/.266 over 17.1. Warren was .224/.288/.315 over 55 IP.

So, I don't really think any of the guys were too terrible vs lefties that you really need to warrant a lefty specialist. You probably don't want Ramirez or Strop in there vs lefties but they weren't god awful in that regard. And that's not to say anything for Andury Acevedo, Spencer Patton, C.J. Riefenhauser, Aaron Crow, Stephen Fife, Brandon Gomes, Jack Leathersich, Jean Machi, Edgar Olmos, Manny Parra, Jonathan Pettibone, Armando Rivero, and Drew Rucinski who are guys hoping to win a job with the team.

 

[beckdawg]

Is Gossage drunk?

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...ista-toronto-blue-jays-nerds-ruining-baseball

What's "nerds" have to do with the rules for sliding into second or rushing a catcher at home?

 

[Parade_Rain]

Is Gossage drunk?

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...ista-toronto-blue-jays-nerds-ruining-baseball

What's "nerds" have to do with the rules for sliding into second or rushing a catcher at home?

He's the Grinch who stole fun. It's typical of older generations to forget what actually happened versus how they think they remembered it happening when they were playing. Also, old people get set in their ways and get upset that a new generation changes how they think the game should be played. He's out of line, IMHO.

 

[CSF77]

Is Gossage drunk?

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...ista-toronto-blue-jays-nerds-ruining-baseball

What's "nerds" have to do with the rules for sliding into second or rushing a catcher at home?

Old school player. Most old school agree that the current players are pampered too much and end up injured due to the limits imposed on them. Old school players were more durable.

On the bat flip. I get it. Don't show up a pitcher. Goose is old school and would buzz him which can lead to a suspension.

Only thing is he dropped too many f-bombs. Rest he has a point that the non-players have taken over the sport.

 

[fatbeard]

Old school player. Most old school agree that the current players are pampered too much and end up injured due to the limits imposed on them. Old school players were more durable.

On the bat flip. I get it. Don't show up a pitcher. Goose is old school and would buzz him which can lead to a suspension.

Only thing is he dropped too many f-bombs. Rest he has a point that the non-players have taken over the sport.

The Meatball is strong in this one.