In season thread

[chibears55]

@TheCCO: From earlier: #Cubs | The Daily CCO: Ramirez Doesn’t Appear Close to a Return, Olt Took BP and Cubs News bit.ly/1RcwbpC #MLB

Cant find or remember who i had this conversation with..
Olt not due back til July ..

 

[CSF77]

@TheCCO: From earlier: #Cubs | The Daily CCO: Ramirez Doesn’t Appear Close to a Return, Olt Took BP and Cubs News bit.ly/1RcwbpC #MLB

Cant find or remember who i had this conversation with..
Olt not due back til July ..

Due back to where? AAA?

 

[CSF77]

For those who feel Schwarber the answer for LF in the near future. ...

@TommyBirch: Madison on Kyle Schwarber's career as a catcher: "We're more certain than ever that he's going to stay behind the plate long term." #Cubs

With Montero signed thru 2017, i see Schwarber coming up at some point in 2016 as Montero back up and if all goes as planned, he will start in 2017 ..

... I've seen him hop throws to 2B on video. I'm not impressed at all with his make up. Now I could see him as a 3rd string guy starting in LF and getting a game here and there. But not as a full time back up. His bat is too valuable sitting on pine.

 

[chibears55]

Due back to where? AAA?

Tried copying what it said, wont let me

Says he taking BP but still strengthening his wrist, which was worse then originally diagnosed. .

No timetable set on a rehab assignment but looks to be July before a possible return back to the cubs...

 

[CSF77]

Tried copying what it said, wont let me

Says he taking BP but still strengthening his wrist, which was worse then originally diagnosed. .

No timetable set on a rehab assignment but looks to be July before a possible return back to the cubs...

I doubt he is going back to the major league level with Bryant at 3B now. At best he could DH a series then get demoted after.

 

[chibears55]

I doubt he is going back to the major league level with Bryant at 3B now. At best he could DH a series then get demoted after.

Not like they have better options on the bench..

He a RH bat with power and can spell Rizzo at 1B or play LF

All depends on where their at roster wise with possible trades, injuries, bullpen, and bench by then

 

[CSF77]

Not like they have better options on the bench..

He a RH bat with power and can spell Rizzo at 1B or play LF

All depends on where their at roster wise with possible trades, injuries, bullpen, and bench by then

Well he is no better than Lake in LF. Does Rizzo even take days off?

I'm not a fan of playing musical chairs with the Scrubs. Just keep a few scrubs in there to play what ever bench role they are doing and live with it. It should be Alcantara and LaStella as the main bench guys right now but that didn't work out as planned. Olt was just a place holder and would have gotten the boot anyway.

 

[chibears55]

Well he is no better than Lake in LF. Does Rizzo even take days off?

I'm not a fan of playing musical chairs with the Scrubs. Just keep a few scrubs in there to play what ever bench role they are doing and live with it. It should be Alcantara and LaStella as the main bench guys right now but that didn't work out as planned. Olt was just a place holder and would have gotten the boot anyway.

Im not saying he deserves to be up ..

Just to whomever i had the conversation with mentioned he may be back soon and i said probably july cause it gonna take a bit to strengthen wrist and rehab to get back his timing, etc.. after a missing over a month and half..

But as i mentioned above, we have no clue where they will be at roster wise as far as bench n bullpen goes...

I mention Bullpen only cause maddon may go back to 7 in pen if they improve with new additions, which means back to 5 on bench

 

[CSF77]

Im not saying he deserves to be up ..

Just to whomever i had the conversation with mentioned he may be back soon and i said probably july cause it gonna take a bit to strengthen wrist and rehab to get back his timing, etc.. after a missing over a month and half..

But as i mentioned above, we have no clue where they will be at roster wise as far as bench n bullpen goes...

I mention Bullpen only cause maddon may go back to 7 in pen if they improve with new additions, which means back to 5 on bench

If Alcantara was putting up Baez's numbers he would be back up playing off the bench as the primary sub.

