Could Starlin Castro be on the Opening Day Roster? Theriot told to "get ready" to move to 2b
by Chanman25 on Nov 29, 2009 1:47 PM CST
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This article issued by the Chicago Tribune suggests, while although a longshot, rising star Castro could make the opening day roster. The article can be found here.
Here's an exerpt
If the Cubs start the 2010 season with Starlin Castro at shortstop, it won't be without the prodding of hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo.
Castro isn't on the 40-man roster, but he will get a spring training invite and an opportunity to break camp with the Cubs if he has an exceptional spring.
It's a long shot, considering Castro began the season in Class A last April and doesn't turn 20 until March 24. But the Cubs are so sold on his future that they already have told incumbent shortstop Ryan Theriot he might move to second base in the not-so-distant future.
This article appears to be going off both speculation and "what if" scenarios by the Cubs coaching staff. It does make me wonder if Ryan Theriot may make the shift over to second base immediately, and thereby prompting the Cubs to sign a stopgap until Castro is ready to play in 2011. Having Theriot at 2b is perfect: his range from there would be just fine and we could dump Fontenot, Baker, or Miles, or two of them, for other positions that we need to fill.
So who should be the stopgap? I wouldn't mind signing Miguel Tejada to a 2-year deal, but that may be too expensive. Maybe Scutaro or Orlando Cabrera could be signed as well, all speculation here of course.
This article does make me feel somewhat relieved about the future of the Cubs. In addition with the signing of Jamarillo as the hitting coach, young prospects such as Josh Vitters and Starlin Castro may be able to make an impact on this team as early as September of 2010 (that's why we should hold on to them, not trade them for someone such as Granderson).
So my off season plan: somehow sign Scutaro, Cabrera, or Tejada as SS and Cameron at CF. Yes, this makes our team incredibly old yet , but these players will be stopgaps for Vitters, Castro, and Brett Jackson. Giving us a lineup next year with Cameron and Tejada//Cabera///Scutaro wouldn't be awful either. I don't see how you could go wrong with this plan..
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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Can Riot still double clutch from second?
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
by dtpollitt on Nov 29, 2009 2:00 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Have no fear.
Ryan Theriot has the rare talent to double clutch from any position he chooses.
Come visit me inside Wrigley along the Addison side mezzanine fence straight up from 1st base.
by section229beer on Nov 29, 2009 2:56 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
There's no way I'd go with Castro as the Opening Day SS.
He needs another full year in the minor leagues.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
that's why I mentioned signing a stopgap to a two year deal
move Theriot over to 2b now to get comfortable. He’ll be 32 at the end of the deal, around the same age DeRosa thrived in 2007
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Not no way,
but pretty darn close.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 30, 2009 5:14 PM CST up reply actions
I wouldn't, Al .. but hey, given the Cubs' obsession
with whiz kid projects who looked like the next Clemente or Henderson ( see Pie, Felix, next to Patterson, Corey, volume 2), why not?
Give the kid a bat and a few AB’s, and who knows?
Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we will go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..
coda
ELO, 1975
Don't forget Cedeno, Ronny
At this very position, no less! Anyway, I advocate Theriot to 2b, and Blanco to SS for the year. Seeing Blanco play shortstop would be shockingly awesome. At the plate is a different story. He is the anti Jake Fox. I think he would be a very serviceable stop-gap for Hak-Ju and Starlin.
by Mulhollandmania on Nov 29, 2009 11:46 PM CST up reply actions
He hit alright during winter league
and Lou seems to love the guys glove. I wouldn’t rule out him getting a chance to be the starter out of spring training.
by CHCOWNTHECENTRAL on Nov 30, 2009 4:24 AM CST up reply actions
Ronny vs. Starlin
One of the biggest differences between the two, based on reports, is that Ronny Cedeno was supposedly a bit thickheaded and thought his athleticism was enough, whereas Starlin is a good student by all accounts.
I'd say that's a wee bit of a difference
Good to see he’s like that at age 19 too..
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
There's already some discussion on this article
in this fanshot, but I’m glad to see it get a fanpost since the fanshot’s about to be bumped off the most recent ten list. I’m providing the link here to give a little history on the discussion.
