Jake Arrieta does have a slow delivery to the plate when runners are on base.
Runners can get a good jump on him.
Miguel Montero is an average catcher with a below average throw out ratio
of runners trying to steal.
Of course, that is a bad combo. And the Nationals stole a team record 7 bases last night to prove it.
So after the game, Montero goes off and blames Arrieta for the 7 steals (even though one of his throws bounced 20 feet in front of second.)
Anthony Rizzo publicly blasts Montero's comments as being "unprofessional."
Normally, these spats are kept behind clubhouse doors. But it shows that the 2016 Happy Happy Cubs clubhouse is not that cheery anymore. One incident sparked a wild fire explosion which quickly led to the front office designating Montero for assignment. Players must have been walking on egg shells for the underwhelming performance for one rant to turn into a job termination bullet.
That means the Cubs have 10 days to trade him (like they did this week with LHP Rosscup) or Montero becomes a free agent (and the Cubs must pay the remaining balance on his large 2017 contract).
The Cubs have not put together consistent total games together all season. The Cubs are mired in a .500 record by playing like an average team. The Montero release is not a turning point in the season but evidence of the open, bleeding sore that is the 2017 season.
Some believe that Maddon lost his position as leader during Game 7 of the World Series. The players only meeting led by Jason Heyward was meant to show the world that the players could win the game in spite of their manager's questionable moves. Maybe Maddon's happy talk and laid back behavior has worn thin with the roster. The players certainly have not shown the drive to succeed like they did last year. The off-season was filled with celebration, admiration and endorsement deals. The Cubs basked in their great accomplishment to the detriment of this season's preparation.
Now with nagging injuries cropping up around the team, and objective performance stats waning on all fronts, the front office is also walking on egg shells. The expectation of ownership and fans was high - - - to repeat the World Series. Ricketts have poured millions into the Wrigley Field experience but if the Cubs tank this year, that investment is at risk.
Montero being released so quickly is a symptom of a greater Cub problem. He may just be the first man in the lifeboat in a sinking season.
Showing posts with label catcher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label catcher. Show all posts
June 28, 2017
October 20, 2016
RUN THE TABLE
At the beginning of the season, I thought the most important Cub player in 2016 was going to be Kyle Schwarber.
But when Schwarber got injured in the outfield early in the season, the Cubs continued to bulldoze opponents with long winning streaks. To replace Schwarber's bat, Maddon relied upon more young talent: Baez and Contreras, who now appears to be the starting catcher in 2017.
When the Cubs dropped two games to the Dodgers in the NLCS, it was the lack of offense.
It made many think of the missing Schwarber bat. He only hit .143 in the Mets series in 2015, but for the entire playoff run he hit .333 BA, 5 HR, 8 RBI. He was the spark in the line up because he had consistent hard contact.
Opponents, especially good ones, can dissect a line up card to pin point who can hurt them, who to pitch around, and who to attack. There are still many holes in the Cub line up: Zobrist, Heyward, Russell, Montero may have a singular moment, but have been consistently off. With half a line up not a threat, that puts more pressure on the stars. Rizzo felt the pressure and tried to do too much. It was only after shattering his bat did he get back into the groove in the Game 4 10-2 blow-out.
But Game 4 spark was created by the defense. Contreras pick off and Heyward's throw to nip Gonzalez at home plate gave the Cubs the old, in season memories of being a great team.
Now that hitting has come back, and the pitching staff has been consistent, now is the time to run the table and clinch the pennant on Saturday night.
But when Schwarber got injured in the outfield early in the season, the Cubs continued to bulldoze opponents with long winning streaks. To replace Schwarber's bat, Maddon relied upon more young talent: Baez and Contreras, who now appears to be the starting catcher in 2017.
When the Cubs dropped two games to the Dodgers in the NLCS, it was the lack of offense.
It made many think of the missing Schwarber bat. He only hit .143 in the Mets series in 2015, but for the entire playoff run he hit .333 BA, 5 HR, 8 RBI. He was the spark in the line up because he had consistent hard contact.
Opponents, especially good ones, can dissect a line up card to pin point who can hurt them, who to pitch around, and who to attack. There are still many holes in the Cub line up: Zobrist, Heyward, Russell, Montero may have a singular moment, but have been consistently off. With half a line up not a threat, that puts more pressure on the stars. Rizzo felt the pressure and tried to do too much. It was only after shattering his bat did he get back into the groove in the Game 4 10-2 blow-out.
But Game 4 spark was created by the defense. Contreras pick off and Heyward's throw to nip Gonzalez at home plate gave the Cubs the old, in season memories of being a great team.
Now that hitting has come back, and the pitching staff has been consistent, now is the time to run the table and clinch the pennant on Saturday night.
December 21, 2014
NEW BATTERY
The Cubs got aggressive and took catcher David Ross away from the Padres.
Ross becomes apparently Jon Lester's new personal catcher.
With the trade for Miguel Montero, it seems Welington Castillo's time as a Cub is over.
And it really makes little sense.
Montero, 31, has had two bad seasons in a row.
2013: 11 HR 42 RBI .230 BA 0.5 WAR
2014: 13 HR 72 RBI .243 BA 0.7 WAR
Ross, 37, is a nominal performer.
2013: 4 HR 10 RBI .216 BA 0.8 WAR
2014: 7 HR 15 RBI .184 BA Negative 0.3 WAR
Castillo, 27, has been a better performer when healthy.
2013: 8 HR 32 RBI .234 BA 4.5 WAR
2014: 13 HR 46 RBI .237 BA 1.8 WAR.
The Cubs are replacing Castillo with Montero and Ross, but losing 1.5 WAR value in return.
