Starlin Castro is considered a "core" player in the Cubs rebuilding plan.
He burst on the scene four years ago. He was a free swinging .300 hitter.
Castro, only 23, has played in 582 ML games, 2351 AB, 667 hits, 35 HR, 222 RBI and a career .284 BA. He has a career 7.6 WAR.
But in 2013, he has slipped to a negative 0.4 WAR. He defense is still poor. He has 100 career errors and a fielding percentage of .962.
He signed an 8 year $60.57 million contract that goes through 2020 (club option). It is back loaded so he is an affordable player for a two time All-Star.
But does Castro "really" fit in to the Cubs plan?
He is not a Epstein-Hoyer "guy." He does not fit their profile as a high OBP batter. He lacks focus in the field. He is not as patient at the plate as one would hope for a .300 hitter.
Granted, Castro has been the whipping boy for the Cubs ills the past two seasons. Castro has not helped himself with his play and on-field mistakes. The perception is that Castro is regressing and not improving at his craft. He is playing badly on a bad team which puts the spotlight (blame) on him. That is unfair but he (along with Anthony Rizzo) got extensions in the off-season to be leaders of the team.
Javier Baez, by all accounts, is the "real deal." In Class A/AA he hit 37 HR, 111 RBI. Baez, who is only 20, has played 215 minor league games, and in 916 PA has 237 hits, 53 HR, 158 RBI and .286 BA. He has the offensive skills to be a major leaguer right now, according to various scouts. However, he is a poor defender, with a weak .934 fielding percentage in the minors. He is a shortstop by trade which means that at the moment, Castro is blocking him.
Baez is comparable to Castro because they are both young free swinging infielders. However, Baez has more power in his bat which the Cubs desperately need in their line up. The Cubs have many outfield prospects high on management's list of future starters that Baez may have to remain an infielder.
Baez will play in AAA Iowa next season. He will have one more year of development. That puts Castro in a make-or-break 2014. If Castro cannot improve in 2014, then Baez will probably push for his job in 2015. And by that time, Cub fans would have had enough of losing to demand change.
That would make Castro expendable in a trade. By the end of 2014, the Yankees Derek Jeter will retire so the Yankees would be in the market for an experienced, All-Star caliber shortstop. The Yankees currently do not have a shortstop in their Top 20 Prospects list.
It would make sense at that point to trade Castro to the Yankees for two top prospects and let Baez take over at shortstop in 2015.
