You're the GM (Game)

[beckdawg]

Washington's Pythagorean win total was 90 identical to the Cubs and yet they won 83 games while the Cubs won 97. I think both cases it indicates a combination of leadership and luck, negative in the Nats case and positive for Chicago.

It's easy to lead when things are going well is basically what I was getting at. I'm honestly not one to think leadership is such a huge deal. I tend to believe you lead by playing better. However, my skepticism aside if there ever is a case for someone I see as having a positive impact by "leading" it would be Maddon. To me he's great at diffusing the tension. I don't really think it's about rah rah pep talks and what not. I think teams falter because things go bad and they stress over little things which makes them play worse and creates a negative feed back loop. Maddon doing weird crap like bringing in a magician for whatever reason seems to diffuse that tension.

 

[Parade_Rain]

I think that's one too many. They've indicated that they're keeping 13 pitchers.

Do we have a prediction thread? Ross comes down with a mysterious injury, placed on IR and becomes a coach of sorts while on the IR. Schwarber gets the backup catcher role unless and until Contreras comes up in September. I know, it's a crazy prediction.

 

[chibears55]

I think that's one too many. They've indicated that they're keeping 13 pitchers.

8 relievers and only 4 bats on bench dont work too well in NL, it will end up biting them in ass more times then not. .

Especially if their going to be using late inning defensive replacement and the usual not using the backup Catcher as a PH just in case...

 

[Diehardfan]

I think that's one too many. They've indicated that they're keeping 13 pitchers.

Which is exactly why they won't sign Jackson. One of the four is already all D and no bat with Ross...they don't need a guy who strikes out 25% of his ABs and is only an average defensive player. With the flexibility that they have, I'm not even sure a guy like Szczur can make this team. I'm thinking they'd be looking for a guy who excels at pinch hitting for that last spot.

 

[Diehardfan]

Do we have a prediction thread? Ross comes down with a mysterious injury, placed on IR and becomes a coach of sorts while on the IR. Schwarber gets the backup catcher role unless and until Contreras comes up in September. I know, it's a crazy prediction.

Anything that keeps Ross on the bench but off the active roster, works for me.

 

[beckdawg]

I'm thinking they'd be looking for a guy who excels at pinch hitting for that last spot.

That's not really been the MO of this front office. What they have done instead was focus more on splits. For example, last season they had Cogs who hits RHP well and they signed Deno as a guy who hits LHP well off the bench. They then played matchups when pinch hitting. It's one of the reasons I mentioned Jackson in the first place because he hits LHP well and 2 of their other 4 likely OF didn't last season.

 

[85Bears]

Whether they are or not to me is kind of beside the point. I mean we're almost always talking hypotheticals here because none of us work for the team as far as I know. My view is that CF could be an area of weakness for the team. If people just don't like Jackson i mean to each their own. I just feel like he's the best remaining option out there to strengthen that area of weakness and I find the present options for the cubs limited if something were to happen.

As for Almora, think that's really premature. I mean look I like Almora and have defended him when most the past year and a half were throwing him around as trade bait. However, he's not had a single PA at the AAA level and while his second half at AA was encouraging don't really think you can count on him just tearing up AAA and being ready by midseason. The general thought process behind this idea seems to be the cubs have been aggressive in call ups for Schwarber and Russell. However, the difference was they called them up to start. If Almora is called up based on what we presently know he's what your 5th OF? I don't think the team would halt his development as a hitter sitting him on the bench and not getting many PAs that way. If you call him up to essentially sit the bench as a defensive replacement your wasting time on his service clock for no real gain.

What I think you're looking at is a full year in AAA for Almora that hopefully goes well with likely a Sept. call up. Then next offseason you figure things out. Maybe Cogs walks as I believe he's a FA and you give Almora the 4th OF role who plays more than a 4th OF since Schwarber will catch some. That's really why I don't see that signing Jackson or anyone like him stops flexibility. If anything, Almora probably needs that year in AAA more than a fast promotion since his area of weakness has been his hitting to an extent. Now, if Almora does get really hot in AAA and maybe they deal Soler for pitching(not saying they should) maybe then you have a different conversation here because he'd actually see regular game time.

I agree with you if everyone stays healthy. If Soler goes down or something, I bet they call him up and move Heyward to right.

 

[chibears55]

Too bad Orioles didn't sign Fowler first, then Cubs would've gotten the 14th pick instead of 28th if Orioles still signs him.

 

[beckdawg]

Too bad Orioles didn't sign Fowler first, then Cubs would've gotten the 14th pick instead of 28th if Orioles still signs him.

