DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Bleacher Bums Forum
HTML https://bbf.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Archives
*****************************************************
#Post#: 164561--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: brjones
Date: January 15, 2014, 7:16 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Here's Passan on Waddle & Slivy...it starts around 55:30 or so:
HTML http://espn.go.com/espnradio/chicago/play?id=10300042
#Post#: 164565--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: davep
Date: January 15, 2014, 7:36 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
When I read Passan's article, it seemed to me that he was a
little bit of an idiot.
I was wrong.
After hearing him on the Waddle show, I realize that he is a
mammoth idiot.
#Post#: 164566--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: Jes Beard
Date: January 15, 2014, 7:39 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote ---
> I know this will come as a disappointment to a number of
people here, but barring something unexpected Darwin Barney is
going to be the opening day 2B for the Cubs. They are going to
give him a chance to redeem himself after his terrible offensive
production last season. Maybe he'll justify their confidence,
or maybe he won't. But for a while at least, everybody should
get used to the idea of Barney as the regular 2B for at least a
little longer.
--- End Quote ---
While that is likely accurate, the "little longer" may be VERY
little longer if Baez and Bryant both continue developing.
#Post#: 164569--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: davep
Date: January 15, 2014, 7:42 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Assuming the Cubs do not sign a free agent or trade for a second
baseman, it seems quite likely that Barney will start the season
as the Cubs second baseman. But if he goes into June with the
208 (or whatever) average that he had last year, it is almost
certain he will be replaced, whether Baez or Bryant continue to
develop or not.
#Post#: 164583--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: Ron
Date: January 15, 2014, 8:05 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I decided to listen to the Passan interview, to listen to
Passan's claims, carefully but with an open mind. The first
thing he said (after making silly statements about the
importance of the Clark-the-mascot topic) was to say that he
doesn't believe that Theo has been given the resources to work
on things like "research and development" and "other sorts of
budgets that involve baseball operations." That strikes me as
flying in the face of everything I have read and heard. Either
he knows something no one else seems to or else he's so far off
base that everything else he says on this subject should be
dismissed out of hand.
When asked if he believed that Theo had no idea when he was
hired that the Cubs would be operating under the financial
restrictions they currently have, what he said, in essence, was
that they were aware that the nature of the purchase of team
(the debt structure) provided limitations, but that "I think
they expected more." This seems to me consistent with the
explanations that Ricketts and Theo have themselves given - that
the revenue changes they planned have taken longer to get off
the ground than expected (due to the multiple layers of
decisions, slowed down by rooftop owners, within city
government).
He then said Cub fans should have been aware of this because
Gordon Wittenmyer had been writing about it. In fact, he said
that Wittenmyer is the guy who got him started on this issue.
In my view, that's a far cry from bolstering the credibility of
Passan's views - I find Wittenmyer to be a sensationalist
whiner.
When asked if Theo could still "find light at the end of the
tunnel" even if it takes a little longer? He said, "Look, the
plan can always change, that's the danger of writing that two
years down the road the Cubs are going to be a disaster." Then
he mentioned the Rangers as an example, saying a couple of years
ago they "thought they were done spending" but then Yu Darvish
came along and changed things. So, basically, if and when the
Cubs do what Ricketts and Theo have said they are going to do,
Passan will just say, "Oh, they changed their plan."
It seems to me that there were two key things that Passan said.
One is that Theo has been denied the resources he expected for
baseball operations in general (including research and
development) NOT JUST FREE AGENTS. The second is that Ricketts
doesn't plan on spending money until the Cubs start winning
(whatever that standard that involves). The first appears to be
baloney, based on the ton of resources that have demonstrably
been put into baseball operations. The second is something that
only Passan claims to know to be true, as far as I can tell.
I admit that I was dubious about Passan's claims before
listening to this interview, nothing he said caused me to take
him seriously on this.
#Post#: 164585--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: Ron
Date: January 15, 2014, 8:14 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
As negative as Passan was about Ricketts, he positively gushed
about Cub prospects, including "These are guys who are going to
be All-Stars, I mean all of them." He went on to say that Kris
Bryant is better than Jose Abreu. He said "Almora will be a
protypical CF ... who could hit .320." He considers Baez the
biggest wild card - saying he could be an MVP or could possibly
"bust out" (in a bad way). He described Soler as "a great
athlete who can play baseball," but "the least likely to turn
into a super duper star, but he could be." Then mentioned
Rizzo, Castro and Castillo favorably as well.
#Post#: 164587--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: Jes Beard
Date: January 15, 2014, 8:26 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
As davep wrote....
#Post#: 164592--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: Ron
Date: January 15, 2014, 8:36 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: davep link ---
>
> Assuming the Cubs do not sign a free agent or trade for a
second baseman, it seems quite likely that Barney will start the
season as the Cubs second baseman. But if he goes into June
with the 208 (or whatever) average that he had last year, it is
almost certain he will be replaced, whether Baez or Bryant
continue to develop or not.
>
--- End Quote ---
As big a fan of Barney as I am, I totally agree. And that is as
it should be.
#Post#: 164597--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: brjones
Date: January 15, 2014, 9:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: davep link ---
>
> Assuming the Cubs do not sign a free agent or trade for a
second baseman, it seems quite likely that Barney will start the
season as the Cubs second baseman. But if he goes into June
with the 208 (or whatever) average that he had last year, it is
almost certain he will be replaced, whether Baez or Bryant
continue to develop or not.
>
--- End Quote ---
I saw that Olt claimed he is completely healthy today. If
that's true, best case scenario is that he's the third baseman
and Valbuena can take over 2B. If Olt wins the 3B job, Valbuena
>>>> Barney.
#Post#: 164602--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '14
DIR By: davep
Date: January 15, 2014, 9:39 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
If Olt is really healthy, I believe it is reasonable to assume
that he will break with the team when they go north. In that
case, I would love to have Valbuena replace Barney. But I
expect that Barney will start out as the everyday second baseman
until he proves once again that he can't hit.
But we can always hope.
*****************************************************
Page 2 of 345
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page