Chicago Cubs Offseason

[anotheridiot]

So are you expecting Olt, BJax and Vitters to be with the big club or in AAA too?

I know Vitters is considered LF now, but this is basically the last year for them, why not start them on the big club if they have a decent spring? They will be gone soon so get something out of them. Ha was in AAA last year, got no taste in september either and that entire group has no place to go but another organization when almora, bryant and soler all end up in the big league outfield. Does it really matter with any super two status if they are not gonna have a career here?

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

I expect Olt and Vitters in the majors. Olt playing 3B, if he loses the competition in the Spring then he might get stuck at 1B in Iowa. Vitters at lest as a platoon OF if not the regular LF. BJax will be somewhere in the minors, but I'm not even sure he'll be playing everyday in Iowa. I think Ha and Szczur come up later in the season, probably after Schierholtz is traded or an injury helps make some room. They should get some playing time this year as we will need to see what we have in them fast and either move them for the better prospects or decide to keep them. They could also be used in trades, especially Ha and Szczur who can play all OF positions.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Soler has knocked the rust off and is starting to rake as expected. Got his first HR toady and his average is up over .300 for the AFL. If the Cubs don't trade any of them I expect Baez, Bryant, Soler and Almora all up in 2015.

 

[anotheridiot]

Saw on Fox Sports ticker that even though round two started with Renteria, the cubs are gonna talk to Eric Wedge, the losing manager in seattle that quit.

This is really getting to the point of theo making all his minions think he is doing due diligence. I still want the knowledge Martinez has gotten from MAddon. They continue developing their prospects out in tampa.

Cincinatti promoted their pitching coach to manager, Matt Williams apparently agreed in Washington. That leaves Detroit as the competitive now team looking for a skipper.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

I'll be happy with either Lovullo or Martinez. I'd be fine with Maddux or Ausmus. Outside of those four every other name mentions has been very blah for me. I hope that some of the interviews are just getting a feel for people that might want on the staff, but not as the manager.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Bryant and Almora are killing it. Soler got back today and had a good game going 3-4. Got his line up to .282/.282/.359. Coming back from an injury that kept him pretty much off his feet for a while I expected a little rust. As he gets back into playing shape and gets his timing back I expect his numbers to end up strong.

Soler has knocked the rust off and is starting to rake as expected. Got his first HR toady and his average is up over .300 for the AFL. If the Cubs don't trade any of them I expect Baez, Bryant, Soler and Almora all up in 2015.

Thanks for those updates.

I'll keep posting updates for Bryant, Soler and Almora.

If you guys hear anything on trades, rumors, signings, whatever, please keep posting.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I'll be happy with either Lovullo or Martinez. I'd be fine with Maddux or Ausmus. Outside of those four every other name mentions has been very blah for me. I hope that some of the interviews are just getting a feel for people that might want on the staff, but not as the manager.

I'm really pulling for Ausmus, I think he could have a great baseball mind. All those years as a catcher, seems catchers make good managers.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Arizona Fall League update

Kris Bryant- 8 games: .438 4 hr, 13 rbi's, 10 runs, 3 doubles, .486 OBP, .906 SLG, 1.393 OPS

Albert Almora- 6 games, .379, 1 hr, 9 rbi's, 6 runs, 4 doubles

Arizona Fall League update

Kris Bryant- 10 games; .429 (18 for 42), 4 hr, 14 rbi's, 13 runs, 6 doubles

Albert Almora- 9 games; .297 (11 for 37), 1 hr, 9 rbi's, 6 runs, 4 doubles

Jorge Soler- 10 games; .298 (14 for 47), 1 hr, 9 rbi's, 8 runs, 4 doubles

 

[anotheridiot]

Its all Martinez for me. I am tired of ex cubs getting snubbed by theo for something to keep the fingerprint of OUR team something that has roots in sandiego or boston. Fuck them. We want our own team.

Ausmus was the first name that came up, I thought there was that Jewish association with theo. He has been mentioned the least. Seems like if someone gets the scoop on Theos real choice he changes his mind so that twit on twitter is not shown as being right.

Now its reported its between Luvollo, Wedgie or Hinch for christs sake and Luvollo still hasnt interview since the team is still playing. To me, you target your guy and you get your guy. 15 funking interviews does not show me he is doing due diligence. He did this last time and we ended up with Dale.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Its all Martinez for me. I am tired of ex cubs getting snubbed by theo for something to keep the fingerprint of OUR team something that has roots in sandiego or boston. Fuck them. We want our own team.

