You're the GM (Game)

[DanTown]

I'll ask this question: is there a guy on this 25 man roster who is going to be asked to do too much? Are there players that the Cubs are relying on that you can't typically rely on? I don't get it. Theo builds an insanely deep 1-25 while also maintaining a solidly deep farm system + future financial flexibility and people want to complain about rotation depth in future years (when the Cubs will have financial flexibility and the prospects needed to acquire TOR arms if they don't develop any).

 

[JimJohnson]

I'll ask this question: is there a guy on this 25 man roster who is going to be asked to do too much? Are there players that the Cubs are relying on that you can't typically rely on? I don't get it. Theo builds an insanely deep 1-25 while also maintaining a solidly deep farm system + future financial flexibility and people want to complain about rotation depth in future years (when the Cubs will have financial flexibility and the prospects needed to acquire TOR arms if they don't develop any).

In 2 years, Cubs will have a serious lack of pitching as Arrieta is likely gone and Lackey will retire. That leaves an aging Lester who is probably a #2 or #3 guy by that time. You don't just go out into the market and get 2 or 3 TOR's , lol. They need to be accumulated over time.

 

[beckdawg]

Something struck me as interesting. All this Baez talk had me curious how much better/worse he'd played than Alcantara did since we're now sort of talking about Baez playing the role Alcantara was supposed to play to start last season.

In 332 PAs, Alcantara has hit .194/.252/.342 with 6.6%/31.3% bb/k rates, .148 ISO and a 65 wRC+. In 309 PAs, Baez has hit .201/.252/.346 with 6.1%/38.5% bb/k rates, .145 ISO and a 65 wRC+. Alcantara was worth 0.3 fWAR more because he played better defense. But it's kind of interesting to see the vastly different opinions fans have on the two considering they've almost hit identically. Alcantara is all but forgotten these days among fans and seems to me if you're willing to buy Baez reaching his potential that you sorta need to also be willing to buy into Alcantara having a resurgence which is fine by me because if there's one play I'm entirely impossible of being unbiased on it's Alcantara.

Long story short, I doubt Alcantara makes the team out of ST but it's probably worth following what he does in AAA next season.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Something struck me as interesting. All this Baez talk had me curious how much better/worse he'd played than Alcantara did since we're now sort of talking about Baez playing the role Alcantara was supposed to play to start last season.

In 332 PAs, Alcantara has hit .194/.252/.342 with 6.6%/31.3% bb/k rates, .148 ISO and a 65 wRC+. In 309 PAs, Baez has hit .201/.252/.346 with 6.1%/38.5% bb/k rates, .145 ISO and a 65 wRC+. Alcantara was worth 0.3 fWAR more because he played better defense. But it's kind of interesting to see the vastly different opinions fans have on the two considering they've almost hit identically. Alcantara is all but forgotten these days among fans and seems to me if you're willing to buy Baez reaching his potential that you sorta need to also be willing to buy into Alcantara having a resurgence which is fine by me because if there's one play I'm entirely impossible of being unbiased on it's Alcantara.

Long story short, I doubt Alcantara makes the team out of ST but it's probably worth following what he does in AAA next season.

It is. Cubs Den had a good piece on him yesterday. I don't think he's that good a comp to Baez as he's always had a lower ceiling and I would say his regression last year in AAA probably sealed the fact that he has a lower floor. I think he could have a spot on a MLB bench but that's probably his ceiling and Baez' floor.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

In 2 years, Cubs will have a serious lack of pitching as Arrieta is likely gone and Lackey will retire. That leaves an aging Lester who is probably a #2 or #3 guy by that time. You don't just go out into the market and get 2 or 3 TOR's , lol. They need to be accumulated over time.

I think they'll develop one of those guys out of Underwood, Cease or Ryan Williams. There is no question that they'll need to acquire one and I think they need to do that in the next 12 months, and I'm pretty sure the FO does too

 

[SilenceS]

One showed progression. The other showed regression. One has superstar ceiling. One has an all star ceiling. One can hit 30 to 40 homers. The other can maybe hit 15 to 20. Baez has worked to change his swing and the progression he made last year was pretty remarkable considering the drastic change to his approach. Also, when Manny Ramirez is endorsing you. People listen.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I think another place to look for a move on the Cubs part is in other team's minor league systems. While there hasn't been a lot of movement on top pitching prospects once they reach they majors there has been movement on top prospects as guys like Aaron Blair and Sean Newcomb have changed hands. I wouldn't sleep on Snell. I think the Cubs will keep their eye on him.

 

[brett05]

No, my point is that if you refuse to accept any sourced post as information then we're going nowhere. No GM will ever publicly comment on whether or not they'd trade a player like Baez. So if a tweet saying the Cubs were willing to deal him isn't sufficient evidence then there is no evidence I could ever present.

I took issue with your 100% certainty type comment.

 

[brett05]

Calm down board, you are talking to a guy who swears Lester sucks and Brett, well, we all know what he is about.

