Cub's Prospect Watch And Development Discussion Thread

[TL1961]

Because a foot injury automatically means the end of his career....

Just more proof of the incompetence of BoyBlunder Theo.

How could he not have known Bryant would hurt his toe on the anniversary of Elvis' death? It was obvious!

 

[Captain Obvious]

Chop it off!

 

[JosMin]

Chop it off!

What they need to cut off is the excess girth on his flesh trumpet -- because his shit is enormous.

 

[chibears55]

@GDubCub: Bryant MRI revealed no structural damage. Foot "contusion". Day to day.

 

[theberserkfury]

"Daury Torrez went 5 scoreless innings and allowed just on hit to improve to 11-5 with a 2.82 ERA He may be the least publicized of all the Kane County pitching prospects but he has quietly been their most effective and most consistent arm all season. Torrez commands a 90-94 mph fastball with good arm side run that sets up everything else he does. He draws a lot of weak contact off that pitch, hitters have hit .230 off of him this season. That is enhanced by the fact that he doesn't beat himself. He has walked just 20 batters all season, a rate of just 1.48 per 9 IP. He actually walked 2 batters today, the first time he has done that since May 30th. Since that date he has walked 6 batters vs. 40 Ks in 60 IP."

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/...jeffrey-baez-hrs-twice-daury-torrez-dominant/

Anyone have any opinions/thoughts/projections on Torrez? He seems like an interesting arm with that velocity and control...

Side note: what's the difference between control and command?

 

[beckdawg]

"Daury Torrez went 5 scoreless innings and allowed just on hit to improve to 11-5 with a 2.82 ERA He may be the least publicized of all the Kane County pitching prospects but he has quietly been their most effective and most consistent arm all season. Torrez commands a 90-94 mph fastball with good arm side run that sets up everything else he does. He draws a lot of weak contact off that pitch, hitters have hit .230 off of him this season. That is enhanced by the fact that he doesn't beat himself. He has walked just 20 batters all season, a rate of just 1.48 per 9 IP. He actually walked 2 batters today, the first time he has done that since May 30th. Since that date he has walked 6 batters vs. 40 Ks in 60 IP."

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/...jeffrey-baez-hrs-twice-daury-torrez-dominant/

Anyone have any opinions/thoughts/projections on Torrez? He seems like an interesting arm with that velocity and control...

Side note: what's the difference between control and command?

In ref to control, command,

It is said often but it is worth repeating again and again. Control is the general ability to throw strikes while command is the ability to locate the ball within (and sometimes outside) the strike zone. Command is a subset of control.

As for Torrez, without being too hard on him, I kinda think he's just another guy. He might have #5 starter ability at top end but he really doesn't strike many people out. He does manage to limit walks and I've mentioned that being a big deal. So, there's a chance but to even compare him to someone like Hendricks is some what a stretch because Hendricks was in the 7-9 range IIRC in k/9 while Torrez is currently at 5.41. From a scouting perspective though it wouldn't shock me if scouts liked him better based on "stuff" than Hendricks.

They did a cubs den podcast recently that talked about pitchers and the general sense was there are Edwards, Tseng, and Johnson and then a bunch of 4/5 starters. Underwood might be more but he's far away still. They are also not as high on the first group seeing many as 3/4's

 

[CSF77]

In ref to control, command,



As for Torrez, without being too hard on him, I kinda think he's just another guy. He might have #5 starter ability at top end but he really doesn't strike many people out. He does manage to limit walks and I've mentioned that being a big deal. So, there's a chance but to even compare him to someone like Hendricks is some what a stretch because Hendricks was in the 7-9 range IIRC in k/9 while Torrez is currently at 5.41. From a scouting perspective though it wouldn't shock me if scouts liked him better based on "stuff" than Hendricks.

They did a cubs den podcast recently that talked about pitchers and the general sense was there are Edwards, Tseng, and Johnson and then a bunch of 4/5 starters. Underwood might be more but he's far away still. They are also not as high on the first group seeing many as 3/4's

I'm put my money on Hendricks being the best SP of the current group. Until they start to dedicate 1st round picks into front line pitching I doubt that will change.

 

[beckdawg]

I'm put my money on Hendricks being the best SP of the current group. Until they start to dedicate 1st round picks into front line pitching I doubt that will change.

I'm pretty sure Tseng will end up being better but I clearly like Hendricks a lot and I liked him a lot prior to this season going so far as to mention him being underrated. I just think Tseng is a better version of Hendricks. If you compare both's first lengthy appearance in the minors you're talking about Hendricks at 22 in A+ with 7.71/1.03 k/9 and bb/9 vs a 19 year old Tseng in A ball with 7.55/1.45.

 

[CSF77]

It is too early to tell with either. Right now Hendricks is pulling a Randy Wells rook year. We have to see if he can sustain it.

I'm predicting middle of the rotation ground ball pitcher.

 

[SilenceS]

pinkston (Chicago)

Are we currently seeing the limit of Kyle Hendricks? Could his intelligent approach and ability to mix in all of his pitches help his sustain his early success?