Is he traded yet?
How about when Castro is ready to play SS for the cubs
Theriot “gets ready” to move to another team.
+1
I’m for a whole new middle infield. One that can hopefully play some defense.
by salparadise23 on Nov 30, 2009 1:11 PM CST up reply actions
Would Theriot have value to the Cubs as a 2B?
In 2009, the ML average hitting line for a 2B was .271/.336/.416.
In 2009, the ML average hitting line for a SS was .271/.328/.393.
In terms of raw OPS, Theriot in 2009 was below average for a SS: .284/.343/.369, but because OBP is worth more than SLG, he ends up being a league average SS hitter. UZR has his defense above average, but his poor base-running costs us runs, especially when he hits at the top of the order.
That means that Theriot’s apparent value is in playing an adequate SS at league minimum. He may have added value if you believe his being a “winning-type player” helps the Cubs’ chemistry. I am not convinced that his overall clubhouse impact is positive – but that’s another issue. For me, the point is that we can’t prove one way or another what the impact a player has on overall team chemistry.
Which brings us back to appparent value – value we can gauge. If you move Theriot off SS, the deficincies of his bat are less defensible, especially now that we’ll be paying him millions of dollars instead of just hundreds of thousands. Theriot will probably get more via arb than Jeff Baker, because of his position, his playing time, and his counting stats. But compare their projections for 2010:
Theriot .284/.352/.357
Baker .280/.337/.460
’09 2B .271/.336/.416
Theriot’s 2B defense would undoubtedly be better than Baker’s, but would it be better enough to make up for Baker’s usefulness with the bat and lower cost? Certainly not when you account for the fact that Theriot would bring back something of value in trade right now given the ugly SS FA market. Scutaro had a nice year last year, but when he’s the “prize” of the SS market, you know the time is right to trade Ryan Theriot.
I’ll add also, that I am skeptical about Riot’s bat going forward. After his attempt at being a more complete hitter with power, Theriot lost his OBP value from 2008. The monthly splits tell a worrisome story. What if Theriot is only a .266/.331/.303 hitter in 2010? .266/.331/.303 are his 2009 2nd half #s. I don’t believe Theriot’s trade value will be any higher than it is now, given his contract and expected future performance.
The Cubs are full of good middle IF prospects, so as Theriot’s price keeps going up, he becomes less and less useful. There is some sense to letting him hold down SS for now, especially if we go into 2010 with the uncertainties of Baker and Fontenot at 2B. If Castro is ready and both Fontenot and Baker fail, then you can end the year with Riot at 2B and Castro at SS. But that’s really the only sense he makes to me at 2B.
If Theriot is our starting 2B in 2011, it will be a major misuse of the Cubs’ resources. The best use of resources, it seems to me, is to trade him now.
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Nov 29, 2009 3:17 PM CST reply actions 5 recs
some thoughts
None of this is as predictable as one trying to compare other players who failed when brought up young while others succeeded. Funny thing is that young SS’s are not that uncommon.
Tulowitzki came up as a 21 yr old in Sept 2006 and became the full time SS on the ROX
Yount came up as a 19 yr old in 1974
Alex Rod came up as a 19 yr old in 1994, played some then and 1995 and became full time in 1996.
Jeter came up as a 21 yr old in 1994 and was full time in 1995.
Vizquel came up as a 21 yr old in 1989
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
Robin Yount was actually 18.
That was an exception and in a different era. The only one of those who was a huge success at 21 was A-Rod, with Jeter a close second.
Castro won’t be 20 till March. He needs another year in the minors.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
4 out of 5 of those players are hall of famers
Only time will tell with Tulowitzki. So I would say those players are uncommon and are an exception rather than the norm.
"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko
by DTJchris on Nov 29, 2009 5:04 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Which is 2012 for Castro
Someone has to play some SS before then, or there will be a lot of ground-ball hits into LF….
Lou's thinking of trying a new two left fielders approach
to back up Soriano
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Castro in 2012
Will Palin be his running mate?
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 30, 2009 5:18 PM CST up reply actions
The four players you mention...
