This post was written prior to the Cubs trade.
Many believe that Theo Epstein "loves" his prospects to the point where he cannot part with them. It is a common problem some general managers have in drafting and developing players. Former Cubs GM Jim Hendry was famous for hanging on to his prospects to the point where they had no trade value (or were poor major league players). In a trade market, you try to exchange gold for silver; veterans for quality prospects.
So when Theo took over the Cubs, he had no loyalty to Hendry-era players. Here are some notable players from the Hendry days:
Notable Drafted players:
2003 – Jake Fox, Sean Marshall, Casey Mcgehee, Sam Fuld (unsigned)
2004 – Fuld, Sean Gallagher
2006 – Tyler Colvin, Jeff Samardjiza, Steve Clevenger
2007 – Josh Donaldson, Darwin Barney, Brandon Guyer, Josh Vitters
2008 – Andrew Cashner, Ryan Flaherty, Josh Harrison, Jeff Beliveau, and an unsigned Sonny Gray
2009 – Brett Jackson, DJ LeMahieu, Chris Rusin, Wes Darvill, Brooks Raley, Justin Bour, Trey McNutt, and an unsigned Colin Kaepernick (SF QB)
2010 – Matt Szczur, Erick Jokisch, Elliot Soto, Dustin Geiger, Dallas Beeler
2011 – Javy Baez, Dan Vogelbach, Tayler Scott, Shawon Dunston, Jr., Daniel Lockhart, Trey Martin, Dillon Maples, John Andreoli, James Pugliese, Andrew McKirahan, Michael Jensen, PJ Francescon.
Notable International signings:
2010_ OF Rubi Silva (Cuba), SS Carlos Penalver (Venezuela), 3B Jeimer Candelario (Dominican Republic), OF Jeffrey Baez, C Alberto Mineo
(Italy), RHP Daury Torrez (Dominican Republic)
2009- C Willson Contreras (Venezuela), Pin-Chieh Chen (Taiwan), RHP Felix Pena
2008 – INF Hak-Ju Lee (South Korea), RHP, INF Arismendy Alcantara (Dominican Republic), Frank Batista RHP, Dominican Republic
2007 – OF Kosuke Fukudome (Japan), IF Junior Lake (Dominican Republic)
2006 – SS Starlin Castro (Dominican Republic)
2005 – RHP Alberto Cabrera (Dominican Republic)
2004 – RHP Rafael Dolis (Dominican Republic), C Welington Castillo (Dominican Republic).
As you can tell, many of the Hendry signings did make it to the major leagues. Several have been used by Theo as trade chips to acquire other players. In 4.5 years, Theo has turned over most the organizational roster.
So if you are trying to predict which current Cubs prospects or players could be used in a trade deadline trade, look at who is left in the Cubs organization from the Hendry era:
Contreras #2 prospect, Candelario #8 prospect, and Vogelbach #20 prospect.
Contreras and Candelario have both played with the Cubs major league team this season. Vogelbach has gotten some of his power back in AAA Iowa.
Since the Cubs will not trade Kyle Schwarber, who some project to be worth more than 21 WAR in his rookie control period, for a relief pitcher, that means it is really down to Candelario and Vogelbach to make a trade. For a top line reliever like Andrew Miller, this probably will not get it done. For a rental player like A. Chapman, maybe, but there will be other suitors.
Addendum:
The Cubs acquired left handed swingman Mike Montgomery and minor leaguer Jordan Pries from Seattle in exchange for 1B/DH Dan Vogelbach and minor league starter Paul Blackburn. With Montgomery, the Cubs get a power pitcher from the left side that holds lefties to a .146 BA. He also has the ability to spot start.
Like discussed above, the Cubs parted with Vogelbach, a player who would blocked by Rizzo and Schwarber on the major league roster. Vogelbach was rumored to have been in the Yankee discussions for Andrew Miller, but the Yanks wanted Schwarber.
Of note, Theo and Hoyer did part with one of their "guys," a 2012 draft pick in Blackburn. Blackburn, 22, is 6-4 in AA with a 3.17 ERA. In Pries, the Cubs get a 26 year old AAA reliever who was promoted from AA as a marginal starter.
Showing posts with label Hendry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hendry. Show all posts
July 21, 2016
August 8, 2014
AHEAD OF ONE'S SELF
People are VERY excited by Javy Baez's coronation to the majors.
He is on pace to hit 162 HR and 270 RBI.
That would be awwwwwwww . . . . not gonna happen.
Baez has the free swinging approach similar to Starlin Castro when he made his splashy debut.
Fans are cheering Epstein and Hoyer for bringing the excitement back to Cub nation.
Again, Baez may be part of the plan but technically he was not part of Epstein's plan.
Castillo, Castro, Alcantara and Baez appear to many to be part of the "core" players that the team will be built around. Epstein's concept of "core" players was made early in his duties here as a means of telling the world that he was going to conduct a long, slow minor league system rebuild and re-stock the club with new, quality prospects.
Castillo, Castro, Alcantara and Baez have something else in common: they were all signed during the Jim Hendry era of Cub baseball.
