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       #Post#: 197360--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: Jes Beard
       Date: October 10, 2014, 4:48 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Ron link ---
       >
       > Here's the link to John Arguello's summary of Theo's comments
       at today's season ticket holder event.  It makes for a nice
       read, including his comments at the end about the
       culture/attitude of the young players in Arizona.
       >
       >
  HTML http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2014/10/that-is-soooo-cub-and-thats-a-good-thing/
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       [i]He emphasized that the Cubs have in no way given up on Javier
       Baez and Arismendy Alcantara and compared the former's struggles
       to that of Anthony Rizzo and Ron Santo early in their careers.
       [/i]
       Though Theo seriously overstates' Santo's early difficulties (he
       had an OPS+ of 97 as a 20 year old rookie in more than 380 PA)
       to compare Baez and Alcantara's performance to Santo's, it is
       nice to see that he understands Santo's role in Cub lore and
       made a point to mention him.
       #Post#: 197364--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: craig
       Date: October 10, 2014, 5:51 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thanks, Ron.
       *"Our goal in 2015 is to win the NL Central".
       *The goal of getting two pitchers, one "impactful" and the other
       an innings guy, makes sense.  Add Scherzer and Hammels, and
       you've got a staff you can win the division with, if you get
       some offense.
       *The Bryant-in-OF talk makes a lot of sense, given the comments
       that DaveP quoted from the AA announcer, and the other
       infielders in the system.  Bryant/Soler in the corners, Valbuena
       at 3B, Baez at 2nd, Alcantara in center.
       *I'd sure like to see a good CFer added, but have no idea who
       that could be or what it would take to get one, or whether the
       price would be worth it.  If Baez and Alcantara are both regular
       starters, perhaps both will be competitive and winners next
       year.  Or perhaps only one will be an auto-out; a
       pennant-winning team could have one of them with a low OBP.
       #Post#: 197365--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: CUBluejays
       Date: October 10, 2014, 5:58 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I guess the Mariners want to get rid of Michael Saunders for
       cheap. He'd be intersting, I'm not sure if he can really play CF
       though.
       #Post#: 197370--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: davep
       Date: October 10, 2014, 7:01 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Jes Beard link ---
       >
       > [i]He emphasized that the Cubs have in no way given up on
       Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara and compared the former's
       struggles to that of Anthony Rizzo and Ron Santo early in their
       careers.  [/i]
       >
       > Though Theo seriously overstates' Santo's early difficulties
       (he had an OPS+ of 97 as a 20 year old rookie in more than 380
       PA) to compare Baez and Alcantara's performance to Santo's, it
       is nice to see that he understands Santo's role in Cub lore and
       made a point to mention him.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       I wonder if it is possible that he was referring to Santo's
       third year, when he had an OPS+ of 74.
       Nah.  Probably not.
       #Post#: 197373--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: craig
       Date: October 10, 2014, 7:19 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: davep link ---
       >
       > I wonder if it is possible that he was referring to Santo's
       third year, when he had an OPS+ of 74.
       --- End Quote ---
       Interesting, hadn't realized he'd had such an off year his 3rd
       year.  Rookie he was fine, just about league average at age 20.
       After that OPS+ of 74 in year 3, age 22, it was all
       good-good-good.
       He played 162 games that season, so not injured (much).  Hadn't
       realized he played some SS back then,  8 games.  I wonder if his
       diabetes was new then, or if he was figuring out how to manage
       that with his playing?
       #Post#: 197375--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: davep
       Date: October 10, 2014, 7:33 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       He was diagnosed with the diabetes while in high school.
       #Post#: 197381--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: Jes Beard
       Date: October 10, 2014, 8:05 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: davep link ---
       >
       > I wonder if it is possible that he was referring to Santo's
       third year, when he had an OPS+ of 74.
       >
       > Nah.  Probably not.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       A rough 3rd year, after two good ones, really is not comparable
       to what Baez did this year.  That 3rd season may well have been
       what Theo was referring to, and, if so, it simply was the wrong
       reference.
       #Post#: 197387--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: davep
       Date: October 10, 2014, 10:43 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       He did not say "the beginning of his career".  He said "early in
       his career".  The third year into a career as long as Santo's is
       certainly early.
       #Post#: 197395--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: Jes Beard
       Date: October 10, 2014, 11:40 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: davep link ---
       >
       > He did not say "the beginning of his career".  He said "early
       in his career".  The third year into a career as long as Santo's
       is certainly early.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Neither of us were there to hear exactly how Theo said anything,
       so we only have the piece at the link to rely on, and it
       paraphrases what Theo said instead of offering a direct quote,
       but when paraphrasing, it was as follows: "He emphasized that
       the Cubs have in no way given up on Javier Baez and Arismendy
       Alcantara and compared the former's struggles to that of Anthony
       Rizzo and Ron Santo early in their careers."
       Santo's troubles were not nearly as bad as those of Baez (OPS+
       of 51), Alcantara (OPS+ of 70), or Rizzo (51), each of whom
       struggled immediately, and without any sustained initial
       success.  A guy who has had two successful major league seasons
       before age 23 (Santo) is not one many teams will even be tempted
       to give up on with an OPS+ of 74 in the third season.  Guys who
       start out as rough as Baez, Alcantara or Rizzo might well see
       some teams give up on them.  The performances simply are not
       comparable, and according to the link, that is exactly what Theo
       was doing, comparing them.
       #Post#: 197409--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
   DIR By: Playtwo
       Date: October 11, 2014, 9:08 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I guess not everyone is enthralled with Theo's approach:
  HTML http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/30204146-573/not-buying-theos-cubs-song-and-dance.html#.VDk5GxbDVyM
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