The deadline for teams and players to submit arbitration figures is noon tomorrow, after which teams and players will have two weeks to try to avoid a hearing. So far 42 players have reached agreements for next year or beyond with their team. The Cubs have not worked out a deal with any of their arbitration elgible players yet. Here is the list, along with the projected salaries based on the usual 40/60/80 guideline that arbitration salaries tend to follow (* = the player was a Super Two).
- Jeff Baker (3rd year): $1.4m
- Blake DeWitt (1st year): $1.2m
- Matt Garza (3rd year*): $8.7m
- Geovany Soto (2nd year): $4m
- Ian Stewart (2nd year*): $2.3m
- Chris Volstad (1st year): $2.7m
- Randy Wells (1st year): $2.2m
All told the Cubs should be paying around $22.5m to arb-elgible players. Including the money sent to Miami for Z the Cubs payroll commitments are roughly $118m for next year barring a Garza trade.
UPDATE:
Geo and the Cubs agreed to a $4.3m deal for 2012
Comments
Most of this info is in the payroll page from the menu, but I had forgotten that this deadline was coming up.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Aisley posted this in the last thread:
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/10047787-418/cubs-to-seek-city-approval-for-proposed-wrigley-field-changes.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
I think they just say “fuck you city” and do it anyway. It sounded like they had already started as I heard tons of construction when I walked by there with my son the weekend before Christmas.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
“aisle 242” might be the most inventive insult I’ve ever heard.
MishQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=Mish]”aisle 242″ might be the most inventive insult I’ve ever heard.[/quote]Aisle 242 suggests he’s out on Sheffield somewhere, Spider-Man-ing on one of the buildings (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]The videoboard is not officially official yet.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/10047787-418/cubs-to-seek-city-approval-for-proposed-wrigley-changes.html%5B/quote%5DIt is probably officially official. Probably has been for weeks now. We are talking about Chicago sports beat writers here.
jtsunamiQuote Reply
[quote name=Mish]”aisle 242″ might be the most inventive insult I’ve ever heard.[/quote]I just assumed he was dyslexic.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=jtsunami]It is probably officially official. Probably has been for weeks now. We are talking about Chicago sports beat writers here.[/quote]
The thing has probably already been built.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]The thing has probably already been built.[/quote]I wouldn’t be surprised.
Should ask someone who lives in or knows the rooftop folks to snap a picture.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Jamie Moyer————-> Rockies
I hope he makes the team out of Spring Training. His flyball tendencies (he has the all-time record for HR allowed) may not be the best fit for Coors, however.
ACTQuote Reply
I was just on the field for a work. Construction is happening behind the plate and dugouts but nothing in the bleachers.
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
Work thing*. Sorry.
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
Wow, I could see all of these guys gone by next year, possibly by the end of this year. Garza and Soto look to be the only ones with real Trade Value on that list. Soto and Garza may be the only positive +WARP too especially if Wells and Stewart can’t rebound. We stinks.
Does DeWitt even make the big leagues this year?
PezcoreQuote Reply
(dying laughing), there is no escape:
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/01/16/cbs-looking-to-add-tebow-to-broadcast-team/
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez]I was just on the field for a work. Construction is happening behind the plate and dugouts but nothing in the bleachers.[/quote]I mentioned hearing and seeing construction in December, and there were guys milling around the knot-hole where you can see into RF, and the sounds were definitely coming from the bleachers. Maybe they’re multitasking?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I mentioned hearing and seeing construction in December, and there were guys milling around the knot-hole where you can see into RF, and the sounds were definitely coming from the bleachers. Maybe they’re multitasking?[/quote]
It could be happening from in the back and underneath right now. And I guess I didn’t pay attention that closely.
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
Berselius, the figures I used for estimated arbitration values are the ones Matt Swartz published on Fangraphs. He used a bunch of fancy numbers and math to come up with some estimations. The 40/60/80 is a great estimate, but it requires a lot of fudging. Last year using the 40/60/80 Soto would have been paid about $6 million or something and there was not a chance in hell he was going to earn that. It kind of breaks down on the extremes.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=jtsunami]It is probably officially official. Probably has been for weeks now. We are talking about Chicago sports beat writers here.[/quote]Exactly. They’ll tell us it’s official in mid-May and that we can look for it 6 weeks earlier.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Pezcore]Wow, I could see all of these guys gone by next year, possibly by the end of this year. Garza and Soto look to be the only ones with real Trade Value on that list. Soto and Garza may be the only positive +WARP too especially if Wells and Stewart can’t rebound. We stinks.
Does DeWitt even make the big leagues this year?[/quote]I would assume DeWitt makes the team.
mb21Quote Reply
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning](dying laughing), there is no escape:
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/01/16/cbs-looking-to-add-tebow-to-broadcast-team/%5B/quote%5DBecause nothing screams “good television” like a grown man who sounds like an 8 year-old boy who just walked out of his favorite dinosaur exhibit.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez]It could be happening from in the back and underneath right now. And I guess I didn’t pay attention that closely.[/quote]Yeah, they’d be putting in shores underneath that area right now if it was going on, so nothing that woud be immediately visible.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Because nothing screams “good television” like a grown man who sounds like an 8 year-old boy who just walked out of his favorite dinosaur exhibit.[/quote]
False. Tebow knows that the dinosaurs are a hoax. They have to be since the earth is only 6,000 years old.
UrkQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Because nothing screams “good television” like a grown man who sounds like an 8 year-old boy who just walked out of his favorite dinosaur exhibit.[/quote]
I think it’s time we all start preparing for the inevitable Tim Tebow 7th inning stretch at Wrigley this year.
Then again, he may not come with all that whore’s glitter up.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
BREAKING!!!!!!!! Opening Day gate giveway leaked:
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I would assume DeWitt makes the team.[/quote]As bad as this roster is, anyone who doesn’t make this team should fucking quit.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]BREAKING!!!!!!!! Opening Day gate giveway leaked:
[/quote]
A shame. I loved the old girl the way she was.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]A shame. I loved the old girl the way she was.[/quote]Yeah, but that whore has glitter. There’s a difference between your typical whore and the whore with glitter.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]As bad as this roster is, anyone who doesn’t make this team should fucking quit.[/quote](dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21](dying laughing)[/quote]Seriously, if you don’t have option years left and this team cuts you, that’s a fucking sign.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Yeah, but that whore has glitter. There’s a difference between your typical whore and the whore with glitter.[/quote]
BUZZ! Wrong!
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]As bad as this roster is, anyone who doesn’t make this team should fucking quit.[/quote](dying laughing) so good.
jtsunamiQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]BUZZ! Wrong![/quote]That’s still making me laugh.
mb21Quote Reply
http://winningateverything.com/7470
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]http://winningateverything.com/7470[/quote]That guy’s name is just so much whore’s glitter.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Someone needs to start the Zoppitybop Bop Bop Blog
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Someone needs to start the Zoppitybop Bop Bop Blog[/quote]
Don’t tell me what to do.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Mike Martz ————> Retirement
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://www.diariolibre.com/deportes/2012/01/16/i320706_yoeni-cespedes-cubano-aguilas-cibaenas.html
Don’t speak spanish, but apparently Cespedes said that the Cubs have shown the most interest in him.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]http://winningateverything.com/7470[/quote]
He’s named after the end of the Full House theme song. Sweet.
