2015 Cubs Offseason: Building a Winner Around David Ross

[SKO]

Did we already do the project the 25 man roster thing? I'm pretty sure we did, but my 10 seconds of using the dogshit search function on this site didn't turn it up.

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
IF/OF Baez
IF LaStella
UTIL New Asian Dude
LF Schwarber
CF Heyward
RF Soler
OF Coghlan
SP Lester
SP Arrieta
SP Lackey
SP Hendricks
SP Hammel
P Warren
P Rondon
P Grimm
P Strop
P Cahill
P Richard
P Wood

Fence:  
Brothers
Edwards
Szczur/UTIL OF
Ramirez
Rosscup

With Baez and La Stella both healthy and presumably making the opening day roster I would bet good money on Szczur being the 13th position player and not Asian dude, if they even carry 13 position players.

Frankly I still think there's a trade or two coming before ST. Maybe nothing major but I feel like Coghlan being pretty much the only position player on the roster who wasn't at the Cub Convention and also his complaints about lack of playing time last year might indicate he's being shopped.

Can asian dude play center? Will Baez be ready to play center? Or is Heyward going to play every inning there? And what happens when Jorge msises time and Heyward moves to right?

I think we're definitely going to see Baez play CF at some point. 
Maybe even Bryant again. 

Asian dude has never played anything except 2B/SS/3B in MLB.

This is why I'm glad the Cubs are supposedly still talking to Austin Jackson. A Coghlan trade and Jackson as the 4th OF would be nice. You could have an actual big league CF in case Heyward or Jorge got hurt and not need to use Mack Seizure for anything.

I would positive the hell out of that. Also, that could open up a roster spot for a 13th pitcher, and my ridiculous fantasy of Neil Ramirez staying healthy and dominating for a season would still have a shred of a chance of hai.

Yeah, trade Coghlan for whatever prospect or reliever or whatever you think you need, sign Jackson, and my ideal 25 man would be:

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
UTIL: Baez
UTIL: La Stella
LF: Schwarber
CF: Heyward
RF: Soler
OF: Jackson

Then:

SP Arrieta
SP Lester
SP Lackey
SP Warren
SP Hendricks

LHP Richard
LHP Brothers
LHP Wood
RHP Ramirez
RHP Cahill
RHP Grimm
RHP Strop
RHP Rondon

In this scenario Hammel has also been dumped on someone else. That may not be logical but I'm still mad at him.

For pinch hitting and subs you'd  have two solid right handed options in Baez and Jackson, and La Stella batting lefty. You lose some of the offense Coghlan probably would provide over Jackson but your defense and depth is a lot better. A Heyward injury would basically destroy the outfield as it is right now, add Jackson and you could survive a few weeks with Schwarber-Jackson-Soler as your OF.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I'd like to think that Warren can overtake Hammel in the rotation by late July, precipitating the latter's removal from the team in exchange for another bullpen arm.  Hammel's about the only thing on the entire 25-man that I don't feel good about.  Fucker.

[InternetApex]

I'd like to think that Warren can overtake Hammel in the rotation by late July, precipitating the latter's removal from the team in exchange for another bullpen arm.  Hammel's about the only thing on the entire 25-man that I don't feel good about.  Fucker.

I bet Hammel comes out healthy, hungry, HGH'd to the gills and starts recording quality starts for several weeks to start the season. That will shut his haters up until he gets hurt, gives up an assload of runs and starts bitching again. At that point, I'll be the one starting the defenestration thread. But until then, I'm in see how it plays out mode.

[Tony]

Did we already do the project the 25 man roster thing? I'm pretty sure we did, but my 10 seconds of using the dogshit search function on this site didn't turn it up.

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
IF/OF Baez
IF LaStella
UTIL New Asian Dude
LF Schwarber
CF Heyward
RF Soler
OF Coghlan
SP Lester
SP Arrieta
SP Lackey
SP Hendricks
SP Hammel
P Warren
P Rondon
P Grimm
P Strop
P Cahill
P Richard
P Wood

Fence:  
Brothers
Edwards
Szczur/UTIL OF
Ramirez
Rosscup

With Baez and La Stella both healthy and presumably making the opening day roster I would bet good money on Szczur being the 13th position player and not Asian dude, if they even carry 13 position players.

Frankly I still think there's a trade or two coming before ST. Maybe nothing major but I feel like Coghlan being pretty much the only position player on the roster who wasn't at the Cub Convention and also his complaints about lack of playing time last year might indicate he's being shopped.

