Second Base

[anotheridiot]

Rizzo is proven. It is not a 1-40 string. Players get hot and cool off. It happens in every sport to professional athletes. Not just baseball. So you have to look at over all production not chopped up segments.

Almora doesn't take walks. So he OBA will be .050 over his BA on a great year. For him to push a .330 OBA he would have to hit .280.

And that is perfectly fine. Starlin Castro is that guy also and there are plenty of contact players moving from team to team like this.

But Rizzo is a gold Glove, 26-35 HR and is good for near 100 RBI every year while pushing a .400 OBA every year. To bench him for a 1-40 string? Maybe a day off. Or lead him off because that changes his mind set and that becomes a key to get the engine started.

But Nico. 1 month is by no means a reasonable choice to start him. In that month he faded off after his hot start and the walk rate never developed. So he got over his head talent wise and he should get 300 PA vs AAA talent. See how it develops.

Almora we know who he is. There is no further talent to uncover. The question becomes if they want to pay more than league min for it

Happ I have no idea about. He is like Schwarber too much. We really don't know if, what or bust.

So I believe David will not be too different in how he handles the players. But there will be more accountability and drive to produce. Basically he is a fun guy to work for but will be more on them than Joe was. But that doesn't mean fire. That means improvement and focus.

2016 after padded stats from the first three games, finally broke .200 on April 24th
2017 starts year a little hotter 5-30 by May 17th low mark at .213
2018 starts year 3-31 did not get over a .200 average til May 9th
2019 starts year april 17th hitting .159 finally stayed above .200 on April 27th.

This is what we know it is, prolific slow starter, still plays every day, needs to be held accountable. That was the mentality, Rizzo will pick it up, we dont need those wins in April and May. Jesus H Christ, will you get over this? All theo wanted was a fast start, get ahead of the pack, All he got was dont worry about the loss, its a long year.

Nico, so what, we got a good month, so dont let him compete to win a job, get Merrifield for what, 2 or 3 more years to block him? This is the cub fans wanting the big name and not wanting Theo to fill the roster thru the draft. Its sickening for someone with as much knowledge as you think you have to need the big names. What, Joe could not pat their ass and party enough to get anyone to hit leadoff so nobody can.

 

[Omeletpants]

2016 after padded stats from the first three games, finally broke .200 on April 24th
2017 starts year a little hotter 5-30 by May 17th low mark at .213
2018 starts year 3-31 did not get over a .200 average til May 9th
2019 starts year april 17th hitting .159 finally stayed above .200 on April 27th.

This is what we know it is, prolific slow starter, still plays every day, needs to be held accountable. That was the mentality, Rizzo will pick it up, we dont need those wins in April and May. Jesus H Christ, will you get over this? All theo wanted was a fast start, get ahead of the pack, All he got was dont worry about the loss, its a long year.

Nico, so what, we got a good month, so dont let him compete to win a job, get Merrifield for what, 2 or 3 more years to block him? This is the cub fans wanting the big name and not wanting Theo to fill the roster thru the draft. Its sickening for someone with as much knowledge as you think you have to need the big names. What, Joe could not pat their ass and party enough to get anyone to hit leadoff so nobody can.

This thread is not going well

 

[CSF77]

2016 after padded stats from the first three games, finally broke .200 on April 24th
2017 starts year a little hotter 5-30 by May 17th low mark at .213
2018 starts year 3-31 did not get over a .200 average til May 9th
2019 starts year april 17th hitting .159 finally stayed above .200 on April 27th.

This is what we know it is, prolific slow starter, still plays every day, needs to be held accountable. That was the mentality, Rizzo will pick it up, we dont need those wins in April and May. Jesus H Christ, will you get over this? All theo wanted was a fast start, get ahead of the pack, All he got was dont worry about the loss, its a long year.

Nico, so what, we got a good month, so dont let him compete to win a job, get Merrifield for what, 2 or 3 more years to block him? This is the cub fans wanting the big name and not wanting Theo to fill the roster thru the draft. Its sickening for someone with as much knowledge as you think you have to need the big names. What, Joe could not pat their ass and party enough to get anyone to hit leadoff so nobody can.

I believe the most likely scenerio is extending and cutting arb cases. The have said they are looking at cheap pitching depth also.

With this in mind I see a boring off-season. They should make a offer to Akiyama around 3M per and offer him the starting job. That way Almora sticks as a 4th. 1-2M

Happ stays as the main UI.

Russell is slated to get 5M and that is a easy DFA.


The main focus will be Baez Schwarber and Bryant.

Nico would have to beat Bote out for 2B. That is the main battle to see.

 

[Diehardfan]

This thread is not going well

Do they ever? Off season Cub threads filled with schmuck GM wannabees complete with arguments on whose trade is the most stupid.

 

[anotheridiot]

I believe the most likely scenerio is extending and cutting arb cases. The have said they are looking at cheap pitching depth also.

With this in mind I see a boring off-season. They should make a offer to Akiyama around 3M per and offer him the starting job. That way Almora sticks as a 4th. 1-2M

Happ stays as the main UI.

Russell is slated to get 5M and that is a easy DFA.


The main focus will be Baez Schwarber and Bryant.

Nico would have to beat Bote out for 2B. That is the main battle to see.

Pretty simple, Nico can lead off, Bote cannot.

I just dont see how people are putting Almora at 1.8-2 million after regressing making 615K.

 

[knoxville7]

Pretty simple, Nico can lead off, Bote cannot.

I just dont see how people are putting Almora at 1.8-2 million after regressing making 615K.