It is not to say that when he first arrived Epstein can't play the cards he was dealt.
But he cannot take credit for fully developing any of the potential star players.
Kyle Hendricks was a Rangers prospect.
Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop were Orioles prospects.
Anthony Rizzo was a Red Sox prospect and Padre minor leaguer.
Hector Rondon was an Indians prospect.
Chris Coghlan was a Marlins prospect.
Travis Wood was a Reds prospects.
Edwin Jackson was a journeyman pitcher; the same with many bullpen arms and utility players like Luis Valbuena, Justin Ruggiano.
Junior Lake and Chris Rusin were also Henry prospects.
Epstein and Hoyer have churned the Cubs major league roster. And there have been some promotions of Cub minor leaguers to the Bigs. But at the present moment, none of the Epstein-Hoyer scouted and signed players have reached the majors. So, at best, their talent evaluation grade is incomplete.
He is on pace to hit 162 HR and 270 RBI.
That would be awwwwwwww . . . . not gonna happen.
Baez has the free swinging approach similar to Starlin Castro when he made his splashy debut.
Fans are cheering Epstein and Hoyer for bringing the excitement back to Cub nation.
Again, Baez may be part of the plan but technically he was not part of Epstein's plan.
Castillo, Castro, Alcantara and Baez appear to many to be part of the "core" players that the team will be built around. Epstein's concept of "core" players was made early in his duties here as a means of telling the world that he was going to conduct a long, slow minor league system rebuild and re-stock the club with new, quality prospects.
Castillo, Castro, Alcantara and Baez have something else in common: they were all signed during the Jim Hendry era of Cub baseball.
It is not to say that when he first arrived Epstein can't play the cards he was dealt.
But he cannot take credit for fully developing any of the potential star players.
Kyle Hendricks was a Rangers prospect.
Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop were Orioles prospects.
Anthony Rizzo was a Red Sox prospect and Padre minor leaguer.
Hector Rondon was an Indians prospect.
Chris Coghlan was a Marlins prospect.
Travis Wood was a Reds prospects.
Edwin Jackson was a journeyman pitcher; the same with many bullpen arms and utility players like Luis Valbuena, Justin Ruggiano.
Junior Lake and Chris Rusin were also Henry prospects.
Epstein and Hoyer have churned the Cubs major league roster. And there have been some promotions of Cub minor leaguers to the Bigs. But at the present moment, none of the Epstein-Hoyer scouted and signed players have reached the majors. So, at best, their talent evaluation grade is incomplete.
March 26, 2012
THE OLD AND THE NEW
The weekend debate was about the New Cubs. A few people are still in full honeymoon mode with the Epstein crew. They admit that the Cubs will do nothing this year, but they are happy that the new crew is getting rid of the deadwood of the past roster. Except, the latter is not quite true. Even if the honeymoon period is still in the fandom, the operations look more like a continuation of the Old Guard.
Example 1: is DeJesus in RF just a different version of Kosuke Fukudome? An above average defender who came to town with some batting credentials that never panned out?
Example 2: is the replacement at third base as good as the last one? Hendry traded with the Pirates for Aramis Ramirez because the Pirates could not afford to keep him because he was good and would demand a huge salary increase. Epstein traded for Ian Stewart because the Rockies could not afford to keep him because he was bad.
Example 3: the old organization put its future in three superstar starters (Prior, Wood and Zambrano) and only Z had a legitimate starting career. The new organization has brought in their first three starters as the core of rebuilding (Maholm, Travis Wood and Volstad). T. Wood has been awful, and Maholm under the weather most of the spring. Not a good beginning.
Example 4: the old guard held on to declining veterans too long, like Derek Lee at first base. Now the new guard is handing first base over to a veteran AAA player that the old Cubs failed to promote for years. The old guard signed Pena to be a stop gap player until something; the new guard is using LaHair as a stop gap until Rizzo is ready.
These examples don't instill confidence that the New Cub organization is operating that much different than the old organization.
Example 1: is DeJesus in RF just a different version of Kosuke Fukudome? An above average defender who came to town with some batting credentials that never panned out?
Example 2: is the replacement at third base as good as the last one? Hendry traded with the Pirates for Aramis Ramirez because the Pirates could not afford to keep him because he was good and would demand a huge salary increase. Epstein traded for Ian Stewart because the Rockies could not afford to keep him because he was bad.
Example 3: the old organization put its future in three superstar starters (Prior, Wood and Zambrano) and only Z had a legitimate starting career. The new organization has brought in their first three starters as the core of rebuilding (Maholm, Travis Wood and Volstad). T. Wood has been awful, and Maholm under the weather most of the spring. Not a good beginning.
Example 4: the old guard held on to declining veterans too long, like Derek Lee at first base. Now the new guard is handing first base over to a veteran AAA player that the old Cubs failed to promote for years. The old guard signed Pena to be a stop gap player until something; the new guard is using LaHair as a stop gap until Rizzo is ready.
These examples don't instill confidence that the New Cub organization is operating that much different than the old organization.
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