Cubs Fans...

IrishJayhawk · Dec 12, 2014

NDdomer2 said:
Yeah, I remember Boras was not happy late last year when we started calling up others and left Kris in 3A. As far as Boras is concerned the sooner that FA count starts the better for him.

Sounds like they'll wait for the first 20 days or so to call him up again in order to delay his free agency until 2021. I'm cool with that.

Kris Bryant’s eventual promotion will have to wait - Chicago Sun-Times

blueNDgold44 · Dec 12, 2014

No way they call him up at the start of the season. It would be asinine to lose a full year of eligibility for ~15 games.

blueNDgold44 · Dec 16, 2014

Signed Jason Motte today, thoughts?

IrishJayhawk · Dec 16, 2014

blueNDgold44 said:
Signed Jason Motte today, thoughts?

Love it. More than a year off Tommy John...now is about the time when pitchers make big strides. It's low risk, high reward.

Pops Freshenmeyer · Dec 16, 2014

Good, low risk signing.

The Cubs are running out of roster spots, though. They will have to boot somebody from the 40 man roster to add Motte and a second guy to add whatever outfielder they sign (not a tragedy).

The real issue is with the 25 man roster. I suspect Chicago is going to have to DFA (and thereby lose) some guys they would have preferred to keep.

blueNDgold44 · Jan 17, 2015

Rizzo expecting to win the Central. Absolutely love it! Is it baseball season yet?

NDdomer2 · Jan 17, 2015

Castro has officially moved to Arizona from DR after the second shooting he witnessed.

Also, Javy supposedly has lost 15 lbs.

blueNDgold44 · Jan 17, 2015

Good for both of them, I'm sure it was tough for Starlin to move away from his home but it was the best move for his career.

I'm assuming Baez lost the weight to be in better shape at 2nd, he didn't look like he had bad weight when he came up last season.

IrishJayhawk · Jan 17, 2015

I love this team. We're going to beat Miami for the World Series title this year. It's been projected...

blueNDgold44 · Jan 19, 2015

Straily and Valbuena for Fowler. Hate to see Valbuena go but with the crowded infield and Fowler's .366 career OBP it was definitely the right move for the Cubs.

IrishJayhawk · Jan 19, 2015

blueNDgold44 said:
Straily and Valbuena for Fowler. Hate to see Valbuena go but with the crowded infield and Fowler's .366 career OBP it was definitely the right move for the Cubs.

So what are the implications?

Baez at 3B, Alcantara at 2B, and Fowler in CF?

Bryant is destined for the OF, isn't he?

Does Fowler lead off?

IrishJayhawk · Jan 19, 2015

IrishJayhawk said:
So what are the implications?

Baez at 3B, Alcantara at 2B, and Fowler in CF?

Bryant is destined for the OF, isn't he?

Does Fowler lead off?

Forgot about Olt. Maybe he's plugged in at 3B?

BobbyMac · Jan 19, 2015

IrishJayhawk said:
I love this team. We're going to beat Miami for the World Series title this year. It's been projected...

I'll take some action on this! lol

arrowryan · Jan 19, 2015

IrishJayhawk said:
So what are the implications?

Baez at 3B, Alcantara at 2B, and Fowler in CF?

Bryant is destined for the OF, isn't he?

Does Fowler lead off?

Fowler at CF, Baez at 2nd, Alcantara in RF, Bryant at 3rd

IrishJayhawk · Jan 19, 2015

arrowryan said:
Fowler at CF, Baez at 2nd, Alcantara in RF, Bryant at 3rd

Soler?

arrowryan · Jan 19, 2015

IrishJayhawk said:
Soler?

Shit, good catch. I have no idea then. They're in a little bit a pickle here with Bryant, Soler, Alcantara, and Lake. All 4 of those guys can be starters

Pops Freshenmeyer · Jan 19, 2015

arrowryan said:
Shit, good catch. I have no idea then. They're in a little bit a pickle here with Bryant, Soler, Alcantara, and Lake. All 4 of those guys can be starters

Alcantara's defensive numbers on the infield were really good and his defensive numbers in the outfield were really poor. This is probably (partly) explicable due to learning on the job in centerfield but I think the Cubs are going to use him as a utility guy for the time being with the opportunity to start at 2B or 3B if/when Bryant and Baez are in Iowa.

