Cubs' Prospects FUTUREBONER thread

[PenFoe]

Before we all slob Kevin Gregg down. And I know I'm just dying to do so, I think his inclusion in the article was meant to illustrate the lack of organizational pitching depth, which is a big problem, but not Theo and Jed's fault.

Also, Gregg sucks. I just pray his regression happens sometime after July 31. Then I'll get in line to blow him.

Don't get me wrong, I want him to go away. You can make the case that his role on the team speaks to the lack of depth. Many things speak to that.

You could also argue that the role of closer on a horseshit baseball team is hardly worth thinking about.

You could also argue that since his call-up on April 19th, he's been the best closer in baseball. 

There's certainly other guys in that argument (Grilli, Mujica, Perkins) but his numbers rival any of those.

But, then you'd find yourself in an argument about Kevin Gregg like a common Yeti and you've already lost.

[Slaky]

Before we all slob Kevin Gregg down. And I know I'm just dying to do so, I think his inclusion in the article was meant to illustrate the lack of organizational pitching depth, which is a big problem, but not Theo and Jed's fault.

Also, Gregg sucks. I just pray his regression happens sometime after July 31. Then I'll get in line to blow him.

Don't get me wrong, I want him to go away. You can make the case that his role on the team speaks to the lack of depth. Many things speak to that.

You could also argue that the role of closer on a horseshit baseball team is hardly worth thinking about.

You could also argue that since his call-up on April 19th, he's been the best closer in baseball. 

There's certainly other guys in that argument (Grilli, Mujica, Perkins) but his numbers rival any of those.

But, then you'd find yourself in an argument about Kevin Gregg like a common Yeti and you've already lost.

Right. And finding a guy like Gregg to come in for next to nothing and perform well is apparently bad.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Before we all slob Kevin Gregg down. And I know I'm just dying to do so, I think his inclusion in the article was meant to illustrate the lack of organizational pitching depth, which is a big problem, but not Theo and Jed's fault.

Also, Gregg sucks. I just pray his regression happens sometime after July 31. Then I'll get in line to blow him.

Don't get me wrong, I want him to go away. You can make the case that his role on the team speaks to the lack of depth. Many things speak to that.

You could also argue that the role of closer on a horseshit baseball team is hardly worth thinking about.

You could also argue that since his call-up on April 19th, he's been the best closer in baseball. 

There's certainly other guys in that argument (Grilli, Mujica, Perkins) but his numbers rival any of those.

But, then you'd find yourself in an argument about Kevin Gregg like a common Yeti and you've already lost.

Right. And finding a guy like Gregg to come in for next to nothing and perform well is apparently bad.

The bloom is off the Epstink rose.

[PenFoe]

Before we all slob Kevin Gregg down. And I know I'm just dying to do so, I think his inclusion in the article was meant to illustrate the lack of organizational pitching depth, which is a big problem, but not Theo and Jed's fault.

Also, Gregg sucks. I just pray his regression happens sometime after July 31. Then I'll get in line to blow him.

Don't get me wrong, I want him to go away. You can make the case that his role on the team speaks to the lack of depth. Many things speak to that.

You could also argue that the role of closer on a horseshit baseball team is hardly worth thinking about.

You could also argue that since his call-up on April 19th, he's been the best closer in baseball. 

There's certainly other guys in that argument (Grilli, Mujica, Perkins) but his numbers rival any of those.

But, then you'd find yourself in an argument about Kevin Gregg like a common Yeti and you've already lost.

Right. And finding a guy like Gregg to come in for next to nothing and perform well is apparently bad.

The bloom is off the Epstink rose.

I hate this so much.

The good gambles so far (Feldman, Wood, Villanueva, Schierholtz, Maholm and Gregg) have all been really good in that they all can (or have been) flipped for prospects or have some potential future value to this team.

Bad gambles so far (Baker, Stewart) were relatively cheap and the cost of "playing the game" this way. 

Those are damn good odds.

Other than the E-Jax signing, which I still patently hate, I have no bones to pick with this leadership team. 

