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I'm wondering where Jake Arrieta will end up with.., I thought the Cubs will surely extend him for multi-year deal but they chose not to. they do know from inside about him more than others and I would like my Dodgers to stay the hell away from him come the FA after the 2017 season. I am glad we have walked away from Dozier. De Leon to me is someone who is close to turn himself into Orel Hershiser like just before the 88 season. he has what it takes. he just needs to go out there and prove himself. we suffer from the embarrassment of the riches when it comes to our starting pitchers. Kershaw-Hill-Urias-Maeda is one thing, but to have the 5th spot competed among Kazmir-McCarthy-Ryu-De Leon- Stewart-Stripling is a whole different level to say the least. I have been an avid Ryu fan ( partially due to his sir name which my wife's family shares) but if this is the time to move on and trade the excess, let it be. Kazmir, McCarthy, and Ryu will have to show something of substance to prove themselves. Ryu was in Korea training with his old team and currently is in Okinawa, Japan with them as well, especially working with his old team's trainer. if he wants his spot in the rotation, he better be healthy enough to come through from the March.

which brings to me the next subject... I am going down to Arizona for the weekend of 24th of March for the Friday and Sat games. will any of you guys be there? just let me know if you are so we can maybe able to share a beer or two.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed some comparisons to Hershiser.
Of the games I watched, I particularly concentrated on his mental game and his focus per pitch. No so much on the win/loss outcomes.
Takes a while to figure this stuff out up in the Majors.
If he can build on his ability to get thru innings successfully, then I'm sure over time he will work his way up to being a regular starter.

On Arrieta...
I'm seeing he will be 32 in march, 2018.
What are you seeing in him that causes you concern?
Just inquiring.

Arrieta was a below aveage pitcher until just a few years ago. smells like a PED user.

he is on the wrong side of 30. Zack Greinke waiting to happen if you give in and pay him a 9 digit salary.

his agent is SCott Boras. you will not get a fair value.

but most of all, we have so much young pitching going forward.
Urias, De Leon, Alvarez, Oaks, De Jung, Buehler, Stewart, Stripling, even then we still have guys under contract, such as Ryu, Maeda, McCarthy, Kazmir, and Hill.
then there is that guy named Kershaw.

most of all, it is a bad idea to sign a pitcher past 30 to a lucrative long term deal. it rarely ever works out. even Kevin Brown needed to be dumped.

I don't know if there was a whole lot of wiggleroom with our 40 man roster at the time of Micah's release tho. I think it came down between Micah, Chris Taylor, and perhaps Vidal Nuno. otherwise one of our clearly better prospects would have been at risk. with Chase De Jung and Jacob Rhimes hitting the upper minors and other scouts radar, Micah was the one more likely we could replace easier. as you said, he is a 2b afterall. it shouldn't be too hard to find a replacement.

I still like where we are. Micah was still a LHB I believe, and we have Utley still waiting around. it now seems maybe we could have simply given the job over to Kendrick but his defense wasn't ideal anymore, and his overall performance indicate he is clearly on his down side of his career. Kinsler would be a good player to have, being the age he is at, I doubt the Tigers would ask for more then De Leon. problem will be the extension he is asking for. wonder we could just make his next year a guaranteed year from being an option year, and give him an option year with a' decent buyout thereafter, making it a 2+1 deal from its current 1+1.

Have we decided to audition any in house players for second base?
An organizational check to see if anyone shows any signs of ability to fill in at second...
Before making a move with another team.

I can't believe Kinsler is forgoing a chance to play with a winner because he wants an extension. He already has a $12 million team option that we'll likely exercise as long as his game doesn't completely fall off a cliff.


For him to demand something he knows he's not going to get just seems like posturing that says he doesn't want to be here for one reason or another.

Pisses me off.
I think we have a good group without him.
With him? WHERE THE CUBS AT? I want a piece.

Quake Griffin wrote:I can't believe Kinsler is forgoing a chance to play with a winner because he wants an extension. He already has a $12 million team option that we'll likely exercise as long as his game doesn't completely fall off a cliff.


For him to demand something he knows he's not going to get just seems like posturing that says he doesn't want to be here for one reason or another.

Pisses me off.
I think we have a good group without him.
With him? WHERE THE CUBS AT? I want a piece.

well, Michigan's state income tax is 4.25% I believe. California for guys making more than a Mil, it's 13.3? 13.5? well you get what Im saying. he will take home a million more simply staying with the Tigers.

Holland to the Rockies...


on a ONE YEAR deal.
GTFO...he should be here in Blue

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Zaidi on Urias usage: "He'll still be somewhat limited, but if he exceeds expectations... he's getting close to that full work load."

with Brandon Morrow, I am not too sure if we are still going to add Joe Blanton. with surplus of starting pitchers who can become essential bullpen memebers, I don't know if it is really all that important either.

I do believe we have optoins on Toles and Thompson, would like to see Puig in RF and Ethier in LF fulltime to start the season. surely there will be injures and youngsters will get a chance, but since Ethier's contract has incentive based option for 2018, I feel he will start the season and stay as a primary pinch hitter to limit his at bats to kill the option. Toles and Thompson platoon wouldn't be the worst option for us anyhow.

I want to see Ryu make the 5th starter out of the spring. his career stats are the best among all the candidates for that spot. I would much rather trade Kazmir and McCarthy away from their salary standpont as well, by trade deadline even for next to nothing as long as we can dump their salary. perhaps it is wiser to keep one of them around for inevitable Urias' mid season break plus potential injuries. but Stewart and Stripings are there to cover those starts anyway.

Ryu says he's going to be healthy again for 2017.
Just imagine I'm from Missouri when it comes to his health....show me.

I will move forward as if Ryu WILL NOT be a part of our 2017. If he happens to show up at our door, healthy, and ready to throw multiple games, I'll reconsider.

The incentive is there in place for players to see the potential to win and go deep again in the playoffs.
However,
I'm still waiting for the chemistry, that team edginess of desire to take over games once we reach the playoffs.
The presence of a full year of Rich Hill, AG, Seager, and JT as leaders is necessary for all.
Biggest thing for me is that we have to be healthy after 162 games.

Regarding the Alex Wood expectation of being a starter, if I were him I'd just accept whatever Doc and the team asks of him.

And projections of being better than the Cubs for 2017 :
They are the better team UNTIL we beat them in the post-season.