…are each the veritable definition of “uncommon.”
Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.
How many SS prospects under the age of 20 made it to the bigs?
You cherry picked a few exceptions, but the reality is precious few 19 y/o SS are ready to play big league ball.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 30, 2009 5:17 PM CST up reply actions
Baker or Theriot?
Baker clearly. Offensively Baker has more going on and defensively I am not convinced Theriot is any better.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 30, 2009 5:15 PM CST up reply actions
i don't think any prospect that is worth anything
unless he was part of a deal..
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
probably not much
i also think theriot is too much of an organizational favorite to get dealt this offseason.
That said, for those that want to ponder a Theriot trade, the one team I’d keep an eye on is Boston. They are pondering Pedroia to shortstop, but there’s several negatives with that
a) He would eventually switch back to 2nd, whenever Jose Iglesias was ready
b) Pedroia at shortstop is basically Theriot at shortstop
c) It could hamper his offensive output, if he sacrifices some muscle for agility
That said, I still don’t expect a Theriot trade (and in Boston’s case, if Pedroia shows he can, I think they move him to shortstop and sign a cheap 2nd baseman for a year, or two).
right,
theriot is not going anywhere. it seems pretty clear the organization is not willing to trade any players with trade value this offseason. other than MB, i expect the team will look very similar in 2010.
Boston is also looking for a LF'er....
Soriano and Theriot for Ellsbury!!!
(sarcasm)
I think despite Theriot not lighting the world on fire, he’s adequate and is not a liability (a la Fox) in the field, and considering he’s not paid much, I don’t see him getting dealt
"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher
Let's see
One benchmark is Hardy for Gomez – Theriot is cheaper and under team control longer, so he should bring back more than Gomez. It’s not like Theriot would bring back an A prospect, but a useful player. Thinking of the Gomez deal, with B’more in the market for a SS, could Theriot bring back Felix Pie?
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 1, 2009 5:15 PM CST up reply actions
The question is
which is more valuable over the course of their remaining contracts? Theriot should have no place on this team in 2011 – but you won’t be able to trade Theriot for Pie then.
Or you could look at it this way –
Would you rather have
Theriot-Byrd
Tejada-Pie
Everett-Pie-pitcher
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 1, 2009 7:06 PM CST up reply actions
haha no thank you on everett
It’s a risk. Pie could become the next Curtis Granderson. But Theriot may have a role on this team in 2011 as a 2b. I don’t see anyone else in the system who would challenge that, besides Tony Thomas
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Look at it this way.
In roughly 2/5 the 2009 playing time, Pie racked up half the WAR Theriot did. Shift Pie to CF and Theriot to 2B and the positional adjustments will make it tough for Theriot to out-WAR Pie in a full season. And that’s if Pie doesn’t develop ANY further, let alone become the next Curtis Granderson.
Besides, if you cut the scrap, Theriot doesn’t look like the best 2B option on roster THIS year, leaving Tony Thomas and Darwin Barney out of it.
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 1, 2009 9:14 PM CST up reply actions
Bill James projections
Fontenot .273/.343/.415
Baker .280/.337/.460
Theriot .284/.352/.357
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 1, 2009 9:49 PM CST up reply actions
Depends on my contract situation
But Hardy was sent to AAA and Theriot’s manager does lobby for him to be an All-Star – so what does it matter what I think?
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 1, 2009 9:07 PM CST up reply actions
Well, you've said that Theriot should bring back more in a trade than Hardy did (Gomez)
to which I would infer that you think Riot is better than Hardy, but maybe not – that’s why I wanted to confirm that.
Reason being is my guess is most folks around here (myself included) would rather have Hardy than Riot. If that is indeed the consensus, then it begs the question of could Riot really bring back more than Hardy did.
btw, most baseball folks seem to think Minnesota made out like a bandit with that deal, so a case could be made that Hardy was worth more than Gomez. Which helps your case if you really think Riot is better than Hardy, but obviously damages it if you like Hardy more.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I think what I'm trying to say
is that Riot’s market value should be higher because of
1) his service time and cost
2) the Brewers had made it clear they were moving into the Escobar era this year and the Cubs have not made it clear that we’re moving away from Theriot, even if Casto does win the SS job.
