Cubs' Prospects FUTUREBONER thread

[Slaky]

By the way, I don't know whether this has been discussed already, but Arismen D. Alcantara is batting...

.290/.336/.518/.854 at Iowa, with 8HR, 19 2B and 10 (!) 3B in 276 AB.  Not too shabby.  He also has 18 SB and only 3 CS.

Nice choice, Jim.

He's also just 22. I think he's pretty solidly the No. 3 prospect in the organization and I wouldn't point and laugh at anyone who had him ahead of Baez. Really excited about him.

And guess what else? He's on the 40 man.

But does it really make sense to bring him up before Baez and Bryant? If those two are waiting till April and Arismendy might end being as much of your core as those guys why not wait and control them all for the same length of time?

I know these things are a hot topic but I've decided not to care. The whole super 2/clock bullshit was probably meant with good intentions but it's royally fucking up my enjoyment of the sport. Young, exciting players are held back to save money. And I don't disagree with holding them back for more time of cost control. That's just how it is.

But it sucks. So whenever he or the other dudes are called up I will be happy. Other than that I'm not even going to think about that shit anymore.

[SKO]

By the way, I don't know whether this has been discussed already, but Arismen D. Alcantara is batting...

.290/.336/.518/.854 at Iowa, with 8HR, 19 2B and 10 (!) 3B in 276 AB.  Not too shabby.  He also has 18 SB and only 3 CS.

Nice choice, Jim.

He's also just 22. I think he's pretty solidly the No. 3 prospect in the organization and I wouldn't point and laugh at anyone who had him ahead of Baez. Really excited about him.

And guess what else? He's on the 40 man.

But does it really make sense to bring him up before Baez and Bryant? If those two are waiting till April and Arismendy might end being as much of your core as those guys why not wait and control them all for the same length of time?

I know these things are a hot topic but I've decided not to care. The whole super 2/clock bullshit was probably meant with good intentions but it's royally fucking up my enjoyment of the sport. Young, exciting players are held back to save money. And I don't disagree with holding them back for more time of cost control. That's just how it is.

But it sucks. So whenever he or the other dudes are called up I will be happy. Other than that I'm not even going to think about that shit anymore.

True, but the Cubs had best do all they can to maintain control as long as possible because Chuck told me they apparently won't have the money to re-sign Kris Bryant.

[Eli]

I know these things are a hot topic but I've decided not to care. The whole super 2/clock bullshit was probably meant with good intentions but it's royally fucking up my enjoyment of the sport. Young, exciting players are held back to save money. And I don't disagree with holding them back for more time of cost control. That's just how it is.

But it sucks. So whenever he or the other dudes are called up I will be happy. Other than that I'm not even going to think about that shit anymore.

This. And Bryant is probably going to get signed to an early extension that buys out some of his arb/FA years anyway, so it's even less of a concern.

[Chuck to Chuck]

By the way, I don't know whether this has been discussed already, but Arismen D. Alcantara is batting...

.290/.336/.518/.854 at Iowa, with 8HR, 19 2B and 10 (!) 3B in 276 AB.  Not too shabby.  He also has 18 SB and only 3 CS.

Nice choice, Jim.

He's also just 22. I think he's pretty solidly the No. 3 prospect in the organization and I wouldn't point and laugh at anyone who had him ahead of Baez. Really excited about him.

And guess what else? He's on the 40 man.

But does it really make sense to bring him up before Baez and Bryant? If those two are waiting till April and Arismendy might end being as much of your core as those guys why not wait and control them all for the same length of time?

I know these things are a hot topic but I've decided not to care. The whole super 2/clock bullshit was probably meant with good intentions but it's royally fucking up my enjoyment of the sport. Young, exciting players are held back to save money. And I don't disagree with holding them back for more time of cost control. That's just how it is.

But it sucks. So whenever he or the other dudes are called up I will be happy. Other than that I'm not even going to think about that shit anymore.

True, but the Cubs had best do all they can to maintain control as long as possible because Chuck told me they apparently won't have the money to re-sign Kris Bryant.

Didn't say that. Just said Boras clients tend to not sign extensions covering free agency years.