I don't see the motivation to replace Castillo since there are other glaring holes in the line up card. If moving Castillo is going to set a fire under the young players to perform or else, then that just adds more pressure on them. If they think they can get something BIG in return for a proven starting catcher in Castillo, I don't think that will be the case since Toronto still has a better catcher, Dioner Navarro, ready for the trade market.
It makes little sense to trade away pieces just so you have a roster filled "with your guys"when the new guys don't project to be any better than the old guys.
Ross becomes apparently Jon Lester's new personal catcher.
With the trade for Miguel Montero, it seems Welington Castillo's time as a Cub is over.
And it really makes little sense.
Montero, 31, has had two bad seasons in a row.
2013: 11 HR 42 RBI .230 BA 0.5 WAR
2014: 13 HR 72 RBI .243 BA 0.7 WAR
Ross, 37, is a nominal performer.
2013: 4 HR 10 RBI .216 BA 0.8 WAR
2014: 7 HR 15 RBI .184 BA Negative 0.3 WAR
Castillo, 27, has been a better performer when healthy.
2013: 8 HR 32 RBI .234 BA 4.5 WAR
2014: 13 HR 46 RBI .237 BA 1.8 WAR.
The Cubs are replacing Castillo with Montero and Ross, but losing 1.5 WAR value in return.
I don't see the motivation to replace Castillo since there are other glaring holes in the line up card. If moving Castillo is going to set a fire under the young players to perform or else, then that just adds more pressure on them. If they think they can get something BIG in return for a proven starting catcher in Castillo, I don't think that will be the case since Toronto still has a better catcher, Dioner Navarro, ready for the trade market.
It makes little sense to trade away pieces just so you have a roster filled "with your guys"when the new guys don't project to be any better than the old guys.
December 11, 2014
A PUZZLING BAD TRADE
The Cubs traded two minor league players for Diamondback catcher Miguel Montero. Class A pitchers Zack Godley and Jeferson Mejia go to Arizona in the deal.
Godley is a 24-year-old righty who has yet to move past the High-A level in Chicago’s system. Working at Daytona last year, he put up a 3.57 ERA in 40 1/3 frames with 11.6 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9.
Mejia, 20, reached Rookie ball last year after being inked by the Cubs on July 2 of 2013. As Ben Badler of Baseball America wrote, the 6’7 prospect had been adding weight and fastball velocity at the time of his signing. He ultimately went for a $850K bonus. Mejia features a low-90s heater with a good change and decent curve. Meija was the 17th ranked Cubs prospect. Working mostly as a reliever, he threw to a 2.48 ERA with 10.1 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 in 40 innings last year.
Montero, a left-handed hitter, has three years and $40 million left on his deal. The 31-year-old has had two down years after establishing himself as one of the best-hitting backstops in the game. Last year, he slashed .243/.329/.370 with 13 home runs in 560 plate appearances. There have been prior reports that Montero is not a good clubhouse guy.
It makes little sense for the Cubs to make this trade. Welington Castillo had a decent year behind the plate. In fact, his numbers are nearly the same as Montero's: Castillo posted two straight above-average years of offensive production before stepping back slightly in 2014. He slashed .237/.296/.389 last year, with a career-best 13 home runs in 417 plate appearances. So Castillo was generally improving while Montero has been regressing badly.
Over the past two seasons, Montero has accumulated only 1.2 WAR while at the same time, Castillo has accumulated 6.3 WAR.
In addition, Castillo, 27, is under team control for another three years. He was going to make only $2.1 million in 2015, much less than Montero.
If the Cubs really wanted to "upgrade" their catching position, the trade for Dioner Navarro would have made more sense. Navarro is out of a starting job because the Jays signed Russell Martin. Navarro had a heady 2014: .274 BA, 12 HR, 69 RBI, 2.3 WAR.
After the deal, Jeff Passon of Yahoo Sports reports that the Cubs will be actively shopping Castillo. Again, that also makes no sense since a) the Cubs have no other catcher on the major league roster; b) prospect Kyle Schwarber is still two years away; and c) if Montero is a bust, the team has no Plan B. But the Cubs seem to be content with no Plan Bs.
Why catching so suddenly the burr under the front office saddle is a mystery, considering the greater weaknesses in left field, center field, and starting pitching.
Godley is a 24-year-old righty who has yet to move past the High-A level in Chicago’s system. Working at Daytona last year, he put up a 3.57 ERA in 40 1/3 frames with 11.6 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9.
Mejia, 20, reached Rookie ball last year after being inked by the Cubs on July 2 of 2013. As Ben Badler of Baseball America wrote, the 6’7 prospect had been adding weight and fastball velocity at the time of his signing. He ultimately went for a $850K bonus. Mejia features a low-90s heater with a good change and decent curve. Meija was the 17th ranked Cubs prospect. Working mostly as a reliever, he threw to a 2.48 ERA with 10.1 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 in 40 innings last year.
Montero, a left-handed hitter, has three years and $40 million left on his deal. The 31-year-old has had two down years after establishing himself as one of the best-hitting backstops in the game. Last year, he slashed .243/.329/.370 with 13 home runs in 560 plate appearances. There have been prior reports that Montero is not a good clubhouse guy.
It makes little sense for the Cubs to make this trade. Welington Castillo had a decent year behind the plate. In fact, his numbers are nearly the same as Montero's: Castillo posted two straight above-average years of offensive production before stepping back slightly in 2014. He slashed .237/.296/.389 last year, with a career-best 13 home runs in 417 plate appearances. So Castillo was generally improving while Montero has been regressing badly.
Over the past two seasons, Montero has accumulated only 1.2 WAR while at the same time, Castillo has accumulated 6.3 WAR.
In addition, Castillo, 27, is under team control for another three years. He was going to make only $2.1 million in 2015, much less than Montero.
