The Next Year Thread: What Should This Team Look Like in 2012?

[FirstTimer]

I could see Vitters getting the call.

he's having a really middling/average season in AA and is seeing more time at 1B. I'd be surprised to see him before September of next season. he's always shown that he takes time to adjust level to level. I think throwing him out there as the opening day 3B would be a gigantic mistake.

McNutt is pretty much ready now. Per scouts and Geovany Soto.

McNutt can't stay healthy so there's no way he's "ready".

Like I said in the minors thread my gut instinct is McNutt ends up in the bullpen as a closer..much like Papelbon...former power starting pitcher prospect given a shot at closer...and he sticks/stuck.

 

[DewsSox79]

I was doing an opening day lineup.



I could see Vitters getting the call. If not him, then LeMahieu or someone could be a stopgap. Maybe a cheap FA then... or even another year of A-Ram.

McNutt is pretty much ready now. Per scouts and Geovany Soto.

yeah that helps the cubs.

 

[Jntg4]

yeah that helps the cubs.

Well someone has to man 3rd...

 

[Captain Obvious]

Construct lineups/rosters for the 2012 Cubs. You can take the spend to rebuild route, or the youth movement rebuilding route.

I'm gonna go the cheap way right now, as it is beginning to look wiser and more likely to me.

I'll do 1 where we do sign one significant player (Fielder), and one with no significant external additions.

Fielder route:
C Geovany Soto
1B Prince Fielder
2B Darwin Barney
SS Starlin Castro
3B Josh Vitters
LF Alfonso Soriano
CF Brett Jackson
RF Marlon Byrd
SP Matt Garza
SP Andrew Cashner
SP Trey McNutt
SP Randy Wells
SP Jay Jackson
CL Carlos Marmol

Full Youth Route:
C Welington Castillo
1B Ryan Flaherty
2B Darwin Barney
SS Starlin Castro
3B Josh Vitters
LF Alfonso Soriano
CF Brett Jackson
RF Tyler Colvin
SP Matt Garza
SP Andrew Cashner
SP Trey McNutt
SP Randy Wells
SP Jay Jackson
CL Chris Carpenter

In your Fielder line up, what happens to Z and Demp? Did they disappear off of the face of the earth?

I think Bour and Ridling are a little too far off though.

Higher on Bour than Ridling, but Bour is still in A+, not even AA yet.

Bour sucks. He is Micah Hoffpauir 2.0.

 

[FirstTimer]

Bour sucks. He is Micah Hoffpauir 2.0.

He's 23 years old and has been in the system for barely two years and not even two full seasons of play. He isn't exactly the career minor leaguer Micah was when he blew up....finally at age 27/28.

That comparison makes little to no sense at this point.

 

[nwfisch]

This should be stickied, and just be called the next year thread. Because it seems like all the Cubs look forward to anymore is next year.

 

[poodski]

Here is what I will go with:

Offense (66M)

C Geov Soto (4.5M)
1B Prince Fielder (18M)
2B Darwin Barney (500K)
SS Starlin Castro (500K)
3B Aramis Ramirez (16M)
LF Alfonso Soriano (19M)
CF Brett Jackson (500K)
RF Jason Kubel (7M)

Bench (10.25M)

Koyie Hill (1M)
Marlon Byrd (6.5M)
Jeff Baker (1.5M)
Tyler Colvin (500K)
Blake Dewitt (750K)

Pitching: (43.5M)

Zambrano (19M)
Garza (8M)
Dempster (14M)
Wells (2M)
Cashner (500K)

Bullpen: (14.6M)

Marmol (7M)
Marshall (3.1M)
Wood (2M)
Carpenter (500K)
Maine (500K)
Jay Jackson (500K)
Samardjiza (1M)

If we can move Byrd you can replace him with Campana and that would actually put us below 130 million for the payroll. This has us at 134.35M Which is basically 350K higher than this year, and I rounded all the minimum players up to 500K rather than 400ish they will get. I think this team could be very productive, and is very possible.

 

[House of Carlos]

Poodski I like that, but am wary of Kubel holding up in RF with his knees.

Also where do draw the line on Fielder money wise?

 

[poodski]

Poodski I like that, but am wary of Kubel holding up in RF with his knees.

Also where do draw the line on Fielder money wise?

Yeah that could definitely be an issue. There are other options as well. Or even just go with Byrd, but I would like a little more power over there.

Ludwick could be a possibilty and cheaper too. Especially leaving SD would help him.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

i dont mind ludwick...but prince if you can get him at a reasonable price(around 17-18 M per year) is an RBI/HR machine and hits at a reasonable clip

and why not byrd starting...he's a consistent on-base guy..it is his w/RISP?

 

[Jntg4]

i dont mind ludwick...but prince if you can get him at a reasonable price(around 17-18 M per year) is an RBI/HR machine and hits at a reasonable clip

and why not byrd starting...he's a consistent on-base guy..it is his w/RISP?