You must not understand how arbitration works

 

[anotheridiot]

You must not understand how arbitration works

Sure I do, you make your offer, the player either takes it or he give you his number. You either meet in the middle somewhere, pay what the player wants, or let someone who knows nothing about baseball, nothing about players, probably do not even watch the sport, decide which salary the player gets.

All this saving face by not going to arbitrators is adding up.

 

[CSF77]

Pretty simple, Nico can lead off, Bote cannot.

I just dont see how people are putting Almora at 1.8-2 million after regressing making 615K.

Has Bote ever lead off? I was wondering this myself.

 

[CSF77]

3 PA. He has his most success hitting 8. This is a good spot for him IMO.

Line up wise you are looking at

Schwarber LF, Happ CF, Heyward RF.

All 3 have failed as lead offs

Bryant 3B, Baez SS, Bote 2B, Rizzo 1B.

Rizzo has had success rest unknown.

Contreras and Caratini
Both unknown

IMO they should trade for a proven or go with Tony again. Schwarber and Happ can split up the right handed hitters.

Rizzo
Bryant
Schwarber
Baez
Happ
Contreras
Heyward
Bote

Most likely line up if they status que.

 

[Steve_A]

Guys available update.

Joe Panik
Scooter Gennett
Brian Dozier
Jason Kipnis
Starlin Castro
Jonathan Schoop
Wilmer Flores
Brock Holt
Asdrubal Cabrera
Neil Walker
Devon Travis
Eric Sogard
Brad Miller
Howie Kendrick
Matt Duffy
Yolmer Sanchez
Cesar Hernandez

Anyone from this list?

 

[Castor76]

As I said before, Kendrick is the only one one that list worth spending money on. The rest are guys that do things that current Cubs already do.

 

[Jssanto]

3 PA. He has his most success hitting 8. This is a good spot for him IMO.

Line up wise you are looking at

Schwarber LF, Happ CF, Heyward RF.

All 3 have failed as lead offs

Bryant 3B, Baez SS, Bote 2B, Rizzo 1B.

Rizzo has had success rest unknown.

Contreras and Caratini
Both unknown

IMO they should trade for a proven or go with Tony again. Schwarber and Happ can split up the right handed hitters.

Rizzo
Bryant
Schwarber
Baez
Happ
Contreras
Heyward
Bote

Most likely line up if they status que.

I am not against your line up. But who will pitch?

 

[CSF77]

I am not against your line up. But who will pitch?

8 guys there. I normally don't include the pitcher as that is not a static position.

 

[Jssanto]

8 guys there. I normally don't include the pitcher as that is not a static position.

Agree, but with our starters, those 8 would have to include Mays, Mantle, Clemente.........

 

[CSF77]

Agree, but with our starters, those 8 would have to include Mays, Mantle, Clemente.........

I don't know about that part.

I honestly believe that if the Cubs have a strong middle inning core everything else becomes easyier.


So the way I look at it is if Morrow comes out healthy it pushes Wick into the main 7th inning guy.

That makes most games 6 innings. 7-9 could end up shut down.

So that really makes the 5-6th inning vital to get past. Most starters will end up absorbing most of those opertunites in general. But having a guy like Underwood or Ryan coming in and being able to close a inning would prove to be more viable than expecting the starters to over achieve.

That is my feeling about it. If your starting pitching is Shakey then strengthen the pen and become more dependant on it.

 

[Jssanto]

I don't know about that part.

I honestly believe that if the Cubs have a strong middle inning core everything else becomes easyier.


So the way I look at it is if Morrow comes out healthy it pushes Wick into the main 7th inning guy.

That makes most games 6 innings. 7-9 could end up shut down.

So that really makes the 5-6th inning vital to get past. Most starters will end up absorbing most of those opertunites in general. But having a guy like Underwood or Ryan coming in and being able to close a inning would prove to be more viable than expecting the starters to over achieve.

That is my feeling about it. If your starting pitching is Shakey then strengthen the pen and become more dependant on it.

Good points. And I do think our staring pitching is only “ok”. Time will tell.

 

[CSF77]

Good points. And I do think our staring pitching is only “ok”. Time will tell.

It is not a play off caliber rotation. That answer lies in Abbott and Alozay's development. Marquez has the makings of a legit Ace. So at this point you can write Darvish and Hendricks in pen and the rest in pencil.

 

[Jssanto]

I looked at Hoerner’s fielding stats. He has overwhelmingly played SS. Some second base. Literally no OF.
I am no scout, but can you really count on him to start in CF?

 

[CSF77]

I looked at Hoerner’s fielding stats. He has overwhelmingly played SS. Some second base. Literally no OF.
I am no scout, but can you really count on him to start in CF?

Nope. I see him as a 2B/back up SS

 

[beckdawg]

I looked at Hoerner’s fielding stats. He has overwhelmingly played SS. Some second base. Literally no OF.
I am no scout, but can you really count on him to start in CF?

Scouts believe he can play CF. He played 91 innings in AA at CF and 8 in the majors. It's not uncommon for SS to move to CF. Billy Hamilton for example played SS from 2009-2012 in the minors. I believe Mookie Betts also was either a SS or 2B coming up.

It mostly comes down to you having the range for CF. Most grades on his speed are 55 or better which is more than enough and his arm has a weird throwing motion which is why he may move off SS but it's strong enough for SS which means it's easily strong enough for OF.

With that being said, I don't think this is a situation where he's suddenly your CF starting in ST. If he's gonna be a CF going forward I'd expect to see him in AAA there for awhile just to get more familiar with it.