Game 100-Something Preview: Cubs @ Rockies

Submitted by Rob G. on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 5:00pm
Cubs 47-63 Rockies 44-67
#Alcantara, CF *Blackmon, LF
Baez, 2B #Adames, SS
*Rizzo, 1B Arenado, 3B
Castro, SS *Morneau, 1B
Ruggiano, RF Stubbs, CF
*Valbuena, 3B Rosario, C
Castillo, C Barnes, RF
Lake, LF LeMahieu, 2B
Wood, P *Anderson, P

It's not only Javier Baez day, but a battle for draft pick status!!! I only have one prediction for tonight, at some point Javier Baez will swing out of his shoes trying to launch one over the mountains. Should be fun...

Tags: 
Cubs Game Preview
Javier Baez

Comments

Submitted by Cubster  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 5:14pm  
Castro took Javy out for a steak dinner at Mortons last night. Starlin quote, per Patrick Mooney on twitter: "It's really important to have him here, have fun and play every day." (somebody should have taken Mike Olt out to that steak dinner in April)

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 5:29pm  

Mike Olt is the new Jason Dubois

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 5:40pm  
With about three times the power. Olt crushes shit.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 5:43pm  

apparently not Old enough to remember Jason Dubois

also, I was talking about the odd obsession over a power hitting prospect that didn't end up hitting very well in the majors.

I was all for Olt playing, especially out of camp, he didn't, that was unfortunate but I don't think it ruined him by any means...he ended up sucking really bad when he did play, he's working on stuff now in the minors. This happens all the time. He'll be a nice fill-in for injuries next year or a trade chip if he keeps it going in the minors.

it'd be nice to not read about something else in the comments once in awhile, otherwise I'm going to start copying and pasting Bryan LaHair comments

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 5:52pm  
olt tends to not close his eyes when he swings...so he's got that going for him. dubois had a really crappy swing...not just swing and miss, but the whole motion...pure load and fire. it works for some people...not for him.

Submitted by The E-Man  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 5:53pm  
Also, IIRC, DuBois was never rated as highly as a prospect, and also flamed out at an older age after being yo-yod for several seasons.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:17pm  

the prospect comparision is tenous at best, the obsession over his playing time vs the results he was putting up, a little more spot on..

Regardless, Olt can play defense as mentioned below, couldn't say the same about Dubois. But Olt dropped off the radar last year for reasons beyond his vision and there probably was a good reason Capt Happy wasn't playing him all the time.

Submitted by Carlito  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:52pm  
Rob, Olt is currently leading all NL rookies in HR by four, and is 3rd in RBI. And he's been in the minors for a month and hasn't played back to back games since May. He plays a solid defense, and was basically relegated to being a rare platoon player against lefties from opening day as a rookie. At the time he was essentially benched he led the Cubs in HR and RBI. I just think there's some revisionist history being written here. The dude should have been playing so we know what the hell we have. Any MLB player will tell you it's hard to play a game or two a week and even captain happy said it's one of the hardest tasks there are. Especially for a rookie. The whole thing is retarded but the obsession with his playing time is a little different than DuBois.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:53pm  

"leading NL rookies" is not a particularly useful statistical category, it's pretty close to an arbitrary designation, and some decent counting stats in a small sample size, doesn't address the underlying issues with his bat.

he does play solid defense, he should have played a lot more in the first few months. But he didn't, the Cubs would have still sucked and he still would probably have a very terrible slash line, but hopefully a little better.

He struck out 40% of the time, that's almost as bad as Brett Jackson's cup of tea. He only hit about 75% of balls he swung at in the zone, that's BJ Upton, Chris Davis territory and that's not good. Something was wrong and the baseball folks knew it.

He has stuff to work on, he's finally getting a chance to do it in the minors, let's hope it sticks and translates to the majors.

PLEASE GET OVER IT. PLEASE.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:04pm  
"He has stuff to work on, he's finally getting a chance to do it in the minors" huge as hell emphasis on "finally." more than a few people seem to be most pissed about him not playing. he could be in AAA and playing as long as he was playing and that would be just fine. he's missed a whole lot of playing time over the past many years to sit on a bench 1/2 the time.