As for Lake, he's a lost cause, IMO. His batting line last season was just atrocious and he never hit that well in the minors. Now McKinney and Schwarber are interesting future options in left field but they are going to try Schwarber as a full time catcher this year and McKinney won't be ready for a shot until 2016 at the earliest.

So I'm expecting a Coghlan/Denorfia platoon in left field for the time being. Which probably projects rather poorly but it's probably a spot where Chicago is comfortable using a stop-gap when you add in the possibility that Bryant ends up there.

NDdomer2 · Jan 19, 2015

someones gotta play 3rd before Bryant comes up and my guess is La Stella.
Lake and Alcantara platoon somewhere. Soler in right.

IrishJayhawk · Jan 19, 2015

NDdomer2 said:
someones gotta play 3rd before Bryant comes up and my guess is La Stella.
Lake and Alcantara platoon somewhere. Soler in right.

I think this is right. They seem to love La Stella's ability to get on base.

Maybe?

Fowler CF
Coghlan/Denorfia LF
Castro SS
Rizzo 1B
Soler RF
Baez 2B
Montero C
La Stella 3B

Alcantara - Utility off bench

Pops Freshenmeyer · Jan 19, 2015

IrishJayhawk said:
I think this is right. They seem to love La Stella's ability to get on base.

Maybe?

Fowler CF
Coghlan/Denorfia LF
Castro SS
Rizzo 1B
Soler RF
Baez 2B
Montero C
La Stella 3B

Alcantara - Utility off bench

I would just add that Hoyer made a statement the other day that Baez would have to earn his at bats this year. My reading is that unless he hits well in the spring he will be back in AAA trying to learn to manage his strikeouts.

NDdomer2 · Jan 19, 2015

Pops Freshenmeyer said:
I would just add that Hoyer made a statement the other day that Baez would have to earn his at bats this year. My reading is that unless he hits well in the spring he will be back in AAA trying to learn to manage his strikeouts.

good

IrishJayhawk · Jan 19, 2015

Pops Freshenmeyer said:
I would just add that Hoyer made a statement the other day that Baez would have to earn his at bats this year. My reading is that unless he hits well in the spring he will be back in AAA trying to learn to manage his strikeouts.

Fair.

Pops Freshenmeyer · Jan 19, 2015

Agreed. Even with his offensive struggles, Alcantara's defensive numbers (in a somewhat limited sample) at second base would make him a league average starter.

If he keeps that up and just picks it up a little bit with the bat he would be a borderline all star. The guy can play and there's no reason to marginalize him while Baez hemorrhages runs trying to work out the kinks in his swing.

blueNDgold44 · Jan 23, 2015

RIP Ernie Banks.

Let's play two.

ACamp1900 · Jan 23, 2015

Ugh, sucks to hear...

Irishnuke · Jan 23, 2015

Terrible news. RIP Ernie.

NDdomer2 · Jan 23, 2015

One of the few old school baseball legends I had an honor to meet, even if informally. RIP.

twig21 · Jan 24, 2015

A true gentleman. Probably the most sincere, nicest celeb/athlete I've ever met. He had a phrase for golf similar to "let's play two". He walked in one day and said, "what a day pro, let's play 36" with the biggest smile ever. I am watching a tribute on MLB network now, I can't watch without being blurry eyed.

woolybug25 · Jan 24, 2015

It's always easy to dislike the stars of your nemesis, and as a Cards fan, there are a lot of Cub legends I don't like... Ernie Banks isn't one of them. A class act that played the game how it was supposed to be. May he rest in peace.

IrishJayhawk · Jan 24, 2015

Just a truly good human being. This one hurts.

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