Author Topic: Today's Game 2019  (Read 53321 times)

Ron

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1050 on: April 18, 2019, 12:05:15 pm »
The guy whose opinion matters most says Russell will play SS when he returns. 

Maddon, who texted with Russell as recently as Monday, said he still anticipates returning him to shortstop, with Javy Baez moving back to second base.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/sunday-postponement-delays-addison-russell-eligible-return-to-chicago-cubs-cards-series-domestic-violence-suspension/

davep

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1051 on: April 18, 2019, 01:43:06 pm »
Dave, Russell is not going to be an offensive force, or a downright "good" hitter.  The question is where on the spectrum between almost-average and awful he might fall. 

Do you feel that he was a "good hitter" in 2016? 
« Last Edit: April 18, 2019, 01:54:48 pm by davep »

DelMarFan

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1052 on: April 18, 2019, 02:42:14 pm »
What's average OPS for shortstop?

CUBluejays

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1053 on: April 18, 2019, 02:48:30 pm »
What's average OPS for shortstop?

It was .723 in 2018, wRC+ of 95.

Prior to his hand injury in the first half Russell had a .737 OPS, wRC+ of 101.
In the second half of 2017 when he recovered from his shoulder injury he had a .839 OPS, wRC+ 112.

Russell might always be injury prone or maybe his bat will never be cosistent, but he has a lot of untapped offensive potential. 

Bennett

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1054 on: April 18, 2019, 02:56:49 pm »
The weather forecast for Friday afternoon looks like a temperature around 42° with a 60% chance of sprinkles.

DelMarFan

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1055 on: April 18, 2019, 03:14:50 pm »
Quote
Russell might always be injury prone or maybe his bat will never be cosistent, but he has a lot of untapped offensive potential.

I agree with this.  He may return and put up a .600 OPS, and then we'll know, but I wouldn't be super-surprised by a .750, either.

ben

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1056 on: April 18, 2019, 03:28:39 pm »
in 2016, Russell put up about a .740 OPS (21 bombs, 95 RBI, 50 XBHs...terrific power for a SS)!

At age 22!

So, count me among those who wouldn't be surprised if he put up .750 in 2019.

Of course, with the problems he's had - and the scrutiny he will now have - a .650 OPS wouldn't be a big surprise either.

It seems very likely to me that he will take off sooner or later.  Impossible to know when.

craig

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1057 on: April 18, 2019, 04:04:35 pm »
What's average OPS for shortstop?

It's been ~.750 each of the last three years for regular starters with lots of AB.  [Obviously the overall average goes down when backups, guys playing through injuries, minor-league callups, guys playing themselves to the bench, and guys like 2nd-half-Russell get AB's and get factored in.]  But for guys who are 140-game type starting shortstops, it's been about .750 for years.

Deeg

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1058 on: April 18, 2019, 04:30:38 pm »
The point is, the Cubs have other guys who can play a lot of places even if Russell (hopefully) never plays another game for them.  Baez is putting up superstar offensive numbers while playing excellent defense at SS.  You'd have to be nuts to mess with that.  Which Maddon apparently is.

The other issue here is the OF, which looks incredibly weak offensively if Heyward levels out and Schwarber continues to scuffle.  Arguably that leaves you without a single everyday player in the OF who's above-average offensively.  Guys like Bote and Descalso would have to play a lot to balance that out, meaning pushing Bryant to the OF and leaving little time at 2B for Russell.

davep

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1059 on: April 18, 2019, 04:57:49 pm »
Moving Bryant to the outfield, Baez to third strengthens both positions and adds offense to the outfield.

As far as moving Baez around, Maddon has been doing it for years, with great success.

As far as Russell is concerned, I believe in redemption.  Russell has been punished.  If he does not commit new crimes, I wish him the best, both for the sake of himself and for the Cubs.
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Deeg

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1060 on: April 18, 2019, 05:54:44 pm »
Baez’ best season by far was last season. The season when he moved around less than any other, by far.

If Bryant sees a lot of time in the OF, Bote at 3B makes the most sense. He too is a better defender than Bryant and likely to be a better hitter than Russell.

brjones

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1061 on: April 18, 2019, 09:52:55 pm »
As far as Russell is concerned, I believe in redemption.  Russell has been punished.  If he does not commit new crimes, I wish him the best, both for the sake of himself and for the Cubs.

Missing 40 MLB games for years of emotional and sometimes physical domestic abuse is not much of a punishment. Minor leaguers and fringe major league players--who don't have multi-million dollar contracts to fall back on--get punished more severely all the time because they (intentionally or unintentionally) use a banned substance.

The idea that Russell has earned a shot at redemption because he couldn't play baseball games for a while is laughable.
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Ron

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1062 on: April 19, 2019, 09:00:04 am »
Missing 40 MLB games for years of emotional and sometimes physical domestic abuse is not much of a punishment. Minor leaguers and fringe major league players--who don't have multi-million dollar contracts to fall back on--get punished more severely all the time because they (intentionally or unintentionally) use a banned substance.

The idea that Russell has earned a shot at redemption because he couldn't play baseball games for a while is laughable.

I feel strongly about domestic abuse too. But let's be fair and honest about the facts. The Cubs have required a good deal more than the suspension to consider bringing back Russell. Theo has spoken at length about this more than once and I assume you've read his statements. Reasonable people can absolutely disagree about whether the Cubs' course of action has been the right one, or the best one. But we should all agree about the basic  facts of what that course of action has been.
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Bennett

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1063 on: April 19, 2019, 09:31:15 am »

ben

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Re: Today's Game 2019
« Reply #1064 on: April 19, 2019, 09:34:40 am »
Who the heck knows, but my best guess is: down the road a bit, when Russell is playing well, Cubs move him to extract some value and, essentially, replace him with Hoerner, who they love (assuming Hoerner continues to develop). 

Clearly, Javy can handle SS, Hoerner move to 2nd...maybe in a rotation.

They will feel good about helping Russell rehab, extract some value for him, and replace him with a guy in Hoerner who can, possibly, give the clubhouse a nice boost of energy, at the very least.

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