Should the Cubs deal Castro?

[dabears253313]

Unless if they got something very good for Starlin Castro, no. He's a top 5 shortstop, arguably top 3. Most hits since 2010. He is a great player and extremely under appreciated.

Castro is proven, I like Javier Baez and I think he will be a good player but he is not proven. He has no MLB regular season experience. By the way, the Cubs could probably get something good for Baez.

All the media wants to talk about are Castro's errors and unfortunately it turns the fans against him when fans just want to listen to the storytellers. For every error he makes, he makes five gold glove plays. If it wasn't for Castro, opposing teams would have WAY more hits because he can cover a lot of ground and get to a lot of baseballs that most players can't get to.

Seems to be the same old "If I support the players on my team than I am a homer. If I don't support them, than I am a realist."

 

[brett05]

Unless if they got something very good for Starlin Castro, no. He's a top 5 shortstop, arguably top 3. Most hits since 2010. He is a great player and extremely under appreciated.

Castro is proven, I like Javier Baez and I think he will be a good player but he is not proven. He has no MLB regular season experience. By the way, the Cubs could probably get something good for Baez.

All the media wants to talk about are Castro's errors and unfortunately it turns the fans against him when fans just want to listen to the storytellers. For every error he makes, he makes five gold glove plays. If it wasn't for Castro, opposing teams would have WAY more hits because he can cover a lot of ground and get to a lot of baseballs that most players can't get to.

Seems to be the same old "If I support the players on my team than I am a homer. If I don't support them, than I am a realist."

Range Factor he is 21st, Total Chances 15th. He's average at best in range, no?

 

[X]

Range Factor he is 21st, Total Chances 15th. He's average at best in range, no?

the last two years he's led the NL in total chances.

 

[waldo7239117]

Just to put it out there, Rizzo is older than Castro. I wouldn't trade either. There's no point, Baez is a huge question mark and there's no one the Cubs canput at SS. plus, the Yanks don't have what the Cubs would want. Close to majors-league ready players and not any the Cubs would really want for Castro. Too many far away players.

 

[Boobaby1]

Oh, absolutely. Because anytime you have a 23-year-old shortstop who routinely hits .300, can swipe bases and has a very team-friendly contract through 2020 -- you have to do it.

Using Stephen Drew as a talent barometer isn't very insightful -- he's 7 years older then Castro and will be commanding a salary upwards of $10 MM annually. Sure, he's defensively superior to Castro, but we'll be replacing his bat with a guy who hasn't played more than 80 games the last two seasons and is hitting a blistering .221 right now. I'll pass.

And Stephen Drew might demand 10 million or so. Who Cares? That is about 4 million more than Castro annually, and not tied up long term. No biggie! It's not as if the Cubs haven't plugged in replacements all over the diamond so far.

The point of this was that if Castro is dealt (not saying he will be), that the Cubs could get something of value back in return.

I don't think that Theo is going to do all of these 1 year signings, hoping that they pan out and then flip them at the deadline. That is a very slow building process. Eventually, you have to roll the dice and make a monster move that could benefit a couple of teams.

Just a few that are intriguing to me are the Padres, Braves, and the Tigers. If they made a deal after the season with either of these teams, I would say that the Cubs could not only swap shortstops, but they could get a pretty good plus player in return, especially with the Tigers since Perralta is 31 and on a club-op.

You also have to think of this from another perspective. If you were GM of another team, would you want Castro, and just how much would you give up to get him?

Just something to think about.

 

[brett05]

the last two years he's led the NL in total chances.

So he's getting worse?

 

[brett05]

You also have to think of this from another perspective. If you were GM of another team, would you want Castro, and just how much would you give up to get him?

Just something to think about.

So what do you think you could get for Starlin?

 

[JosMin]

And Stephen Drew might demand 10 million or so. Who Cares? That is about 4 million more than Castro annually, and not tied up long term. No biggie! It's not as if the Cubs haven't plugged in replacements all over the diamond so far.

The point of this was that if Castro is dealt (not saying he will be), that the Cubs could get something of value back in return.

I don't think that Theo is going to do all of these 1 year signings, hoping that they pan out and then flip them at the deadline. That is a very slow building process. Eventually, you have to roll the dice and make a monster move that could benefit a couple of teams.

Just a few that are intriguing to me are the Padres, Braves, and the Tigers. If they made a deal after the season with either of these teams, I would say that the Cubs could not only swap shortstops, but they could get a pretty good plus player in return, especially with the Tigers since Perralta is 31 and on a club-op.

You also have to think of this from another perspective. If you were GM of another team, would you want Castro, and just how much would you give up to get him?

Just something to think about.

Why do people keep freaking out that a 23-year-old player still needs time to develop? It's the same song and dance with Rizzo -- let the guys develop! If he (Castro) was hitting .350 right now, everyone would excuse the shitty defense and label the guy untouchable. He hit .300 his first two seasons and lead the league in hits AT THE AGE OF 21! If he was on the other side of 25 and hadn't taken strides with being able to draw more walks or cut down on the errors, then yes, I would seriously think about dealing him, especially with two fairly adequate prospects in Baez and Alcantara.

People need to remember that Castro has very little talent around him. Isn't it safe to assume if he had a bit more lineup protection, his numbers would improve? And shipping out a guy who has the ability to hit at a position with little firepower around the league before the franchise is dead-set on knowing if he's "their guy" or not, could be a disaster for the Cubs, especially with their other options and shortstop so far away from the majors.

 

[KBisBack!]

OK, MOST overrated might be a stretch.

But definitely overrated.

Someone just said he was a top 3 shortstop probably. He isn't even close to that.