And added to that, we have your point about reactions to the Hardy deal.
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 2, 2009 7:34 AM CST up reply actions
I'll give you #1, although shouldn't Riot's $ be going up soon due to arbitration?
But I don’t think #2 applies here. Why does the Cubs not having made it clear they’d be moving away from from Riot have any impact on market value? Sure, it may impact what the Cubs would ask for him, but if I’m the buyer – strike that – if I’m a smart buyer, I don’t give a rat’s ass how much the seller wants the guy. I only care about how much I want him.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I do care how much the partner team wants the player
because if I know they don’t have a spot to play that player, then I know they have to get rid of him – as the Brewers had to get rid of Hardy.
It’s the same mess we’re in with Bradley. When Jim Hendry suspended Bradley, he made the clubhose happy, but cost himself several M in what he could get in trade.
Is he traded yet?
sorry - I guess I wasn't clear...
obviously knowing a team doesn’t want the guy is important, i.e. a negative want value, but I thought you were implying the Cubs wanted to hang onto Riot, i.e. a positive want value.
So as a seller, sure, a positive want value impacts how much I’m gonna ask in return, but if I’m a buyer, a positive want value shouldn’t impact how much I’m willing to pay.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Of course Theriot has value..
just not trade value. Hardy has trade value as an elite defender with legitimate 30 HR potential entering the prime of his career. Theriot is a good (not elite) defender with no power on the wrong side of 30.
Theriot should have trade value
to teams looking for a SS and not pleased with what’s out there, especially teams that want an answer for more than just 2010.
Theriot should have even more trade value to teams who overvalue the “winning player” mantle Theriot’s had placed on him with his night-and-day PR work.
Is he traded yet?
again,
the point i’m trying to make is that players like Theriot provide more value to their team on the field than on the trade market. By the way, if you think the Twins would have given up Gomez for Theriot, you’ve lost it.
You're making a very odd argument -
namely that Theriot has value to the team that has him, but not to any other team.
If Hardy was not on the market, why wouldn’t the Twins have given up a player that has failed them and that they don’t have room for? I’m not arguing that Theriot will bring back prospects – because he won’t. I’m arguing that he could bring back a player of value that doesn’t fit on another team – a player like Pie or J.R. Towles or whomever out of Rajai Davis or Ryan Sweeney or Travis Buck Oakland doesn’t want to have blocking their other OFs.
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 2, 2009 7:53 PM CST up reply actions
Theriot has given
the Cubs $40M worth of production during his career. He has made about $1M in salary. Even if you think fangraphs is off by a whopping factor of 2, he’s still been worth TWENTY times more than his salary. Do you think he can ask for the $10M he’s probably worth in the open market? Of course not. Theriot gives the Cubs such a high return on their $400k investment (at a premium defensive position, mind you), that it’s illogical to trade him. If Theriot had trade value, Boston would have been on the horn with Hendry a long time ago. And of course, there is always the small detail that Castro is not an MLB-ready SS which kind of renders this whole thing moot.
the Cubs $40M worth of production during his career
imagine how much money hed be worth if double clutches and throws in the dirt were added in…
1 Aaron down, 1 to go
by jesus christos on Dec 2, 2009 9:19 PM CST up reply actions
Not to mention baserunning gaffes
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 2, 2009 10:03 PM CST up reply actions
And none in prior years?
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 2, 2009 10:50 PM CST up reply actions
we dont call them outs
we call them TOOTBLANs
1 Aaron down, 1 to go
by jesus christos on Dec 2, 2009 11:06 PM CST up reply actions
theriot has 12 baserunning outs going back to 2005
D Lee, for example, has 21 during that same time. ARam, 19.
I'm not sure how he defines baserunning outs
since Theriot had double-digit CS last year. Anyway, I’d be glad for a link to a good base-running statistic.
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Dec 3, 2009 5:37 AM CST up reply actions
here you go...
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
by ballhawk on Dec 3, 2009 9:18 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Win
And rec’d
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 3, 2009 11:14 AM CST up reply actions
I agree that he's worthwhile to leave at SS for next season
It’s paying him arbitration dollars to play 2B that scares me.
