07-17-2014, 08:56 PM
Baez HR.
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07-17-2014, 09:15 PM
Quote: Why the surprise? If Baez shows that he's solved AAA pitching over the next few months, he's a candidate to make the club out of Spring training. While I'm sure the club will likely hold him and Bryant back for the additional year of eligibility, Bryant's performance--coupled with a stated plan to be more aggressive in free agency--might escalate the timetables of B & B. </div> </blockquote> With Russell at AA and Castro at MLB, Baez has to move at some point. MIght as well be now. Isn't Russell somewhat likely to see AAA this year? 
07-17-2014, 09:24 PM
If Soler stays healthy, we may have something really special on our hands.
07-17-2014, 09:30 PM
The more I think about it, Soler is the only one that seems like he has a plausible shot of getting a callup. He was an Cuban international FA so he doesn't have an arb clock, and injuries have cost him at bats. With the MLB season going a month longer than AA or even AAA, the Cubs could get him ABs and throw a bone to the sheep without getting penalized down the road.
I hate my pretentious sounding username too.
07-17-2014, 09:36 PM
Soler has an MLB contract, so it's in everyone's best interest to move him along as quickly as possible, provided he can prove he is healthy enough, has enough ABs down there (across all levels) and isn't being challenged any longer.
07-17-2014, 09:42 PM
Yep, I'm also starting to be convinced that Soler is going to be very good if he doesn't get hurt.
07-17-2014, 10:02 PM
Very nice outings by both Beeler and Black as well. Good start to the 2nd half by all.
07-17-2014, 10:24 PM
Quote: Why the surprise? If Baez shows that he's solved AAA pitching over the next few months, he's a candidate to make the club out of Spring training. While I'm sure the club will likely hold him and Bryant back for the additional year of eligibility, Bryant's performance--coupled with a stated plan to be more aggressive in free agency--might escalate the timetables of B & B. </div> </blockquote> See, I don't think Baez is a candidate to make the team out of spring training for his first MLB experience. I can't imagine either he or Bryant making the team when waiting 1 month delays their FA eligibility by a year. Getting a call up and MLB time this season is a different question. I thought at the start of the season Baez was a candidate to get called up in the 2nd half. I had just come to believe his performance probably was going to keep that from happening (and I could still well be right on that). This just suggests that he could still get called up this year. It's possible might be willing to sacrifice a year towards free agency to get him 2-3 months of MLB playing time (Aug. - Sep. 2014 + April 2015), but I don't think they would just for April. </div> </blockquote> Probably not, but I can imagine a scenario--far-fetched while it may be--where Baez and Bryant tear it up the rest of the year, the Cubs are very active over the winter, and the FO decides they can contend from day one if both kids are up. Unlikely? Absolutely. But getting Baez the time at 2B right now isn't harming anything, so why not? Of course, there is also the unlikely contingency that they are freeing SS at Iowa for Russell. </div> </blockquote> Your points are entirely valid. The only thing that raises my eyebrows is that if the idea was to get Baez some playing time at another position, without an eye towards bringing him up this season (or bringing Russell up to Iowa, though I agree that's probably not going to happen), is why start now? They could have been getting him a start or 2 per week at 2B all season. </div> </blockquote> True that. At this point, I'm perfectly willing to give up prognosticating and be content to enjoy the ride.
One dick can poke an eye out. A hundred dicks can move mountains.
--Veryzer
07-17-2014, 10:28 PM
Also, at KC, Underwood picthed well, Fujikawa (remember him?) looked to be on the mend, and Gerardo Concepcion showed more signs of being a decent pitcher.
One dick can poke an eye out. A hundred dicks can move mountains.
--Veryzer
07-18-2014, 12:35 AM
The minor league recaps should be fun tonight/tomorrow.
Heavens, if Soler can stay healthy, and that's obviously a big if, he's as good as any bat this club has. The amount of power coming up is really wild. Baez, Bryant, Soler, Vogelbomb and Schwarber are all legit power bats. Add to that Russell and Almora...possibly McKinney? Just an insane collection of positional talent.
Dylan McKay is my hero
07-18-2014, 09:14 AM
If all those guys pan out it is definitely a great problem to have. However, I would guess that some of them aren't going to be on this team in the next year or so. I think Vogelbach is almost a lock to be traded. We have our long term 1B, he has nowhere to play. I would also think that depending on the development of Baez at 2B, Alcantara's transition to major league pitching (and likely playing CF) that Almora would also be a very valuable trade chip that probably won't see Wrigley. Some of these guys have to be moved.
We have Rizzo and Castro locked in. It's entirely possible that within 2 years we have Baez, Bryant, Soler, Schwarber, and Russell all looking for spots to play. I think that Almora, Vogelbach, and even McKinney will be gone from this team. I guess the wild card here is Castro. He could be traded. It's hard to trade a guy that has only had one bad year in his career and isn't even 25. But, it's possible. A deep farm system is a great problem to have. It's been a long time since the future of this team looked so damn good. |
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