CBS Sports player rankings have Castro rated as the 10th best SS in the majors based on his actual production.

Yes the last two years he has led the league in total chances, but he has also played a significant amount more innings than any other player at the position. In 2011 Tulo had roughly 60 fewer chances than Castro but played in about 190 less innings.

It was noted that Tulo improved as he got older, well Tulo has always been an excellent defensive SS. Never more than 11 errors in a season.

Right now Castro's contract is probably still team friendly, but in a couple years when it kicks up to being $7M, $9M, $10M and $11M, if he continues to be the same .270ish hitter with little power and terrible defense that he is currently producing, it will not be a good deal at all paying top five money at the position.

 

[KBisBack!]

Why do people keep freaking out that a 23-year-old player still needs time to develop?

Because his numbers are regressing.

Generally when players develop, their numbers improve.

 

[waldo7239117]

When Castro actually gets players around him, you'll see what he's made up. He's trying to hard to make something happen.. Also SS are hard to come by. If he as an OF, then okay maybe.

 

[The Bandit]

Trade a 23 year old SS that has an All-star under his belt, hit over .300 a few times, and led the league in hits? No, I'd hold on to him for at least 1 more year before I thought about dealing him, the guy has nothing around him and is forcing to much. Put some talent around him in the lineup and see what he can do, if he doesn't improve then deal him. As for the D all you can hope for is some improvement year to year he's never going to be a GG caliber player.

 

[kchicub08]

When Castro actually gets players around him, you'll see what he's made up. He's trying to hard to make something happen.. Also SS are hard to come by. If he as an OF, then okay maybe.

Just out of curiosity, when will this happen?

Are you referrinng to Almora,Sczur, Soler lot or actual players who have proven they are good consistently?

 

[KBisBack!]

Just out of curiosity, when will this happen?

Are you referrinng to Almora,Sczur, Soler lot or actual players who have proven they are good consistently?

So let's see if I understand this correctly.

Those of us who have been asking that the Cubs go out and add good players to the team now are dumb and don't understand the process and that adding good players now will sacrifice the building that is going on.

But when we point out how Castro's numbers have been declining, well that is ok also because he has no players around him.

The #TheoSpankFest continues.

And what happens if his declining numbers aren't just a fluke and he really ends up being a .280ish hitter with little power and terrible defense? If you wait a couple more years till you are convinced this is the true Castro, then you are stuck with a $9M-$11M a year mediocre SS.

What kind of trade return do you think you will get then?

 

[KBisBack!]

When Castro actually gets players around him, you'll see what he's made up. He's trying to hard to make something happen.. Also SS are hard to come by. If he as an OF, then okay maybe.

This coming from the same person who also wrote an article about the 'huge break' the Cubs got because no other team placed a waiver claim on Bowden.

 

[kchicub08]

This coming from the same person who also wrote an article about the 'huge break' the Cubs got because no other team placed a waiver claim on Bowden.

Ha ha.... Did someone really say that?

 

[X]

So he's getting worse?

wtf are you talking about? Leading the league in total chances in no way equates to him getting "worse".

 

[X]

And what happens if his declining numbers aren't just a fluke and he really ends up being a .280ish hitter with little power and terrible defense? If you wait a couple more years till you are convinced this is the true Castro, then you are stuck with a $9M-$11M a year mediocre SS.

What kind of trade return do you think you will get then?

His total salary is less than $8M annually, through 2016. In the last 3 years, it goes to $9, then 10, and 11 M. If his defense does not improve, he'll be moved. And to think, some players aren't worth their contracts near the end of them? Welcome to life in Baseball. The Cubs are banking on him improving steadily. I'll take the kid who led the league in hits his second season, and, like every single contract in the history of contracts, hope he's worth it.

 

[KBisBack!]

And to think, some players aren't worth their contracts near the end of them? Welcome to life in Baseball.

I am fully aware that most players aren't worth their contracts near the end of them.

I am also not one of the many people who cry against signing FA's because they won't be worth their value at the end of the contract and turn around and defend Castro's contract as being team friendly.

The Cubs are banking on him improving steadily. I'll take the kid who led the league in hits his second season, and, like every single contract in the history of contracts, hope he's worth it.

They are also banking on most of their prospects turning into All Star's.

We all would take the kid who led the league in hits his second season, but that is a far cry from the player who appears to be playing today.

I've been told (not by you) using Soriano's numbers from last year were dumb when showing how his streakiness led to an overall more productive season than Rizzo's because it is only the present that matters, so by that logic it doesn't matter what Castro did two seasons ago as right now he is producing at a borderline top 10 SS in baseball.

My opinion is that this is more of the true player he is. He does not strike me as a player who is motivated to perform to his peak potential so right now is the most value he will ever have.

 

[X]

I am fully aware that most players aren't worth their contracts near the end of them.

I am also not one of the many people who cry against signing FA's because they won't be worth their value at the end of the contract and turn around and defend Castro's contract as being team friendly.



They are also banking on most of their prospects turning into All Star's.

We all would take the kid who led the league in hits his second season, but that is a far cry from the player who appears to be playing today.

I've been told (not by you) using Soriano's numbers from last year were dumb when showing how his streakiness led to an overall more productive season than Rizzo's because it is only the present that matters, so by that logic it doesn't matter what Castro did two seasons ago as right now he is producing at a borderline top 10 SS in baseball.

My opinion is that this is more of the true player he is. He does not strike me as a player who is motivated to perform to his peak potential so right now is the most value he will ever have.

That's fair - we can agree to disagree. :shrug:

I think he's way too young to consider this his "peak". But, time will tell.