Kyle SKOwarber Hulking Thread of Sploogepower

[Saul Goodman]

2 HR Saturday, bumping him up to 12 on the year.

327/454/633 in Double A.

His numbers are creeping up on Bryant's AA numbers from last season.

And as far as K % and K:BB ratio goes he's been even better. Not to say he's better than Bryant, but with those K/BB numbers you'd think he might have an even more graceful transition to facing big league pitching than most.

Edited: according to the twitters Kyle's actually been better than Bryant through their first 45 AA games:

Schwarber: .327/.454/.633/1.087, 12 homers, 39 Ks (21.3 K%), 36 BBs (19.7%).
Bryant:      .335/.431/.623/1.054, 12 homers, 53 Ks (27.9%), 23 BBs (12.1%).

Holy shit.

I would love to see him called up, mostly to play left but also get some innings here and there at catcher (for example, late-game situations where Ross has started). He can continue working on his catcher skills this offseason if they're really committed to it. That bat is just too good to waste away in the minors when it could be aiding a playoff push.

I think I may have already proclaimed this on Twitter but that website is a fading star anyway so at the risk of repeating myself - I think Theo & Jed are going to do some crazy shit within the span of a day or two this month. Like, acquire Hamels and/or Papelbon, call up Schwarber and Baez, and for the biggest impact of all, activate Denorfia and La Stella.

I saw you say that. I think if the Cubs have a decent few weeks, it'll happen. They probably want to make sure the team is still in contention a bit closer to July. This hunch is based on absolutely nothing.

Hard pass on Papelbon, unless the Phillies are paying basically all of it. Hamels, yes please. Zobrist and Clippard from Oakland would be nice. And for a nightcap, Chapman and Cueto? I can dream.

They could easily absorb Papelbon's 13 mil salary next year without affecting their long term plan. Plus that option only vests if he finishes 48 games this year. So far he's finished 19 this year. Could be fairly easy to keep him from hitting that if he plays poorly enough down the stretch that they're sure he couldn't help them next year.

Yeah I take that back, I just checked on his contract because I thought there were still multiple years left on his dumb deal. Signed through 15 with a vesting option for 16? GET IT DONE JE

[SKO]

2 HR Saturday, bumping him up to 12 on the year.

327/454/633 in Double A.

His numbers are creeping up on Bryant's AA numbers from last season.

And as far as K % and K:BB ratio goes he's been even better. Not to say he's better than Bryant, but with those K/BB numbers you'd think he might have an even more graceful transition to facing big league pitching than most.

Edited: according to the twitters Kyle's actually been better than Bryant through their first 45 AA games:

Schwarber: .327/.454/.633/1.087, 12 homers, 39 Ks (21.3 K%), 36 BBs (19.7%).
Bryant:      .335/.431/.623/1.054, 12 homers, 53 Ks (27.9%), 23 BBs (12.1%).

Holy shit.

I would love to see him called up, mostly to play left but also get some innings here and there at catcher (for example, late-game situations where Ross has started). He can continue working on his catcher skills this offseason if they're really committed to it. That bat is just too good to waste away in the minors when it could be aiding a playoff push.

I think I may have already proclaimed this on Twitter but that website is a fading star anyway so at the risk of repeating myself - I think Theo & Jed are going to do some crazy shit within the span of a day or two this month. Like, acquire Hamels and/or Papelbon, call up Schwarber and Baez, and for the biggest impact of all, activate Denorfia and La Stella.

I saw you say that. I think if the Cubs have a decent few weeks, it'll happen. They probably want to make sure the team is still in contention a bit closer to July. This hunch is based on absolutely nothing.

Hard pass on Papelbon, unless the Phillies are paying basically all of it. Hamels, yes please. Zobrist and Clippard from Oakland would be nice. And for a nightcap, Chapman and Cueto? I can dream.

They could easily absorb Papelbon's 13 mil salary next year without affecting their long term plan. Plus that option only vests if he finishes 48 games this year. So far he's finished 19 this year. Could be fairly easy to keep him from hitting that if he plays poorly enough down the stretch that they're sure he couldn't help them next year.

Yeah I take that back, I just checked on his contract because I thought there were still multiple years left on his dumb deal. Signed through 15 with a vesting option for 16? GET IT DONE JE

Put Paplebon as your 9th inning guy, call up CJ Edwards, DFA Wood and Edwin, I think you've got yourself a real bullpen. Motte basically never pitches in anything but a mop up situation or a long extra inning game, Rosscup and Russell are your loogy's, then you have all kinds of gas to pick from between Strop/Grimm/Edwards/Rondon. If Neil Ramirez ever comes back you can even shoot Motte.

