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#Post#: 114371--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: brjones Date: January 19, 2013, 7:36 am
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Bruce Levine says the Cubs and Diamondbacks talked about Upton,
but the Cubs cut it off when they asked for Castro.
#Post#: 114380--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: buff Date: January 19, 2013, 8:48 am
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I wouldn't trade Castro for 2 Uptons. I think Castro is a year
away from being a superstar.
#Post#: 114382--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: craig Date: January 19, 2013, 9:01 am
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I listened to a few minutes of convention last night. Including
feldman. A question was framed assuming he'd been promised a
starting rotation job, and while he didn't explicitly confirm
that as true, it seemed to be understood by both host and
Feldman that rotation was a given. But in explaining why he'd
chosen the Cubs, he gushed about great historic franchise/great
field/great fans. Most of you have already taken this for
granted, but the exchange certainly supported the assumption
that he's got a rotation job, not that he's competing for one.
He seemed like a really nice, upbeat, positive guy. Was very
uncomplicated in comment about pitching, just keep the ball
down, keep the ball down, keep the ball down.
Also heard a couple minutes with Scott Baker. He spoke really,
really well, sounded very intelligent and like he'd make a good
commentator someday. Said he felt good and thought he could
start like normal in spring training and when the season opens.
But acknowledged that they might not allow that. I certainly
got the impression that while Feldman is definitely assumed to
be in the opening rotation, that Baker almost certainly isn't.
Also heard a little bit with Samardz and Garza. My attention was
on other things, and they seemed mostly interested in trying to
be cool and be pop stars, so I didn't hear much baseball talk.
But there was a line or two where Garza was talking positively
about his arm. Hopefully he'll be OK, but we'll see. With his
weird personality, I'm not sure whether to take very seriously
what he says, or that he'd be able to be very objective anyways.
But certainly no red flags thus far.
#Post#: 114384--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: craig Date: January 19, 2013, 9:15 am
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Poster on other board said their was rumor that Garza was now
interested in a "sweetheart deal", whatever that means. I think
last year the gossip seemed to be that the Cubs had tried hard
to discuss extensions, but he'd wanted top FA price. Perhaps
now he's a little more interested in extension that would
involve a little discount? Not sure why his willingness would
change. Maybe being disabled for an extended period makes him
realize that reaching FA healthy and getting a megadeal isn't
totally certain. Maybe the inflating prices teach that even
with a modest discount, you're still fabulously rich. Or
perhaps he's just gotten comfortable with Sveum and the Hoyer
and the Cubs and now believes this is going to be a good place
to be. Not sure whether the board was just speculating or not,
but it was suggested that he'd want a no-trade.
I can totally see that from the player's side. If you're
wanting a deal because you like where you are and are
comfortable with management and teammates, and value that enough
to discount the deal a bit, doing that only to get traded would
kind of defeat the purpose. But I'd expect any no-trade would
need to involve some pretty substantial dollar discount.
Hendry has always been ripped for his no-trades, but I always
understood them. For a bunch of years he had a team that had a
legit shot but was not excessively talented, but he was pushing
his spending budget. So is it best to lose a key player, or
even a very important support player, over a no-trade? Refuse
the no-trade, and maybe you've got to pay an extra $2-mill per
year. Maybe you can't sign the guy at the extra price, or if
you do you'll need to go without some key reliever or utility
guy who might end up making a big difference.
#Post#: 114389--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: CurtOne Date: January 19, 2013, 9:40 am
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[quote author=buff link=topic=90.msg114380#msg114380
date=1358606928]
I wouldn't trade Castro for 2 Uptons. I think Castro is a year
away from being a superstar.
[/quote]
After some thought, with some guys in the pipeline, I'd trade
Castro for TWO Uptons. I'd swallow hard, but TWO Uptons? I'd
have to do that. But not for ONE Upton.
#Post#: 114416--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: Jes Beard Date: January 19, 2013, 12:00 pm
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[quote author=brjones link=topic=90.msg114371#msg114371
date=1358602596]
Bruce Levine says the Cubs and Diamondbacks talked about Upton,
but the Cubs cut it off when they asked for Castro.
[/quote]
Good.
#Post#: 114417--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: Jes Beard Date: January 19, 2013, 12:07 pm
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[quote author=craig link=topic=90.msg114384#msg114384
date=1358608514]
Poster on other board said their was rumor that Garza was now
interested in a "sweetheart deal", whatever that means. I think
last year the gossip seemed to be that the Cubs had tried hard
to discuss extensions, but he'd wanted top FA price. Perhaps
now he's a little more interested in extension that would
involve a little discount? Not sure why his willingness would
change.
[/quote]
How about because he now realizes that new arm problems before
he goes FA could mean no money? Or because he has real concerns
about whether his arm is in fact going to be as it once was? Or
because he feels good about the way the Cubs handled him with
the arm injury?
#Post#: 114418--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: davep Date: January 19, 2013, 12:19 pm
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How about all those facts and more.
#Post#: 114419--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: Jes Beard Date: January 19, 2013, 12:20 pm
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[quote author=CurtOne link=topic=90.msg114389#msg114389
date=1358610058]
After some thought, with some guys in the pipeline, I'd trade
Castro for TWO Uptons. I'd swallow hard, but TWO Uptons? I'd
have to do that. But not for ONE Upton.
[/quote]
Castro was 22 last year. The last time the Cubs had a star SS
who was 22 was.... not during my lifetime.
Dunston reached the majors at 22, but 250 AB and an OPS+ of 87
did not quite make him a star. Dunston didn't have an OPS+
better than 83 in any of the next four seasons, reaching an OPS+
of 100 at age 26.
Banks first played for the Cubs at 22, and did well in his 35
AB, but that is all he had in the majors thru age 22. The next
year he finished 2nd in ROY, with 19 HR, but an OPS+ of only 94.
(Now, at age 24 he sort of took off....)
Castro has a career OPS+ of 105 after three full seasons at age
22.
I have said it repeatedly from the time he came up -- Castro is
a special player.
#Post#: 114420--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs in '13
By: brjones Date: January 19, 2013, 12:33 pm
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[quote]
Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat
Sveum says expects team to finalize Villanueva deal today. Hang
up has been opening roster spot. #Cubs
[/quote]
That Marlin guy over at PSD said yesterday that the Cubs have
been looking for a 2 for 1 trade to open up a spot, so I guess
that could happen. More likely, though, someone is going to get
DFA'd. But it's something to watch for this afternoon, I guess.
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