That said, if the Astros pull off a more impressive turnaround than the Cubs, all bets are off.

[Chuck to Chuck]

When the team looks like what Theo/Jed had in mind at the beginning of what they considered to be their contending time frame, then I'll give a shit about the record.  Until then, BFD.

If anything, it hurts the plan by diminishing the value they could have by picking later in the draft.  Punt on this season and next for all I care.

And it hurts the ability to sign free agents. Theo said he wants to either win or get a protected (bottom 9 record) pick. I'm with him. Being .500 is detrimental to this team at present.

How does it hurt?

If you sign a free agent who declined a qualifying offer from his former club, teams must forfeit their first draft pick. you lose your #1 pick unless you have one of the nine worst records in MLB.  Those picks are protected and you can't lose it no matter who you sign.

Edit: Per http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/09/bottom-nine-teams-obtain-protected-picks.html , the top nine was a 2013-specific quirk due to the Pirates.  It's actually the top ten. 

“A Club that signs one Qualified Free Agent who is subject to compensation shall forfeit its highest available selection in the next Rule 4 Draft,” the CBA reads. “Notwithstanding the above, a Club shall not be required to forfeit a selection in the top ten of the first round.”

Top first round selections are especially valuable under baseball’s CBA. Not only does a top-ten draft choice provide teams with a wider selection of players, it assures them of a protected pick, regardless of what happens in free agency.

While the top ten selections cannot be forfeited as draft pick compensation, picks from 11 on are vulnerable.

Here's how qualifying offers work. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/05/qualifying-offers-for-free-agents.html Basically, any player that's offered a 1 year deal of around $13mm within 5 days of the end of the World Series has a qualifying offer.  If the Cubs finish with a record 20th or better and sign a free agent to a per annum salary of over $13mm, they'd likely lose their 2014 #1 pick.

[Tony]

As dumb as articles like this one and Al's are, it's kind of surprising you don't see more of them. They are attempting a slow fix in a world with ADD. Most everyone seems to understand the plan and be on board.

[Internet Apex]

When the team looks like what Theo/Jed had in mind at the beginning of what they considered to be their contending time frame, then I'll give a shit about the record.  Until then, BFD.

If anything, it hurts the plan by diminishing the value they could have by picking later in the draft.  Punt on this season and next for all I care.

And it hurts the ability to sign free agents. Theo said he wants to either win or get a protected (bottom 9 record) pick. I'm with him. Being .500 is detrimental to this team at present.

How does it hurt?

If you sign a free agent who declined a qualifying offer from his former club, teams must forfeit their first draft pick. you lose your #1 pick unless you have one of the nine worst records in MLB.  Those picks are protected and you can't lose it no matter who you sign.

Edit: Per http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/09/bottom-nine-teams-obtain-protected-picks.html , the top nine was a 2013-specific quirk due to the Pirates.  It's actually the top ten.  

"A Club that signs one Qualified Free Agent who is subject to compensation shall forfeit its highest available selection in the next Rule 4 Draft," the CBA reads. "Notwithstanding the above, a Club shall not be required to forfeit a selection in the top ten of the first round."

Top first round selections are especially valuable under baseball's CBA. Not only does a top-ten draft choice provide teams with a wider selection of players, it assures them of a protected pick, regardless of what happens in free agency.

While the top ten selections cannot be forfeited as draft pick compensation, picks from 11 on are vulnerable.

Here's how qualifying offers work. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/05/qualifying-offers-for-free-agents.html Basically, any player that's offered a 1 year deal of around $13mm within 5 days of the end of the World Series has a qualifying offer.  If the Cubs finish with a record 20th or better and sign a free agent to a per annum salary of over $13mm, they'd likely lose their 2014 #1 pick.

Chuck is actually right in that it makes it less fortuitous to sign some free agents. I don't know if hurts their ability to do so, exactly. It does decrease its advisability.

It hurts their ability to improve via free agency.

[PenFoe]

When the team looks like what Theo/Jed had in mind at the beginning of what they considered to be their contending time frame, then I'll give a shit about the record.  Until then, BFD.