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]http://www.diariolibre.com/deportes/2012/01/16/i320706_yoeni-cespedes-cubano-aguilas-cibaenas.html
Don’t speak spanish, but apparently Cespedes said that the Cubs have shown the most interest in him.[/quote]
Google Chrome wins at translating:
.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Dionisio Soldevila]@BleacherNation He says he hasn’t received formal offers since he’s not a free agent yet. Cubs have taken him to dinner a couple times[/quote]
From ESPN Radio in the Dominican.
The Cubs are really serious about this new dinner thing.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]From ESPN Radio in the Dominican.
The Cubs are really serious about this new dinner thing.[/quote]I like it better when it was called supper and wasn’t dressed up in the whore’s glitter of tablecloths and waiters and carefully and creatively prepared food.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]From ESPN Radio in the Dominican.
The Cubs are really serious about this new dinner thing.[/quote]
I like how after Theo was hired, the Cubs went from no dinner to lots of dinner. Fed players are happy players.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Here’s what I don’t understand. Spanish speakers always translate the names of English-language teams (e.g., the Cubs are the “Cachorros.” But I never see the same thing done in English articles about teams with Spanish names.
ACTQuote Reply
Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others, dinners for ALL
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]
Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others, dinners for ALL
That photobucket gif was so awesome that the bandwidth was cut short.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
This was my favorite.
GBTSQuote Reply
No Dinner has been replaced with No Taxi.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]BREAKING!!!!!!!! Opening Day gate giveway leaked:
[/quote]
Dammit, I already have one. At least I won’t have to arrive early now.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Dammit, I already have one. At least I won’t have to arrive early now.[/quote]
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
^^^(dying laughing)
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]That photobucket gif was so awesome that the bandwidth was cut short.[/quote](dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I had forgotten the “cut short” nonsense. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I had forgotten the [/quote]
Fixed.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Hopefully Cespedes can bring his friend Soler too. I mean, since they’re both Cubans, they must be friends, right? And it would help Soler to get acquainted by having a fellow countryman to help him navigate the new American culture and stuff, right?
/Cubs fanned circa 2008 when the Cubs were signing Fukudome.
Recalcitrant Blogger NateQuote Reply
WTF was that gif of anyway?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]Hopefully Cespedes can bring his friend Soler too. I mean, since they’re both Cubans, they must be friends, right? And it would help Soler to get acquainted by having a fellow countryman to help him navigate the new American culture and stuff, right?
/Cubs fanned circa 2008 when the Cubs were signing Fukudome.[/quote]
They really need to make sure that they have someone who can tell him where to eat lunch in Houston.
/More Fukudome nonsense
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]Hopefully Cespedes can bring his friend Soler too. I mean, since they’re both Cubans, they must be friends, right? And it would help Soler to get acquainted by having a fellow countryman to help him navigate the new American culture and stuff, right?
/Cubs fanned circa 2008 when the Cubs were signing Fukudome.[/quote]deleted for redundant redundancy
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]http://www.diariolibre.com/deportes/2012/01/16/i320706_yoeni-cespedes-cubano-aguilas-cibaenas.html
Don’t speak spanish, but apparently Cespedes said that the Cubs have shown the most interest in him.[/quote]
Cespedes has been playing in the Dominican league and is hitting .067?? Hmmmm….
Other teams in are the White Sox, Orioles, Marlins, Tigers, and Indians.
26.2cubsfanQuote Reply
[quote name=26.2cubsfan]Cespedes has been playing in the Dominican league and is hitting .067?? Hmmmm….
Other teams in are the White Sox, Orioles, Marlins, Tigers, and Indians.[/quote]
Only 15 games, but still.
26.2cubsfanQuote Reply
In the A-AAA system, what level is the Cuban league approximately competitive at?
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
(It’s lower than the Dominican League, right?)
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]In the A-AAA system, what level is the Cuban league approximately competitive at?[/quote]About A ball from what I remember reading.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]About A ball from what I remember reading.[/quote]
That’s what I remember, too… but your memory is usually better than mine so I thought I’d ask.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
Is a 26-yo hitting 0.333/0.424/0.667 in A ball really that impressive?
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
From the comments on the fangraphs piece on him:
And the hit was an infield single. Miniscule sample size… but it’s really, really bad when 14 of your 15 AB’s end up with the ball never leaving the infield.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Is a 26-yo hitting 0.333/0.424/0.667 in A ball really that impressive?[/quote]
It means he’s very good at exploiting bad pitching at the very least.
The fact that the Cubs’ new guys who are supposedly really smart are interested in him anyway suggests that there may be more than meets the eye.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Is a 26-yo hitting 0.333/0.424/0.667 in A ball really that impressive?[/quote]
Probably not. The best Japanese hitters don’t hit a whole lot worse than that when they come here. In 2006 Fukudome hit .351/.438/.653. The NPB is roughly equal to AAA. If Cespedes was 6 years younger I’d be really excited, but apparently he’s already 27 so I’m much less excited. I’d actually be surprised if he could make the jump straight from the Cuban league to MLB. My guess is he’ll require some time in AAA.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]It means he’s very good at exploiting bad pitching at the very least.
The fact that the Cubs’ new guys who are supposedly really smart are interested in him anyway suggests that there may be more than meets the eye.[/quote]
Yeah I will generally trust them. And there’s also a bit of a “Pascal’s wager” at play here in the sense that if they sign him to a 4-5 year deal and he fails they won’t be wasting much salary when they can finally compete again… And if he succeeds it could speed up the timeframe for competing.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Is a 26-yo hitting 0.333/0.424/0.667 in A ball really that impressive?[/quote]Micah Hoffpauir, Josh Kroeger, and Brian LaHair think so.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
My guess is that in 5 years we’ll be talking about how Cespedes was signed because he had an awesome video. I’d prefer the Cubs stay away. I’d much rather have Soler.
mb21Quote Reply
I just am trying to not let my expectations get too high here.
More concerning to me is how the fan base will react to him if the team signs him to a $50M contract and he’s not any good.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Micah Hoffpauir, Josh Kroeger, and Brian LaHair think so.[/quote]At least those guys did it at AAA.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]I just am trying to not let my expectations get too high here.
More concerning to me is how the fan base will react to him if the team signs him to a $50M contract and he’s not any good.[/quote]If it takes $50 million I can’t help but think that would be a horrible contract. If it’s $25 million, fine.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]I just am trying to not let my expectations get too high here.
More concerning to me is how the fan base will react to him if the team signs him to a $50M contract and he’s not any good.[/quote]BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…
/fire Theo
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Though the latest rumors suggest it’ll take less than $32MM to sign Cespedes so that’s at least a bit more reasonable.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]/fire Theo[/quote]
Yeah, this worries me most of all. I can almost see the argument now…
Me: Well what did you expect him to do given the team he inherited?
Someone else: Well he wasted $50M on Cespedes! Imagine what they could have done with those funds… look at [insert shockingly over-performing player here], who only cost $15M. They could have had three of him instead!
