Cub's Prospect Watch And Development Discussion Thread

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SilenceS

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I think I asked about Baez's recent strikeout rate or something a few days ago... here's an article highlighting his improvements... hasn't been as bad as I think some of us were fearing...

baez-progression2.png


"The blue line (K rate) has stayed in the low 30% range for most of the season, but the orange and grey lines (last 10 game K% and last 30 game K%, respectively) show that he has drastically cut his strikeout rate in recent weeks. In this past week, Baez only struck out twice (TWICE!) in 20 plate appearances. Small sample size caveats and all, but these improvements do correspond to changes he has said he's made in his swing, and are a sign that the overall improvements are not likely to be a fluke."

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-insi...-milb-baseball-javier-baez-turning-it-around/

Yea, this is another thing people dont realize about Baez. He has tremendous plate coverage. He isnt just this pull happy hitter. He has great power to all fields and has greater outer half coverage of the plate. I saw him hit a double the other day on a breaking ball I have no idea how he hit. he also hit that good breaking ball for a monster shot to right center in the futures games. Baez has been night and day for awhile now. Its why you have to see the player over just a stat line. Stats dont always show when good things are happening.
 

Parade_Rain

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I just dont see it. His bat would be ready way before he would be ready at catcher and I dont think his body would let him play it for more than a couple of years.
I didn't write the article. I report. You decide. :D
 

dabynsky

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Again, people are welcome to their opinion but you're talking about a 19 year old where as Edwards was 2 years older. His stuff from what I've read(not pretending I'm a scout here) isn't even that bad. You're talking a fastball in the 90-94 range that he can put where ever the hell he wants to go along with an above average curve and he's also got a change up that many scouts feel is his best pitch. If you look at pitch f/x data of pitchers with similar offerings you see guys like the following

Cole Hammels - fastball with 91.0 mph average, with a 2.06 Val/C change up and an average curve and nothing else spectacular.
Kris Medlen - fastball with 89.7 mph average, with a 2.09 Val/C change up as his best offering. He's got an ok curve at 0.66 Val/C but it's not dominating
Jered Weaver - fastball with 89.1 mph average with two decent offerings in a curve and a change up at 1.30 and 1.28 Val/C respectively
James Shields - fastball with a 91.3 mph average with two decent offerings in a curve and a change up at 0.77 and 1.32 Val/C respectively
Anibal Sanchez - fastball with a 91.7 mph average with two decent offerings in a slider and a change up at 0.68 and 1.18 Val/C respectively
Cliff Lee - fastball with a 90.6 mph average with two ok offereings in a curve and a change up at 0.61 and 0.57 Val/C respectively. Lee's likely a good comparison because his control makes his fastball his best pitch at 1.20.

With the exception of Lee, none of those guys has been a top 10 starter but they've all been low end 1's/high end 2's. And at the end of the day you can have the greatest stuff ever but if you can't locate you it does you no good. Take Aaron Sanchez for example. He's supposedly got 3 plus to plus-plus offerings. he also walks a crap ton of batters. What did he do in A ball as a 20 year old? 9.66 k/9 5.08 bb/9 with 2.49/3.57 ERA/FIP.

If you look at the top 30 pitchers in bb/9 since 2010 with a minimum of 500 IP you're talking about the following players Cliff Lee, Carl Pavano, Brandon McCarthy, Bartolo Colon, Doug Fister, Dan Haren, Roy Halladay, Jordan Zimmermann, Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse, Bronson Arroyo, Joe Blanton, Hiroki Kuroda, Mark Buehrle, Ricky Nolasco, Rick Porcello, Jered Weaver, Felix Hernandez, Zack Greinke, Cole Hamels, Chris Sale, David Price, Mike Leake, Madison Bumgarner, Phil Hughes, James Shields, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Hudson, Stephen Strasburg, and Jake Peavy with Peavy having the lowest at 2.39. The worst players on that list are Leake, Blanton and Pavano. The rest all have roughly 10 WAR or higher which puts them at roughly a 2.25 or higher WAR/season.

The real question becomes just how much k potential is there. If he's above 7.5 k/9 in the majors he's going to be a top of the rotation pitcher. Of the players with 2.4 bb/9 or lower and 8 k/9 or higher you're talking about Felix Hernandez, Clayton Kershaw, Cliff Lee, David Price, Adam Wainwright, Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, James Shields, Chris Sale, Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Strasburg, Jake Peavy, Jered Weaver, and Dan Haren.

So call me crazy but I'm more than willing to buy into someone like Tseng than I am to buy into someone like Sanchez with his "amazing" stuff. Even if he's not much of a K pitcher you have guys like Fister who has been extremely productive the past 4.5 years at 16.4 WAR(3.64 WAR/season).

Did you see where I questioned whether or not Tseng was a very good prospect or that we should't be excited about him?

I am just telling you why a guy like CJ Edwards popped up on a bunch of Top 100 lists and Tseng will probably struggle to crack those lists. Doesn't mean that he can't be good, but his profile is that of a 3 if you talk to most people.
 

beckdawg

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Did you see where I questioned whether or not Tseng was a very good prospect or that we should't be excited about him?

I am just telling you why a guy like CJ Edwards popped up on a bunch of Top 100 lists and Tseng will probably struggle to crack those lists. Doesn't mean that he can't be good, but his profile is that of a 3 if you talk to most people.

And most guys in the 50 range of top 100 lists as pitchers are 2/3 pitchers. I fail to see the point you're making here. My point was that he could be a pitcher in the 50-75 range in a top 100. Pierce Johnson was #80 in mlb.com's rankings before the season and was viewed as a #3 starter. Edwards was viewed as a possibly a 2 and more likely a 3 if he stays in the rotation at around the 40's on various lists.