Personally I believe the bench is over rated right now. It mattered when the team was a bunch of platoons but htat is now just 2 spots. C and LF. The IF has been covered by Heredia for a while and he sees almost no playing time. LF has been Cog and the roulette. Bryant stablized 3B. RF has been stable with Soler. 2B has stablized with Russell. So outside of emergency situations and PH duty there is little need for it. You put a legit LF on the team and it becomes less and less. Just a RH hitting catcher, a 3rd OF and a UI will suffice. They could add a DH type for AL runs and subtract a arm. But in general you get more use out of extra arms vs extra bats with this team right now. Ideal bench would be LaStella, Alcantara, Ross, and Lake. You really don't need much more. Lastella in a pinch can cover the corners. Lake can play 3B, SS or 2B. Alcantara has played just about every where. Ross is fine vs LH pitchers.

That is not even getting into Baez. In reality there is not much playing time available thus Alcantara and Baez are getting full time play in AAA vs spuratic playing time on the big league roster.

As far as Olt: Dude strikes out way too much. Thus as a PH is tends to be a wasted AB. You are better in general putting a contact hitter up. Even Lake will bunt to make something happen if it calls for it and can still put one over the fence. I'm ok with him on the bench. Olt would have to do a 180 for me to change my opinion and all it would do is increase his trade value in the end. He has no future as a Cub.

 

[chibears55]

If Alcantara was putting up Baez's numbers he would be back up playing off the bench as the primary sub.

Personally I believe the bench is over rated right now. It mattered when the team was a bunch of platoons but htat is now just 2 spots. C and LF. The IF has been covered by Heredia for a while and he sees almost no playing time. LF has been Cog and the roulette. Bryant stablized 3B. RF has been stable with Soler. 2B has stablized with Russell. So outside of emergency situations and PH duty there is little need for it. You put a legit LF on the team and it becomes less and less. Just a RH hitting catcher, a 3rd OF and a UI will suffice. They could add a DH type for AL runs and subtract a arm. But in general you get more use out of extra arms vs extra bats with this team right now. Ideal bench would be LaStella, Alcantara, Ross, and Lake. You really don't need much more. Lastella in a pinch can cover the corners. Lake can play 3B, SS or 2B. Alcantara has played just about every where. Ross is fine vs LH pitchers.

That is not even getting into Baez. In reality there is not much playing time available thus Alcantara and Baez are getting full time play in AAA vs spuratic playing time on the big league roster.

As far as Olt: Dude strikes out way too much. Thus as a PH is tends to be a wasted AB. You are better in general putting a contact hitter up. Even Lake will bunt to make something happen if it calls for it and can still put one over the fence. I'm ok with him on the bench. Olt would have to do a 180 for me to change my opinion and all it would do is increase his trade value in the end. He has no future as a Cub.

You need guys on the bench who can come through with PH late in close games and give regulars a breather once in a while. ..

I believe their a combined under .200 PH so far this year
That not acceptable. .

They need to improve the bench eventually if their gonna compete in july, Aug., and Sept

14th in NL with 10 PH .149 Avg. Only pirates are worse

You need a good bench/pinch hitters in NL

 

[CSF77]

You need guys on the bench who can come through with PH late in close games and give regulars a breather once in a while. ..

I believe their a combined under .200 PH so far this year
That not acceptable. .

They need to improve the bench eventually if their gonna compete in july, Aug., and Sept

14th in NL with 10 PH .149 Avg. Only pirates are worse

You need a good bench/pinch hitters in NL

Aging Vets that are on their last legs make the best PH's. They have been around the league a long time and know most of the pitchers. PH as an art has fallen to the way side. Teams are becomming cheap and going platoons vs carrying a PH specialist.

I would love to have Ichro on the bench just for PH duty. Let him go for hit 3000 as a PH. He puts the ball in play and that is what you want.

 

[chibears55]

Aging Vets that are on their last legs make the best PH's. They have been around the league a long time and know most of the pitchers. PH as an art has fallen to the way side. Teams are becomming cheap and going platoons vs carrying a PH specialist.

I would love to have Ichro on the bench just for PH duty. Let him go for hit 3000 as a PH. He puts the ball in play and that is what you want.

I agree..
I mentioned in another post, they need to find one guy that they can count on in that PH role..

i can deal with platoon guys, but they have to hit too
There noone on this team that can hit off the bench right now..

Herrera, Ross, Lake, and Baxter basically suck..lol
Lake being best of them and he been in Iowa most of season

 

[CSF77]

I agree..
I mentioned in another post, they need to find one guy that they can count on in that PH role..

i can deal with platoon guys, but they have to hit too
There noone on this team that can hit off the bench right now..