Ausmus was the first name that came up, I thought there was that Jewish association with theo. He has been mentioned the least. Seems like if someone gets the scoop on Theos real choice he changes his mind so that twit on twitter is not shown as being right.

Now its reported its between Luvollo, Wedgie or Hinch for christs sake and Luvollo still hasnt interview since the team is still playing. To me, you target your guy and you get your guy. 15 funking interviews does not show me he is doing due diligence. He did this last time and we ended up with Dale.

The whole 80's Cubs thing isn't a big deal to me since I was born 1990

But everything else I absolutely agree.

Theo needs to pick a target, and go after him hard. All this time it's taking shows me that Theo was really wanting Girardi, and when that fell through the cracks, Theo didn't have a plan B. Hence all the time this is taking.

 

[anotheridiot]

The whole 80's Cubs thing isn't a big deal to me since I was born 1990

But everything else I absolutely agree.

Theo needs to pick a target, and go after him hard. All this time it's taking shows me that Theo was really wanting Girardi, and when that fell through the cracks, Theo didn't have a plan B. Hence all the time this is taking.

I dont think he wanted Girardi at all. I think Ricketts wanted Theo to get Girardi, and when Theo immediately started setting up interviews, beginning with Ausmus, he either knew Girardi was staying in new york or he didnt want him. I think Theo would have hired Ausmus right away, but twitter immediately put him as the guy theo was targeting and theo is now doing his "cut off the nose to spite the face" so some twitter twit doesnt seem like he knows it all. Now Theo looks bad because he just wont say anything so it looks like he cannot make up his mind.

I'm sure you can google the 80's cubs. Its not that they were a great team, its the fact that good coaches and managers came from that team. Jim Frey was a pain in the ass manager, but they won. Girardi and Sandberg will both win plenty more than they lose. Martinez was actually traded because he was accused of sleeping with Sandbergs first wife. They ended up divorcing anyway, Sandberg took time off baseball, remarried and came back.

In all honesty, Hendry screwed up by bypassing Girardi for Pinella. Sandberg did not even get an interview from Theo, even though he worked thru the cubs minor league system and won with that terrible farm system.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

What is the difference between Sandberg, Martinez, Quade and Sveum? None of them would have had any serious managing experience when hired. The only thing that makes some Cubs fans like Sandberg and Martinez is that they used to play for the Cubs. I loved the idea of Sandberg as manager, but I understand going in a different direction. Taking Lou over Girardi was terrible. However, you have to put that into context. Girardi had already managed the Marlins and had a young team playing better then expected and he got fired because he got into it with the front office over them trading off players at the deadline instead of trying to make a playoff run. If anyone owed Sandberg an interview then it was Hendry when he hired Quade. Hendry was the one that told Sandberg to go pay his dues in the minors then when he did Hendry still didn't give him a shot. Theo wants a different type of manager then Sandberg who is more of an old school guy who doesn't follow the math.

The best thing about Martinez's resume is that he has sat next to Joe Maddon for the last few years. However, that doesn't mean he'll be the next Maddon. I really like Lovullo and he seems to understand the math behind the game. He has given interviews saying that he believes his best reliever should be used in high leverage situations and not just thrown out in the 9th inning to get three outs with the bases empty. If he interviews well I believe the job is his. There is no real rush to get a hiring done. They will get it done the first week in November in plenty of time for the Winter Meetings.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

The best thing about Martinez's resume is that he has sat next to Joe Maddon for the last few years. However, that doesn't mean he'll be the next Maddon. I really like Lovullo and he seems to understand the math behind the game. He has given interviews saying that he believes his best reliever should be used in high leverage situations and not just thrown out in the 9th inning to get three outs with the bases empty. If he interviews well I believe the job is his. There is no real rush to get a hiring done. They will get it done the first week in November in plenty of time for the Winter Meetings.

I like that philosophy. I don't understand why baseball is so status quo with all the reliever match ups, hitting match ups, this and that.

Put the best pitcher out there in the most critical situation. Don't bring in Gregg or Marmol to get 3 outs in the 9th just because they're listed as "the closer".

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Side note, are we really the only 3 to have posted in this thread?

Watch this Cubs board explode if the prospects actually work out, and the Cubs put together competitive teams for years and years.

