https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/st...rm-systems-prospects-list-2023-kiley-mcdaniel 2. Chicago Cubs: $287 million Somewhat like with the White Sox, I wasn't sure if the Cubs reload/rebuild was going well entering this season. They spent money in free agency and made moves at the trade deadline, but it wasn't clear if the high upside sort of players they had acquired in the teardown were progressing. Now the big league team is competing a bit ahead of schedule. Pete Crow-Armstrong, a somewhat divisive player who was the return for Javier Baez, continues to tick up. Ben Brown, one of last year's trade deadline adds, is on the verge of being a big league factor, and last year's surprise first round pick, Cade Horton, might be on track to be the best pitching prospect in baseball by this time next year. We're getting close to the point where it could be tricky to fit everyone on the 40-man roster without blocking a prospect in Triple-A, while still staying competitive at the big league level. That's a nice problem to have.
Rizzo was doing fine until Tatis Jr crushed his skull. He's obviously been playing hurt all year. It's weird but is Soler the most relevant player from our 2016 group?
Those I understand a little more. I don’t think calling Amaya up was originally in the plan for this year. And Mancini got the Orioles a prospect who’s 11th overall in the #1 system in the game last year. So I think they thought they could flip him for something decent. With Smyly there certainly wasn’t some huge market for him and we knew we had Brown coming up soon and must’ve thought Horton could move through the system quickly too taking him so high. One year with a club option is what he should’ve gotten.
Yeah, I’ve been as critical of Ross as anyone but today he handled the pitchers fine. Horton is going to close out the year pushing the top ten prospect lists
Great to see him back to full strength. 2 home runs and 2 doubles tonight. Going to have a ton of guys vying for a roster spot in spring training next year.
Real question here...in a playoff series what the hell does the rotation look like? Aside from Steele, Hendricks, and Assad right now, who do you have confidence in starting?
How fucking brain dead are you? How many articles and talking pundits need to report and share that Ross isn't making lineups or calls on starters. I'm not sold on Ross but if you're going to bitch do it on things he has actual control over.
so Ross has no control over the pitching staff or the hitters. Wish I got paid millions to call ill advised bunts.
I would imagine no manager in baseball is making starting lineups or setting rotations. This isn't the 90's. Managers in baseball are getting all the calls from the front office and the advanced analytics and are being paid to manage the bullpen in games and make sure you have good looker room morale. And for the most part Ross does well with that stuff.
Whats the rotation for next season? Steele, Taillion, Assad, Wicks, ?. I assume they're not picking up the option on Hendricks but maybe they do if Stroman doesn't opt in to his final year.
I really hope we’re ready to move on from Hendricks. Will they fast track Horton? Wicks and Assad deserve a shot at rotation spots but I don’t really like going into a season with Taillion as my number two.
Sucks we’ve heard nothing about stroman lately. If he came back and pitched like himself, the cubs would actually be dangerous
Feels ahead of schedule but it’s fun to have a competitive team. Won’t hear much from the trade Bellinger crowd, lol
You will if he isn't re-signed. Unless the team wins a world series, not trading him ends up being the wrong move if he doesn't re-sign.
I’m Ok if he doesn’t resign because we probably would’ve got 2 prospects that chances are don’t amount to much, instead we made a good run at the playoffs with a chance to make it.
This isn’t a fair take… especially when Belli and Stro walk this winter and all we get is six weeks of entertainment and a 3 game playoff exit. Hope all those “ownership is cheap” members of this board feel this was worth it.
Some of you are so addicted to #prospectz! that you can't see the forest for the trees. Building a winning culture doesn't happen by just continuing to throw seasons away and waiting until you get lucky. At some point you have to reward the guys on the team that are part of your future with actual, meaningful opportunities to play when it matters.
the idea that every team that didn’t win the World Series should have traded all of their pending free agents is fucking retarded
feels like they’re a top starter and 2 bullpen arms away from being real contenders. Work to do in the off season but it’s promising. Really want them to resign candalario and bellinger, then have to find probably one starter. The front offices pledge to spend when the time is right will be tested
Do you honestly think stroman will opt out? Who is giving him more than $21M aav in free agency? Especially if he can’t pitch again this year
If a team is willing to give out a $66M over 3 year deal to a player who had a 9 era over 5+ starts and then was injured for the rest of the year with a relatively mysterious injury, then more power to them. Seems like there’s a decent amount of risk there