Theo Epstein Sploosh Thread

[Oleg]

According to Fangraphs.

So, to answer Eli: McCutchen and Goldschmidt.

Christ Brian, at 29, is the highest-rated minor leaguer (of two on the list).

It was also from July.  Not that Goldschmidt's injury would matter.  But, the way Bryant finished and the way Soler hit in the majors, maybe they're worth more now than then?

I find it hard to believe the Dodgers would trade Puig.

As for Stanton...how much more would Stanton cost than, say, Josh Donaldson?

And, Theo would be righting a wrong.

Also, if they trade more than one of the elite prospects, it pretty much means that all the rest would have to succeed.  Trading both Bryant and Soler would mean that there's a lower margin of error for Baez and Schwarber and Russell.

[Quality Start Machine]

According to Fangraphs.

So, to answer Eli: McCutchen and Goldschmidt.

Christ Brian, at 29, is the highest-rated minor leaguer (of two on the list).

Seconded.

[Oleg]

Baseball America's Southern League Top 20 Prospects ($)
1. Kris Bryant, 3b, Cubs   
2. Addison Russell, ss, Cubs      
3. Corey Seager, ss, Dodgers      
4. Robert Stephenson, rhp, Reds      
5. C.J. Edwards, rhp, Cubs      
6. Jose Peraza, 2b, Braves      
7. J.T. Realmuto, c, Marlins      
8. D.J. Peterson, 1b/3b, Mariners      
9. Jake Lamb, 3b, Diamondbacks      
10. Archie Bradley, rhp, Diamondbacks      
11. Aaron Blair, rhp, Diamondbacks      
12. Michael Lorenzen, rhp, Reds      
13. Andrew Heaney, lhp, Marlins      
14. Chris Reed, lhp, Dodgers      
15. Ketel Marte, ss/2b, Mariners      
16. Micah Johnson, 2b, White Sox      
17.Scott Schebler, of, Dodgers      
18. Albert Almora, of, Cubs      
19. Justin Nicolino, lhp, Marlins      
20. Ben Lively, rhp, Reds

[Quality Start Machine]

I'm kind of surprised to see Almora ahead of Schwarber.

[Oleg]

I'm kind of surprised to see Almora ahead of Schwarber.

Schwarber didn't make it to Tennessee this year.  He was the number 4 prospect in the FSL, though.

[PenFoe]

Baseball America's Southern League Top 20 Prospects ($)
1. Kris Bryant, 3b, Cubs   
2. Addison Russell, ss, Cubs      
3. Corey Seager, ss, Dodgers      
4. Robert Stephenson, rhp, Reds      
5. C.J. Edwards, rhp, Cubs      
6. Jose Peraza, 2b, Braves      
7. J.T. Realmuto, c, Marlins      
8. D.J. Peterson, 1b/3b, Mariners      
9. Jake Lamb, 3b, Diamondbacks      
10. Archie Bradley, rhp, Diamondbacks      
11. Aaron Blair, rhp, Diamondbacks      
12. Michael Lorenzen, rhp, Reds      
13. Andrew Heaney, lhp, Marlins      
14. Chris Reed, lhp, Dodgers      
15. Ketel Marte, ss/2b, Mariners      
16. Micah Johnson, 2b, White Sox      
17.Scott Schebler, of, Dodgers      
18. Albert Almora, of, Cubs      
19. Justin Nicolino, lhp, Marlins      
20. Ben Lively, rhp, Reds

I don't know if their shine has worn off, but C.J. ahead of both Archie Bradley and Andrew Heaney (and every single other pitcher except Stephenson) is pretty awesome. 

[Quality Start Machine]

I'm kind of surprised to see Almora ahead of Schwarber.

Schwarber didn't make it to Tennessee this year.  He was the number 4 prospect in the FSL, though.

Shit. Reading is a skill I haven't mastered.

[Quality Start Machine]

Baseball America's Southern League Top 20 Prospects ($)
1. Kris Bryant, 3b, Cubs   
2. Addison Russell, ss, Cubs      
3. Corey Seager, ss, Dodgers      
4. Robert Stephenson, rhp, Reds      
5. C.J. Edwards, rhp, Cubs      
6. Jose Peraza, 2b, Braves      
7. J.T. Realmuto, c, Marlins      
8. D.J. Peterson, 1b/3b, Mariners      
9. Jake Lamb, 3b, Diamondbacks      
10. Archie Bradley, rhp, Diamondbacks      
11. Aaron Blair, rhp, Diamondbacks      
12. Michael Lorenzen, rhp, Reds      
13. Andrew Heaney, lhp, Marlins      
14. Chris Reed, lhp, Dodgers      
15. Ketel Marte, ss/2b, Mariners      
16. Micah Johnson, 2b, White Sox      
17.Scott Schebler, of, Dodgers      
18. Albert Almora, of, Cubs      
19. Justin Nicolino, lhp, Marlins      
20. Ben Lively, rhp, Reds

I don't know if their shine has worn off, but C.J. ahead of both Archie Bradley and Andrew Heaney (and every single other pitcher except Stephenson) is pretty awesome. 

This year will be interesting for Edwards - see if a) he can stay healthy, and b) how he does going anywhere close to 200 innings.

[Eli]

This year will be interesting for Edwards - see if a) he can stay healthy, and b) how he does going anywhere close to 200 innings.

I think they should just put him on the reliever track now. I think there's almost no chance he holds up over 200 innings, year after year. The other benefit is that if he's in the pen, he could probably come up in 2015 and contribute right away.