[R-V]

2 HR Saturday, bumping him up to 12 on the year.

327/454/633 in Double A.

His numbers are creeping up on Bryant's AA numbers from last season.

And as far as K % and K:BB ratio goes he's been even better. Not to say he's better than Bryant, but with those K/BB numbers you'd think he might have an even more graceful transition to facing big league pitching than most.

Edited: according to the twitters Kyle's actually been better than Bryant through their first 45 AA games:

Schwarber: .327/.454/.633/1.087, 12 homers, 39 Ks (21.3 K%), 36 BBs (19.7%).
Bryant:      .335/.431/.623/1.054, 12 homers, 53 Ks (27.9%), 23 BBs (12.1%).

Holy shit.

I would love to see him called up, mostly to play left but also get some innings here and there at catcher (for example, late-game situations where Ross has started). He can continue working on his catcher skills this offseason if they're really committed to it. That bat is just too good to waste away in the minors when it could be aiding a playoff push.

I think I may have already proclaimed this on Twitter but that website is a fading star anyway so at the risk of repeating myself - I think Theo & Jed are going to do some crazy shit within the span of a day or two this month. Like, acquire Hamels and/or Papelbon, call up Schwarber and Baez, and for the biggest impact of all, activate Denorfia and La Stella.

I saw you say that. I think if the Cubs have a decent few weeks, it'll happen. They probably want to make sure the team is still in contention a bit closer to July. This hunch is based on absolutely nothing.

Hard pass on Papelbon, unless the Phillies are paying basically all of it. Hamels, yes please. Zobrist and Clippard from Oakland would be nice. And for a nightcap, Chapman and Cueto? I can dream.

They could easily absorb Papelbon's 13 mil salary next year without affecting their long term plan. Plus that option only vests if he finishes 48 games this year. So far he's finished 19 this year. Could be fairly easy to keep him from hitting that if he plays poorly enough down the stretch that they're sure he couldn't help them next year.

Yeah I take that back, I just checked on his contract because I thought there were still multiple years left on his dumb deal. Signed through 15 with a vesting option for 16? GET IT DONE JE

Put Paplebon as your 9th inning guy, call up CJ Edwards, DFA Wood and Edwin, I think you've got yourself a real bullpen. Motte basically never pitches in anything but a mop up situation or a long extra inning game, Rosscup and Russell are your loogy's, then you have all kinds of gas to pick from between Strop/Grimm/Edwards/Rondon. If Neil Ramirez ever comes back you can even shoot Motte.

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

[SKO]

2 HR Saturday, bumping him up to 12 on the year.

327/454/633 in Double A.

His numbers are creeping up on Bryant's AA numbers from last season.

And as far as K % and K:BB ratio goes he's been even better. Not to say he's better than Bryant, but with those K/BB numbers you'd think he might have an even more graceful transition to facing big league pitching than most.

Edited: according to the twitters Kyle's actually been better than Bryant through their first 45 AA games:

Schwarber: .327/.454/.633/1.087, 12 homers, 39 Ks (21.3 K%), 36 BBs (19.7%).
Bryant:      .335/.431/.623/1.054, 12 homers, 53 Ks (27.9%), 23 BBs (12.1%).

Holy shit.

I would love to see him called up, mostly to play left but also get some innings here and there at catcher (for example, late-game situations where Ross has started). He can continue working on his catcher skills this offseason if they're really committed to it. That bat is just too good to waste away in the minors when it could be aiding a playoff push.

I think I may have already proclaimed this on Twitter but that website is a fading star anyway so at the risk of repeating myself - I think Theo & Jed are going to do some crazy shit within the span of a day or two this month. Like, acquire Hamels and/or Papelbon, call up Schwarber and Baez, and for the biggest impact of all, activate Denorfia and La Stella.

I saw you say that. I think if the Cubs have a decent few weeks, it'll happen. They probably want to make sure the team is still in contention a bit closer to July. This hunch is based on absolutely nothing.

Hard pass on Papelbon, unless the Phillies are paying basically all of it. Hamels, yes please. Zobrist and Clippard from Oakland would be nice. And for a nightcap, Chapman and Cueto? I can dream.