If the Cubs really wanted to "upgrade" their catching position, the trade for Dioner Navarro would have made more sense. Navarro is out of a starting job because the Jays signed Russell Martin. Navarro had a heady 2014: .274 BA, 12 HR, 69 RBI, 2.3 WAR.
After the deal, Jeff Passon of Yahoo Sports reports that the Cubs will be actively shopping Castillo. Again, that also makes no sense since a) the Cubs have no other catcher on the major league roster; b) prospect Kyle Schwarber is still two years away; and c) if Montero is a bust, the team has no Plan B. But the Cubs seem to be content with no Plan Bs.
Why catching so suddenly the burr under the front office saddle is a mystery, considering the greater weaknesses in left field, center field, and starting pitching.
October 19, 2014
THE HIGH COST
It has been reported that the Pirates will make a qualifying offer of $15.3 million qualifying offer to star free-agent catcher Russell Martin.
Rumor around Chicago talking heads believed the Cubs would make a major pitch for Russell in free agency.
The Pirates had tried to re-sign Martin with a multiyear offer during the season, but it was rejected. The qualifying offer itself represents quite a raise for Martin, although a huge season has set him up to prosper in free agency. Martin hit .290 with 11 home runs and 67 RBI, posted a .402 on-base percentage and a 5.5 WAR.
Martin's big season would seem to make the qualifying offer logical for the Pirates, who don't have revenue to match big-market teams in the open market. If the Pirates lose Martin, they would get a compensatory pick in the June draft.
Even though Martin has premiere numbers for a catcher, paying a backstop $16.0 plus million per season is a risky gamble for any club. Martin will want a multiyear deal in excess of the current "floor" of $15.3 million. And some team will probably meet his demands.
The Cubs may want people to think they are in the discussion on Martin, but there is no compelling need to overspend on a catcher at this time. The priority is on pitching. The Cubs have an adequate catcher in Wellington Castillo. And the front office has high hopes for Kyle Schwarber, who tore up the minors in his first professional season. Scouts think Schwarber could be a solid #3 hitter.
Rumor around Chicago talking heads believed the Cubs would make a major pitch for Russell in free agency.
The Pirates had tried to re-sign Martin with a multiyear offer during the season, but it was rejected. The qualifying offer itself represents quite a raise for Martin, although a huge season has set him up to prosper in free agency. Martin hit .290 with 11 home runs and 67 RBI, posted a .402 on-base percentage and a 5.5 WAR.
Martin's big season would seem to make the qualifying offer logical for the Pirates, who don't have revenue to match big-market teams in the open market. If the Pirates lose Martin, they would get a compensatory pick in the June draft.
Even though Martin has premiere numbers for a catcher, paying a backstop $16.0 plus million per season is a risky gamble for any club. Martin will want a multiyear deal in excess of the current "floor" of $15.3 million. And some team will probably meet his demands.
The Cubs may want people to think they are in the discussion on Martin, but there is no compelling need to overspend on a catcher at this time. The priority is on pitching. The Cubs have an adequate catcher in Wellington Castillo. And the front office has high hopes for Kyle Schwarber, who tore up the minors in his first professional season. Scouts think Schwarber could be a solid #3 hitter.
May 26, 2014
LOOKING FOR A SIGN
Baseball America does an excellent job of scouting and projecting players in the major league drafts.
In the last mock draft, BA notes that president Theo Epstein was part of a Cubs contingent that scouted Kennesaw State catcher Max Pentecost in last weekend’s Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. If one of the three touted pitchers doesn’t fall to the Cubs at No. 4, the team could sign Pentecost to a "money-saving deal" that would allow them to spend more in the later portions of the draft. BA’s current projection is for that very scenario to play out.
A money saving deal is paying for a player under his slot value price, and then use that savings to sign a player lower in the draft above that player's slot value price. It is moving first round money into the second or third round in order to sign a player who has fallen (by performance or injury but still has upside potential) to a near first round deal.
Why would a player sign a below slot deal? Because, in essence, the prospect is being drafted higher than his real projection. He may be a good player, even a first rounder, but in an objective field may fall to the bottom half of the round (and millions of slot dollars less). If one compromises on that value toward the projected slot value, the savings is what teams can use in the signing pool for other players.
The only other avenue to bring down slot values is to draft college seniors and offer below slot. The reason is simple; if the prospect does not sign he has to wait a year to become a free agent. A year without competitive ball (rookie league or college) is a huge negative on a player's development track. On the flip side, high school draft choices have more leverage to say "no thanks" and return to school.
It is not to say that the Cubs don't need to draft a first round caliber catcher. The Cubs system is barren of catching prospects, so signing Pentecost can be justified without the contract savings loophole.
In the last mock draft, BA notes that president Theo Epstein was part of a Cubs contingent that scouted Kennesaw State catcher Max Pentecost in last weekend’s Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. If one of the three touted pitchers doesn’t fall to the Cubs at No. 4, the team could sign Pentecost to a "money-saving deal" that would allow them to spend more in the later portions of the draft. BA’s current projection is for that very scenario to play out.
A money saving deal is paying for a player under his slot value price, and then use that savings to sign a player lower in the draft above that player's slot value price. It is moving first round money into the second or third round in order to sign a player who has fallen (by performance or injury but still has upside potential) to a near first round deal.
Why would a player sign a below slot deal? Because, in essence, the prospect is being drafted higher than his real projection. He may be a good player, even a first rounder, but in an objective field may fall to the bottom half of the round (and millions of slot dollars less). If one compromises on that value toward the projected slot value, the savings is what teams can use in the signing pool for other players.
The only other avenue to bring down slot values is to draft college seniors and offer below slot. The reason is simple; if the prospect does not sign he has to wait a year to become a free agent. A year without competitive ball (rookie league or college) is a huge negative on a player's development track. On the flip side, high school draft choices have more leverage to say "no thanks" and return to school.