And to Slaky, the issue with promoting most of the players isn't cost, it's years of control.  By waiting to promote these guys until next May, they are under team control for essentially 7 seasons instead of 6.  Extends your window to win.

[SKO]

By the way, I don't know whether this has been discussed already, but Arismen D. Alcantara is batting...

.290/.336/.518/.854 at Iowa, with 8HR, 19 2B and 10 (!) 3B in 276 AB.  Not too shabby.  He also has 18 SB and only 3 CS.

Nice choice, Jim.

He's also just 22. I think he's pretty solidly the No. 3 prospect in the organization and I wouldn't point and laugh at anyone who had him ahead of Baez. Really excited about him.

And guess what else? He's on the 40 man.

But does it really make sense to bring him up before Baez and Bryant? If those two are waiting till April and Arismendy might end being as much of your core as those guys why not wait and control them all for the same length of time?

I know these things are a hot topic but I've decided not to care. The whole super 2/clock bullshit was probably meant with good intentions but it's royally fucking up my enjoyment of the sport. Young, exciting players are held back to save money. And I don't disagree with holding them back for more time of cost control. That's just how it is.

But it sucks. So whenever he or the other dudes are called up I will be happy. Other than that I'm not even going to think about that shit anymore.

True, but the Cubs had best do all they can to maintain control as long as possible because Chuck told me they apparently won't have the money to re-sign Kris Bryant.

Didn't say that. Just said Boras clients tend to not sign extensions covering free agency years.

And to Slaky, the issue with promoting most of the players isn't cost, it's years of control.  By waiting to promote these guys until next May, they are under team control for essentially 7 seasons instead of 6.  Extends your window to win.

Right, you just said that if they promote him now there was a "high probability" he's gone in 2020. Which would seem strange to me that a major market team would be less likely than not to re-sign a potential home grown star.

What's the high probability of Bryant leaving in comparison to the increasing likelihood of a Castro trade?

[Yeti]

By the way, I don't know whether this has been discussed already, but Arismen D. Alcantara is batting...

.290/.336/.518/.854 at Iowa, with 8HR, 19 2B and 10 (!) 3B in 276 AB.  Not too shabby.  He also has 18 SB and only 3 CS.

Nice choice, Jim.

He's also just 22. I think he's pretty solidly the No. 3 prospect in the organization and I wouldn't point and laugh at anyone who had him ahead of Baez. Really excited about him.

And guess what else? He's on the 40 man.

But does it really make sense to bring him up before Baez and Bryant? If those two are waiting till April and Arismendy might end being as much of your core as those guys why not wait and control them all for the same length of time?

I know these things are a hot topic but I've decided not to care. The whole super 2/clock bullshit was probably meant with good intentions but it's royally fucking up my enjoyment of the sport. Young, exciting players are held back to save money. And I don't disagree with holding them back for more time of cost control. That's just how it is.

But it sucks. So whenever he or the other dudes are called up I will be happy. Other than that I'm not even going to think about that shit anymore.

I'm with you on that.

Things I love: Discussing these guys, if they'll be good, if they'll suck, etc.

Things I hate: hand-wringing over the time in which they are able to be promoted in an effort to get one extra year added to the already 6 years of team control.

[Eli]

Things I hate: hand-wringing over the time in which they are able to be promoted in an effort to get one extra year added to the already 6 years of team control.

And it's not even a full extra year of control, since you're keeping them down for part of that first season.

[Yeti]

Things I hate: hand-wringing over the time in which they are able to be promoted in an effort to get one extra year added to the already 6 years of team control.

And it's not even a full extra year of control, since you're keeping them down for part of that first season.

Indeed, so it's like an extra 4 months? ghey (sorry I'm not sorry, RV)

[SKO]

Things I hate: hand-wringing over the time in which they are able to be promoted in an effort to get one extra year added to the already 6 years of team control.

And it's not even a full extra year of control, since you're keeping them down for part of that first season.