They could easily absorb Papelbon's 13 mil salary next year without affecting their long term plan. Plus that option only vests if he finishes 48 games this year. So far he's finished 19 this year. Could be fairly easy to keep him from hitting that if he plays poorly enough down the stretch that they're sure he couldn't help them next year.

Yeah I take that back, I just checked on his contract because I thought there were still multiple years left on his dumb deal. Signed through 15 with a vesting option for 16? GET IT DONE JE

Put Paplebon as your 9th inning guy, call up CJ Edwards, DFA Wood and Edwin, I think you've got yourself a real bullpen. Motte basically never pitches in anything but a mop up situation or a long extra inning game, Rosscup and Russell are your loogy's, then you have all kinds of gas to pick from between Strop/Grimm/Edwards/Rondon. If Neil Ramirez ever comes back you can even shoot Motte.

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

I'm not picky. As long as he ends up against the wall at some point.

[Eli]

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

That'd be ideal for Maddon, who will probably try to use three players during one at-bat before the season is over.

[SKO]

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

That'd be ideal for Maddon, who will probably try to use three players during one at-bat before the season is over.

Maddon's bullpen management lately has reminded me of Dusty using Remlinger against lefties even though Remlinger was always better vs. right handed hitters. He puts Wood in instead of Grimm to face Gordon because lefty but I would rather try Grimm than Wood in any circumstances, then in what was already shaping up to be one really long game he kept using his lefties to try and get one out. It was oddly, stubbornly antiquated thinking from Joe.

[Saul Goodman]

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

That'd be ideal for Maddon, who will probably try to use three players during one at-bat before the season is over.

Maddon's bullpen management lately has reminded me of Dusty using Remlinger against lefties even though Remlinger was always better vs. right handed hitters. He puts Wood in instead of Grimm to face Gordon because lefty but I would rather try Grimm than Wood in any circumstances, then in what was already shaping up to be one really long game he kept using his lefties to try and get one out. It was oddly, stubbornly antiquated thinking from Joe.

To be fair, Reliever Travis Wood is a new thing, and in his career he's been better against lefties than righties, so I don't fault Joe on this one for a little trial-and-error in May.  If Glen Perkins can move to the bullpen and go from worse-than-mediocre starter to All-Star closer, why not see what you've got.

[SKO]

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

That'd be ideal for Maddon, who will probably try to use three players during one at-bat before the season is over.

Maddon's bullpen management lately has reminded me of Dusty using Remlinger against lefties even though Remlinger was always better vs. right handed hitters. He puts Wood in instead of Grimm to face Gordon because lefty but I would rather try Grimm than Wood in any circumstances, then in what was already shaping up to be one really long game he kept using his lefties to try and get one out. It was oddly, stubbornly antiquated thinking from Joe.

To be fair, Reliever Travis Wood is a new thing, and in his career he's been better against lefties than righties, so I don't fault Joe on this one for a little trial-and-error in May.  If Glen Perkins can move to the bullpen and go from worse-than-mediocre starter to All-Star closer, why not see what you've got.

Fair enough. I do wonder why Joe always seems to consider Russell as a last resort when he's been pretty effective this year and in his career. Cubs twitter goes into a panic every time he comes into a game and then he usually does a good job. I get that his FIP and his peripherals are normally not really glamorous but we're now 351 games into his big league career and I think he's proven he's OK.

[ChuckD]

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

That'd be ideal for Maddon, who will probably try to use three players during one at-bat before the season is over.

Maddon's bullpen management lately has reminded me of Dusty using Remlinger against lefties even though Remlinger was always better vs. right handed hitters. He puts Wood in instead of Grimm to face Gordon because lefty but I would rather try Grimm than Wood in any circumstances, then in what was already shaping up to be one really long game he kept using his lefties to try and get one out. It was oddly, stubbornly antiquated thinking from Joe.

To be fair, Reliever Travis Wood is a new thing, and in his career he's been better against lefties than righties, so I don't fault Joe on this one for a little trial-and-error in May.  If Glen Perkins can move to the bullpen and go from worse-than-mediocre starter to All-Star closer, why not see what you've got.

Almost like some other struggling, red-goateed starter the Cubs got from the Reds and turned in to a solid closer for a couple seasons?

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

That'd be ideal for Maddon, who will probably try to use three players during one at-bat before the season is over.

Maddon's bullpen management lately has reminded me of Dusty using Remlinger against lefties even though Remlinger was always better vs. right handed hitters. He puts Wood in instead of Grimm to face Gordon because lefty but I would rather try Grimm than Wood in any circumstances, then in what was already shaping up to be one really long game he kept using his lefties to try and get one out. It was oddly, stubbornly antiquated thinking from Joe.

