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#Post#: 196691--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: Dave23 Date: October 3, 2014, 5:36 pm
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I like that...the Coming Age of Sucking Upon Advancing Levels...
It's casual...
#Post#: 196693--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: Jes Beard Date: October 3, 2014, 5:50 pm
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[quote author=craig link=topic=191.msg196683#msg196683
date=1412373197]
I have the crazy idea of being willing to leap up into the 19th
or even 15th highest payroll in baseball!
[/quote]
Hopefully the front office focuses on getting the team's W/L
record to rank much better than it has been, and not so much on
pushing the Cubs up higher on the list of highest payrolls in
baseball.
[quote author=craig link=topic=191.msg196683#msg196683
date=1412373197]
If you had to settle for building your infield with "only"
Rizzo, Castro, Bryant, Russell, and Alcantara, that wouldn't
exactly be a massive sellout of the rebuilding plan, would it?
[/quote]
It depends entirely on whether the Cubs believe Baez can and
will make the kind of adjustments in the majors he has
previously made after struggles on promotions at each level in
the minors. If they seriously think he can early in 2015 turn
around his major league performance to a degree comparable to
what he did in AAA, yes, trading him now would be a massive
sellout of the rebuilding plan, AND it would be selling low.
Personally, I don't think he is likely to do that, particularly
not if he starts the 2015 in the majors instead of starting in
AAA to focus on the things the Cubs want him to work on, which
would hopefully include improved pitch recognition, plate
discipline, and situational hitting. But I suspect the
Theocracy has somewhat better information than I do, a bit
better judgment of what he can and can't change and what he
needs to do so, and more at stake regarding their decision.
#Post#: 196694--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: Jes Beard Date: October 3, 2014, 5:57 pm
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[quote author=DelMarFan link=topic=191.msg196685#msg196685
date=1412373834]
Baez's advancement pattern tells us that what we have seen is
not what he is going to be, but that doesn't stop us from
panicking over every strikeout.
[/quote]
I think some of us are far less concerned with every strikeout,
or the aggregate number of strikeouts, than by every time he
swings at pitched he can never hit (or even reach) and lays off
pitches right down the middle which he should be able to crush.
While it is true that the K's are generally a result of that
terrible pitch recognition, it is the seeming complete lack of
pitch recognition which is most troubling to me.
I see no "adjustment" he can make which will allow him to
adequately resolve that problem. I an not suggesting he can not
more than adequately improve there, but simply that no
adjustment in his stance, swing, leg kick, or approach at the
plate would seem to begin to address it.
#Post#: 196697--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: guest61 Date: October 3, 2014, 6:07 pm
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I'd much rather sign Lester than trade for Hamels but if we
could get him for say Baez, Almora, and Vogelbach Im game.
Kinda like Choi for Lee in essence.
#Post#: 196698--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: brjones Date: October 3, 2014, 6:08 pm
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But the other side of the "selling low" coin is that a player is
just losing value. There's always the chance that we're seeing
the beginning of the struggles that will turn Baez into a bust.
At AA and AAA, he started improving by the time he was around
100 ABs...yeah, it took longer to get all the way back to
previous levels, but he didn't take him 229 PA to start making
progress. And he never carried a 40%+ strikeout rate before.
Don't get me wrong...I'm not necessarily advocating a trade, or
saying that he shouldn't be traded. I'm just saying I see him
as a wild card. His struggles have been extreme enough that it
wouldn't be surprising to see this front office (who knows him
better than anyone) re-evaluate their opinion of him. And if
they thought this (or something anywhere close to this) is the
new normal, this would be the time to recoup as much value as
possible.
#Post#: 196725--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: bitterman Date: October 4, 2014, 12:39 am
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I won't baez would have had more trade value if he was left in
AAA
#Post#: 196731--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: Robb Date: October 4, 2014, 7:15 am
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[quote author=bitterman link=topic=191.msg196725#msg196725
date=1412401144]
I won't baez would have had more trade value if he was left in
AAA
[/quote]
Huh?
#Post#: 196741--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: ben Date: October 4, 2014, 9:26 am
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Good points, brjones. The other complications with Baez are
there certainly seem to be four talented players for only three
starting slots:
* Bryant seems very determined to play 3B and got solid reviews
for his play there this year...finding talent for LF is much
easier than for the infield,
* Castro returned to All-Star level (and will only be 25 next
year)...if he can sustain that level, it will be hard to move
him (other than, maybe, to 2B)
* and it seems rather likely that the FO values Addison Russell
quite a bit more than Baez both for Russell's tremendous skills
and ability, but also because he's obviously bright and
articulate, and everyone describes him, like Bryant, as an
outstanding person and future team leader...the kind of guy who
seems to fit our FO's paradigm perfectly.
Baez seems to bring a lot of swagger to the park, which can be
great, but if you can't back that up at the plate...(tho' maybe
he will figure it out one day and really mash)
It certainly wouldn't be hard to move Russell for pitching
talent at this time. However, his profile seems to fit the FO
Plan better than Baez'.
I'll hope we can keep all these guys, at least for next year,
and let it play out as it should....partly because I don't see
us as a serious playoff team in '15.
#Post#: 196752--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: davep Date: October 4, 2014, 1:24 pm
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[quote author=ben link=topic=191.msg196741#msg196741
date=1412432777]
Good points, brjones. The other complications with Baez are
there certainly seem to be four talented players for only three
starting slots:
[/quote]
Third base, shortstop, second base, left field, Center Field - I
count 5 starting slots.
#Post#: 196753--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (09/14 - 08/15)
By: CurtOne Date: October 4, 2014, 1:39 pm
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And you only had to use one hand!
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