Schwarber

[CSF77]

A note on Schwarber....he did go 4 for 4 and drive in a couple but he caught the game and had a throwing error and a passed ball.

Honestly that is not a bad thing. The faster the fron office figures he is not cut out as a catcher the faster the show gets on the road with him.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

A note on Schwarber....he did go 4 for 4 and drive in a couple but he caught the game and had a throwing error and a passed ball.

Honestly I don't know if he's a catcher or not but some scouts outside the Cubs organization have come around on him, especially if the Cubs main goal is a solid pitch framer with some defensive holes. There just aren't that many catchers who are great hitters and Buster Posey is a tremendous example. Of he's also a good defender. This will play out they way it's going to. I think the Cubs for this season will try to get better at the plate with internal candidates like Soler being back, possibly Baez upon his return and very likely Schwarber in late July or August.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Honestly that is not a bad thing. The faster the fron office figures he is not cut out as a catcher the faster the show gets on the road with him.

All signs point to the other way but I think you're right they may make that decision sooner rather than later.

 

[chibears55]

I dont know, i look at schwarber frame and see a future 1Bmen , DH
if it doesn't work out for him as a major league catcher. .
I do not see him as an everyday LFer , running down balls in the gap

 

[beckdawg]

I honestly feel that defense at C can be over valued. Only 12 catchers last season had more than 450 PAs. That means the vast majority of teams are running 2 catchers with a semi equal split of time. As long as one of your catcher is strong I feel it all evens out. Teams don't run like they did in the 80's so if a guy steals a base it sucks but it's hardly the end of the world. Passed balls aren't very common either even with iffy catchers.

Ultimately, to me the most important thing a catcher does is calling the game. Great catchers make their pitchers better. However, that's hardly related to defensive ability. It's 90% preparation and some feel. Framing is probably rightly considered part of that but again, that's something you learn more than a physically ability. Austin Hedges is arguably the best defensive catching prospect right now and in his first call up he's hitting .116/.133/.209 and that's honestly the book on him with a 40 hit and power grade. I'd much rather have someone who's a bat you're not sure where will play than an amazing defensive player who flat out can't hit. Others are welcome to their opinion but all Schwarber has done is rake. He's been over .390 OBP at every stop including a brief stay in the majors. The team is going to find a way to get that into the line up considering all of 7 players last year had a .390 OBP.

 

[Ari Bear]

Cogs is hitting .255. Schwarber would be back in Iowa hitting that low.

A bigger concern is Fowler hitting .239. That is unexceptable.

Hitting .228 now. Yeah he's way do. I thought when the Cubs got him he would hit in the 270-290 range. You can't keep hitting in the leadoff spot with a average that low. Maybe he will start to break out of it.:shrug:

 

[beckdawg]

Hitting .228 now. Yeah he's way do. I thought when the Cubs got him he would hit in the 270-290 range. You can't keep hitting in the leadoff spot with a average that low. Maybe he will start to break out of it.:shrug:

I'd have to go back and look but i read something not long ago that suggested the cubs had seen the least left handed pitching of any team in the majors and that is part of the reason Fowler is having a down year as he hits lefties well. Obviously that doesn't explain away everything but i did find the stat interesting.

 

[Ari Bear]

I'd have to go back and look but i read something not long ago that suggested the cubs had seen the least left handed pitching of any team in the majors and that is part of the reason Fowler is having a down year as he hits lefties well. Obviously that doesn't explain away everything but i did find the stat interesting.

Yeah that is a interesting stat, I didnt know that.