Because you don't call up Brett Jackson to sit him on the bench.

 

[Captain Obvious]

He's 23 years old and has been in the system for barely two years and not even two full seasons of play. He isn't exactly the career minor leaguer Micah was when he blew up....finally at age 27/28.

That comparison makes little to no sense at this point.

Bour is 23 at A+, that's high for the league. So yeah, he should be killing it. He is really nothing special.

i dont mind ludwick...but prince if you can get him at a reasonable price(around 17-18 M per year) is an RBI/HR machine and hits at a reasonable clip

and why not byrd starting...he's a consistent on-base guy..it is his w/RISP?

Byrd doesn't really get on base enough. He never walks and that is what kills him. He is walking under 3% of the time this year. That's awful.

 

[Jntg4]

Bour is 23 at A+, that's high for the league. So yeah, he should be killing it. He is really nothing special.



Byrd doesn't really get on base enough. He never walks and that is what kills him. He is walking under 3% of the time this year. That's awful.

The Florida State League (FSL) is a 12-team league that is home to the advanced Single-A teams for eight National League and four American League organizations. The average age for both pitchers and hitters in the FSL is about 23-years-old. Prospects in this league are usually at least two years away from contributing to the parent club. The Florida State League has a reputation for being a pitcher-friendly league

Seems about average to me (see bolded text in second quote).

Think about it... graduate HS at 18, get drafted at 22, play Short-season A or A- at 22, A+ at 23.

 

[FirstTimer]

Bour is 23 at A+, that's high for the league.

He'll see AA this year and he also has 14 HR's this year..and is mashing..which is not normal for that league.

He's been with the team for two years and has less than two seasons. He's been killing the ball in both pitcher friendly leagues he's been in.

He'll be fine.

As long as he makes the MLB club around the time he's 25 that's relatively on schedule for a guy taken as low as he was.

 

[AddisonStation]

Here is what I will go with:

Offense (66M)

C Geov Soto (4.5M)
1B Prince Fielder (18M)
2B Darwin Barney (500K)
SS Starlin Castro (500K)
3B Aramis Ramirez (16M)
LF Alfonso Soriano (19M)
CF Brett Jackson (500K)
RF Jason Kubel (7M)

Bench (10.25M)

Koyie Hill (1M)
Marlon Byrd (6.5M)
Jeff Baker (1.5M)
Tyler Colvin (500K)
Blake Dewitt (750K)

Pitching: (43.5M)

Zambrano (19M)
Garza (8M)
Dempster (14M)
Wells (2M)
Cashner (500K)

Bullpen: (14.6M)

Marmol (7M)
Marshall (3.1M)
Wood (2M)
Carpenter (500K)
Maine (500K)
Jay Jackson (500K)
Samardjiza (1M)

If we can move Byrd you can replace him with Campana and that would actually put us below 130 million for the payroll. This has us at 134.35M Which is basically 350K higher than this year, and I rounded all the minimum players up to 500K rather than 400ish they will get. I think this team could be very productive, and is very possible.

Poodski I like that, but am wary of Kubel holding up in RF with his knees.

Also where do draw the line on Fielder money wise?

Is your salary projection for Fielder based on a typical JH front loaded contract?

Id have a hard time believing he will ask for anything less than $20MM.

 

[DewsSox79]

Who wants to do a sig bet for the 2012 season with me? we have not had many sig bets on this site.

I say with confidence that the cubs will NOT get Pujols or Fielder next year. For each person that goes against me and if they win, I will wear a cubs logo as a sig with each members name that was right. If I win, you sport the sox logo with my name as a winner.

I will make sure this thread is archived.

So pony up cub fans.

Fielder and Pujols wont be coming to the cubs.

 

[FirstTimer]

Fielder and Pujols wont be coming to the cubs.

Agreed.

I think I had a similar conversation with Bulls fans last season...........

 

[waldo7239117]

Who wants to do a sig bet for the 2012 season with me? we have not had many sig bets on this site.

I say with confidence that the cubs will NOT get Pujols or Fielder next year. For each person that goes against me and if they win, I will wear a cubs logo as a sig with each members name that was right. If I win, you sport the sox logo with my name as a winner.

I will make sure this thread is archived.

So pony up cub fans.

Fielder and Pujols wont be coming to the cubs.

I'll do the sig bet with you. I say Fielder will be a Cub.

 

[AddisonStation]

Who wants to do a sig bet for the 2012 season with me? we have not had many sig bets on this site.

I say with confidence that the cubs will NOT get Pujols or Fielder next year. For each person that goes against me and if they win, I will wear a cubs logo as a sig with each members name that was right. If I win, you sport the sox logo with my name as a winner.

I will make sure this thread is archived.

So pony up cub fans.

Fielder and Pujols wont be coming to the cubs.

I'll pony up.

I too think Fielder will be a Cub.

 

[Captain Obvious]

I'll pony up. Again...