ETA: And I don't think waiting around to see if he can pitch 200 innings (which will take another at least 2 years if they want to build him up to that) is worth the downside of inevitable pitcher aging. Might as well start using those bullets now.

[Quality Start Machine]

This year will be interesting for Edwards - see if a) he can stay healthy, and b) how he does going anywhere close to 200 innings.

I think they should just put him on the reliever track now. I think there's almost no chance he holds up over 200 innings, year after year. The other benefit is that if he's in the pen, he could probably come up in 2015 and contribute right away.

ETA: And I don't think waiting around to see if he can pitch 200 innings (which will take another at least 2 years if they want to build him up to that) is worth the downside of inevitable pitcher aging. Might as well start using those bullets now.

Him in the bullpen with the guys they have, plus Riviero, is almost unfair.

[Eli]

This year will be interesting for Edwards - see if a) he can stay healthy, and b) how he does going anywhere close to 200 innings.

I think they should just put him on the reliever track now. I think there's almost no chance he holds up over 200 innings, year after year. The other benefit is that if he's in the pen, he could probably come up in 2015 and contribute right away.

ETA: And I don't think waiting around to see if he can pitch 200 innings (which will take another at least 2 years if they want to build him up to that) is worth the downside of inevitable pitcher aging. Might as well start using those bullets now.

Him in the bullpen with the guys they have, plus Riviero, is almost unfair.

Agreed. Watching the Royals has made me want that sort of pen for the Cubs. Dayton Moore has done a lot of dumb things, but the way he's built up that bullpen is impressive.

[R-V]

This year will be interesting for Edwards - see if a) he can stay healthy, and b) how he does going anywhere close to 200 innings.

I think they should just put him on the reliever track now. I think there's almost no chance he holds up over 200 innings, year after year. The other benefit is that if he's in the pen, he could probably come up in 2015 and contribute right away.

ETA: And I don't think waiting around to see if he can pitch 200 innings (which will take another at least 2 years if they want to build him up to that) is worth the downside of inevitable pitcher aging. Might as well start using those bullets now.

Him in the bullpen with the guys they have, plus Riviero, is almost unfair.

Agreed. Watching the Royals has made me want that sort of pen for the Cubs. Dayton Moore has done a lot of dumb things, but the way he's built up that bullpen is impressive.

Teams that hit for power and have nasty bullpens seem to do alright in the postseason. Of course, having a bunch of power hitters is no guarantee it'll work in the small sample bizarro world of the playoffs. I can't wait for the Cubs to hit 700 home runs in the regular season only to get outslugged by a team like the slapdick hitting Royals in the playoffs.

Question about the playoffs - has anyone done any work on how younger players vs. older players perform in the postseason as compared to their regular season numbers? I'm wondering if the Hosmer/Moustakas/Harper post-hype postseason breakout thing is an actual thing or just more small sample noise.

[Quality Start Machine]

This year will be interesting for Edwards - see if a) he can stay healthy, and b) how he does going anywhere close to 200 innings.

I think they should just put him on the reliever track now. I think there's almost no chance he holds up over 200 innings, year after year. The other benefit is that if he's in the pen, he could probably come up in 2015 and contribute right away.

ETA: And I don't think waiting around to see if he can pitch 200 innings (which will take another at least 2 years if they want to build him up to that) is worth the downside of inevitable pitcher aging. Might as well start using those bullets now.

Him in the bullpen with the guys they have, plus Riviero, is almost unfair.

Agreed. Watching the Royals has made me want that sort of pen for the Cubs. Dayton Moore has done a lot of dumb things, but the way he's built up that bullpen is impressive.

Teams that have had beastly bullpens make it a 6-inning game, which can not only save your better pitchers but also increase the margin of error for your not-better ones. Specfic to the Cubs, seeing guys ratchet it up after Hendricks gives up the ball will be fung.

[BH]

Great stuff here.

Particularly this.

"14. Jake Stinnett, RHP Video: Stinnett pitched for the first time mid-way through his junior year at Maryland and was good enough to get drafted, but took off in his senior year, flashing three above average pitches and hitting 96 mph from an athletic delivery, which prompted the Cubs to take him near the top of the 2nd round. The stuff varied in the spring as Stinnett's arm wasn't used to the workload, but he was at his best in instructs, has mid-rotation upside and a very fresh arm for a 22-year-old.  After signing and before being sent to an affiliate, Stinnett had a freak accident in Arizona on a funky hop from a fungo during PFP (pitcher fielding practice) hit him in the nuts; he needed surgery and nearly lost his testicle but I'm told he has a good sense of humor about the episode."

[Yeti]

Great stuff here.

Particularly this.

"14. Jake Stinnett, RHP Video: Stinnett pitched for the first time mid-way through his junior year at Maryland and was good enough to get drafted, but took off in his senior year, flashing three above average pitches and hitting 96 mph from an athletic delivery, which prompted the Cubs to take him near the top of the 2nd round. The stuff varied in the spring as Stinnett's arm wasn't used to the workload, but he was at his best in instructs, has mid-rotation upside and a very fresh arm for a 22-year-old.  After signing and before being sent to an affiliate, Stinnett had a freak accident in Arizona on a funky hop from a fungo during PFP (pitcher fielding practice) hit him in the nuts; he needed surgery and nearly lost his testicle but I'm told he has a good sense of humor about the episode."

So much porn in there