IST: Chicago Cubs (1-1) at Colorado Rockies (2-0)

[TC in Mississippi]

I agree with his value is low right now. But his weakness is pitch framing. The have the 2 best framers in the game in Ross and Montero. I believe it is a skill that can be learned. So I believe this year Castillo will be given the opportunity to learn how to be a better framer. (and game caller) IMO this stuff comes with experience and being around guys that can pass down the Knowledge.

We thought the same thing with Sori and his D in LF. Turns out he was never taught how to play the OF and got by on talent alone. After he was properly instructed he became a plus D LF in his last few years. Again I wouldn't sell anyone short at this point.

Now if he had a noodle arm or bat then we could make a judgement call here. But that is not the case.

Also Denorfia was just a filler add. They already gave his role to Szczur and it is Szczur's to lose or retain. No bearing on holding 3 catchers. Bryant is going to fall on Olt. Olt has proven little to this point. But this will affect La Stella and Alcantara. So 1 of those 2 will gain the lion share at 2B. With Baez on a bereavement leave no one can tell how long he will need to get over his grief.

So over all holding 3 catchers matter little.

My understanding has been that Szczur goes down when Denorfia comes off the DL because he has options. Denorfia is on a $2.6 million 1 year deal. I'd be surprised if they just eat that when Szczur could get everyday playing time in AAA.

As far as Castillo there's no way they hold on to him all season. Doesn't make sense. This is a guy that doesn't play anything else and if they had ideas of that he would have played somewhere else in ST. They're waiting for a deal. If they don't have one they like by May they'll probably bite the bullet and trade him for less than they would like. The knock on his framing skills has been his hands. If he can improve fine but 3 catchers is not viable for a whole season.

As far as Olt goes, he made this team a long time ago. He's going to back up at 3B and 1B. If they traded him or sent him down there would be no one to back up Rizzo.

 

[beckdawg]

The thing no one talks about with Castro in these trade discussions is that it will be almost impossible to get equal value for him. Everyone was quick to deal him to San Diego the other day but a quick look shows the Padres clearly can't afford him. Tyson Ross and a low level prospect, which I heard rumored in numerous reports, won't get it done. Andrew Cashner and a couple of prospects or Matt Wisler and maybe 3 more prospects are more like equal value. The problem is from a SD point of view those deals wouldn't make sense. Castro is an above average, cost controlled, 25 year old who plays the most valuable position on the field and oh by the way is a three time All Star. Getting equal value is nearly impossible unless he's part of a monster multi player deal where the talent and value is equalized on both sides. Maybe a deal like that happens but I think it's more likely that Russell comes up in June to play 2B and the two swap positions next year. Castro's value is lessened by playing 2B but it's not eliminated.

In the meantime stop it with the trade talk. Never have I seen so many people so eager to trade a 25 year old star SS. This is a key veteran part of our team and he should have a big weekend against the Rockies. Let it go.

While i'm not really inclined to believe they trade Castro they clearly can afford him if they want. You simply throw in Wil Myers and some combo of Renfroe, Hedges and Turner plus spare parts. I'm not entirely sure why SD would want to trade Myers after they just acquired him but like I said if we're trying to force a trade together they do have the parts.

 

[beckdawg]

Here's today's line up

Dexter Fowler, CF
Jorge Soler, RF
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Starlin Castro, SS
Mike Olt, 3B
Matt Szczur, LF
Castillo, C
Travis Wood, P
Arismendy Alcantara, 2B

 

[TC in Mississippi]

While i'm not really inclined to believe they trade Castro they clearly can afford him if they want. You simply throw in Wil Myers and some combo of Renfroe, Hedges and Turner plus spare parts. I'm not entirely sure why SD would want to trade Myers after they just acquired him but like I said if we're trying to force a trade together they do have the parts.

Why in teh world would the Cubs want Wil Myers?. Jorge Soler looks to be the RF for the next decade and you've got a log jam in LF until they figure out whether Schwarber is a catcher and it's resolved whether Kris Bryant or Schwarber ultimately take that spot. To me the only way you trade Castro is for starting pitching and unless you're talking about reacquiring Andrew Cashner and another arm if I'm the Cubs I hang up the phone and clearly the Padres can't afford to give up Cashner.

 

[beckdawg]

Why in teh world would the Cubs want Wil Myers?. Jorge Soler looks to be the RF for the next decade and you've got a log jam in LF until they figure out whether Schwarber is a catcher and it's resolved whether Kris Bryant or Schwarber ultimately take that spot. To me the only way you trade Castro is for starting pitching and unless you're talking about reacquiring Andrew Cashner and another arm if I'm the Cubs I hang up the phone and clearly the Padres can't afford to give up Cashner.

As I said before, I don't think it's likely. But they clearly have enough value to make the trade. More than likely it would have to be a convoluted 3 team trade. I'm just saying that if SD wanted to move heaven and earth to make a trade it's possible. It's not a case of a team that doesn't have the resources. It's more a case of a bad match.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

As I said before, I don't think it's likely. But they clearly have enough value to make the trade. More than likely it would have to be a convoluted 3 team trade. I'm just saying that if SD wanted to move heaven and earth to make a trade it's possible. It's not a case of a team that doesn't have the resources. It's more a case of a bad match.