Can asian dude play center? Will Baez be ready to play center? Or is Heyward going to play every inning there? And what happens when Jorge msises time and Heyward moves to right?

I think we're definitely going to see Baez play CF at some point. 
Maybe even Bryant again. 

Asian dude has never played anything except 2B/SS/3B in MLB.

This is why I'm glad the Cubs are supposedly still talking to Austin Jackson. A Coghlan trade and Jackson as the 4th OF would be nice. You could have an actual big league CF in case Heyward or Jorge got hurt and not need to use Mack Seizure for anything.

I would positive the hell out of that. Also, that could open up a roster spot for a 13th pitcher, and my ridiculous fantasy of Neil Ramirez staying healthy and dominating for a season would still have a shred of a chance of hai.

Yeah, trade Coghlan for whatever prospect or reliever or whatever you think you need, sign Jackson, and my ideal 25 man would be:

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
UTIL: Baez
UTIL: La Stella
LF: Schwarber
CF: Heyward
RF: Soler
OF: Jackson

Then:

SP Arrieta
SP Lester
SP Lackey
SP Warren
SP Hendricks

LHP Richard
LHP Brothers
LHP Wood
RHP Ramirez
RHP Cahill
RHP Grimm
RHP Strop
RHP Rondon

In this scenario Hammel has also been dumped on someone else. That may not be logical but I'm still mad at him.

For pinch hitting and subs you'd  have two solid right handed options in Baez and Jackson, and La Stella batting lefty. You lose some of the offense Coghlan probably would provide over Jackson but your defense and depth is a lot better. A Heyward injury would basically destroy the outfield as it is right now, add Jackson and you could survive a few weeks with Schwarber-Jackson-Soler as your OF.

I didn't even think about that. Soler missing time is probably a given, but I forgot all about CF if Heyward were to get hurt. Shit, now I'm worried. Get the Jackson thing done, Theo!

[InternetApex]

Did we already do the project the 25 man roster thing? I'm pretty sure we did, but my 10 seconds of using the dogshit search function on this site didn't turn it up.

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
IF/OF Baez
IF LaStella
UTIL New Asian Dude
LF Schwarber
CF Heyward
RF Soler
OF Coghlan
SP Lester
SP Arrieta
SP Lackey
SP Hendricks
SP Hammel
P Warren
P Rondon
P Grimm
P Strop
P Cahill
P Richard
P Wood

Fence:  
Brothers
Edwards
Szczur/UTIL OF
Ramirez
Rosscup

With Baez and La Stella both healthy and presumably making the opening day roster I would bet good money on Szczur being the 13th position player and not Asian dude, if they even carry 13 position players.

Frankly I still think there's a trade or two coming before ST. Maybe nothing major but I feel like Coghlan being pretty much the only position player on the roster who wasn't at the Cub Convention and also his complaints about lack of playing time last year might indicate he's being shopped.

Can asian dude play center? Will Baez be ready to play center? Or is Heyward going to play every inning there? And what happens when Jorge msises time and Heyward moves to right?

I think we're definitely going to see Baez play CF at some point. 
Maybe even Bryant again. 

Asian dude has never played anything except 2B/SS/3B in MLB.

This is why I'm glad the Cubs are supposedly still talking to Austin Jackson. A Coghlan trade and Jackson as the 4th OF would be nice. You could have an actual big league CF in case Heyward or Jorge got hurt and not need to use Mack Seizure for anything.

I would positive the hell out of that. Also, that could open up a roster spot for a 13th pitcher, and my ridiculous fantasy of Neil Ramirez staying healthy and dominating for a season would still have a shred of a chance of hai.

Yeah, trade Coghlan for whatever prospect or reliever or whatever you think you need, sign Jackson, and my ideal 25 man would be:

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
UTIL: Baez
UTIL: La Stella
LF: Schwarber
CF: Heyward
RF: Soler
OF: Jackson

Then:

SP Arrieta
SP Lester
SP Lackey
SP Warren
SP Hendricks

LHP Richard
LHP Brothers
LHP Wood
RHP Ramirez
RHP Cahill
RHP Grimm
RHP Strop
RHP Rondon

In this scenario Hammel has also been dumped on someone else. That may not be logical but I'm still mad at him.

For pinch hitting and subs you'd  have two solid right handed options in Baez and Jackson, and La Stella batting lefty. You lose some of the offense Coghlan probably would provide over Jackson but your defense and depth is a lot better. A Heyward injury would basically destroy the outfield as it is right now, add Jackson and you could survive a few weeks with Schwarber-Jackson-Soler as your OF.

