IST Pirates @ Cubs

[chibears55]

Wouldn't have said this at the beginning of the season, but it will be a disappointment if they don't make the playoffs at this point.

Need to upgrade on jackson and Coke in pen

I think they need to add at least 1 solid bat for bench, just someone experienced coming off bench they can rely on in a pinch...


1 more quality starter at TOR


If possible / available try and add an upgrade in LF

 

[chibears55]

@BruceMiles2112: Wood staying in pen. #Cubs to talk rotation tomorrow. Wada seems the choice

There that answer....

Also read Lester was having cramps. . So that good news, nothing serious there

 

[TL1961]

The upgrade in LF may come from Javy Baez coming back. Time will tell. Not saying it is time right now, but perhaps soon.

 

[TL1961]

After three rough starts, the team has won Lester's last 5 starts, and he has a 2.18 ERA in that span.

 

[fatbeard]

After three rough starts, the team has won Lester's last 5 starts, and he has a 2.18 ERA in that span.

Shocking. Where's JimJohnson to complain about his contract now?

 

[Diehardfan]

Need to upgrade on jackson and Coke in pen

I think they need to add at least 1 solid bat for bench, just someone experienced coming off bench they can rely on in a pinch...


1 more quality starter at TOR


If possible / available try and add an upgrade in LF

Bullseye. But hopefully they do it smart....I don't want to see a dump of young talent to bring in some old fossil on his last legs. If that's the cost...**** it. Keep what you got and see where things are at the trade deadline. Make your decision at that point. This is just the beginning....the window is not closing, it's just starting to open for this team.

 

[CSF77]

@BruceMiles2112: Wood staying in pen. #Cubs to talk rotation tomorrow. Wada seems the choice

There that answer....

Also read Lester was having cramps. . So that good news, nothing serious there

• Maddon said the team is discussing what to do with left-handed starter Tsuyoshi Wada, whose rehab assignment is expiring. He has been on the disabled list since March 27 for a mild left groin strain.

I've figured that this will end up happening. I still don't see Wada as a long term answer but until the trade deadline they need more innings out of their starters.

Wood I've thought has good strike out stuff and he can get either lefty or righty out with it. He should improve in the pen.

 

[chibears55]

@CSNCubs: Maddon says Travis Wood will be moved to the bullpen. No corresponding move, but Wada expected to join rotation. #CubsTalk

Wood Rosscup Russell

Grimm Motte Strop

Rondon


I can deal with this until Ramirez returns, then he can replace Motte..

Not sure its possible to go with 3 or 4 on bench a whole season , so important to have a solid 7 in pen..

 

[CSF77]

@CSNCubs: Maddon says Travis Wood will be moved to the bullpen. No corresponding move, but Wada expected to join rotation. #CubsTalk

They added Shitter and demoted Szczur. With Wood in the pen that puts it at:

LH:
Wood, Rosscup, Coke, Russell

RH:
Rondon, Grimm, Strop, Jackson, Shitter, Motte

So Shitter and Rosscup would be on the bubble as they have options going on. Coke, Jackson and Motte have $$$ and could be lost if put via wavers...and pretty much playing elsewhere on the Cubs tab.

In view of this they are going to get a RH counter part for Coghlan. Now I would just promote Baez and push Coghlan into the 4th OF role. Wada they don't have to promote yet. Monday is a off day with them hitting San Diego on Tue...meh working early the next day..... anywho 19th looking at Hammel, 20th would be Wood but they could just skip it with the day off. That puts Hendricks on the 20th. 21st back to Lest to close up that series. Arrieta to open up in Azl the next day. I would keep Hammel on time then slot Wada on Sun the 24th. This lets Hendricks open up at home vs the Nats. If they line up earlier it puts Wada, Hendricks, Lester vs them. By doing this it lines up Hendricks, Lester, Arreta vs them. Better match up.

 

[chibears55]

They added Shitter and demoted Szczur. With Wood in the pen that puts it at:

LH:
Wood, Rosscup, Coke, Russell

RH:
Rondon, Grimm, Strop, Jackson, Shitter, Motte

So Shitter and Rosscup would be on the bubble as they have options going on. Coke, Jackson and Motte have $$$ and could be lost if put via wavers...and pretty much playing elsewhere on the Cubs tab.

In view of this they are going to get a RH counter part for Coghlan. Now I would just promote Baez and push Coghlan into the 4th OF role. Wada they don't have to promote yet. Monday is a off day with them hitting San Diego on Tue...meh working early the next day..... anywho 19th looking at Hammel, 20th would be Wood but they could just skip it with the day off. That puts Hendricks on the 20th. 21st back to Lest to close up that series. Arrieta to open up in Azl the next day. I would keep Hammel on time then slot Wada on Sun the 24th. This lets Hendricks open up at home vs the Nats. If they line up earlier it puts Wada, Hendricks, Lester vs them. By doing this it lines up Hendricks, Lester, Arreta vs them. Better match up.

