IST Pirates @ Cubs

[beckdawg]

So if he at 126 and your suggesting 130 or better
You don't think he can improve by 4 or more in his next 40 -50 or so ABs

I think in under 70 PAs it's pretty volatile. I believe he went 3 for 4 yesterday which bumped it up. Regardless, my point isn't that he just has to reach it. I personally would like to see him sustain that sort of level for say 1-2 months. I mean look we all know Baez can go on a Soriano like tear and hit several HRs which will jack it up short term but will he play consistent enough in the long term?

I mean I guess this is what I'm getting at, what is the rush? People are clamoring for him to be in LF which he hasn't played OF in over 5 years. He has only played 16 games this season total after a bad close to last year and a bad ST. He also lost a family member in the process. Why do we suddenly need to throw the MLB pressure on him in say the next month? If he gets there on his own by playing well then great but like I said I don't see why people are so eager to force the issue. The cubs are 5th in the NL without him in runs scored. So, it's not like they are dying for offense. I'd much rather Baez stay too long in the minors a la Bryant than to have another repeat call up and fail because if that happens again it sets him back quite a bit and you lose an option year not to mention the opportunity cost for someone else to play.

 

[beckdawg]

Also just wanted to add one more thing. For what it's worth, it's not just me "hating" Baez. I didn't really love the idea of them calling up Russell the way they did without him showing sustained performance at AAA first. Russell may end up close to 2 fWAR by the end of the season but it's almost entirely because of his glove thus far. I suppose they were in a no win situation with Alcantara playing crappy and La Stella hurt so they said what the hell and went for it. Maybe the team will view Baez and LF in a similar light but that doesn't really change my opinion of how you should go about things.

 

[SilenceS]

I think in under 70 PAs it's pretty volatile. I believe he went 3 for 4 yesterday which bumped it up. Regardless, my point isn't that he just has to reach it. I personally would like to see him sustain that sort of level for say 1-2 months. I mean look we all know Baez can go on a Soriano like tear and hit several HRs which will jack it up short term but will he play consistent enough in the long term?

I mean I guess this is what I'm getting at, what is the rush? People are clamoring for him to be in LF which he hasn't played OF in over 5 years. He has only played 16 games this season total after a bad close to last year and a bad ST. He also lost a family member in the process. Why do we suddenly need to throw the MLB pressure on him in say the next month? If he gets there on his own by playing well then great but like I said I don't see why people are so eager to force the issue. The cubs are 5th in the NL without him in runs scored. So, it's not like they are dying for offense. I'd much rather Baez stay too long in the minors a la Bryant than to have another repeat call up and fail because if that happens again it sets him back quite a bit and you lose an option year not to mention the opportunity cost for someone else to play.

He isnt hitting homeruns. He is just hitting.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Also just wanted to add one more thing. For what it's worth, it's not just me "hating" Baez. I didn't really love the idea of them calling up Russell the way they did without him showing sustained performance at AAA first. Russell may end up close to 2 fWAR by the end of the season but it's almost entirely because of his glove thus far. I suppose they were in a no win situation with Alcantara playing crappy and La Stella hurt so they said what the hell and went for it. Maybe the team will view Baez and LF in a similar light but that doesn't really change my opinion of how you should go about things.

There is so much that goes into player development and there is no one size fits all answer. None of us agree with everything they do but in that area the Cubs do have some of the top people in the game so on Baez we'll just have to trust their judgement and hope they are correct. As far as Russell and AAA some organizations don't call their prospects up to AAA at all or if they do it's for a very brief time. Instead they call most players up from AA and then use the higher league as an organizational depth repository and as a place to refresh young players who are struggling in MLB. Many clubs would have broken camp with Russell and never sent him to AAA in the first place. Theo and Jed have expressed a preference that their players get a set period of time in AAA but they have also shown a willingness to adapt to situations. Again, there is no one answer to development.

 

[beckdawg]

He isnt hitting homeruns. He is just hitting.

Which fine... I just want to see him do it for more than 16 games before I get hot and bothered about calling him up to the bigs to play a position he hasn't played in over 5 years.

 

[beckdawg]

Gammons opines on Rizzo

http://www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-the-foundation-of-the-new-cubs/

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Rizzo is a joy to watch. He is never a factor in a game in some facet even in his worst days.

 

[SilenceS]

Rizzo is a joy to watch. He is never a factor in a game in some facet even in his worst days.

Love rizzo. He has impressed the **** out of me. The league is a different league now though. Back in the day pitchers would throw him chin music so much. He is like Bonds the way he is so close to the plate. Bonds destroyed the league when pitchers stopped throwing inside and the juice but whatevs


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[SilenceS]

I like Castro in the 4 hole. He is getting more pitches and giving productive outs. He is not bad in the 4 hole because of his contact and rizzo and Bryant being obp machines


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[Shawon0Meter]

Were those last 2 strikes bad calls or good pitch framing?

 

[beckdawg]

Nice to see Lester get out of a jam.

 

[chibears55]

Be great if Lester can get through this inning. .
For himself and the bullpen

 

[beckdawg]

Wow that K was huge. I really thought whatever was going on with Lester's hammy was going to cost a couple runs.

 

[chibears55]

Wow big pitch, gutsy finish by Lester. .

Hopefully the hitters feed off that and get a couple runs here..
Don't wanna see shitter coming in and blowing this game

 

[beckdawg]

And that's why I love me some speed.

 

[Shawon0Meter]

big insurance run

although they might need more for Shitter

 

[chibears55]

Here we go.. shitter in and lead off single. .
Get him out

 

[Shawon0Meter]

the bullpen is such a bad joke. i have no idea how any of them have an ERA under 10 when they're something to be complained about every game

 

[chibears55]

And now a double.

This is why they gotta get rid of Jackson Coke and Motte

Here comes Coke and a 3 run homer...

Good thing they brought up shitter to give bullpen a break. .

 

[beckdawg]

Ugh.... i think i'd rather have Coke pitching that Motte