I didn't even think about that. Soler missing time is probably a given, but I forgot all about CF if Heyward were to get hurt. Shit, now I'm worried. Get the Jackson thing done, Theo!

Unless Almora is ready to play a little baseball. That'd be dope.

[Oleg]

Did we already do the project the 25 man roster thing? I'm pretty sure we did, but my 10 seconds of using the dogshit search function on this site didn't turn it up.

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
IF/OF Baez
IF LaStella
UTIL New Asian Dude
LF Schwarber
CF Heyward
RF Soler
OF Coghlan
SP Lester
SP Arrieta
SP Lackey
SP Hendricks
SP Hammel
P Warren
P Rondon
P Grimm
P Strop
P Cahill
P Richard
P Wood

Fence:  
Brothers
Edwards
Szczur/UTIL OF
Ramirez
Rosscup

With Baez and La Stella both healthy and presumably making the opening day roster I would bet good money on Szczur being the 13th position player and not Asian dude, if they even carry 13 position players.

Frankly I still think there's a trade or two coming before ST. Maybe nothing major but I feel like Coghlan being pretty much the only position player on the roster who wasn't at the Cub Convention and also his complaints about lack of playing time last year might indicate he's being shopped.

Can asian dude play center? Will Baez be ready to play center? Or is Heyward going to play every inning there? And what happens when Jorge msises time and Heyward moves to right?

I think we're definitely going to see Baez play CF at some point.  
Maybe even Bryant again.  

Asian dude has never played anything except 2B/SS/3B in MLB.

This is why I'm glad the Cubs are supposedly still talking to Austin Jackson. A Coghlan trade and Jackson as the 4th OF would be nice. You could have an actual big league CF in case Heyward or Jorge got hurt and not need to use Mack Seizure for anything.

I would positive the hell out of that. Also, that could open up a roster spot for a 13th pitcher, and my ridiculous fantasy of Neil Ramirez staying healthy and dominating for a season would still have a shred of a chance of hai.

Yeah, trade Coghlan for whatever prospect or reliever or whatever you think you need, sign Jackson, and my ideal 25 man would be:

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
UTIL: Baez
UTIL: La Stella
LF: Schwarber
CF: Heyward
RF: Soler
OF: Jackson

Then:

SP Arrieta
SP Lester
SP Lackey
SP Warren
SP Hendricks

LHP Richard
LHP Brothers
LHP Wood
RHP Ramirez
RHP Cahill
RHP Grimm
RHP Strop
RHP Rondon

In this scenario Hammel has also been dumped on someone else. That may not be logical but I'm still mad at him.

For pinch hitting and subs you'd  have two solid right handed options in Baez and Jackson, and La Stella batting lefty. You lose some of the offense Coghlan probably would provide over Jackson but your defense and depth is a lot better. A Heyward injury would basically destroy the outfield as it is right now, add Jackson and you could survive a few weeks with Schwarber-Jackson-Soler as your OF.

I didn't even think about that. Soler missing time is probably a given, but I forgot all about CF if Heyward were to get hurt. Shit, now I'm worried. Get the Jackson thing done, Theo!

Theo is going to trade Soler and Vogelbach and others for Kiermaier, Cobb, and Boxberger.  Cobb is out for a bit to start the season; he probably comes back just in time to replace Hammel and his usual second half swoon.

Of course Theo has always had a plan that included Heyward in CF, so whatever.  He's a goddamn wizard.

Edit:Better link.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Did we already do the project the 25 man roster thing? I'm pretty sure we did, but my 10 seconds of using the dogshit search function on this site didn't turn it up.

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
IF/OF Baez
IF LaStella
UTIL New Asian Dude
LF Schwarber
CF Heyward
RF Soler
OF Coghlan
SP Lester
SP Arrieta
SP Lackey
SP Hendricks
SP Hammel
P Warren
P Rondon
P Grimm
P Strop
P Cahill
P Richard
P Wood

Fence:  
Brothers
Edwards
Szczur/UTIL OF
Ramirez
Rosscup

With Baez and La Stella both healthy and presumably making the opening day roster I would bet good money on Szczur being the 13th position player and not Asian dude, if they even carry 13 position players.

Frankly I still think there's a trade or two coming before ST. Maybe nothing major but I feel like Coghlan being pretty much the only position player on the roster who wasn't at the Cub Convention and also his complaints about lack of playing time last year might indicate he's being shopped.

Can asian dude play center? Will Baez be ready to play center? Or is Heyward going to play every inning there? And what happens when Jorge msises time and Heyward moves to right?

