Bleacher Bums Forum

I still see a hole at third.

Didn't the Tigers refuse to include Castellanos in a deal for Garza a year ago?  Can't imagine they'd give him up for anything the Cubs would be willing to offer now.

I think we're probably just going to have to accept that Stewart/Valbuena will cover third base this year and hope for the best.  There are no major league third baseman available.  There are still rumors that the Indians would trade Asdrubal Cabrera for the right return if they want to slide a shortstop over to third...but it sounds like they'd have to be blown away.  Texas doesn't seem likely to trade Olt for anything but a major hitter.  The Indians don't really have any options other than Chisenhall at third themselves, the Padres don't seem to be in a hurry to trade Gyorko, and the Tigers don't seem to have a big enough need anywhere to trade Castellanos (and he probably isn't ready anyway).  Unless the Porcello/Hardy 3-way deal would include Peralta coming to the Cubs, I don't think there's an improvement out there.

Keith Law's list of the top 25 major leaguers under 25 includes two Cubs: Castro at #8 (behind Trout, Harper, Heyward, Stanton, Strasburg, Kershaw, and Machado) and Rizzo at #18.

8. Starlin Castro
AVG .283   OBP .323   OPS .753   HR 14   SB 25   WAR 3.4
Current: Castro's bat speed and hand-eye coordination have produced very impressive results for a player who has yet to turn 23, walks about twice a month and is only an average runner. Castro's total of 529 hits through his age-22 season ranks 20th all-time, and he's played fewer games than any player ahead of him except Ted Williams (563 hits in nine fewer games). He's also improved himself to the point where he's playable at shortstop and might be forced off the position by another player, rather than forcing himself off of it through poor play.

Future: If Castro barely improves from here, he's still a valuable big leaguer because he can handle short and is likely to hit at least .300 with plenty of doubles power. I think he'll grow into 20-homer power in time, and while his walk rates are pretty low, he's not hopeless at the plate, giving me some reason to think he could add 15-20 walks a year in time.


18. Anthony Rizzo

AVG .285   OBP .342   OPS .805   HR 15   SB 3   WAR 2.2
Current: The Cubs acquired Rizzo for hard-throwing, constantly-injured Andrew Cashner before the 2012 season, and they helped Rizzo shorten his swing to allow him to make more contact, especially against lefties. The changes largely worked: Rizzo cut his strikeout rate dramatically versus his 2011 tenure with the Padres, even making more contact against southpaws.

He's a terrific defensive first baseman and has earned high marks for his makeup from all three of the organizations that have employed him.

Future: A full season for Rizzo in 2013 should see him hit close to 25 homers with an average in the high .200s along with that great defense at first. He's only moderately patient, although that might improve as he becomes more of a power threat. The biggest question is whether he can avoid becoming a platoon player: He raked against lefties in Triple-A last year but had just a .599 OPS against them in the majors, albeit with a .221 BABIP. Given his age and the speed with which he has made adjustments, I like his odds of figuring out southpaws.

The Cubs seem to be higher on Valbuena than most of us.  Almost a million dollars a year isn't bad for someone picked up off the waiver wire.

I still irrationally like Valbuena.  He seems to do everything well except hit for average.  Just hit .260-.270, and he's an under-the-radar productive supersub like Jose Hernandez was from about 1997-2002.

Valbuena is better than Ian Stewart.

Spring Training invitee report

Astros instrucional league report

A surprising power arm closed out the game for the Astros, righty Dayan Diaz. The 23-year-old Colombian got ground balls and strikeouts in Lo-A Lexington this season but minor league relievers old for the level have a steep developmental hill to climb. Diaz threw an explosive two-seam fastball with plus life that sat 94-96 and hit 97, backing it up with an 82 mph curveball that he only threw once, but was easily above average and showed plus potential with sharp depth and 11-to-5 tilt.

Diaz is listed at 5’10, 156 pounds and didn’t look much bigger than that. He also has a longer arc to his arm action with a slight stab and a high effort delivery with some herky-jerky in it. Diaz generates the life with his three-quarters slot and takes and angle toward the right-handed batter’s box that, along with the run on his heater, helps give righties fits. While there are clear prospect downsides with age, effort in the delivery and the vagaries of projecting relievers, Diaz showed me late inning upside and is a guy to watch in 2013.