Starlin Castro will be sidelined for the next 7 to 10 days after suffering a hamstring injury yesterday. The good news is that rather than getting an extended glimpse at Javier Baez playing shortstop, the Cubs may go with Emilio Bonifacio and Darwin Barney. How excited are you now?
I'm sure we'll see Baez at shortstop, but I'd hope he'd start just about every game in Castro's absence. If not, why even play baseball?
It doesn't sound like a big deal and with some rest we'll Castro back on the field.
Comments
Aisle424 wrote:
I don’t see what’s so funny. They made a design they were certain no one else would claim as their own. Takes balls. (dying laughing)
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
Suburban kid wrote:
It’s pretty much only been ‘Mike Olt’s eyes are in the best shape of their life’ type stuff.
I’ll take a wait-and-see approach.
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6W8AmgIPZN0/UxS_AOELxyI/AAAAAAAAAo0/_x5BfH_8m64/w648-h365-no/Alvin-oscars.jpg[/img]
Aisle424Quote Reply
FYI
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
(dying laughing)
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Lo(dying laughing)o(dying laughing)o(dying laughing)oli(dying laughing)ol
Just plain BVSQuote Reply
@ Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect:
Dmick’s dog isn’t going to be happy about that
Just plain BVSQuote Reply
@ Just plain BVS:
She needs something to wash all the rabbits down.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
…and Javier Baez’ home run just landed.
MylesQuote Reply
It’s hard not to put too much stock in spring training games against triple A squads like the Brewers, but fuck me if Baez doesn’t deserve an early look this year.
MylesQuote Reply
Giggity.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Seriously, look at how far Baez hits that ball when he doesn’t even get it all. If he squared that up better it would have been 475 feet. Javier Baez is INSANE.
MylesQuote Reply
@ Myles:
Not going to happen. He’ll start in Iowa even if he hits a million HRs this Spring.
Aisle424Quote Reply
I tried watching the game on MLB.TV, but they were interviewing Matt Garza for a whole half inning. I couldn’t take. I seriously couldn’t fucking take it.
akabariQuote Reply
Aisle424 wrote:
Oh, I know. I mean get him out of Super Two territory or whatever, that’s the best we can hope for. If Baez is in Iowa in August something has gone really, really wrong.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles wrote:
i really would rather see baez in iowa strictly because watching him give PTSD to every pitcher in the PCL will be more entertaining than watching him OPS .800 in the majors for a team that won’t win more than 75 games.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo wrote:
Make no mistake: whatever team Baez is on is the team I will watch on a daily basis. If that’s Iowa, so be it. Baez has the loudest swing I’ve seen on a Cub in a really long time. I can’t get over how weird his pre-swing, how early he sold out on that swing, and how far it travelled when he got maybe 80% of the ball.
MylesQuote Reply
Baez’ wrists are Barney’s biceps.
MylesQuote Reply
Oh, look; Baez gets fooled on a first pitch, muscles it for a single anyway
MylesQuote Reply
Myles wrote:
I’m hoping that they bring him up soon enough that he can be sent back down if/when there are bugs to work out, allowing him to come back up for good in September. If he’s as advertised, I’m not sure you dick around with his service clock. He’ll be extended sooner rather than later anyway, right?
uncle daveQuote Reply
uncle dave wrote:
You’d hope, but you never know. Also, if the Braves extensions are the new normal, they aren’t as fruitful for the Club as you’d think.
MylesQuote Reply
Aisle424 wrote:
I could see it if he has a strong spring and Castro gets more seriously injured. Castro pretty much hit his way into the lineup, though that was under Hendry. Still a bit of a stretch though.
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
Myles wrote:
What is the early look on Baez’ plate discipline? Still a free swinger? I’ve been through this thing with BJax before, Javier needs to prove he can take a walk.
I can’t help but think the Cubs would have multiple championships if Voodoo was instituted as part of the training regimen. Clearly, the problem is that Jesus isn’t helping the Cubs hit curve balls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gndH9mhHPk0
PezcoreQuote Reply
@ Pezcore:
Look how young and clean Cholley Sheen is!
Just plain BVSQuote Reply
uncle dave wrote:
I was trying to make this point on Twitter, but I was shouted down pretty thoroughly, so I gave up.
