Castillo is now a Mariner

[Boobaby1]

This is one that A) Castillo takes up roster space and the Cubs are going to bring up guys like LaStella when they are healthy, B) he needs to get AB's which he is not getting here, C) the Cubs are taking a chance on an arm and also the Cubs cleared a little salary space.

Nothing spectacular. It was a roster move. I actually thought he might be dealt at the deadline in a package deal, but obviously, the Cubs brass thought differently, or as someone said, maybe there is a little more to this that we don't know about.

Hopefully it works out for both parties.

 

[brett05]

I just feel like if you were going to make this move you probably could have gotten more in the offseason or potentially more closer to the deadline in a larger deal. Obvioudly that leads to more 3 catchers on the roster crap but overall I just feel the M's got vastly superior value out of the trade.

i getcha

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I just feel like if you were going to make this move you probably could have gotten more in the offseason or potentially more closer to the deadline in a larger deal. Obvioudly that leads to more 3 catchers on the roster crap but overall I just feel the M's got vastly superior value out of the trade.

Maybe, maybe not. Kevin Gallo over at Cubs Den was saying way back in October that Castillo's game was not at all what teams were looking for today and basically had zero value. He's been proven largely correct but a live arm really might help this team. We will all see.

 

[brett05]

heard he's being sent to AAA for control tweaking

 

[TC in Mississippi]

heard he's being sent to AAA for control tweaking

Medina? Yes, I expect him to get some work there for a little while. A few days ago they were out of arms to recall, now they have one. I would think that barring injury the Brian Schlitter experience is done for a good long while.

 

[chibears55]

Who replaces Castillo on the bench ?

Ross Herrera Lake

 

[brett05]

Who replaces Castillo on the bench ?

Ross Herrera Lake

Who you all got in AAA at the catcher spot?

 

[Parade_Rain]

@chibear55 - Isn't Lake getting a call up again? If so, there's your answer.

 

[beckdawg]

Maybe, maybe not. Kevin Gallo over at Cubs Den was saying way back in October that Castillo's game was not at all what teams were looking for today and basically had zero value. He's been proven largely correct but a live arm really might help this team. We will all see.

Whether or not it's what teams are looking for, I think you have to look at the state C around the league are in. There aren't very many of them that can even hit. Castillo isn't perfect but outside of framing he is a plus defender and he hits well. I'm not trying to suggest he's amazing but by any objective measure he's an above average C outside of framing which the early numbers this year suggest he's improved at.

If people want to quibble and say he's not a 1st division starter then fine but i'd wager there's at least 10-15 teams he'd be as good if not better than the C they are starting. To give that up for a maybe bullpen guy is a disappointment for me. Like I said I could buy the trade more if Medina had pitched like the previous year. However you are buying a rebound on him which let's be real is a hope not a guarantee. I believe this move is more about the roster spot than it is about the player they got which inherently means you're getting less value.

Ultimately, I just think you sign David Ross who has hit .194/.342/.323 and essentially caught only Lester AFAIK and forced this sort of trade. Now Ross has intangibles like leadership and such that you can't exactly put a value on. But to me it's hard to say he's been so good that you get rid of Castillo.

 

[beckdawg]

@chibear55 - Isn't Lake getting a call up again? If so, there's your answer.

Lake was already getting called up when they DFA'd Coke and sent down Schlitter. Wada was also part of that move. Whomever replaces Castillo will be someone else.

 

[chibears55]

Who you all got in AAA at the catcher spot?

Doesn't Schwarber catch for every team in system [emoji51]

Actually had to look that up.. Teagarden and lopez ..lol


Baxter mota and baez seem to be the only choices from iowa...

Anyone know if LaStella new injury gonna keep him out longer

 

[beckdawg]

Doesn't Schwarber catch for every team in system [emoji51]

Actually had to look that up.. Teagarden and lopez ..lol


Baxter mota and baez seem to be the only choices from iowa...

Anyone know if LaStella new injury gonna keep him out longer

If Baez was the choice sure seems like he would have been the guy rather than Lake. You don't call baez up to sit the bench. So, if the thought was Baez to LF/3B you bringing him up then cogs to bench rather than Lake to bench then Baez now. Could be in preparation of a Denorfia return.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Lake was already getting called up when they DFA'd Coke and sent down Schlitter. Wada was also part of that move. Whomever replaces Castillo will be someone else.

Ah. That makes sense.

 

[beckdawg]

Another thought could be they go heavy pitching again for whatever reason and essentially replace Castillo with Lake for more versatility off the bench.

 

[SilenceS]

They have said that they will not call up Baez to switch the bench, but there have been rumblings of him going to third soon.

 

[beckdawg]

They have said that they will not call up Baez to switch the bench, but there have been rumblings of him going to third soon.

Think he played SS the past 2 days. Not sure that has any bearing on this though.

 

[SilenceS]

Think he played SS the past 2 days. Not sure that has any bearing on this though.

I know Baez has played some third and stated that he did not care for it much and liked second a lot better. A lot of options. If he forces his way back on, its not a bad problem to have for a team.

 

[CSF77]

Trade seemed Meh to me. As far as a replacement player Alcantara would be ideal as he can cover many spots.

 

[CSF77]

Well if he was on the 40 man it would be John Andreoli and bat him 9th. Dude had 55 steals in 2012, 2013 40. 2014 28 in 209 AB's. 15 right now in 101 ab's. His speed is game changing. OBA is .377 career. He seems the type that Maddon would like to use in LF this year to harass some pitchers. This would free up Russell to hit #7 in the line up. Russell really hasn't proved he is a OBA guy. But he can hit the ball.

 

[beckdawg]

They called up Baxter.

Bruce Miles @BruceMiles2112
At Iowa, Baxter was .290/.377/.330 with no homers, 13 BB and 22 SO. #Cubs