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
In my opinion, Cespedes solves no problems for the Cubs. None. He’s 27 already so by the time is contending he’ll be past his prime (if he isn’t already). The Cubs have Brett Jackson in CF and they signed DeJesus for 2 years. I don’t think it makes any sense.
mb21Quote Reply
Oh. That’s better. I remember hearing $50M a few places. But then again, I started commenting here because my memory sucks. (dying laughing)
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]In my opinion, Cespedes solves no problems for the Cubs. None. He’s 27 already so by the time is contending he’ll be past his prime (if he isn’t already). The Cubs have Brett Jackson in CF and they signed DeJesus for 2 years. I don’t think it makes any sense.[/quote]
I will agree with this. I think they sign Soler for less money with the hope for more upside.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]In my opinion, Cespedes solves no problems for the Cubs. None. He’s 27 already so by the time is contending he’ll be past his prime (if he isn’t already). The Cubs have Brett Jackson in CF and they signed DeJesus for 2 years. I don’t think it makes any sense.[/quote]
It only makes sense if you can pay him $32M (total) and for some odd reason you think he can come and play at the MLB level right away and be a 4-5 win player. But the logic there isn’t self-consistent, so I don’t know why you’d think that.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Oh. That’s better. I remember hearing $50M a few places. But then again, I started commenting here because my memory sucks. (dying laughing)[/quote]Early on the reports were suggesting $50 million, but apparently it’s gone down in recent weeks. I’ll probably be a little pissed if they signed him for $50 million. I didn’t like signing Fukudome for 4-years and $48 million and he basically hit as well in Japan as Cespedes has at an inferior level.
mb21Quote Reply
If Cespedes keeps hitting below the Colvin line in the DL, he’ll be available for whatever the Cubs want to pay him.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
the Colvin line (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
MO is on top of the overhyped Cubs non-prospect references tonight.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Early on the reports were suggesting $50 million, but apparently it’s gone down in recent weeks. I’ll probably be a little pissed if they signed him for $50 million. I didn’t like signing Fukudome for 4-years and $48 million and he basically hit as well in Japan as Cespedes has at an inferior level.[/quote](dying laughing) your anti-Fukudome stance generated some epic ACB threads. (dying laughing) I remember you talking about how he wouldn’t hit for HR power in MLB and everyone attacking the shit out of you in one thread. (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I’d have to say that in the short time I was exposed (non-Sandusky kind) to Fleita, Bohringer, McLeod and Wilken, that they said all the right things and came off as very sharp and knowledgeable, so I feel like if they signed somebody, there’s probably a reason for it that a n00b like me hasn’t figured out yet.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Jesus fucking Christ that sentence had way too many commas in it.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]MO is on top of the overhyped Cubs non-prospect references tonight.[/quote]Kevin Orie and Gary Scott are my sources. I think they get their info from Derrick May and Bobby HIll.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder](dying laughing) your anti-Fukudome stance generated some epic ACB threads. (dying laughing) I remember you talking about how he wouldn’t hit for HR power in MLB and everyone attacking the shit out of you in one thread. (dying laughing)[/quote]
I think I was one of them (dying laughing).
And with that painful memory, I’m out.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]I think I was one of them (dying laughing).
And with that painful memory, I’m out.[/quote]No wonder C: BTFTC called you a phony scientist. (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]I think I was one of them (dying laughing).
And with that painful memory, I’m out.[/quote]
One last thing…
for one month of the year, I was right as Fukudome hit .345/.454/.526.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]No wonder C: BTFTC called you a phony scientist. (dying laughing)[/quote]Get it right. It’s “crackpot leftist scientist with influence in NASA”
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Get it right. It’s “crackpot leftist scientist with influence in NASA”[/quote]You just got booed in South Carolina.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]No wonder C: BTFTC called you a phony scientist. (dying laughing)[/quote]
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]
[/quote](dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
Regarding Cespedes, I know we are talking about small sample sizes and everything but didn’t he destroy pitching in the WBC? So as shitty as he’s looked in the DWL, he’s also looked equally as impressive in the WBC. My only concern about him is obviously his age, and also the fact that almost every clip I’ve seen from him, he’s hitting a ground ball. But I’m sure Theo and Co. know what they are doing so I’ll reserve judgement until he’s signed, playing on the Cubs and playing at a Jaque Jones early 2006 level. Then I’ll go to Wrigley and boo him. (dying laughing)
MuckerQuote Reply
Looks like Counsel retired to join the Brewers’ front office. One of the last of the wacky stances.
joshQuote Reply
Ludwick ———> Reds
BerseliusQuote Reply
Badler does not seem very impressed with Cespedes so far in the DL
jtsunamiQuote Reply
[quote name=jtsunami]Badler does not seem very impressed with Cespedes so far in the DL[/quote]Can we has link?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
When I refresh or post a comment, it sends me back to the middle of the thread. Anyone else having this issue?
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
That happens sometimes when there are youtubes in the comments
mb21Quote Reply
But it’s not happening for me
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Ludwick ———> Reds[/quote]That team is going to rack up a lot of strikeouts.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Leo NunezJuan Carlos Oviedo just got $6MM from theFishtaxpayers. I guess reliever salaries are going to stay nutty for a while.Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=jtsunami]Badler does not seem very impressed with Cespedes so far in the DL[/quote]I was thinking about something last night: why is Cuba regarded as this gold mine of talent? Looking at the last few defectors (El Duque, Betancourt, Alexei Ramirez, Contreras, Chapman–I’m sure I missed a few, but I’m just goign off the top of my head) it doesn’t seem like anything special is going there, or at least not anything beyond what a team can get from the DR or Venezuela, and without all the red tape. I dunno, I haven’t done any research into this and maybe I’m way off, but it strikes me that the approbation “Cuban defector” seems to tack an inordinate premium onto a player’s price tag.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I was thinking about something last night: why is Cuba regarded as this gold mine of talent? Looking at the last few defectors (El Duque, Betancourt, Alexei Ramirez, Contreras, Chapman–I’m sure I missed a few, but I’m just goign off the top of my head) it doesn’t seem like anything special is going there, or at least not anything beyond what a team can get from the DR or Venezuela, and without all the red tape. I dunno, I haven’t done any research into this and maybe I’m way off, but it strikes me that the approbation “Cuban defector” seems to tack an inordinate premium onto a player’s price tag.[/quote]Could it be that DR and Venezuelan prospects come over at 17/18 and are raw? Whereas by the time a Cuban prospect can come over, they are more developed? I mean, Cuba usually does pretty well in the WBC.
jtsunamiQuote Reply
Brad from Cubs Stats, like clockwork!
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/is-yoenis-cespedes-a-good-fit-for-the-chicago-cubs/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I was thinking about something last night: why is Cuba regarded as this gold mine of talent? Looking at the last few defectors (El Duque, Betancourt, Alexei Ramirez, Contreras, Chapman–I’m sure I missed a few, but I’m just goign off the top of my head) it doesn’t seem like anything special is going there, or at least not anything beyond what a team can get from the DR or Venezuela, and without all the red tape. I dunno, I haven’t done any research into this and maybe I’m way off, but it strikes me that the approbation “Cuban defector” seems to tack an inordinate premium onto a player’s price tag.[/quote]
Maybe Cuban Defector’s don’t get that lazy latino tag because they had to swim across the caribbean to make it to America, thus raising the price tag.
WaLiQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]When I refresh or post a comment, it sends me back to the middle of the thread. Anyone else having this issue?[/quote]
.