Im thinking shitter goes back down after tomorrow game and another position player brought up..
cant go out west with just 3 guys on bench....

When Wada promotes, they have to choose between Jackson and Coke to dump. .
my guess Coke, dont need 4 lefties in pen and one that struggling.

They have to keep guys on that bench and cant bump from 4 to 3 again

Eventually soon.. Ramirez, Denorfia, and La Stella are all gonna return and their gonna have dump another pen guy or 2 to keep 5 on bench.. Assuming they will be Jackson and or Motte from that group. .

Castillo Ross Herrera La Stella Denorfia on bench

So, have to think at some point in june they have to consider a trade


Also.. Maddon didn't take advantage of the extra days off in April to skip the 5th starter, so i doubt he does it this week with monday off.. so i can see wada pitching Wednesday in wood spot..

 

[Parade_Rain]

After three rough starts, the team has won Lester's last 5 starts, and he has a 2.18 ERA in that span.

Don't tell JimJohnson.

 

[CSF77]

Im thinking shitter goes back down after tomorrow game and another position player brought up..
cant go out west with just 3 guys on bench....

When Wada promotes, they have to choose between Jackson and Coke to dump. .
my guess Coke, dont need 4 lefties in pen and one that struggling.

They have to keep guys on that bench and cant bump from 4 to 3 again

Eventually soon.. Ramirez, Denorfia, and La Stella are all gonna return and their gonna have dump another pen guy or 2 to keep 5 on bench.. Assuming they will be Jackson and or Motte from that group. .

Castillo Ross Herrera La Stella Denorfia on bench

So, have to think at some point in june they have to consider a trade


Also.. Maddon didn't take advantage of the extra days off in April to skip the 5th starter, so i doubt he does it this week with monday off.. so i can see wada pitching Wednesday in wood spot..

They don't have to promote a bat until they go up against a lefty. Cogs will get the lion share. They would be smart to push it out and then promote Baez. He is at 63 AB's now. Give him a few more games at AAA and start him up in Azl for the light air. What I would do. So demote Shitter first then. After that depends on how the pen is shaping up. I could see Wood taking over as a go to LH arm with Russell. At that point it becomes a numbers game with Rosscup and Coke. Coke is making 2.75 mil so he is not a major loss. His BAA is .341. Rosscup is at .170. So just looking at that tells us who is getting guys out on a reg basis. So I can see Coke as the one cut.

Ramirez is another story. He is still in Azl. and not assigned to a rehab assignment. The next Guy I expect getting brought up is LaStella and Herrera bumped. Herrera has been forgotten.

 

[CSF77]

Also.. Maddon didn't take advantage of the extra days off in April to skip the 5th starter, so i doubt he does it this week with monday off.. so i can see wada pitching Wednesday in wood spot..

Different story completely. He would not be skipping a starter at all. Wada is still in the Iowa rotation and would just be delayed. All the starters would be on 5 days. Earlier year it makes sense as they are still building up their arms. That should not be the case now.

 

[chibears55]

They don't have to promote a bat until they go up against a lefty. Cogs will get the lion share. They would be smart to push it out and then promote Baez. He is at 63 AB's now. Give him a few more games at AAA and start him up in Azl for the light air. What I would do. So demote Shitter first then. After that depends on how the pen is shaping up. I could see Wood taking over as a go to LH arm with Russell. At that point it becomes a numbers game with Rosscup and Coke. Coke is making 2.75 mil so he is not a major loss. His BAA is .341. Rosscup is at .170. So just looking at that tells us who is getting guys out on a reg basis. So I can see Coke as the one cut.

Ramirez is another story. He is still in Azl. and not assigned to a rehab assignment. The next Guy I expect getting brought up is LaStella and Herrera bumped. Herrera has been forgotten.

Wheather its baez or lake, they need to add another bat for bench..

Im reading La Stella may return on Tuesday

 

[Zvbxrpl]

Wood booted from the rotation to the pen. Its a start.

When does he get booted from the roster?

 

[CSF77]

Wheather its baez or lake, they need to add another bat for bench..

Im reading La Stella may return on Tuesday

Baez wont be on the bench. Cogs will. Lake is a scrub.

