RUMOR: Porcello to the Cubs talks heating up again?

[BrewCrewFan]

Rick Porcello FIP/xFIP have been a lot better than his ERA last 3 years:

2010: 162.2 IP, 4.92 ERA, 4.31 FIP, 4.24 xFIP, 2.0 WAR, 4.65 K/9
2011: 182.0 IP, 4.75 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 4.02 xFIP, 2.7 WAR, 5.14 K/9
2012: 176.1 IP, 4.59 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 3.88 xFIP, 2.9 WAR, 5.46 K/9

Velocity wise:

AVG FB:

2010: 90.6
2011: 90.2
2012: 92.0

 

[mountsalami]

I don't see what you have wrong with considering Rizzo to be core. Samardzija and Barney were mentioned

I won't consider Rizzo a productive major league player until he proves he can adjust to ML pitching after playing a full season.
If Shark can come close to duplicating most of what we saw last year...I'd call him a core piece.

Barney doesn't crack a competitve ML line-up because of his slightly above average speed and lack of power.

Looks like a possible "core" on this pathetic squad.

 

[MRubio52]

Yeah, Josh Vitters & Brett JacKKKKson look like All Stars.

Nope, they both look lost, which is why they dropped from almost everyone's Cubs top 5. The system is top heavy, lacks impact pitching, but it's not the steaming piece of shit it used to be. It'll be interesting to see what gets acquired this year.

Rick Porcello FIP/xFIP have been a lot better than his ERA last 3 years:

2010: 162.2 IP, 4.92 ERA, 4.31 FIP, 4.24 xFIP, 2.0 WAR, 4.65 K/9
2011: 182.0 IP, 4.75 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 4.02 xFIP, 2.7 WAR, 5.14 K/9
2012: 176.1 IP, 4.59 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 3.88 xFIP, 2.9 WAR, 5.46 K/9

Velocity wise:

AVG FB:

2010: 90.6
2011: 90.2
2012: 92.0

Hate the K rate, don't like the velo on a younger arm, and while the xFIP numbers look ok I don't like the scouting on Porcello.

I don't think he has good enough stuff and I don't think he has the pitchability.

 

[Jntg4]

I won't consider Rizzo a productive major league player until he proves he can adjust to ML pitching after playing a full season.
If Shark can come close to duplicating most of what we saw last year...I'd call him a core piece.

Barney doesn't crack a competitve ML line-up because of his slightly above average speed and lack of power.

Looks like a possible "core" on this pathetic squad.

You can't just say that Rizzo shouldn't be a piece added to the group we plan build around because you don't know if he will fall off. As of now, he is core, if he falls off, that could change. Shark isn't core either way, Theo is just talking him up a bit, and Barney is just another young player he listed to talk him up. Though BR WAR ranks him very highly, while FanGraphs doesn't, but his defense does allow for him to be worth a starting spot.

 

[mountsalami]

You can't just say that Rizzo shouldn't be a piece added to the group we plan build around because you don't know if he will fall off. As of now, he is core, if he falls off, that could change. Shark isn't core either way, Theo is just talking him up a bit, and Barney is just another young player he listed to talk him up. Though BR WAR ranks him very highly, while FanGraphs doesn't, but his defense does allow for him to be worth a starting spot.

I can just say that Rizzo hasn't played a full season and should be judged with that in mind. Wasn't impressed with his numbers as he saw more ML pitching last season.

The first 29 games Rizzo hit .321/.367.571 with 7 HR's. However the last 58 games Rizzo hit .265/.325./407. Not so good considering most believe he's a building block.

I need to see a full season of how he adjusts.

Shark showed a considerable amount of improvement over the years before.

I would much rather see Kelly Johnson in a Cub's uniform over Barney.

 

[brett05]

And we're ranked the #12 farm, but Dewey is right, we have a White Sox-type farm. Seriously, 12th is solid, not great but solid.

Are the Sox still 30th?

 

[dabynsky]

I can just say that Rizzo hasn't played a full season and should be judged with that in mind. Wasn't impressed with his numbers as he saw more ML pitching last season.

The first 29 games of Rizzo he hit .321/.367.571 with 7 HR's in the first 29 games. However the last 58 games when Rizzo hit .265/.325./407. Not so good considering most believe he's a building block.

I need to see a full season of how he adjusts.

Shark showed a considerable amount of improvement over the years before.

I would much rather see Kelly Johnson in a Cub's uniform over Barney.

This Kelly Johnson? I mean he would be a nice buy low candidate one would think, but to call him inconsistent would be generous.

 

[waldo7239117]

Barney did 100 times better than Johnson last year and Barney is cheaper. Barney is a better option than Johnson with everything considered.

 

[MRubio52]

Are the Sox still 30th?

Dunno what list he's looking at but I can't see them going much above 25 in any list.

 

[mountsalami]

This Kelly Johnson? I mean he would be a nice buy low candidate one would think, but to call him inconsistent would be generous.

Johnson has a lot more upside offensively than Barney.

With the Mighty Rob Deer to help with curbing the strikeouts, the skies the limit.

 

[mountsalami]

Barney did 100 times better than Johnson last year and Barney is cheaper. Barney is a better option than Johnson with everything considered.

Dumb.

 

[brett05]

Dunno what list he's looking at but I can't see them going much above 25 in any list.

I'd take that

 

[dabynsky]

Johnson has a lot more upside offensively than Barney.

With the Mighty Rob Deer to help with curbing the strikeouts, the skies the limit.

Upside sure, but he is more likely to put up a Barney-esque sub 700 OPS as he is to be the 800 OPS near elite level bat for 2B. Barney was the better player last year by just about any measure consider the vast difference in defense. I like Johnson as a buy low candidate like I said, but he is far from a guarantee to be a better player than Barney.

 

[MRubio52]

Barney did 100 times better than Johnson last year and Barney is cheaper. Barney is a better option than Johnson with everything considered.

Barney's all field and no hit, so it's kind of a stretch to say he did 100 times better, but Kelly's contact rate has absolutely collapsed over the past 3 years, jumping up to BJax levels.

It's laughable that anyone would want him over Darwin based off previous performance.

 

[waldo7239117]

Dumb.

Nope and I'm right. You just don't want any layer on the Cubs to take the field of whom came up from the minors. You do realize he batted .225 last year and a OBP a little over .300 while Barney batted .258 and had an OBP a little under .300. Also, Barney us by far the better defender. He also had 100 more strikeouts than Barney. There's a reason why Johnson hasn't signed yet and may be looking at getting a minor-league contract at best.

 

[waldo7239117]

Barney's all field and no hit, so it's kind of a stretch to say he did 100 times better, but Kelly's contact rate has absolutely collapsed over the past 3 years, jumping up to BJax levels.

It's laughable that anyone would want him over Darwin based off previous performance.

Okay, that was over-exaggerated. I was just trying to get my point across.

 

[brett05]

Don't undervalue gg 2b. White Sox are about to potentially do that this year.

 

[dabynsky]

Better middle infield buy low candidate: Kelly Johnson or Freddy Sanchez?

 

[MRubio52]

Better middle infield buy low candidate: Kelly Johnson or Freddy Sanchez?

Man that's a tough question.

I'd rather have Freddy Sanchez of the three, but I'm pretty much holding my nose at the move.

 

[waldo7239117]

Better middle infield buy low candidate: Kelly Johnson or Freddy Sanchez?

Flip a coin and pick heads or tails for one of them.