 

[Kevin12773]

I enjoyed reading all your thoughts on the offseason. I wanted Girardi but Martinez would be good too. I'll be pissed if they hire another dale type and for the record I wasn't on the Ryno train for manager. As for the 2014 cubs I see a lot of the same as we saw in 2013 but I'm really excited about the future of this club going forward when/if the prospects pan out

 

[ChicagoIrish]

After reading a little about Torey Lovullo, I wouldn't mind bringing him in either.

I'm still an Ausmus guy as of right now though.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

I'm really starting to get excited for the Winter Meetings. There are a lot of rumblings going on, but there are three rumors that I actually believe have legs based on how many places and who I have heard them from. The first is Samardzija to the Royals for a package of something like Yostano Ventura, Miguel Amonte and Raul Mondesi. Ventura is 22 and an MLB ready pitcher. Almonte is 20 and will probably start next year in high A ball; think C.J. Edwards in terms of progression, high upside but probably a 2016 arrival in the majors. Mondesi is 18 and a long ways off, but has a lot of upside.

The second rumor I think has some legs is Travis Wood to the Blue Jays. The rumored return is Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, and J.P. Arencibia. Stroman is a 22 year old pitcher who should start next year in AAA and will be MLB ready late next year or early 2015. Sanchez is 21 and should start next year in AA. Sanchez reminds me of a young Samardzija in that he has great stuff, but control issues. Arencibia would be the back-up catcher. The Blue Jays are supposed to be unhappy with Arencibia, because his offense has dropped each year. A trade could help him out or he could end up just being a decent back-up catcher with good power. If he could improve his OBP back to the .275-.280 range he would be a good back-up catcher with his defense and power.

The other rumor that I'm not buying into is Castro to the Giants. The Cubs could get Kyle Crick, Edwin Escobar and Clayton Blackburn or a similar package. Crick is a big, 6'4, pitcher that will be 21 next month and should start the year in AA. Blackburn will also be 21 next year and should be in AA. Escobar is a 21 year old LHP who could start next year in AA or AAA. Escobar finished the year in AA, but he only logged 54 innings there after getting moved up.

The overall theme of the rumors is that the Cubs are looking to trade for pitching prospects. There is also the theory that the Cubs would then turn some of these prospect along with Vogelbach and some others within in the system already into David Price. I could see them moving Samardzija and Wood for pieces to flip into Price, but I'm not sure I see them doing that with Castro. Although if they got that haul from the Giants it would be very hard to say no. I will be very surprised if Samarzija isn't moved at the Winter Meetings and another trade or two would be surprising at all.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Here is a good article on Lovullo. Torey Lovullo, Future Big League Manager | FanGraphs Baseball I found the part about him losing perspective on major league players while he was working his way up the coaching food chain in the minors interesting. That could be part of the reason that Theo stressed he wanted a manager that was coaching/managing in the majors and didn't give Ryno a shot last time around.

Bryant, Soler and Almora have all three been named to the AFL all-star game. The game is Saturday. I believe it will be on the MLB network.

 

[anotheridiot]

those are interesting trades. I thought the cubs would extend Wood by now, but Theo is doing a manager search. I just tire of the idea that any or all of these moves will be made without the manager. I just cant buy in to the GM providing the players even if the players are not the style of the new manager when there is really no way a manager will stay the course when he is being blamed for the losses and lack of fundamentals.

Yes, Martinez has sat next to maddon, but he also has been in the business of continuing the development of prospects. to me dale stopped that, left terrible fundamentals and lax on the routine plays. He seemed to deem the players ready when the got called up, not continuing the training. What did sandberg start doing immediately in Philly, go back to players taking ground balls at their positions every day. All players, not just rookies. He kept a work ethic all the way thru the system while he rode the busses. That work ethic will win in the majors. That was the attribute he would have brought that was more valuable than big league experience.

This case, who has major league experience? Wedgie and part time Hinch. That cannot be the deciding factor. This is not Ventura being hired from the GM assistant job. These are guys in the trenches.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

They will have a manager hired before the Winter Meetings. However, a manager does not get to pick his team. The manager can request a certain type of player, but the GM has to find the players. Managers do not work the phones trying to figure out trades. They work with what they are given. The NFL is an even better example where the coaching staff is trying to run a specific offense and defense and the GM has to find players to fit the needs of those systems. However, on draft day the GM is the one deciding who is drafted and who is signed in FA, etc.