I really don’t give a shit about 2019 or 2020’s budget, and since we hope he’ll be awesome they’ll lock him up anyway. Everybody is obsessed with the years of control, like the Cubs are the Rays or something.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Basically, if Baez plays throughout the Spring the way he has so far (many hits, much power, extremely loud outs) after he annihilated AA last year, you’d have to say he’s the best player on the team. Period. So have him on the fucking roster and we’ll worry about losing a year of control in 2020 or whatever later.
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
This. It’s not like the Cubs have money. They don’t need to play small ball with service time.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
This
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
Aisle424 wrote:
I agree with you. Cap Space is important any time the Cubs aren’t contending.
I think Theo runs the cubs by the tried and true There is No Such Thing As A Pitching Prospect method. This would explain the barren cabinet of AAAA hurlers and the derth of a rotation. Prospects and Cap Space, in this model, are important so you can absorb the contracts of established hurlers in or close to their “prime”. “Shark” is at the right age right now for consideration.
I’ve said before: Free Agents under the new CBA will be less talented, more scarace more expensive and older. It looks horrible for a team to let a player walk “without compensation” and with 3-5 comp. eligible players every year, this is much more common. The days of a B Comp pick for a #2 reliever are no more.
The plus side is that the hot stove burns hotter each year when teams reach that “oh shit” moment sometime before the trade deadline when they realize “Star Player X” is leaving town and they can’t resign him. For example, Matt Garza and James Shields last season.
PezcoreQuote Reply
Is Javier Baez the best player at a position you think he’s best suited for? If the answer to that question is “yes” then he should be on the MLB team when the season starts. It’s as simple as that to me. If Baez is as good as people hope, he will be extended and that extra year won’t matter. I think there’s a strong case to be made that Javier Baez is the best player in the Cubs organization right now. To be honest, I don’t think there’s any excuse to keep him in the minor leagues other than you want to see how he’ll do in AAA. A month isn’t going to tell you a lot more than a week or two would. That month isn’t going to tell you more than what you know right now.
I don’t really give a shit if Baez starts the year at the MLB level, AAA or AA. This team would only be slightly more watchable with him on it, but it’s a pretty easy decision in my opinion. I don’t know what the answer is, but it’s a fairly simple question to ask.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
Welcome to the new face of baseball general management. The loopholes have been sealed.
If Theo uses the 20+ million yearly absorb the contract of David Price in a deadline deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, will not signing the Japanese Baseball Jesus and not spending money be a bad thing?
For example, The Cubs trade Jorge Soler and Anthony Rizzo for David Price on June 27th would you be impressed?
PezcoreQuote Reply
dmick89, Sweatpants Guru wrote:
Bad Idea.
Baez shouldn’t play a regular season ML inning until 2015.
2011 Brett Jackson (AA-AAA) : 73 BB, 138 SO
AAA (Iowa) Stats: .297/.388/.551 with 10 HRs in 217 ABs
vs.
2013 Javier Baez (A+-AA): 40 BB, 147 SO
AA (Tennessee) Stats: .294/.346/.638 with 20 HRs in 240 ABs
I can’t advocate putting a player who had 147 strikeouts in 577 at-bats between A+-AA last season as a starter on a major league team. I don’t care how many home runs he had in the minors. Bryan LaHair and Rebel Ridling hit 30+ home runs at AAA. Where are LaHair and Ridling now?
Baez needs another year of seasoning.
PezcoreQuote Reply
Vizcaino in the game
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
@ Pezcore:
Can’t compare him to one or two players as if that proves a point or bring up two significantly less talented prospects either.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
@ dmick89, Sweatpants Guru:
If a player not named Javier Baez struck out 147 times between A+-AA last season, would he be considered ready for prime-time? That is a big red flag for me.
PezcoreQuote Reply
If the Cubs are going to wait for Baez to not strike out before calling him up, he’ll never play at Wrigley.
Aisle424Quote Reply
If he’s got the talent, let him learn at the MLB level. I don’t see why a player is supposed to be able to learn more in the minors, but for some reason can’t learn while in MLB.
EdwinQuote Reply
The only reason I’d accept for the Cubs to start him at AAA (assuming he continues to terrorize the baseball) is if they are internally not hopeful he is capable of ever being the piece of the puzzle we all want him to be. If they think they are sitting on a K-machine whose value is sky-high on hope and praise of bat-speed, maybe he’s the one who gets packaged for some pitching.