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
[quote name=jtsunami]Could it be that DR and Venezuelan prospects come over at 17/18 and are raw? Whereas by the time a Cuban prospect can come over, they are more developed? I mean, Cuba usually does pretty well in the WBC.[/quote]They always dominated in the Olympics, as well. I suppose that’s what has led to the perception that there’s some wealth of baseball talent there, but at a glance, it doesn’t seem that Cuban players perform any better on balance than prospects from any other place, but most of them still command a hefty premium.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]They always dominated in the Olympics, as well. I suppose that’s what has led to the perception that there’s some wealth of baseball talent there, but at a glance, it doesn’t seem that Cuban players perform any better on balance than prospects from any other place, but most of them still command a hefty premium.[/quote]The Olympic domination sounds like it’s a function of the Cubans having a lot more guys in the prime going against amateur players (i.e. college-aged kids) who are still on the upswing.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Brad from Cubs Stats, like clockwork!
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/is-yoenis-cespedes-a-good-fit-for-the-chicago-cubs/%5B/quote%5DI'm dubious of that WAR number he’s getting. First read this: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/can-yoenis-cespedes-showcase-talents-in-mlb/
Then consider when you run Cespedes’ 2011 numbers through the MLE calculator as a player at A-ball, you get an MLB line of .226/.277/.401 and I have no idea how Brad gets a 2-3 WAR player out of this.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
We’re going to be switching to WordPress sometime soon. Perhaps within a week. Joomla 1.5 is reaching end of life soon and the comments component we use hasn’t been updated for 1.6, 1.7 and Joomla 2.5 comes out soon (might already be out). All the other comment components suck for Joomla. Jcomments was the primary reason we chose Joomla in the first place and since it’s not a viable alternative at this point (even if a new one comes out, there’s no support for it anymore). So we’re moving to WordPress. I’ve been working on it for about a day now. Unfortunately there won’t be a refresh comments list link but our other blogs did well without it (ACB didn’t have it until we moved to Bloguin). The site should load 50 times faster too.
mb21Quote Reply
I suspect the projections for him will be rather positive, but like they were with Fukudome there was no reason whatsoever to believe any of them. People have focused on crazy projections for Wieters or Strasburg in recent years, but none were more crazy than Kosuke Fukudome’s .950ish OPS projection. I would have bet a lot of money that he didn’t come close to that.
mb21Quote Reply
I know someone who can convert all of the Joomla content (articles, comments, users, tags, etc) to WordPress so I’ve paid him a few bucks to take care of that. That part should be done in the next 24 to 36 hours. I’ve already started reformatting the template to look like this, but that takes awhile. I’m also having to re-learn WordPress, which I haven’t used since ACB went to Expression Engine in early 2008.
Current users will have to reset their password once it’s done. I’ll write more about this when the conversion is complete.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Unfortunately there won’t be a refresh comments list link but our other blogs did well without it.[/quote]Boo.
Anything out there where it could be like Twitter? Where you are notified when there is a new comment (or multiple new comments) instead of refreshing the comments when there isn’t a new comment.
Also, is there still a like/dislike button? I’ve gotten quite fond of that.
jtsunamiQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]
Current users will have to reset their password once it’s done. I’ll write more about this when the conversion is complete.[/quote]No thanks. Just send my refund to the mailing address I signed up with.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]No thanks. Just send my refund to the mailing address I signed up with.[/quote]THey used that money to pay Carlos Silva to run the Cubs without any whore’s glitter.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://drunkronswanson.com/
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]THey used that money to pay Carlos Silva to run the Cubs without any whore’s glitter.[/quote]Also to pay Yu Darvish’s posting fee.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]http://drunkronswanson.com/[/quote]That made my day.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]We’re going to be switching to WordPress sometime soon. Perhaps within a week. Joomla 1.5 is reaching end of life soon and the comments component we use hasn’t been updated for 1.6, 1.7 and Joomla 2.5 comes out soon (might already be out). All the other comment components suck for Joomla. Jcomments was the primary reason we chose Joomla in the first place and since it’s not a viable alternative at this point (even if a new one comes out, there’s no support for it anymore). So we’re moving to WordPress. I’ve been working on it for about a day now. Unfortunately there won’t be a refresh comments list link but our other blogs did well without it (ACB didn’t have it until we moved to Bloguin). The site should load 50 times faster too.[/quote]BUZZ!!!!! Wrong answer.
Sorry but I like the old girl the way she was, not without all the whore’s glitter of speed and quicker page loading times.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]BUZZ!!!!! Wrong answer.
Sorry but I like the old girl the way she was, not without all the whore’s glitter of speed and quicker page loading times.[/quote]Is this like a BCB joke?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=jtsunami]Boo.
Anything out there where it could be like Twitter? Where you are notified when there is a new comment (or multiple new comments) instead of refreshing the comments when there isn’t a new comment.
Also, is there still a like/dislike button? I’ve gotten quite fond of that.[/quote]I’m sure you can subscribe to the comments in each thread and an email will be sent to you when there are new comments. Considering the number of comments we get your email box could become quite full.
mb21Quote Reply
Happy Justified Day, guys.
MishQuote Reply
Cole Hamels —> $15MM to avoid arbitration
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Mish]Happy Justified Day, guys.[/quote]Is that a holiday you’ve recently enjoyed?
MuckerQuote Reply
[quote name=jtsunami]Could it be that DR and Venezuelan prospects come over at 17/18 and are raw? Whereas by the time a Cuban prospect can come over, they are more developed? I mean, Cuba usually does pretty well in the WBC.[/quote]
Or maybe it’s that the economic incentive for a player to defect has to be fairly great, so the players that do end up defecting have well-developed careers both in Cuba and in international competition. By that point, they’re probably at (or past) their career peak performance.
In other words, there may be a bias towards post-peak players just as there is in free agency.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
Also, Kendry Morales… and those are the “success stories.” Are there other guys that also came to the US but didn’t make MLB rosters?
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=Mucker]Regarding Cespedes, I know we are talking about small sample sizes and everything but didn’t he destroy pitching in the WBC? So as shitty as he’s looked in the DWL, he’s also looked equally as impressive in the WBC. My only concern about him is obviously his age, and also the fact that almost every clip I’ve seen from him, he’s hitting a ground ball. But I’m sure Theo and Co. know what they are doing so I’ll reserve judgement until he’s signed, playing on the Cubs and playing at a Jaque Jones early 2006 level. Then I’ll go to Wrigley and boo him. (dying laughing)[/quote]
He hit .458/.480/1.000 in 25 PA’s in the 2009 WBC. But he also hit .194/.275/.333 in the 2009 Baseball World Cup, and they eventually benched him there.
So, three sets of data, each with tiny sample size and a high degree of variance between them. Shocking.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]He hit .458/.480/1.000 in 25 PA’s in the 2009 WBC. But he also hit .194/.275/.333 in the 2009 Baseball World Cup, and they eventually benched him there.
So, three sets of data, each with tiny sample size and a high degree of variance between them. Shocking.[/quote]So not clutch.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Or maybe it’s that the economic incentive for a player to defect has to be fairly great, so the players that do end up defecting have well-developed careers both in Cuba and in international competition. By that point, they’re probably at (or past) their career peak performance.
