I wouldn't mind signing Bonifacio to a multi-year deal. He'd be the best utility man we could ask for. I also wouldn't be shocked if this offseason, Castro starts his move over to second.
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MLB: 2014 Chicago Cubs
- Thread starter Bret44
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I wouldn't mind signing Bonifacio to a multi-year deal. He'd be the best utility man we could ask for. I also wouldn't be shocked if this offseason, Castro starts his move over to second.
I think Valbuena has one more arbitration year used up, so has one less arbitration eligibility year then Barney and Ruggiano.
The MLB prospect watch does an "estimated time of arrival" to the MLB at the beginning of the year and predicted Baez to be ready to go by September this year, so I wouldn't be shocked if Baez were playing up at the start of the 2015 season. Here's what our ETA's look like for our top 10
2014
Baez
Alcantara
Vizcaino
2015
Bryant
Russell
Edwards
Soler
Johnson
2016
Almora
2017
McKinney
2014
Baez
Alcantara
Vizcaino
2015
Bryant
Russell
Edwards
Soler
Johnson
2016
Almora
2017
McKinney
I think maybe they start having him work out at second, but play him at short next season. Unless Russell just lights the world on fire in spring training or something, there isn't a suitable replacement for Castro at short right now.
Because batting average is irrelevant? It's not the be all, end all that it was once considered to be, but it's still worth looking at. And while having a respectable batting average doesn't really tell you much either way, having a very good or very bad average does matter.
The good with Baez:
Plus power, plus speed, good ability to drive runs in.
The bad with Baez:
Raw glove and raw vision/discipline (Over 100 strikeouts this early in the year is extremely bad)
Plus power, plus speed, good ability to drive runs in.
The bad with Baez:
Raw glove and raw vision/discipline (Over 100 strikeouts this early in the year is extremely bad)
I honestly think the Cubs will keep Castro at SS, and move the others. The others are younger and still able to better adjust. It took nearly 2 years for Castro to fully adapt to playing SS at the Majors, and it would be too risky to make him switch, IMO.
I think a small sample of batting average doesn't tell you the whole story (a season) but a large sample will.
For example, Castro's last 5 years BA - .300, .307, .283, .245, .290
At the same time, his power numbers have gone up, and his speed has gone down.
Baez BA over the last 4 years - .278, .294, .282, .241
No point in bringing a guy up if he's in a slump like this, or if he's striking out every other time he's at the plate. Let him figure himself out, get on a roll, and call him up while he's on the roll, instead of calling him up when he's in a time of need to fix himself.
For example, Castro's last 5 years BA - .300, .307, .283, .245, .290
At the same time, his power numbers have gone up, and his speed has gone down.
Baez BA over the last 4 years - .278, .294, .282, .241
No point in bringing a guy up if he's in a slump like this, or if he's striking out every other time he's at the plate. Let him figure himself out, get on a roll, and call him up while he's on the roll, instead of calling him up when he's in a time of need to fix himself.
Javy isn't really in a slump anymore though and hasn't been since April. That's been his only terrible month. May wasn't great but wasn't bad either with a .738 OPS. June he had a .815 OPS and so far in July, obviously with a small sample size, he has a .848 OPS. He's improved every month. The walks have gone up and the strikeouts have gone down. It's been encouraging to see. The one thing I'd like to see come back though is the power. If that happens, he'll be more than fine.
April was terrible, but June has been his only decent month in terms of BA, and he strikes out a ton (105 Ks in just 78 games, and that ratio has been awful in every month this season, not just April). His strikeout rate has gone down a little, but not that much. He was striking out 37.9% of the time in the first two months, and he was down to about 33% in June (which is still pretty damn bad). It's like 23% in July, but he's only had 18 at bats.
Maybe if TheoJed feel like throwing away some money, but I'd say he'll be up after the Super 2 deadline at the earliest
I'd be fine if he were the DH for the rest of the year if it meant he stays healthy. He just needs the at bats.
Keep Soler playing. If he stays healthy the rest of the year and puts up solid numbers, he'll be starting in the MLB on opening day
