Cubs Should Consider Lester and Scherzer for 2015

[dreadpirateroberts]

The Chicago Cubs should consider Jon Lester of the Red Sox and Max Scherzer of the Tigers for next year's free agency. Why? If Jeff Samardzija gets traded, who is the number one go to guy? Edwin Jackson? Hell no. This is what the starting pitching rotation might look like:

SP: Jon Lester/Max Scherzer
SP: Edwin Jackson
SP: Travis Wood
SP: James Paxton (Fantasy Jeff Samardzija Trade Recipient)
SP: Jake Arrieta

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[beckdawg]

The Chicago Cubs should consider Jon Lester of the Red Sox and Max Scherzer of the Tigers for next year's free agency. Why? If Jeff Samardzija gets traded, who is the number one go to guy? Edwin Jackson? Hell no. This is what the starting pitching rotation might look like:

SP: Jon Lester/Max Scherzer
SP: Edwin Jackson
SP: Travis Wood
SP: James Paxton (Fantasy Jeff Samardzija Trade Recipient)
SP: Jake Arrieta

Thoughts? Opinions?

Not sure if you're saying they should look at both but only sign one or sign both. I don't think they have the money to sign both.

 

[chibears55]

The Chicago Cubs should consider Jon Lester of the Red Sox and Max Scherzer of the Tigers for next year's free agency. Why? If Jeff Samardzija gets traded, who is the number one go to guy? Edwin Jackson? Hell no. This is what the starting pitching rotation might look like:

SP: Jon Lester/Max Scherzer
SP: Edwin Jackson
SP: Travis Wood
SP: James Paxton (Fantasy Jeff Samardzija Trade Recipient)
SP: Jake Arrieta

Thoughts? Opinions?

I dont think lester or scherzer will consider the cubs all money/yrs being close , they most likely go to a team ready to win now.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T217A using Tapatalk

 

[nwfisch]

[video=youtube;IqIRpnsUvP4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqIRpnsUvP4[/video]

 

[CSF77]

The Chicago Cubs should consider Jon Lester of the Red Sox and Max Scherzer of the Tigers for next year's free agency. Why? If Jeff Samardzija gets traded, who is the number one go to guy? Edwin Jackson? Hell no. This is what the starting pitching rotation might look like:

SP: Jon Lester/Max Scherzer
SP: Edwin Jackson
SP: Travis Wood
SP: James Paxton (Fantasy Jeff Samardzija Trade Recipient)
SP: Jake Arrieta

Thoughts? Opinions?

They need to build a team that can score runs before adding top of the rotation arms.

The first step is to win now with the pitching they have. That means putting out a line up that can score. Adding better quality pitching than helps in a play off series.

2008 the Cubs won 97 games due to scoring runs. But they lacked shut down pitching in a short series against the Dodgers. Not to mention the Cubs were RH heavy and the starters took the last week of the season off and cooled off before going into a 5 game.

I would rather have them sort out the O over the year. Get Baez on the team and in a position. If the team starts to look like a middle of the league Run scoring then I would look to upgrade in the off season from Hammel.


Now what do I believe happens: No they will not. They will trade Hammel and promote Hendricks to back fill. Shark not sure if they trade him. They could just hold onto him and offer him arb after 2015. If he bolts then take the pick and promote Edwards. I watched him today on Milb network and his stuff looks major league quality with a live fastball and a nasty slider. He looks 1/2 quality.

 

[Boobaby1]

They need to build a team that can score runs before adding top of the rotation arms.

The first step is to win now with the pitching they have. That means putting out a line up that can score. Adding better quality pitching than helps in a play off series.

2008 the Cubs won 97 games due to scoring runs. But they lacked shut down pitching in a short series against the Dodgers. Not to mention the Cubs were RH heavy and the starters took the last week of the season off and cooled off before going into a 5 game.

I would rather have them sort out the O over the year. Get Baez on the team and in a position. If the team starts to look like a middle of the league Run scoring then I would look to upgrade in the off season from Hammel.


Now what do I believe happens: No they will not. They will trade Hammel and promote Hendricks to back fill. Shark not sure if they trade him. They could just hold onto him and offer him arb after 2015. If he bolts then take the pick and promote Edwards. I watched him today on Milb network and his stuff looks major league quality with a live fastball and a nasty slider. He looks 1/2 quality.

I can see your point CFS, but I also think it is mandatory to get as close to a TOR arm as possible if not two. Regardless of the start, they are still sorely lacking in that area (hitting also) and that is definitely a place to address.

Pitching more often than not will keep you in ballgames, and pitching also would not slow down the progress of the farm that is more top heavy with hitters.

They don't have ready made pitching yet, so the best thing to do is try and sign them like they have attempted to do the past two years with Sanchez and Tanaka. After that, maybe a surprise like Viscaino or Edwards, or Johnson will start coming to the forefront and give the Cubs something to play with.

 

[CSF77]

Dude Edwards looks legit after watching him today. The only concern I have with him is he gasses out in the 6th. He got into a mess in the 6th today but was dominate up to that point. Slider is plain nasty.

Viz I believe e ends up as a set up or closer. Arm may fall off and too many injuries going on with him. Johnson. IDK yet. I need to see more of him before forming an opinion. MilB tv pack is AAA/AA games. A ball stuff is unnoticed.

The main problem is Rick. He is in love with these platoons too much. He should be developing his talent right now and getting them up to speed with major league talent.