Theriot HAS to be traded now
If Hendry wants to save his job he will have to start making better decisions… this is definitely one of them
by IowaCubsWS09 on Dec 4, 2009 11:41 PM CST up reply actions
Assuming it's just in arb...
Well, Bartlett is a year ahead of Theriot in service time and was paid 2 M this year. Khalil Greene who is two years ahead signed that extension that gave him 4.5 M in ‘08 and 6.5 in ’09. With Riot’s counting stats, is it out of line to suggest he could be up at 4.5 in ‘11? Anyone want to correct that estimate? I can’t say I’m very good at predicting things like this.
Is he traded yet?
Don't forget that the arb dollars typically escalate as a player goes forward
They base it on market value of similar players, but at a discount to the team that gets smaller in each year
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. -- Bruce Bartlett
My guess is that Theriot won't get over $2M in 2010
And may well get less. It’s cold out there. $4.5M in 2011 seems extremely unlikely – Greene got that money because he used to hit home runs, when he could hit a little.
Castro and Theriot
Those who gage whether a player can contribute on a major league team earn their keep with decisions like this. I don’t necessarily think Castro will become a better player over the next year or two; maybe he will and maybe he won’t. But knowing whether he can compete in the majors with limited exposure is probably tough to tell.
I’m on the wagon for trading Theriot. They can do as well or better with Baker and have somebody more capable of covering 3B when necessary. I just hope they aren’t keeping Theriot as a contingency for covering SS because I don’t think anything necessarily works out better by doing that. If they think Castro can play, I’d rather they go with him and have a regular backup for SS.
wouldnt it be easier to sign a stop gap second baseman?
or stick with what we got if we’re only waiting one year for this kid, who is already overhyped beyond the realm of reality
Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.
I'd rather sign a proven SS instead of the 2B out there
plus Theriot would be a better 2b, IMO
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
right, but if its only for one year
and the SS options mentioned above arent that impressive, we might as well save the money and go with what we’ve got for one more year, if you believe Castro is ready to play even by ’11, which I do not.
Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.
whose 2b? If we HAVE to sign someone either SS or 2b
I’d take Cabrera over Luis Castillo
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Yeah, youre probably right
Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.
defensively yes
1 Aaron down, 1 to go
by jesus christos on Nov 29, 2009 7:32 PM CST up reply actions
maybe better as a 2B
but not good.
Having Theriot as your everyday SS is not a fatal weakness if the rest of your lineup is solid. If the decision is to go with a stop gap SS until Castro is ready to play, I would prefer they try to upgrade, but there is not all that much out there available.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 30, 2009 5:22 PM CST up reply actions
This is one of the biggest Cubs flaws....
That need to be addressed. How to properly use talent. Our ML’s our often labeled as bad but I don’t believe that’s always the case. We either rush talent to quick or don’t give them a proper chance when they are.
Shark is a prime example. I think he would have been a helluva major leaguer if not rushed. He needed to be forgotten about after he was signed, so that he could develop another pitch or two and work at his own pace to obtain the knowledge to effectively pitch in the majors. He wasn’t and I personally feel he will never amount to the star pitcher he could have been!
Catro is starting to have some real success, let’s not rush him!!!
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
I want to caution against misreading this article
because we had the same issue in the other thread, where people assumed he would be rushed. The article takes pains to say that he won’t be rushed, but they are watching him to see what he can do. Bringing him to ML camp to spend time with the team is a very good idea, because come September 2010, he may clearly ready, and we may have a SS hitting .266/.331/.303.
So, let’s all reserve judgment on whether he’s being rushed until we see him in camp and then see what the Cubs plan to do with him in camp.
Is he traded yet?
by DGU on Nov 29, 2009 5:27 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Incidentally, Castro did play at least one game ....
… in major league spring training last year, his first taste of major league style action. This year is the next step.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Hopefully
Castro can learn from alan Trammell for learning the SS position even better .. I’m sure Trammell still has some tricks to show the kid . Secondly IMO he has one of the better batting coaches as where Castro and Vitters can learn from …
That's an excellent point.