Yeah. I don't know how Epstein and Hoyer feel about it. God knows I hope they feel good enough about the financial future of the team to not have to give a shit about stuff like that. I really feel like in an ideal world Baez keeps straightening out his shit, and Bryant and Alcantara keep up what they're doing and they could come up in September for a cup of coffee that'll maybe help accelerate their adjustments when they're opening day starters in 2015. That would be my ideal hope but I know it is unlikely and they said so.

[Powdered Toast Man]

I just read the last two pages of this thread with glee about Cubs baseball. The boners are blooming, boys.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Things I hate: hand-wringing over the time in which they are able to be promoted in an effort to get one extra year added to the already 6 years of team control.

And it's not even a full extra year of control, since you're keeping them down for part of that first season.

Yeah. I don't know how Epstein and Hoyer feel about it. God knows I hope they feel good enough about the financial future of the team to not have to give a shit about stuff like that. I really feel like in an ideal world Baez keeps straightening out his shit, and Bryant and Alcantara keep up what they're doing and they could come up in September for a cup of coffee that'll maybe help accelerate their adjustments when they're opening day starters in 2015. That would be my ideal hope but I know it is unlikely and they said so.

This 3-day old article makes the case that Soler may up in September, if for no other reason than all of his injuries has rendered his need to get at-bats somewhere critical.

[Eli]

This 3-day old article makes the case that Soler may up in September, if for no other reason than all of his injuries has rendered his need to get at-bats somewhere critical.

Plus, Soler has a guaranteed major-league contract so the arbitration/control argument doesn't apply to him. Might as well let him use his bullets (so to speak; whatever) in the major leagues if he's really a bit gimpy.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Things I hate: hand-wringing over the time in which they are able to be promoted in an effort to get one extra year added to the already 6 years of team control.

And it's not even a full extra year of control, since you're keeping them down for part of that first season.

Indeed, so it's like an extra 4 months? ghey (sorry I'm not sorry, RV)

They'd get something like 140 games instead of 162.  So, you'd get 6.86 seasons of control vs. just 6.  Punt 20 to 25 games and get an extra 135 to 140.  Criminal not to do that.

[Brownie]

By the way, I don't know whether this has been discussed already, but Arismen D. Alcantara is batting...

.290/.336/.518/.854 at Iowa, with 8HR, 19 2B and 10 (!) 3B in 276 AB.  Not too shabby.  He also has 18 SB and only 3 CS.

Nice choice, Jim.

He's also just 22. I think he's pretty solidly the No. 3 prospect in the organization and I wouldn't point and laugh at anyone who had him ahead of Baez. Really excited about him.

This.

And this:

I just read the last two pages of this thread with glee about Cubs baseball. The boners are blooming, boys.

The only time comparable to this was circa 1986-1987 when you could look at the Cubs farm system and find Greg Maddux, Jamie Moyer, Rafael Palmeiro, Darrin Jackson, Damon Berryhill, Hector Villanueva, Mark Grace, Dwight Smith, Joe Girardi, Dave Martinez, Gary Varsho, Jerome Walton, Jeff Pico, Lester Lancaster, et al.

And then Dallas Green retired, Jim Frey gutted the system and brought on the Larry Himes era, which begat the MacPhail era.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

By the way, I don't know whether this has been discussed already, but Arismen D. Alcantara is batting...

.290/.336/.518/.854 at Iowa, with 8HR, 19 2B and 10 (!) 3B in 276 AB.  Not too shabby.  He also has 18 SB and only 3 CS.

Nice choice, Jim.

He's also just 22. I think he's pretty solidly the No. 3 prospect in the organization and I wouldn't point and laugh at anyone who had him ahead of Baez. Really excited about him.

And guess what else? He's on the 40 man.

But does it really make sense to bring him up before Baez and Bryant? If those two are waiting till April and Arismendy might end being as much of your core as those guys why not wait and control them all for the same length of time?

I know these things are a hot topic but I've decided not to care. The whole super 2/clock bullshit was probably meant with good intentions but it's royally fucking up my enjoyment of the sport. Young, exciting players are held back to save money. And I don't disagree with holding them back for more time of cost control. That's just how it is.

Here's the thing, though: the upshot of the Super 2 arbitration clock is that, assuming that the front office isn't going to be punting the first three months of 2015, it actually makes it easier for them to call these guys up this year.