Herrera, Ross, Lake, and Baxter basically suck..lol
Lake being best of them and he been in Iowa most of season

F/A:
Left Fielders

Mike Carp (28)
Scott Hairston (35)
Reed Johnson (38)
Jason Kubel (33)
Ryan Ludwick (36)
Cody Ross (34)
Dayan Viciedo (26)

Right Fielders

Scott Hairston (35)
Ryan Ludwick (36)
Cody Ross (34)
Dayan Viciedo (26)

Designated Hitters

Ryan Doumit (34)
Raul Ibanez (42)
Jason Kubel (33)

Catchers

Ryan Doumit (34)
Jose Molina (40, currently injured)
Wil Nieves (37)
Jarrod Saltalmacchia (30)

 

[CSF77]

Ichrio is the starting LF for the fish. hitting .292. Shoot I would start him over Cogs right now. OBA .350. Damn him batting 1 or 2 with Fowler hitting the other. I would think that it could jumpstart the O. Drop Bryant back down to 4 Montero 5 and Castro back to 6. Team might start picking up then.

 

[chibears55]

Ichrio is the starting LF for the fish. hitting .292. Shoot I would start him over Cogs right now. OBA .350. Damn him batting 1 or 2 with Fowler hitting the other. I would think that it could jumpstart the O. Drop Bryant back down to 4 Montero 5 and Castro back to 6. Team might start picking up then.

Funny you mention him., i suggested if they should consider him in off season and got a resounding NO..
Lol

 

[beckdawg]

Funny you mention him., i suggested if they should consider him in off season and got a resounding NO..
Lol

Cogs has a .212 BABIP with a .200/.273/.417 triple slash. Ichiro has a .313 BABIP with a .290/.347/.336. Cogs is 10th best in the league with only 10.9% soft% on batted balls. 56.5% of Cogs batted balls are medium contact(42nd out of 173) and 32.6% hard contact(61st). In other words, numbers say Cogs is putting good wood on the ball just hitting it at people.

Also, Ichiro is pretty much as empty an average as you can get. He has 3 SB's(Cogs has 4). He has 13 runs(Cogs has 15). He has 8 RBI's(Cogs has 9). He has one HR(Cogs has 6).

 

[chibears55]

If they bring baez back sooner rather then later. .
Possible they move Russell to 3B, bryant to LF, and baez at 2B..

Baez has shown he can handle 2B and seem to have a better rhythm with Castro ... 3B might be easier transition for Russell

 

[Boobaby1]

Don't underestimate the bench. The Cubs can't get LaStella and others back quick enough.

These young players have not played a full year at the major league level, and you can bet it is going to tax them. It is a far cry from the minors.

They need to spell these guys just as much as the bullpen needs some rest when they are overworked.

It is a long season, and they are going to have to work up to getting through the grind of a season both mentally and physically, especially with the amount of travel, and day games too.

I really hope they make a trade for a short LF'er, a pitcher, and possibly some bullpen help.

Shuffling some of these guys to the bench and pen will only increase your chances of winning, plus give you adequate insurance in case of any injuries.

 

[Parade_Rain]

If they bring baez back sooner rather then later. .
Possible they move Russell to 3B, bryant to LF, and baez at 2B..

Baez has shown he can handle 2B and seem to have a better rhythm with Castro ... 3B might be easier transition for Russell

They aren't going to be playing musical chairs with the position players just to call Baez up. Baez is the best temp solution to LF. He played CF in HS and would adjust quickly to the spot. Wholesale position changes like you are suggesting don't happen in the middle of a season, especially when the team is in playoff contention. That's off season stuff.

 

[chibears55]

They aren't going to be playing musical chairs with the position players just to call Baez up. Baez is the best temp solution to LF. He played CF in HS and would adjust quickly to the spot. Wholesale position changes like you are suggesting don't happen in the middle of a season, especially when the team is in playoff contention. That's off season stuff.

That would be true if it were end of june/july and the 3 been with them since day 1...

Bryant been up a month, russell a week less, Baez in the minors.. its not wholesale position changes, exaggerating a bit...

Baez will go back to where he was all of last yr when he was up, Russell going back to Left side of IF but to 3B, and bryant just going to LF where they probably prefer him to be...
Not like moving a CFer to catch or RFer to short .
Simple move with 3 talented rookies in may, which would probably make their defense better overall. ..