He’s not Theo & Jed’s guy so they aren’t emotionally attached to him at all and he does have a fairly significant hole in his game that could end up being a career-killer like it was for Brett Jackson.
We’ll never know that unless he actually gets dealt, but if he’s held back because they got scared by the Rizzo experience or because they are trying to save a few dollars in 5 years, I’ll be pissed off. At this point, Javier Baez is who he is and the only real question remaining is how will he play on the biggest stage.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Edwin wrote:
I think it depends mostly on what they think of his makeup. MLB fans are much less forgiving of mistakes, especially when the team marketing departments are touting them as the greatest thing since sliced bread. Baez is going to make plenty of mistakes at SS and strike out a ton while he figures it out. There’s a reason the Cubs have debuted a lot of their prospects on the road the last few years.
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
@ Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect:
Yeah I went to the game Rizzo debuted at, at Wrigley (at dmick’s advice, no less) and it was INSANE how many people already had Rizzo jerseys and shirseys. I wouldn’t wanna debut at home, no sir.
akabariQuote Reply
@ akabari:
I’ll never forget Castro getting booed at his home debut. (dying laughing) I mean, honestly.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ Pezcore:
I think you assume that his strikeout rate will improve if he goes back to the minors. I don’t think it will. I think Baez is a low average, low obp, high slugging player. Now and in the future.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
That was fucking pathetic.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
God damn it I forgot about that (dying laughing). I’ll be damned if in 3 years, OV can’t take all their old articles about fans being assholes to Soriano and just change the name to Castro. It’s the same shit.
akabariQuote Reply
Cubs need to decide where Baez is going to play. If it’s not SS, he needs some time at AAA to learn that position. I think the bat is MLB ready (in that I don’t think that murdering AAA helps more than MLB would), but I don’t think it’s wise to have him learn 2B on the fly. There’s no sign that Castro is getting moved off SS, but if Baez murders AAA and Castro hits like last year, maybe Castro moves. I don’t think Baez can start at MLB until he’s comfortable at a new position and there’s more info on Castro.
I think even a low BA, low OPB Baez could hit about as well as Pedro Alvarez. He will destroy bad pitches and hit many homeruns. A scary bat will lead to more walks, unless it’s a simple case of not being able to lay off the low and away slider.
jQuote Reply
Honestly, Baez is a SS at this point. I think scouts have more-or-less agreed that he can play the position at least passably. If that means Castro moves to 2B or 3B, so be it. Give Castro the first 2 months while Baez plays in AAA (and let’s not forget, there are things Baez can still learn in the minors), and if he plays like the old Castro, then think about moving Baez to 2B. If Castro is 2013 Castro, move Castro to 2B and let Baez play at SS every day.
MylesQuote Reply
Alternatively, trade Baez for Chris Archer and Matt Moore both.
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[/img]
MylesQuote Reply
Myles wrote:
Do not want. Both because I think his mlb numbers have been a mirage and I don’t want to constantly be reminded of the Garza trade (dying laughing).
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect wrote:
We have totally disparate perceptions on Chris Archer, I guess. I think he’s a future Cy candidate, and you might think he’s Jeremy Hellickson.
MylesQuote Reply
@ Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect:
Yeah, I agree. I definitely wouldn’t trade Baez for him.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
Myles wrote:
Sounds like you’re talking about the same person.
Jeremy Hellickson’s MomQuote Reply
There might not be 5 sliders better than Archer’s. That being said, he might not even have the best slider on his team. Seriously, Archer’s slider could be up there with the Prices and Darvishes of the world pretty soon, and when you pair that with an easy plus FB you can really dominate hitters. His changeup is mediocre, but they usually come last. If he can have even an average changeup, that’s a frontline arsenal.
MylesQuote Reply
@ Myles:
He’s got a fantastic slider, but I’ll believe it once Archer keeps throwing strikes on a regular basis. Since being traded to the Rays his big league BB/9 is 2.91, while his minors walk rates over his whole career (including after being traded) have been in the 4-5 BB/9 range. Usually it’s safe to expect that number to go in the other direction, not drop by 25%
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
Archer has always had front of the rotation stuff, but poor control. It was better last year, but I’m far from convinced it’s a real improvement. Even with the improved walk rate, it’s not like he was a dominating pitcher. He had arm trouble early in his career, is 25 now and turns 26 at the end of the season. Again, Archer is a guy with front of the rotation potential, but Baez is a guy with MVP caliber potential. Baez is four years younger, under control longer, has more potential and he can play every day. Chris Archer barely even gets the discussions started for me. In some ways, I’d consider him a throw-in in any potential trade.