Maybe that's a much better way of putting it. I gotcha.

With the way Wood looked at the end of ST I'm a little nervous about today's game. I sure hope those bats wake up a little.

 

[SilenceS]

We can trade him for Didi Gregorious. You should see his base running skills. :shot:

 

[Bear Pride]

It is going to come down to a business decision. The Cubs will factor in that Russell will cost the league minimum which will save 20.5 million over a 3 year period if they deal Castro. The one that could alter all of this would be Baez as he is going to have to step up his game in a big way.

I don't make the rules, but if anyone is asking my opinion, I can see the Cubs dealing Castro, and this year in the bigs as well as the minors is going to answer a lot of questions regarding the team moving forward.

This is by far the most pivotal year of the Theo Epstein era.

That's why, imo, Castro is the most likely to be traded. He does have a reasonable contract, which will also be attractive to other teams. He's also a 3 time AS. It might be the safest thing for another team trade wise. It's just logical that he would be the guy to be traded, imo.

But as you say, we'll have to see what Baez and Russell can do consistantly before anything happens. I also think Bryant's defense at 3B is still an unknown at this point. It still could work out to have Castro at 3B, Russell at SS, and Baez at 2B. Who really knows at this point?

 

[Bear Pride]

Why do you think he likes vets? My guess is that vets don't make rookie mistakes .... oh wait. We'll see down the road. My guess is Castro will have to get better, or he'll find himself part of a trade.

So the team has already shown (and don't give me "its only 2 games into the season" shit) that they still struggle to move runners and score. And you want to trade one of the best hitters on the team?

Sometimes Chicago fans are pure meatballs.....

What does what you quoted have anything thing to do with moving runners and scoring? And you're calling me a meatball? :lol:

 

[Bear Pride]

The big one there is move runners along. It bewilders me that these guys seemingly don't know how to play pepper and just push the ball away to move a runner from second to third base. Hopefully that will change with more high OBP guys in the line-up as they are less to be free swingers looking for only a hit. A good team will make good outs, crazy as that sounds, i.e. working the count, sacrificing, moving runners by hitting the opposite way, and so on..

However, one good thing I did see is that the Cubs are being a ton better on the base paths in taking the extra base.

Not too long ago, a guy on second base and a fly ball to center, and the runner would be half way. Now, they are tagging and getting the extra bag.

That will continue, and because of that, some of the runs will start to increase.

There wasn't much going on against the Cards in the cold weather, but after the big RBI by Castro, Cog did bunt a guy over and Montero did get the SAC. That was more small ball I've seen from the Cubs in a while. This, and the baserunning as you say, is a Maddon effect, imo.

 

[Bear Pride]

Say what you want, but Castro misread that grounder up the middle. :dunno:

 

[Bear Pride]

Well, there's a failed shot at scoring... Cubs leave the bases loaded. Interestingly, Maddon let's Wood hit with men on 1st and 2nd with one out. Wood sure does have a nice cut for a pitcher, however. Fowler had the chance for the big hit with the bases loaded, however, with the 4-6 PO.

 

[Bear Pride]

Matzek is really struggling to get the ball over the plate, however, Cubs should be able to get into the bullpen early, imo.

 

[Bear Pride]

Well, Szczur cost us a run there. He should have caught that ball in LF, and Col made us pay with the RBI. 1-0 Rockies, but I'm feeling some runs coming by the Cubs. :yep:

 

[SilenceS]

LeMahieu just said **** you for trading me for Fucking Ian Stewart. Colorado got the best of that deal

 

[Bear Pride]

Cubs strand two, but not before Szczur makes it up a little with the bases loaded SAC to tie it up at 1. Wood needs to stay steady, cuz Matzek ain't gonna last too much longer, imo.

 

[Bear Pride]

Boom! Soler cuts off the ball in the alley and guns out the runner at 2B! Nice tag on the head by Castro as well! A little defense for the Cubs!!!

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Boom! Soler cuts off the ball in the alley and guns out the runner at 2B! Nice tag on the head by Castro as well! A little defense for the Cubs!!!

What an arm on this kid!

 

[Bear Pride]

What an arm on this kid!

Yeah, what a lost art in MLB, imo. Some OF's can barely get it to 2B now a days. Soler is not one of them, however, very Roberto Clemete like on that play. I want to see a Cubs LF that can do the same in the future. :yep:

 

[beckdawg]

Not trying to stir up crap here but given the earlier Castro conversation figured I'd mention this as it appeared on mlbtraderumors as alternatives for SD

Javier Baez, Cubs: While much of the talk surrounding the Cubs and Padres has centered around Starlin Castro, one could make the case that Baez is a better fit. The Padres’ payroll undoubtedly has to be nearing its apex, and squeezing Castro’s sizable contract into the books may be too tall a task. Additionally, the Cubs are trying to contend this year, and jettisoning one of their core pieces and more proven hitters could be a lateral move, or even a step backwards, depending on what the Padres are willing to offer. Baez isn’t a definitive upgrade, but his light-tower power unequivocally gives him more upside than current options, and Preller’s Padres have an affinity for right-handed power bats. The Cubs could commit to Arismendy Alcantara at second base in the event of a Baez trade, though the Padres have parted with most of their upper-level pitching prospects, making a trade perhaps more difficult.