It is not to say that the Cubs don't need to draft a first round caliber catcher. The Cubs system is barren of catching prospects, so signing Pentecost can be justified without the contract savings loophole.
December 12, 2013
2013 RULE 5 DRAFT - UPDATED
The Rule 5 draft has been completed:
Major League Phase
HOU: Patrick Schuster, LHP, Reno (ARI) -- Sent to SD to complete trade for Anthony Bass
CWS: Adrian Nieto, C, Syracuse (WAS)
PHI: Kevin Munson, RHP, Reno (ARI)
COL: Thomas Kahnle, RHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (NYY)
TOR: Brian Moran, LHP, Tacoma (SEA) -- Traded to LAA for $244,000 of international cap space
NYM: Seth Rosin, RHP, Lehigh Valley (PHI) -- Traded to LAD for cash
MIL: Wei-Chung Wang, LHP, Indianapolis (PIT)
ARI: Marcos Mateo, RHP, Iowa (CHC)
BAL: Michael Almanzar, 3B, Pawtucket (BOS)
Triple-A Phase
HOU: Ravel Santana, OF, Trenton (NYY)
FLA: Justin Bour, 1B, Tennessee (CHC)
CWS: Evan Crawford, LHP, New Hampshire (TOR)
CHC: Charles Cutler, C, Altoona (PIT)
MIN: Kevin Thomas, RHP, Springfield (STL)
TOR: Roberto Espinosa, RHP, Altoona (PIT)
NYM: Jonathan Velasquez, RHP, New Britain (MIN)
MIL: Kevin Mattison, OF, Jacksonville (MIA)
SD: Jacob Lemmerman, SS, Springfield (STL)
LAA: Jose Valdivia, RHP, Jackson (SEA)
ARI: Michael Lee, RHP, Mississippi (ATL)
BAL: Julio Borbon, OF, Tennessee (CHC)
WAS: Theodis Bowe, OF, Pensacola (CIN)
CIN: Michael O'Brien, RHP, Trenton (NYY)
TEX: Russell Wilson, 2B, Tulsa (COL)
TB: Enderson Franco, RHP, Corpus Christi (HOU)
PIT: Tyler Sample, RHP, Northwest Arkansas (KC)
OAK: Tim Atherton, RHP, New Britain (MIN)
BOS: Jonathan Roof, SS, Reading (PHI)
STL: Gregory Miclat, SS, Frisco (TEX)
HOU: Carlos Vazquez, LHP, Binghamton (NYM)
MIA: Brady Shoemaker, OF, Birmingham (CWS)
CWS: Omar Narvaez, C, Montgomery (TB)
MIN: James Fuller, LHP, Binghamton (NYM)
TOR: Richard Bleier, LHP, Frisco (TEX)
MIL: Vincent Catricala, 3B, Midland (OAK)
SD: Adolfo Reina, C, Erie (DET)
ARI: Hector Hernandez, LHP, Springfield (STL)
WAS: Martires Arias, RHP, Binghamton (NYM)
PIT: A.J. Morris, RHP, Tennessee (CHC)
STL: Jesus Ustariz, 3B, Erie (DET)
MIA: Tony Thompson, 3B, Midland (OAK)
TOR: Scott Shuman, RHP, Richmond (SF)
PIT: Felipe Gonzalez, RHP, Trenton (NYY)
Double-A Phase
HOU: Blaine Sims, LHP, Lynchburg (ATL)
MIA: Kelvin Castro, RHP, Charleston (NYY)
Of note, both Chicago teams selected catchers. Nieto has played 6 seasons in the Nationals system, but has only progressed to High A ball. He has a career minor league average of .254. Catching is a need for the White Sox, but this may be a reach to keep him. The White Sox also added another catcher in the AAA phase of the draft.
The Cubs took a AAA catcher in Cutler, who has played 6 seasons in the Cardinals and Pirates organization. He has made it only to Class AA, with a career batting average of .303 and good defensive skills. The Cubs entire system is thin on catching so this move fills an organizational need.
The Cubs lost two players in the selection process. Mateo had 44 games played with the Cubs over two seasons, but battled injuries the last two years. However Mateo has had a huge comeback winter ball season, according to Baseball America:
Bour was a Cub first base prospect who has hit 74 HR 386 RBI .273 BA in 5 seasons in the minors (A and AA). Clearly, his path was blocked by Rizzo's long term deal. This does not seem to be much of a reach for the Marlins to promote him to AAA.
The Cubs also lost OF Julio Borbon, who was a dud during his tenure with the Cubs. The Cubs also lost AA pitcher A.J. Morris to Pittsburgh in the AAA draft. Morris, 27, went 4-2, 4.75 ERA last season in the minors.