If anything, it hurts the plan by diminishing the value they could have by picking later in the draft.  Punt on this season and next for all I care.

And it hurts the ability to sign free agents. Theo said he wants to either win or get a protected (bottom 9 record) pick. I'm with him. Being .500 is detrimental to this team at present.

How does it hurt?

If you sign a free agent who declined a qualifying offer from his former club, teams must forfeit their first draft pick. you lose your #1 pick unless you have one of the nine worst records in MLB.  Those picks are protected and you can't lose it no matter who you sign.

Edit: Per http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/09/bottom-nine-teams-obtain-protected-picks.html , the top nine was a 2013-specific quirk due to the Pirates.  It's actually the top ten.  

"A Club that signs one Qualified Free Agent who is subject to compensation shall forfeit its highest available selection in the next Rule 4 Draft," the CBA reads. "Notwithstanding the above, a Club shall not be required to forfeit a selection in the top ten of the first round."

Top first round selections are especially valuable under baseball's CBA. Not only does a top-ten draft choice provide teams with a wider selection of players, it assures them of a protected pick, regardless of what happens in free agency.

While the top ten selections cannot be forfeited as draft pick compensation, picks from 11 on are vulnerable.

Here's how qualifying offers work. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/05/qualifying-offers-for-free-agents.html Basically, any player that's offered a 1 year deal of around $13mm within 5 days of the end of the World Series has a qualifying offer.  If the Cubs finish with a record 20th or better and sign a free agent to a per annum salary of over $13mm, they'd likely lose their 2014 #1 pick.

Chuck is actually right in that it makes it less fortuitous to sign some free agents. I don't know if hurts their ability to do so, exactly. It does decrease its advisability.

It hurts their ability to improve via free agency.

In the abstract, natch.

[Saul Goodman]

Jim Callis pumps the brakes a little bit on the Bryant-Boras hatewagon.

#Cubs will sign him, but might be last 1st-rder to get done. @chrislowy: Is Bryant the next? #mlbdraft

[Slaky]

Jim Callis pumps the brakes a little bit on the Bryant-Boras hatewagon.

#Cubs will sign him, but might be last 1st-rder to get done. @chrislowy: Is Bryant the next? #mlbdraft

Boooo I hate people trying to make as much money as possible boooooooooo.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Chuck is actually right in that it makes it less fortuitous to sign some free agents. I don't know if hurts their ability to do so, exactly. It does decrease its advisability.

It hurts their ability to improve via free agency.

To say it more accurately, finishing with the 20th best record or better significantly reduces the incentive to sign high-cost free agents.  Not signing those players or losing a high draft pick would likely make the organization's turnaround take longer. It's better to have a lousy record than a mediocre record.

[Brownie]

Jim Callis pumps the brakes a little bit on the Bryant-Boras hatewagon.

#Cubs will sign him, but might be last 1st-rder to get done. @chrislowy: Is Bryant the next? #mlbdraft

Boooo I hate people trying to make as much money as possible boooooooooo.

Welcome to the Republican (or at least the Libertarian) Party.

[Slaky]

Jim Callis pumps the brakes a little bit on the Bryant-Boras hatewagon.

#Cubs will sign him, but might be last 1st-rder to get done. @chrislowy: Is Bryant the next? #mlbdraft

Boooo I hate people trying to make as much money as possible boooooooooo.

Welcome to the Republican (or at least the Libertarian) Party.

Hey, I got bills to pay these fuckers gotta buy.

[Eli]

Jim Callis pumps the brakes a little bit on the Bryant-Boras hatewagon.

#Cubs will sign him, but might be last 1st-rder to get done. @chrislowy: Is Bryant the next? #mlbdraft

Boooo I hate people trying to make as much money as possible boooooooooo.

Welcome to the Republican (or at least the Libertarian) Party.

Does this mean Slaky has to start making terrible, terrible analogies now?

[Saul Goodman]

Cubs sign young Venezuelan SS Gleyber Torres from the international free agent class.  Here's video.