They sort of have to. Swanson and Hoerner have SS and 2B blocked barring injury.
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Wisdom maybe would be a big bat got a contender but he’s probably peaked already. I guess we will see how he does this year but he’s purely a power guy and he will be 33 in Aug.
An argument canoe made that they held onto the belief that Killian could be a starter for too long. I think he has a real future in the pen.
CJE (or is it CEJ now?) not making opening day roster. Don't think the Cubs would make the move otherwise.
Tough situation with him. I would have liked to have him in the organization as a first call-up guy in case Leiter completely loses it or as an injury replacement. I would have rather had him on the 40-man than K. Thompson, but the difference probably wasn't enough for the Cubs to make a move.
It was Carl’s opt-out. I was just pointing out that he wasn’t instantly a FA. They have now parted ways. I wish him the best.
Hardly. He’s in on a minimum deal to be a spot starter and bench bat. If he sucks, they’ll move on, but he has solid upside.
Like hawkifann said, Cubs aren't going to pay Cooper $7M this year for 1/3 season of poor baseball, then another $7M next year to NOT play. He's more the equivalent of last season's Eric Hosmer (veteran with some history of success at league minimum price) with a much better chance of having an impact and sticking.
Doesn’t have anything to do with a contract. I wouldn’t be shocked if he isn’t on the team at the all-star break. I’m talking production. And Mancini didn’t block a prospect, Mervis was given an opportunity and didn’t produce either.
Both Mancini and Hosmer were bad last season. I can see it playing out like that.
He may not be. He’s very low risk, plus, he won’t be asked to do what Mancini was last year.
Be a key bat in the lineup. No production from him was killer. Cooper will probably start a couple times a week and be a bench bat. Cubs were looking for Mancini to start and produce a lot more.
I love cutdown day where fierce debates rage over Garrett Cooper.
However, what I love even more is to see where the top prospects are assigned. There are some key guys to watch this season, and who the organization pushes from the start will be interesting to see.
However, what I love even more is to see where the top prospects are assigned. There are some key guys to watch this season, and who the organization pushes from the start will be interesting to see.
Was great to see the kids play well this spring. If guys struggle on the big club, Canario (if he doesn’t open in Chicago), PCA, Mervis, Shaw and Caissie are all just a call away and they have both the payroll space and prospects to go make a big deal if they find the right spot.
Roster Resource has Cooper platooning with Busch at DH, so you’re right, he probably won’t start a lot and might not be on the team if Wisdom is healthy. My point was that by bringing him, and even Smith, it feels like trying to squeeze every last ounce of production from a somewhat aging veteran. And you can certainly add Hosmer into that conversation. I don’t think, though, that he blocked Mervis. They had five guys try to produce at 1B last year and only one did.
As they’ve talked about extensively in Chicago radio, they will eventually need to deal one or more of the young guys, and they are in great shape to do that.
They pretty much did block Mervis, to the point that he only got 99 PAs. Not sure the point of bringing up Smith, since they released him yesterday. Not rare for teams to take looks at NRIs in spring training.
Bigger picture, though, the Cubs seem to be in a different place with regards to playing young players this year and I think Counsell is a big reason.
We’ll agree to disagree about blocking Mervis. I hope he’s a significant contributor but he’s had opportunities and hasn’t taken advantage of them yet. Again, hope that changes.
Not saying they weren't, I just think your correlation of Cooper to Mancini is a big stretch. $ aside, Mancini was a black hole at 1B for 4 months (.635 OPS for an everyday 1B is almost uncomprehendable for a team trying to compete), and while Mervis did get a chance at one point, 90 AB is not much of a look at your top MLB-ready prospect. No one will ever know how much of an impact it had on his development, but it doesn't matter for this discussion. Point is that Cooper is not going to get in the way of the emergence of any of the team's current prospects on the verge of making it to the Bigs - he's taking the place of Madrigal and Wisdom. Hosmer was cheap and kicked to the curb before any real damage was done; that's why I think it's a better/more likely correlation. And when the team needs a place for PCA/Davis/Vazquez/Alcantara, Cooper won't be a reason that there isn't a place on the roster for them.
And if Cooper IS a reason, then its because he’s raking and that’s the best kind of problem.
Agreed on most, but I don’t buy that Mancini blocked Mervis’ development. Mervis had the opportunity, and not only did he not produce, he looked completely overmatched. I’m guessing Mervis would have had the same results whether he was called up in April or June. First Base was a black hole last year.
I’m sorry my comparison of Mancini and Cooper drew so much ire, I appreciate the conversation.
I actually disagree about Mervis looking completely overmatched, but he didnt get the runway to prove it. He had a stretch of really good ABs with a number of loud outs right before being sent down. Either way, he’ll get another shot somewhere at some point.
I won't bang on Ross too hard, but he seemed a little old school baseball on younger players. Counsell seems more inclined to push and develop the kids. Ross was more, "Don't send me these kids".
How freaking good does that OF in Des Moines look? PCA, Canerio, ONKC, and Brennan Davis (I still have hope). Shaw, Mervis and Vazquez in the infield.
The rotation has Brown, Wesneski, and most likely Horton, although I can see him staying in Arizona for a few weeks. I think the I-Cubs have a miserable early season with trips to St. Paul, Omaha, and Buffalo, so avoiding that swing might be best for his arm which is going to be on a tight innings limit. The bullpen is going to have quite a few serviceable arms who can go up and down. I'm not sure on the catchers, yet, but I assume it's going to be 2 AAAA guys.
I haven't seen this, and it surprises me. Makes me think that either Madrigal is not starting the season on the IL or they are starting the season with an extra arm in the bullpen.
Edit - saw Wes was optioned, also, so I guess Madrigal makes the ODR. They must really be concerned about 3B to keep a hobbled, light-hitting guy on the roster as a backup plan. I wish the team were in a position where they could put him at AAA as the regular 2B and maybe he'd hit .330 and build up some trade value.
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Madrigal is on the roster. I think this has more to do with Canario getting regular ABs. When Wisdom comes back someone might be cut free or traded. Canario only comes up due to an outfielder getting injured at this point.
Jed said today that he wanted Canario to get consistent at bats. Yes, that is a loaded outfield at Iowa