Submitted by Charlie  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:23pm  
I count myself as one of the people with his fingers still crossed that Olt turns into something useful, like a Mark Reynolds who can actually defend 3B. But this has definitely gotten repetitive.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:26pm  

I do as well, he's young enough and can play some defense and obviously has power. Hopefully he can pick up a little defensive versatility in the minors and make a little more contact.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:29pm  
Me too and I agree with those who think he was misused :)

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 7:16am  
It's not like there's been much else to talk about.

Submitted by Carlito  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:05pm  
.141 1HR 46K's 128 AB Anthony Rizzo in his first call up by SD. Yes he was younger than Olt but SD may have given up on him early. I think Olt is a hell of a lot better than DuBois, certainly a solid defender at a skilled position and I agree with you this hasn't ruined him BUT the Cubs might be missing a huge opportunity.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:09pm  
Not if they trade him for value.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil  on Thu, 08/07/2014 - 2:17pm  
"a power hitting prospect that didn't end up hitting very well in the majors" Dubois could hit okay. That wasn't his problem. His problem was he couldn't field any position. That's what made him a bad prospect, and why he failed. In his longest stretch in the majors--152 PAs with the Cubs in 2005--he hit 7 home runs and knocked in 22 runs. At that modest rate, and with a season's worth of PAs--say, 500--he would have had 20+ homers and 70+ RBI. And he was just a rookie, so his numbers could have improved over time. But those numbers are never good enough for a player with only one tool. I could do the same extrapolation with Hoffpauir and Jake Fox and others. It's not that they couldn't hit, even in the majors. It's just that they're always one brief slump away from being of absolutely no value to the team. Olt is completely different. He plays 3B well, so he can justify his existence that way while accumulating at-bats and getting a chance to prove himself. Olt will get many opportunities that Dubois and Hoffpauir were never going to get. Good organizations don't consider one-way players like Dubois and Hoffpauir prospects. The Cubs--a good organization lately--let Justin Bour go in the Rule 5 draft last December. So now he's a 26-year-old PCL all-star following in the footsteps of Dubois and Hoffpauir but going nowhere.

Submitted by WISCGRAD  on Thu, 08/07/2014 - 2:49pm  
You are confusing "tools" here. You keep saying "hit" was his tool, but his real tool was power. And he only had one. You are right. A lot of guys can hit 20 HRs and get 70 RBIs in a season--but without anything else those are very empty stats. If Dubois or Hoffpauir had an eye at the plate like Jack Cust and could walk enough to put up an OBP close to .400 a good organization would have found a home for them somewhere on the field or at DH.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Thu, 08/07/2014 - 3:13pm  

I'm not sure Olt's completely different, but yes he can handle himself on defense. And I was talking about the viewpoint and obsession in the comments on TCR, not how the Cubs or baseball viewed them.

And I'm pretty sure Dubois failed because he couldn't hit enough, you can always find a position for someone that hits well enough, Adam Dunn is still in baseball and Frank Thomas is a Hall of Famer.

Brett Jackson might be a better prospect comp for Olt, less power, but massive K issues but could play defense well enough. But that wasn't what I was talking about.

 

Submitted by DavidP  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:20pm  
In order to trade him for value, they will have to bring him up at some point and play him.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:00pm  
He would certainly be worth more if he showed he could hit major league pitching, but if he keeps hitting in Iowa there are clearly people who will attribute part of his struggles on miss use.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:03pm  

"who will attribute part of his struggles on miss use."

he get a girl pregnant?

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:05pm  
Well he does lead all rookies in home runs.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:19pm  

*golf clap*

Submitted by MikeC  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:26pm  
Getting to a rare cubs game in person and I get Baez for his major league debut. Sweet!

Submitted by The E-Man  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 8:27pm  
Nice! And...you have nothing to complain about the Cubs prospects now :)

Submitted by MikeC  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 9:25pm  
I know but we got real prospects now unlike jackson and vitters. Kinda what I talked about for years. Our best prospects were shit compared to other teams. And having Theo has proven me dead accurate.

Submitted by MikeC  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 9:25pm  
I know but we got real prospects now unlike jackson and vitters. Kinda what I talked about for years. Our best prospects were shit compared to other teams. And having Theo has proven me dead accurate.

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 7:47pm  

Baez K in his first at-bat.

#overrated

Submitted by Newport  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 8:15pm  
Send him down!

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 8:26pm  
Wtf? Baez writes w left hand

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 8:36pm  

GO 5-3 in 2nd at-bat.

/not following the script

Submitted by Rob G.  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 8:51pm  

Cubs getting 1-hit through 5...