Not how it works. Those picks are forfeited and the cubs instead get a pick in the sandwich round. Not sure exactly how they determine the ordering but it'll be like some where between like 25-40 iirc

 

[chibears55]

Not how it works. Those picks are forfeited and the cubs instead get a pick in the sandwich round. Not sure exactly how they determine the ordering but it'll be like some where between like 25-40 iirc

They already said 28th if he signs with orioles

Rangers got the 14th pick fir Gallardo

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[beckdawg]

They already said 28th if he signs with orioles

Rangers got the 14th pick fir Gallardo

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It's not a straight exchange of the picks. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/10/explaining-the-qualifying-offer-system.html

Forfeited picks don’t go to other MLB teams (as they used to under the old Type A/B system). Instead, they disappear and the first round is condensed. In turn, teams that lose a player who declined a qualifying offer are awarded a compensatory pick at the end of the first round, before the competitive balance choices. Such compensation picks are awarded in the inverse order of record. As a result of these rules, the draft order is constantly fluctuating over the offseason. Click here for last year’s ultimate draft order to see how it can end up looking.

Also for what it's worth, this pick isn't even the cubs anyways. The cubs forfeit the pick they get for fowler by signing Heyward and Lackey instead of their 2nd round pick.

 

[chibears55]

It's not a straight exchange of the picks. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/10/explaining-the-qualifying-offer-system.html



Also for what it's worth, this pick isn't even the cubs anyways. The cubs forfeit the pick they get for fowler by signing Heyward and Lackey instead of their 2nd round pick.

Ok..
Just telling you what they say on mlb network
Im guessing they would know

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[beckdawg]

Ok..
Just telling you what they say on mlb network
Im guessing they would know

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Sorry if I came off sounding dickish about it. Didn't really mean it like that way and this shit is pretty confusing especially when the old way you did actually exchange picks.

 

[chibears55]

Sorry if I came off sounding dickish about it. Didn't really mean it like that way and this shit is pretty confusing especially when the old way you did actually exchange picks.

No..no big deal
Just saying what I heard

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[SilenceS]

This is from before they signed him, but the reason it took so long was because they didn't know if they wanted to give up the 14th pick.

"The Orioles have a penchant for late strikes in the market," writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. "They have an obvious need for rotation depth (their current No. 5 options include Vance Worley, Tyler Wilson and Mike Wright) and are waiting/hoping for Gallardo's price to lower to the point that giving up the No. 14 overall pick (and the slot money associated with it) makes sense. Maybe it'll never get to that point, but if the O's are serious about contending this year, they really, really need help in that rotation."

http://www.hngn.com/articles/177065...y-o-s-considering-surrendering-draft-pick.htm

 

[SilenceS]

Ill just put this here. This will be David Ross final season. In honor, Rizzo and Bryant run an Instagram account for him to share memories from the year. The Instagram account is "Grandpa Rossy".

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/02/21...-kris-bryant-run-david-ross-instagram-account

 

[beckdawg]

Ill just put this here. This will be David Ross final season. In honor, Rizzo and Bryant run an Instagram account for him to share memories from the year. The Instagram account is "Grandpa Rossy".

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/02/21...-kris-bryant-run-david-ross-instagram-account

Kind of makes you realize why the team keeps him around despite his questionable offensive skills.

 

[brett05]

Ill just put this here. This will be David Ross final season. In honor, Rizzo and Bryant run an Instagram account for him to share memories from the year. The Instagram account is "Grandpa Rossy".

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/02/21...-kris-bryant-run-david-ross-instagram-account

I think it's pretty neat. twenty somethings are going to get in trouble. What's a good way on filling that with something positive? This right here. My hats off to both Rizzo and Bryant for doing this and for Ross being a good mentor thru this. If the Cubs win, this will make this all the more memorable.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Ill just put this here. This will be David Ross final season. In honor, Rizzo and Bryant run an Instagram account for him to share memories from the year. The Instagram account is "Grandpa Rossy".

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/02/21...-kris-bryant-run-david-ross-instagram-account

For all the comments we make about Ross' lack of offensive production, this guy must have some serious intangibles. The kids obviously appreciate him.

 

[Parade_Rain]

I think it's pretty neat. twenty somethings are going to get in trouble. What's a good way on filling that with something positive? This right here. My hats off to both Rizzo and Bryant for doing this and for Ross being a good mentor thru this. If the Cubs win, this will make this all the more memorable.

This is a fun team. What a great work environment that has been created and enabled.