To be fair, Reliever Travis Wood is a new thing, and in his career he's been better against lefties than righties, so I don't fault Joe on this one for a little trial-and-error in May.  If Glen Perkins can move to the bullpen and go from worse-than-mediocre starter to All-Star closer, why not see what you've got.

Almost like some other struggling, red-goateed starter the Cubs got from the Reds and turned in to a solid closer for a couple seasons?

*seethes*

[PenFoe]

This Rob Neyer article is making the rounds.

Not sure what the deal is with the awkward exclamation points throughout, but there's some good Schwarberboner stuff, even if he seems to think he's not ready.

[Tonker]

Or you could even shoot Motte now, and use a standard 12 man staff (and a normal sized bench) for the rest of the season.

That'd be ideal for Maddon, who will probably try to use three players during one at-bat before the season is over.

Maddon's bullpen management lately has reminded me of Dusty using Remlinger against lefties even though Remlinger was always better vs. right handed hitters. He puts Wood in instead of Grimm to face Gordon because lefty but I would rather try Grimm than Wood in any circumstances, then in what was already shaping up to be one really long game he kept using his lefties to try and get one out. It was oddly, stubbornly antiquated thinking from Joe.

To be fair, Reliever Travis Wood is a new thing, and in his career he's been better against lefties than righties, so I don't fault Joe on this one for a little trial-and-error in May.  If Glen Perkins can move to the bullpen and go from worse-than-mediocre starter to All-Star closer, why not see what you've got.

Fair enough. I do wonder why Joe always seems to consider Russell as a last resort when he's been pretty effective this year and in his career. Cubs twitter goes into a panic every time he comes into a game and then he usually does a good job. I get that his FIP and his peripherals are normally not really glamorous but we're now 351 games into his big league career and I think he's proven he's OK.

Oi!  Thinking Russell is underrated is MY thing!

[Saul Goodman]

This Rob Neyer article is making the rounds.

Not sure what the deal is with the awkward exclamation points throughout, but there's some good Schwarberboner stuff, even if he seems to think he's not ready.

Department of Clarifications: As Bleed Cubbie Blue's Al Yellon points out, Anthony Rizzo's signed to a team-friendly long-term contract, and won't be "expensive" for a long, long while. Which doesn't necessarily mean Schwarber can't take over at first base, but that seems possible only if Rizzo suffers some sort of terrible injury or (more likely) Rizzo's traded. Bottom line, it's just hard to find a place for Schwarber to play on this team, as currently composed.

Department of Never Reading A Thing Rob Neyer Has to Say Ever Again: Al Yellon is correcting his work and getting credited for it.  Al Yellon.  Al.  Yellon.  Time to start rethinking some things about your life and your choices, Rob.

And as much as we all love a good FYSKO, it's really not hard to find a place for Schwarber to play on this team.  At all.  They need offense, and I would not be upset or complain in the least if they promoted him directly from Double-A.  This team is for real now, so let's go for it.

[ChuckD]

Seriously, if Schwarber can mash like everyone seems to think he can, let him be a Zobrist super-utility guy for all I care. LF one day, catching another, and playing SS the next. Fuck it. Just get his bat in to the lineup.

[Eli]

This Rob Neyer article is making the rounds.

Not sure what the deal is with the awkward exclamation points throughout, but there's some good Schwarberboner stuff, even if he seems to think he's not ready.

Department of Clarifications: As Bleed Cubbie Blue's Al Yellon points out, Anthony Rizzo's signed to a team-friendly long-term contract, and won't be "expensive" for a long, long while. Which doesn't necessarily mean Schwarber can't take over at first base, but that seems possible only if Rizzo suffers some sort of terrible injury or (more likely) Rizzo's traded. Bottom line, it's just hard to find a place for Schwarber to play on this team, as currently composed.

Department of Never Reading A Thing Rob Neyer Has to Say Ever Again: Al Yellon is correcting his work and getting credited for it.  Al Yellon.  Al.  Yellon.  Time to start rethinking some things about your life and your choices, Rob.

And as much as we all love a good FYSKO, it's really not hard to find a place for Schwarber to play on this team.  At all.  They need offense, and I would not be upset or complain in the least if they promoted him directly from Double-A.  This team is for real now, so let's go for it.

Even dumber is implying there's any reasonable chance Rizzo would ever be traded.