In other words, there may be a bias towards post-peak players just as there is in free agency.[/quote]
I think this, coupled with the success of the Cuban teams in international comps, goes a long way towards explaining it.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Is Cuba really considered a gold mine? It’s only the occasional player that gets a lot of hype. I’m guessing if Dominicans were in their 20s they’d get even more hype, but since they’re signed at 16, 17 it doesn’t happen until they’ve been in a team’s minor league system for awhile.
The last hyped Cuban prospect was Chapman. Dude throws 200 mph and is a lefty. He was also pretty young at the time and signed a reasonable contract all things considered.
mb21Quote Reply
Everything I do is funky.
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Sorry about the smell
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Is Cuba really considered a gold mine? It’s only the occasional player that gets a lot of hype. I’m guessing if Dominicans were in their 20s they’d get even more hype, but since they’re signed at 16, 17 it doesn’t happen until they’ve been in a team’s minor league system for awhile.
The last hyped Cuban prospect was Chapman. Dude throws 200 mph and is a lefty. He was also pretty young at the time and signed a reasonable contract all things considered.[/quote]It just strikes me that every time a “Cuban defector” hits the market, everybody goes ga-ga over the fellow. I think this is especially pronounced with Cespedes. Here’s what I wrote at FG on Brad’s piece:
Anyone here want to toss $30 mil at LaHair? Or at Brett Jackson, for that matter?
Here’s Brad’s reply:
I think Brad has a good point here. I guess all I’m saying is if we wouldn’t be excited about Cespedes’ numbers at age 26 at any MiLB level, why should we be excited about them just because the Cuban league is such an unknown?
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Brad from Cubs Stats, like clockwork!
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/is-yoenis-cespedes-a-good-fit-for-the-chicago-cubs/%5B/quote%5D
Yeah, this. I’m pretty sure Cespedes won’t be all that terrific, unlikely to recoup the cost of a 4/32+ deal, and a good bet to miss completely. But I still think the Cubs should get him. They’re in a place where it’s okay to take this kind of risk, and with his upside, the IFA rule changes, and the dearth of impact free agent bats over the next few years, they pretty much need to.
But even a best case scenario is probably what Soriano gives on offense now matched with what Marlon Byrd gives on defense.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I think Brad has a good point here. I guess all I’m saying is if we wouldn’t be excited about Cespedes’ numbers at age 26 at any MiLB level, why should we be excited about them just because the Cuban league is such an unknown?[/quote]
It’s also worth considering the fact that Lahair and Jackson aren’t maneuvering in a free market situation. There is control over the price of those players that aren’t present for the international guys.
8volumesthickQuote Reply
[quote name=8volumesthick]It’s also worth considering the fact that Lahair and Jackson aren’t maneuvering in a free market situation. There is control over the price of those players that aren’t present for the international guys.[/quote]Sure. And there’s also the issue of supply-and-demand sorts of calculations. But put simply in terms of performance, there’s no reason to be more excited about Cespedes than there is to be excited about LaHair.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Sure. And there’s also the issue of supply-and-demand sorts of calculations. But put simply in terms of performance, there’s no reason to be more excited about Cespedes than there is to be excited about LaHair.[/quote]Correct.
/burned by Fukudome.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Why are people focusing so much on Cespedes’ numbers? The main reason he’s sought after is because he’s been thoroughly scouted. He has holes in his game (his hit tool is mediocre), but most scouts see him as a legit prospect.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Why are people focusing so much on Cespedes’ numbers? The main reason he’s sought after is because he’s been thoroughly scouted. He has holes in his game (his hit tool is mediocre), but most scouts see him as a legit prospect.[/quote]I agree. I don’t think Cespedes gets this much hype if the scouts weren’t sure that he had “it”.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Sure. And there’s also the issue of supply-and-demand sorts of calculations. But put simply in terms of performance, there’s no reason to be more excited about Cespedes than there is to be excited about LaHair.[/quote]
Agreed. He’s Bryan LaHair with whore’s glitter.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Why are people focusing so much on Cespedes’ numbers? The main reason he’s sought after is because he’s been thoroughly scouted. He has holes in his game (his hit tool is mediocre), but most scouts see him as a legit prospect.[/quote]I’m saying his numbers call for caution. That’s all. He’s an old-ish prospect with good tools who is performing at a high level while playing in a amateur league of apparently unquantifiable quality. That gives me pause. I’m not saying he’s going to fail. I’m saying his numbers at his age and level should be considered with caution.
How excited would we be about a 26YO who had Cespedes’ 2011 season in the Dominican league?
Or the Arizona Fall League?
As cautious as we would be of those numbers, so should we be cautious of Cespedes’ numbers. But there’s no denying he has dazzling tools and the potential is certainly there for him to be an immediate contributor.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I agree. I don’t think Cespedes gets this much hype if the scouts weren’t sure that he had “it”.[/quote]Scouts are wrong all the time. They’re damn good at their jobs, but they miss on a lot of players. If the Cubs sign him for $30 million I’m not going to care. I’d be surprised if he’s actually worth that before being eligible to become a free agent, but whatever. If they sign him for much more than that I’ll be disappointed.
I’ll say it again, Kosuke Fukudome hit as well in 2006 as Cespedes did last year. The only difference is that Fukudome did it at a level roughly equal to AAA while Cespedes did it at a level that is about like A ball. I’d be very surprised if Cespedes ends up being anywhere near as valuable as Fukudome was. Based on the very small sample of Cuban players who have played MLB and those who have failed, my expectations for Cespedes would be replacement level. Anything over that will actually surprise me.
If the Cubs spend $30 million over 4 or 5 years trying to get lucky then fine. I don’t care. If they spend much more than that I don’t see how it ends well for any of them.
mb21Quote Reply
All the scouts can say with a prospect is whether a guy is a good bet. This is why scouts are wrong and prospects fail so often despite good tools, etc.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Is this blog showing solidarity with the internets?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71535.html
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]Yeah, this. I’m pretty sure Cespedes won’t be all that terrific, unlikely to recoup the cost of a 4/32+ deal, and a good bet to miss completely. But I still think the Cubs should get him. They’re in a place where it’s okay to take this kind of risk, and with his upside, the IFA rule changes, and the dearth of impact free agent bats over the next few years, they pretty much need to.
But even a best case scenario is probably what Soriano gives on offense now matched with what Marlon Byrd gives on defense.[/quote]
Despite my pessimism, this makes a ton of sense. The Cubs make enough money that they can afford to miss on a risk-reward case like Cespedes. All I am saying is I think we should seriously temper our expectations for the guy.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
You know what though? Spending money on talent means you’re going to miss on occasion. That’s the reality of it. I want the Cubs to be active and spend money on players. I expect this front office to hit more than they miss, but the misses are inevitable. So go ahead and take a chance on Cespedes. Ain’t my money.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]You know what though? Spending money on talent means you’re going to miss on occasion. That’s the reality of it. I want the Cubs to be active and spend money on players. I expect this front office to hit more than they miss, but the misses are inevitable. So go ahead and take a chance on Cespedes. Ain’t my money.[/quote]
Couldn’t agree more.
Or could I?