Major League Phase
HOU: Patrick Schuster, LHP, Reno (ARI) -- Sent to SD to complete trade for Anthony Bass
CWS: Adrian Nieto, C, Syracuse (WAS)
PHI: Kevin Munson, RHP, Reno (ARI)
COL: Thomas Kahnle, RHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (NYY)
TOR: Brian Moran, LHP, Tacoma (SEA) -- Traded to LAA for $244,000 of international cap space
NYM: Seth Rosin, RHP, Lehigh Valley (PHI) -- Traded to LAD for cash
MIL: Wei-Chung Wang, LHP, Indianapolis (PIT)
ARI: Marcos Mateo, RHP, Iowa (CHC)
BAL: Michael Almanzar, 3B, Pawtucket (BOS)
Triple-A Phase
HOU: Ravel Santana, OF, Trenton (NYY)
FLA: Justin Bour, 1B, Tennessee (CHC)
CWS: Evan Crawford, LHP, New Hampshire (TOR)
CHC: Charles Cutler, C, Altoona (PIT)
MIN: Kevin Thomas, RHP, Springfield (STL)
TOR: Roberto Espinosa, RHP, Altoona (PIT)
NYM: Jonathan Velasquez, RHP, New Britain (MIN)
MIL: Kevin Mattison, OF, Jacksonville (MIA)
SD: Jacob Lemmerman, SS, Springfield (STL)
LAA: Jose Valdivia, RHP, Jackson (SEA)
ARI: Michael Lee, RHP, Mississippi (ATL)
BAL: Julio Borbon, OF, Tennessee (CHC)
WAS: Theodis Bowe, OF, Pensacola (CIN)
CIN: Michael O'Brien, RHP, Trenton (NYY)
TEX: Russell Wilson, 2B, Tulsa (COL)
TB: Enderson Franco, RHP, Corpus Christi (HOU)
PIT: Tyler Sample, RHP, Northwest Arkansas (KC)
OAK: Tim Atherton, RHP, New Britain (MIN)
BOS: Jonathan Roof, SS, Reading (PHI)
STL: Gregory Miclat, SS, Frisco (TEX)
HOU: Carlos Vazquez, LHP, Binghamton (NYM)
MIA: Brady Shoemaker, OF, Birmingham (CWS)
CWS: Omar Narvaez, C, Montgomery (TB)
MIN: James Fuller, LHP, Binghamton (NYM)
TOR: Richard Bleier, LHP, Frisco (TEX)
MIL: Vincent Catricala, 3B, Midland (OAK)
SD: Adolfo Reina, C, Erie (DET)
ARI: Hector Hernandez, LHP, Springfield (STL)
WAS: Martires Arias, RHP, Binghamton (NYM)
PIT: A.J. Morris, RHP, Tennessee (CHC)
STL: Jesus Ustariz, 3B, Erie (DET)
MIA: Tony Thompson, 3B, Midland (OAK)
TOR: Scott Shuman, RHP, Richmond (SF)
PIT: Felipe Gonzalez, RHP, Trenton (NYY)
Double-A Phase
HOU: Blaine Sims, LHP, Lynchburg (ATL)
MIA: Kelvin Castro, RHP, Charleston (NYY)
Of note, both Chicago teams selected catchers. Nieto has played 6 seasons in the Nationals system, but has only progressed to High A ball. He has a career minor league average of .254. Catching is a need for the White Sox, but this may be a reach to keep him. The White Sox also added another catcher in the AAA phase of the draft.
The Cubs took a AAA catcher in Cutler, who has played 6 seasons in the Cardinals and Pirates organization. He has made it only to Class AA, with a career batting average of .303 and good defensive skills. The Cubs entire system is thin on catching so this move fills an organizational need.
The Cubs lost two players in the selection process. Mateo had 44 games played with the Cubs over two seasons, but battled injuries the last two years. However Mateo has had a huge comeback winter ball season, according to Baseball America:
Cubs righthanded reliever Marcos Mateo is emerging as maybe the most fascinating name because of what he’s doing in the Dominican League this offseason. Mateo, who ranked three different times among the Cubs’ top 30 prospects, pitched reasonably well in the big leagues with Chicago in 2011. He then missed all of 2012 and a significant part of 2013 recovering from an elbow injury.
Mateo, now 29, has been absolutely electric in the Dominican Republic, featuring a high-90s fastball and a filthy slider that sits in the upper 80s. He’s got results to back up the stuff, having gone 3-0, 0.98 for Estrellas de Oriente, with 22 strikeouts, seven walks and 11 hits allowed in 19 innings. In his last six appearances as teams finalize their Rule 5 pref lists, Mateo has struck out 12, walked none, allowed five hits and no runs in six innings over six appearances.
Bour was a Cub first base prospect who has hit 74 HR 386 RBI .273 BA in 5 seasons in the minors (A and AA). Clearly, his path was blocked by Rizzo's long term deal. This does not seem to be much of a reach for the Marlins to promote him to AAA.
The Cubs also lost OF Julio Borbon, who was a dud during his tenure with the Cubs. The Cubs also lost AA pitcher A.J. Morris to Pittsburgh in the AAA draft. Morris, 27, went 4-2, 4.75 ERA last season in the minors.
August 8, 2013
A NEW LOW
It may have been the worst starting lineup the Cubs fielded in generations.
1. Lake CF
2. Barney 2B
3. Castro SS
4. Navarro C
5. Neal LF
6. Ransom 1B
7. Gillespie RF
8. Murphy 3B
9. T. Wood SP
Four players started the game batting under .215: Barney, Neal, Ransom and Gillespie.
Hitters five through eight are all players discarded from other organizations.
The bad omen was set. Neal blows up his shoulder making a routine throw to second base. He falls down in the outfield like deer in the middle of hunting season. Then shortly thereafter, Navarro blocks the plate on Old Man Utley to record the out, but has to be carted off with an apparent serious leg injury. (Initial reports say a bruised knee).
The Cubs will have to scramble for two replacement players for today's day game. Catcher is a serious issue. Iowa was down its two catchers so infielder Edwin Maysonet had to catch 4 innings in Tacoma. That produced an emergency promotion for Boise catcher Cael Brockmeyer. In his debut, he went 1-3 with a walk and 2 strikeouts. The other Iowa catcher is 25 year old Chad Noble, who started the season in High Class A Daytona, and was promoted to Double A Tennessee but was also called up to Iowa recently. The other alternative would be Double A catcher Rafael Manuel Lopez. Lopez, 25, started the season in Rookie ball, but has been promoted three times already from A, A+ and now AA. The problem with Noble and Lopez is that they have been treading water in the low minors based upon their age.
