I just have one question...

[Boobaby1]

To put Soler in proper perspective, K Law is on record as saying Soler would have been a Top 5 draft pick in 2012 had he been eligible for the draft. It's puzzling why anyone would look at Soler and say "trade him" at this juncture.

If Theo and the FO do just that, then we will know why and for who. And as far as what Zvpxrpl said, the Cubs need to get a young pitcher in here. Doesn't mean it will be Soler for sure, but I have a hard time thinking that you sign a guy for 184 million dollars, only to put him at a position where he didn't earn his three gold gloves?

I guess we will see soon enough.

 

[Boobaby1]

I hate how in terms of pitching in the farm, he's bulk drafted lesser round talents, in what I've called throwing shit against the wall and hoping something sticks.

Pitching wins. And we have Duane Underwood and a couple 18 year olds with Tommy John. Its not good enough to produce a starter or two.

Now I'm glad we took Bryant over Gray, Schwarber over Nola to me the jury is still out on.......we dont know if Schwarber is going to stick in the NL. Is his bat fantastic with potential? Yes. But he has no spot. He's not a left fielder. He also isn't a major league catcher. He's a DH, and from sounds of future CBA talks, no DH is coming to the NL.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on...-in-nl-looking-into-limiting-pitching-changes

I still would have done Appel over Almora. I think the cubs could have put him in a fantastic position to succeed here. Houston let him bounce around, then stuck him in shitty situations in AA and tried to let him pitch his way out of his slumps instead of tweaking his fastball. I think with the guys the cubs got in the minors teaching, they would have caught that.

Also kind of think the whole double standard of "cant spend money on guys" to dropping 184 mil on Jason Heyward was a little hypocritical. But I don't quite think I'll lose sleep over it. :fap:

Pat, I think there is a very interesting crop of pitchers at A level right now with some moving to AA this year. I believe we will start to see some of the pitchers emerging out of the crop of Torrez, Tseng, Underwood, Blackburn, Markey, Heesch, and Martinez, who was the PTBNL in the Darwin Barney deal. Granted it's A ball, but some of the records and ERA's are pretty encouraging.

And we will also see what Edwards and Johnson have or don't have soon enough, along with pitchers like Sands and Cease that are still a few years away.

This is exactly why I want them to go after a 25-26ish year old pitcher that is a borderline #2 to #3 in the rotation, and if it means losing a little talent to do so, then that is what you have player currency for.

 

[Zvbxrpl]

Pat, I think there is a very interesting crop of pitchers at A level right now with some moving to AA this year. I believe we will start to see some of the pitchers emerging out of the crop of Torrez, Tseng, Underwood, Blackburn, Markey, Heesch, and Martinez, who was the PTBNL in the Darwin Barney deal. Granted it's A ball, but some of the records and ERA's are pretty encouraging.

And we will also see what Edwards and Johnson have or don't have soon enough, along with pitchers like Sands and Cease that are still a few years away.

This is exactly why I want them to go after a 25-26ish year old pitcher that is a borderline #2 to #3 in the rotation, and if it means losing a little talent to do so, then that is what you have player currency for.

Boo

I think we're going to see this "list" of pitchers going to AA and beyond levels get cut down significantly. Underwood and Tseng being the 2 guys I think can move forward successfully from AA.

Oh and Michael Heesch was just taken by the Cardinals in the rule 5 Draft, so he's likely gone unless he doesn't break camp on their opening 25 man or 40 man, I forgot the rule. Did you mean Ryan McNeil?

We already know CJ Edwards has great stuff. But he cant throw more than 50 pitches without his arm falling off, which is why I cant consider him. I want a TOR starter. Johnson, though I haven't read up on him lately is a 3 pitch pitcher, fastball, change, curve. Has he added a 4th? I'd have a little hope for him then. And even then, we've all talked about him as a future #3. That's not TOR.

 

[NCChiFan]

I've never complained about Theo and Co. (ok, they had me nervous for a while), but their plan seems to be a head of schedule. Props to them for 97 wins last year and a deep play off run with YOUNG, HOME GROWN talent. How it is suppose to be done! Love the off season, wish we could have picked up 1 ace, but there is still time, plus the trade deadline before the playoff run next year.