One of the biggest reasons young players (not on the 40 man roster) are invited to big league ST is for the MLB coaches to work with them and get a really good look at them on a day to day basis. They can then make an evaluation themselves on the timeline of their progress.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Nov 30, 2009 9:15 AM CST up reply actions
When are the 2010 minor league coaching assignments announced?
Come visit me inside Wrigley along the Addison side mezzanine fence straight up from 1st base.
by section229beer on Dec 1, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions
Rushing or not, if the talent isnt there, its not there
Sharks failures will be his own; I happen to believe hes gonna succeed, the poor part of his development has been the teams constant redefining his role, which isnt going to help him develop as you say.
But if its not there, its not there.
Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.
1 yr removed from College
And 2 pitches in an arsenal is a recipe for disaster in the majors.
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
My point was if he doesnt have the natural talent
then development time doesnt matter; that being said, I think he can be successful if he’s given a clear role and allowed to utilize and improve his natural talent/skills
Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.
I would agree.
Jerking him back and forth between the Iowa rotation and the Cubs bullpen in 2009 did him no favors. He should have been left to start at Iowa all year — or put in the bullpen all year.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I also think this is why signing players to major league contracts is a bad idea.
Essentially, this starts the options clock. I think this only hurts players.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Nov 30, 2009 9:17 AM CST up reply actions
Not if you are a reliever
2 quality pitches is plenty. The mistake is trying to make Samardzija a starter.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 30, 2009 5:24 PM CST up reply actions
This suggests....
…that the Cubs will be in the market for a short-term rental at shortstop. One name to keep an eye on is Adam Everett. He’s cheap and would come to Chicago on a one-year deal. I doubt Hendry has much flexibility financially given his ruinous string of bloated contracts elsewhere.
"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)
Adam Everett?
What is your boy Ceasar Izturis not available?
he originally wanted jeter
1 Aaron down, 1 to go
by jesus christos on Nov 29, 2009 9:15 PM CST up reply actions
Ice,
veins,
etc.
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Nov 29, 2009 11:13 PM CST up reply actions
And what are your thoughts...
…on Everett’s inability to produce offensively at anywhere near league average?
Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.
Castro should get another year in the minors ...
but why do Cubs players always need time to adjust to positions that are similar to what they currently play? I HATED this argument last year when Fontenot’s awful season was blamed routinely on having to play some third (never mind the fact that he was really bad AFTER Ramirez returned). I hate it even more for Theriot, who came up with the Cubs as a second baseman, and moved mid-season to short.
So have we rushed the Shark?
He jumped full in the water last year.
This is the year he should be hunting
Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we will go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..
coda
ELO, 1975
What do you mean "full in the water"?
Jeff Samardzija has yet to play a full season of major league baseball.
Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.
that's true, but when has that ever stopped the Cubs in the past?
Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we will go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..
coda
ELO, 1975
Tejada???
Not to play SS, he makes Theriot look like a gold glover these days.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
Theriot is a gold glover.
In some parallel universe.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
.....
"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." ~Winston Churchill
Let's try that again.
"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." ~Winston Churchill
by Goodie1969 on Dec 1, 2009 12:31 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Ha....I gotta luv him :)
"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not." --Mark Twain
Compared to Tejada he is
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Dec 1, 2009 5:18 PM CST up reply actions
Agreed.
I’d have a really hard time rooting for Miggy – even as a Cub. I’ve just never liked the guy.
Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.
Orlando Cabrera?
Meh, not crazy about him either. Not a good hitter…and what the heck happened to his UZR numbers this past season? That may be the biggest one-season-to-the-next swing I’ve ever seen.
Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.
Castro can keep the spot warm for Hak Ju Lee
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
No, Hak Ju Lee
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 3, 2009 11:34 AM CST up reply actions
hey
sometimes you get players that are ready at 20. carl crawford started really young. so you never know.
after
reading a few posts and seeing the theriot love surface. i have this to say. i personally enjoy having a ss who hits more than 240. thank you very much.
Based on Castro's numbers in the Domincan winter league
the answer is a resounding NO!
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
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