 

....at Coors Field

 

Submitted by Charlie  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 8:55pm  
With the starting pitcher out in the 3rd. Maybe the whole lineup has butterflies for Javy's debut? I know I'm all atwitter...

Submitted by Dusty Baylor  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 9:46pm  
Jeebus....could Len please knock it off with referring to music every 8 seconds?? A little baseball talk at the baseball game too much to hope for I guess?

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 9:56pm  
Now pitching for WHite Sox Adam Dunn hahah 15-0 Rangers

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 9:58pm  
Dunn is no Baker

Submitted by Ryno  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 1:50am  
I had the pleasure/horror/amusement of seeing this. What's more amusing is that Dunn fooled more batters in one inning than Danks did all night. Or so it seemed. The game was 3-0 Rangers before Danks got a swinging strike.

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 10:11pm  
staying up to watch baez and vin doing dodgers game on mlb network. Of course tigers/yanks go extra

Submitted by jacos  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 10:35pm  
Sureouts? sure outs. /Soler eclipse soon

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 10:36pm  
way to go sureouts. classic season for this dude.

Submitted by billybucks  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 10:38pm  
Sureouts has taken "suck" to a whole new level. Overmatched by 41-year old Latroy Hawkins' dead straight fastball. Wow.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 10:51pm  
countdown until baez breaks an ankle swinging at a ball =p

Submitted by billybucks  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 11:00pm  
It seems like nobody is seeing the ball well for some reason -- lots of late swings, and Mendy and Rizzo stuck out on terrible 3-2 pitches in the dirt in the 10th. Rough night for the Fab Four -- through 10 innings, 0-for-16 with 8Ks. But, hey, three walks! Almost hope Javy doesn't get up again tonight -- 0 for 5 is enough.

Submitted by billybucks  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 11:04pm  
Bases loaded, one out -- quick, trade Sureouts to the Rockies!

Submitted by billybucks  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 11:44pm  
Two outs, one-run lead, Charlie Culberson at the plate -- and Rondon can't close it out. Less and less impressed by him as the season wears on.

Submitted by crunch  on Tue, 08/05/2014 - 11:45pm  
baez arrives.

Submitted by George Altman  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 12:53am  
Over/under on days until Sureouts is DFAd and Soler recalled? 14?

Submitted by WISCGRAD  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 7:43am  
I'm curious: will they? Or will they just wait 24 days until rosters expand and bring him up and keep Schierholtz the entire year. They don't gain much by releasing him; unless they really feel like they need those extra 10 days or whatever with Soler up.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 8:13am  
It seems to make sense to just wait until the roster expands on Soler, but I sort of see Sureouts as a separate case. There just seems to be nothing left in the tank there. Any hope they have may have had a few months ago on getting some return on him is probably vanquished completely. In other words, I think they are separate things. They could dump Schierholtz and bring up someone else. Another thing with Soler is that he still seems to be on a pretty specific schedule because of his hammies. I don't think they're going to bring him up until they're completely satisfied with his medicals. He's another that sounds like the real deal, so even I'm happy to wait until they think he is really ready.

Submitted by Arizona Phil  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 10:37am  

I would think Schierholtz would probably be the #1 candidate to get the DFA when Kyuiji Fujikawa is reinstated from ther 60-day DL, which could happen any time now. 

Submitted by Ryno  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 1:55am  
Is he permanently stuck in home run swing mode?

Submitted by waveland  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 6:30am  
he's struggling because he's not getting enough back to back games obviously

Submitted by Carlito  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 6:44am  
Go fuck yourself.

Submitted by The Joe  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 7:19pm  
That escalated quickly.

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 7:18am  
That was a very Oltish performance by Baez last night. Time for a night off!!

Submitted by Old and Blue  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 7:21am  
Edit on previous comment...from Tribune story on last night's game: "Baez's homer was the first by a player in his major league debut that gave his team the lead in extra innings since Miguel Cabrera of the Florida Marlins on June 20, 2003, against the Tampa Bay Rays." Nice company.

Submitted by The Joe  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 7:25pm  
...the first by a player with a last name beginning with one of the first three letters of the alphabet while making a major league debut the week immediately following Eid al-Fitr without any underwear that gave his team the lead in extra innings since Miguel Cabrera... impressive.

Submitted by Charlie  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 7:51pm  
"without any underwear" That is impressive with all the torque in his swing. I would remind him of the cautionary tale of Felix Pie and his testicular torsion.