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]You know what though? Spending money on talent means you’re going to miss on occasion. That’s the reality of it. I want the Cubs to be active and spend money on players. I expect this front office to hit more than they miss, but the misses are inevitable. So go ahead and take a chance on Cespedes. Ain’t my money.[/quote]Yeah, that’s fair. I guess my admonishment is more for people like us who write and talk about baseball. Just because there are fewer Cuban prospects available and their league is to some extent an unknown doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to evaluate them using the same objective measures we would use with any other prospect. The team has an almost infinitely greater amount of knowledge about these guys, so who knows what they are using to evaluate Cespedes and guys like him. But using the analytical tools we have available to us, it seems that a tempering of our expectations is in order.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
GWQuote Reply
[quote name=GW].[/quote]False
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
The biggest concern for me is how the less tempered fan (and sportswriter) will try to hang a Cespedes miss around Theo’s neck if the team isn’t winning 140 games by 2014.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=GW]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjvXxwvg8mc[/quote]See. Whore’s glitter. It will kill you every time.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mish]Is this blog showing solidarity with the internets?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71535.html%5B/quote%5DI don’t know what the intentions of berselius, 424 and AC are, but I’m pretty sure that’s going to have no impact whatsoever. A bunch of sites that our government officials never visit because they’re too old and stupid to operate a computer go offline and what? All of a sudden they ditch their plans? A bunch of sites that criticize the government go offline and they’re going to have a hell of a day. It’ll be the best day of their lives. Sites that expose them for being frauds go dark and they get to say whatever they want.
Only way this has has any impact is if every porn site goes offline. Those are the only places these hacks visit anyway. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]The biggest concern for me is how the less tempered fan (and sportswriter) will try to hang a Cespedes miss around Theo’s neck if the team isn’t winning 140 games by 2014.[/quote]Yeah, and all because they couldn’t take 5 minutes to do some work on the internets.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]See. Whore’s glitter. It will kill you every time.[/quote]
too bad no one told b until it was too late
GWQuote Reply
Strong argument for why Volstad won’t see $2.6 million in arbitration: http://www.bleachernation.com/2012/01/17/projecting-chris-volstads-salary-in-arbitration/
Doesn’t really matter as far as payroll in 2012 goes since Cubs send $18 million minus whatever Volstad earns to the Marlins, but it will matter in future years.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=GW]too bad no one told b until it was too late[/quote]
I’m organizing a class action lawsuit against that glitter company.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Why are people focusing so much on Cespedes’ numbers? The main reason he’s sought after is because he’s been thoroughly scouted. He has holes in his game (his hit tool is mediocre), but most scouts see him as a legit prospect.[/quote]
Because we know how to judge numbers no matter how poor their sample size, and we don’t have the skills or access to judge the other stuff. For that, we have to trust the people that do.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]You know what though? Spending money on talent means you’re going to miss on occasion. That’s the reality of it. I want the Cubs to be active and spend money on players. I expect this front office to hit more than they miss, but the misses are inevitable. So go ahead and take a chance on Cespedes. Ain’t my money.[/quote]
THIS. Also, this is a gamble they can afford to make in the sense that the vast majority of the wager will be placed at a time when the Cubs have significant wiggle room in their budget and making a mistake isn’t going to impact their (nearly nonexistent) chances of competing for a title.
Actually, the only way they DO compete for a title in the next year or two is by catching
lightningwhore-glitter in a bottle…. and guys like Cespedes represent a better-than-average chance at being such.shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I don’t know what the intentions of berselius, 424 and AC are, but I’m pretty sure that’s going to have no impact whatsoever. A bunch of sites that our government officials never visit because they’re too old and stupid to operate a computer go offline and what? All of a sudden they ditch their plans? A bunch of sites that criticize the government go offline and they’re going to have a hell of a day. It’ll be the best day of their lives. Sites that expose them for being frauds go dark and they get to say whatever they want.
Only way this has has any impact is if every porn site goes offline. Those are the only places these hacks visit anyway. (dying laughing)[/quote]
Politicians do respond to the complaints of their constituents, however. So whether or not this will be successful will depend
on the degree to which citizens are upset and call their representatives.
And the people that call care about this issue. If you look around, you’ll see the most prevalent far-left and far-right blogs are both strongly anti-SOPA. I think this bill goes down in flames.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]
Actually, the only way they DO compete for a title in the next year or two is by catching
lightningwhore-glitter in a bottle.[/quote]Great point. Maybe the best point in favor of a minor splash on Cespedes (and Soler). At some point, the Cubs need to cost-controlled excellence at a 2-3 positions to get this thing turned around in less than 5 years.Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Twitter sez Soto signed for $4.3M.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Twitter sez Soto signed for $4.3M.[/quote]That could end up being a real nice bargain.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I don’t know what the intentions of berselius, 424 and AC are, but I’m pretty sure that’s going to have no impact whatsoever. A bunch of sites that our government officials never visit because they’re too old and stupid to operate a computer go offline and what? All of a sudden they ditch their plans? A bunch of sites that criticize the government go offline and they’re going to have a hell of a day. It’ll be the best day of their lives. Sites that expose them for being frauds go dark and they get to say whatever they want.
Only way this has has any impact is if every porn site goes offline. Those are the only places these hacks visit anyway. (dying laughing)[/quote] This is far more serious of a response than I expected or wanted. (dying laughing)
MishQuote Reply
You’ll have to like my FB status again, MO, as I screwed up “ensure vs insure” (dying laughing)
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]
And the people that call care about this issue. If you look around, you’ll see the most prevalent far-left and far-right blogs are both strongly anti-SOPA. I think this bill goes down in flames.[/quote]
I feel like the President will veto it anyway since he’s young and hip. And so the political talk will stop now.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I don’t know what the intentions of berselius, 424 and AC are, but I’m pretty sure that’s going to have no impact whatsoever. A bunch of sites that our government officials never visit because they’re too old and stupid to operate a computer go offline and what? All of a sudden they ditch their plans? A bunch of sites that criticize the government go offline and they’re going to have a hell of a day. It’ll be the best day of their lives. Sites that expose them for being frauds go dark and they get to say whatever they want.
Only way this has has any impact is if every porn site goes offline. Those are the only places these hacks visit anyway. (dying laughing)[/quote]I’m going to protest by actually showing up here and commenting and posting 8 articles that day.
AndCountingQuote Reply
[quote name=AndCounting]I’m going to protest by actually showing up here and commenting and posting 8 articles that day.[/quote]OCCUPY OV
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Jim Caldwell —–> Sleeps with the fishes
…or he got fired, whatever.
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]All the scouts can say with a prospect is whether a guy is a good bet. This is why scouts are wrong and prospects fail so often despite good tools, etc.[/quote]Thanks, I should’ve elaborated on my comment instead of being such a lazy Asian fuck.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Also, I was planning to test guest posting to my new wordpress blog tomorrow…. procrastination win.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
http://walksaber.blogspot.com/2012/01/run-distribution-and-w-2011.html
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Also, I was planning to test guest posting to my new wordpress blog tomorrow…. procrastination win.[/quote]Are you transferring your site over to WP?
mb21Quote Reply
Aoki ———> Brewers, multiyear deal.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Are you transferring your site over to WP?[/quote]
Yup.
http://astrobio.net/paleblueblog
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
He’s probably a bench player, though apparently he was a batting champ in Japan. I’m guessing he gets the bulk of the starts during Braun’s PED suspension.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]He’s probably a bench player, though apparently he was a batting champ in Japan. I’m guessing he gets the bulk of the starts during Braun’s PED suspension.[/quote]Braun’s appealing, no?
