2012 Free Agent and Trade Ideas Thread 16

[SenorGato]

Baez hasn't even had a AA at bat yet, and he wasn't exactly tearing up High A or the AFL.

[KyleJRM]

Baez hasn't even had a AA at bat yet, and he wasn't exactly tearing up High A or the AFL.

Cubs fans need to prepare themselves for the very real possibility, maybe even probability, that advanced pitching exposes Baez. I love, love, love his ceiling, but it's interesting that Cubs fans love to prattle on about his amazing ceiling and ignore that every scouting report immediately follows that with "and a very low floor."

[terencem]

He's a 19 year old who they had to start pitching around. So far, so good.

[JBears79]

You do realize he has never had an MLB at bat right? I'll take my chances that at least one of Baez, BJax, whoever they get for Garza works out then go all in on a prospect whose ceiling isn't even any different than Baez's.

3 whole levels ahead of Baez. He's at the point we want Baez to get too and a point that he is likely to never reach. So you're giving up a top 20 prospect, a CF who K's at an extremely high rate and a pitcher with 1 year of control left for a top 5 prospect. We have a guy blocking Baez for the forseeable future in Castro, CF can be replaced with a far better player then Jackson, and Garza is expendable. Seriously, that's a no brainer trade right there, even though it[s completely irrelevant because it's not going to happen.

[KyleJRM]

He's a 19 year old who they had to start pitching around. So far, so good.

And that's the point. "So far" isn't very far yet.

[terencem]

I'm just saying there's no reason to worry about him yet. He's played in the tiniest of full season sample sizes. I'd rather he learn to be patient but Taveras does just fine with a similar skill set.

[SenorGato]

Cubs fans need to prepare themselves for the very real possibility, maybe even probability, that advanced pitching exposes Baez. I love, love, love his ceiling, but it's interesting that Cubs fans love to prattle on about his amazing ceiling and ignore that every scouting report immediately follows that with "and a very low floor."

Yeah but 70 hit and 70 power, just like Vitters! What can realistically go wrong with a high K, low BB guy with a possible attitude/can't take coaching problem destined to move down the defensive spectrum?

[KyleJRM]

I'm just saying there's no reason to worry about him yet. He's played in the tiniest of full season sample sizes. I'd rather he learn to be patient but Taveras does just fine with a similar skill set.

"Worry" is a relative term. I worry about him because he's a 19-year-old hitter. Maybe a little more because he has a relatively unrefined approach even for his age. But all prospects of his level should be "worried" about, if we're defining acknowledging his very real bust possibilities as "worry."

[JBears79]

Yeah but 70 hit and 70 power, just like Vitters! What can realistically go wrong with a high K, low BB guy with a possible attitude/can't take coaching problem destined to move down the defensive spectrum?

I think this part is over blown. The recent reports I have been reading on him since the season ended is that he is quite a hard worker and he implements what coaches tell him right away into actual games.

[cubsbullsbears2]

I think this part is over blown. The recent reports I have been reading on him since the season ended is that he is quite a hard worker and he implements what coaches tell him right away into actual games.

Obviously not the "TAKE A DAMN PITCH" message (yet).

[ZamboniCub]

royals arent looking for a baez, garza has low value, shark is not even a bonafide #2, (no matter how much you think he is), so we dont match up in a deal for Will. sorry. end of conversation.

[gaughan333]

royals arent looking for a baez, garza has low value, shark is not even a bonafide #2, (no matter how much you think he is), so we dont match up in a deal for Will. sorry. end of conversation.

I don't think they'd frown at Beaz, just probably not for Myers, so sadly...pretty much agree

[gaughan333]

Yeah but 70 hit and 70 power, just like Vitters! What can realistically go wrong with a high K, low BB guy with a possible attitude/can't take coaching problem destined to move down the defensive spectrum?

I think this comparison is bad. There have been plenty of prospects who have both boomed and busted with similar and worse scouting stats. Using 1 failed prospect, with a totally different development team and other differing circumstances is a poor argument to make. I agree with your overall point though. He hasn't shown anything in AA and he has some flags. Myers isn't a sure thing either, but he is most certainly "more sure"

[Tryptamine]

royals arent looking for a baez, garza has low value, shark is not even a bonafide #2, (no matter how much you think he is), so we dont match up in a deal for Will. sorry. end of conversation.

At the very least he was an excellent #3 last year. His 3.38 xFIP was the 15th best in baseball of pitchers who had 150IP or more. His 3.55 FIP was 29th best in baseball under those same requirements. This is all while having a roughly luck neutral .296BABIP. His 3.3WAR was good for 33rd in baseball and only .1 behind a guy like Bumgarner and ahead of guys like Lester, Latos, Weaver and Gallardo. Point being, Samardzija was really really good last year.

[gaughan333]

At the very least he was an excellent #3 last year. His 3.38 xFIP was the 15th best in baseball of pitchers who had 150IP or more. His 3.55 FIP was 29th best in baseball under those same requirements. This is all while having a roughly luck neutral .296BABIP. His 3.3WAR was good for 33rd in baseball and only .1 behind a guy like Bumgarner and ahead of guys like Lester, Latos, Weaver and Gallardo. Point being, Samardzija was really really good last year.

1 good year does not a bonafide #2 make