kris bryant

[hermes]

apparently the cubs have said that they do not plan on bringing up bryant at all this year - the idea is that he will be a free agent in 2021 instead of 2020 if they wait until next april to bring him up

so in the mean time he's going to keep killing triple-a

i don't know about this move, i get the business side but wouldn't you want to see what he has at the major league level? especially since its possible valbuena gets moved (even if he doesn't he's not playing well enough to hold off bryant at this point i think [although valbuena has been playing well]) and olt has been awful so there isn't anyone really fighting kris off at third. is it really that big of a deal if he becomes a free agent a year sooner?

[Kizz Fastfists]

Are you saying you would rather have one month of Bryant in Chicago in a lost season at age 22 then get his whole season in a year where the goal is to win the World Series at age 28?

Baez, Bryant and Soler will all be up next year in late April or early May after they preserve the extra year of service time. Russell might be up at the same time, or in June depending on how ready they feel he is. It is the only way to do it. If they bring them up this year Theo's competence has to be seriously questioned. One month in a meaningless year or a full year in a relevant year. That is the choice. If you take the month in an irrelevant season you are putting your plan in a shredder, because at best you just get to pay them $20M/yr sooner and at worst they are playing for another team that season.

[hermes]

the season may be lost for the team but it wouldn't be irrelevant for the development of the young guys. tearing up the minors is one thing but i think we'd all like to see them playing well in the majors. if there is going to be an initial struggling/learning curve period - i would rather have it during the lost season than during one where we plan to be relevant

i get the financial aspect of it but that doesn't make it impossible, sure you have one less year but you're still getting five years with them (at worst) - and maybe by then we're in a position where we can pay everyone. i know i'm not signing the checks so if they want to wait thats fine but from what i've read it just seems be with bryant - sounds like baez and soler are coming up this year for sure

[Kizz Fastfists]

Soler is on a major league contract which makes it a totally different case. He has been on the 40 man roster since the day he was signed. Baez has a chance to come up in September, but I wouldn't bet on it on this point. It looked much more likely for Baez before the season and his terrible start. I won't put it past them to bring them all up in September then start them all on Opening Day next year. Theo did that with Predroia and if they are going to completely flip the switch and make big moves this off-season it might happen.

If they are not going to make multiple big moves this off-season and are looking at the long-term best interest of the organization then there is no way Bryant comes up. I think there is a good chance Baez gets traded, especially if they expect Bryant to stick at 3B, so he could come up then get traded which would make the service time irrelevant to them.

[karch34]

So I never really hear about Bryant's defense. Is it adequate at 3rd? Above average? I would think some of that would play into where he finally winds up.

In regards to the call up, I'd like to see him sooner than later, but I understand what they're doing from a cost control standpoint.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Below average at 3B. As he continues to grow he will probably be forced into the OF. That is why there has been so much speculation about it. Even before he was drafted the scouting report was that he would likely have to move to the OF.

With Baez having started playing 2B in AAA it looks like that is his position going forward. That will pave the way for Castro to slide to 3B when Russell comes up with Bryant going to the OF. The collection of offensive prospect talent the Cubs have is something completely insane.