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Yup.
http://astrobio.net/paleblueblog%5B/quote%5DYou still have the same email address? I assume you’re setting up the community section as you had it before. As mentioned here, we’re moving to WP soon. I haven’t looked into the community thing for WP yet, but wouldn’t mind talking to you about it if you’re setting it up for your blog.
mb21Quote Reply
Victor Martinez —————> torn ACL, out for 2012 season.
Tigers will be looking for offense now…
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Victor Martinez —————> torn ACL, out for 2012 season.
Tigers will be looking for offense now…[/quote]
Too bad the Cubs can’t oblige.
MishQuote Reply
I’d call DET and offer them Soto right fucking now.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]You still have the same email address? I assume you’re setting up the community section as you had it before. As mentioned here, we’re moving to WP soon. I haven’t looked into the community thing for WP yet, but wouldn’t mind talking to you about it if you’re setting it up for your blog.[/quote]
Sadly I won’t be of much help. I’m outsourcing all that stuff… I think to India.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]You still have the same email address? I assume you’re setting up the community section as you had it before. As mentioned here, we’re moving to WP soon. I haven’t looked into the community thing for WP yet, but wouldn’t mind talking to you about it if you’re setting it up for your blog.[/quote]
And yeah everything else is the same. One of the reasons for the jump is we’re partnering with a parent site, and they have a web programmer that set up the WordPress backend.
Send me an email later this week or next, and if I know anything by then I’d be happy to help. (dying laughing)
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I’d call DET and offer them Soto right fucking now.[/quote]
That makes sense. The twitter explosions of soriano offers… make less sense.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
KG says Cubs are most likely to sign Cespedes.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I’d call DET and offer them Soto right fucking now.[/quote]
Agreed. Mix him in with Garza. Tigers can split time at the dish between Avila and Soto, keep them both fresh. Cubs can reasonably ask for Castellanos in addition to Turner et al.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Fuck it. Give him Soto and Garza for Turner, Castellanos, and Smyly.
jtsunamiQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]KG says Cubs are most likely to sign Cespedes.[/quote]Oh well, so much for Cespedes.
BerseliusQuote Reply
I can’t wait to see how the Cubs are going to try to market this year’s team. Their best bet is probably to just put pictures of Theo and Hoyer on everything (dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]KG says Cubs are most likely to sign Cespedes.[/quote]Hawt. Or not.
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]Agreed. Mix him in with Garza. Tigers can split time at the dish between Avila and Soto, keep them both fresh. Cubs can reasonably ask for Castellanos in addition to Turner et al.[/quote]
This would definitely be hawt.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]I can’t wait to see how the Cubs are going to try to market this year’s team. Their best bet is probably to just put pictures of Theo and Hoyer on everything (dying laughing)[/quote]Kim DeJesus.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]I can’t wait to see how the Cubs are going to try to market this year’s team. Their best bet is probably to just put pictures of Theo and Hoyer on everything (dying laughing)[/quote]Year
OneTwoThree: It’s A Charm, Right?Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Oh well, so much for Cespedes.[/quote]Can’t wait until the Cubs sign him and KG begins to rip him apart. (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Kim DeJesus.[/quote]
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]
[/quote]I like this, but was the extra “E” in “September” on purpose?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m sorry. I was thinking about cats again.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I like this, but was the extra “E” in “September” on purpose?[/quote]
I didn’t make it, I just found it.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=Aisle424]I didn’t make it, I just found it.[/quote]I think we’ve just found our 2012 Cubs marketing slogan.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I think we’ve just found our 2012 Cubs marketing slogan.[/quote]
Not a good sign, when your slogan could also be what your dog is thinking when he’s sniffing a turd on the sidewalk.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I think we’ve just found our 2012 Cubs marketing slogan.[/quote]
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]KG says Cubs are most likely to sign Cespedes.[/quote]I could say the same thing based on the widely-blogged interview with Cespedes the other day. Does he have more info than us?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban kid]I could say the same thing based on the widely-blogged interview with Cespedes the other day. Does he have more info than us?[/quote]I would assume he does.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Kim DeJesus.[/quote]Josh does not approve.
WaLiQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I would assume he does.[/quote]
Don’t assume, go to doesKGhavemoreinfothanus.com
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Don’t assume, go to doesKGhavemoreinfothanus.com[/quote]”Does KG have more info th(e) anus?”
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Mish]”Does KG have more in fo(r) th(e) anus?”[/quote].
WaLiQuote Reply
[quote name=Mish]”Does KG have more info th(e) anus?”[/quote]
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=WaLi]Josh does not approve.[/quote]Watch 99.9999% of the male population not care.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Bears interviewed Jason Light yesterday and Jimmy Ray III today. They are the Directors of Pro Personnel for NE and SD, respectively. So, yeah, the Bears aren’t hiring a GM, they are hiring a guy to draft the players Lovie wants. Rumor is Ray III is the favorite.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Bears interviewed Jason Light yesterday and Jimmy Ray III today. They are the Directors of Pro Personnel for NE and SD, respectively. So, yeah, the Bears aren’t hiring a GM, they are hiring a guy to draft the players Lovie wants. Rumor is Ray III is the favorite.[/quote]
This may be a good thing.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]This may be a good thing.[/quote]Eh. I’m a big fan of checks and balances. Although this sort of thing has worked for Parcells, Belichick and Cowher.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Yeah I’ve always been a fan of having your GM and coach on the same page… but that may be leftover rage from when Angelo dismantled Jauron’s team.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Yeah I’ve always been a fan of having your GM and coach on the same page… but that may be leftover rage from when Angelo dismantled Jauron’s team.[/quote]My problem is Lovie’s roster decisions on the offensive side have been routinely poor, so I don’t trust him to be the guy drafting those guys, either.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Lovie was supposedly responsible for the picks of Michael Okwo, Dan Bazzine and Jaron Gilbert. I do think the Bears need a scouting guy to run things though. If they have someone supplying Lovie with guys that can play, not the guys he thinks can play, I think he can coach them well enough.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Lovie was supposedly responsible for the picks of Michael Okwo, Dan Bazzine and Jaron Gilbert. I do think the Bears need a scouting guy to run things though. If they have someone supplying Lovie with guys that can play, not the guys he thinks can play, I think he can coach them well enough.[/quote]No, those were Angelo picks, through and through. He likes small, fast LB and projectable DL with athleticism. But I trust Lovie with defense. He’s missed a few, sure, but I trust him on that side of the ball. I’m much more worried about the Bears continuing to surround Cutler with shit.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Angelo always liked to draft guys with “high floors”, or something. I always found that comical.