I think we're definitely going to see Baez play CF at some point.  
Maybe even Bryant again.  

Asian dude has never played anything except 2B/SS/3B in MLB.

This is why I'm glad the Cubs are supposedly still talking to Austin Jackson. A Coghlan trade and Jackson as the 4th OF would be nice. You could have an actual big league CF in case Heyward or Jorge got hurt and not need to use Mack Seizure for anything.

I would positive the hell out of that. Also, that could open up a roster spot for a 13th pitcher, and my ridiculous fantasy of Neil Ramirez staying healthy and dominating for a season would still have a shred of a chance of hai.

Yeah, trade Coghlan for whatever prospect or reliever or whatever you think you need, sign Jackson, and my ideal 25 man would be:

C Montero
C Ross
1B Rizzo
2B Zobrist
SS Russell
3B Bryant
UTIL: Baez
UTIL: La Stella
LF: Schwarber
CF: Heyward
RF: Soler
OF: Jackson

Then:

SP Arrieta
SP Lester
SP Lackey
SP Warren
SP Hendricks

LHP Richard
LHP Brothers
LHP Wood
RHP Ramirez
RHP Cahill
RHP Grimm
RHP Strop
RHP Rondon

In this scenario Hammel has also been dumped on someone else. That may not be logical but I'm still mad at him.

For pinch hitting and subs you'd  have two solid right handed options in Baez and Jackson, and La Stella batting lefty. You lose some of the offense Coghlan probably would provide over Jackson but your defense and depth is a lot better. A Heyward injury would basically destroy the outfield as it is right now, add Jackson and you could survive a few weeks with Schwarber-Jackson-Soler as your OF.

I didn't even think about that. Soler missing time is probably a given, but I forgot all about CF if Heyward were to get hurt. Shit, now I'm worried. Get the Jackson thing done, Theo!

Unless Almora is ready to play a little baseball. That'd be dope.

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

I'd rather not find out tho.

[Eli]

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

They'd just go with Szczur out there. Almora would OPS like .400 in the bigs right now.

[R-V]

As the resident Hammel hummer giver, I'd like to point out that having Adam Warren & Rex Brothers on your major league roster instead of Jason Hammel & Adam Warren is not what I'd call an upgrade.

[PenFoe]

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

They'd just go with Szczur out there. Almora would OPS like .400 in the bigs right now.

THIS for sure.

Except Baez.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

They'd just go with Szczur out there. Almora would OPS like .400 in the bigs right now.

I'll take that if the alternative means having to watch a 3-ring circus in the OF, which is what the outfield defense would look like with Mack Seizure holding down the fort in center is all I was saying.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

They'd just go with Szczur out there. Almora would OPS like .400 in the bigs right now.

THIS for sure.

Except Baez.

Baez would be my first choice in this awful hypothetical where Heyward gets hurt.  It's just that Baez-as-a-CF is kind of an unknown quantity at this point.  Let's see how it plays out in Mesa.

[InternetApex]

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

They'd just go with Szczur out there. Almora would OPS like .400 in the bigs right now.

THIS for sure.

Except Baez.

Baez would be my first choice in this awful hypothetical where Heyward gets hurt.  It's just that Baez-as-a-CF is kind of an unknown quantity at this point.  Let's see how it plays out in Mesa.

I agree with that most of all. That we should watch the Cubs play soon.

[PenFoe]

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

They'd just go with Szczur out there. Almora would OPS like .400 in the bigs right now.

THIS for sure.

Except Baez.

Baez would be my first choice in this awful hypothetical where Heyward gets hurt.  It's just that Baez-as-a-CF is kind of an unknown quantity at this point.  Let's see how it plays out in Mesa.

I'd probably put Eddy Julio Martinez in CF, sight unseen, over Almora.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I think with this offense they can get by with Almora in CF for a few weeks if they absolutely had to.  By all accounts his defense is MLB ready.  Seems like it'd be a painful to see him flail away at MLB pitching (he and Ross in the lineup would frighten me) but if they didn't re-sign Jackson and didn't feel comfortable with Baez out there then I think that could turn out to be a plausible short-term solution.

They'd just go with Szczur out there. Almora would OPS like .400 in the bigs right now.

THIS for sure.

Except Baez.

Baez would be my first choice in this awful hypothetical where Heyward gets hurt.  It's just that Baez-as-a-CF is kind of an unknown quantity at this point.  Let's see how it plays out in Mesa.

I'd probably put Eddy Julio Martinez in CF, sight unseen, than Almora.

Yeah well you're a proven dope.