Last night's game opened another wound in the Cubs organization: depth at catcher.
UPDATE: The Cubs called up 33 year old catcher J.C. Boscan. Boscan played only a few games in Atlanta in the past three years. He is a career minor league catcher who is insurance for Navarro, who is now listed day to day with an ankle injury.
1. Lake CF
2. Barney 2B
3. Castro SS
4. Navarro C
5. Neal LF
6. Ransom 1B
7. Gillespie RF
8. Murphy 3B
9. T. Wood SP
Four players started the game batting under .215: Barney, Neal, Ransom and Gillespie.
Hitters five through eight are all players discarded from other organizations.
The bad omen was set. Neal blows up his shoulder making a routine throw to second base. He falls down in the outfield like deer in the middle of hunting season. Then shortly thereafter, Navarro blocks the plate on Old Man Utley to record the out, but has to be carted off with an apparent serious leg injury. (Initial reports say a bruised knee).
The Cubs will have to scramble for two replacement players for today's day game. Catcher is a serious issue. Iowa was down its two catchers so infielder Edwin Maysonet had to catch 4 innings in Tacoma. That produced an emergency promotion for Boise catcher Cael Brockmeyer. In his debut, he went 1-3 with a walk and 2 strikeouts. The other Iowa catcher is 25 year old Chad Noble, who started the season in High Class A Daytona, and was promoted to Double A Tennessee but was also called up to Iowa recently. The other alternative would be Double A catcher Rafael Manuel Lopez. Lopez, 25, started the season in Rookie ball, but has been promoted three times already from A, A+ and now AA. The problem with Noble and Lopez is that they have been treading water in the low minors based upon their age.
Last night's game opened another wound in the Cubs organization: depth at catcher.
UPDATE: The Cubs called up 33 year old catcher J.C. Boscan. Boscan played only a few games in Atlanta in the past three years. He is a career minor league catcher who is insurance for Navarro, who is now listed day to day with an ankle injury.
May 21, 2013
PRIME BEEF
Wellington "Beef" Castillo gets a fair amount of criticism for his defense. He tends to overthrow towards second base on steals and has some trouble with balls in the dirt. However, he is a better defensive catcher than most people realize. Castillo ranks third in Defensive WAR. He has a Catcher ERA of 3.60 which ranks him 6th among all major league catchers. However, he is 21st in catcher fielding percentage at .980.
| Sortable Fielding | ||||||||||||||||||
| RK | PLAYER | TEAM | GP | GS | FULL | TC | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | RF | PB | CSB | CS | CS% | CERA | DWAR |
| 1 | Russell Martin | PIT | 32 | 31 | 270 | 278 | 244 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 1.000 | 9.26 | 3 | 16 | 12 | .429 | 3.56 | 1.0 |
| 2 | Yan Gomes | CLE | 17 | 14 | 131 | 119 | 108 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 8.18 | 1 | 4 | 7 | .636 | 3.36 | 0.7 |
| 3 | Welington Castillo | CHC | 34 | 32 | 290 | 252 | 221 | 26 | 5 | 0 | .980 | 7.67 | 3 | 20 | 10 | .333 | 3.60 | 0.6 |
| 4 | Jason Castro | HOU | 34 | 32 | 283 | 216 | 204 | 10 | 2 | 1 | .991 | 6.80 | 3 | 18 | 5 | .217 | 5.03 | 0.6 |
| 5 | A.J. Ellis | LAD | 35 | 35 | 308 | 299 | 272 | 26 | 1 | 2 | .997 | 8.71 | 4 | 13 | 13 | .500 | 3.95 | 0.4 |
| 6 | Salvador Perez | KC | 39 | 37 | 320 | 308 | 277 | 27 | 4 | 1 | .987 | 8.56 | 0 | 15 | 7 | .318 | 3.69 | 0.4 |
| A.J. Pierzynski | TEX | 24 | 24 | 212 | 212 | 196 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 8.99 | 0 | 10 | 2 | .167 | 2.87 | 0.4 | |
| 8 | Evan Gattis | ATL | 22 | 21 | 190 | 163 | 150 | 12 | 1 | 0 | .994 | 7.66 | 1 | 7 | 3 | .300 | 3.02 | 0.4 |
| 9 | Tyler Flowers | CHW | 35 | 34 | 304 | 303 | 280 | 21 | 2 | 2 | .993 | 8.90 | 4 | 21 | 7 | .250 | 3.40 | 0.4 |
| Jonathan Lucroy | MIL | 33 | 31 | 277 | 250 | 238 | 11 | 1 | 0 | .996 | 8.09 | 4 | 16 | 2 | .111 | 4.59 | 0.4 | |
| RK | PLAYER | TEAM | GP | GS | FULL | TC | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | RF | PB | CSB | CS | CS% | CERA | DWAR |
| Chris Stewart | NYY | 24 | 21 | 187 | 192 | 177 | 14 | 1 | 1 | .995 | 9.19 | 2 | 7 | 6 | .462 | 4.29 | 0.4 | |
| 12 | Joe Mauer | MIN | 27 | 27 | 241 | 183 | 170 | 11 | 2 | 2 | .989 | 6.76 | 2 | 6 | 6 | .500 | 4.03 | 0.3 |
| 13 | Ryan Hanigan | CIN | 20 | 19 | 171 | 181 | 167 | 13 | 1 | 1 | .994 | 9.47 | 2 | 6 | 7 | .538 | 2.68 | 0.3 |
| David Ross | BOS | 15 | 15 | 126 | 150 | 144 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 10.69 | 1 | 10 | 4 | .286 | 2.69 | 0.3 | |