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Mish]Angelo always liked to draft guys with “high floors”, or something. I always found that comical.[/quote]Right. You draft players who are athletic enough to at least stick around. That…yeah. That’s dumb.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I would assume he does.[/quote]I would assume you’re wrong. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I would assume you’re wrong. (dying laughing)[/quote]I lack secondary skills.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]My problem is Lovie’s roster decisions on the offensive side have been routinely poor, so I don’t trust him to be the guy drafting those guys, either.[/quote]
Lovie isn’t around for anything offensive in any sense of the word. The offensive decisions I rest at the feet of Turner, Martz, and Angelo.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I lack secondary skills.[/quote]And the ability to remember that KG is full of shit.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]No, those were Angelo picks, through and through. He likes small, fast LB and projectable DL with athleticism. But I trust Lovie with defense. He’s missed a few, sure, but I trust him on that side of the ball. I’m much more worried about the Bears continuing to surround Cutler with shit.[/quote]
Hub Arkush said that Okwo, Bazzine, and Gilbert were all Lovie guys. He also lobbied for the acquisition of Adam Archuletta. I’m not defending Angelo but he got the guys Lovie wanted in many instances. The Bears need a personnel chief that will be able to draft the best available in spite of Lovie’s desires.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=WaLi]Josh does not approve.[/quote]I disapprove on the grounds of the spelling error.
joshQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Hub Arkush said that Okwo, Bazzine, and Gilbert were all Lovie guys. He also lobbied for the acquisition of Adam Archuletta. I’m not defending Angelo but he got the guys Lovie wanted in many instances. The Bears need a personnel chief that will be able to draft the best available in spite of Lovie’s desires.[/quote]
The best scenario would be a guy that’s comfortable overruling Lovie on individual guys, but is OK with focusing on the “types/positions” Lovie is shopping for.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Hub Arkush said that Okwo, Bazzine, and Gilbert were all Lovie guys. He also lobbied for the acquisition of Adam Archuletta. I’m not defending Angelo but he got the guys Lovie wanted in many instances. The Bears need a personnel chief that will be able to draft the best available in spite of Lovie’s desires.[/quote]Wake me up when Chicago is competing in sports again.
joshQuote Reply
Perfect example of why Sullivan is such a completely shittastic sportswriter and all-around grabbastic piece of shit:
Basic fact pattern, creatively arranged to demonstrate a preconceived narrative, bolstered by sheer conjecture masquerading as statements of fact. What a fucking hack this puny fucker is.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
If the Cubs were as good as the Red Sox were, though, I wouldn’t complain (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Here, some Cespedes analysis from Clay Davenport. Gobble it up, fuckers:
http://claydavenport.com/?p=97
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Perfect example of why Sullivan is such a completely shittastic sportswriter and all-around grabbastic piece of shit:
Basic fact pattern, creatively arranged to demonstrate a preconceived narrative, bolstered by sheer conjecture masquerading as statements of fact. What a fucking hack this puny fucker is.[/quote]Of course, the real reason you’re saying these words is that your an undercover marketer shamelessly conceal you true ambition to drive up internet exposure of the word “Toyota.”
joshQuote Reply
[quote name=josh]Of course, the real reason you’re saying these words is that your an undercover marketer shamelessly conceal you true ambition to drive up internet exposure of the word “Toyota.”[/quote]I’m trying to clutter up the blog with the whore’s glitter of advertising.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Watch 99.9999% of the male population not care.[/quote]Regardless of other male’s responses, I’ll defend proper spelling until my dying day.
joshQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]The best scenario would be a guy that’s comfortable overruling Lovie on individual guys, but is OK with focusing on the “types/positions” Lovie is shopping for.[/quote]I didn’t want to play for an organization attached to 20th century concepts and payrolls anyway.
BPVQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Watch 99.9999% of the male population not care.[/quote]
Don’t forget through, the last time anyone was 99.9% of anything, Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano issued a “99.9 percent guarantee” in spring training of 2010 that he wouldn’t get into any trouble during the season. The .1 percent won out. Zambrano was suspended in June and sent to anger management counseling.
/Puny Fucker’d
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]Here, some Cespedes analysis from Clay Davenport. Gobble it up, fuckers:
http://claydavenport.com/?p=97%5B/quote%5D
Sounds about right. Love the Adam Jones comp, too. I’ve heard Bo Jackson comps, wonder if that might be Cespedes’ ceiling.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]Here, some Cespedes analysis from Clay Davenport. Gobble it up, fuckers:
http://claydavenport.com/?p=97%5B/quote%5D
Money quote
.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]Here, some Cespedes analysis from Clay Davenport. Gobble it up, fuckers:
http://claydavenport.com/?p=97%5B/quote%5DJose Abreu is 0 years old. I’d probably sign him. He won’t even reach is peak for 25+ years.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius].[/quote]Yeah, I didn’t mean to come off as predicting Cespedes’ demise. Just saying expectations need to be lowered. There’s a very great likelihood he’ll be little more than average-above average, even if he does make a MLB club out of ST. In fact, that’s probably the most we should expect from him. Anything less, well, prospects fail, no matter where they come from. Anything more is gravy. As bad as the Cubs need the gravy, probably worth the risk. But it’s important that the sizeable risk here be recognized.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Jose Abreu is 0 years old. I’d probably sign him. He won’t even reach is peak for 25+ years.[/quote]0-year-olds have the most upside.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Keep in mind the WARP figures he’s using are the old WARP. The replacement level of .200 or something like that.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]0-year-olds have the most upside.[/quote]Especially when they’re already playing in professional baseball. You could probably sign the infant to nothing more than a dish of candy once a week for the next 13 years. Then you could buy him a girlfriend for 3 years and a sweet care at 16. He’ll already have 450 home runs at the MLB level by then.
mb21Quote Reply
If the Cubs scouting department could figure out how to pick out the best possible player from a pool of 100000 egg donors…UNSTOPPABLE.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Brewers just signed their Japanese guy, Aoki.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yeah, I didn’t mean to come off as predicting Cespedes’ demise. Just saying expectations need to be lowered. There’s a very great likelihood he’ll be little more than average-above average, even if he does make a MLB club out of ST. In fact, that’s probably the most we should expect from him. Anything less, well, prospects fail, no matter where they come from. Anything more is gravy. As bad as the Cubs need the gravy, probably worth the risk. But it’s important that the sizeable risk here be recognized.[/quote]
delicious, delicious gravy
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Keep in mind the WARP figures he’s using are the old WARP. The replacement level of .200 or something like that.[/quote]
At least he provided a comparison. I was paying a lot more attention those CF rankings than the WARP number anyway
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Keep in mind the WARP figures he’s using are the old WARP. The replacement level of .200 or something like that.[/quote]Yeah. As pointed out the HBT thread, it’s a stretch to call Jones a “very good” MLB player. He’s probably average-ish, at best. My best guess case for Cespedes based on his numbers are the offense you’ve gotten from Soriano the past 2-3 years and a solid CF. Certainly a valueable player, but not a star, maybe not even a “very good” player. Fukudome with more power and lesser on-base skills.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]delicious, delicious gravy[/quote]
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Does Lincecum deserve $20MM+ for a year? I would say yes even though he’s lost a step.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/record-filing-numbers-for-lincecum-giants.html
Rice CubeQuote Reply
So. Fucking. Good. http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/1/13/2702190/tim-tebow-nfl-playoffs-2012-denver-broncos-haters-gonna-hate
Read about the house of fucking lies Tebow’s “underdog” story is built on and tell me again how he’ s a good guy.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
New shit: http://obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/articles/garza-wants-10225m-cubs-offering-795m.html
Aisle424Quote Reply