RealGM

we can keep track of the goings on of the team here during the offseason, free agency and whatever else comes up

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/ ... api_public

hitting coach bill mueller resigned - is this good or bad? i guess the hope is the new guy (whoever it is) helps with the strikeouts, i guess the assistant hitting coach was fired last week

Does it have to be good or bad? He left because his buddy was let go. I don't think it is a big deal one way or the other. They should be able to find an equally good hitting coach. If they bring in Manny Ramirez as the hitting coach I'll call it a good thing as I would prefer Manny working with the kids as they all have the same issue of strike zone judgement and contact rate something that Manny was great at his entire career.

What did Mueller really do? Castro rebounded from 2013, but was that because Mueller was there or just because Castro went back to being Castro after being messed with by coaches about his approach for most of 2013? Rizzo had a break out year, but was that because of Mueller or because he was in his 3rd season? Neither of them did anything they hadn't shown they were capable of in the past. Rizzo returned to more of a 2012 spray chart and his walk rate was one of the big reasons his 2013 was still a very good season even with the low batting average.

Alcantara and Baez neither one made any real strides under Mueller and I'm not giving him any credit or blame for their performances. Soler hit from day 1 just like he had at every other level and I'm not giving Mueller credit or blame there. Olt showed no improvement in his contact rate, but again that is who he is and I don't see a hitting coach helping. Mueller is probably as good at helping hitters understand what the pitchers are trying to do as anyone given his history as a hitter. However, he's not the only person with that skill. I just don't see a hitting coach as a big deal. When players get to the majors they pretty much are set and just need help with identifying how pitchers are attacking them. I'm assuming Mueller was good at that, but I don't know. I'm also assuming they can and will replace him with someone who can do that. I also do not know what kind of respect Mueller commanded and how much the hitters actually listened to him. Maybe part of Mueller leaving was because he didn't feel they were listening to his message and they needed someone else. It's also hard to get upset about losing the hitting coach for a team that only had a .300 OBP even if some of that had to do with guys like Olt, Lake and some rookies being on the roster.

agreed. It's kind of a "eh, oh well" either way. I didn't even know Brumley was an assistant. Maybe the move was to help spare older fans like myself from remembering the summer when injuries turned Sandberg and Dunston up the middle to Paul Noce and Mike Brumley.

Damn. I just had a Chico Walker flashback as well.

i didn't even know they had assistant hitting coaches, one guy can't handle it all?

There is a lot of film review and going through pitcher tendencies and other stuff involved. It's not just watch a guy in the cage and tell them they are dropping their hands too much. It is preparing them for the pitcher for that day and every time an arm comes in from the bullpen you have to tell the hitters what to expect, etc. You are also talking about preparing every hitter on the team about what to expect for their specific at bat. So it is breaking down tendencies in a one-on-one meeting with each hitter every day. It is just too much time consuming stuff for one person to handle every day given the advancement in technology and it's use in scouting and preparing.

Maddon. Yay or nay?

HBK9 wrote:Maddon. Yay or nay?

YES, give me Maddon as manager of the Cubs.

HBK9 wrote:Maddon. Yay or nay?

Hell yes! Not a big fan of Renteria but even if I was this would be a huge coup.

Yes. It's not that there is anything wrong with Renteria, but this is Maddon! It would be like the Angels calling up and offering Trout for Alcantara. You take it because it makes your team better. Renteria is the most saber minded manager in baseball and would be a great fit with this front office in addition to being a respected manager who knows how to bring along prospects and get the most out of them. It really wouldn't matter who the manager was Maddon would be an upgrade. I'm still expecting him to end up with the Dodgers, but all the speculation about the Cubs is a good sign.

Kizz Fastfists wrote:Yes. It's not that there is anything wrong with Renteria, but this is Maddon! It would be like the Angels calling up and offering Trout for Alcantara. You take it because it makes your team better. Renteria is the most saber minded manager in baseball and would be a great fit with this front office in addition to being a respected manager who knows how to bring along prospects and get the most out of them. It really wouldn't matter who the manager was Maddon would be an upgrade. I'm still expecting him to end up with the Dodgers, but all the speculation about the Cubs is a good sign.

I would NEVER do that trade because something would be horribly wrong with Trout. Days to live maybe.

it sounds like maddon is a big upgrade, i would just feel bad for renteria - i really like him and it seems like everyone else does too and he could have stuck around for a while

Still need some arms but that can be said from T-Ball to the Royals

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/ ... bs-manager

So pumped about Maddon! I was excited about Baylor, Krusty Baker, and Pinella too, but feel this is different.

I feel bad for Renteria but he didn't do anything for me either way. He was just there. I felt like that about this team for the past few years but my turning point with this group was when Rizzo popped off to Chapman. That got me pumped up for this group. This Maddon signing is the turning point. This was, in the words of the great Vince McMahon, ruthless aggression. I hope that they get one of the big arms, not Scherzer and Bryant is the stud I think he will be. Trade a few of them for another arm, sign some depth guys and I stick by my prediction, 2016. This makes that even more attainable. I do hope though that Maddon is as smart as we hope he is and retains Bosio. Guys one of the best pitching coaches around. Top 3 in the game.

HBK9 wrote:I feel bad for Renteria but he didn't do anything for me either way. He was just there. I felt like that about this team for the past few years but my turning point with this group was when Rizzo popped off to Chapman. That got me pumped up for this group. This Maddon signing is the turning point. This was, in the words of the great Vince McMahon, ruthless aggression. I hope that they get one of the big arms, not Scherzer and Bryant is the stud I think he will be. Trade a few of them for another arm, sign some depth guys and I stick by my prediction, 2016. This makes that even more attainable. I do hope though that Maddon is as smart as we hope he is and retains Bosio. Guys one of the best pitching coaches around. Top 3 in the game.

Don't think that will be a problem: 1. Bosio is under contract for another three years, if I remember correctly and 2. His guy in T.B., Hickey, was told by the Rays---along with the remaining staff that they would be retain (sorry to the Davy Martinez fans who think he might join Maddon in Chicago).

well its official, good luck rick

and welcome maddon

Maddon, Scherzer and Lester would make for an epic off-season.

Kizz Fastfists wrote:Maddon, Scherzer and Lester would make for an epic off-season.

2 of Lester, Sheilds, Scherzer would be nice. I also heard Martin is on the radar.

Jordan Zimmermann

Didn't look too hard to find more about his rumor but here is a link from Philly.

http://www.csnphilly.com/baseball-phila ... ocid=yahoo