Submitted by Carlito  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 10:50am  
AZ Phil, (or other experts). What do you think is going on with Marlins / Jacob Turner? It would seem we are second behind Rockies in waiver claim pecking order. Are the Marlins fishing for a trade? Do you think we have a shot to land him one way or another?

Submitted by QuietMan  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 1:59pm  
FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that Jacob Turner has been claimed off waivers by an unnamed National League team.

Submitted by Rob Richardson  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 2:12pm  
Has Nate been DFA?

Submitted by QuietMan  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 2:14pm  
Nate DFA'd for Fujikawa. It's Bowden so take this for what it's worth. Jim Bowden‏@JimBowden_ESPN Cubs claim Jacob Turner on waivers

Submitted by WISCGRAD  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 2:17pm  
A longer discussion here: http://www.bleachernation.com/2014/08/06/oh-b...

Submitted by Carlito  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 2:17pm  
I would be SO psyched!!!!

Submitted by QuietMan  on Wed, 08/06/2014 - 2:27pm  
Ben [email protected] On vacation touring Wrigley Field, where #Cubs are working out free agent OF Rusney Castillo as we speak #MLB

Recent comments

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The first 600 characters of the last 16 comments, click "View" to see rest of comment.
  • Arizona Phil 9 hours 27 min ago (view)

    Shendrik Apostel will be first-time Rule 5 Draft eligible post-2021, so he will almost certainly be at AZL in 2021 if not at Lo-A. 

     
  • Dolorous Jon Lester 13 hours 45 min ago (view)

    Teenagers we've never heard of*
    Fixed!

     
  • crunch 14 hours 13 min ago (view)

    2027 team gonna be fire.

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  • tim815 14 hours 31 min ago (view)

    Underwood to Pittsburgh for a 1B that hasn't played stateside yet. 2 DSL seasons.

     
  • crunch 17 hours 25 min ago (view)

    the 2 geese are now together covering left-center

     
  • crunch 17 hours 38 min ago (view)

    we now have 2 OF geese.

     
  • crunch 18 hours 9 min ago (view)

    game is in goose delay.

    arrieta threw 2 innings...not bad, not good, nothing alarming, nothing impressive.  it'll be nice to see him work in future outings.

    game back again...goose still in CF.

     
  • crunch 18 hours 33 min ago (view)

    there is a goose in CF hanging out.

    this is goose territory now.  this is not up for discussion.

     
  • crunch 19 hours 43 min ago (view)

    pedro strop broke COVID protocol and will be even more days away from his spring debut.  good job, guy.

     
  • Arizona Phil 1 day 9 hours ago (view)

    HAGSAG: I've been watching Michael Hermosillo since his earliest days with the Angels, playing over the years against the Cubs in AZL, Minor League Camp, EXST, and AZ Instructs.

    From the outset he showed plus defensive skills, a plus arm, and plus speed, but his hit tool was clearly lacking, and he had well below-average power. I thought AAA was his likely ceiling, and even then only as a 4th OF. 

     
  • crunch 1 day 16 hours ago (view)

    3/9 with a homer (no walks).

     
  • Cubster 1 day 16 hours ago (view)

    How is Almora Jrs spring going?

     
  • crunch 1 day 17 hours ago (view)

    maybin 0-9 with 6 Ks so far this spring.

     
  • Hagsag 2 days 2 hours ago (view)

    Phil, what are your thoughts on Mike Hermosillo? He is from our area,Ottawa.

     
  • Arizona Phil 2 days 11 hours ago (view)

    The fact that the Cubs have not run him through waivers by now tells me they know Duane Underwood Jr is a lock to get claimed and so they are hoping to find a club that would be willing to give the Cubs something more than the $50,000 waiver price in return for Dunderwood (either more $$$ and/or a player). 

     
  • Arizona Phil 2 days 11 hours ago (view)

    Today's pitchers, most of them the same guys who threw last Tuesday: 

    Alec Mills:
    FB: 89-91 
    SL: 81 
    CH: 81-82 
    CV: 67-70 
    COMMENT: This just in: Mills heater now sitting at 91!!!!... had two easy innings and looked very good... threw only a handful of his "Bugs Bunny curves" but they are fun to watch because hitters don't know how to deal with it... ... 

    Craig Kimbrel: 
    FB: 93-96 
    CT: 87-88 
    SL: 82-84 

     
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