Baez is at .313/.389/.453 If he was anywhere close to that last year he would have never been demoted. SO:BB is 3:1

Looking at the potential line up:

Fowler CF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Baez LF
Montero C
Soler RF
Castro SS
P
Russell 2B

That line up will hold until the next wave of talent promotes.

Baez is doing what you want prospects to do in AAA. Force decisions.

 

[chibears55]

Baez wont be on the bench. Cogs will. Lake is a scrub.

Baez is at .313/.389/.453 If he was anywhere close to that last year he would have never been demoted. SO:BB is 3:1

Looking at the potential line up:

Fowler CF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Baez LF
Montero C
Soler RF
Castro SS
P
Russell 2B

That line up will hold until the next wave of talent promotes.

Baez is doing what you want prospects to do in AAA. Force decisions.

I said Lake because maybe they feel it too soon for Baez now or not looking at baez for LF ..

I doubt maddon will totally bench Cogs as he will get plenty of starts against the tougher RHers over baez or whomever it is they bring up..

 

[Boobaby1]

Wood booted from the rotation to the pen. Its a start.

When does he get booted from the roster?

For now, I like where he is at. Just hoping the Cubs stay afloat and play good ball to be buyers at the deadline. There are some holes they can fill in the rotation and the pen. Ramirez coming back would help, and I would rather have Wood in the pen versus E-Jax.

I look for them to get help in the pen and rotation, and cut ties with E-Jax and swallow his contract. They may also have to do it with Castillo too to make room for some of these guys that are hurt and coming back, plus some new additions. Assuming they are buyers of course.

The next month and a half ought to be entertaining to say the least, but for now, lets finish off the Pirates in good fashion before heading out West.

 

[Boobaby1]

He isnt hitting homeruns. He is just hitting.

And where is he going to play to get AB's, LF?

He needs his reps in Iowa to see what he has, and if he is the candidate to get what the Cubs need, then I am all for it. If he becomes an asset for the team long term, then I am for it also.

It is not about hating him, just like Castro. It is about getting the pieces you need to make your team a winner.

Guys are going to have to be traded. That is the cost of having a top farm system or young guys on the current team. The rewards are what you get back in return. There isn't room for everybody.

If I had the chance to get Noah Syndergaard right now for Baez, I'd do it. If it bites me in the ass, so be it because I still have a young Russell, Castro, and LaStella or guys like that that I can get.

The Cubs do not have to have EVERYONE come from the farm. While it is a luxury to have payroll flexibility, don't forget that the Cubs do have the money to go get help ANYWHERE if they need to.

Like the Cardinals, if you can get 4-5 main stays from your system, then you have done a very good job internally.

Right now, the Cubs have Bryant, Rizzo, Soler, Russell, and Castro. They are way ahead of the game considering what is still in the minors with Baez, Vogelbach, Schwarber, Jimenez, McKinney, and Almora.

Other teams are not going to gobble up your cast-offs. You are going to lose guys that are doing well. That is the nature of the business.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

And where is he going to play to get AB's, LF?

He needs his reps in Iowa to see what he has, and if he is the candidate to get what the Cubs need, then I am all for it. If he becomes an asset for the team long term, then I am for it also.

It is not about hating him, just like Castro. It is about getting the pieces you need to make your team a winner.

Guys are going to have to be traded. That is the cost of having a top farm system or young guys on the current team. The rewards are what you get back in return. There isn't room for everybody.

If I had the chance to get Noah Syndergaard right now for Baez, I'd do it. If it bites me in the ass, so be it because I still have a young Russell, Castro, and LaStella or guys like that that I can get.

The Cubs do not have to have EVERYONE come from the farm. While it is a luxury to have payroll flexibility, don't forget that the Cubs do have the money to go get help ANYWHERE if they need to.

Like the Cardinals, if you can get 4-5 main stays from your system, then you have done a very good job internally.

Right now, the Cubs have Bryant, Rizzo, Soler, Russell, and Castro. They are way ahead of the game considering what is still in the minors with Baez, Vogelbach, Schwarber, Jimenez, McKinney, and Almora.

Other teams are not going to gobble up your cast-offs. You are going to lose guys that are doing well. That is the nature of the business.

Well said, although I'm with SilenceS, if Baez looks like he can help in LF I'd let him try. I would consider trading anyone not named Rizzo or Bryant for a young rotation piece right now. This idea of trading guys the team the doesn't need or want for meaningful returns is baffling. It just doesn't work that way. I've said for weeks that if this team stays in contention there will be a trade that will make some fans angry. Well guess what? It's not that early and, while there are no guarantees with a young team, they just might contend. The trade that will make some people apoplectic is coming. If you think you're one of those people I'd brace myself if I were you.