MLB: 2014 Chicago Cubs

[ISUCubswin]

Catcher is harder than ss.

I wouldn't say it's harder, I'd say it's ********.

I can catch a 65 mph rise ball in softball. Thats 91 MPH in the majors, and the softball is moving up.

So I wouldn't say catching is harder than being a shortstop. At shortstop, you have to make moves that only about 10% of major leaguers can make. You have to be able to throw like a third basemen on a bunt, your position see's the most balls hit in play, you have to have the soft hands of a second basemen, and you have to be at least the second fastest player on your team.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Here's my point.

Castro for a future Ace

OR

Baez for a future Ace

I'd trade Baez ALL DAY. Castro is not only proven but he's cheap. Who knows how much Baez would cost when his contract comes up. Reaching 3 All Star games is hard to achieve for any MLBer, and Castro's done it at just 24.

Also, at just 24, Castro has over 1,000 hits, so he'll be bringing in some nice milestones.

 

[Rabbuk]

I didn't know we were talking about a girls sport.

 

[chuckd4735]

I think Castro is more likely to be traded than Baez.

No way. Castro is proven, Baez is not.

 

[Wesley]

I think Castro is more likely to be traded than Baez.

I keep the cheap contracts like Moneyball.

 

[Wesley]

I wouldn't say it's harder, I'd say it's ********.

I can catch a 65 mph rise ball in softball. Thats 91 MPH in the majors, and the softball is moving up.

So I wouldn't say catching is harder than being a shortstop. At shortstop, you have to make moves that only about 10% of major leaguers can make. You have to be able to throw like a third basemen on a bunt, your position see's the most balls hit in play, you have to have the soft hands of a second basemen, and you have to be at least the second fastest player on your team.

Catcher takes smarts.

 

[Rabbuk]

Castro being a more established player makes his trade value higher. If Baez is as good as advertised we won't miss him.

 

[Rabbuk]

Catcher takes smarts.

Catcher is the most physically demanding, calls the game, makes defensive shifts, has to know hitter tendencies, receives the toughest throws with the smallest pocket. Also is the leader of the team.

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

Catcher takes smarts.

Lets not get carried away. I was a catcher that played in college, and I'm not exactly a rocket surgeon.

 

[Rabbuk]

Lets not get carried away. I was a catcher that played in college, and I'm not exactly a rocket surgeon.

I played both at a high enough level to be recruited by d2 schools. Shortstop was like a day off.

 

[CycloneErik]

I played both at a high enough level to be recruited by d2 schools. Shortstop was like a day off.

You've got a good case, but we all agree that the other guy is no rocket scientist.

 

[Rabbuk]

You've got a good case, but we all agree that the other guy is no rocket scientist.

Haha neither am I.

 

[gocubs2118]

So if you could get a future ace prospect for a future...mmm...lets say 5 time all star. You wouldn't make that trade?

Especially when we have the bats already to potentially win a world series without Baez, but Arrieta as our only future starting pitcher?

Nope. 1000 times nope.

I'm not trading any of these stud hitting prospects for pitching ones. Only established pitchers. Pitchers are unpredictable. I want nothing to do with them. Screw pitchers.

 

[cloneteach]

Pitching can be and will be bought. Why do Baez and Castro have to be the ones traded? There is depth in the organization's farm system. Players like McKinney, Schwarber, Almora could also be traded for pitching at a deadline. Hitting is so hard to find in the MLB now and the Cubs will have a surplus. They don't need to make any rash decisions. Try to buy some pitching this offseason to go with Arrieta and hendricks. With the bullpen and hitting they will have they will need a solid 3 at the top. Don't forget that the some of the guys in the Cubs system might pan out pitching wise too.

 

[CloneinWDSM]

Maybe it's a trend. I played catcher throughout high school and a wooden bat league. I'm definitely not a rocket scientists. It's just a lot about knowing the sport and situations.

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

Maybe it's a trend. I played catcher throughout high school and a wooden bat league. I'm definitely not a rocket scientists. It's just a lot about knowing the sport and situations.

If you know the game, you can be a solid catcher. I bet if you looked it up (and I am too lazy to do so), a good percentage of big league managers are catchers in their past life. I'm thinking Scosia, Girardi, Matheny, Baylor, just off the top of my head.

 

[cloneteach]

If you know the game, you can be a solid catcher. I bet if you looked it up (and I am too lazy to do so), a good percentage of big league managers are catchers in their past life. I'm thinking Scosia, Girardi, Matheny, Baylor, just off the top of my head.

Catchers do make some of the best managers. Know they don't have to be rocket scientists but they do need to think the game more than anyone on the field. For that reason, catcher isn't a spot teams absolutely need to get offense from. Many of the best catcher bats are moved from the position because it is so taxing on the body and the offense goes bad. Also, if the bat is that good, why risk having to give a day or two off per week? In the NL there is no DH to give a guy a break defensively. Bryant ultimately will end up in the OF in my opinion. That isn't a hard transition.

 

[CYF5]

So if you could get a future ace prospect for a future...mmm...lets say 5 time all star. You wouldn't make that trade?

Especially when we have the bats already to potentially win a world series without Baez, but Arrieta as our only future starting pitcher?

Potential is all we have at this point. Remind me who is hitting .300 or has 30 HR ina season at the Major league level. Not much trade value there. Pitching will have to be developed within or bought. We are not getting an ace for any of our bats at this time. As much as I like Castro, he is a 3X All-Star because he plays for the cubs and someone has to make it.

Can't wait for 2016!

 

[ISUCubswin]

The debate between shortstops and catchers isn't who's smarter, the debate is who is more important to a team.

Girardi was probably smarter than Mike Piazza. Who would you rather have on your team? Piazza, because he was more talented.

The catcher is an important position for gameplay. You need to be smart and you need to study the game to be a good catcher.

But a shortstop has to have gifts that you can't "study."

 

[cyhiphopp]

Potential is all we have at this point. Remind me who is hitting .300 or has 30 HR ina season at the Major league level. Not much trade value there. Pitching will have to be developed within or bought. We are not getting an ace for any of our bats at this time. As much as I like Castro, he is a 3X All-Star because he plays for the cubs and someone has to make it.

Can't wait for 2016!

This!

The best pitchers we could get for our top prospects would be developmental guys or 3rd slot pitchers at best, NOT front line starters. We will want/need guys like Scherzer, Cueto, Lester, Shields, Homer Bailey...

Keep the current top bats.