Love of the Game. Anyone that says otherwise has their own bias to contend with

 

[beckdawg]

One showed progression. The other showed regression. One has superstar ceiling. One has an all star ceiling. One can hit 30 to 40 homers. The other can maybe hit 15 to 20. Baez has worked to change his swing and the progression he made last year was pretty remarkable considering the drastic change to his approach. Also, when Manny Ramirez is endorsing you. People listen.

Well keep in mind this isn't about throwing mud on Baez. It's more about talking Alcantara up. With that being said, I think Alcantara's ceiling is higher than you do. He can hit 15-20 HRs and steal 30 bases if he ever figures out MLB pitching. And with the ability to play basically every position there's obvious reasons he was initially compared by some to Ben Zobrist.

 

[DanTown]

In 2 years, Cubs will have a serious lack of pitching as Arrieta is likely gone and Lackey will retire. That leaves an aging Lester who is probably a #2 or #3 guy by that time. You don't just go out into the market and get 2 or 3 TOR's , lol. They need to be accumulated over time.

That's the point. In two years. Do you not realize what the Lackey signing was? The Cubs knew the market for young, very good SP in 3 years was light and they knew that a trade would cost a lot so they got a bridge guy in Lackey. Now, they have two years to both continue developing their own players as well as looking to acquire a future TOR with their plethora of bats. Also, let's say the Cubs DID acquire Shelby Miller. Miller would have only given you three years of control before becoming a FA so the Cubs wouldn't have even solved the problem.

If the Cubs rotation doesn't have a young player with elite stuff and multiple years of control on it in 2018, I'll be the first to tell you Theo misplayed his prospects. But that day isn't today. The need for that guy FOR THIS TEAM was minimal and the asset cost would have been high. Also, the Cubs still have a lot of question marks with a lot of their prospects but at the MLB level and the guys deep in the farm.

 

[DanTown]

Well keep in mind this isn't about throwing mud on Baez. It's more about talking Alcantara up. With that being said, I think Alcantara's ceiling is higher than you do. He can hit 15-20 HRs and steal 30 bases if he ever figures out MLB pitching. And with the ability to play basically every position there's obvious reasons he was initially compared by some to Ben Zobrist.

It's completely not fair to Baez to post his horrific 2014 numbers (which you did when you posted career numbers) as indicative of his ability vs Alcantra.

2015 for Baez
AAA - .324/.385/.527
MLB - .289/.325/.408

2015 for Alcantra
AAA - .231/.285/.399

Also, it matters that Baez is a former top 10 (2013) prospect where as Alcantra maxed out as a top 80-100 guy.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Crikey. Baez hit MLB pitching better than Alcantara hit AAA, but a poster is riding Mendy's nutsack like he got a raw deal or is going to be the better pro?

 

[Parade_Rain]

Love of the Game. Anyone that says otherwise has their own bias to contend with

Once again Troll05 misses the poster's point.

 

[85Bears]

An awful lot of sources are picking them as that which is silly to me when you look at the Mets. After that I think they're right with the other NL contenders.

Yep, I don't really agree that they have the best starting rotation in baseball. But I also don't agree with calling their pitching a "weakness".

 

[JimJohnson]

Once again Troll05 misses the poster's point.

It's become apparent that anyone whom you disagree with is either a troll or a dumbass. You're really putting that U of I degree to good use.

 

[JimJohnson]

Yep, I don't really agree that they have the best starting rotation in baseball.

To claim the Cubs staff is the best in baseball is laughable. It isn't. Not even if Arrieta goes 25-2 with a 1.1 ERA. Not even then would it be the best starting rotation in baseball.

 

[beckdawg]

Crikey. Baez hit MLB pitching better than Alcantara hit AAA, but a poster is riding Mendy's nutsack like he got a raw deal or is going to be the better pro?

Who said anything about a raw deal? I mean look I openly said I'm not objective when it comes to Alcantara but are people seriously getting pissed off because I'm still excited about a cubs prospect's talent? And for whatever it's worth I've read he's played well in the winter leagues. All I'm saying is people can believe Baez rebounds after a horrible 2014 why can't Alcantara? That doesn't mean Alcantara is or will be a better player than Baez. And as I said before, nothing I said was to cast negativity on Baez.

 

[Parade_Rain]

It's become apparent that anyone whom you disagree with is either a troll or a dumbass. You're really putting that U of I degree to good use.

Your post doesn't change the facts. He missed the poster's point.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Who said anything about a raw deal? I mean look I openly said I'm not objective when it comes to Alcantara but are people seriously getting pissed off because I'm still excited about a cubs prospect's talent? And for whatever it's worth I've read he's played well in the winter leagues. All I'm saying is people can believe Baez rebounds after a horrible 2014 why can't Alcantara? That doesn't mean Alcantara is or will be a better player than Baez. And as I said before, nothing I said was to cast negativity on Baez.

I'm neither pissed about your AA excitement nor do I wish to curtail it. Comparing his numbers to Baez when one actually hit MLB pitching and the other one went doesn't make a lot of sense to me though. If AA rebounds this season, it makes some trade chips more interesting.