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Lions017

Joined: 15 Feb 2009
Posts: 4319
Location: Michigan

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:44 pm Post subject:

CBears019 wrote:

How do you guys feel about our catching situation? Didn't they have the worst-ranked catching dup last year.

I know they signed Navarro earlier, but had I known they were going to spend money then I would have liked to see them go after Pierzynski. He played real well last year and could be a guy to trade at the deadline to continue getting prospects.

I would like to see what Castillo can do. In any case, I wouldn't worry about signing an old catcher like AJ.

As for a package involving Olt, I think that the Cubs would be thrilled to get it done. If they could get Olt + anything else useful at all for Soriano and Garza, I think that they would do it. Soriano just isn't part of the long-term plan, and we really need a third baseman.
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hrubes20

Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 8620

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:10 pm Post subject:

gofrogs wrote:

hrubes20 wrote:

CBears019 wrote:

hrubes20 wrote:

Wow. If any of you guys post at PSD, you know that Marlin Bystro has been a terrific inside source for Cubs rumors. He just dropped a pretty big one, in that the Cubs are definately in the mix for Michael Bourn.

So much for the FO being content to tank another season.

I remember rumors of that earlier in the offseason, but his price tag was ridiculous. If he came down from that $100M mark I'd be interested in getting him.

I'm trying to think of another team that really needs a CFer and could afford him, and none are coming to mind. Maybe the Rangers or White Sox, but they could just as easily go with Leonys Martin or Alejandro De Aza.

Im pretty sure we are going to platoon Martin and Gentry in center so we probably arent interested in Bourn.

Do you guys think a package of Olt, Grimm, Murphy, Borbon and Odor would get Garza and Soriano (with $22-$26M of his contract covered)?

If not what do you think fits better. (Profar is not in the conversation)

I am a fan of that framework. Probably a more pitching-heavy and prospect-centered package coming back to the Cubs, rather than big league players though.
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hrubes20

Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 8620

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:12 pm Post subject:

CBears019 wrote:

Just let Castillo play out there. He has all the tools to be an above average starting catcher in the bigs, he just needs more reps and experience. Navarro is a solid backup to have. I'm not concerned with the C position right now. 3B and CF are the big problem areas.
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CBears019

Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 14765
Location: Iowa City, IA

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:14 pm Post subject:

Just thought I'd post this little tidbit here:

Quote:

Milton Bradley - OF - Mariners
TMZ.com reports that Milton Bradley has been charged with 13 counts related to several alleged attacks on his estranged wife and could get up to 13 years in prison.
According to the report, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has filed charges against Bradley, 34, stemming from five different incidents involving spousal battery, criminal threats, assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and dissuading a witness from making a report. A .271/.364/.440 hitter over 12 seasons, Bradley never retired, but he didn't play in 2012 and is career in baseball is obviously over.

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wiscbearsfan

Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 6290
Location: WI

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:07 am Post subject:

hrubes20 wrote:

If you follow this MLBTR link you can see what Theo has to say about the importance of draft picks since all of the changes took place. I take it to mean no way on Bourn.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/01/nl-central-notes-cubs-.html

btw, how you doing hrubes? What's it been, 2 or 3 years?
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hrubes20

Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 8620

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:11 pm Post subject:

wiscbearsfan wrote:

hrubes20 wrote:

Haha. I thought we lost you for good on this site. Life get busy for ya? Good to see you back.

And yeah, I saw that about Theo and draft picks. I don't think he was saying that he would never give one up, just that it would have to be the right circumstances. Getting Bourn on terms the Cubs prefer might be good enough to make them give up the 2nd rounder.
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Lions017

Joined: 15 Feb 2009
Posts: 4319
Location: Michigan

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:15 pm Post subject:

So, we signed Scott Hairston today to a two-year deal.

Nice move. Hairston/Schierholtz should be a good combo out in right for us. He's a decent little trade chip too, and provides some insurance in case we trade Soriano.
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hrubes20

Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 8620

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:01 pm Post subject:

Lions017 wrote:

Yeah, I like the signing. Great platoon partner and, as you said, a nice trade chip at the deadline. Contenders are always looking for some pop down the stretch.

I'm actually half excited by what this team could do this year. I'm definately not expecting a division title, but they should at least be competetive.

C - Full season of Castillo, with a solid backup in Navarro is a huge upgrade from last season of Soto/Clevenger/Hill and half a year of Castillo

1B - Full season of Rizzo is a big upgrade over half a season of Rizzo and half a season of LaHair, with a few Clevenger/Baker starts thrown in

2B - Barney is Barney

SS - Castro made some monster strides the 2nd half of last season under new hitting coach James Rowson. BB rate was 8%, K rate was 13ish%, ISO was in the .160 range, etc. I'm hoping it isn't just a small sample, but that it is a permanent change, and that his September line of .324/.380/.486 is what we can expect from him in the future. His D continues to get better every day as well.