| 15 | Wilin Rosario | COL | 33 | 33 | 294 | 231 | 204 | 25 | 2 | 0 | .991 | 7.00 | 5 | 9 | 8 | .471 | 3.95 | 0.3 |
| 16 | John Baker | SD | 13 | 11 | 97 | 81 | 74 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1.000 | 7.52 | 0 | 8 | 4 | .333 | 3.25 | 0.3 |
| Brian McCann | ATL | 10 | 10 | 86 | 74 | 66 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 7.77 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .571 | 3.67 | 0.3 | |
| 18 | Derek Norris | OAK | 32 | 28 | 260 | 217 | 206 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 7.52 | 2 | 14 | 4 | .222 | 3.88 | 0.3 |
| 19 | Francisco Cervelli | NYY | 17 | 16 | 138 | 131 | 121 | 6 | 4 | 1 | .969 | 8.28 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 3.13 | 0.2 |
| 20 | Yadier Molina | STL | 43 | 42 | 376 | 364 | 340 | 22 | 2 | 3 | .995 | 8.66 | 0 | 14 | 8 | .364 | 3.22 | 0.2 |
| RK | PLAYER | TEAM | GP | GS | FULL | TC | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | RF | PB | CSB | CS | CS% | CERA | DWAR |
| 21 | Miguel Montero | ARI | 39 | 39 | 359 | 321 | 302 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 8.04 | 1 | 11 | 2 | .154 | 3.28 | 0.2 |
| 22 | Matt Wieters | BAL | 39 | 37 | 333 | 282 | 266 | 14 | 2 | 2 | .993 | 7.57 | 2 | 8 | 9 | .529 | 4.66 | 0.2 |
| Carlos Corporan | HOU | 14 | 13 | 114 | 94 | 88 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .989 | 7.34 | 0 | 4 | 3 | .429 | 6.93 | 0.2 | |
| 24 | Hank Conger | LAA | 13 | 11 | 99 | 98 | 91 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .969 | 8.64 | 0 | 5 | 3 | .375 | 4.00 | 0.2 |
| 25 | Miguel Olivo | MIA | 17 | 15 | 129 | 115 | 100 | 12 | 3 | 1 | .974 | 7.83 | 1 | 10 | 6 | .375 | 3.78 | 0.2 |
| 26 | Kurt Suzuki | WSH | 31 | 29 | 259 | 226 | 211 | 11 | 4 | 2 | .982 | 7.71 | 0 | 25 | 2 | .074 | 3.51 | 0.2 |
| Yorvit Torrealba | COL | 12 | 12 | 104 | 89 | 80 | 7 | 2 | 1 | .978 | 7.53 | 0 | 10 | 3 | .231 | 3.89 | 0.2 | |
| 28 | Rob Brantly | MIA | 28 | 27 | 243 | 211 | 196 | 14 | 1 | 1 | .995 | 7.77 | 3 | 10 | 7 | .412 | 4.37 | 0.2 |
| 29 | Alex Avila | DET | 31 | 31 | 273 | 292 | 278 | 13 | 1 | 1 | .997 | 9.61 | 4 | 21 | 7 | .250 | 4.03 | 0.2 |
| Humberto Quintero | PHI | 7 | 7 | 57 | 48 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .979 | 7.42 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 3.32 | 0.2 | |
| RK | PLAYER | TEAM | GP | GS | FULL | TC | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | RF | PB | CSB | CS | CS% | CERA | DWAR |
| 31 | Corky Miller | CIN | 6 | 6 | 50 | 59 | 55 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .983 | 10.44 | 0 | 5 | 1 | .167 | 3.24 | 0.1 |
| Jeff Mathis | MIA | 3 | 3 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 9.00 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .750 | 2.25 | 0.1 | |
| Chris Snyder | BAL | 3 | 3 | 27 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 7.00 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .667 | 2.33 | 0.1 | |
| 34 | Ramon Hernandez | LAD | 5 | 5 | 44 | 54 | 52 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 11.05 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .667 | 3.89 | 0.1 |
| 35 | J.P. Arencibia | TOR | 37 | 34 | 310 | 255 | 243 | 11 | 1 | 0 | .996 | 7.38 | 6 | 18 | 5 | .217 | 4.63 | 0.1 |
| Wilson Ramos | WSH | 14 | 14 | 119 | 109 | 100 | 6 | 3 | 1 | .972 | 8.02 | 1 | 5 | 2 | .286 | 3.25 | 0.1 | |
| 37 | Hector Gimenez | CHW | 9 | 9 | 77 | 63 | 57 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 7.33 | 4 | 4 | 3 | .429 | 5.16 | 0.1 |
| 38 | Buster Posey | SF | 37 | 35 | 311 | 308 | 288 | 19 | 1 | 0 | .997 | 8.89 | 2 | 23 | 7 | .233 | 4.09 | 0.1 |
| 39 | Geovany Soto | TEX | 18 | 18 | 159 | 155 | 145 | 8 | 2 | 1 | .987 | 8.66 | 0 | 7 | 3 | .300 | 4.65 | 0.1 |
| 40 | Taylor Teagarden | BAL | 4 | 4 | 34 | 30 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .967 | 7.68 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 3.44 | 0.0 |
November 16, 2012
TABLE FOR THE DONIER PARTY
One of the core philosophies of the new front office was stated that they were not going to pay "for past performance." Well, Epstein and Hoyer need to update their subscriptions to Baseball Digest, because they continue to sign players who had good years, maybe four years ago.
Current example is your new Cubs catcher, Dioner Navarro. I really never heard of him before this week. And there are plenty of reasons for that. Navarro is 28. He has kicked around for bits and pieces of nine seasons with 6 different teams.Journeyman, right. He landed in Tampa in 2007 and hit .227 in his first full year. But in 2008,in a contract year where he was paid the minimum, he suddenly hit .295, 7 HR, 54 RBI andgot an All Star selection from a very good Rays team.
