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#Post#: 236418--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: Reb
Date: August 10, 2015, 3:56 pm
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--- Quote from: brjones link ---
>
>
> ....The Phillies picked up Tyler Pastornicky from the Rangers
in a minor deal today. He's the type of player you'd expect
them to bring in to finish the season if they were going to deal
Utley--still young, still with at least major league bench
upside--so that could be a sign that they intend to make a
trade.
>
--- End Quote ---
Philly beat writers say Phils believe Cesar Hernandez is their
2B of future--so moving Utley is to get Hernandez back in lineup
and to avoid awkward situation with Utley (and doing Utley a
favor to get him in a pennant race). Pastornicky is probably
just a depth guy.
Kind of a weird situation last few games pulling your 2B starter
out in 6th/7th innings for defense. Sure seems like Coghlan not
remotely close to big league standards turning the DP. Can't
get by with that for too long. So, seems clear Utley could be
useful, or even valuable at 2B, IF, IF he can still play. Well,
that's what scouting is for.
If Cubs deal for him, guessing will be more than what cost for
Haren. Phils figure to pick up most of the Utley tab.
#Post#: 236419--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: bitterman
Date: August 10, 2015, 4:02 pm
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Schwaber has been horrible at catcher. Reasonable to assume he's
your everyday LF
#Post#: 236420--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: August 10, 2015, 4:04 pm
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If he continues to hit and gets to where multiple teams can bid
for him I would guess the prospect price would get expensive.
If the Phillies are forced to deal with only 1 team you can
still get them to pay his salary and keep the price on prospects
down. I would guess it is very unlikely they would just let him
go on a waiver claim and if they do it is $4.5 million for the
rest of season and his team option is between $5-11 million
which would be less than what you would pay to sign somebody
like Kendrick.
#Post#: 236421--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: CurtOne
Date: August 10, 2015, 4:06 pm
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--- Quote from: bitterman link ---
>
> Schwaber has been horrible at catcher. Reasonable to assume
he's your everyday LF
>
--- End Quote ---
He's not Yadier, but he's far from horrible.
#Post#: 236422--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: CurtOne
Date: August 10, 2015, 4:07 pm
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Many playoff teams are deeper in the minors with role players
than perhaps the Cubs are. We may not be in good shape if we
have one or two major injuries. Baez, Alcantara could help, but
nothing of veteran presence.
#Post#: 236424--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: Reb
Date: August 10, 2015, 4:36 pm
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I got the feeling Sunday game watching Rondon throw
slider-after-slider with men in base that perhaps could not have
taken that approach with Schwarber catching. Just too high a
chance of pitch getting away. Very different with Rondon working
with Montero.
Schwarber is a LONG way away from being a regular as a catcher.
There is the misplay here and there. Some games not a big issue
but, as a 135-140 game starter at catcher, yikes.
The original James defensive spectrum did not even include
catcher at all because it's such a different type position than
those facing the batter. Also, catchers of course take such a
physical beating that have to worry that catching-type wear and
tear (and injuries) could affect an impact bat offense before
too long.
A big bat catcher like Posey is so different than Schwarber.
Posey was a natural catcher from day one in majors. Schwarber is
a huge project.
So, if three things happen: say, (1) Schwarber is a legit .900
or so OPS hitter and (2) turns out he's pretty good defensively
out in LF and (3) his progress as a catcher is slow and
incremental---- my guess, if those happen, is that brass will
abandon the Schwarber catching experiment by next season.
Defensive spectrum issues don't fully apply (as does with
Bryant-as-3B) and Schwarber's value is as a BAT.
#Post#: 236426--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: August 10, 2015, 4:44 pm
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List of .900 OPS catchers in the last 5 years.
Buster Posey 2012.
If Schwarber can be a .900 OPS catcher his value is very high.
His catching isn't great right now, but it isn't horrific
either. He would have much more value as an bad fielding
catcher than as an slightly below average LF.
#Post#: 236427--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: Chris27
Date: August 10, 2015, 5:09 pm
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People do realize that Utley has a .556 OPS I presume. I get
veteran presence but he's hit like Castro.
#Post#: 236428--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: Reb
Date: August 10, 2015, 5:15 pm
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List of .900 NL left-fielders in last 5 years:
Ryan Braun.
That's the entire list.
One AL guy: Josh Willingham one season--and he was barely over
the qualified ABs. Does he even count?
Virtually identical to the .900 OPS catchers.
This season's #1 OPS LFer: Cespedes at .804. That's .804.
The point is that a .900 OPS Schwarber in LF is a really big
deal, offensively, relative to his peers too.
So, yes, you can try to continue developing him as a
catcher---which I favor too at this point--but think he is
likely on short leash if the three conditions raised are met.
That, incidentally, was not "slightly below average" LFer but
rather "pretty good" LFer, which is different.
#Post#: 236429--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '15 (8/3 - 12/1)
DIR By: Ron
Date: August 10, 2015, 5:17 pm
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Reb had predicted some time ago that the Cubs were likely to
bring Schwarber up before September 1. Some of us didn't think
that was likely. Montero's injury forced the issue. Who knows
what would have happened without the injury. But the fact is
Schwarber is up and has produced at such an impressive level at
the plate that the Cubs have had to find ways to keep him in the
lineup, playing him in LF more than at catcher, where he is
still clearly a project. I think it's safe to say that this has
inhibited his progress at catcher to some extent (maybe only a
little, maybe more). Meanwhile he's performed capably in his
limited time in LF, more capably than in the far more demanding
role as catcher.
But the real question is what the Cubs will do now, given all of
this. Will they continue to try to develop him as a catcher in
the major leagues next season by playing him there 2-3 games a
week, under the supervision of Mike Borzello (who is reportedly
an excellent coach of the fine art of catching), playing him in
LF much of the rest of the time? Or will they give up on him
being a catcher altogether? I do think that unless he falls off
a cliff offensively, there the chance of him going back to AAA
to work on his catching next spring is between slim and none.
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