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MLB: 2014 Chicago Cubs

I saw the Icubs last week for the first time this year. Holy smokes is there some infield talent. Not only offensively but they had some nice defensive plays, were running the bases hard, etc.
Brad Penny (remember him?) was pitching for New Orleans and was severely getting lit up: 4 and 2/3's, 8 hits, 8 runs.
 
CycloneErik said:
A catcher? Interesting.
I thought Bonifacio would have been a nice utility guy to have around, but they've got something planned.
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A little surprised that it's a single A level prospect for those two players (and cash)

Only 10% of single A players make it the show for even a short period of time.
 
I think just about every player plays in Single A.

My thoughts on the trade:

Good contact hitter
He's 20
Defensively, a little weak
Will make an alright backup
2nd round pick in 2013 (Pretty high)

Catchers from the MLB all the way to the rookie league are extremely weak because the majority of good hitting catchers are getting moved to the outfield (see Bryce Harper.) That being said, this guy is a good CATCHER for what the position has turned into for the MLB.

In fact, in MLB's prospect watch, only 3 of the top 10 catching prospects are hitting over .300 (one being Schwarber)
 
Also, just did some research.

The "A" level he is playing at right now is Kane County (was Peoria) for the Cubs.

Players the last three years that have played for Kane County:

2014
Kyle Schwarber (C/OF)
Gerardo Concepcion (P)
Pierce Johnson (P)
Jen-Ho Tseng (P)
Duane Underwood (P)

2013
Albert Almora (OF)
Dan Vogelbach (1B)
Dillon Maples (P)

2012
Javier Baez (INF)
Jorge Soler (OF)

Only prospect name you are probably curious about is Kris Bryant. He actually played below this level (A -) and tore it up, so he skipped this level and went to A +
 
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As standalone pieces Russell and Bonifacio didn't have enough to net a player of much value at all. Together and with $1 million in cash that the cubs are sending as well you are able to get a legitimate switch hitting catcher prospect. Caratini was the #7 prospect in the braves system per mlb.com.

For some perspective if you follow cubs prospects closely, mlb.com has already updated the cubs top 20 prospects. Caratini comes in at #13 just behind Pierce Johnson and Dan Vogelbach and just ahead of Jeimer Candelario, Eloy Jimenez and Jen-ho Tseng. So he's definitely a legitimate prospect. #13 in the best system in all of baseball is pretty strong.
 
Javy is 3-3 tonight with a homer and now has an OPS of 1.017 in July. Hopefully they call him up for the last 6 weeks of the season.
 
cycloneman003 said:
As standalone pieces Russell and Bonifacio didn't have enough to net a player of much value at all. Together and with $1 million in cash that the cubs are sending as well you are able to get a legitimate switch hitting catcher prospect. Caratini was the #7 prospect in the braves system per mlb.com.

For some perspective if you follow cubs prospects closely, mlb.com has already updated the cubs top 20 prospects. Caratini comes in at #13 just behind Pierce Johnson and Dan Vogelbach and just ahead of Jeimer Candelario, Eloy Jimenez and Jen-ho Tseng. So he's definitely a legitimate prospect. #13 in the best system in all of baseball is pretty strong.
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Just in. Cubs have best minor league system. Now if they could win in the majors.
 
Personally I think it was a pretty solid trade for the Cubs. They get a guy they were pretty high on during last year's draft at a position they are weak at in the minors. Not sure why he is labeled as "just a single A guy" when he is only 20 years old and was drafted last season.
 
CyJack13 said:
I can wait until late April to keep the extra year of control on him.
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Sometimes there are more important things than service time and control. This is one of those times. If Boras was his agent like Bryant, I'd probably agree. But developing him is more important in this case. It's obvious it takes him more time to adjust to a league than most players. Get that out of the way this year, let him take his lumps, have some success and work on things in the off season.
 
gocubs2118 said:
Sometimes there are more important things than service time and control. This is one of those times. If Boras was his agent like Bryant, I'd probably agree. But developing him is more important in this case. It's obvious it takes him more time to adjust to a league than most players. Get that out of the way this year, let him take his lumps, have some success and work on things in the off season.
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40 games aren't going to make much of a difference in his overall development. The Cubs aren't going to compete next year either so he's got all of next year to get acclimated before 2016 when the Cubs will really start to contend.
 
I know this typically isn't something fans talk about in August the year before, but the Cubs are just three losses from getting the first pick next year, which leads to this question:

Brady Aiken was considered the best player in last years draft. He's considered the most developed pitcher for his age in a long, long time and he's a lefty. ESPN had a reporter once say that this guy has the potential to be a Clayton Kershaw. The Astro's drafted him with the first pick and offered him a $6.5 million signing bonus. Before he signed it, the Astros did a physical on him and found a minor issue with his elbow and dropped it to a $5 million signing bonus. He didn't sign because he disagreed with the price (though I think it was more he didn't want to be an Astro)

This year, the Astros get the second pick of the draft for compensation. Should the Cubs get the first pick, can they get Aiken if he declares for the draft, or can the MLB force him to sit out a year for not signing this year?

Also, Daz Cameron (Mike Cameron's son) is widely considered the best player in this years draft if Aiken isn't in it. Say the Cubs get the third pick of the draft and the first pick takes Daz, would the Astros take Aiken again?
 
ISUCubswin said:
I know this typically isn't something fans talk about in August the year before, but the Cubs are just three losses from getting the first pick next year, which leads to this question:

Brady Aiken was considered the best player in last years draft. He's considered the most developed pitcher for his age in a long, long time and he's a lefty. ESPN had a reporter once say that this guy has the potential to be a Clayton Kershaw. The Astro's drafted him with the first pick and offered him a $6.5 million signing bonus. Before he signed it, the Astros did a physical on him and found a minor issue with his elbow and dropped it to a $5 million signing bonus. He didn't sign because he disagreed with the price (though I think it was more he didn't want to be an Astro)

This year, the Astros get the second pick of the draft for compensation. Should the Cubs get the first pick, can they get Aiken if he declares for the draft, or can the MLB force him to sit out a year for not signing this year?

Also, Daz Cameron (Mike Cameron's son) is widely considered the best player in this years draft if Aiken isn't in it. Say the Cubs get the third pick of the draft and the first pick takes Daz, would the Astros take Aiken again?
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Maybe I'm wrong about how the draft works, but I don't think Aiken was ever under any kind of obligation to sign. Assuming he goes to a JUCO, he can come right back next year. It's up to the teams to decide if they think a high schooler is signable. If they reach the wrong conclusion and end up with egg on their faces, that's their problem, not the player's.
 
Edwin Jackson is just awful. How in the world did we see anything impressive with him to give him a better (same) contract than Matt Garza ended up with?

Seriously - he has good stuff, but that doesn't matter when you throw one pitch right over the plate every at bat.
 
He's not even left handed so giving such a bad pitcher 11 million makes no sense.
 
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