Pretty soon Olt and Lake are going to be sitting for 4-5 games at a time seeing a PH here and there and what ever progress they gained will be shit canned due to rust. While low upside players like Valbuena and Sweeney will be getting the playing time....for what a win or 2 on a team that was not built to win? Pretty dumb.

So until Rick gets his head out of his ass spending anything on a top of the rotation would be a wasted investment.

 

[Boobaby1]

Dude Edwards looks legit after watching him today. The only concern I have with him is he gasses out in the 6th. He got into a mess in the 6th today but was dominate up to that point. Slider is plain nasty.

Viz I believe e ends up as a set up or closer. Arm may fall off and too many injuries going on with him. Johnson. IDK yet. I need to see more of him before forming an opinion. MilB tv pack is AAA/AA games. A ball stuff is unnoticed.

The main problem is Rick. He is in love with these platoons too much. He should be developing his talent right now and getting them up to speed with major league talent.

Pretty soon Olt and Lake are going to be sitting for 4-5 games at a time seeing a PH here and there and what ever progress they gained will be shit canned due to rust. While low upside players like Valbuena and Sweeney will be getting the playing time....for what a win or 2 on a team that was not built to win? Pretty dumb.

So until Rick gets his head out of his ass spending anything on a top of the rotation would be a wasted investment.

I think he is just trying to get people playing time. It is a long season, and I think he wants to see more of them that he didn't get to see in ST and against TOR pitchers, and the players will sort their own selves out. These guys are all trying to play for a position on the team, and the ones that fall off of the bus will get traded or DFA'd.

 

[beckdawg]

I honestly think their offense will be fine assuming Castro and Rizzo continue to have good seasons. Those two plus Bonifacio and Lake seem to be a semblance of a half way decent offense. You then throw in Olt and Castillo and they have potential to be pretty ok especially as you start to add your Baez and Alcantara types. They probably need to add another corner OF depending on what they do with Bryant.

I guess that's why I don't see this team as bleak as some do. It's dependent on Rizzo and Castro progressing but most teams are dependent on their best young players progressing to be good. I've been pretty open about my belief that Castro's first few seasons may end up being the peak potential but obviously that's still valuable. However, Rizzo if he's a .280-290ish hitter could be one of the top 5 1b in baseball. With his ability to walk and his power you're looking at something likely similar to what Goldschmidt did last season. Perhaps not quite that good but within that area. Even if he's more in that .270ish BA range he's still a very useful player.

Another aspect that really gives me hope is the front office seems to have a pretty good idea how to identify pitching. Jackson is an obvious exception thus far but Wood, Maholm, Feldman and now Hammel have all been strong pickups. Obviously none of them have been "elite" yet but they've found really effective mid rotation starters. And had they been able to sign Sanchez he obviously looks worth it not to mention Tanaka also looks off to a strong start.

 

[CSF77]

I honestly think their offense will be fine assuming Castro and Rizzo continue to have good seasons. Those two plus Bonifacio and Lake seem to be a semblance of a half way decent offense. You then throw in Olt and Castillo and they have potential to be pretty ok especially as you start to add your Baez and Alcantara types. They probably need to add another corner OF depending on what they do with Bryant.

I guess that's why I don't see this team as bleak as some do. It's dependent on Rizzo and Castro progressing but most teams are dependent on their best young players progressing to be good. I've been pretty open about my belief that Castro's first few seasons may end up being the peak potential but obviously that's still valuable. However, Rizzo if he's a .280-290ish hitter could be one of the top 5 1b in baseball. With his ability to walk and his power you're looking at something likely similar to what Goldschmidt did last season. Perhaps not quite that good but within that area. Even if he's more in that .270ish BA range he's still a very useful player.

Another aspect that really gives me hope is the front office seems to have a pretty good idea how to identify pitching. Jackson is an obvious exception thus far but Wood, Maholm, Feldman and now Hammel have all been strong pickups. Obviously none of them have been "elite" yet but they've found really effective mid rotation starters. And had they been able to sign Sanchez he obviously looks worth it not to mention Tanaka also looks off to a strong start.

Wait and see for me with Rizzo and Castro. If they both can hit .280+ I'm happy with that. Even if Rizzo takes a hit on his power potential. Him hitting .280 with 20 HR means more than .220 and 30 HR for the team.

OB%:
Bonifacio .537 He is not slowing down...who would have thought he would be going off like that.
Rizzo .459 Strong start

Now 2B:
Valbuena .429 His 5 BB is pushing up his 4 hits.
Barney .421 Now he has worked on taking walks this year also. 5 with 3 Hits.

This really has the feel of a natural 2B platoon here.

So looking at it that way:

Bonifacio CF leading off 41 PA on base 22 times.
Barney/Valbuena 2B hitting #2. In a combined 40 PA's they have gotten on base 17 times. 425 OBA.

3/4 I would base off of the R/F match ups.

VS LH pitching:

3: Lake LF
4: Rizzo 1B
5: Olt 3B
6: Ruggiano RF

VS RHP

3: Rizzo
4: Lake
5: Schierholtz
6: Olt

Olt and Lake I would go by trends to see who hits where. I just see more potential out of Lake right now than Olt as a impact hitter.

 

[CSF77]

Oh Castro has to hit #6...

I hope he up his value this year so they can get a solid return off of him in a trade. They would be better off with Baez at SS going forward and Alancantara at 2B.

Having 2 SH's in the 1/2 spot followed by Baez and Rizzo...ya like it.