That one season got him a payday: $2.1 million for 2009. After getting the deal, his batting average tanked to .218.His career average is .245. But he has only caught three seasons in the majors, the last being three years ago.
Now, he is also small, 5'9". I checked with a Tampa fan site who said he is both a below average hitter (problem with contact) AND a bad defensive catcher. In 2011 Tampa cut him. The Dodgers picked him up as a back up. He hit worse, .193 and was out of baseball in the minors for most of 2012 in the Reds system.
So, everyone is asking why in the hell did the Cubs pay Navarro, who only had a minimum minor league deal in 2012, $1.75 million guaranteed major league contract for 2013??
There is absolutely no evidence that Navarro is back to his 2008 batting form. Some people compare him to Koy Hill, which is pretty spot on for another below .200 hitting back slug. So why the huge contract for someone who punched his own ticket out of baseball?
Here are some troublesome alternatives:
First, Epstein has no concept of player value.
Second, Epstein cannot project a player's recent play into future play with any accuracy.
Third, Ricketts is not minding the cash register.
Or worse, fourth, that Epstein sees Navarro as the Cubs opening day catcher.
Most people pencil in Beef Castillo as the Cub catcher. He hit .265 in 52 games with 5 HR, 22 RBI. He had a 1.2 WAR. But his fielding was below average at .981. And he has the curse mark of being a Hendry draft choice. It is hard to fathom why the Cubs would pay a back-up catcher to Castillo more than three times what Beef will make in 2013 unless Navarro is going to be the starter.
Current example is your new Cubs catcher, Dioner Navarro. I really never heard of him before this week. And there are plenty of reasons for that. Navarro is 28. He has kicked around for bits and pieces of nine seasons with 6 different teams.Journeyman, right. He landed in Tampa in 2007 and hit .227 in his first full year. But in 2008,in a contract year where he was paid the minimum, he suddenly hit .295, 7 HR, 54 RBI andgot an All Star selection from a very good Rays team.
That one season got him a payday: $2.1 million for 2009. After getting the deal, his batting average tanked to .218.His career average is .245. But he has only caught three seasons in the majors, the last being three years ago.
Now, he is also small, 5'9". I checked with a Tampa fan site who said he is both a below average hitter (problem with contact) AND a bad defensive catcher. In 2011 Tampa cut him. The Dodgers picked him up as a back up. He hit worse, .193 and was out of baseball in the minors for most of 2012 in the Reds system.
So, everyone is asking why in the hell did the Cubs pay Navarro, who only had a minimum minor league deal in 2012, $1.75 million guaranteed major league contract for 2013??
There is absolutely no evidence that Navarro is back to his 2008 batting form. Some people compare him to Koy Hill, which is pretty spot on for another below .200 hitting back slug. So why the huge contract for someone who punched his own ticket out of baseball?
Here are some troublesome alternatives:
First, Epstein has no concept of player value.
Second, Epstein cannot project a player's recent play into future play with any accuracy.
Third, Ricketts is not minding the cash register.
Or worse, fourth, that Epstein sees Navarro as the Cubs opening day catcher.
Most people pencil in Beef Castillo as the Cub catcher. He hit .265 in 52 games with 5 HR, 22 RBI. He had a 1.2 WAR. But his fielding was below average at .981. And he has the curse mark of being a Hendry draft choice. It is hard to fathom why the Cubs would pay a back-up catcher to Castillo more than three times what Beef will make in 2013 unless Navarro is going to be the starter.
October 30, 2012
FREE AGENT AJ
When scouting services and writers begin their winter reports on the free agent market, they will gravitate toward the big names like Josh Hamilton or Zach Greinke.
But probably the most valuable free agent on the market is White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
AJ had another excellent season. He hit .278, 27 HR, 77 RBI. He has a career fielding percentage of .995. He calls an excellent game; he makes the pitching staff better. He also is like having a second manager on the field. He has one of the strongest baseball IQs in the game.
He is nearing the end of his career. At age 35, he had a very good season with the White Sox. He will probably be looking for a two or three year contract. He made $8 million last season; he could get a hefty raise since power hitting, good fielding catchers are so RARE in major league baseball.
If the Rangers cannot re-sign Mike Napoli, Pierzynski would be a massive upgrade from Geo Soto. The Rangers have the money to spend to shore up their team for another play off run. Depending on how hurt Tigers catcher Alex Avila is, Detroit is another possible suitor. The Braves Brian McCann just had shoulder surgery. He will be out for probably most of 2013. Atlanta is another contender in need of a quality catcher.
So Pierzynski is the most "valuable" free agent on the market this off season for a contender based upon his position and his leadership qualities.
But probably the most valuable free agent on the market is White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
AJ had another excellent season. He hit .278, 27 HR, 77 RBI. He has a career fielding percentage of .995. He calls an excellent game; he makes the pitching staff better. He also is like having a second manager on the field. He has one of the strongest baseball IQs in the game.
He is nearing the end of his career. At age 35, he had a very good season with the White Sox. He will probably be looking for a two or three year contract. He made $8 million last season; he could get a hefty raise since power hitting, good fielding catchers are so RARE in major league baseball.
If the Rangers cannot re-sign Mike Napoli, Pierzynski would be a massive upgrade from Geo Soto. The Rangers have the money to spend to shore up their team for another play off run. Depending on how hurt Tigers catcher Alex Avila is, Detroit is another possible suitor. The Braves Brian McCann just had shoulder surgery. He will be out for probably most of 2013. Atlanta is another contender in need of a quality catcher.
So Pierzynski is the most "valuable" free agent on the market this off season for a contender based upon his position and his leadership qualities.
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