So, again I'm not sure what your disagreement is here. My original statement was that Tseng would skyrocket up lists which I later clarified meant around the 50 range in top 100 lists. Going from not even a top 5 IFA in 2013 in most people's mind to that range would be a pretty dramatic movement in a year.
 

brett05

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Nope because you brought no truth. .917 OPS since May 17. AAA must have gained all new pitchers since then. Its just another baseless comment because you have nothing to talk about.
Prove that. The discussion is on the last twenty at bats and you with the thank bangers go back to mid May. You all aren't helping the Cub Stereotype
 

theberserkfury

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I guess I'll stop asking when someone listens... but can everyone else join me in ignoring brett? I promise it'll pay off... :)
 

CSF77

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Des Moines, IA - RHP Kyuji Fujikawa has joined the I-Cubs bullpen on a Major League rehab assignment today.

Fujikawa underwent Tommy John surgery on June 11 last season after appearing in 12 games with Chicago. He went 1-1 with two saves and a 5.25 ERA (7ER/12IP), walking two and striking out 14 in his first year in the organization.

The right-hander has made six rehab appearances between Rookie-Mesa and single-A Kane County. He hasn't allowed an earned run, while striking out nine and walking just two in 5.2 innings.

The Japan native signed a two-year major league contract with the Cubs in December, 2012. Prior to joining the Cubs, he pitched 12 seasons with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Central League. Fujikawa registered a 42-25 record with 219 saves and a 1.77 ERA (136ER/692.1IP) covering 562 appearances with the Tigers. He led the Japanese League in saves twice, recording 46 in 2007 and 41 in 2011.

The Cubs open a four-game series against the New Orleans Zephyrs tonight at 7:05. RH Dan Straily will start for the Cubs against RH Elih Villanueva (8-6, 3.92). This is the first of a nine-game home stand over seven days for the Cubs. The action will be broadcast at iowacubs.com and live on AM 940 with the On-Deck Pre-Game Show starting at 6:45.
 

CSF77

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Kyuji Fujikawa rhp
2 years/$9.5M (2013-14), plus 2015 option

2 years/$9.5M (2013-14)
signed by Chicago Cubs as a free agent from Japan 12/12
$1M signing bonus
13:$4M, 14:$4M, 15:$5.5M club option ($0.5M buyout)
2015 option may become guaranteed at $5.5-$6M based on games finished
may earn additional $2M annually in performance bonuses
 

brett05

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I guess I'll stop asking when someone listens... but can everyone else join me in ignoring brett? I promise it'll pay off... :)
Dreeeam...dream....dream...dream

Live in your make believe world all you want, but please don't drag others out of reality
 

brett05

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Kyuji Fujikawa rhp
2 years/$9.5M (2013-14), plus 2015 option

2 years/$9.5M (2013-14)
signed by Chicago Cubs as a free agent from Japan 12/12
$1M signing bonus
13:$4M, 14:$4M, 15:$5.5M club option ($0.5M buyout)
2015 option may become guaranteed at $5.5-$6M based on games finished
may earn additional $2M annually in performance bonuses
It'd be nice if he could pitch this year
 

beckdawg

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I think I asked about Baez's recent strikeout rate or something a few days ago... here's an article highlighting his improvements... hasn't been as bad as I think some of us were fearing...

baez-progression2.png


"The blue line (K rate) has stayed in the low 30% range for most of the season, but the orange and grey lines (last 10 game K% and last 30 game K%, respectively) show that he has drastically cut his strikeout rate in recent weeks. In this past week, Baez only struck out twice (TWICE!) in 20 plate appearances. Small sample size caveats and all, but these improvements do correspond to changes he has said he's made in his swing, and are a sign that the overall improvements are not likely to be a fluke."

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-insi...-milb-baseball-javier-baez-turning-it-around/

It's a interesting graph but my issue with it is his 30 game k rate is still pretty high. Not sure exact numbers but it looks a tick under 25%. It's an improvement no oubt but I still wonder if it's enough. In particular the dip below 20% at the end seems like small sample size similar to the two peaks around 40%. I think he has a chance to be productive at 25% k rate but I'm looking for the next improvement.
 

CSF77

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It'd be nice if he could pitch this year

I was wondering if they pull the option with him. Injuries happen and it is not shoulder cuff related. He was successful in Japan. So my opinion is if he has sucess this year then I would pull the option. They need someone more stable than Strop as a set up.

Pen Fip
Rondon 2.38
Ramirez 2.85
Wright 2.88
Strop 3.33
Schlitter 3.42
Villanueva 3.58
Rosscup 3.97
Grimm 4.02
Russell 4.45

Honestly it can't hurt.
 

theberserkfury

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It's a interesting graph but my issue with it is his 30 game k rate is still pretty high. Not sure exact numbers but it looks a tick under 25%. It's an improvement no oubt but I still wonder if it's enough. In particular the dip below 20% at the end seems like small sample size similar to the two peaks around 40%. I think he has a chance to be productive at 25% k rate but I'm looking for the next improvement.

Yeah, it's obviously not a ton of recent data... but if, like the article says, he's made some more adjustments to his swing or approach or whatever, maybe he can keep more consistently under 25%... that seems like it'd be huge... although, it doesn't look like he's really walking a whole lot more.
 

SilenceS

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Baez extends his hitting streak to 15 games. He has K's once tonight. Bryant has K'd twice. He is going through a decent rough patch. He has been having some multi K games.
 
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