3B - Even if Stewart isn't completely healthy, he couldn't be worse than the crapfest we had there last year of injured Stewart/Valbuena/Vitters/Baker.

LF - Soriano definately could, and likely will regress from the 4 WAR he was last year. Question is, how much?

CF - DeJesus/Sappelt platoon will be a very big upgrade from Byrd/Campana/Jackson/DeJesus. DeJesus hit RHPs to the tune of a .826 OPS last year (a pathetic .438 OPS against LHPs) and Sappelt is effective against LHPs OPSing over .800 against them in AAA last year, and a ridiculous 1.237 OPS against them in his September callup last year. Both are at least average defenders.

RF - Schierholtz/Hairston platoon will be a big upgrade from DeJesus/LaHair/Baker options last year. Schierholtz rocked a .826 OPS against RHPs last year in 178 ABs, and a .801 OPS against them in 271 ABs the year before. Hairston mashed LHPs to a .867 OPS last year in 189 ABs. Probably slightly below average defense here, though.

Rotation - If they stay healthy, it is worlds better than last year. Chew on this, the 2012 Cubs had a combined 54 starts from the esteemed group of Jason Berken, Randy Wells, Chris Volstad, Chris Rusin, Justin Germano, Casey Coleman and Brooks Raley. No joke. Give those starts to quality MLB pitchers like Edwin Jackson, Scott Baker, and a healthy Matt Garza, and this rotation is much improved.

Bullpen - Marmol was very good down the stretch, so the hope is that we get a full season of the good Marmol. The addition of Kyuji Fujikawa should be a huge boost to the pen, and when Arodys Vizcaino comes up, that is 3 late inning arms on a team that only had half of one last year. Russell and Camp will get pushed back to the 6th and 7th innings where they are much better suited, and I think Rule 5 pickup, Hector Rondon, could really show something as well.

All in all, this squad should at least be worth watching this year.
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CBears019

Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 14765
Location: Iowa City, IA

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:12 pm Post subject:

Quote:

Tony Campana - OF - Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks acquired OF Tony Campana from the Cubs for RHP Erick Leal and RHP Jesus Castillo.

Theo's quest to acquire all of the pitchers lives on.
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hrubes20

Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 8620

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:47 pm Post subject:

CBears019 wrote:

Quote:

Tony Campana - OF - Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks acquired OF Tony Campana from the Cubs for RHP Erick Leal and RHP Jesus Castillo.

Theo's quest to acquire all of the pitchers lives on.

For Campana, that's a really nice return. And given the attrition rate of pitching prospects, the more the better (especially considering how bare the cupboard was of pitching prospects when the FO took over).

Some blurbs from camp:

- Garza strained a lat already
- Brett Jackson's revamped swing has looked good (I'm not holding my breath until I see it work in games)
- Jorge Soler has been putting on a show
- Samardzija, E Jackson, Fujikawa all in midseason form
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CBears019

Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 14765
Location: Iowa City, IA

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 12:47 pm Post subject:

Garza to start the season on the DL; Shark to be opening day starter.
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Lions017

Joined: 15 Feb 2009
Posts: 4319
Location: Michigan

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 6:27 pm Post subject:

And it looks like that pitching depth is already important.

With Garza and Baker out for the beginning of the season, Travis Wood and Villanueva are going to grab those #4 and #5 spots.
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hrubes20

Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 8620

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:16 pm Post subject:

Lions017 wrote:

And it looks like that pitching depth is already important.

With Garza and Baker out for the beginning of the season, Travis Wood and Villanueva are going to grab those #4 and #5 spots.

I have to remember that it's only for 1 month. I can't take another 2012 season, where we had the likes of Chris Rusin, Justin Germano, Chris Volstad, Brooks Raley and Rodrigo Lopez making way too many starts.

But still, it ticks me off that Garza keeps getting these injuries. I suppose it should theoretically lower his price tag for his new deal, but I won't hold my breath.
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CBears019

Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 14765
Location: Iowa City, IA

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:09 pm Post subject:

Tigers are apparently looking for a closer and are taking a good look at Marmol, as well as some other teams. Someone wrote that he is likely to be on a different team by opening day.
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hrubes20

Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 8620

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:40 pm Post subject:

CBears019 wrote:

Tigers are apparently looking for a closer and are taking a good look at Marmol, as well as some other teams. Someone wrote that he is likely to be on a different team by opening day.

I believe that was Bruce Levine. It makes sense. Cubs already have Fujikawa to slide into the closer role; Marmol is a luxury on a non-contending team; and he would likely bring back a prospect that is at least mildly interesting.
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