Why trade MVP potential for Cy Young potential when the Cy potential is 4 years older?
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
I’d also add that at Baez’s age, we can expect much more improvement than we can from Archer. Archer, more than likely, is already what he is. Baez will improve.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
Based on the Cubs apparent timeline, the Cubs ought to be trading Baez for someone born no earlier than 2008. (dying laughing)
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
@ dmick89, Sweatpants Guru:
I’be okay if only one of Baez, Almora, Soler or Bryant make the hall of fame. But we need at least two of them to be MVPs
/Yellon’d
akabariQuote Reply
Lineup today
Bonifacio
Murphy
Rizzo
Ruggiano
Sweeney
Wells
Schierholtz
Barney
Whiteside
K Hendricks
No Baez, Bryant = meh
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
In my defense, I didn’t say I’d trade him straight up. However, I would snap say yes to Moore + Archer, or Jennings + Archer, or Cobb + Archer, or Myers + Archer, or basically any configuration of those 5 guys.
For as great as Baez is, he’s a guy that has a strikeout rate right around 25% in the minors, and he’s never been above AA (where he struck out 28.8% of the time). His walk rate is improving, but it’s hard to imagine it ever gets above 7% at the major league level. If Baez doesn’t improve his plate discipline, he could end up on the Pedro Alvarez train of wasted potential (Alvarez even had the same beer league power that Baez has, and had better walk rates in the minors). Baez is very far from a sure thing despite this generational talent ceiling. If Javier Baez becomes Pedro Alvarez at SS with somehow worse plate discipline, I think we’re still really happy – that’s a 3-4 win player right there if he can stick at SS. Would you rather have Chris Archer or Pedro Alvarez, though? I’d rather have Chris Archer. Let’s not pretend that Baez couldn’t end up floundering hard at AAA and end up being considerably flawed as a major-leaguer.
MylesQuote Reply
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect wrote:
What a wet blanket of a lineup
MylesQuote Reply
Myles wrote:
I don’t. It’s what I think I will happen, but not because of his specific flaws, but because the game is just damn hard to play and most prospects fail. Most of them fail miserably. However, Baez is one of the top 5 prospects in the game. Arguments can be made he’s at the top. There’s just no way I’m trading him for anything less than an already great player and Archer isn’t that. I think Archer is probably a number 4 starter and those pitchers are a dime a dozen.
If the goal is just to get most wins in return, yeah, that trade is probably that, but you could make better ones. You could also make ones that get you that elite player in return.
The trade you’re suggesting reminds me of the Wil Myers trade. That was a great trade for the Rays.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
@ Myles:
That’s a lineup that screams “Don’t Watch!”
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
Baez kind of looks like Aramis, early in his Cubs tenure, at the plate
SSQuote Reply
Uhhhhhhh
JonKneeVQuote Reply
The real question everyone is dancing around is if the Cubs trade for Archer, will they be able to flip him for Nolasco?
srbutch5Quote Reply
srbutch5 wrote:
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
Ted Lilly ———> Cubs FO
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospect wrote:
Hell yeah. Also, I called this in my Ways the Cubs Can Contend. Is his official title “Bounty Hunter?”
MylesQuote Reply
Regarding Baez and which level he plays in April or even June, my son reminded me that Epstein’s stated philosophy is to promote prospects only after they have “dominated” at their current level. One wonders if ST counts at all toward his next level, and if not, how long this domination must be sustained at AAA. In any case, this would throw cold water on the idea of him breaking camp with the AAAA team, even if he is the best player in the org.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Suburban kid wrote:
Yeah, there’s no chance he’s playing in Chicago in April. Well, assuming the Cubs don’t have 30 injured players anyway.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
Best way to get out of jury duty? Go.
dmick89, Sweatpants GuruQuote Reply
Suburban kid wrote:
Literal spit take on this (dying laughing)
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
New shit
http://obstructedview.net/facepalm/ov-daily-facepalm_3-4-14.html
Berselius, Cubs #12 prospectQuote Reply
That union makes so much sense that it’s unlikely to happen.
Like You CareQuote Reply