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       #Post#: 199696--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: CUBluejays Date: November 4, 2014, 9:07 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=craig link=topic=209.msg199680#msg199680
       date=1415150028]
       Thanks, didn't know that.  How do Lester and Shields compare in
       that regard?  And, when you report the "extreme fly ball" rate,
       is that statistic in terms of fly-to-grounder or fly-to-AB?
       (When you K so many guys, that leaves fewer guys hitting the
       ball anywhere, air or ground.)
       [/quote]
       The type of hit/BIP
       Scherzer is GB% 36.7%, FB% 41.6% LD% 21.7%
       Lester's GB rate was down last year at 42.4%, but he had been
       45-53.6% in the past.
       Scherzer's needs to be a high K pitcher to be effective, the
       problem is his best pitch is a fastball.  Unless you're Nolan
       Ryan or on steroids you start to lose velocity in your 30's so
       it is going to be less effective as time goes on.  Throw in the
       fly balls and his aging becomes scary.
       Other than Wood, Bosio has been able to induce more GB's in his
       pitchers, so I would expect Lester's GB% to go up.  Lester's and
       Samardzija's GB% dropped about 3% after their trade to A's so it
       might be small sample size or something the A's want.  So while
       I think Lester isn't as talented as Scherzer, I think he'll age
       better.
       #Post#: 199703--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: CUBluejays Date: November 4, 2014, 10:38 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Kapman tweeted about Swisher/Jackson trade being rumored.  At
       least go for Bourn instead.
       #Post#: 199706--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: JR Date: November 4, 2014, 10:50 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=CUBluejays link=topic=209.msg199703#msg199703
       date=1415162336]
       Kapman tweeted about Swisher/Jackson trade being rumored.
       [/quote]
       Yeah but if they can't get Bourn, I think Swisher would be a
       nice swap.
       Actually I think I'd prefer Swisher.  Bourn's speed looks like
       it's going away, and he's not getting younger.
       #Post#: 199710--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: brjones Date: November 4, 2014, 10:59 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I'd prefer releasing Jackson to taking on Swisher.  He's done.
       He can't play OF anymore, so he's a no-hit 1B/DH only.  Cubs
       have no use for Swisher.  He  probably makes the team worse if
       he starts over Olt.
       Not a fan of Bourn either...but if the Cubs aren't going to
       sign/trade for a good OF this offseason, a Jackson/Bourn trade
       is probably okay.
       Best case scenario might be just releasing Jackson and not
       taking on someone else's mistake.
       #Post#: 199711--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: CUBluejays Date: November 4, 2014, 11:07 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I don't like either.  Swisher's knees are shot and he can only
       play 1B/DH, his bat is iffy, and his clubhouse presence is
       questionable.
       #Post#: 199717--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: guest61 Date: November 5, 2014, 12:41 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       You gotta take whatever you can get if somebody would take
       Jackson.
       I'd sure take Swisher in LF over several of the scrubs we've
       trotted out their lately too.
       #Post#: 199722--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: brjones Date: November 5, 2014, 6:31 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       You don't have to take someone worse than Jackson back.
       Swisher is coming off a season where he hit .208/.278/.331.  He
       had the highest strikeout rate and lowest walk rate of his
       career.  He has played only 33 games in the outfield the last
       two years, including only 6 in 2014--he can't play out there
       anymore.  He's bad defensively at first base when he plays
       there.
       Jackson's contract isn't preventing the Cubs from making other
       moves they want to make.  He seems to get along with everyone,
       and he hasn't blamed anyone but himself for his
       performance--there's no indication that he's another Milton
       Bradley situation.  There's nothing wrong with just throwing him
       into a mop-up relief role next year if someone like Swisher is
       the best the Cubs can get in return.
       #Post#: 199723--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: Ron Date: November 5, 2014, 7:08 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Arguello on why he believes that Russell Martin will not become
       a Cub.
  HTML http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2014/11/cubs-to-make-strong-bid-for-russell-martin-not-so-fast/
       #Post#: 199725--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: Playtwo Date: November 5, 2014, 7:34 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Arguello makes some very good points.
       #Post#: 199729--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove 2015
       By: craig Date: November 5, 2014, 8:31 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Agree there.  Arguello also makes some bad points, too.
       1.  He's talking $60/4 or $75/5.
       2.  He presents the age, availability, normal production prior
       to this bizarro career year that Martin just had, and
       availability to project why 2014 is non-representative and
       non-predictive.  Are John and Theo the only geniuses on the
       planet to notice those factors?  Those same factors that devalue
       Martin to Arguello (very appropriately, I may add....) should
       also devalue Martin to the rest of the market.
       3.  Likewise, the cost of a draft pick, and the cost of
       discretionary millions that can't be used on other targets
       applies to EVERY other team who might be interested (other than
       Pittsburgh, as regards the draft pick.)
       4.  Arguello makes a reasonable point that Martin would provide
       a larger upgrade in LA than in Chicago.  Very true.  But they
       may have their own whole network of priorities.  Might they bid
       strongly for him?  Perhaps so, and Arguello's argument that it
       makes more sense for them to pay him strongly than the Cubs is
       logical.  But, not necessarily safe to assume the Dodgers will
       choose to go strong on him.  Maybe they'll want to spend
       elsewhere, or maybe they don't want to add payroll at all, or
       perhaps they'll want to address catcher in some other way.
       5.  IN terms of the draft choice, the Dodgers would be giving up
       a higher pick than the Cubs.  Dodgers would lose 1st round guy,
       Cubs a 2nd.  With the sandwich round squeezed in, the Dodgers
       pick will be roughly 20 picks higher.
       6.  Arguello does a misleading double-count on the draft pick
       analysis.  He suggests that signing Martin would both cost that
       2nd round pick AND the slot money which could otherwise be used
       for getting somebody like Carson Sands.  Their is truth to the
       point; Stinnet signed under-slot, so both the underslot-amount
       and the overslot allowance that comes with that slot were
       available for later picks.  But, last year the Cubs "saved"
       $375K on Stinnet ($250 under slot plus the $125 10% overslot
       allowance); Carson Sands came in $620 overslot.  So Stinnett
       pick wasn't nearly close to being sufficient to cover the Sands
       pick.
       Personally, I think Martin is like anybody else.  He might be
       useful, but the value has to match the dollars.  I expect the
       Cubs will make a solid offer, but with the age and the modest
       offense projections for Martin and the draft pick involved as
       well, I don't think they're going anywhere close to $60/4, not
       even remotely close.  If somebody else is going to offer than
       kind of cash, I think Hoyer will be out of that discussion in a
       blink.
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