Klaw )

This is it. Happens all the time. Remember Zach Duke's rookie year? 84 innings, 1.81 ERA, 3.00 FIP. Hasn't had a full-season ERA under 4 since.

 

[Boobaby1]

It is too early to tell with either. Right now Hendricks is pulling a Randy Wells rook year. We have to see if he can sustain it.

I'm predicting middle of the rotation ground ball pitcher.

I'll take it.

 

[Boobaby1]

pinkston (Chicago)

Are we currently seeing the limit of Kyle Hendricks? Could his intelligent approach and ability to mix in all of his pitches help his sustain his early success?

Klaw )

This is it. Happens all the time. Remember Zach Duke's rookie year? 84 innings, 1.81 ERA, 3.00 FIP. Hasn't had a full-season ERA under 4 since.

I like that Hendricks keeps the ball down in the zone which is good. When the other teams stop swinging at the low pitches, it will force him to bring the ball up. It's called adjusting, and as long as he has movement on his pitches with control or command, he will be just fine.

An innings eater at 500k per year is never a bad thing considering E-Jax cost 25 times as much and is a lot worse.

 

[SilenceS]

I like that Hendricks keeps the ball down in the zone which is good. When the other teams stop swinging at the low pitches, it will force him to bring the ball up. It's called adjusting, and as long as he has movement on his pitches with control or command, he will be just fine.

An innings eater at 500k per year is never a bad thing considering E-Jax cost 25 times as much and is a lot worse.

I have no problem with that. Just showing people that you need to pump the brakes on him. Lets him prove everyone wrong instead of expecting something we shouldnt expect.

 

[beckdawg]

I have no problem with that. Just showing people that you need to pump the brakes on him. Lets him prove everyone wrong instead of expecting something we shouldnt expect.

Hendricks is never going to be a guy to start game 1 of a playoff series. he probably wont even start game 2 or 3 on any real competitive team. At his best, what he'll be is Doug Fister which is to say a guy who gives you a lot of regular season value. Part of the problem when talking about guys like Fister is that you can argue he's been one of the top 30 pitchers(12th in fWAR since 2011) over the past 3-5 years but that doesn't make him an ace in the traditional sense because like I said, he's the Nat's #4. Perhaps it's just a matter of perception that needs to change with major league clubs that guys like him are undervalued and perhaps he should be considered for starting in the playoffs. However, until that time this is what he is.

Hendricks too will likely fall into a same void of not having playoff starting "stuff."

 

[beckdawg]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/26683/6th-spot-doesnt-suit-veteran-cf-alcantara

"He looks like a veteran out there," a National League scout said recently. "I saw Junior Lake [another former infielder} when he first came up and Alcantara is much further along."

In ref to Alcantara in CF. Looking like my concerns may have been unwarranted. That's clearly great for his long term value.

I also found this comment interesting as I hadn't considered it.

Now comes the bad news. His slump coincided with being moved from the top of the order to No. 6.

 

[SilenceS]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/26683/6th-spot-doesnt-suit-veteran-cf-alcantara


In ref to Alcantara in CF. Looking like my concerns may have been unwarranted. That's clearly great for his long term value.

His throws and situational throws are bad. He needs work on that, but he has made some great diving catches. He covers a lot of ground.

 

[Boobaby1]

Russell hit his 10th HR since joining the Cubs going 2-5 with 5 RBI's, a double and a grand slam. Did I mention his .994 fielding percentage? Apparently he can glove, so he's got that going for him.

Tell me the Cubs don't know what they are doing. First they sign "Clark", and then they trade for "Addison". :buttrock:

 

[beckdawg]

[video=youtube;fVnWcAY-iIs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVnWcAY-iIs[/video]

This is Russell hitting a grand slam yesterday. That crack is such a nice sound.

 

[CSF77]

NL Notes: Cubs, Mets, D’backs
By Jeff Todd [August 19, 2014 at 8:34am CDT]
Let’s take a look at a few notes from around the National League …

Some in the game believing there is an obvious trade match between the Cubs, who are loaded with middle infield prospects, and a Mets club laden with young arms, says John Harper of the New York Daily News. New York is somewhat disinclined to move its better starting pitching prospects in exchange for Chicago’s current starting shortstop, Starlin Castro, and are more attracted to the younger Addison Russell and Javier Baez. The Mets don’t believe the latter player could be had, even if they were willing to part with top prospect Noah Syndergaard, leading Harper to indicate that a move for Russell appears the most realistic possibility.
Whether or not it’s the case, it is time for the Mets to act like they are only a piece or two away from contention, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. With several young players generating excitement, Matt Harvey working back for the spring, and many of the team’s young hurlers in the bigs or the upper minors, another season of development at the big league level would be a huge disappointment, says Martino.

 

[CSF77]

So Addison Russell for Noah Syndergaard strait up?

I'm not to up on Noah. Just looking at it it makes sense for both teams. Mets are getting Matt Harvey back and have a clear need for a bat like Russell going forward. Noah would be the best arm in the system.

Well seeing how next year Russell would be in AAA and Noah would be on the Cubs... Might be worth it.